Reviews (27)

You've got to read this book!
I received this book as a gift. There are quite a few books on this subject on the market and this one is the best. I too could not put it down and finished it in 3 days. It's a huge book, a great resource that is well researched and written.. I have a few friends who've purchased this book and really loved it too. I can highly recommend this book.
This food is fabulous!
My husband had bariatric surgery in June.When we arrived at the solid food stage, I was in a panic as to what to cook.Moist low fat and tasty food was quite an order.
100 down and 100 to go
I purchased this book months before my surgery.Once I had my surgery in June, I started going through the book and picking out the recipes that I could have as soon as could eat.This book actually gives you suggestions as to whether or not you should try the recipe depending on what week you are in as well as breakdown of 3 kinds of surgery. I have tried about 20 of the recipes and have loved each of them. I have learned so much from this book.I hope that someone somewhere puts out another cookbook for us post-ops.BTW at 11 weeks post-op I am 100 lbs. down. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Consumer Health    2. Cookery    3. Cooking    4. Eating    5. Health & Healing - General    6. Health & Healing - Weight Control    7. Healthy Living    8. Obesity    9. Popular works    10. Surgery    11. Weight loss   

Features

• Illustrated

Reviews (71)

Eat Your Way to a Better Life
Dr. Agatston developed the diet for his chronically overweight heart patients. Soon, thanks to his patients' results, Dr. Agatston's diet became all the buzz in Miami.
Great recipes
Eat less calories and burn more of them through exercising.It sounds simple, but it's not easy to do.So I turned to South Beach diet. I've found this to be a very practical diet. After the initial first two weeks (the strictest) I've lost about 5 pounds. But, I've done no exercise whatsoever and have eating quite a bit which accounts for the lower than the average weight loss.Check the net for more FREE info.

Lots of tasty recipes
Amazing amount of tasty recipes. You can lose weight and get to enjoy delicious meals with this book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. American Regional Cookery    2. Cookery For Medical Conditions    3. Cooking    4. Cooking / Wine    5. Glycemic index    6. Health & Healing - General    7. Health & Healing - Weight Control    8. Recipes    9. Reducing diets    10. Weight loss   

Reviews (23)

LOVE this cookbook
Unlike other reviewers, I was unfamiliar with the editors of this cookbook.Bought it because of the cheesecake on the cover!
Best light cookbook ever
I have to admit I am not a fan of "light" cooking or the manymagazines out there; I am also a huge fan of the whole "Cooks Illustrated" books and magazine, so I loved this book. Most low fat and/or low calorie recipes rely on "light" or artifical products to cut calories.This book does not, it adheres to the high standard of Cook's Illustrated recipes. The recipes are not the most low fat or calorie possible, but each is delicious and most importantly works like they say it will. This is also the first oftheir books to provide full nutritional counts.There are the usual detailed explanations of what works and what doesn't so you know exactly why this recipe is going to work.Everything I've tried has been fabulous.

The cookbook I've been waiting for!
So far, I've enjoyed every recipe I've tried in the book. Low-fat blueberry muffins to me taste even better than the original, because they're less greasy. And they're vastly improved from the hockey puck, low-fat muffins I've made in the past. You'll often have to do a little extra work with the recipes -- this is from Cook's Illustrated, after all, not Betty Crocker. But paired with thoughtful illustrations, buying guides, and taste tests for low-fat products, these recipes are a must-have. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Courses & Dishes - General    5. Health & Healing - Low Fat    6. Holiday - General    7. Methods - Lite    8. Health & wholefood cookery   

Reviews (4)

Coolest Cookbook Ever
I've gone through enough cookbooks to confidently say that this book is the best presentation, and tidbits of information about health benefits, nice pictures of select recipies, and yummy, original, simple recipies for your slow cooker.I came back to this site to see if there would be other cookbooks by this publisher.I don't give it five stars, only cause I have to do all the cooking and am bitter.

