Diabetic-Diet Books

I've used this book for years, from the time that my son was a toddler in a sugar-free pre-school (That was about 17 years ago) to the present time, when I cook sugar-free baked goodies for cancer patients. Many recipes have become family favorites. My copy is dog-earred and stained from much use. I love that the recipes use fruit juices and dried fruit as sweeteners, no chemical substitutes. We've also tried using gluten-free flours in many recipes, and they work just as well. It's a terrific book, good not just for toddlers, but for anyone who loves treats but wants to explore healthy, tasty alternatives. Thank you Susan!

We discovered that both my daughter and I are Sugar Sensitive and needed to start cutting refined sugars out of our diets. I got this book from the library and ended up using almost daily so I had to buy a copy. Many of the recipes use concentrated fruit juice or real fruit to sweeten things up. This cookbook saved me when I started cutting out sugar and allowed me to still look forward to baking!

I almost wasn't interested in this book because the title made me think that this book would have bland and boring recipes. But after flipping through it I saw lots of things that sounded good to try. And almost every recipe so far has been a huge hit with my 18 month old son. This is amazing to me because I thought he was picky. I guess I just wasn't giving him the kind of foods he likes. This book is, as other critics have noted, NOT sugar free. Fruit juice is a sugar. But I do not consider this a drawback because I think that people who don't eat any sugar of any kind are kidding themselves. The key is to use healthy forms of sugar and not too much. The main reason I was anxious to try these recipes is that nearly all of them use whole-wheat flour or some other whole grain flour and I am a big believer in using whole grains. So nutritious and full of fiber. Best recipes so far that I can highly recommend: Orange-date snack cake, Pilgrim pancakes, and Toddler date bread stix. The Coconut Pineapple cookies, however, were not very good. They were not even remotely sweet enough and were more like a pancake than a cookie. But I heated them up and buttered them and my son ate them for breakfast! So really, what it comes down to is that toddlers DO like these recipes. My son prefers them over the white flour, preservative laced stuff from the store. You can't protect your kids from sugar their whole lives, so give them a healthy alternative.

I'm really glad to have this book. It's my favorite recipe book for baking with and for my toddler. Some of the recipes have been disappointing, though (because they taste rather bland), but some are really good. My suggestion would be to start these before your child ever tastes table sugar, and then they'd probably all taste good. The pumpkin muffins, called "Peter's Favorite Mini Muffins" are my 3 yr. old son's favorite. He'll eat 5 or more in a day, if I don't pay attention. I've found that they act like a laxative if he eats more than a couple. The handy thing is that we've substituted all kinds of ingredients (apple sauce combined with any fruit juice for the apple juice concentrate, other fruits for the raisins, etc.) and they still turn out great! We also like the Apple-Raisin Oatmeal Cookies. And the recipes are mostly easy to make and quick, which I really appreciate.

This book is a blessing! All of the ingredients used are normal and easy to have on hand. The recipes are delicious. My five year old loves them and so do my husband and I. We are trying to eat real food and still maintain a healthy weight. This book is a great help!

I read this book, now I will never have type 2 diabetes Thanks I owe you one Kristine. Everyone in the world should own a copy of this book! Its great!!!

I bought this book as a naive, newly-diagnosed Type 2 Diabetic last December. My experience with it has been significantly negative. The basic dietary premise that a diabetic should consume 50-60 percent of their daily diet from carbohydrates, just doesn't pass a sanity test. The very idea that I'm supposed to control my blood glucose by eating mostly foods that seriously elevate blood glucose is not eating away diabetes; it is eating your way into higher blood glucose. I had to abandon this eating plan early on, and have found a better solution.
Look carefully at the glowing reviews; many were written by other "professionals."

the book was easy reading with some interesting facts.
But...the recipes were not very palatable. I gave the muffins I baked to the birds because they tasted like bird food and the rest of the dishes I tried to feed to the dog.
I do not recommend this book.There are more out there with more information about diabetes and better recipes.

