[.ca] Good Carb Cookbook (ISBN 1583330844)

From Amazon.com:
One bad carbohydrate can't spoil the whole batch, but studies show that too many of the "wrong kinds" can lead to a slew of nasty health conditions, including obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Sandra Woodruff, author of several bestsellers (including Secrets of Fat-Free Cooking and Secrets of Cooking for a Long Life) goes far beyond the realm of breads and pastas to offer a comprehensive look at nutrition, followed by a trove of carbo-smart recipes. Healthy eating, Woodruff asserts, requires keen attention to the glycemic index (GI), "a ranking of foods based on their potential to raise blood sugar levels." By choosing foods that rank low on the GI, and balancing higher GI foods with protein, she says, individuals will achieve better overall health. While the first section reads a bit like a college text (heavy with charts, grams, and serving sizes, plus all the numbers associated with the glycemic index), Woodruff gracefully applies this knowledge to real-life scenarios. Her meal-planning and dining-out tips accommodate a wide variety of eating habits and cuisines, with ample hints for hearty eaters, snackers, sweet-tooth sufferers, and those who enjoy international fare. More than 200 recipes include options for vegetarians, meat-and-potato types, adventurous chefs, and keep-it-simple cooks, without calling attention to any such stereotype. Two minor beefs: teaspoon and tablespoon appear in their unabbreviated forms, potentially making for easy errors; also, a fancy typeface makes reading the ingredients somewhat tricky. --Liane Thomas

I've lost over 45 pounds so far and use this book everyday!:
I'm so in love with this cookbook! I've bought so many cookbooks that have maybe 3 or 4 recipes I'd actually make, but not this one, I love them all! I saw a couple of reviews that claimed the recipes were bland, unoriginal, etc. They must be the kind of people who eat things like "Pecan crusted grouper with vegetable creole" or the many other "fancy food" healthy recipe cookbooks that have let me down before. Who eats that stuff? My husband and I sure wouldn't. We LOVE this cookbook cuz it's REAL food. Everyone who I've served the Mexican Lasagna to wanted the recipe right away. We love the Slim Spaghetti Pie, Pot Roast with Sour Cream Gravy, Penne with Ham and Asparagus, Meatloaf, and so many more. It's real food. Real GOOD food. I've lost over 45 pounds in less than 6 months, and it just keeps going down. I'll never have to "go on a diet" again ... I tried following a low carb plan, but lost and regained the weight too often because giving up bread, cereal and pasta was not something I could do forever ... and once you go off low-carb plans the weight comes back FAST. I knew whatever I did this time had to be a lifestyle change that I could do from here on ... I can still have healthy low G.I. bread, cereal and pasta ... believe me, we eat lots of pasta! Who knew there was a low G.I. way to make Macaroni and Cheese? This one has broccoli in it too and it's wonderful! The Blueberry Oat Bran Muffins and Black Forrest Fudge Cake are so good. My hubby lost about 25 pounds, and I've lost over 45 and it keeps coming off! This book is well used every day, and it's holding up just fine.

Maybe good for beginners/novices:
I was very disappointed with this cookbook. I was directed to it when I searched on South Beach Diet items. This cookbook has very simplistic recipes, many of which are high in refined carbs (!?). It is not an appropriate companion for South Beach or Atkins Dieters. If you had very little knowledge about cooking and foods, you may find some of it helpful. There are better choices, though. (South Beach Diet Cookbook for one.)

A Truly AWESOME Cookbook:
I got this cookbook after doing research about all the diet crazes. This cookbook makes more sense than anything that requires an "induction phase". I mean, we are talking about food and will power, essentially. The thought of controlling the levels of blood sugar seemed sound and simple. My problem was actually finding the book in a store (I couldn't wait to have it shipped!). Since I have gotten the book, I have tried many recipes and have yet to have one that I will not make again. ALL OF THESE RECIPES ARE KEEPERS! When was the last time you could say that about any cookbook? My husband loves this food. My 2 and 4 year olds love this food! I don't get late night munchie attacks when I use these recipes. The recipes are simple to follow and the FLAVOR is phenominal! I have been cooking a long time and own a lot of cookbooks, but this is the only one that I have told EVERYONE I know about. The fact that I have lost weight while eating the food I prepare is merely icing on the cake!

Good-Carb rather than Low-Carb Cooking...:
This cookbook is good (unrefined) carb rather than low carb so it might have limited application for those on the Atkins diet. But for the rest of us there's lots of healthy recipes, tips on cooking, grocery shopping and dining out, and a good explanation of insulin's role in the body and the concepts of Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load. I use recipes from this book and the SUGARBUSTERS Quick and Easy Cookbook. Woodruff, the author of several other cookbooks, covers her bases by making most recipes low-fat as well. There is some use of sugar, honey, fruit juice and the like, so if you're keen on limiting their intake in your diet you could subsitute non-caloric sweeteners, such as NutraSweet for cold foods and Splenda for the cooked dishes. Or you could just cut out the sugar altogether as I did in making the Sourdough French Toast, which with the cinnamon made no difference in the taste, IMO. Some of the ingredients listed are a bit esoteric and a few of the recipes may be too fussy for everday cooking. But in general this is a well-rounded cookbook, not a fad diet but a healthy lifestyle...

By far the best book on nutrition and diet I've read!:
The really wonderful thing about this book is the comprehensive and intelligent description of the glycemic index -- a fundamental nutritional principle that most people (including myself) had never heard of just a few years ago. The front part of the book explains in logical terms why we should be eating carbohydrates with a low glycemic load and how to incorporate this principle into our everyday diets. And then the second part shows you how it can be done through tasty, easy to follow recipes. What more could you ask? So if you want to lose weight and keep it off, and lower your risk of heart disease and diabetes, forget those diets with fancy names and buy this cookbook and follow its advice. I lost 30 pounds following the "good carb" principle and sure wish I had had this cookbook to explain it to me so I didn't have to piece it all together myself. P.S. I think everyone should read this book. My only quibble is that I would incorporate more "good fats" into the diet: i.e., mono and polyunsaturated fats. I don't think one needs to be quite so anti-fat at this book to get the health benefits.