International Flair
Reviewed by Geri Eden for Reader Views (3/06)
Healthy Cooking Made Easy
I studiously avoided learning to cook for 50+ years but a friend who's very health conscious recommended trying a slow cooker.This cookbook gave me the additional boost I needed.Finlayson is very knowledgeable about nutrition, and somehow manages to make it interesting to read about.Plus, she gives tips on what to prepare the night before, so you can set up the crock pot in the morning, turn it on, and have a great meal by the time you get home.I love the Thai Pumpkin Soup, which has become a favorite in our household.If you're trying WeightWatchers point system, this has an abundance of good recipes. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Health & Healing - General    5. Methods - Special Appliances    6. Cooking / Health    7. Electric cookery, Slow    8. Gadget cookery    9. Health & wholefood cookery   

Reviews (49)

Not what I was looking for at all.
I admit it, the 12 steps to Raw foods should have given away that this book is just a rehash of 12 steps.
Very helpful book!
I liked this book.It was very sincere, clear and helpful!

Courage to create change through personal choice
Victoria Boutenko is a revolutionary. Like those who have come before her and those who will follow, it is not an easy path, nor will everyone see the truth in what she espouses. However, it is essential to to read this book (and her others if you wish to have a comprehensive view) to begin to understand how our food choices affect not only our health, but our surroundings as well. I was in a natural food store this morning in Eugene, Oregon and was delighted to see this title as well as many of her others above the shelf in the living food section of the store. 12 Steps is an important piece of the literature that is finally becoming available to the masses, shedding light on how to be healthy, prevent illness, and be a part of the sustainable movement that is necessary if we are to continue to inhabit this earth.
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Subjects:  1. Cooking / Health    2. Cooking / Vegetarian    3. Diet/Nutrition    4. Cookery (Natural foods)    5. Cooking    6. Diets & dieting    7. Health & Healing - General    8. Raw food diet    9. Raw foods    10. Specific Ingredients - Natural Foods    11. Vegetarian   

Editorial Review

"Gourmet raw cuisine"--if that sounds like an oxymoron, you'll be amazed by the creativity of the recipes in this book. Every food is "live" (uncooked) in these vegetarian recipes from Juliano, the raw-food guru of Los Angeles. Juliano believes that fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, beans, and seeds in their rawest and purest form are the most nourishing foods. If your imagination stops at alfalfa sprouts and grated carrots, hold onto your cutting board. Juliano's recipes include Butternut Squash Soup, New Moon Fruit Stew, Thai Green Papaya Salad, Living Buckwheat Pizza Crust, Mango Essene Bread, Mock Salmon Sushi, Raw Spring Rolls, seven varieties of burritos, nine varieties of pizza, and nine unusual smoothies. Desserts? Try EZ Pudding (made with maple syrup, avocados, and carob powder) or Cashew Gelato (cashew butter, maple syrup, and almonds, served frozen). There are also condiments, dressings, and sauces, and plenty of information about preparing raw foods, including how to soak and sprout beans, grains, seeds, and nuts. Read more

Reviews (91)

Fun, flashy, but difficult
I am relatively new at being (mostly) "raw." For the past couple of months I've been exploring raw foods, trying out different books, online sources, etc (and feeling quite healthy, by the way). Juliano certainly has his niche in this raw world, but he's not for everyone. He is a colorful, flamboyant personality with a passion for raw foods, and his enthusiasm is infectious. I love his writing style, and I think he'd be a blast at a party. BUT this "uncook book" is not for beginners, nor "real" people who want fast, simple, do-able recipes. He's a restauranteur, hence the foods he makes need to be flashy. They take MANY ingredients (many of them are exotic, hard to find, hard to pronounce!), lots of prep time, and while I have certainly enjoyed reading this gorgeous, glossy book (which I got from the library), I am not finding myself making too many of these recipes. Just too difficult. When I look at a recipe that takes 14 ingredients (and serves 2) I'm just not gonna make it... I would, however, love to visit his restaurant next time I'm in California!

