Description:
Richard and Rachael Heller, both research scientists and professors, have taken the dieting world by storm with their bestselling Carbohydrate Addict's Diet and Carbohydrate Addict's Lifespan Program. Now there's a companion cookbook, which adherents to their carbohydrate-cutting regimen can use from sunup to sundown without fear of straying from their dietary objectives. With only a short introduction on the basic goal of the diet--to limit insulin intake in order to lessen carbohydrate cravings and thereby lose weight--this cookbook presents 250 easy recipes that range from appetizers and breakfasts to meat, seafood, and vegetarian entrées and snacks. Those who have not already read The Carbohydrate Addict's Diet or related titles and are not familiar with the program's strategy may at first find the many high-fat recipes included here counterintuitive to the notion of a diet. But the idea is simple: eliminate the foods that trigger overeating--starches, snack foods, and sweets--and replace them with protein-rich, fibrous meals that help to normalize blood-sugar levels and curb the impulse to binge. Such an approach allows for higher fat consumption--the body metabolizes fat more efficiently when there is less insulin in the blood stream--and even has the psychologically beneficial side effect of permitting a certain amount of indulgence. People usually leery of diets because they don't want to give up their weekly cheeseburger will be awed by recipes such as the egg- and cream-augmented Left Bank Burgers. Likewise, the Herbed Cheese Dip with cheddar, cream cheese, and sour cream is a startlingly deluxe accompaniment for the normally ascetic plate of raw veggies; the Crustless Spinach Pie entices with its rich mix of feta, Parmesan, eggs, herbs, and olive oil. The Hellers' approach to cooking is by no means highbrow and their recipes are often simply no-starch variations on standard fare (Steak in a Blanket replaces the dough with romaine lettuce, for example). An unspecified teriyaki sauce is a staple in their kitchen, and experienced cooks may wonder if they really mean tamari or soy sauce. People who have health restrictions on salt and alcohol (a few recipes call for wine) will want to have the original Carbohydrate Addict's Diet book handy in order to look up suitable alternatives--they are not included with this cookbook. That inconvenience aside, dieters will have no qualms about these tasteful recipes as they eat their way toward a slimmer, healthier future. --Rebecca Wright
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