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138 of 152 found the following review helpful:
 NOT TOO LOW CARB FROM RACHAEL Apr 07, 2005
By Tim Janson
Well, low carb has been all the rage for sometime now although the fad seems to be slowing down somewhat. But not before TV's spunkiest cook can put her stamp on low carb as Rachael Ray does in her latest book. At 256 pages this is Rachael's largest book yet. I've never quite been able to get meals done in 30 minutes. i guess it probably helps having good editors and a staff but even at 45 minutes or so I've enjoyed every one of Rachael's books. It's good food where taste is first, not fancy presntation and ingredients that have you haunting exotic food stores to find.
The recipes here are not all that low-carb so don't be put off by thinking it's a diet cook book. It's just another great one from Rachael where carbs are used in moderation, but not at the sacrifice of taste. Call them good-sense carb recipes as opposed to low-carb. There's plenty of bread and pasta to be found inside. With all her books the emphasis is on good food and good food done fast and this one, like the previous ones, is right on the mark. Wonderful Italian and Mexican dishes, burgers, even desserts. And it all comes to you in Rachael's endearing, homey way of writing that comes across so well on TV. With her new publisher now being a part of Random House, the book is much more well-presented than her previous ones. Bolder colors that stand out and just plain look better.
Another winner from Rachael!
37 of 41 found the following review helpful:
 Not strictly "low carb" but close enough Nov 14, 2005
By K. Corn
"reviewer"
We have one Atkins fanatic in our family and several other people, including kids, who want their rice and bread and starches. I've found that the vast majority of recipes in this book can be adapted to suit both tastes.
If you buy any of Rachel Ray's books, you should be prepared to "tweak" them a bit to your personal taste, something she actually encourages. She tells readers to "eyeball" 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil or notes that she puts on a "large piece" of salmon. Clearly, precise measurements aren't her strong suit but I actually like this. It encourages cooks to use her recipes as starting points for their own variations.
Don't worry about going wrong if you put in a bit too much of one ingredient or another. There is plenty of room for experimentation while still allowing the recipes to come out wonderfully.
If you're looking for something that follows ATkins to the smallest detail, this book does not. But if you are familiar with the basics of low-carb cooking and know how to adapt recipes to fit the plan, this book should be just fine. Expect to fine her usual standbys such as EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) but she goes beyond the norm by making reasonable and healthy substitutes for pasta and other high-carb foods.
23 of 25 found the following review helpful:
Really "Real" and Tasty Too! Aug 02, 2005
By Professional Mom
"typical consumer"
I've used all her books and this one is the best in my opinion. I didn't realize when I bought it that it was a "low carb" cookbook, and frankly, one couldn't tell from the recipes. That's what the "real" means... you are eating a better balance of carbs but you wouldn't know it by the taste. I love that 95% of the ingredients are things you would have in your fridge or pantry already, though I was inspired to plant a few herbs because her abundant use of the basic ones is part of what makes these recipes so tasty, healthy and, well, special. I am a stay-at-home mom of 3 small children and my kids liked ALL the recipes I tried (over 10 of them which is a "WOW" for any cookbook!) Dinner becomes so monotonous with kids and this really spiced up our dinnertime. And, the best part, every evening that we use one of her recipes, I wake the next morning weighing LESS than the day before! Oh yea, the recipes CAN be done in 30 minutes IF you have things chopped and cleaned beforehand and not the first time around when one is constantly re-reading the directions. I agree with the other reviewer about too many fish recipes since few people have the time and means to purchase all that fresh seafood and kids rarely like it. If you can afford fish and have kids that will eat it, you don't need a cookbook. I highly recommend this book and cannot wait till she comes out with another like it!
50 of 59 found the following review helpful:
 Should be "Unhealthy Extremes" Dec 28, 2005
By Dori Shrenyx
"cookbook1"
I love Rachael Ray's books but was so disappointed when I read these recipes. I was mislead by the "Healthy" in the title. These recipes are very extreme and Atkins like. They avoid carbs, but most often include a cup of heavy cream, or lots of oil and butter. They also require a lot of non-pantry ingredients that you would have to seek out and probably use once. This is the only cookbook I've ever returned.
49 of 58 found the following review helpful:
 NOT for weight loss! Dec 28, 2005
By Alison
Don't get me wrong... I love Rachael Ray. But this is not "healthy" cooking, nor should it be marketed as recipes for "minding your waistline." Some examples: A cheddar soup that has one cup heavy cream and four cups cheddar cheese in four servings, pepper steaks in a "creamy pan sauce" that includes 1/2 cup olive oil and 3/4 cup heavy cream, and an appetizer called Draggers that includes a 6" round of Boursin cheese, 1/4 cup olive oil pesto, and 6 additional tablespoons of olive oil tampenade. WHOA. There is NO nutritional information listed for those of us counting calories, fat grams, or carbs. And if I read the words "extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)(eyeball it)" in a row one more time, I am going to puke (it's written in almost every recipe... we get it, Rachael). For a book with a hefty $18.95 paperback price, there are a measly 8 pages of photos. I was very, very disappointed. I guess Rachael's recipes will have to be saved for when I'm not counting calories... this book included.
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