Excellent gourmet raw diet book
Although I do not strictly practice a raw food regmimen at all times, this book helps tremendously by providing tasty ways to make the diet more rich and palatable over time.
Terrific Book
I am going more raw in my cooking.This book provides me exactly what I am looking for. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cookery (Natural foods)    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Health & Healing - General    5. Natural foods    6. Raw food    7. Raw foods    8. Specific Ingredients - Natural Foods    9. Vegetarian - General    10. Cooking / Vegetarian    11. General cookery   

Reviews (27)

The good, without the ugly!
I bought this book because my husband's best friend is diabetic. Every time I had them over for dinner he'd never be able to have dessert. We'd all eat and he'd watch. I felt really bad and needed a plan B, and this book was it. Now we can all have dessert the healthy way. I no longer use my other dessert books that are loaded with sugars. Great book, I absolutely love and recommend it!!!!

Simply Splendid
The title says it all. This is one of the most fantastic cookbooks out there. Written by a nutritionist, it features over 75 low-sugar, low-fat recipes with satisfying portion sizes and a delicious taste. The book has recipes for hot and cold beverages, breakfast treats, pies and cobblers, cookies, cakes, puddings, and more. Furthermore, the author explains how she came up with the recipes, so you can easily adapt your own. Splenda and simple lower-fat substitutions let you satisfy your sweet tooth without sacrificing yourself. Each recipe includes nutritional information, including the diabetic exchange plan. However, while this book is great for anyone watching their sugar and calorie intake, including diabetics, the recipes are not necessarily low carb and some sugar is occasionally called for (perhaps a couple of tablespoons or sugar, or in the form of chocolate). If you are already baking desserts with Splenda, then this cookbook, with its emphasis on healthy twists to traditional recipes, might not be so helpful. But if you are looking for melt-in-your-mouth inspiration, then check it out.

Low-cal American classics that really work!
I've had this book for several years, and I reach for it all the time. Every single recipe I've ever made from it has turned out well, and most have been spectacular. Favorites: Pumpkin Pie, Banana Cake, and Bran Muffins. I think the author really knows her baking science, and clearly has tested and retested every recipe.
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Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Cooking / Wine    3. Courses & Dishes - Desserts    4. General    5. Health & Healing - General    6. Desserts    7. Health & Healing - Diabetic & Sugar-Free   

Reviews (6)

Great WW Recipes
If you're a fan of WW, you should love this book.It was written before any of the POINTS systems, so you have to do some calculations on your own.The nutrition info is provided for each recipe.This book is an especially good value because as another reviewer noted, for each main recipe, you get additional recipes provide a day's worth of meals.
Not the book for my family
Way too many of the recipes in this book have ingredients I have never heard of!Also, the ingredient lists are often very long.I am donating my copy to the public library and will use "The Moms' Guide to Meal Makeovers" and "Quick Meals for Healthy Kids and Busy Parents" to help me provide sensible meals for my family.

Great book but...
I just recieved this the other day and have yet to make any recipes from this cookbook.But I have now tried several of the WW cookbooks and they always have great recipes, so there is no doubt that I will find some more healthy ones in this book.Read more

Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Cooking / Wine    3. General    4. Health & Healing - Weight Control    5. Recipes    6. Reducing    7. Reducing diets    8. Diets & dieting    9. Health & wholefood cookery   

Reviews (55)

You've got to read this book!
I received this book as a gift. There are quite a few books on this subject on the market and this one is the best. I too could not put it down and finished it in 3 days. It's a huge book, a great resource that is well researched and written.. I have a few friends who've purchased this book and really loved it too. I can highly recommend this book.
Favorite Cookbook, Diet or Regular
This is my family's favorite cookbook.The recipes are fun and I haven't hit a dud yet.When I cook from it my family doesn't know I am cooking "light", they just think it is delicious. I have shared more recipies from this cookbook than any other I own.I would highly recommend this cookbook to anyone, not just those who are on the Weight Watcher's plan.We are eating yet another recipe from this tonight.I can hardly wait!