Type 2 diabetes is a national epidemic. Lifestyle changes, including diet and exercise, are necessary to prevent complications (heart disease, stroke, vascular disease, blindness) in those with Type 2 diabetes and prevent the disease from occurring in those at high risk. Medical advice regarding diet often leaves patients confused and therefore unable to follow their advice. Kristine Napier defines Type II diabetes and the steps needed to control this disease in a way that is easy to understand. She provides advice and examples to help the reader incorporate her guidelines into their everyday life. Her 28 day guide of menus will help those get started and as always, Kris's recipes are easy to follow and delicious. Last, but not least of importance, is that all of Kris's advice is based on scientific evidence and conforms to national guidelines.

Eat Away Diabetes is extremely well researched and superbly written! Taking complex subject matter, the author uses practical explanations and analogies, thereby making diabetes much easier to understand. The information is current and extremely useful for people with Type 2 diabetes and those working to prevent this potentially devastating (but preventable) disease. Numerous charts and sidebars are used throughout which serve as excellent references in my practice as a registered dietitian. The author emphasizes the importance of exercise at length and explains the roles of fiber, fat, carbohydrates, protein, vitamin/mineral supplementation, and herbs. Ms. Napier also provides 28 days of menus and their accompanying recipes (which are healthy, creative, and tasty). This book will remain a useful resource in my professional practice and daily life! Thank you, Kristine Napier!

Well, he is definitely diabetic, and enthusiastic about the recipes here. However, actually getting him to eat is the issue.

The cookbook is great. And a godsend for those of us who want to watch what we eat before we become diabetic due to family history or old age.

My kids of which there are 7 did not like many of the recipes i this book . They seem to like the recipes in my low carb books much better.

This is a wonderful cookbook that teaches you how to remake your favorite, basic recipes in ways that are delicious and yet lower in fat and sugar than the old-fashioned ways. My husband is diabetic, but this cookbook is for everyone. It sits right next to Craig Claiborne ("The New York Times Cookbook") and "The Joy of Cooking" on my shelf. Unlike some of my other diabetic cookbooks, it doesn't ask for exotic ingredients that you have to run to the store to buy.

A wonder cookbook with lots of good, easy to prepare recipes that help me stick to the diabetic diet plan my registered dietitian prepared for me. My family also enjoys many of the recipes even though they are not diabetic.

The only complaint I have about the book is the index. I use the index frequently when I am looking for a specific recipe. This book does not put letters of the alphabet in the index as a location aid in finding a listing.

I love this cookbook ! My son, age 12, was recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. The change in diet has been hard for him. With help from the recipes in "The New Family Cookbook for People with Diabetes", we have been able to find things that my son can have. He especially likes the Chicken Nuggets, Creamy Macaroni and Cheese, and Angel Food Cake with Cocoa Whipped Cream. There are many different types of recipes in this book. I'm sure there are some for everyones tastes.

I thought that I would really like this book, but I found that once I started to go through the recipes there were not many that I would use. Might be my palate... but it is now sitting unused as a coaster.

I bought this book for my Mother who is a Type 2 Diabetic and was very disappointed. The ADA is about 30 years behind on nutrition education. The recipes--besides being overcomplicated and not very appealing--relied on processed foods; white flour, pasta and rice; artifical sweeteners; added sugar; food coloring(?!); and more artifical chemicals and ingredients in the form of lite, low fat junk. No wonder everyone is still fat.

My advice is to skip the whole "diabetes recipes" ruse and buy a normal healthy cookbook. You'll be much better off.

My nutritionist told me about the cookbook Quick & Easy Diabetic Recipes for One." The recipes don't make you feel like you need to eat more. They put in your mind that you have eaten enought for one meal, and that is what I like.

I ordered this book for a friend, who was recently diagnosed with diabetes. She loved it so much that I ordered one for myself (and I'm not diabetic) and she ordered another copy for her brother! Since many older adults deal with diabetes and many of them cook for just one person, this book helps to make a significant life change easier to manage. Older people often have many reasons not to cook for themselves, relying on fast foods when they need to change old habits and eat more healthfully. The recipes are easy and tempting making this guide truly useful for seniors and others who live alone...diabetic or not. Change can be fun and tasty too!

