The Healthy Back Kitchen: Move Easier, Cook Simplerhow to Enjoy Great Food While Managing Back Pain

More than 120 recipes reflect a simpler way of moving about in the kitchen, and rethink technique to avoid prolonged standing and minimize exertion. A simple bowl of pasta becomes easier when you ditch the big pot of boiling water and simmer everything in a skillet. We reimagine comfort classics as lower-lift affairs: lasagna in a loaf pan, Parmesan risotto in your slow cooker, or modern beef pot pie for two in a skillet.

Working in concert with neurosurgeon Dr. Griffin Baum, we explore the act of cooking with an eye to improving accessibility, whether that means organizing items in your kitchen to recommending the best tools for cutting while seated. And we give active and walkaway time in every recipes so you can choose what to make based on your needs. The result is part cookbook, part guidebook designed to improve your quality of life and help you enjoy cooking.

Downsize and optimize: In "The Ergonomic Kitchen," you'll look at your cooking space with fresh eyes to maximize efficiency and ease. (Are your most-used tools hiding in awkward spots or deep cabinets?) We'll help you set up a functional work space, whether you're standing or seated.

Discover why everyone needs a good apron: It's not just to keep clothes clean: Moving efficiently gives you a huge jump-start in making great food without unnecessary standing. We demonstrate how a few everyday items can shave real time from any task.

Prep ahead! These recipes have been carefully chosen to minimize prep time but we also share tips for spacing out prep, so time spent cooking is faster and more pleasurable. Why not jump-start dinner with a do-ahead simmering sauce like creamy Pomodoro Sauce for fish, chicken, or pasta?

Comfort classics revisited: Translate those hearty but braises and roasts to a lightweight skillet. Trade a whole chicken for a spatchcocked one that fits in a quarter sheet pan and produces all-over crispy skin. Let brisket and onions turn tender in your slow cooker and enjoy an extra day of leftovers when you're aren't feeling up to cooking.