Restaurant Meals at home
I love the book.How many times do you wish you could cook something at home, that you had at a restaurant?
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Subjects:  1. Convenience foods    2. Cookery    3. Cooking    4. Cooking / Wine    5. Health & Healing - General    6. Health & Healing - Weight Control    7. Recipes    8. Reducing diets    9. Weight loss    10. Cooking / Health   

Reviews (6)

Good recipes but needs more pics
I bought this cookbook because I have "The Best of Cooking Light" and that one is fabulous. This cookbook has some great recipes, but not near enough pictures. This book also includes lots of additional information that I'm not too interested in but that might help other cooks.

A year's worth of the best light dishes
COOKING LIGHT ANNUAL RECIPES 2006gathers a year's worth of Cooking Light Magazine dishes, from Spicy Pickled Beans and Breakfast Sausage Casserole to a Chicken Broccoli Casserole. A centerfold of color photos enhances sidebars of information and a appealing primer on dishes which have been 'lightened' for the new year. Both are outstanding recommendations.
An Excellent Healthy Source
While this is a summary of the magazine's recipes it is well organized and easy to reference.Easy to follow instructions are a definite plus.For once, cooking without a degree in rocket science being required. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Health & Healing - General    5. Health & Healing - Low Fat    6. Low-calorie diet    7. Menus    8. Methods - Lite    9. Recipes   

Reviews (41)

One of the Best Allergy Cookbooks There Is
This is one of the first allergy cookbooks that I purchased, and some of my family's favorite recipes are in it.My son is allergic to milk, egg, soy, peanuts, and tree nuts.We also avoid fish and shellfish.For people avoiding those allergens, this is a very good cookbook; however, there are some recipes that call for soy, fish, and shellfish.We either substitute in those recipes or do not use them.
Not a Wheat Free/gluten free book, but good
My son is allergic to all Beans also (Legumes) and Beef so this book only had a few recipes I can use.The Wheat can be replaced with Bette Hagram's Featherlite recipe 1:1 if you can tolerate rice, corn, tapioca starch and potato flour. I'm a tough critic to please since my son's allergies include Dairy, Beef, Soy, Wheat, Peanuts, Treenuts, Gluten Grains, Legumes, Shellfish, Food Dyes, Curry spice, and Cumin.

Good source of new baked goods recipes
As the mom of a picky food allergic child (eggs, milk, nuts), I am continually looking for new things to try.I found several good recipes - the waffles are a big hit in my house.Both cakes - the sugar vanilla cake and the white cake - also went over well.The egg replacement of baking powder, oil, and water seems to work very well in baked goods.I am looking forward to trying some of the muffin recipes.I do find the relatively small size of the book makes it hard to use while cooking. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Cooking / Health    3. Diet therapy    4. Food allergy    5. Recipes    6. Allergies    7. Cookery    8. Health & Healing - General    9. Lactose intolerance   

Reviews (7)

A meal in itself...
This book is delicious!There are excellent photos of both the dishes and the different areas and peoples of the Silk Road,The text is interesting, with information about history, cultures, cooking techniques, and food items.I appreciate that the recipes are not complicated or particularly labor-intensive.I have tried three so far, and all three were hits.I have a large collection of cookbooks, but if I had to start all over again, this one would be one of my first buys.

spectacular and delicious
this is a beautiful book with somewhat complex recipes but educational. my friend borrowed it to use it in her geography class covering the silk road topic. the pictures are spectacular. it is classified as paperback but the quality of paper and print make it as durable and beautiful as a hardback. i strongly recommend this book not just for the wonderful recipes also to amuse your eyes. let your imaginations travel!!

Good for vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike
This beautiful and highly readable cookbook contains delicious, if somewhat complex, recipes for dishes from Italy to China. All of them are vegetarian, but many could be adapted to meat eaters, or used as an accompaniment.If used as an accompaniment, bear in mind that the cookbook is targeted to vegetarians who plan to make th main dish the bulk of their meal; double the number served if used as an accompaniment.If you love to cook, this book will inspire you and add variety to your repetoire. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Cooking / Wine    3. Regional & Ethnic - International    4. Vegetarian - General    5. Vegetarian cookery   

Reviews (23)

Healthy and Logical Weight Loss Program
I had previuosly purchased "The Schwarzbein Principle" which was extremely informative regarding nutrition and the human body. I found the cookbook to be a valuable addition to the information previously presented. The recipes and food selections are easy to prepare and satisfying. It is the best cookbook in my possesion.

