Good Housekeeping Light & Healthy Cooking

February 20, 2012
"We all want to do our best to produce meals for our families and ourselves that meet today's nutritional guidelines," note the editors of this collection of beautifully-photographed recipes, culled from the Good Housekeeping archives. To that end, this book provides a sweeping overview of nutritionally sound meals, from "Breakfasts & Brunches" to "Sweet Finales." There is a clear attempt to balance the eating preferences of the folks who read Good Housekeeping with our modern understanding of what a complete meal should look like: there is a chapter of recipes for beef, pork, veal, and lamb, but information about whole grains and a chapter of "meatless mains" is also present. The book's best recipes don't substitute low-fat or fat-free products for the full-fat items, but instead focus on adding supplemental fruits, vegetables, and whole grains (in accordance with the USDA's MyPlate portioning icon), as in the Coffee-Spice Chicken with Fruit-Basil Salsa, or Pasta with Broccoli Rabe and Garbanzos. Readers tempted to dismiss a Good Housekeeping product as out-of-date should give this book a second look; there are some delicious discoveries within. Color photos.

April 15, 2012

This is not the only "light & healthy" cookbook from Good Housekeeping, but it is the first to summarize the USDA's latest dietary guidelines. Keeping with conventional formatting, each recipe lists yield, prep and cooking times, and essential nutrition facts. Graphic icons identify four clearly defined recipe categories: 30 minutes or less, heart healthy, high fiber, and make ahead. Readers can use the chapter headings and icon index to identify quickly dishes to suit their diet and lifestyle. VERDICT A good resource for cooks who want healthier versions of familiar favorites. Less useful for those avoiding all refined grains and animal products.

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.