June 2003
Mollie Katzen casts a ray of sunshine on breakfast in her fourth cookbook, Sunlight Café. It is a brilliant collection of over 350 recipes for rise and shine meals.

On the introductory pages, Katzen acknowledges the difficulties of finding time to prepare and enjoy a morning meal. But she does not waver in her stance on the significance of this meal. According to the author, a healthy breakfast is the fuel that propels us through the start of the day. It provides us the energy and balance needed to maintain good health and sound minds.

She urges readers commit to making breakfast a top priority. Then, she suggests using every day organizational and time management skills plus a little creative thinking to carry out the morning meal mission. For example, she encourages readers to prepare baked goods over the weekend so they are available throughout the week. She asks readers to consider options such as fresh fruit and breakfast bars that can be carried to work. Further she asserts, breakfast at ten is far better than none at all.

Each recipe in the book includes an introduction or description giving the reader a clear impression of the finished product. And almost every recipe is accompanied by variations of the dish or product…resulting in well over the 350 recipes as stated on the book's cover. Notes and tips throughout the text deliver helpful and interesting information on various foods, preparations and health issues. The recipes themselves are clearly and simply presented and easy to follow.

Tortillas to soufflés, protein bars to chocolate muffins, this book covers it all. International dishes, regional specialties and a host of wonderful, original breakfast ideas are included in this collection. Katzen definitely leads her readers to think outside the cereal box when it comes to breakfast!

Mollie Katzen's own illustrations are the icing on the breakfast bar. These sparkling depictions of sunlight illuminating fruits, juices and breakfast dishes remind the reader of the glory and optimism of a new day.

Like her earlier efforts, Sunlight Café is a shining example of Mollie Katzen's singular ability to inspire cooks to create deliciously healthy dishes.