The second edition of Kathleen Stanley, CDE, RD, LD, MSED, BC-ADM and Connie Craealey, MS, RD, LD's QUICK AND EASY DIABETIC RECIPES FOR ONE packs in over a hundred recipes featuring soups, stews and side dishes all for the single diabetic who finds the typical cookbook packed with meals for families a challenge. Chapters offer individual quiches, casseroles, soups, salads and more, and are packed with dishes quick and easy to prepare at home.

I am watching my carbohydrates to lose weight. My husband counts carbs because of his diabetes. I've been looking for recipe ideas and this book is filled with great things to eat. Every recipe I've tried is easy to make and they don't taste like 'diet' food.

The recipes all have the carbohydrate grams listed. We especially liked 'Peppery Beef Roast with Gravy' (only 3 grams of carb) and 'No Bake Peanut Butter Cookies' (also low in carb). The 1800 calorie menus were helpful too.

As I'm sitting here writing this review I'm sipping a delicious beverage that cannot stop drinking. Absolutely fabulous stuff! Made from roasted soya that you brew like coffee. My doctor said my cholesterol dropped 30 points thanks to this. Look for it online at www.s oycoffee.com. As for the book, it's pure pleasure reading. I've recommended this book to several friends!

I found this book to be very helpful and practical! It helped me understand which foods contain carbohdyrate and how to count the carbohydrates that I eat. The recipes that I've tried have been simple to prepare and tasty! I especially like the unique index which lists all the recipes by how much carbohydrate they contain. The sample menus gave me ideas on how to plan meals. If you are counting carbs - look no further! This is a great book!

As authors of the "Carbohydrate Counting Cookbook" we would like to assure potential purchasers about the accuracy of the carbohydrate content information for the recipes in our book. While we are not certain which carbohydrate counter Ms. Robichaud used for her assumptions about the recipes in the book, readers should know that each recipe has been computer analyzed using the most currently available USDA food and nutrient data. In addition, the recipes were reviewed for accuracy by a panel of registered dietitians/certified diabetes educators prior to publication. Individuals with diabetes can rest assured that the nurient information in the "Carbohydrate Counting Cookbook" is accurate and timely. It IS possible for healthy food to taste great!

As someone who has lived with diabetes my entire life, I have constantly struggled with finding a simple and straight-forward way to control my blood sugars. This book gave me an easy way to better manage this disease. It gives alot of helpful hints and ideas that keep me wanting to succeed in my fight. Thanks to the authors for writing such a life-changing book.

I am a diabetic and a nurse, as I started reviewing this cookbook ( I love to cook and work very hard at finding low carb recipes) and with my working knowledge of carbohydrates began to question the reported carbohydrate values of these recipes. Indeed, as I started counting up the carbohydrates with a counter, I found that the results that I came up with were much higher than theirs! I even took the fiber count into consideration. I feel that this cookbook is very misleading and if you do not test your blood sugars after trying a recipe, you may end up with a higher than expected BSL. I feel that this is false ifnormation and am very disturbed by it. Please test a recipe for the carb counts for yourself! No wonder the recipes are tasty! Remember, if it tastes "too good to be true", it probably has more carbs in it than being claimed! I am truly disappointed!

My husband purchased the book so we could start eating more healthy and start watching our sugar intake. I was surprised that there was no nutritional guide included for any of the recipes and some look to have lots of added fat in them; ie half & half, cream. I don't want to replace the sugar with fat. I do like the simple format of the recipes and that they include some recipes that really resonate with my kids. I also liked the fact they included oat flour, flax seed, and wheat germ to the recipes. If you are caught up on knowing calorie breakdown this book is not for you but if you are open to new recipes using fruit sugars then you will enjoy this book.

