DAVINA McCall looks great at 50 and the TV star's new sugar-free cookbook, Davina's Kitchen Favourites, could provide some clues about how she stays in good shape.

The book will certainly appeal to people who are time-poor and conscious of how much sugar they're putting into their bodies (even the dessert section is sugar-free). It's also worth a peek if you're toying with the idea of going vegetarian or vegan - there are lots of recipes that'll help ease you into it. Also, calorie-counters will adore it - the all important numbers are at the top of each recipe.

All the dishes are sugar-free and a large bulk of them are veggie or vegan friendly. Expect lots of soups filled with greens, lean meats and wholegrains. Sure, there are a few desserts on offer (a dense looking banana bread and a lime sandwich cake that circumvents the sugar ban with maple syrup), but this book goes strong on the health front.

How easy is it? Well, there's a recipe for frozen fruit in there, so don't expect any fancy foams, gels or Michelin star worthy techniques to be required.

The best recipe is the mushroom cobbler - it's certainly the most intriguing. A savoury version of the classic peach cobbler, Davina's mushroom filling is flavoured with red wine, garlic, thyme, and leeks, with a nubbly, buttery scone-like topping.

Annoyingly all the images are quite over-exposed, so some dishes look a little inedible. The sweetcorn and bacon cornbread sounds delicious for instance, but just looks like lumps of brown stuff, with no definition. However, the layout is strong, the vegan/veggie options clearly marked, and there are handy spreads in the back of the book detailing nutritional information for each dish. You'll also find Davina's 5-week sugar-free menu plan in the back, for anyone looking to lose weight.

Overall rating: 5/10 Davina's Kitchen Favourites by Davina McCall is published by Seven Dials, priced £20. Photography Debby Lewis-Harrison. Available February 22.

Review by Ella Walker (Press Association)