Cook This, Not That!: Kitchen Survival Guide

I hadn't heard these authors were doing a cookbook. I am a huge fan of the Eat This Not That! books. Although I'm a weight loss coach myself, I learn a wealth of information EVERY time I open one of these books. Even better, they are done so well that you WANT to read them from cover to cover rather than flipping through a few pages and putting it on a shelf. They are full of color photos, pages that stand out with artwork, colorful fonts, tons of information...just very well done.

Because of this, I was excited to get this new "COOK This, Not That!" recipe book. I'm a huge fan of cooking, huge fan of eating healthy, but an even bigger fan of GOOD food. With their knowledge behind the recipes, I figured it had to be a win/win cookbook and information guide.

And it is...it does have some drawbacks, however. First, all the good stuff:

If you want to learn how to eat well for a lifestyle that includes craving restaurant meals and formulating a better kitchen at home, this book will do it. It's not just a book of recipes. You get a comparison of how all the oils rate as far as fat per tablespoon, which are good oils to use etc. You get information that I personally know is backed up by great research I've read before, on what foods are "super foods"...which ones, for example will give you energy (this is quinoa--one I discuss at great length in my own diet groups. Full of energy and vitamins and protein, called the "food of the Gods" by the Aztecs, keeps you full as well.) Or which fruit will give you great skin, which helps your joints, etc. Really wonderful info. The book is full of things like this that aren't just recipes, but life changers.

The recipes are of a wide range and should appeal to most any palette. And adaptions are not hard to make for special diets if you are a creative cook. Here are a few I like, to give you an example:

Grilled chicken salad with cranberries, avocado, and goat cheese

Breakfast burritos

Tortilla Soup

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Loaded fettucini alfredo with chicken and vegetables

green chile cheeseburger

loaded pizza

patty melt

hearty lasagna

mac and cheese

nachos with chicken and black beans

chicken panini with pesto and peppers

There are also ethnic dishes, appetizers, vegetarian dishes intermingled within, breakfasts, drinks, desserts...you name it, it's covered. And the dishes that I've made have all turned out great and been simple to prepare. Your family may not even know you've made some changes to lighter cooking!

NEGATIVES:

As much as I love the book and the recipes, there are some drawbacks. The recipes are presented as a lighter version to familiar restaurant meals. And that's excellent if you eat out a lot and want to save both money and calories. However, although the dishes may be lighter than say, your favorite dish at Outback Steakhouse, it doesn't necessarily mean it's a "diet meal" or a lighter version of that dish than at MOST restuarants and the reader should know this. A low-fat dish is one that has around 3 grams fat for every 100 calories the dish has. You'll find dishes here that are actually HIGH in fat and sodium and many fairly high in calories (like almost 500 calories for a small bowl of mac and cheese. This recipe is neither lower in fat or calories than most restuarant mac and cheese for the same serving size. It's just lower in fat and calories from the one restaurant they compared it to with mega fat and calories in their dish.) But if you crave recipes from certain places and want them lighter...and still VERY good..It's a win/win book.

For example, although you save some fat with the Crispy Quesadillas with Quacamole, you come out with a serving of this appetizer for 310 calories, 16 grams fat, and 730 mg sodium. Granted, the original restaurant dish had 1,480 calories, 96 grams fat, and 510 grams sodium...but 16 grams fat, with some of it saturated, is still quite steep. And that amount of sodium will keep your waistbands tight and your body bloated, among other things. So keep in mind you may want to balance some of these dishes with lower fat and lower sodium and sometimes even lower calories dishes within your day. Also take for example, their suggested breakfast recipe for a ham omelette. It has 330 calories, a whopping 20 grams fat and nearly half of it SATURATED fat at 9 grams sat.fat...if you compare that to an Egg McMuffin at McDonald's that fast food dish has 300 calories, 12 grams of fat and 5 grams saturated fat. When I can go to McDonalds and get half the fat, half the saturated fat, and 30 less calories than a breakfast recipe in this book for almost the same dish and McDonalds gives me an English muffin on top of it, and no messy pans...that's not a good thing. I am not a fan of Micky D's and haven't eaten there in years, but they won on this comparison for both calories, fat, and saturated fat for a breakfast dish. Was this ham omelette recipe in the cookbook better than the scary ham omelette at a restaurant they compared it to (IHOP)? Yes. But is it a healthy or light dish in any way itself? Nopers...