This is the best cookbook I have found on this topic. Some of the recipes are delicious and some are very strange and did not turn out to be enjoyable. The veggie nut loaf, spinach and mushroom casserole and the quiche recipes are my favorites. The tuna salad mold and creamy main dish salad left a lot to be desired. They both were quite odd and not very tasty. This is a good book to give you some recipes and ideas for sugarless and low carb cooking. I think its worth buying and having. I use it and refer to it often.

The book was real helpful. I have reactive hypoglycemia. It is hard to find the right information on how to control your blood sugar.

We found this book long before we lucked onto the pediatric endocrinologist who told our young son to stop eating sugar. (And said, "Of course there's hypoglycemia.") With two members of our family needing alternatives in this world of sugar fixation, this is the only cookbook we've found to help. All others assume it's about diabetes, when it's really about living and eating happily without sugar.

Don't waste your money buying this book if you already know how to put peanut butter on a stalk of celery. It has a few useful recipes but most of it is just filler. I found Krimmel's other book "The Low Blood Sugar Handbook" to be helpful but unless you wish to let hypoglycemia rule your life as Mr. Krimmel does look for something else. I would recommend the Insulin Resistance Diet for anyone who wishes to maintain a normal life not ruled by low blood sugar.

NEW DIABETIC COOKBOOK blends familiar re-done favorites with new innovative dishes to provide a well-rounded set of diabetic-appropriate dishes the entire family can enjoy. All have been tested by the BH&G test kitchens and all are guaranteed to work well, including the exchanges and nutritional analysis with each recipe which is key to success.

I already own a couple of dozen diabetic cookbooks. I bought this one based on the reputation of the Better Homes and Gardens quality products. This one continues that tradition. The book is not only beautiful, but includes all the nutrition information, such as ADA exchanges, Joslin exchanges, etc., that anyone could want. Many of the recipes I've found are enjoyed by the whole family...including the fussy eaters and those who insist on flavorful food. This book shows you how to remove fat and and calories and still retain the fabulous flavor in food. Excellent book.

Cooking for a diabetic is learning to cook all over again. Many useful recipes.

We were very disappointed in this cookbook. The recipes are high in cholesterol and carbohydrates and do not indicate the amount of sugar. A lot of the recipes are high in sodium. We were looking for some good healthy recipes for diabetics. The book seemed to be old and out of date with current information available.

My son is a diabetic and I wanted to have a resource book for healthy recipes for him when he and his family visit. I am not a kitchen whiz, but this cookbook is perfect. It truly represents the quality we've come to expect over the years from the Better Homes & Gardens product line. The recipes are great - easy to follow with a wonderful variety of all the food groups and categories. It is nicely illustrated also. Thanks for meeting all my expectations.

This book has a lot of very good recipes for the renal diabetic diet. However, this book is a little out dated. My father is on dialysis and most of the recipes were not allowed by the Dietician at the center.

I bought this for my partner and she carries it around and cooks out of it like it is her Bible.

Pros:

As stated already, the print is large and the recipes are simple. Ingredients are easy to find.

Cons:

Recipes are made for 6 servings. In my case, I am cooking for two people, so I have taken to entering the recipes into MasterCook 8 so I can tailor them if needed. As a result, I often find the numbers are wrong in the back of the book. Usually MasterCook numbers will match 1 or 2 of the book's assessment. This causes concern when a person has to count the amount of potassium for the day. At times, I have concern about some of the amounts of potassium or sodium in the recipes, seeming too high for their health.

My view:

I am thrilled to have the book as a jumping off point, for assessing what my folks can eat in a day. Since I do not live with them, I use some of the recipes, the ones that adapt to it, as frozen meals which my parents can fix when they need them. This gives me peace of mind about the foods they are eating. I wish that they book would be updated a bit, have a bit more information in it about renal diabetic diets.

Creative Cooking for the Renal Diabetic has some wonderful recipes! However, it was published in 1985 and I question whether the extensive use of sugar is intentional or, because it was published before many of the sugar substitutes were on the market, this was the only option.

