Customer Reviews

Jane Brody's Good Food Book: Living the High-Carbohydrate Way

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've been using this cookbook for almost 20 years. Over that period of time the current, latest nutritional advice continues to change and contradict that which came before. But I still love these recipes and I'm still alive and not fat. [Those who don't eat too much and excercise seem to do OK.]
These recipes are tasty and easy to prepare. Jane's Turkey Carcass Soup is the best standard soup stock recipe I have ever found. If you actually enjoy vegetables - and don't need to approach them like medicine or something to force yourself to eat beacause they're "good for you" - then I highly recommend this book.

I love to read cookbooks, and I credit Jane Brody for that! My mother gave me this book years ago when I was trying to eat healthier and it worked. The information on nutrition in the beginning of the book is excellent and I have referred to it again and again. When I got married to a man who would almost rather eat dirt than eat "healthy" food, I won him over with recipes from this book. Now my kids love them, too. I can't say enough good things about Jane Brody - I also have her "Good Food Gourmet" - another triumph and a staple in my kitchen.

Three years ago I decided to get healthy: change the way I eat, exercise, live. Jane Brody's Good Food Book was given to me as a gift and has been part of my life ever since. Her recipes are delicious. She uses lots of herbs and substitutes bad stuff in traditional recipes with good stuff. It's real cooking for real life.

Although we try to cook healthy food, my household has a real dislike of "earnest food" - food that's good for you and never lets you forget it. Jane Brody never falls into this category. Every recipe is healthful, tasty, and medium-to-easy to prepare. She's not for the purist; she uses small amounts of butter, eggs, oil, and sugar as needed. But healthy ingredients predominate: whole wheat flour, lots of fruits and vegetables, meatless meals, and nonfat dairy. Try some of my all-time favorites: Blueberry Cobbler, Peanut Soup, and Carrot Soup

Everything the other reviewers say about this Cookbook is true. It is like a trusted friend. It taught me how to cook. The recipies are unpretentious yet very, very good--and realitvely simple to make. The soups in particular are outstanding and healthful. We finally wore out our copy and we are now on to the hardcover version. The introductory chapters on spices, grains, vegetable and meats are also helpful and outline a much more reasonable and practical approach to weight control and health than many other Cookbooks. This Cookbook has really helped us improve our diet and health; my wife and I noticed great improvements in energy level and weight after beginning to use it eight years ago. And best of all, the food is much, much better than "full fat" recipies--try the vegatable chili con care, vegatable lasagne, peanut butter soups, chicken curry, vegatarian shepherds pie, half-the beef tacos, or--my personal favorite--the blueberry cobbler.

This amazing cookbook has wonderful, hearty meals. I don't agree that all the recipes are easy (lots of chopping! which I don't like), but they're good and healthy too! They are definitely worth the time -- and many are not so time-consuming as well. I don't enjoy cooking as much as I enjoy eating, but I endure the cooking to enjoy these delicious meals.

Jane brings basic nutrition education and cooking together in a great book. Love all the comments by the reviewer and have yet to try a recipe I didn't like. A substantial cookbook that I use as a cooking basic. Love the book--this is my second copy since the first is so war torn.

Over 350 great recipes, based on the importance of complex carbohydrates. Includes lots of good advice on planning menus and shopping. Learn to cut down on fats, proteins, sugars, and salts -- to reduce heart trouble, prevent cancer,and lower blood pressure.

In terms of nutritional advice, Jane Brody provides the most useful information I've ever found in a cookbook. Her dietary recommendations are medically sound & sensible. The recipes are all good, too.

I've been on a high-carbohydrate, high-fiber, low-fat diet all my life. I'm 40 years old now & have never had health or weight problems. Neither has anyone in my family (we all eat the same food). So from personal experience I can testify that this type of diet works. It's a diet you can stick with for life, without feeling deprived, & without having to count calories or having a nutritional analysis for each & every thing you eat.

I bought this cookbook back around 1992 and the tattered paperback is the most used cookbook in my kitchen.

I live with a vegetarian, so most of what I've cooked has been the meatless recipes, and without exception, they have all been wonderful! Some of these recipes are also my potluck dinner staples (esp the Tri-Color Chickpea Salad). The Quick Lasanga with Bean Sauce has been the hit of every party I've taken it to, and the Lentil soup is to die for.

At one point, I went through a heavy-duty baking phase, and tried many of the muffin and quick bread recipes in this book. Again, there wasn't a dud in the bunch - everything I baked was excellent and won praise from all who partook.

Most of the recipes in this book are very good "as is" (they don't need much futzing with). There is some prep work involved (lots of chopping of veggies and the like), so many of the recipes do take some time. Almost half of the book consists of information about food, nutrition, cooking hints and techniques, which I've found to be very useful. Personally, if you have to have one main cookbook, I'd say that this should be it!