500 Low-Carb Recipes: 500 Recipes, from Snacks to Dessert, That the Whole Family Will Love

by Dana Carpender

Low-fat or low-carb? A recent New York Times Magazine (July 7, 2002) cover story answered this question and said that Dr. Atkins was right all along, "its not fat that makes us fat but carbohydrates." Though the government has spent hundreds of millions of dollars in research trying to prove that fat is the cause of obesity, there has been a subtle shift in the scientific consensus over the past five years supporting what the low-carb diet doctors have been saying all along: if we eat less carbohydrates, we will lose weight and live longer. One of the toughest challenges of any diet is having enough variety and choices to keep the dieter from losing interest. The most common reason that people abandon their diet is boredom but 500 LOW CARB RECIPES: 500 Recipes, From Snacks to Dessert, That the Whole Family Will Love by Dana Carpender has more than enough recipes to keep even the most finicky dieter on track. With recipes for everything including hors dÆoeuvres, snacks, breads, muffins, side dishes, entrees, cookies, cakes and much more, this is an endless supply for creating meals for the whole family night after night. Whether everyone in the family is on a diet or not, these recipes are proven winners with adults and kids alike. Also included: Dieters will be pleased to know that they can eat foods like guacamole, omelets, pizza, steak, ham and dessert without giving up great taste and still lose weight. There are enough recipes to create the perfect menu for any holiday of the year--including Thanksgiving. Each of the 500 recipes includes a carbohydrate count to help calculate the total carb intake of each menu. There are more recipes for main dishes and side dishes than most low-carb dieters will ever be able to eat--everything from down-home cooking to ethnic fare; from quick-and-easy weeknight meals to knock-their-socks off party food. 500 LOW CARB RECIPES is the last cookbook any dieter will ever need to buy and certain to be used until the binding is worn out!

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Nonfiction, Reference, Health, Food, Diets

500 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Dana Carpender started her writing career as a self-published author. In 1995, after years of creative low fat cooking featuring whole grains and other “healthy” carbohydrates, and despite five step aerobics classes per week, she found herself a size 20, and gaining! Worse, her blood pressure was rising, and she was left dragging by energy swings. Dropping carbs long before it was fashionable, Carpender lost 40 pounds with no hunger, achieved normal blood pressure and excellent blood lipids, and found herself with more energy in her forties than she’d had in her teens.

Carpender lives in Bloomington, Indiana with her husband, two dogs, and a cat, all of whom eschew junk food. When she’s not cooking, writing, or reading the latest nutrition research, she power-walks, read mystery novels, and is an enthusiastic Toastmaster, taking the occasional trophy.

From the author's website.

Reviews

[M T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley for my copy.

This book is full of information on products to eats and what to avoid on a low carb diet. Easy to follow recipes and instructions. As a visual cook though I would appreciate photos alongside the recipes

[Ellen Spes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great help with keto. Lost 20 # in 2 months and my joints are better.

[Msjodi777 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kinda hard to review a cookbook, but kindle insists that I count it, so here you go. It was well written, and the author really puts herself into the book, but many of the recipes are repeats from her other cookbooks, which was quite disappointing. Still, worth it. I have lots of new ideas. <><

[Charity Agyemang · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was ok

[Jenny Webb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good ideas, some just ok. The author is very heavy handed in her beliefs.

[Agar Rojas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of fab recipes to choose from. My favorites are the mozzarella cheese salad, the hazelnut shortbread cookies, and the spinach artichoke dip. YUMMMMMMMY!

[Robert Beveridge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dana Carpender, 500 Low-Carb Recipes (Fair Winds, 2002)

Not a bad little collection, with some interesting recipes and a few ideas you might not have seen before, but I may have not quite understood the definition of “recipe”. I realize you can apply it to any written procedure for cooking, but I'm thinking more of the popular version of the word, and it strikes me that a recipe containing two ingredients (a steak and some butter) and one step (fry the steak) doesn't quite reach the mark. I mean, doesn't everyone know they can toss a steak in a pan with some butter and fry it? And don't you think that those who don't probably won't be in the market for a cookbook? Filler, in other words, and not the kind you roll into a freshly-pounded pork loin. Still, there's enough substance here to make it worth checking out of the library and seeing if you want to add it to the permanent collection. ***

[Carla Peele · Rating 5 out of 5]

The recipes taste SO amazing, but better still is the carb information you need!

Just had Basil Beef Stirfry (page 328) but with Chicken and Peas. SO amazing. (I also added the tweaks of overnight marinating, pureeing the onion, and cooking in small batches as chicken is SO much better that way.)

