Demi Lovato has described learning to cook as a "huge win" in her recovery from an eating disorder.

As she prepares to release her first cookbook, the singer made the admission while speaking at an event with Eli Rallo at the 92nd Street Y in New York on 17 March, where Demi discussed One Plate at a Time: Recipes for Finding Freedom with Food, which is due to be published on 31 March.

The book features more than 80 recipes, including "Spag Bol", Chicken Milanese with arugula salad and "Foolproof Pulled Pork", and is framed around Demi's evolving relationship with food after years of struggling with bulimia.

Demi said her approach to cooking began to shift five years into her recovery, when she was 30, recalling how preparing a meal with friends marked a turning point.

She added: "It's celebratory and fun. I think this whole book is celebratory because it's a celebration of how far I've come. I used to step foot into a grocery store and break down into tears because I was so overwhelmed by all of the food.

"And now I'm not only going into grocery stores and shopping myself, but I'm also cooking the meals that I'm making, and that's a huge win for me.

"We turned it into this spaghetti squash salad. That was the first recipe that I cooked with friends where I was like, 'Wow, this is actually really fun'."

Demi also said: "When I actually stepped foot into the kitchen and had so much joy come from it, and I was proud of what I made.

"I wanted to create a cookbook that was for people who may have had disordered eating in the past or are just intimidated to step foot into the kitchen for the first time.

"It's just about getting in the kitchen and getting comfortable around cooking, and that will set you up for success later down the road with more recipes."

In a previous post announcing the project, Demi said: "This book is filled with simple, comforting recipes that have allowed me to reconnect with myself and find both freedom and joy in my kitchen - feelings I never thought I could experience."

Demi said: "It has allowed me to see cooking as an act of love and kindness to myself and those in my life, and I hope this book can bring that same feeling into your home too."