Cook This, Not That!: Kitchen Survival Guide

Eat This, Not That!

by David Zinczenko, Matt Goulding

Did you know the average dinner from a chain restaurant costs nearly $35 a person and contains more than 1,200 calories? That’s hard on your wallet and your waistline, and few people understand this better than the authors of Eat This, Not That! After years of helping consumers navigate America’s daunting culinary landscape – and literally thousands of weight-loss success stories – Dave and Matt have finally turned their nutritional savvy to the place with the greatest impact – your kitchen. The hundreds of recipes contained inside this book will help you and your loved ones eliminate body fat, get in shape, and lead fitter, happier lives.  But make no mistake – this is no rice-and-tofu cookbook. The genius of Cook This, Not That! is that it teaches you how to save hundreds – sometimes thousands – of calories by recreating America’s most popular restaurant dishes, including Outback Steakhouse’s Roasted Filet with Port Wine Sauce, Uno Chicago Grill’s Individual Deep Dish Pizza, and Chili’s Fire Grilled Chicken Fajita. Alongside this you’ll find other priceless advice, such as: · The 37 Ways to Cook a Chicken Breast, A Dozen 10-Minute Pasta Sauces, The Ultimate Sandwich Matrix, and other on-the-go cooking tips.
· Scorecards that let you easily compare the nutritional quality of the carbohydrates, fats, and proteins that go into building every meal you eat. 
· The truth about how seemingly healthy foods such as wheat bread, salmon, and low-fat snacks are secretly sabotaging your health.

Genres: Cookbooks, Nonfiction, Cooking, Food, Health, Reference, Food and Drink

338 pages, Paperback

First published December 29, 2009

About the author

David Zinczenko is an American publisher, author, and businessman. Previously, he was the executive vice president and general manager of Men's Health, Women's Health, Prevention and Rodale Books, the editorial director of Men's Fitness and the nutrition and wellness editor at ABC News.

Reviews

[Marvin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whoa1 Big surprise here. Like all the Eat This, Not That! books, it is brassy, glossy, colorful, and loaded with information. But this is a COOKBOOK! With all kinds of great recipes presented as replacements for high-calories, high-fat restaurant fare. I've made a number of these dishes and they are so good that I wonder if the calorie count is accurate. There is also a lot of nutrition tips and shopping tips that will come in handy. The Eat This, Not That! series is always a lot of fun and this one is no exception.

[Kristen Northrup · Rating 4 out of 5]

These guides are for a very specific audience -- people who regularly eat chain food and do not cook. If you're already a health-oriented home cook, the book will be useless and probably outrageous, but you don't need the help either.

If you're trying to wean yourself (or someone else) off of chain food in a gradual, sustainable way, this is a great start because it's healthy, inexpensive variations on standard menu items. Crucially, the recipes are also fast and easy for a novice.

Along with the recipes, the book is jammed with general advice. The standard "I don't have time" to cook argument is attacked right in the beginning. There are pantry guides and great visual 'scorecards' on the relative merits of different cuts of meat, types of dairy, etc. Many recipes include variations, substitutions, and ideas for leftovers. Single-use gadgets are discouraged.

A few dishes could use clearer explanations or photos (you'll never learn to make an omelet from their recipe) and the quick breakfast dishes really are not, although they also list the healthiest cereals. Somehow they think apricots are as large as peaches, and I'm not convinced that the salt and sugar in meat brines has a negligible effect.

The 'ethnic foods' chapter is another where you need to remember the focus. These are what you find at popular chain restaurants, not what people in those countries actually eat. And the range of cuisines represented by those chains is very limited.

You will not deprive yourself by eating this food. Baby back ribs marinated in Dr. Pepper. Ice cream sandwiches made with Pepperidge Farm Genevas. Bacon everywhere. Although no way is granita "every bit as satisfying as ice cream," even when layered with whipped cream.