But I can ignore those dishes in the book and go for things like the Miso cod which is just 260 calories and 1g fat, or the chicken marsala which is 390 calories and 9 g fat. You'll find several to please those wanting low calories and fat. If, however, your only goal is to get lighter dishes than those in a restaurant, even if they are still a little too steep for me in the fat grams or calorie count personally, that's what this book is all about. It gives you a restaurant dish you may be familiar with, it's calorie and fat count, and then remakes it lighter to save you some calories.

Unlike most healthy cookbooks that now contain fiber counts in the nutritionals for those counting points on Weight Watchers, this does not list them on the recipe pages. The dishes simply list calories, fat, and sodium. So if you are wanting to use fiber counts for that diet plan, know this going in. You may have to figure out fiber on your own to get accurate point counts. If you want protein, carbs, etc to get a full picture, it's not listed...this will matter to some, it won't matter to others...so I thought I'd throw it out there for those who are wondering.

CONCLUSION: This book is especially important for those who want good taste but want to avoid eating out as much and I would say it's the primary target audience. If you want all low fat and low calorie dishes, however, you'll need to be sure to read the counts on each page and balance your overall day accordingly as some of the recipes are high in calories, fat, or sodium or all of the above...though still less than its original restaurant dish. The variety of calories can be good because men can use the book too for the higher calorie dishes they may want, while a woman can choose those that are lighter for her...just watch the fat and sodium either way. As for taste, the recipes have all been winners. (And if you feel deprived, you'll never stick with it anyway.) I'd recommend the book but, like I tell my weight loss classes, use it with caution and while adding up your fat, calorie, and sodium counts or you might not see the loss you hope for.

KNOW GOING IN: There is no disagreement that it takes a deficit of 3,500 calories to lose one pound. Meaning you have to take in 3,500 calories less than what your body uses in normal activity (walking, digesting, breathing sleeping, etc.) so that your body will then dip into fat stores for fuel for energy resulting in weight loss. If you are on the Biggest Loser you might reach this deficit half way through the day or in just a few hours because of all the calories your body is using. If I ate solely from this book I probably wouldn't lose weight, or I'd just lose a pound or two per month. However, if I was doing a lot of eating out, it would PREVENT me from gaining weight. Due to the higher fat and sodium content in many recipes, you need to leaf through the book for the healthier ones. But I am not gonna say I don't love this book either. I just balance it with lower fat and calorie dishes and I love the fact they've made some popular dishes lower in fat and calories on days you crave 'em. It is, after all, all about balance in the end.

also know: The recipes in here are typically at least half the size of the restaurant serving when I began comparing after someone else mentioned this fact, so in reality many wind up the same fat and calories (or more) as the restaurant-sized serving when compared apples to apples.

Addicted to the Cheesecake Factory's Warm Apple Crisp but can't afford the 1,355 calories? Save a whopping 1,155 calories by making your own! Cook This, Not That shows you how.

This book is for anyone wanting to eat smarter. It gets down to basics: "Forget dieting. Forget joining a gym. Forget the ads for the Abinator device you saw on QVC. If you really, truly want to lose weight, there is no quicker way to shave pounds off your body -and dollars off your food bill -than to cook more at home."

