Hi guys!
I forgot to ask at my center today about the cookbook. Do you guys know what your centers typically charge? I'm trying to figure out whether it's worth it to me to buy or not.
Thanks!

Dragonfly - I have the cookbook and believe it did cost $35 or so. I know Sommer has it and uses it and has posted a number of recipes. I can tell you that this cookbook aggravates me because they do not have an index in the back and it's hard to find things. Before you buy I would suggest you look through it for about 15 minutes at your center and see if you think it's worth it. I've made a couple things out of it and I like the pictures.

Dragonfly - I love the cookbook. It was great especially when I first started the program and was overwhelmed with what to cook/eat. Since my family is so picky, I like that it has a lot of recipes for one serving. Then there are others for 4 or more. But, I agree with Joni - spend some time looking at it in your COD and then decide. And we have posted a lot of them in the recipe section.

I guess the biggest thing that I'm struggling with right now is what is an exchange for what. For instance, I had a freezer meal today that was considered 1 protein and 1 starch, but it also had veggies in it. So why didn't that include a veggie? Because it wasn't enough veggies?

I guess, how much of something has to be in a recipe before it's considered a serving of whatever that something is?

Thanks for the info! I think I may peruse ebay and see if I can pick one up for less. I've spent quite enough at the center for one week.

DragonFly- I love the cookbook's too. My sister got me the old one last year for x-mas she bought it on ebay for around 15.00 plus shipping.

the reason the frozen meals count as both a SP and not a V is because the calorie counts and sodium content..

I use recipe exchanges based off the plan, that is what is nice about the cookbooks everything is broken down. Check at your center for the free catalog/fall recipe pamphlet or on LAWL.com, that may help make things clearer. I know when I first started my food choices were quite boring and plain Chicken,Fish,Turkey burgers etc. It helped my to get used to these new changes.

I got my cookbook for $32. I believe that it was worth it. The new book is hard to find on ebay and the ones I have seen, you pay more with shipping than you would at the COD. The old one you can get pretty cheap off ebay, but is nowhere near as good as the new one. My complaint is the same as Joni's, no index, you have to flip through the sections to find what you're looking for.

Sometimes the exchanges are confusing. A lot of it has to do with calorie counts. Like the LA biscotti's are a fruit and starch when actually there is no fruit in them. In frozen meals, most of them don't even give you a full protein serving and definitely not enough veggie. Veggies are so low in calories anyway that if you are going to go over, that is the best category to be over in.

Dragonfly - Do you like tuna? Egg salad? Veggie burgers? All are great easy lunches. Do you like to cook? If you'd like I can make a few days' meals for you to get you started.

Dragonfly- I use the cookbook like crazy and I love it but I love to cook. All of the recipes I've liked. They have a great recipe for a vegetable pasta bake which I pair with turkey meatballs and it's wonderful, just like a real Italian dish. To be honest though I've only used the recipes for main dishes and vegetables, I have not tired any dessert or appetizer recipes, which is like half the book. I paid $30 for mine, which seemed really pricey to me, but I like the design, the pages are glossy and wipe clean easily and it is big spiral bound so I can flip the whole thing over easily.

That being said, if you are not ready to purchase it I don't have a problem PMing you all of the names of the recipes and you can pick from them what you'd like and I'll post them in the recipes thread.

Thanks guys!

I do like to cook, so maybe it would be worth it. I just struggle to figure out where I'm going to get any more money for it! *laughing*

That would be great if you have some favorites! Thank you!

Hi, I purchased the cookbook a few weeks back and I love it.
My center sells it for over $40!. The only reason I did bought it is because I had a coupon for $25, so it only cost me about $16.
I've cooked several recipes from it and the whole family has liked it.

I also had to pay for it upfront to put a hold on it, it seems to sell out very quickly. (or they just don't order to many)

Good luck

hold on, if you haven't bought it wait.
I just was on the ivillage la weight loss blog and they say the book has lots of errors, and a new book is coming out.
Something to think about.

Sommer, You may have the newest version then. The new book I got is paperback but mine has pictures of 4 different dishes and is called LA Lite cookbook - simple recipes - simply delicious and it's not spiral bound. When they first started talking about a new book, the spiral bound one was the one my center had. I checked on the website and you can purchase the purple spiral bound for $39.99, so you didn't get too bad of a deal there.

Hello All


The spiral bound one is the first one. I actually like that one more then the newest (except the newest one has more family meals listed). I like to be able to take pages out and reorder them...I am anal!

Sommer you have to try the Rasberry Whip....it is soooo yummy. They also have really good brownies listed in the new one.

So Krystal does your center carry both of the books? My center has only gotten in the one I have. Maybe difference between franchise and corporate again. You can't buy the book I have on the website, only the purple one.

Gosh Deb I am not sure. I know that my center did not get the new book until April this year, some centers had the book by the end of 2005.

My three ring binder book is called LA Lite Cookbook and it says Simple Recipes to Spice up Your Program, the newest one I got says LA Lite cookbook Simple recipes Simply delicious on the front(with the 4 pictures). Niether of my books are purple. .

My Center does not carry the three ring binder anymore, they wouldn't carry the new one...till they got rid of the old. i think that may have been the hold up.

Hope that Helps