[Ladiibbug · Rating 4 out of 5]

Non-Fiction - Health & Wellness

This book is ideal for people who often eat in fast food or other restaurants. The vast majority of content is how to enjoy your favorite restaurant dishes at home, by switching up ingredients that dramatically cuts calories, fat, salt, etc., while still producing a yummy meal.

There are a few short sections in between -- a comparison of cereals, etc.

[Steven Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are a variety of books in this series ("Eat This, Not That" is the key term in several titles). This volume suggests cooking one dish rather than having something else less healthy for one.

One cool example. . . . Whip up a grilled chicken and pineapple sandwich. The recipe includes the ingredients needed and the steps needed to make this sandwich. The entry shows how much per serving this costs ($2.64) as well as calories (400), fat content (11 grams of fat, 6 of which are saturated), and 640 milligrams of salt. What not to eat? Outback's grilled chicken and Swiss sandwich--costing $7.95 and featuring 896 calories, 33 grams of fat (10 grams saturated), and 1,323 milligrams of sodium. The point is pretty inescapable: You can make something yourself that is less expensive and better nutritionally. Thus, one gets a recipe as well as data allowing the reader to compare cost and nutrition. The end result? Maybe a little more discriminating eater of foods. . . .

A second. . . . A homemade ham omelet, with a step-by-step recipe. $1.87 a serving, 330 calories, 20 grams of fat (9 of which are saturated), and 570 milligrams of salt. IHOP's ham and cheese omelette: $9.56, 990 calories. One would save 660 calories and $7.69 making it yourself!

Other cool features. Pages 256-257 focus on "The Wok Matrix" with "The Rules of the Wok." First, choose your protein; next, choose your vegetables; then, choose your sauce; finally, choose your garnish. A recipe lays out how you proceed, step-by-step, with a stir fry.

A clever volume that educates as it provides useful recipes and hints for cooking. Nice addition to the series!!

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cook This, Not That is the latest book about healthy eating from Zinczenko & Goulding. Eat This, Not That was hugely popular, and this one is proving to be as well. What the authors do so right is include ingredients and foods that real people actually want to eat...no nonfat whipped cream or tofu in sight. The colorful pictures and easy to follow directions make this a no-brainer. Any ordinary cook can whip up something far healthier than a chain restaurant in less time than it takes to drive there or have it delivered.


I would never recommend a cookbook that I wouldn't try, so I have tried many recipes from Cook This, Not That. The ones that I have cooked have been delicious, from appetizers to desserts. Olive Garden's Fettucine Alfredo (A.K.A. Heart Attack on a Plate) rings in at 1,220 calories. The same taste can be gained from using a few tablespoons of butter, milk, flour, and good Parmesan for 540 calories. The Cheesecake Factory's Macaroni & Cheese? 1,482 calories PER SERVING. Or you can cook it at home for 480.


No wonder we live in such an unhealthy world today with portions and ingredients that are served in these restaurants. Is there any appetizer that is not cooked in a deep fryer? Would you rather have Chili's Fire Grilled Chicken Fajita Quesadilla for 1,480 calories (FOR AN APPETIZER???) or make them at home in a cast-iron skillet for 310? It takes just as much effort.


MY RATING FOR ANY OF THE BOOKS IN THIS SERIES - 5

See this review on 1776books...
http://1776books.blogspot.com/2010/02...

[C · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative, handy little book. I like the charts of ingredients for stews, stir fries, sandwiches, dips, and the gentle nudge in the right direction with snacks and food choices.

What I really appreciate about his books that while they're quite "loud" and colorful, they're not overly preachy or overbearing. It's not so much "this will kill you" but a more diplomatic poke in the right direction: "maybe you'd rather have this 300 calorie fajita rather than that 1700 calorie burrito..."

The copy I've picked up from the library is quite new and already very "loved." Some nice reader(s) took it with them to the kitchen. I've been prying the pages apart from god knows what kind of goo. I think a stir fry sauce...