Cook This, Not That makes it simple for even novices to prepare home-cooked meals. A whole chapter gets you set up with exactly the utensils and equipment you'll need, and the items to set up the perfect pantry. Most of the dishes can be made in 30 minutes or less, and the instructions are short and straightforward. Every recipe is paired with a close-up color photograph of the finished dish. On same page is a small photo of the "Not That!" variation of the recipe from a restaurant chain, complete with price, calories and, in most cases, sodium and fat counts. In each case you learn how many calories and dollars you save by cooking at home.

Besides the hundreds of recipes, sprinkled throughout the pages are helpful segments:

* Scorecards: Ratings of fat, meat, carbs and dairy foods clearly show the best, worst, and everything in between in terms of healthiness. (The winners? Canola oil, light meat chicken, bulgar and nonfat yogurt.)

* Master the technique: Instruction on how to perform chef-like functions such as sautéing vegetables or cooking an omelet.

* Secret weapon: Particular foods the authors recommend, and why. For example, Thomas' Light Multi-Grain English Muffin (only 100 calories each, and packing a whopping 8 grams of fiber).

* Save-Money Strategy: How to alter the accompanying recipe to make it less expensive but still delicious.

* Meal Multiplier: Ways to alter the recipe by changing the ingredients.

This book has a lot going for it, but its biggest benefits are:

1. Recipes that are easy, delicious and illustrated with beautiful photography.

2. Thorough nutritional information for each recipe, including the portion size, calories and gram counts of fat, sodium and sugar.

3. Simple comparisons with similar restaurant dishes.

4. Advice on the best brands to buy, from vegetable oil to breakfast cereal.

Other books in the series: Eat This, Not That!, Eat This Not That! for Kids!, Eat This Not That! Supermarket Survival Guide, Eat This Not That! The Best (& Worst!) Foods in America!, Eat This Not That! 2010 and Eat This Not That! Restaurant Survival Guide. All are uniformly excellent. I also recommend In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life and Deceptively Delicious.

Here's the chapter list:

1. The Truth About Your Food

2. The Eat This, Not That! Kitchen

3. Breakfast

4. Appetizers & Small Bites

5. Soups & Salads

6. Sandwiches & Burgers

7. Off the Grill

8. Pasta

9. American Classics

10. Ethnic Dishes

11. Sides, Snacks & Sauces

12. Desserts & Drinks

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There are a variety of books in this series ("Eat This, Not That" is the key term in several titles). This volume suggests cooking one dish rather than having something else less healthy for one.

One cool example. . . . Whip up a grilled chicken and pineapple sandwich. The recipe includes the ingredients needed and the steps needed to make this sandwich. The entry shows how much per serving this costs ($2.64) as well as calories (400), fat content (11 grams of fat, 6 of which are saturated), and 640 milligrams of salt. What not to eat? Outback's grilled chicken and Swiss sandwich--costing $7.95 and featuring 896 calories, 33 grams of fat (10 grams saturated), and 1,323 milligrams of sodium. The point is pretty inescapable: You can make something yourself that is less expensive and better nutritionally. Thus, one gets a recipe as well as data allowing the reader to compare cost and nutrition. The end result? Maybe a little more discriminating eater of foods. . . .

A second. . . . A homemade ham omelet, with a step-by-step recipe. $1.87 a serving, 330 calories, 20 grams of fat (9 of which are saturated), and 570 milligrams of salt. IHOP's ham and cheese omelette: $9.56, 990 calories. One would save 660 calories and $7.69 making it yourself!

Other cool features. Pages 256-257 focus on "The Wok Matrix" with "The Rules of the Wok." First, choose your protein; next, choose your vegetables; then, choose your sauce; finally, choose your garnish. A recipe lays out how you proceed, step-by-step, with a stir fry.

A clever volume that educates as it provides useful recipes and hints for cooking. Nice addition to the series!!

