Low-Carb Cookbook, The: The Complete Guide to the Healthy Low Carbohydrate Lifestyle--with Over 250 Delicious Recipes, Everything You Need to Know ... the Pantry, and Sources for the Best Prep [Hardcover]

Fran Mccullough (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 15, 1997

Millions of people with weight problems have discovered that all roads to successful weight loss do not begin with the low-fat diet. For most overweight people, in fact, a high-protein, low-carbohydrate plan is the preferred regimen to correct a metabolic imbalance, the source of the problem. While this eating plan runs counter to all the proscriptions of government nutritionists, it has proven to be not only a safe but also highly effective method of weight reduction and the basis for a lifetime of good health. Because turning to low-carb eating is like learning a new kitchen language, McCullough begins the book with an invaluable checklist of pantry essentials as well as creative substitutes for foods you may be missing (like mashed potatoes), and tradeoffs for those times when you do crave a carbo indulgence. The heart of the book, though, is the dozens of wonderful recipes for every course, from appetizers like a Mexican Shrimp Cocktail to an easy and extraordinary Cream of Mushroom Soup, from a Middle Eastern Lamb Salad to Nut-Crusted Swordfish, from vegetable dishes like Roasted Potato Skins and Zucchini "Pasta" to desserts like Berries with Trembling Cream and a made-in-moments Chocolate Mousse.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Written by a James Beard Award-winning author who's also a writing teacher at the revered Culinary Institute of America, The Low-Carb Cookbook presents a colorful approach to the low-carb, high-protein diet so many people swear by. The author, Fran McCullough, has herself lost 60 pounds by following a low-carbohydrate diet, so you know you're in good hands. With more than 250 recipes, including appetizers, sauces, sides, main dishes, and delectable desserts, it'll keep you cookin'.

She's definitely taken a gourmet approach to the recipes. While they're all tempting, notables include Three-Grain Pancakes with Raspberry-Orange Sauce, Nut-Crusted Swordfish with Romesco Sauce, and Crème Fraîche Ice Cream. Unlike the many other low-carb cookbooks out there, McCullough gives advice for tracking down the best prepared food products and additional tips for healthy food preparation (for example, she recommends organic meat and dairy products whenever possible and cautions that "free-range" chickens are allowed to stick their heads out of their cages--not necessarily given the chance to frolic freely on the farm). There's also an interesting comparison of low-carb books, including Protein Power, Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution, The Carbohydrate Addict's Diet, and The Zone, which boils down to this: they all emulate many aspects of the Overeater's Anonymous recommended diet. But where the diet books that started the low-carb craze may not be all that original, The Low-Carb Cookbook certainly is, with its wonderfully creative and classy recipes. The perfect choice if you want to rise from a food-boredom rut or entertain for friends--and not let on that you're counting carbs. --Erica Jorgensen

From Library Journal

While low-fat diets may work for some people, others have a quite different problem: an inability to metabolize carbohydrates properly, called hyperinsulemia. After McCullough (Great American Food Without Fuss, LJ 2/15/97) discovered that she had hyperinsulemia, she lost 60 pounds on a low-carbohydrate diet. Hers is not a diet cookbook per se?she refers readers to sources such as Michael and Mary Dan Eades's Protein Power (Bantam, 1996) and Rachel and Richard Heller's Healthy for Life (NAL Dutton, 1995) for weight-loss regimes?but a collection of delicious recipes for those forced to restrict their carbohydrate intake for the long term. After the glut of "fear-of-fat" books, here is a cookbook for those for whom pasta is the enemy, heavy cream an ally. McCullough is a good cook who enjoys food, and others in her predicament will welcome her book. Sure to be in demand, this is recommended for any diet collection.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion; 1st edition (May 15, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786862734
• ISBN-13: 978-0786862733
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (81 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #149,300 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

142 of 144 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Low Carb Gourmand, February 5, 2000

By 

Helen Kay "helenkay" (Michigan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Low-Carb Cookbook, The: The Complete Guide to the Healthy Low Carbohydrate Lifestyle--with Over 250 Delicious Recipes, Everything You Need to Know ... the Pantry, and Sources for the Best Prep (Hardcover)

