Customer Reviews

I Can't Believe It's Not Fattening!: Over 150 Ridiculously Easy Recipes for the Super Busy

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

About a year ago, I first heard about Devin Alexander when reading a review for a "diet cookbook" by someone else. The quote was something like "anything by Devin Alexander is better than this". So, I bought the Biggest Loser cookbook, then The Most Decadent Diet Ever and Fast Food Fix. Now, I have I Can't Believe It's Not Fattening, and I am firmly convinced Devin Alexander is a genius. Her "secret" is this: food doesn't have to be plain to be healthy. Her recipes appeal to the food lover who wants to be healthier or lose weight-without compromising taste. Let's face it, most of us do not crave plain grilled chicken and steamed vegetables. All of her cookbooks are a little different: the Biggest Loser is a little more on the VERY low fat and calorie side; Fast Food Fix is geared for the fast food lover; Decadent Diet-well, I can't imagine who wouldn't love that one...unless it's someone who wants everything to be quick. I Can't Believe It's Not Fattening is specifically written to appeal to people who don't have a lot of time to cook. From that standpoint, I think she hits her mark and then some. The recipes sound fabulous, tasty, and EASY! So far, I've had the book for about 48 hours and have made the mini frittatas with herbed goat cheese, the pb&j oatmeal, breakfast fried rice, pierogies with kielbasa and sauerkraut, quick crunchy potato chips (twice) and fixed up french onion dip, and the chocolate banana boat. And worked two-twelve hour+ days. I loved every one of them. I can't claim to have tried every recipe in the book yet; I can tell you that I'm picky and demanding, and I have not yet found one of her recipes that I didn't like. Most of these recipes taste just as "decadent" as her previous recipes but with more "shortcuts"...using storebought dressings, jarred marinara, or herbs in a tube. Personally, I prefer making homemade salad dressings or my own fat free marinara, but there's no reason that these couldn't be substituted IF you don't mind the additional time. If you are looking for healthy, low fat food that will taste fabulous AND not take up too much time to cook, THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU!

My hero Devin Alexander lost 55 pounds and has kept them off over a decade. She did it by taking all her favorite foods and creating healthier versions. She has written bestselling cookbooks for the Biggest Loser and under her own name. She also has her own cooking show on cable.

This book is a different format from her earlier ones. First, the drawing of Devin on the front is remarkably similar to the one for the Hungry Girl series. The pages are slick and glossy and the color pages of the recipes are gorgeous.

I made a list of all my favorite foods and recipes from restaurants, food courts at all my favorite shopping malls, county fairs, takeout menus, and comfort foods. I wrote them all down and started looking for cookbooks that gave me great tasting healthy alternatives.

I had totally given up on burritos - until I tried her Fully Loaded Turkey Burrito Pocket. At 300 calories and 15 minute prep time, this is one of my favorite meals.

I love tuna so the Spicy Tuna Salad (with chili sauce) was a new taste buzz for me. (I usually put Chesapeake Bay Seafood seasoning on my tuna; some cracked pepper and heat it up for a few minutes.)

One of my favorite snacks is the Faux French Onion Dip (made with Greek yoghurt) and the Quick and Crunchy Potato Chips (made from real potatoes).

All in all Devin continues to be extremely passionate about cooking and has fun with the healthy recipes she creates.

I highly recommend all of her books.

I am a huge fan of Devin Alexander's Most Decadent Diet Ever and could not resist ordering her latest, I Can't Believe It's Not Fattening. The recipes may well be as wonderful as those in the first book; however, the publisher has chosen to color-code the ingredients and nutritional information by section. That probably would have not been a problem for me twenty years ago, but after a full day, these middle-aged eyes have trouble reading light green or light blue fonts on white backgrounds. Even removing my specially ordered contact lenses and putting on my progressive bifocals has not resulted in the ease of use one wants when reaching for one of the "over 150 ridiculously easy recipes for the super busy."

If you're young and have no difficulty reading light-colored fonts, don't hesitate to buy the book. If you have found that your eyes are changing (and a house guest had the same difficulty, so the problem isn't mine alone), you may want to look at the book before you buy it.

I love cookbooks and trying new recipes. This book is excellent in that the recipes are all quick and relatively painless and they are healthy. I have tried several already and those have been kid-appetite friendly, tasty and truly are ridiculously easy to make.