-- 1 lb boneless chicken, cut into small strips
-- 1/2 cup oil
-- 1/2 of an onion, pureed
-- 2 teaspoons dried basil (or 2 tbsp fresh)
-- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
-- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
-- 1/4 teaspoon Splenda

Mix together in Tupperware; marinate overnight in fridge . Allow to get to room temp before cooking.

Get a small skillet and a bag of frozen peas. Heat skillet on med-high and add two tablespoons of chicken and one tablespoon of peas at the time. Cook until chicken is just done through; toss into bowl, start next batch. Continue until done.

[Bookfanatic · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid collection of recipes for those who want to keep white sugar, white flour and unhealthy carbs to a minimum. The recipes here aren't complicated or time-consuming. This book could work for a novice or an experienced cook. There are a variety of recipes from soups to desserts. The dishes aren't all American either. The author provides notes with the recipes so one knows which recipes are kid tested and kid approved. I was surprised there wasn't a single crustless quiche recipe here. At least I didn't notice it. A crustless quiche or mini-quiche is one of the easiest low-carb recipes to make. This book doesn't have any photos that depict the recipes. I didn't find that an issue for me, but I know some like to see what the finished product looks like.

[Loraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great recipe book, but I gave it a 4 because it has so MUCH dairy in it. Dairy is good. In moderation. I ate like this for a long time, and didn't seem to make much progress with my health/weight . . . so I looked at other alternatives, i.e., eat clean, low GI, Schwarzbein, etc. and found that when I cut dairy and grains, my health improved, bloating problems went away and I felt lighter and better. As I said, dairy and grains are ok . . . in great moderation. Better to stick with veggies, fruits and lean meats. Really, there are SO MANY ways to prepare those and you don't ever have to be hungry again!

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the book that pushed me into the low carb craze I am in now! All sorts of snacks, main meals, salads, drinks, desserts - you name it, it's here! There are no pictures, but I haven't had something of Dana's yet that was unsavory or unpleasant. I have made my own tweeks here and there (large margins are a plus) for personal taste... but everything has been wonderful. I love this cook book! It's my favorite.

[Joline Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had folded down so many pages to copy in a borrowed book that I had to go on Amazon & buy my own copy! You will LOVE this book if you are doing low carb! It has desserts and breakfasts and sauces and other great things that aren't the obvious thing you see on the web. Also, it has all nutritional info. Most have normal ingredients that aren't too "out there" if you want to keep it simple and natural! Buy one!

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm biased. There isn't a single book by Dana Carpender that I haven't enjoyed. I've bought many of her cookbooks, and given them as gifts. She is witty and honest and makes even just reading through the book an enjoyable experience. Some of her recipes have become my favorites.

[Rachel Graft · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since I started this Low Carb journey. Dana Carpender is a great cook. This is my go to cookbook & i have many favorites that i make over & over again. Sweet & Sour Cabbage is a request both my men like. ( Husband & son)

[Smokinjbc · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was my bible the first time I went on Atkins about 4 years ago. Thanks to this book I lost a bunch and didn't have to suffer to much!

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book to cut carbs.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

THis has some great recipes (also has some things that really don't qualify as "recipes", but...). Especially for when you are sick of cooking grilled chikcne or fish and steamed veggis.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

So far, every recipe I have tried is great. I liked it so much I bought 500 More recipes as well.

[Lisa Topp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great resource for low-carb cooking. Has everything from basic snacks and easy, few-ingredient meals, to more complicated recipes.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I use this book all the time. The author is humorous and her recipes are easy to follow.

[Jana Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the idea of this cookbook more than the specific recipes. It's been a good place to go for ideas, but I think they over use the whey powder which can taste odd, particularly in baked recipes.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trying to find meals that work with the s/low carb diet we're trying. So far we've made two great dinners from this cookbook - hooray!

[Mary Chambers · Rating 5 out of 5]

As usual, Dana Carpender comes through with great advice and great recipes.

[Ticktocktammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

ITS OKAY!! Lotsa stuff in there I cant use and not interested in using. But at least theres some good ones. Copied all the ingredeints to my iphone so I wont have to sift through all the crap again.

[Jesse Dean · Rating 1 out of 5]

So, this is like the pilsbury cookbook, but with Splenda instead of sugar in every recipe.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are a lot of good ideas in this book, especially for LC newbies who are asking "What can I eat besides bacon?" :-)

[Liz · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dana Carpender is American. Her recipes have no relevance to the UK.
I will not use expensive whey powder or soy flour, so all her sweet recipes are useless.