I fell in love at page 13. Fran M. has written many other cookbooks and read even more; she is truly a gourmand. Now she's discovered low-carb! This book is a must for the low carb kitchen: A great foreword with the medical lowdown on low-carb; a section on "the low carb gurus" comparing and contrasting Atkins, Zone, Protein Power, etc; a great "Panty" section telling what to throw out of your cupboards (or give away); how to entertain non-low-carb'ing friends; this book is filled with useful sections. Oh, and the recipes! I started this diet eating cheese, meat, and meat with cheese on it. What variety I've found here! Some recipes are more exotic, and some suited for "weekday" cooking. Desserts! Strawberry gelati! Cheesecake! Chocolate mousse! (I may have to get that ice-cream maker).

THANK YOU! (Could the next edition have photos please? And a longer index?) Note: The "Sources" section with where to get low-carb pantry staples is worth it alone!

126 of 128 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally, a foodie writes about low-carb!, March 27, 2000

By 

Elizabeth (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Low-Carb Cookbook, The: The Complete Guide to the Healthy Low Carbohydrate Lifestyle--with Over 250 Delicious Recipes, Everything You Need to Know ... the Pantry, and Sources for the Best Prep (Hardcover)

After extremely disappointing results with recipes from Atkins and the Carb Addict people, in desperation I turned tothis cookbook. I was pleased to note that Ms. McCullough is an editor of several cookbooks, and my faith was justified. I have made several recipes (try the Red Hot chili -- it's great!) and all have been successful and tasty. I especially appreciate the long introductory section where she goes into detail about ingredients and pantry-stocking for the low-carb lifestyle, and the information on sweeteners was extremely interesting and useful. The other thing I like best about this cookbook is the extensive list of recipes for vegetables and side dishes -- I already know how to cook the meat, so adding variety with the limited number of low-carb veggies is important. I've recommended this book to several friends, with great results for them as well.

149 of 153 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT BOOK, PACKED WITH INTERESTING LOW CARB TIPS, January 14, 2000

By 

"rxz" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Low-Carb Cookbook, The: The Complete Guide to the Healthy Low Carbohydrate Lifestyle--with Over 250 Delicious Recipes, Everything You Need to Know ... the Pantry, and Sources for the Best Prep (Hardcover)

I bought both this book and the one by D. Chud. They are both nice books, but I found this book, ("The Low-Carb Cookbook" by F. McCullough) to be more practical - Fran gives you a rundown of low carb pantry items and resource guide for finding these items - lots of unusual low-carb products that would be otherwise hard to find (low carb Tortillas, for instance). Many recipes are short and easy to prepare - there are "classic" American (Fried chicken with lowcarb crispy coating),French (vicchyssoise,beef burgoyne), and Italian style (caponata,Italian meatloaf) recipes as well as recipes using some more commonly found Asian and Southwest (carnitas) ingredients. The book is organized in the usual manner: appetizers,soups,salads,main dishes,condiments, veggies,side dishes, desserts and each section has good and interesting low-carb recipes. Each recipe has the carb,protein and fat counts, so you can get an idea of how the carbs would change if you make substitutions. In addition, she has some more unusual basic recipes (how to prepare your own pork rinds / cracklings)that I haven't seen before. My favorite parts are special sections spread throughout the book with topics like how to prepare a low-carb Turkey stuffing, how to make a low-carb "breadings" for meat,and low-carb wrappers of lettuce to mention a few. I really enjoy this book and have shared it with co-workers on the low-carb diet. One last comment is that another book for low carb eaters which is complementary in nature to the "The Low-Carb Cookbook" is "The Complete Meat Cookbook" by Bruce Aidells and Denis Kelly. In that book you get a lot of buying info on meat (difference between prime and choice, how to choose a ham,beef,pork,lamb and veal)as well as how to prepare meat easily and with good flavor and tenderness, while on a budget. The accompanying side dish recipes in this book are probably not low carb (you have to watch the ingredients, some are low carb), but the meat preparations are easy and delicious, a good complementary book to "The Low Carb Cookbook".