I greatly enjoy cooking, and have a good supply of delicious recipes in my collection, dishes my wife really likes and dishes that almost always turn out well. A number take quite a bit of time to prepare -- relaxing and fun for me -- and I make these when there's lots of time, especially those that freeze well. That way I have a good supply of low fat, delicious meals always on hand.

However, we are always on the lookout for delicious, healthy meals that can be prepared from scratch in a short period of time. My wife has excellent (demanding) tastes, and is wonderful at putting together menus where the dishes enhance each other. I showed her this book, and she picked a dozen dishes she thought we would like.

I've prepared six so far -- all six real winners.

Breakfast Fried Rice
Pomegranate Oatmeal
Baked Brie Turkey Wrap
Pierogies with Kielbasa and Sauerkraut
Pan Fried Old Bay Salmon
Mexican Mac and Cheese

70 % of the recipes can be made with natural and organic ingredients; Alexander includes a list of those that can't. Of course, she provides nutritional date for each recipe.

This book is a real winner; I'm happy to have another weapon in our arsenal of good, healthy foods.

Robert C. Ross 2010

This book is fabulous! I started on a healthy eating lifestyle change this past January. I have ordered lots of low calorie, low fat cookbooks by all of the big names. I think that this is one of the best cookbooks out there. The recipes are so easy. I am a mother of 5 year old triplets that have after school activities. I can walk in the door and have a meal on the table in less than 30 minutes. The recipes are clear and concise and REALLY tasty. My husband says that there is no way that the buffalo shrimp are good for us :) This book is easy to read and the recipes can really be made by anyone. Nothing is complicated! Thanks for a fantastic book!

This book is awesome!!!! I cook from it all of the time. I am SO glad that she shares the brand names and stores where she found ingredients, this is the BEST, practical, zero guilt, and GREAT TASTING cookbook ever!

Most of the recipes really are quick, some of them take a little longer than stated (because I'm not a professional cook - I'm a working wife and mommy of 2!) but even those that took me a little longer are definitely quicker than regular cookbooks. I love the advice she gives on how to stock up your pantry to set you up for success - there is other great advice in the book too. It feels so great to cook super tasty, healthy meals for my family that are heart healthy, kid healthy & waistline friendly. I can't say enough good things about the book, thank you for making it, keep more like this coming & I will keep buying - thanks!

I still enjoy watching Devin Alexander on Fit-TV reruns! I love to make her recipes, as they use ingredients that are easy to find. It's real food that is healthy. I like the fact that she names names...she tells you what she brand she used to make the recipe. I have over 100 cookbooks and I can honestly say her cookbooks are ones I have cooked more recipes out of than any others.

I have all FIVE of Devin's books and I find them all to be an asset in the kitchen. I just got this one, and so far have only tried the Mexican Mac and Cheese, but it was so easy and wonderfully delicious! I can't wait to keep trying these recipes because they all look so AMAZING! I love Devin's recipes because you don't have to sacrifice flavor OR portion size. With the help of Devin's books, I have lost 130 pounds!!! THANK YOU DEVIN!!!

People who want/need to lose weight and who don't want to spend too much time and energy in the kitchen will find this a very useful book. The author is herself a success story, someone who lost the weight and has kept it off, without the yo-yo track that so many people find themselves on. This in and of itself gives the author a bit more street cred (so to speak) than those authors who just rattle off recipes yet have always been healthy and fit.

All this being said, this is yet another sound volume from Devin Alexander. Packed with easy-to-follow recipes, healthy eating tips, and plenty of motivation, Devin is encouraging and heartwarming, the kind of woman you want to cook with, knowing she has your best interests at heart. She understands that you want to enjoy your food but may not necessarily have the time to spend in the kitchen. Pared-down recipes should encourage cooking-shy people who want to eat healthy to venture into the kitchen and not fear the end result. They can also enjoy food without thinking about "dieting." This way of eating, cooking, and living is light-years beyond throwing yet another frozen "light" entree into the microwave and picking at it mindlessly, wishing it were something else.

If you have more time in the kitchen, check out "Fast Food Fix" and "The Most Decadent Diet Ever" also by Alexander. Both books offer winning recipes that take a bit more time but are healthy and extremely satisfying.