Customer Reviews

Extreme Lo-Carb Cuisine: 250 Recipes With Virtually No Carbohydrates

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I have to say that I use Sharron's 'lo-carb' cuisine book almost every day. I've had parties, holidays, you name it and have used this book to everyone's delight! Really, I haven't found one recipe we haven't loved yet.

When I started eating low carb I quickly became bored with what I thought my options were. I felt discouraged because I couldn't imagine eating another cheeseburger, but I liked the health benefits this new way of eating was giving me. I picked up this cookbook, and all of that changed. There were so many tasty options available now- I couldn't wait to start trying recipies. The Fake Fudge and Silky Choco-Peanut Butter Pie are lifesavers!!!

The funny thing is, before I found this book I hated cooking. In fact, I just about knew how to boil water, literally, and that was it. My whole family is amazed how I've become "domesticated" now that I cook/bake all the time, but the truth is I have so much fun using Sharron's recipies and loving what turns out!!! You will too- I highly recommend this book!

I have to say that this cookbook is the one low carb cookbook I keep coming back to again and again. I have never read one that has clearer directions, and is more enjoyable or well laid out.

I am also baffled by the comments of the reviewers that say the book relies too heavily on soy - there are very few recipes with soy in them, or if they do call for soy, a substitute is always suggested for those avoiding soy. Did those reviewers actually read this book?

The only thing missing from the book is some color photos of prepared dishes, but as the directions are so crystal clear, this is really not a problem.

I have at least 12 low carb cookbooks and have checked many out of the local library. I have three favorites I use all the time and this is one of them. I love that the recipes are all under 10 carbs. (I've actually gone through some of my cookbooks with highlighters so I can find a particularly low carb recipe fast; green for 0-3 carbs, yellow for over 3-7 carbs, pink for over 7 carbs). I didn't cooked before going low carb and every recipe I've tried from this book has turned out great. Some I use regularly because they are so simple and delicious - like fake fudge and shake and bake chicken legs. If you only want to buy a few low carb cookbooks make sure this is one of them. CC

I love this book. I have made several of the recipes and all have turned out tasty and satisfying. I rated the book four stars instead of 5 because I felt the Author could have done a better job on her recommended shopping list to explain some of the more odd ingredients the average shopper may not be familiar with. Example: Egg and Milk Protein was described as being available in the beverage department of most grocery stores. I was not familiar with this product. Was it a liquid, was it a powder? I finally did find it at my local Kroger in powder form and located in their very small Health Food section. It sells for $11.00 per canister. I realize that some of the ingredients are expensive but once you get in the habit of keeping your pantry stocked, a lot of those items go pretty far before you have to buy them again, so you won't do too badly except up front. I highly recommend Netrition.com and their NOW Brands to help with some of the products like Stevia and Almond Flour. I felt their prices were a little more reasonable and they ship very quickly.

I'd also like to remind readers that Sharron's book has some odd ingredients like Almond Milk simply because she was addressing people who needed to alter their dietary requirements if they had problems with Candida. Regular milk or cream can suffice. Milk has a low GI and I have never experienced problems using it on a low carb plan in small amounts for cooking purposes.

The best thing that can be said of this book is that it really opens up your imagination with how to cook your own low carb food and have a lot more variety. The first time I started low carbing after reading about the Atkins Plan, I was totally discouraged. I honestly believed I could only eat eggs and cheese. I don't like eggs THAT much!

To see that there are ways to have REAL meals and remain on low carb is very exciting. It helps you to realize you can eat this way for the rest of your life and not view it as some sort of punishment.

Additionally, this book has helped give me ideas of how I can modify recipes to expand my meal selections even further. For example, using cauliflower as rice, I found a way to make "spanish" rice that I served alongside low carb quesadillas. It was great!

I guess the best testimonial would be from my husband who must lose his offensive lineman football weight but hated the idea of giving up good food. Everytime I serve him something from this book, he always cleans his plate and then smiles at me and jokingly asks me "When will this diet hell ever end?" He's happy, he's eating well, and he's lost about 20 pounds so far.
You can't get any better than that!

