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Great Recipes for Good Health
More than 450 original recipes designed to prove that eating healthy does not have to mean denial. The recipes featured are low in calories, cholesterol and salt, but flavor is preserved through the use of herbs and spices. 138 4-color photos.
304 pages, Hardcover
Published June 1, 1988
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 10, 2024
I believe this is the correct book. It has the correct title, and William Pell is a contributing photographer, but he is not listed as the editor or a contributing writer or a recipe developer. The editor is Inge N. Dobelis, and the senior editor is Gayal Visalli. I am not going to type the whole list of contributors.
The "Unknown Binding" listed in the title in parenthesis above is actually hardback.
I got this book second-hand at a Peddler's Mall, and I am impressed with it. If the recipes taste good, then I'll revise my rating to 5-stars.
There is a good variety in recipes, good photographs (Mr. Pell did his job well), and what is most enticing to me is the ease in determining the health-rating of the meal. The recipes are rated on fat, sugar, and sodium with bright green flags for "extra low" in a particular category, and dull green flags for "low." So, for each of these recipes, we know how they rank in each of these categories. It was this rating system that caused me to buy the book.
Calories, fats, and sugars are all important to me as they contribute to the "points" of a Weight Watcher plan. I know that sodium is important to some of my friends for heart health, and I cut that when I can, too, although I'm not as focused on it. So, it's good to me to be able to see the sodium-ranking of some of these recipes, too.
Other contributing factors towards my higher-than-average cookbook rating is the chapter "Great Homemade Substitutes" for various sauces and mixes, lower sodium options for what we'd find off the grocery-store shelves. In particular, I'd consider the Savory Salt Substitute, Spaghetti Sauce Seasoning Mix (we already do homemade sauce for our pizzas), Chili Seasoning Mix, Barbecue Seasoning Mix, Taco Seasoning Mix, and Quick Cream of Mushroom Soup. I have another recipe on hand from elsewhere for replacing a can with homemade "Cream of ... Soup."
Normally, when I buy healthy cookbooks at a lower-price, second-hand, I grab a couple recipes out of it, and then pass it along to a friend. Simply put, it's not worth the shelf-space for me to keep, and I realize that other health-conscious friends might want more of the recipes than I did.
But I plan to keep this cookbook, because there were so many recipes I'd try in that first chapter alone, ("Great Homemade Substitutes.") Will I try them all? Probably not at this point in time, but if sodium ever becomes even more important to us, I would. I'd like having them on hand for the possibility.
Another good chapter is "Cooking for One or Two," since I know that situation is important to a friend of mine. It might also be important for us, as we've recently become empty-nesters, down to a two-person household. But, I still often cook for four (or more!) and then we have leftovers, or I freeze some for a later date.
I am also always on the lookout for low-calorie, low-sugar desserts to serve for those in our extended family with borderline diabetes. This cookbook has a wide variety for me to try, without resorting to artificial sweeteners.
(As a side note, I've heard recently that Splenda can cause allergic reactions in those prone to hay fever and allergies, and someone else told me she had some sort of adverse non-allergic reaction to it, too.)
In the Beverages chapter, I found a low-calorie version of hot chocolate. I used to enjoy the Weight Watcher's mint hot chocolate packets before they quit selling them. I think the mint flavor helped hide the fact that it wasn't as sweet. But it made me curious when I saw this, to try my making my own.
As far as the rest of the book goes, there are many recipes where I already have something similar, and probably within the same sort of Weight Watcher point range, but there are definitely others I can try. In addition, if I ever do get desperate enough to shave another point or two off a recipe, I can try these.
All in all, I think this is a cookbook worth keeping.
The "Unknown Binding" listed in the title in parenthesis above is actually hardback.
I got this book second-hand at a Peddler's Mall, and I am impressed with it. If the recipes taste good, then I'll revise my rating to 5-stars.
There is a good variety in recipes, good photographs (Mr. Pell did his job well), and what is most enticing to me is the ease in determining the health-rating of the meal. The recipes are rated on fat, sugar, and sodium with bright green flags for "extra low" in a particular category, and dull green flags for "low." So, for each of these recipes, we know how they rank in each of these categories. It was this rating system that caused me to buy the book.
Calories, fats, and sugars are all important to me as they contribute to the "points" of a Weight Watcher plan. I know that sodium is important to some of my friends for heart health, and I cut that when I can, too, although I'm not as focused on it. So, it's good to me to be able to see the sodium-ranking of some of these recipes, too.
Other contributing factors towards my higher-than-average cookbook rating is the chapter "Great Homemade Substitutes" for various sauces and mixes, lower sodium options for what we'd find off the grocery-store shelves. In particular, I'd consider the Savory Salt Substitute, Spaghetti Sauce Seasoning Mix (we already do homemade sauce for our pizzas), Chili Seasoning Mix, Barbecue Seasoning Mix, Taco Seasoning Mix, and Quick Cream of Mushroom Soup. I have another recipe on hand from elsewhere for replacing a can with homemade "Cream of ... Soup."
Normally, when I buy healthy cookbooks at a lower-price, second-hand, I grab a couple recipes out of it, and then pass it along to a friend. Simply put, it's not worth the shelf-space for me to keep, and I realize that other health-conscious friends might want more of the recipes than I did.
But I plan to keep this cookbook, because there were so many recipes I'd try in that first chapter alone, ("Great Homemade Substitutes.") Will I try them all? Probably not at this point in time, but if sodium ever becomes even more important to us, I would. I'd like having them on hand for the possibility.
Another good chapter is "Cooking for One or Two," since I know that situation is important to a friend of mine. It might also be important for us, as we've recently become empty-nesters, down to a two-person household. But, I still often cook for four (or more!) and then we have leftovers, or I freeze some for a later date.
I am also always on the lookout for low-calorie, low-sugar desserts to serve for those in our extended family with borderline diabetes. This cookbook has a wide variety for me to try, without resorting to artificial sweeteners.
(As a side note, I've heard recently that Splenda can cause allergic reactions in those prone to hay fever and allergies, and someone else told me she had some sort of adverse non-allergic reaction to it, too.)
In the Beverages chapter, I found a low-calorie version of hot chocolate. I used to enjoy the Weight Watcher's mint hot chocolate packets before they quit selling them. I think the mint flavor helped hide the fact that it wasn't as sweet. But it made me curious when I saw this, to try my making my own.
As far as the rest of the book goes, there are many recipes where I already have something similar, and probably within the same sort of Weight Watcher point range, but there are definitely others I can try. In addition, if I ever do get desperate enough to shave another point or two off a recipe, I can try these.
All in all, I think this is a cookbook worth keeping.
March 15, 2020
I love vintage and retro cookbooks. Despite the emphasis of low fat, these recipes are mostly fresh and whole food based. I will be making some dishes from it. I noticed that older cookbooks seem to have very creative veggie dishes. I also enjoyed the fact that many of the recipes were basic then had several options to vary the taste. For instance you can make the basic muffin mix that was low in sugar and make them even more tasty by trying the apple spice, berry or bran variations. It contained many recipes for mixes you can mix and store yourself and use later. One other attractive thing about this cookbook is it has a cooking for one or two section. I really appreciated these type of recipes when I was single and newly married. Vintage and retro cookbooks are not obsolete! Just sub things like margarine for butter or ghee!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews