It was only a matter of time really until someone came out with a book that makes fun of fad diets, and I say Hallelujah! The North Beach Diet, written by Kim Bailey, is a parody of the popular diets that make us feel like weak, spineless failures if we pick up a bowl of pasta.

The subtitle of the book reads “Add Belly and Hip Fat Instantly With Batter-Fried Twinkies & More”, and wouldn’t you know it, the book actually includes a recipe for batter-fried Twinkies! This is the dream diet of chocolate lovers and burger fanatics and a welcome relief from the pushy no meat, no carbs, no sugar, no taste diets we have been hit over the head with in recent years.

The North Beach Diet makes fun of fad diets by offering its own diet strategies, such as using food as an emotional crutch. While I would never endorse gaining 10 pounds in 48 hours – the book’s tongue-in-cheek weight gain guarantee – but the recipes featured in the book are tantalizing. Who wouldn’t love Cognac Braised Short Ribs? If you feel a nervous breakdown coming on at the very mention of steamed lentils or idea of eating another egg white omelet makes you want to rip your hair out, grab a deep-fried Mars bar and read The North Beach Diet.