Fairy godmother of flat bellies?

I don't believe in miracle foods. There is no fairy godmother diet that, unaided, waves away unwanted bulges or health issues. As fitness expert Jonathan Ross writes, "We have to not allow our imaginations to run wild every time someone promises us they have found the unicorn." (Catch him pulling the rug out from under the recent acai berry health craze.) After all, in just the past decade, the Atkins diet, the South Beach diet, the Lemonade diet, the Fat Free diet (to name a few) have all had their time in the spotlight, which fades.

That being said, I bought the Flat Belly Diet! Cookbook last month.

Though marketed as a "Not a single crunch required" diet, I believe this New York Times bestseller has some merit. All of its recipes incorporate monounsaturated fatty acids, or MUFAs, found in foods such as olive oil, avocados and dark chocolate (this diet clearly targets women). The meal plan's creators at Prevention Magazine claim MUFAs are the "anecdote" to excess belly fat. While I'm still not sure simply filling my stomach with these foods will flatten it, I can say this cookbook offers simple, tasty meals that make you feel good and healthy. (For those of you who are thinking, "How can fat in my diet be a healthy?" please read)

So far, the book's snapper with pesto is a favorite recipe. I substituted cod for snapper and after making a foil packet around each fish fillet, tossed in olives, along with the recommended seasoning, spinach, red peppers and pesto before folding the foil closed. After baking for about 12 minutes, the flaky fish is ready to eat... and to work on flattening that stomach.