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Ok, so the whole series has been packed with information, advice, and witty comments that help us make better choices. Finally, we get to sample what's going on in their kitchen. It's not just a cookbook to fight the restaurant wars, it deserves a spot with the best cookbooks on my shelf thoughtful, well written, easy to follow yet high quality recipes. Extra tips and comments show gourmet expertise. Great layout. I just got the book and have already tested it out for last night's dinner Our whole family is very, very pleased!!

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This is not the traditional "Eat This Not That". With this addition, Mens Health gives you a rare gem of a cookbook. As a cookbook afficionado, I would normally turn my nose up to something like this. However, this book proves the old cliche you shouldn't judge a book by its..... Inside is packed with recipes that are high in flavor, healthy, and require minimal time/ingredient/culinary skill to prepare. The ingredients called for are ordinary pantry/fridge staples that are neither expensive nor hard to find.

Each recipe is accompanied by a nutritional breakdown and the restaurant dish that it is similar to and healthier than. In my humble opinion the food you can make at home with this guide is far superior to it's restaurant alternative. These dishes are both cheaper, healthier, and have a cleaner taste (by clean I mean not loaded with heavy cream, butter, or other junk that takes away from the actual flavor of the ingredients).

The recipes I have attempted (~10), have so far provided a surprising depth of flavor that makes me want to cook my way through the entire book. It also has a ton of info about how to make healthy decisions with ingredients and other foods (which I guess is in line with the prior books in this series). To sum up you really can't go wrong with this book and I can't wait for the sequel so long as it is another cookbook!!

I note that another reviewer has commented that these recipes are not necessarily low in fat/calories....this book does not purport to be such a book. In fact the authors point out that fat is a good thing and provides direction as to what types of fats are good and which you should avoid at all costs.

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Yoga: The Iyengar Way

"Yoga: the Iyengar Way" suceeds where other yoga books fail because of its superior pictures, which give extreme detail to all of the asanas (poses). It's always better to get guidance from a good teacher, but for home practice, this is one of the best books out there and is a great supplement to group practice. As its title implies, Iyengar yoga is taught in the book, and thus the use of props and alternative poses allows for those of different levels of experience to do as much of the asana as they can.

In short, if you're going to own one yoga book, make this the one - its pictures are MUCH better than either "Yoga for Dummies" or the "Complete Idiot's Guide to Yoga." In fact, if there's a yoga book with better photography and presentation, I haven't seen it.

This book is great for anyone who is interested in learning yoga. I have been doing yoga for a couple of years now, and this was the first yoga book that I bought. The book is well illustrated and contains more poses than any other yoga book that I have seen. Each illustration shows the correct form for each pose and also gives modifications for those who are not quite as flexible as the people in the illustrations. The book also contains a section with over 60 different yoga routines from begining levels to advanced, so you don't have to try to plan out which poses to do in what order. For those of you who are more interested in a "Power Yoga" routine, I have also found that adding a sun salutation as a transition between the standing poses in the routines adds a little more spice to the practice.

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Such is the celebrity and influence of B.K.S. Iyengar as a teacher of yoga that a book with his name in the title virtually guarantees publishing success.

This book is a fine example of the phenomenon. It is an attractive, coffee table type yoga book for the nineties written by students of Iyengar. Perhaps the most important feature is the beautiful (and non glamorous) photos that illustrate the asanas with an almost mystic power. There's some irony here because it was the photos of Iyengar himself demonstrating asana (over six hundred of them) that more than anything catapulted him to fame some years ago with his now classic Light on Yoga, which I highly recommend as an extension of this book.

Obviously this is a different sort of book, aimed at beginners, but with some depth. It is more generic in a sense as it delves only lightly into the ideas underlying yoga while concentrating on the practical. Indeed its philosophic stance is succinct, and perhaps that is best for an approach focused on the physical health aspects of yoga. One weakness is that it is a little short on pranayama, and consequently on meditation.

Iyengar does contribute a foreword, however, and his spirit is apparent throughout. Overall this is excellent of its type, reminding me of something by Richard Hittleman from some years ago.