I have a diabetic husband who has kidney problems but is not to the point of needing dialysis. I am confused if these recipes should be used for him.

I tried some of the recipes and they were very good.

Although published in 1985, the recipes in this book present a wide range of main dishes, snacks, side dishes and desserts for a renal diabetic diet in which protein, potassium sodium, phosphorous and sugar intake are restricted. While the recipes address renal diet restrictions, diabetics are forewarned as sugar itself, not substitutes, is employed. However, the authors note that recipes with sugar content should not be consumed outside of an entire meal. Nutritional content is presented for each recipe, and the authors suggest that no ingredients substitutions be made (except for exchanging butter or margarine for their salt-free versions) as changes would alter the calculated nutritional values.

The recipes are relatively simple to prepare, serve from 2 - 10 (though generally provide 6-8 servings), and require ingredients easily procurable at any supermarket. The number of ingredients ranges considerably from 4 for "Spiced Tea" to 19 for "Coquilles St. Jacques". Spices are used extensively to provide flavor variety in lieu of salt, and include, for example, chili powder, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. Herbs (sage, marjoram, thyme, parsley, basil, oregano, etc.) are presented in measures for dried herbs, but of course, fresh herbs could be substituted without altering nutritional content. The most exotic equipment used is the skewers required for "Shish Kabobs".

While many of the recipes contain items that are considered disallowed for renal or diabetic conditions, the authors generally stipulate in a recipe where a restricted item is present that the ingredient "has been calculated into the recipe." Small amounts of restricted foods on an occasional basis are tolerable, and the authors account for key nutritional aspects (number of servings, calories per serving, protein, fat, and carbohydrate content and sodium and potassium content) of each recipe in Section I of the book. In terms of dairy products (phosphorous and potassium sources), sour cream is used ("Veal Goulash", for example) as is yogurt ("Lamb Curry"). Milk and cream are employed in some main dishes, and cheese (sodium source), including cream cheese and cottage cheese, functions as a key ingredient in recipes. The name brand dairy product substitute Coffee Rich is used, occasionally, in place of a dairy product. Several potato (potassium source) recipes are given, and included in the directions is the soaking process required for use of potatoes in renal diets. Canned, low sodium tomatoes (potassium and sodium source) make an appearance in the recipe for "Spaghetti Sauce", among others, and tomato sauce and paste are used (separately and together) in various recipes as well. Nuts (potassium source) are found in both breads ("Zucchini Bread") and desserts (Cranberry Nut Pudding"). Sodium is present wherever margarine is used and, of course, where low-sodium ingredients are required. Dessert recipes include sugar, not the sugar substitutes most diabetics use, and the authors state that items containing sugar should be eaten as "part of a whole meal, not by themselves".

Both light and heavy fare are represented in main dishes that range from heavy casserole-style meals such as "Turkey Broccoli au Gratin" and "Lasagna" to lighter entrees such as "Chicken Breasts and Mushrooms in Wine" and "Breaded Veal Cutlets". Salad dressings, such as "Creamy Roquefort Dressing" and "Parisian Dressing" would likely be regarded as good by anyone, as would the recipe for "Hot Spiced Wine". Vegetables, salads, cookies, quick breads and desserts round out the remaining offerings.

Notably absent from this book are recipes with Asian or Southwestern flavorings and ingredients. As another reviewer notes, this is likely due to the period in which the book was compiled. This deficiency can be addressed through the use of recipes for renal diets available from other sources. Overall, while lacking recipes for recent trends toward Asian and Southwestern cooking, and using sugar instead of sugar substitutes, this cookbook provides both depth and breadth to meal preparation for the renal diabetic diet and it functions as a welcome addition to the repertoire of recipes that non- diet- restricted members of the family can enjoy as well.

The book is an 8.5" x 11" paperback which can be made to lay flat when opened. There are no pictures, but the easy-to-read, extra-large text makes following a new recipe a comfortable experience.