One of the things that fascinates me about his books in general is just seeing how many calories are in seemingly innocent dishes at restaurants. As a culture, we've truly mastered the art of packing a huge caloric punch to a small package. Case in point: the 3000 calorie rack of ribs at Outback, or the 2000 calorie shake at Coldstone. It's a toss up which sells better: fat or sex.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a masterful book full of some of the best cooking/health advice I have read. It makes cooking and being healthy so easy. There are tons of recipes that are about 350 calories, taste great, and take only 30 minutes. Plus, he has really great tips on each page for quick meals or ways to make your meal into different leftovers.

But I'll admit that my favorite part is the way he actually teaches someone like me to cook. I've always "hated" my friends and family who can just throw something together because they know what tastes right together and what spices go with what foods. Well, he teaches that in this book, and it is something that I use and will be sure to teach my kids so that they can grow up to be "those" people that I once "hated"!!

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. It gives you pictures(which is a must for me in any great cookbook), and even gives you an alternative way to cut even more calories from the recipe they provide. I recently used their recipe for chicken parmesan, and although it took me took longer to cook than what the book said, it came out quite nicely, and will use that recipe in the future. Will definitely reccommend for anyone looking for easy low-calorie dishes. :)

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unlike many other books that focus on nutrition, I actually enjoyed reading this book. It is written in the same slightly irreverent style as Mens' Health, the magazine that birthed the book series. With its dynamic layout and easy-to-swallow tidbits of information, this and all the other books in the This, Not That series entice even my children to pick them up and read about healthy eating.

[Melissa Lee-Tammeus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love love love this book. It has Dr. Pepper ribs in it - how could I not? The apple turnovers were a hit and so were the fish tacos in this family. A great book with nutritious options that don't make you feel like you are actually eating healthy. Great pictures to go along with the recipes too.

[Terra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the earlier books, but there weren't many recipes in this book that I would take the time to cook. As always, the grids and side info were great.

[Jerry Jares · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book of this series that I've purchased. Unbelievably, its better than the other one I reviewed! Why? It offers cooking alternatives to the high fat, high calorie, high sodium, low nutrient offerings of many restaurants.

So far, I've found the recipes to be easy plus the authors explain what makes the recipe a better choice. Also, innovation was not left at the cover; some of these recipes are better looking and better tasting (as well as better-for-you) concoctions.

Heres just one example: The Marinade Matrix: Soak for your health: the polyphenols in the marinade, drawn from a pool of herbs and spices, cut carcinogen deposits found in grilled foods by up to 88 percent, . They also say that spice rubs and marinades add flavor without the heavy sauces (extra calories).

The recipes also show how you are saving money. The authors mention Cheesecake Factory Wasabi Crusted Ahi Tuna (price: $21.95). The home-cooked recipe for this dish saves 1450 calories (you read right!) and costs $3.32 per serving.

Throughout the book there are Matrix pages; they break down prepared dishes (smoothies, skewered meats, snacks, etc.), and teach the reader how to make low fat, low calorie, nutrient-rich choices so you can create your own dishes.

This little book was such a blockbuster that several more of these books have emerged, including a book specifically for kids, best and worst foods, supermarket survival and others.

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting cookbook that gives you healthier alternatives to fast food favorites....just not my personal fast food favorites so not as helpful for me. But it looks like they have lots of cookbooks in this vain so I might try another one. Interesting ideas for healthier substitutions in general.

[Dori · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wouldn't use this as a cookbook per say, but more as a book for ideas for substitutions to be healthier and also to maybe streamline your cooking experience as well.

[Montanasmith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Got some great ideas for lunches to take to work

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Working on cooking more often, after I've explored the Pittsburgh landscape pretty extensively. This is pretty good guide to healthier and cheaper solutions.

[Lela Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've found this book very useful!

[Melissa Kutcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful picture and easy to follow directions.

[Carl Tomkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great one!

I like all the books in this series. There’s lots of good info, recipes, and recommendations. The restaurant calorie bombs make me want to eat out never.