--Dennis Littrell, author of "Yoga: Sacred and Profane (Beyond Hatha Yoga)"

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This is a wonderful book based on the teachings of B.K.S. Iyengar. The poses are explained in an easy-to-understand way, with large, color pictures. Highly recommended, especially for beginners who may be intimidated by Mr. Iyengar's more comprehensive book "Light On Yoga."

Buy both books. Study them daily, do the poses, and in every way your life will begin changing for the better.

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This book provides excellent information on a wide variety of yoga poses, or asanas. Each asana is clearly illustrated and accompanied by step-by-step instructions on how to complete the pose; the information provided is detailed and straight-forward. The asasas are broken up into groups--standing poses, seated poses, etc.--and each individual pose is clearly labelled for level of difficulty, from one star (beginners) to four stars (advanced). At the end of the book, suggestions for various yoga practices are provided based on the the four levels of difficulty.

Although the information contained in this book is exemplary, there are several reasons why I do not feel it would be appropriate for beginners. First of all, I found the tone to be somewhat snobbish at times, such as when it suggested that if you have difficulties in a pose, you might need to go to a yoga teacher for "correction." Secondly, I have been practicing yoga for two years, and many of the poses labeled as either appropriate for "beginners" or "general practice" are still quite challenging to me. Third, throughout the book, poses are referred to by their traditional Indian names rather than the common names which are used today--ie, Tadasena rather than Mountain Pose. This is not a problem when you're looking at the actual pose, but the practices at the end of the book refer to the Indian name only and without photographs, which necessitates flipping back and forth through the book in order to attempt a practice. Finally, although modifications are suggested for each pose, many of these are not illustrated, which would make it difficult for beginners to follow along.

I think this book would probably be most appropriate for intermediates looking to further their practice. For beginners, I would recommend Rodney Yee's "Yoga: The Poetry of the Body" as an alternate yoga book, or Patrica Walden's video "Yoga Practice for Beginners," which also closely follows the Iyengar method.

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Introduction to Declarers Play

This is the best introduction to declarer's play. Not in depth, but you MUST know what's here before you can progress to the next level. After you are done you can read the introduction to defence by the same author. However, to get to expert level in declarer play and defence, you have to read "Card Play Technique" by Victor Mollo.

THIS BOOK IS WRITTEN IN A CLEAR AND THOUGHTFUL MANNER. IT IS EASY TO READ AND COMPREHEND. DEFINETLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK.

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It is most helpful. I am a beginning bridge player. I need every bit of help that I can get.

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I found this book to be very helpful to my bridge play. I learned to play bridge a year ago and, whilst I thought I understood the principles of planning the play when Dummy comes down, this book helped me to see the gaps In my knowledge. Mr Kantar's way of explaining the key points is easy to understand and done with a sense of humour. Great book!

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Eddie Kantar is one of my favorite bridge authors. He writes with clarity and humor. I don't believe you can go wrong when buying any book written by Kantar.

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Healing Sick Houses: Dowsing for Healthy Homes

I am an experienced paranormal investigator. I have been doing a lot of heavy research into dowsing and geopathic issues in relation to paranormal phenomenon and can honestly say this book is the best thing I've read on geopathic issues ever. It's written in a very friendly, down to earth and concise manner. Roy and Ann share real-life lessons and experiences throughout the book with plenty of illustrations from their own work. Don't expect to learn the basics of dowsing or learn all the ins and outs of working with geopathic stress zones but do expect to get an outstanding overall perspective on dowsing for and correcting geopathic stress. There's even a chapter on discarnate entities (ghosts) and other spirits. I simply can't endorse this book enough. I'm making it required reading for my group!

Excellent book,I have very good results in my home, in accordance with this information.

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This is an excellent book. You really learn through the several cases that Roy and Ann explain in this book,I practice in my house with good results.

