Crazy Plates: Low-Fat Food So Good, You'll Swear It's Bad for You! (Paperback)

~ (Author), Greta Podleski (Author) "If you add these crispy, baked turkey strips to your cooking repertoire, you'll take it off-you'll take it all off!..." (more)
Key Phrases: North Americans, Monterey Jack

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Janet and Greta Podleski, also known as The Looneyspoons Sisters, are the high-energy authors of the low-fat cookbook Looneyspoons and its follow-up, Crazy Plates. But to call these sisters cookbook authors may be a misnomer: they're more like a wacky comedy team touring Hoboken doing the low-fat-zealot routine for admiring audiences.

No, Crazy Plates is not just about low-fat recipes. There's much, much more here, including fat facts (a pound of body fat--representative of 3,500 calories--if shaped into a ball, would be the size of a softball and equal four sticks of butter), "Trivial Tidbits" (baking soda used to be added to the water for boiling vegetables until it was discovered that it destroyed the veggies' vitamin C), "You Do the Math" (substituting Canadian bacon for the regular high-fat stuff once a week for a year will cut your fat intake by 1,196 grams), and a lot of corny humor ("Did you hear what happened to the peanut when he walked through the park? He was a salted"). Then there are the recipes--accompanied, of course, by cartoons--like Salmon Davis Jr., broiled salmon steaks in a spicy tomato sauce; Mercedes Buns, cinnamon rolls with less than three grams of fat per serving; My Yammi Spice, oven-baked fries with cumin, paprika, and oregano; and Berry Maniloaf, a lemon and raspberry bread loaf with 161 calories per slice.

The recipes are well laid out, not time-consuming, aimed at the home cook with a family to feed, and will please the palate of those wanting gourmet fare without the fat. But how do the Podleski sisters accomplish this rare feat? Spices are an essential ingredient of many dishes: Name That Tuna Salad, for example, gets its character from basil, mint, garlic, and Dijon mustard--with no help from that scary sidekick, mayo! This is a book for anyone who wants to cut back on fat without losing flavor, and for those that like a little slapstick with their flapjacks (Peter Pancakes, with bananas and strawberry sauce). --Stefanie Durbin

Product Description

The Looneyspoons sisters are at it again! They've whipped up a brand-new batch of recipes so insanely good (and good for you), there could be only one explanation: Janet and Greta Podleski are crazy about food. And you'll be crazy about them.

Crazy Plates includes:

150 Fabulous Recipes and Featuring: Fat or fiction? Myths and truths about dieting, healthy living and fat-related issues
You do the Math. Actually, we do the math for you! We calculate the fat and calories over one year if you substitute low-fat foods for high-fat.
Who'da Thunk? Why do apples float? Why does popcorn pop? Interesting food questions you never thought to ask and never thought you'd need the answers.
Cooking 101. Tips and tricks to make you a magician in the kitchen!
What the heck is it? Unusual ingredients or cooking techniques explained.
Say it Ain't So. Shocking fat statistics about our favorite foods!
What's in it for me? Complete nutritional analysis: total fat, saturated fat, carbs, protein, sodium, cholesterol, fiber, and percentage of calories from fat
Short Takes. Fascinating facts and stats on: healthy eating/lifestyle issues such as cholesterol, fiber, salt, low-fat eating, and more
The Ex Files. Easy ways to get more movement into your life -- it's not quite like having a personal trainer, but it's a lot cheaper -- and still lots of fun!

Complete up-to-date nutritional information
Personal responses to their fans' letters and questions
Special sections on diet and lifestyle

All-new, all-wonderful, low-fat recipes including:

The Thigh Who Loved Me (Easy-to-make and extra tasty oven-barbequed chicken thighs), The Six Million Dollar Manicotti, My Yammy Spice (A nutritious twist on regular oven-baked fries), and Tuna Turner (Grilled tuna steaks with a tropical fruit marinade)!

"Janet and Greta Podleski make low-fat food high fun."-- People

"A cookbook that has the look, feel and impact of a graphic novel."-- Publishers Weekly

"The zaniest, most reader-friendly cookbook you're likely to encounter. It's humorous, informative, motivational, and full of energy--just like its authors."-- Mary Nagle, Prevention

Praise from Looneyspoons fans:

"Easy, delicious, and fun....This fantastic cookbook is a must for every household! The book is filled with low fat recipes that don't taste like they are low fat."-- a reader from Portersville, CA.

"This is the most fabulous cookbook I have ever owned (and I have a lot of cookbooks)!"-- a reader from Halifax, Nova Scotia

"I saw the girls on the "Today Show" and immediately went out and purchased the book...without a doubt the greatest cookbook I've ever seen, low fat or not!"-- a reader from Detroit, MI.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Perigee Trade (February 7, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 039952584X
• ISBN-13: 978-0399525841
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (48 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #48,047 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #21 in	Books > Entertainment > Humor > Cooking
  #48 in	Books > Cooking, Food & Wine > Special Diet > Low Fat
  #73 in	Books > Health, Mind & Body > Diets & Weight Loss > Special Conditions > Low-Fat Diet

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars TERRIFIC FOOD AND GREAT INFO, March 23, 2000

By	A. Nelson "reloaly" (Bellevue, WA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I just received CRAZY PLATES two days ago. Afer trying just two recipes, I am SOLD on this book! The food is great, it is easy to prepare, and the whole family loves it! I am on Weight Watchers and my husband is a diabetic. The nutritional information included with each recipe makes choosing good-for-us foods a breeze. The Berried Treasure muffins are already a hit at our house with just one batch! I collect cookbooks, and this one is bound to become one of my most used. You can be sure I will be buying LOONEYSPOONS, also by the Podleski sisters, too

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Cookbook - AND Entertainment, January 30, 2002

By	David Lindamood (Cadillac, Michigan United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I received this cookbook as a Christmas present, although it was not on my list. At first it seemed like a "cutesy" type book with the same-ole same-ole receipes with different funny names to them. Like Tickle Me Elbows (tuna noodle casserrole); Forrest Gumbo (shrimp gumbo) and Sammy Salsa (mango salsa). BUT, this cookbook is a whole lot more.

The receipes are truely lowfat, easy to make, usually with normal ingredients found in a normal kitchen. They are easy to read and follow AND they turn out very tasty!!

Best of all, the cookbook is very entertaining. I've actually sat down and read the entire book!! There are tips for each receipe. Short stories about almost everything and nice cartoon drawings that add a little flair to the whole presentation.

So now, I'm using a "Low Fat" cookbook, and I had always thought it was going to be just bland food, rather than the GREAT food out of this cookbook. Highly recommend it for all!!

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is diet food?, February 24, 2000

By A Customer

What a great follow-up book to Looney Spoons (even better)! The entire book is funny and light-hearted, literly. I have made the Strip T's (turkey strips), grilled pineapple and coconut rice with great success. Perfect recipe book even if you aren't on a diet. You can turn to any recipe and know that it is good for you. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes to cook or just wants a good laugh at food.