ISO: Cookbook Review - 1,001 LF Vegetarian Recipes

[catharine]

I recently bought Sue Spitler's 1,001 Low Fat Vegetarian Recipes. The recipes looked intriguing and very healthy.

However, a closer look reveals that many of the recipes call for ingredients that make me wonder whether these could be any good (i.e., fat free cheeses, fat free cream cheese).

Does anyone have this cookbook? Are the recipes taste-tested?

I suppose I could just try them out and see whether I like them, but I hate to buy all the ingredients and wind up with a dish that is gross. You know what I mean?

Thanks for your input!

[Ohioan]

Hi, Catharine - I have this book, and I like it very much, as anyone can tell by looking at all the Post-It flags hanging off the edges of the pages to mark recipes. Actually, I wasn't aware that there were so many fat-free cheeses called for in the recipes, because I don't like dishes made with cream cheese or other creamy stuff in the first place, so I guess I just skipped past them. But the point is that there must be lots of good recipes without such ingredients if I've marked so many. (Haven't had time yet to go through the marked ones to see which ones I've actually made.)

Of course, if you're looking for cheese-based recipes, pay no attention to anything I've said! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/tongue.gif

Anyway, I liked this book so much that I bought a couple of Spitler's other cookbooks, and I liked them too. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

Cheers,
Phoebe

[catharine]

Thanks so much, Phoebe! I trust your opinion on these things. It isn't that I am looking for creamy recipes (although I don't object to them) - but I have purchased cookbooks before that use the ff ingredients, and it turns out that while the recipes are healthy, they are gross because they have tried to reduce the fat *too* much. Sometimes you need a little fat to make it edible [Why we all love CL, right.]

Any favorites in the book?

[valeriek]

Cannelini and Cabbage Soup? Phoebe, can you share?

[Ohioan]

Okay, here are the two recipes I mentioned -- but bear in mind that I've pulled them out of my MasterCook, which means they've already undergone a few changes from the original (including my use of olive oil instead of cooking spray). Also, in the cannelini and cabbage soup, make sure you have a good strong vegetable stock or bean broth, because it carries a lot of the flavor.

Cannelini and Cabbage Soup

Recipe By :Sue Spitler
Serving Size : 2

1 tsp olive oil
1 1/2 c cabbage, thinly sliced
1/2 sm onion, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp caraway seeds, crushed
2 1/2 c homemade or canned vegetable stock, low-fat
3/4 c cooked cannelini beans
2 ozs mostaccioli or penne
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

Heat oil over medium heat until hot. Saute cabbage, onion, garlic, and caraway seeds until cabbage begins to wilt, 8 to 10 minutes. Add stock and beans to saucepan; heat to boiling. Stir in pasta; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until pasta is al dente, about 15 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper.

Source: "1001 Low-Fat Vegetarian Recipes"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 341 Calories; 6g Fat (14.6% calories from fat); 14g Protein; 60g Carbohydrate; 9g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 1180mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 4 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Fat.


Eggplant and Bean Curry Stew

Recipe By :Sue Spitler
Serving Size : 2

1 med potato, peeled, cut in 3/4" cubes
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 sm eggplant, cut in 3/4" cubes
1/4 med onion, chopped
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
1 pinch ground turmeric
1 1/2 tsps water
1 c canned tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 c canned chickpeas, drained
1/4 c water
1 dash salt and pepper, to taste


Saute potatoes in oil until browned; remove from pan and reserve. Add eggplant to pan; cook over medium heat until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Remove and reserve. Mash or grind together onion, garlic, spices, and 1-1/2 tsps water into a smooth paste. Add to pan and cook over medium-low heat 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Add reserved potatoes and eggplant, tomatoes with liquid, beans, and remaining water; heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until eggplant is tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Source: "1001 Low-Fat Vegetarian Recipes"

----------------
Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 272 Calories; 4g Fat (13.2% calories from fat); 10g Protein; 52g Carbohydrate; 11g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 635mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 2 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Fat.

[ElinorC]

Thanks Phoebe and Catharine. The recipes sound great.
Elinor (Another Ohioan)

[Ohioan]

The Eggplant and Bean Curry Stew (p. 518) is excellent, and it's very adaptable to any other kinds of veggies and beans. I've also used the Cannelini and Cabbage Soup (p. 135) as a starting place for my own version, using the bean broth from my own cooked beans rather than vegetable stock.

Take a look through the whole "Stews and Casseroles" chapter. I have so many flags hanging off that one that it looks like pillow fringe. Not that I've made all the ones I've marked http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/rolleyes.gif, but I've gotten a lot of good ideas from them.

Cheers,
Phoebe