Rating: 
Summary: Low Carb? Not even close - forget about this one
Review: 44 grams for a salad and dressing, 54 grams for an omelet and oatmeal breakfast, 67 grams for a beef stir fry. The author must be joking. I've been a low-carb dieter for a number of years following the Atkins lifestyle. Most of the recipes aren't even close to being low carb and would exceed most people's daily carb limit in a single meal, even for folks on lifetime maintenance. The recipes in this book are replete with sugars: bread, pasta, flour, high-carb fruits (pineapple, oranges), and even some low-fat ingredients which you would never find in true low-carb recipes. It's completely inaccurate - even shameful - for the author and publisher to market the recipes in this book as low-carb. My wife, who does not follow a low carb diet, bought me this book for Christmas because she liked the recipes. No wonder. I'll be returning this book. I suggest that you don't waste your $$$ either. If you're looking for a good low-carb cookbook, try "Back to Protein" by Barbara Doyen. It has truly low-carb recipes that are easy to make, contain common ingredients and are delicious. I had the chicken with pecan cream sauce last night and it was to die for. Happy low carb-ing!
Rating: 
Summary: Recipes too complicated for "fast" meals cookbook
Review: Although the recipes looked appetizing, I was disappointed because they looked too complicated to make on a tight time schedule, and many of the ingredients would need to be purchased at a health food store. Anything that requires the use of a food processor (especially for breakfast) is not a fast recipe in my book. The book did include some faster recipes but they were TOO basic. For example, one recipe called for a) bran cereal and b) milk. The instructions were something like: divide cereal into 2 bowls, add milk. Serves two. That seemed a little too obvious to me to be considered a "recipe", while the others seemed too complicated. I was hoping for a happy medium. The layout of the book is excellent though. I like the style very much. Enjoy the recipes; just don't expect to be done in minutes!
Rating: 
Summary: A valuable contribution
Review: As the author of a low-carb gourmet cookbook ("The Gourmet Prescription: High Flavor Recipes for Lower Carbohydrate Diets), I welcome Linda Gassenheimer's contribution to the world of low-carb cooking. Her no-nonsense, time-saving approach and dishes such as "spicy roast beef and watercress wraps" are certain to please many time-pressured, carb-conscious cooks. This definitely is the "busy person's guide" to low-carb meals.
Rating:
Summary: Does not work with the Protein Power Regimen...
Review: Buyers beware!! Although the Protein Power regimen is referred to on the back of the book and in the introduction, the carb counts of the recipies in the book are almost all too high for the Protein Power dieter. As a matter of fact, over 2/3 of the recipies have too many carbs. Although the recipies are mostly quite tasty, many are quite complicated or expensive for everyday cooking. This book will mostly appeal to someone who is looking only to slightly reduce their carb intake but not actually follow the Protein Power diet.
Rating:
Summary: There are better books out their.
Review: Don't waste your time. Unless you like planning your menu well in advance. There are better books out there. This book has ideas that 95% of normal people would not waste there time on. I know I didn't.
Rating:
Summary: More than a cookbook...
Review: First of all, I am not on a carbohydrate restricted diet so I found all the info on how to mainatain a low carb diet to be a waste of space (although very informative). I bought this book because I wanted quick, tasty recipes with a nutritional breakdown and I figured that making some low-carb dishes couldn't hurt. I'm extremely pleased with the recipes and the book delivers what it promises...meals in minutes. Everything so far has been delicious. I only wish there were more recipes. One caveat - if you are on a carb restricted diet and you flip thorugh the recipes you will see that a number of them contain pasta. Don't be fooled! The pasta serving is miniscule!
Rating:
Summary: GOOD RECIPES BUT NOT FOR EVERYONE.
Review: First of all, the positive side of this book is that the recipes are actually quite delicious and enjoyable. Most are easy to prepare and the ingredients are commonly found, in contrast to some cookbooks that would sent one to the Amazon rainforests in search of some unheard-of exotic herb. So, as far as the quality, taste and preparation time of the meals, the book is everything it proclaims to be. Secondly, comes the downside, and there are usually pros and cons to any speciality diet, low carb or otherwise. These recipes are not entirely carb-free, but bear in mind as the title implies, they do not claim to be, so if you have a specific health problem that drastically restricts your carb intake, check the recipe. Overall, this book may not be suitable for everyone, but most cookbooks are not for everyone if you have specific concerns with health or diet. In many cases, one can easily make substitutions and adjust the recipes to individualized needs. I found that if all one wants to do is "restrict" their carb intake, which it appears was the intention of the book, and they have no medical problems that create a need for a special diet, this book is everything it claims to be and the recipes are quite tasty and take little time to prepare. In today's fast-paced world, that in itself is a blessing.
Rating:
Summary: Low carb?
Review: For an Atkins Nutritional Approach advocate, this recipe book is not terribly useful. Low carb to me means <30 grams of carbs. Ms Gassenheimer seems to think some recipes upward of 40 grams "low carb". Some of the recipes are within my parameters, but too many are not, since I need to count all 3 meals as well as any snacks in my daily consumption. I would never recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: Very disappointing
Review: I don't believe she gets it. Low fat this, low fat that! This is supposed to be a low carb book. Most of the recipes are way over the carb limit that most low carbers can have. Most meals add up to more than I can have for the entire day, sometimes several days! Not worth the money!
Rating: 
Summary: More than just another lo-cal cookbook...
Review: I follow the Zone diet, and I've had a hard time finding tasty recipes (Dr. Sears may be a fine scientist, but a chef he is not). The "Right Carbs" section of Gassenheimer's book follows the same 40-30-30 balanced approach as the Zone, and the lower- carbohydrate "Which Carbs" meal plans are easy to tweak into Zone-worthiness. Nutritional information for each meal is provided so you can make any necessary adjustments with little effort. The book also helps you plan and shop efficiently, so you can literally make the meals in minutes, no kidding - I usually spend about 20 minutes making the dinners. Not bad for "real" food. After dinner it only takes a few minutes to pack our lunches for the next day. I used the shopping lists in the book to compile master lists for each 3 or 4 days of menus, so I always have all the ingredients fresh and on hand. No more worrying about what on Earth to make for dinner. So far all the meals I've tried have been at least good, and several have been fabulous! I would be proud to take many of these dishes to my gourmet-cooking club meetings.Even so, none have long lists of ingredients or require extraordinary cooking ability. Depending on your personal situation, it may help you to know that: 1. If you're on an ultra-low-carb diet these meals may not fit into your plan.
2. Some of the ingredients are seasonal or might be hard to find if you live in a remote area. Substitutions are occasionally suggested by the author, and in other cases are obvious - if you can't get fresh figs, for example, substitute another fruit.
3. Some of the ingredients can be expensive - scallops, hearts of palm, radicchio - but you can make economical substitutions and still have a good meal. Personally, I feel fortunate to have found a book that so suits my taste and lifestyle. I hope you also find it useful. Good Luck and Bon Appetit!!
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