Table of Contents:
A. Beverages
B. B. Cookies
C. C. Quick Breads
D. D. Desserts
E. Main Dishes
a. Beef
b. Poultry
c. Lamb
d. Fish (Note: this section includes shellfish recipes)
e. Eggs and Cheese
F. Vegetables
G. Salads
H. Salad Dressings, Sauces, Relishes and Shakers
I. Nutritive Values of Recipes
J. Index

My husband was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetis. I thought how can I get him to eat differently? I knew nothing of this illness. I searched the web and found this wonderful book. I have learned so much from it. I look forward to preparing meals that are exciting to make and delicious to eat. I actually join my husband with many of his meals. I have also learned to experiment on my own. This book is recommended highly by me. Thank you.

ATLANTA (CNN) -- When Chef Chris Smith was diagnosed with diabetes seven years ago, his physician advised him to drop out of culinary school and find a new vocation altogether. "My doctor said it would be just too hard to work around all that food," he says.

Instead, Smith decided to put his professional experience to use. He began conducting diabetic cooking seminars and is set to release his first cookbook in June. "Cooking with the Diabetic Chef" is a guide to eating that strives to add intense flavors to food without adding fat, salt and sugar.

"I want to break barriers," Smith says. "Most people might have two or three chicken recipes that they know how to make. I want to give them a whole library of ways to prepare chicken. I want to show diabetics that there is variety."

"We don't want the diabetic diet to be a sentence," agrees registered dietician Margaret Fowke. "That is probably the biggest concern diabetics have when they are first diagnosed. They say, 'Oh my gosh, I can't have my fried chicken and my chocolate chip cookies.' We feel they must have some flexibility in their diet plans."

Still hot off the press, "Cooking with the Diabetic Chef" is the first diabetic cookbook actually written by a chef who suffers from diabetes. As someone who has recently read a lot of diabetic cookbooks (blech!), I am quite impressed.

Several months ago, when I first learned that I was a Type 1 diabetic (I have to inject insulin several times a day), I ran around to the library and several bookstores looking for some cookbooks that might allow me to return to normalcy. I was pretty horrified by what I found. While there were a lot of books to choose from, they really didn't contain the sort of food that you might want to eat every day, or that someone else (a non-diabetic) might want to share with you.

Cooking With the Diabetic Chef puts all those other books to shame. I've read the whole book and made several of the recipes and it seems to contain nary a clunker. What makes the difference is that it was written by someone who actually eats the food and is a chef to boot.

Chris Smith, the author, begins with a forward that explains how devastated he was as a student at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) when he discovered he was a diabetic. Apprenticed at one of New York's most prestigious restaurants, Le Cirque he was unable to keep up with the fast paced environment, feeling tired and run down. When he learned what was wrong he was quite plainly horrified but soon discovered that with proper management he would be able to pursue his dreams.

His new book, published by the American Diabetic Association, proves that healthy food doesn't have to be flavorless and bland. One of my favorite recipes so far is the Cajun Sweet Potato (very spicy and to die for). I have also made several of the more normal (which is what I had been looking for) recipes such as blueberry muffins, banana pancakes and crab cakes. All of them were excellent (the lunch crowd at work begged for tastes of the leftovers), not a bit bland or blah, something you would be proud to serve or share with non-diabetics.

It's an attractive paperback with photographs that will make you want to try all the recipes. If you know someone who is diabetic, this book would make an excellent gift. It has a good mix of fancy recipes (something you might feed company) and recipes for simple comfort food. It is one of the best cookbooks I have ever read or used and it is THE BEST diabetic cookbook I have ever seen.

Nothing impressive about this book. In fact, this is one of those cookbooks I wish I never purchased. Does not go far enough in talking about the relationship of food and diabetes and is filled with only so-so recipes. You would be better off purchasing a good cookbook and cooking recipes centered around protein dishes.