[C · Rating 3 out of 5]

This Eat This, Not That! book is full of healthier, cheaper alternatives to popular restaurant meals that you can make at home. It’s packed with mouthwatering illustrated recipes, each containing a nutritional lesson or tip. I wasn’t so interested in the recipes themselves, but I liked the nutritional advice they contained, and there are plenty of pages of dietary charts, graphics, and recommendations.

It’s not a nutrition textbook, but it does contain concise explanations of the science behind the recommendations. The book promotes honest, simple food made with real ingredients, and reducing or eliminating artificial ingredients and additives.

10 best foods
blueberries, quinoa, greek yogurt, salmon, almonds, red bell pepper, cheese, dark chocolate, spinach, strawberries

Best to worst food rankings
Fats: canola oil, olive oil, butter, margarine.
Meat: light chicken, light turkey, 90% lean ground beef, 80% lean ground beef, ham.
Carbs: bulgur, quinoa, oatmeal, whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, enriched (white) pasta, brown rice, white rice, white bread.
Diary: nonfat yogurt, fat free milk, 1% milk, 2% milk, Swiss, whole milk mozzarella, whole milk, cheddar, butter.
Nuts (by antioxidants): pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, almonds, peanuts, Brazil nuts, cashews, macadamias, pine nuts.

Food recommendations
Tortillas: La Tortilla Smart & Delicious
Deli meat: Hormel Natural Choice Smoked Deli Turkey
Peanut butter: peanuts and salt only; Smucker’s Natural
Fruit spread: real fruit and fruit juice only; Smucker’s Simply Fruit
Condiments: pesto, guacamole, hummus, salsa

Notes
Carbs should be 45% of your calories.
Frozen peas have 4 times more Vitamin C than canned.
Table salt is better than sea salt.
Frozen produce is better than fresh, which is better than canned.
Eat protein and fiber for breakfast instead of carbs.
Instead of syrup, top pancakes and waffles with fruit compote made of frozen berries, sugar, and water.
Canned tomatoes are more nutritious than fresh.
Eat black bean chips instead of tortilla chips.
Sweet potatoes are better than white potatoes because they have fiber and Vitamin A.
Angel food cake is better than other types of cake.

Kitchenware recommendations
Pots and pans: Calphalon and Cuisinart
Knives: Victorinox

[Joel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zinczenko proves that home cooked fare is the way to go vs. eating out at a restaurant. Often times diners are tricked into thinking they are eating wholesome dishes at a sit-down chain restaurant when in reality these dishes are high in calories, fat, sugar, and sodium and that's considering the entire serving. The recipes here are crafted in order to counterpart a home-cooked meal with a similar restaurant entree. For instance, the Cook This recipe for Grilled Flank Steak with Chimichurri is a rough copy of Applebee's Sizzling Steak Fajita. The home-cooked version contains roughly 1,000 calories less than the Applebee's entree. Furthermore, each recipe implies that home cooking saves money vs. dining out, because often times the recipes yield multiple servings while the restaurant sells a single serving that some diet unconscious people devour. In the case of the flank steak recipe, one serving represents a savings of $7.29. Contains about 200 recipes in ten categories, very colorful and informational for people looking for wise choices in their diets. Part of the Eat This, Not That series of dietary references, which is a spinoff from a column in Men's Health magazine.

[Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

In many cases, the very smartest swap you can make is to make it yourself.

Best foods for your brain is blueberries as it has a powerful bolstering effect on learning and memory.

Best food for all day energy is quinoa as it has higher concentrations of energy producing B vitamins.

Best food for healthy skin is almonds as it exhibits protective properties and actually prevents both wrinkles and sun damage.

Best food to fight cavities is cheese as it can increase the concentration of calcium in plaque.

Best food to keep your joints greased is spinach as it reduces the pain in arthritis.

Best food to squash stress is strawberries as it packs a ton of serotonin inducing natural sugars.

