"The Ultimate Tea Diet Book"

Diet books flood the bookstores each January, proving that I'm not the only one who might've eaten a bit too much coconut cake and Honeybaked Ham over Christmas. But there's a new "diet book" out that I submit to you is more of a "health guide" than a "diet book," and it's called "The Ultimate Tea Diet: Boost Your Metabolism, Shrink Your Appetite, & Kick Start Remarkable Weight Loss" by Mark "Dr. Tea" Ukra.

Ukra is not really a doctor but owns an L.A. tea shop, and he has for years had customers ask for help in losing weight. He doesn't promote tea as a magic pill for those who want to keep overeating, but he does note that in combination with a balanced diet and moderate exercise, tea can be an enjoyable, healthful part of a weight loss plan. I should point out that Ukra does seem to mention his own brand of teas a good bit, so I was really wanting some of his Candy Bar Tea, but alas, I'm not prepared to shell out $12.50 for two ounces of tea PLUS $6.50 for shipping.

But I *am* prepared to try some of the many recipes in this book. It was a pleasant surprise to see so many new recipes containing tea as an ingredient, such as Tea Apple Sauce, Broccoli Tea Soup, Tea Boiled Shrimp , Currant Tea Couscous and much more. There's also a nice section on tea history, making this a book that many tea enthusiasts - not just the dieting ones - will enjoy.