Down-Home Wholesome: 300 Low-Fat Recipes from a New Soul Kitchen [Hardcover]

Danella Carter (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1996

A stylish cookbook trims the fat, sugar, and salt from traditional soul food, using low-fat foods to create more than three hundred appealing dishes, such as Country Chicken with Cornmeal Waffles, A Mess o' Greens, and more.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Finally, a cookbook that interprets America's first "comfort food" in light of the new lower-fat paradigm! Low-fat soul food doesn't have to be an oxymoron any more, thanks to Danella Carter's long food-loving family tradition and gift for experimentation. Her Grilled Barbecued Chicken has only 204 calories and 3 grams of fat per serving. Hungry for Sweet Potato Waffles? One serving with Raspberry Butter will run less than 200 calories and 4 grams of fat. Directions are clear and simple, and all recipes include a complete nutritional analysis.

From Publishers Weekly

Carter removes the lard from traditional African American food, but she leaves the soul in place. Substitutions, such as butter and vegetable shortening in the panoply of biscuit recipes, and a chatty, familiar prose style add charm and spark to this informative, unfussy collection. Ranging over a full repertoire, the collection includes a chapter on refreshing drinks (Gingerade, Rosemary Wine) and another on bath and beauty preparations (Sage Facial Toner) made with kitchen ingredients. Old favorites such as Hoppin' John, made with black-eyed peas, rice and coconut milk, share the limelight with such newfangled ideas as Lemon-Garlic Grits. Carter, a food writer, makes convincing pitches for organic vegetables and Sunday family dinners. Foods of New Orleans (Chicken and Shrimp Jambalaya, Fancy Mess o' Greens), those of Georgia's Gullah tradition (Shrimp and Grits Gratin) and even oysters (Deviled Oysters, Oyster Pie) are given their own chapters. Nutritional information per serving is included with each recipe (although occasionally serving sizes must be estimated); lists of basic kitchen equipment and mail-order sources round out this impressively thorough endeavor.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Adult (January 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525939091
• ISBN-13: 978-0525939092
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,225,014 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I had to have this book!, October 3, 1997

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This review is from: Down-Home Wholesome: 300 Low-Fat Recipes from a New Soul Kitchen (Hardcover)

I borrowed this book from the library and after finding at least 20 recipes I wanted to copy (and I was only through a third of it!) I bought this book. Ms. Carter has developed wonderful, homey recipes. You can practically smell her cooking as you read along! Her stories are delightful as well. I recommend this book as a true tribute to Soul Food at its best! Without losing any of the taste, she has succeeded in creating low fat meals that anyone would love! Bravo!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a warm, engaging and thoroughly useful cookbook, February 6, 1996

By A Customer

This review is from: Down-Home Wholesome: 300 Low-Fat Recipes from a New Soul Kitchen (Hardcover)

I cook often, for big dinners and small ones, and I'm always on the lookout for new tastes and flavors. That's exactly why I loved this book so much! I mean, Soul Food that was light, elegant and tasted like fine French cooking--and was easy to prepare besides? I've devoured Down Home Wholesome, cooking at least half of the recipes within it--scrumptious! Plus, I really loved the warm way the author has with talking about her family, her reminiscences of her experiences with these foods, and her filling in the blanks on how the slave diet contributed to the length and breadth of the American palate. TRY THIS BOOK - YOU WON'T REGRET IT

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great holiday book!, October 15, 1996

By A Customer

This review is from: Down-Home Wholesome: 300 Low-Fat Recipes from a New Soul Kitchen (Hardcover)

I love cookbooks that speak to the reader as this one did. It was a virtual tour of the author's kitchen