Seller Highly Recommended!!!
My book was delivered quickly and in excellent condition. Thanks for a great experience.

An excellent cookbook
I've owned this cookbook for a few years now and refer to it often. It is an excellent resource whether you are low-carbing or simply trying to prepare healthier meals.
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Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Cooking / Wine    3. Health & Healing - General    4. Low-carbohydrate diet    5. Recipes    6. Sugar-free diet    7. Cooking / Health   

Reviews (2)

I CAN EAT DESSERTS AGAIN!!!
This is a great cookbook and I've been pleased with the recipes I've tried so far.The desserts are excellent and we've had a lot of fun trying them out.Best of all, they are guilt-free!I watch my calorie count every day and many of the desserts are only 100-200 calories.I am looking forward to trying out several of the mixed drink recipes, too.This is a cookbook that covers all types of foods from appetizers to desserts and is a great way to eat healthier.I love that the nutritional information is listed for each recipes, as well as helpful notes for many of them.I wish there were pictures instead of illustrations, but other than that, it's a great addition to my cookbook collection.

The only cookbook you'll ever need.It's that good!
I bought this book because I was looking for recipes using Splenda, and were low in sugar, fat and calories as my husband is a newly diagnosed diabetic. I tried the Banana Muffins recipe first, fully expecting them to taste like "diet food." Wow! Was I ever surprised!I liked the muffins so much, I made them for friends and family who loved them so much they begged me to make more.My husband raved about the Banana Muffins to his doctor who promptly rushed out to buy the book for himself!The books gives analysis per serving info (the main reason I initially bought the book) and the recipes are incredibly easy to follow and taste yummy.We both have hope because of this book that we can eat a variety of healthy, tasty food.This cookbook is the only one I have in my kitchen now.God Bless Marlene Koch for this wonderful book! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Health & Healing - Diabetic & Sugar Free    5. Health & Healing - General    6. Health & Healing - Weight Control    7. Specific Ingredients - Herbs, Spices, Condiments    8. Cookery by ingredient    9. Cooking / General    10. Diets & dieting   

Reviews (40)

Great book!
I suffer from both RA and Ankylosing Spondolitis.I found out through this program that I cannot eat wheat, milk or dairy products, eggs, sugar or coffee.When I'm good at sticking to it, I'm almost in complete remission.When I cheat, I pay for it. Within 20 minutes of consuming one of the above items, my fingers begin to swell and get stiff, and by the next morning I'm in a lot of pain. I have been able to stop taking the Methatrexate and Lodin which were very hard on the liver and destroyed my immune system.This is a really great program and it works if you have the discipline and self motivation to go through it and stick it out. If you are completely lazy and looking for an easy fix, this may not be for you.It's hard!It has been hard for me to give up coffee, Lucky Charms for breakfast, hot chocolate, cookies and some other comfort foods. But in the end I have a lot of new favorites, my inflamation and pain have disappeared, I've lost weight and my skin looks fabulous to boot. God bless Barbara Allan! She's an angel.

Not for Everyone
Maybe i'm being shortshighted, but i feel as if the many concessions i already have to make with this disease are hard enough to incorporate into my daily life, without also including such intense dietary changes.I work full-time, including travel and client entertainment making it very difficult to always control every morsel i consume.also, don't share the author's background and early diagnosis symptoms.Mine are coming more slowly and i am entrusting my treatment and long-term care to my Rheumy.Sort of wish I had spent the money on a good yoga or meditation tape instead.