Oatmeal has 166 calories per cup.

Brown rice has 216 calories per cup.

Post shredded wheat is a one ingredient cereal.

Fettuccine Alfredo with broccoli, mushrooms, garlic with soy milk.

Boboli whole wheat pizza with vegan cheese, pineapple and mushrooms.

Hummus with whole wheat pita, apple slices, baby carrots, whole wheat crackers or celery sticks.

Pecans and walnuts have the most antioxidants.

Smoothie with unsweetened green tea.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

LOVE these books! The only think that prevents me from giving it a 5 is that sometimes I get annoyed with the nutrition information. For instance why do some dished have fat and others only calories. Maybe if you were just doing something for fun you would worry so much about details like that, but for a book to go the extra mile and dig up that information! Also, with the alarming rate of pre-diabetes and diabetes why not also look at sugar when discussing the nutritional facts. I think if your going to present information on nutrition in a responsible way you need to go beyond saying something has a lot of sugar. People don't get it and they want to learn so teach them, but teach them well and show them the whole picture! Otherwise I think the book is awesome and I will cooking from this and adding some new spices and condiments to my collection!

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love recipes and I love making healthier versions of popular dishes. (Anything to eat better and be leaner and meaner!) But I have to admit the best part of this book is that of the 100+ examples of what *not* to eat, my husband and I only had eaten about 3 of them. So, that was reassuring. Still though, the best part of the book are the "matrices" that provide options for all sorts of meals (stir fries, Crock Pot, kabobs, smoothies, etc.) and really lay out how easy it is to make healthy, tasty food. Oh, and be prepared - you'll never want to eat out ever again once you see the true calorie count of restaurant meals.

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being a fan of the "Eat This, Not That" books, I knew I had to read this when I came across it. This is essentially a cookbook which provides healthy alternatives to popular restaurant faves. I also enjoy the different "matrices" provided for grilling, stir-fry, pasta dishes, etc. I have 3 or 4 recipes that really caught my eye that I will be trying in the near future. My favorite thing about the series in general is that it has encouraged me to find a better or healthier way to eat or prepare food I love.

[February Four · Rating 5 out of 5]

The edge this has over most cookbooks: calorie counts per serving. They have appetizers, entrees, desserts, sides, all in one book, and they have some amazing matrices that take the guesswork out of combining foods. I got this from the library, started reading through it, and just decided that I will buy it. As a cook who is still figuring out my way around the American kitchen (cooking in Asia was so much easier) and my American husband's tastes (we disagree on a lot of foods), this book is definitely helping me cope.

[Kidsbookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the recipes and meal ideas in this book! I will be using it a lot this summer. There is so much information and advice out there about foods, diets, and everyone is pushing their way of eating. It's so hard to sort through all of the information.

I think David has put together a sensible way of eating that works for busy families who are trying to build good, healthy habits.

I do wish the books didn't look so much alike because it took me quite a while to figure out which one I had seen at the library.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite of the eat this not that series (although supermarket edition is a close 2nd).
I love that they give a lower calorie, lower cost recipe for your favorite restaurant meals. They all look delicious and easy!
Ok after trying a few I lowered my review to 4 stars. Some of the recipes are yummy and some of them just did not work for me. I'm not a great cook though, so it could have just been me.

[Wysterria · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my favorite of this series. It was basically giving you versions of dishes in popular restaurants that you could make at home. Well, if I go out to eat, I like that to be my excuse to binge and eat stuff that's way less healthy than what I could make at home for myself. But there were some good ingredient lists and tips for keeping foods fresh at home. So, I didn't come away completely empty-handed.

[Scottsdale Public Library]

I have to admit, out of all the books in this series, this one is my favorite. The other "Eat this, not that" books simply replace really high calorie junk food with fewer calorie junk food. What I do like about this book though, is it approaches the weight loss solution sensibly. Cooking at home as opposed to eating fast food is a much better way and this book will help you cut several calories doing so.

Colleen G.