A diet rich in nutrients, including protein, carbohydrates, fat, fiber, and vitamins, is not enough for our health. For optimum protection against heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and other chronic diseases, we also need an abundance of micronutrients. How to make sure we get enough of these vital micronutrients—and how to prepare them easily and deliciously—is what Dana Jacobi shows us in 12 Best Foods Cookbook.

After identifying the 12 foods containing the most potent micronutrients—broccoli, black beans, tomatoes, salmon, soy, sweet potatoes, oats, onions, blueberries, walnuts, spinach, and chocolate—Jacobi provides over 250 fabulous, remarkably varied recipes starring these ingredients. From appetizers and sandwiches to sides and smoothies, from Salmon and Corn Chowder to Curried Tofu Stir-Fry, the recipes in this book prove that a diet rich in all the micronutrients science has shown to be indispensable to our well-being can be a parade of delectable dishes. And, since chocolate is the most powerful antioxidant food, Fudge Surprise Brownies is one of the sweet treats that will satisfy the yearnings of health-conscious eaters and passionate chocoholics alike.

Dana Jacobi is the author of three previous cookbooks, including Amazing Soy (winner of the Gourmand World Cookbook Award). She has written for Cooking Light, Eating Well, and Natural Health, and her syndicated column "Something Different" appears in over 750 newspapers.