A Must Have Book for People with Chronic Health Problems
There are a number of books about Food Intolerances that are invaluable to people who have chronic health problems without knowing the cause of their problems.Since physicians are often ignorant in the area of Type III or Delayed Onset Food Intolerance, these books are often the only hope for people to regain their good health and in many cases their lives.Barbara Allen in her book Conquering Arthritis contributes detailed information to the topic that I have not seen in any other book.Her own story is inspiring and her systematic approach to solving her personal health crisis mystery is a blueprint for others to find their personal way back to good health.To her credit she did not only fight and win her own battle with ignorance, pain and deteriorating health but had the drive and compassion to get the message out there to help all of us with her excellent research and conclusions.I was diagnosed with IBS and Fibromyalgia and Arthritis and Insomnia and Chronic Fatigue and CTS and was offered lots of prescription drugs, some of which I took for a while, but nothing helped like avoiding the foods to which I am allergic.Barbara Allen made me aware of hidden additives in foods and vitamins that I needed to stop eating but that I would not have suspected.Thanks for sharing, Barbara Allen!!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Therapies    2. Body, Mind & Spirit    3. Healing - General    4. Health & Fitness / Alternative Therapies    5. Health & Fitness / Diseases / Musculoskeletal    6. Health & Healing - General    7. New Age    8. Nutritional aspects    9. Popular works    10. Rheumatoid arthritis    11. Arthritis    12. Arthritis, Rheumatoid    13. Diseases - Musculoskeletal    14. Food allergy    15. Health & Fitness   

Editorial Review

This 25th-anniversary edition of the classic, bestselling cookbook contains 600 heart-healthy recipes, 150 of them brand-new. The book has been updated to reflect the use of nonfat and low-fat ingredients that didn't exist just a few years ago. Recipes include appetizers, snacks, beverages, soups, salads, entrées (seafood, poultry, meat, vegetarian), vegetables, side dishes, sauces, breads, breakfasts, and, of course, desserts. Many are healthier versions of old favorites--such as Eggplant Parmesan, Chicken à la King, Sweet and Sour Pork, Spaghetti with Meat Sauce, Devil's Food Cake, and Chocolate Chip Cookies--with some new entries that reflect modern eating trends, like Portobello Mushroom Wrap with Yogurt Curry Sauce, Pad Thai, Curried Quinoa Salad with Cranberries and Almonds, and Artichoke and Chick-Pea Pilaf. Whether you want a quick meal, a nutritious dinner the whole family will enjoy, or a festive entrée to impress guests, this book has an array of choices.Read more

Reviews (17)

great information
I am trying to help my husband reduce his cholesterol naturally, and this book is indeed helpful for this purpose.It explains in simple terms the necessity for changing your lifestyle for the better.Delicious recipies throughout!

Start your new life here
My husband just had by-pass surgery.I needed to change the way we ate.Ours was an empty nest so there were a lot of meals out.I needed to start cooking again.There are tempting recipes for everyday as well as special days.I especially enjoyed the written sections about nutritional needs and ways to achieve a balanced diet.A good reference tool for what is good for you and what is not and the why's.

Great healthy recipe ideas
This is a great cookbook for anyone wanting to maintain a healthy lifestyle...good, easy to follow instructions. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Cooking / Wine    3. Diet therapy    4. Diseases    5. Health & Healing - Heart    6. Heart    7. Heart diseases    8. Low-cholesterol diet    9. Recipes    10. Cooking / Health   

Reviews (15)

would not be 1st choice
Be careful if you take this book into the kitchen. It is printed on the cheapest of papers and tears and damages easily if it gets wet. The recipes are o.k.; the information is o.k., although conflicts with some information in her Coconut Diet book, but nothing very interesting or inspirational is shared.

Missing Information
I bought this book to add juice to my diet as well as for a juice fast to detox. However, this book is missing important information on this topic.This book is very helpful for ADDING more juice to your diet, but it doesn't cover the necessary information on a strict juice diet commonly used for cleansing (detoxing), illness, and weight loss.
Very informative...well laid out & easy to read
This book is EXCELLENT and one which I highly recommend. Yes...it's from 1992 but it all still stands true. The one thing about eating this type of food/juice and eating this way in general is that the underlying benefits and facts don't change. It certainly is not a fad but based on principles that stand the test of time. You can buy a book on this subject that is 50 years old or one that is brand new...they will say pretty much the same thing. This book is very well laid out tho' and is packed with a wealth of information. It points out the benefits of juicing and what each vegetable and fruit is good for...and how to drink them, along with some excellent recipes. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Beverages - General    2. Consumer Health    3. Diet / Health / Fitness    4. Diets - Better Health    5. Fruit juices    6. Healing    7. Health & Fitness    8. Health aspects    9. Health/Fitness    10. Nutrition    11. Therapeutic use    12. Vegetable juices    13. Health & Fitness / Nutrition    14. Health & wholefood cookery    15. Non-alcoholic beverages   

