healthy cookbooks?
 

Hi!

I was wondering if someone can help me find a cookbook that offers healthy recepies for the whole family........Like, mac'n'cheese, casseroles, things like that. Too often I find healthy cookbooks to be either geared toward a specific diet plan, or filled with more sophistacated fare that just wouldn't fly with an 11, 9, 3, and 2 year old.

Any advice appreciated!

My favorite cookbook right now is called "The Secrets of Fat Free Cooking" by Sandra Woodruff. Better Homes and Gardens also has a cookbook called "Kids Favorites Made Healthy" that is pretty good.
I recommend visiting your local library and browsing the cooking section. That way you can try out a variety of cookbooks without spending any money on them. Hope this helps. :)

I just bought three cookbooks that have everyday type recipes in them. They're all diet-related, but nothing is severely restricted (carbs, fat, etc.):

Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook
Eat What You Love & Lose
Volumetrics Eating Plan

I haven't tried anything in them yet, but from the variety of "regular" recipes, I like what I see.

Thanks guys! I will definatly try these out. I feel guilty that my bad eating habits have affected my children ....... my two older daughters now are overweight. I don't want to put them on the merry go round of dieting, we all know that leads to either obesity or anorexia, but I want to start cooking healthy and basically change my mindset about food. It's not about me anymore!
TaeKwonDoMom, I have been thinking about putting the girls into TKD, how do your kids like it? It seems that the benefits go beyond just martial arts or weight loss.
Thanks again, guys!

I recently bought "LooneySpoons" and I love it! It give a nutrition break down for each recipe, along with lots of healthy eating tips.

There are lots of good cookbooks out there but I generally ran into the same problems you did - they either had recipes that I knew my family wouldn't eat or they were more trouble than they were worth with expensive ingredients.

I suggest you take a look at your family's favorite dishes that you already prepare. I was pleased to find that I was able to make minor changes to my usual recipes and alter how I cooked them without anyone really even noticing. And, I gradually scaled back the size of the recipes because our portions were always too big and we tended to eat more because it was there.

Those changes along with trying new healthy recipes has kept me on track without my family complaining. As it happens, I am the only overweight person in my family. I hated the idea of taking their favorites away just because I couldn't control myself around mashed potatoes so the only thing to do was find a compromise we could all live with. Plus, I feel good that I'm setting a better example for my children and teaching them that healthy food doesn't have to be "strange" and that portions don't have to be huge to be satisfying.

Aww man, now I have to get these! LOL
 

I'm addicted to cookbooks! There's another one by the same authors called Crazy Plates. Just found that out at Amazon. I have to get these, the reviews are great.

The Looneyspoons ladies have a 3rd book out this year too, it is called:

Eat, Shrink, and be Merry (here is the site for the promo of the book :http://www.eatshrinkandbemerry.com/index2.html) - there are some free recipes from that new book on this website: http://www.healthandlifestyle.ca/recipes.html.

I loved the other two books - they write with such good humour, and both use to be overweight too.

I am looking forward to this new one coming out.

This is an oldie but a goodie: Low Fat, Low Calorie, Low Cholesterol, LIGHT cooking published by Publications International, LTD. Mine has a 1994 copyright. I use it all the time.

If you like to use a crockpot, I would suggest Fix-It and forget-It Lightly Healthy, Low-Fat Recipes for Your Slow Cooker by Phyllis Pellman Good.

I like Weight Watcher's Simply the Best. The recipes are delicous but not too gourmet.

I love Simply the Best, and have made many of the recipes for guests who don't ever realize they are eating "diet" food. Joanna Lund is another who has cookbooks that has lower calorie/fat, etc. recipes that are designed for real families. I can't remember the titles, and they were done a few years ago, but you can just do a search on her name and find them.

Wow, this is great. Thanks back tome I was about to ask this question myself. I was having the same problem. I find myself lugging dozens of diet books from the libraries around me only to find that msot of the recipes I would never eat. The ingredients are either to expensive the dishes to rare for anyone but me to try and the servings too large ( a frightening possibility when you have to deal with the fact that you may end up eating this entree for several days straight, simply because no one else will touch it).

One good book I've found was Evelyn Tribole's Stealth Health. There were soem fancy recipes in this one too; however, there was a whole section devoted to trimming the fat and calories off of popular family favorites. Another good thing about this book is that its not about dieting. Its about nutrition and gettign your family to eat healthier. With cool little factoids and lists of helpful tips even if you don't cook any of the recipes the book will give you an idea of what foods you need in your diet to help you in thel ong run. After all, your diet shouldn't be aobut your weight but about eating the food that makes you feel healthy.

The American Heart association has a few books out there as well. Most of the recipes are a bit complicated though; however, if your library has them you may just find a few gems. Or you can check out their online edition at
http://www.deliciousdecisions.org/

try the heart and stroke foundation. glen

I go old-school and use my Betty Crocker. :) It's not a diet-book, but it lists the nutritional information for the recipes. That way, you can fit foods into your diet rather than having to eat all new ones. I also do what jawsmom suggests and substitute healthier ingredients for traditional recipes.