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Well-don't try this at home. That is the general feeling about this book. I guess after reading this book They must think that most of the general population are no-talents. In other words please check with your doctor before doing anything and make sure the doctor does it. Very disapointed in this book. It could have been presented a lot better than how good they are at what they do and you are not. Dowsing For Health was a much better and informantive read.

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Martial Arts After 40

I started my martial arts journey 10 years ago when I was just 40 years old with my autistic son. Now, as an instructor I have many parents say they are too old to start martial arts. I show them this book and we talk about effective modifications like starting out slow, eating right and going at a pace that works for them as individuals. This book explains how to successfully spar a younger, faster apponent. It offers tricks of the trade that I've never learned before which have been helpful for me. This is a great book for those who are just starting in martial arts as well as those who have been doing it for a while. Getting into martial arts at 40, or older, is a great way to keep yourself in shape which in turn will drasticly slow down your aging process. It can be as mild or agressive as you like. Not only will you stay in shape, which can save your life, but you will also learn skills that can save your life as well or the lives of someone else. A training partner of mine (who is 65)once asked me; "What happens to a tomato when it stops growing? It dies! The same will happen to us." We have to keep growing mentally, physically and spiritually.

The hardest I've ever been hit was by a 57 year-old Japanese martial artist who nearly broke my leg with an arm block, a truly amazing feat. If you truly understand the techniques and bio-mechanics, age matters not in the martial arts.

This interesting book covers attributes of fitness, flexibility, power, reflexes, coordination, speed, and endurance with a focus on older martial artists. There is pretty good coverage on the effects of aging and how to train hard without hurting yourself. The sections on injury prevention, self-care, and over training are worth the price of admission. If you've never practiced martial arts before, the sections on progression in the martial arts, sparring, and forms are also very good. They are not particularly useful if you've been doing this a while, however. The introduction and the first few chapters are very basic indeed. The section on weapons forms near the end is a nice bonus though.

All in all the vast majority of material in this tome has been covered better in other books, some written by Kim himself. The target audience is the middle-aged beginner who is interested in pursuing an education in martial arts. If you are over 40, new to martial arts, and only going to purchase one book, this is it.

If you have been training for a while I wouldn't put this too high on the priority list. I'd recommend "Ultimate Flexibility: A Complete Guide to Stretching for Martial Arts" by Sang H. Kim along with "The Fighter's Body: An Owner's Manual: Your Guide to Diet, Nutrition, Exercise and Excellence in the Martial Arts" by Loren W. Christensen instead. Yeah, it's two books rather than one, but I think that combined they have the depth advanced practitioners require.

Lawrence Kane

Author of Surviving Armed Assaults, The Way of Kata, and Martial Arts Instruction

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I got a bunch of martial arts books for christmas and this is already my favorite. The author's approach is one step beyond the average martial arts how-to book. You can tell he's really been a martial artist all his life and knows how getting older impacts your performance. I'm enjoying his "big picture" approach and even though i've been doing martial arts for more yeras than some of the kids I train with have been alive, I found some excellent tips to cope with my creaking joints and sore muscles. There's also an unexpected bonus a section on weapons training, specifically the short stick. I think this is a great addition to training as you get older. A weapon is a whole new ballgame for an empty hand martial artist like me and will give me new goals to work toward.

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This book should really be called "martial arts for anyone who is not a super-fast, athletic, coordinated twenty-something male." Tons of useful tips not only for the older martial artist but also for anyone training with physical limitations, injury, disability etc. I'm a twenty-something martial artist and it's been incredibly helpful for my training.

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I started training again after a 22 year absence from formal martial arts instruction. Although I continued limited solo training and stretching, I didn't realize what kind of toll the years can take on the body until I began training with teenagers and 20 somethings at the age of 42. Dr. Kim's book has helped me address problem areas that I once thought were un-changeable due to age. I still have lots of room for improvement but am thankful I bought this book. It has helped immeasureably. Highly recommended!!

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