Editorial Review

Betty Crocker is on the health bandwagon. Not one for fads, Betty sensibly bases this 175-recipe cookbook on the Food Guide Pyramid guidelines recommended by the American Heart Association and many other medical and nutrition professional organizations. You learn tips for cutting down on fat and cholesterol, understanding the different kinds of fat, and making smart food choices for heart health. The idea is to reduce fat by making ingredient substitutions and small alterations, but not making drastic changes. The recipes are varied and creative and don't resemble "diet food": Ginger Shrimp Kabobs, Vegetable Potstickers, Stuffed Veal Chops with Cider Sauce, Vegetable and Ham Jambalaya, Curried Chicken and Nectarines, Caribbean Fish Salad, and Thai Shrimp and Rice Noodle Nests. The desserts include Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake with Raspberry Topping (only 20 percent fat!), Blueberry-Lime Torte (about 15 percent fat), and Double Chocolate-Date Cake (about 25 percent fat). Recipes are labeled with symbols indicating "low-calorie," "low-fat," "moderate-fat," "low-cholesterol," and "moderate-cholesterol," so you can choose how far you want to go. Each recipe has a hefty amount of nutritional information: calories, fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, carbohydrate, fiber, protein, vitamins A and C, calcium, iron, and diet exchanges. Cooks who love knowing what the dishes should look like will enjoy the 45 mouth-watering color photos. Read more

Reviews (13)

Cookbook
I didn't find very many recipes that I would want to make. I was a little disappointed being from Betty Crocker.

Life Resource
Only a month ago was my huband, who is also diabetic, sent home from the Dr. and told me he had to lower his fats and cholesterol. Now I being a starch fanatic had no idea where to stsrt to change our diet. This cook book has given the basis on which to make healthier choices that are easy and tasty as well.
Disappointing
The recipes in this book would not convert anyone to low fat, low cholesterol cooking. A more creative and tasteful collection can be found in the American Heart AssociationLow Fat, Low Cholesterol Cookbook. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Cooking / Wine    3. Gardening    4. Health & Healing - Low Cholesterol    5. Health & Healing - Low Fat    6. Health & Healing - Weight Control    7. Herb Gardening    8. Herbs    9. Low-cholesterol diet    10. Low-fat diet    11. Recipes    12. Cooking / Low Cholesterol    13. Health & wholefood cookery    14. Horticulture   

Editorial Review

The elegant simplicity and exquisite flavor of Deborah Madison's food make her one of America's leading cooks. In Read more

Reviews (145)

A Reference Book of Flavors
The reason why I continuously return to this cookbook is because it is what I would describe as the cooking equivalent of a paintbox.Yes, you can follow madison's recipes exactly and come up with a delicious final dish, but what this book is truly commendable for is that it is so full of ideas.I have heard someone knock the simplicity of some of these recipes but that is the beauty of this book--it's focus on strong straightforward flavors that will go well together.Whenever I find myself with a bunch of spinach in the fridge or a cabinet empty of anything but a few cans of chickpeas, I flip through this book and inevitably get reminded that with my trusty spice rack, I can whip up something quick and healthy that also has complex flavors.I use the recipes as inspiration or guideline and rarely follow them exactly.As a recent fish convert and a person who inevitably ends up cooking meat for family, I also find that any moderately experienced cook would be able to easily modify these recipes to create carniverous dishes.A must-have cookbook.

