The Ultimate Weight Solution Cookbook: Recipes for Weight Loss Freedom (Hardcover)

by Phil McGraw (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Dr. Phil fans should be delighted with a book of more than 100 recipes that complement his best-selling Ultimate Weight Solution and pledge to "taste better and cost less" while avoiding refined carbohydrates, saturated fats, salt, and sugars. Though your taste buds might have to readjust a bit, Dr. Phil promises that you won't find "skimpy diet-type meals that taste like wallpaper paste," nor will you have to fix separate meals for non-dieting family members. If you need structure, his "rapid start" 14-day menu plan, averaging 1200 calories/day, will get you going. You'll find updates of familiar classics with Huevos Rancheros, BLT (using turkey bacon or meatless bacon and light mayo), No-Fry Chicken-Fried Steak, Southern Oven-Fried Chicken (Grape-Nuts and egg white batter), Mac and Cheese, Guacamole (with tofu), and Three Bean Chili. Or explore new tastes with Curried Tabbouleh, Moroccan Chicken, Halibut Baked in Packets, and Asian Tofu Stew. Desserts range from Poached Pears to Apricot Cheesecake (Chocolate lovers will find Mocha Fudge Pudding, but no chocolate cake.) Recipes include a nutritional analysis: calories, protein, carbohydrates, total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, fiber, sugars, and sodium. Most recipes seem heavy on meat and light on vegetables, however. --Joan Price

From Publishers Weekly
Dr. Phil, who once dispensed folksy tough love on the Oprah Winfrey Show, is now America’s favorite living diet guru, penning the bestselling The Ultimate Weight Solution and an accompanying food guide. With this companion cookbook, Dr. Phil expands the brand further, although the doctor, by his own admission, doesn’t "do a whole lot of cooking." Instead, he’s assembled a roster of "culinary and nutrition experts" to create his recipes, many of which are designed to mimic unhealthy favorites (shepherd’s pie, meatloaf, grasshopper pie), minus the salt, fat and sugar. It’s a great idea, but it can involve a lot of chemicals: Banana Cream Pie uses crunchy banana cereal, light margarine spread, fat-free powdered dry milk and sugar-free, fat-free vanilla yogurt, among other ingredients, to create a lifeless dessert with a medicinal aftertaste. Enchiladas with Barbecued Greens ask for both liquid smoke and packaged low-fat shredded Mexican cheese blend, which may cause some readers to wonder: why not just make a salad? Dr. Phil’s recipes are much more appetizing when he keeps them simple. His Herbed Beef Tenderloin is faultless, and his soups are uniformly delicious. Dr. Phil also includes some worthy, commonsense advice: exercise, make time for breakfast and get that ice cream out of the kitchen. He also includes a 14-day diet plan, which is nutritionally and calorically excellent. Readers who skip the desserts (Vanilla-and-Orange Parfaits made with tofu; Pumpkin Custard made with sugar-free maple syrup and sugar substitute) may find the weight comes off even faster—and they won’t be missing anything.
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Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Free Press; FIRST EDITIION edition (May 25, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743264754
• ISBN-13: 978-0743264754
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #85,640 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

85 of 86 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Recipes are good, but too much repetition, May 31, 2004

By	Patty (Manassas, VA United States) - See all my reviews

I have all of Dr. Phil's weight loss books and could have done without the first 50 pages, which pretty much summarizes the text of the other books. But, he says that there are over 100 recipes in the book, and he comes through as promised. I've tried several and they were all very good. Let's face it, most recipes that are modified to reduce fat content aren't going to taste as good as the full fat version. But, he gives it a good shot and I think he succeeds for the most part. There are some recipes that I would not make, but isn't that typical of every cook book you pick up? Overall, I'm pleased with the cookbook.

40 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Phil, Larry and Clint Changed My Life, May 30, 2004

By	GoodFella (Trenton, NJ) - See all my reviews

I was watching Larry King some weeks ago and saw Dr. Phil on there talking about this cook-book of his, and it seemed like what he was saying made a lot of sense, so I gave it a try -- and I'd be darned if it didn't work just as great as he said it would.

The foods he had in the book were delicious, and they were satsifying too. It became a whole new way of eating for me -- eating healthy foods that won't make me keep tipping the scale. (...)

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you want to reward yourself this Cookbook is it!, June 15, 2004

By	Tammy (Small Town, Kentucky, USA) - See all my reviews

I have made the Mushroom-Leek Soup and really enjoyed the flavors of this soup it has become one of my favorites now. I also made the Enchiladas with Barbecued Beans and it was very good. I altered it a little bit to include more vegetables that I like and still enjoyed it. As for the deserts I really did like the Banana Cream Pie and the Grasshopper Pie (I now know that tofu is located in the produce department.) I did try the Mocha Fudge Pudding and didn't like it that much but I think it might have been that I can't find or don't know what coffee powder is, it's not coffee grounds that is for sure. I have enjoyed making meals with this cookbook for my family and my lunches for work. I always have something healthy in my refigerator that I like to eat, and if I want to make something I use my Dr. Phil Cookbook for suggestions. I really like the seasonings and spices that the cookbook recommends because it is like eating at a special restaurant in my home. I really like Tarragon spice! The recipes are easy to understand and easy to find for the most part. I live in a tiny small town with only a few grocery stores and if I can find the ingredients in one town I believe anyone can. It takes a little bit of energy to figure out what you want to make but in the long run it is fun, and the rewards of what you make is so rewarding and exciting! I really like Leeks and love the texture in my soup! I am looking forward to making more recipes in the cookbook and I know that they are healthy and good.

You have to make the recipes to know they are good or bad. For the most part I would give this cookbook an excellent review I enjoy having the tools needed to make great decisions for my new life style!