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As someone who can never seem to talk myself out of a new cookbook (especially with healthy foods inside), I have much to compare a cookbook to when I begin using it.

Although I am not among those who need to see photos with every recipe, I know many others are and this is a visual learner’s dream, if so. Not only are there pics of every recipe, but there are full page, up close, full color ones so you really understand the finished product prior to starting.

I like that the story of the author was also outlined on the opening pages showing her as a “chubby” cute child, larger teen and bride, and then later a picture showing what she deemed her “food addiction stage”…then finally, after she turned her life around and began cooking the foods she loved and got thin. While many light cookbook authors have a thin picture, this gives great credibility that her success was truly from this way of eating rather than “good genes” and the photos were a neat touch.

I’ve mentioned in many of my reviews that I am both an avid cook AND a weight loss coach (yin and yang!) so I do appreciate books that tittilate both my passions and this does. She doesn’t just offer recipes, but tips that are the same things I preach and are proven, some tips on low fat cooking (although I differ in the suggest to use only low fat margarines in place of butter…depends on the margarine…sometimes butter is better for you with some margarines out there and the type of fat they are made from.), portion distortion (so true!), tips when dining out (all good and the ones I say too!)getting active (imperative!), the glycemic index info from a doctor, success stories, and…

a 28 day weight loss plan.

This was the most unique part of the cookbook I thought. It’s like joining Jenny Craig or Nutrisystem without having to eat the processed food. She gives you full day suggestions on what to eat using some of the recipes and other quick whole foods from the grocery store. Because there isn’t processed food in the diet, many often find it easier to lose weight on such a plan so I give it props…especially becuase she gives a few plans so you can find the one from her quiz appropriate to what you need to begin and succeed (for example, if you have 25-30 or more lbs to lose you are obviously going to start on a higher calorie diet to begin with, as you would on any other plan, and those very active are different from those inactive.)

The calorie level in these plans as well as the fat is actually exactly the range I’d suggest so I can’t fault it…if you are an emotional eater, you may need a diet counselor like myself on top of it but if you are motivated and want to jump in, it would save money and should work well if followed.

Wide range of types of meals from meatless to beef, to chicken, to seafood, to breakfast, to desserts.

Some we like:

mexican layered dip

potato and leek soup

stuffed mushrooms

oven baked fries

vegetable lasagna

tacos where she replaces some of the meat with kidney beans…good taste and texture

mexican meatballs

crumbed fish with light cheese sauce

mild sweet curry

sticky pork chops

mexican chicken stack

…you get the idea.

at almost 250 pages there are lots of choices

so far the only thing we didn’t like was the pineapple fruit cake.

Conclusion: well thought out, very easy recipes with items that are easy to find and fast to prepare, a full plan rather than just a cookbook, good visuals.
Rating: 5 / 5

I’ve had this book for a week now, have made five recipes from it and have been pleased with each and every one. It seems Ken and I are always on one kind of diet or another. We get down to the weight we want, go off the diet, because we like to eat and oatmeal, even if you put fruit in it, just doesn’t cut it.

I’ve got a zillion cookbooks and let’s face it, fat just plain makes food taste good. But it is possible to have good tasting low fat meals. We’ve done it. There are other cookbooks out there that will help you along on your quest for good tasting low fat meals, but most of them have some duds in them. You know, you cook up a couple meals, then you wind up with one that tastes a bit like a dirty sheet. Not so here. All five recipes I tired did the trick. Like eating in a fancy restaurant at home.

It’s hard to believe some of these recipes are actually low fat, but they are. Also this book starts out with some nice tips about healthy eating from Annette, but all the tips and advice in the world won’t help if the meals don’t cut it. These meals do. There is good eats here and I’m here to say this is a cookbook for dieters and non-dieters alike.
Rating: 5 / 5