Classic Wholesome & Relatively Easy Fare
I'm a twenty-year-old committed vegetarian, and over the past year or so I've become very interested in cooking as a creative activity, rather than just another task. Deborah Madison's recipies in this cookbook are, on the whole, very simple and filled with flavor. I think of it kind of like a Joy of Cooking, but for vegetarians, because she has so much information on basic cooking how-to's, which is immensely useful if you haven't spent a lot of time in the kitchen yet.Her recipies usually start from basic vegetables you can find at a grocery store or farmer's market, so if you're interested in trying new foods (but don't know where to start), this is perfect for you. There are some illustrations and photos of what the vegetables and dishes look like, plus handy lists of how to buy, store, and prepare various vegetables. I highly recommend this book, and think it should be a staple on any serious vegetarian's bookshelf. Delicious!

SUPER Comprehensive
This cookbook is kind of like "The Joy of Cooking" for vegetarians.It has an amazing comprehensive section on different kinds of vegetables.I really like that it actually lists recipes by vegetables so that you can try to find a recipe with what's on sale at the store, or just try one of those "weird" vegetables that seemed too intimidating before.My only criticisms of the book is that it doesn't offer a lot of good lower fat substitutes in recipes (there's a lot of fattening stuff in here!), and somehow, it feels like it's missing some of the creativity normally found in vegetarian cookbooks.Don't be fooled by the bland recipe titles, every single recipe I've made has tasted and LOOKED amazing. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Cooking / Wine    3. Vegetarian - General    4. Vegetarian cookery    5. Vegetarian cooking    6. Cooking / Vegetarian   

Reviews (23)

not for me
I was hoping for something with easy recipes that the whole family could enjoy together, but this is not it. A lot of the recipes are really unsuited for babies, and they instead give "baby" versions at the end that consist of reserving one of the ingredients (e.g., brown rice) and pureeing it plain--not exactly nutritious. (These are often followed by "children's" versions that necessitate picking out selected ingredients that may--or may not--appeal to kids.) There are too many grain-based recipes for my taste (deep-fried millet croquettes...red bean quinoa chili) and a lot of nuts (bad for babies), sea vegetables and permutations of soy (tofu, tempeh, tamari) which I personally am not interested in serving due to all the recent scrutiny of soy products as hormone disruptors (also a possible allergen for babies). It is really sort of an Asian-inspired/macrobiotic vegetarian cookbook (Tempeh Bacon is one of the recipes). "Whole Foods," in my mind, should feature fresh, minimally processed, natural, localized ingredients, but this seems to require endless trips to the health food store to purchase products such as seitan and kudzu. There is a lot of great nutritional information at the beginning of the book discussing babies and breastfeeding mothers, and some seemingly good sugar-free desserts, but I am sort of disappointed that the majority of the recipes are not palatable for the whole family (or easily modifed so that older babies can enjoy what everyone else gets).

Very comprehensive
"Feeding the Whole Family" by Cynthia Lair really is for the WHOLE family - and that includes infants and young children. Lair, a certified Health and Nutrition Counselor, devotes a whole chapter on starting your baby on solid foods. From there, she gives practical tips and advice on how to attract your children to healthy food. Lair also discusses the importance of whole, organic foods and well-balanced meals.
Yummy for Your Lactobacilli
In the foreword by Annemarie Colbin, CHES, of The Natural Gourmet Cookery School in NYC, there is the suggestion that shifts in customs around eating have contributed to the breakdown of our society, "could it be that by our dietary customs- consumption of unnatural foods and large amounts of meat and milk from animals raised on antibiotics and hormones-we are building a new kind of human being, one that has little connection with the healthier ways of the past?"I'd have to say... No.I don't see that as being a simple cause and effect, but I'm with her in spirit.I'd see both our diets and our lifestyles as being downstream effects of animals living in a very different kind of environment than the one we spent the overwhelming majority of our species-span evolving in.It doesn't matter whether she overstates the case or not, the bottom-line is still correct, we are Paleolithic hominids with Paleolithic-tuned bodies stranded without our tribes, alone in our urban institutions.By finding ways to recreate customs that resonate with a deeper part of our evolutionary past, we stand to not only enrich our lives but also improve our physical and mental health.