I have always loved sweets. It is what usually sabotaged my dieting attempts and my attempts to live a more healthly life. I made the Holiday Carmels from this book and I knew I was hooked. I have used both books by this author and found the information to be very helpful in watching my carbohydrate intake. I feel as if I can throw out all my other cook books with this one and her first one on my shelf!

Wonderful recipes, simple and easy to use, good instructions. I use this cookbook all the time. My family really likes the bacon and salmon bake. I love the fake fudge. Every recipe I have tried has been easy and delicious!

All the recipes in this book are under 10 net carbs per serving, which is helpful for those following this way of eating for weight loss. None of the recipes looks like a loser, and the several I've made so far have been terrific. Best of all, they appeal to non-carb watchers as well, so you can serve everyone the same meal without feeling like you're depriving the non-dieters. My only caveat is that some ingredients may not be available at your corner market, although if you're serious about this lifestyle you'll probably end up developing your own local and mail order sources for stuff like low-carb tortillas and soy protein anyway.

With so many people discovering the health benefits of low carb eating, there is a real need for cookbooks! We have to "re-learn" a number of things about ingredients and food preparation that might have become ingrained from living for so many years in the shadow of the carbohydrate laden "food pyramid."

Sharron Long's latest work is a wonderful collection of recipes - each tested by real people with real families! A perusal of the contents dispels commonly repeated misconceptions about low carb living, such as "all meat and no vegetables." This is a balanced and healthy way to eat, with plenty of veggies included in almost every Main Course dish.

There are many delicious surprises in Sharron's book for those new to this way of eating: Pizza, egg rolls, zucchini bread and, yes, even a low carb granola! All are delicious and none are terribly complicated. Most dishes are "down home easy" and all are tasty and satisfying.

The book is well organized, well indexed and the layout is pleasing to the eye. There are useful informational appendices and many little "tips" and bits of knowledge sprinkled throughout.

For someone new to low-carbing, this book could make the difference between success and failure. There is simply no way to become bored with the menus available here. For the veteran, no low carb cookbook collection can be called complete without this latest offering.

I give this cookbook 5 stars for a variety of reasons and I've not even cooked one thing in it. I love the variety of recipes in it! I've got a lot of weight to lose and am following the Atkins plan. I was spending a fortune buying "Atkins" products because all of the Atkins recipes called for their products. I understand why, but I didn't want to be stuck with that my whole life! I want to be able to eat 'normal' foods. Especially since I'm trying to get my kids and husband to grasp this lifestyle with me. So, I went out looking for a cookbook and came upon this one. I glanced through it at the store and decided I'd bring it home and check it out. I was AMAZED at how easy so many of the recipes seem and how the ingredients are so readily available at either my grocer or local health food store. I love that there are so many recipes in there for children (which has been my biggest challenge at home - coming up with things that my kids will actually eat)! All of the recipes, every single one, looks fantastic! (Yes, I looked at every single recipe!) So many great ideas like the almond milk for use in a bunch of the recipes. I've never even heard of such a thing! I also like how she has the 'low fat option' at the end of most of the recipes, too. The book is very easy to understand, there are many tips throughout the book, and I can not wait to try the recipes!

Whether you are a novice low-carber, or a seasoned pro, this cookbook is for you. The recipes are creative, varied, and clearly explained. The author's warm, homey style comes thru on every page, making this book a pleasure to read and work with.

And what recipes! You will find everything from lasagna to lemon bars, and each one more delicious than the last. Anyone who thought that low carbohydrate cooking was difficult or boring has got to get this book.

There is far more than just recipes here. Sharron also includes sample menus, shopping list suggestions, a carb counter, and helpful information on working with sugar substitutes. It's packed with everything you need to make your low-carb lifestyle a success.

If you are looking for a great gift for a low-carber, or need a cookbook for yourself, then this is it. Sharron's book holds a place of honor on my (rather crowded) cookbook shelf, and I use it constantly.
A word about ingredients: every ingredient used in these recipes is available in any good health food store, or online. Any serious low-carber has and uses these items regularly (and if they don't, they should). None of them are "weird" to anyone who follows a low carb lifestyle. Soy and stevia ARE whole, healthy foods, and have many health benefits. Sharron's recipes are easy to make, family-friendly, and healthy.