Cooking is a joy and a hobby for me, when accurate instructions are provided. Regrettably, I was no further into this book than page 8 before discovering a substantive error: Chicken Breast Roulade clearly must require more than 1/8 cup (2 Tbsp.) Chicken Stock in order to produce final portions of 1-1/2 Tbsp. for each of four servings, particularly after it has been reduced by half. Pages 11 and 12 show lovely photographs which, regrettably, are mis-identified. With such careless editing, how can one trust anything else in the contents?

I LIKE THIS COOKBOOK BECAUSE OF THE NO SUGAR RECIPES, LOWFAT RECIPES. WE ARE EATING HEALTHIER BECAUSE OF IT.

My family is very happy with this book. It has healthy, great tasting recipes without added fat or sugar that are easily made in the bread maker. Definitely recommended.

I have tried two different recipes now. Even though the recipes are for 1lb and 1.5lb loaves (and I make 2lb loaves), I just double the 1lb ingredients, and everything has turned out fine.

I'm looking forward to trying more of the recipes.

I tried this book for the first time and used recipe for Summer Zucchini bread on page 90. It was a disaster. I felt there is an error in this one because it only called for 1/3 cup of water for large loaf of bread! I followed this one to the letter and the result was a hard clumpy mess. I'm an experienced bread maker user and this was a huge disappoint.

Having recently relocated to San Antonio and finding a lack of bakeries, I purchased a Cuisinart convection breadmaker. Although the Cuisinart CBK-200 comes with a decent set of recipes, many are laden with fat (with 30% or more of calories coming from added oil, butter, nuts, etc.) and sugars. I try to eliminate oils, fats, sugar and salt from my diet, so I was looking for a healthier alternative to home breadmaking.

Enter The Best Low-Fat, No-Sugar Bread Machine Cookbook. Added fats have been replaced by lean, fruit- and veggie-based alternatives such as unsweetened apple butter, applesauce, minced prunes, and mashed sweet and white potatoes. Sugars such as molasses and honey are replaced by dried fruits (raisins, currants, cherries). Sun-dried tomatoes, zucchini, corn, carrots, kale, and onions are among the many veggies that make a guest appearance.

Although I was doubtful that these healthy, lean (less than 5% calories from fat) breads would be tasty, I have tried three loaves thus far and all were sensational. My first loaf was the Butternut Squash and Balsamic Vinegar loaf (page 51). I substituted canned pumpkin for the squash and dried cherries for the raisins, and the loaf was pleasantly sweet, with an orange color but not an overwhelmingly pumpkin-y taste.

My second loaf was a breakfast bread (Oat and Raisin Bread, page 35). Although I only made a one-pound loaf, the bread was so light and airy that it was nearly as big as a large loaf. Both the Butternut Squash and Oat and Raisin bread are delicious toasted in the morning.

My third loaf was made to accompany soups: lentil bread, with a hearty helping of cooked lentils and Mediterranean flavors courtesy of sage and sea salt. Denser than the first two breads I baked, the lentil bread is a savory, hearty accompaniment to soups and sandwiches.

Although one reviewer mentioned a disasterous loaf of zucchini bread, I am brand new to breadmaking (my first loaf ever was from this cookbook) and have had nothing but success. It's important to add ingredients in the order recommended by your breadmaker: usually liquids first (at room temperature, except for water, which should be between 80-90 degrees), then flours and seasonings, and finally the yeast. The directions are straightforward and easy to follow. Several breads require finishing in the oven (low-fat challah, whole wheat baguettes, pitas). Besides low-fat, no sugar added recipes, the book also includes a chapter on salt-free breads (but not gluten-free).

The Best Low-Fat, No-Sugar Bread Machine Cookbook Ever truly lives up to its name. Although over ten years old, the recipes work beautifully with my brand new, circa 2006 bread machine. Thankfully, the ingredients are fairly common, with some alternative grains and flours (amaranth, quinoa, barley, rye) called for to add variety. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves bread but is looking to lighten up on refined sugars, oils, and salt; these recipes offer all of the taste with none of the guilt.