Please recommend a cookbook or website filled with healthy recipes

[RioG]

That limit sugar and carbs and are heavy on protein and vegetables.

I know what I need to do, I just need it to be easy, and I've discovered I actually like flipping through cookbooks and finding stuff to make.  The only trouble is the two cookbooks I have are old and filled with things like macaroni and cheese.

I know I can google this, but it would be nice to see what you guys recommend since I know you've put a ton of thought in to it already.

I have belly fat and I've been reading/watching a lot of stuff about sugar being the biggest contributor to that - and I assume by sugar they mean excess carbs as well.

TIA! Smooches!

[diablita]

Rio, I'm not sure this is as grain-light as you want, but I've been thinking of using some of the meal plans from Clean Eating:
http://www.cleaneatingmag.com/Meal-Planning/Meal-Plans.aspx

It looks handy for meal planning and matches the way I like to prepare food -- balanced and healthy.

[teetime]

So, I'm not proud of this but we have an old south beach diet book which is half recipes.  It isn't gourmet but it has lots of ideas and we cook a lot of our weekly meals following the general recipes set out there (just add lots more layers of spice and heat).

[merigayle]

My favorite websites are the fat free vegan blog and happy herbivore's site.

[redkitty]

There are a number of diabetic cookbooks that would probably fit what you are looking for. I know the American heart Association's diabetic cookbooks have some decent recipes in them. But I am sure just going to amazon and typing in diabetic cookbook will bring up good results. 

[nadra24]

So, I'm not proud of this but we have an old south beach diet book which is half recipes.  It isn't gourmet but it has lots of ideas and we cook a lot of our weekly meals following the general recipes set out there (just add lots more layers of spice and heat).

Honestly, that was one of my first thoughts too. South Beach is basically lean meats, veggies, and low-fat dairy. I used to own it but I'm not seeing it on my bookshelf, it must not have made the cut in one of my moves.  Another option might be to check out some paleo-type websites.  You don't have to go all crazy on the almond flour or whatever, but since the main staples of paleo are meat and veggies, you could probably get some good ideas there.  I don't have any specific recommendations, sorry.

[RioG]

I'm not looking to go carb free, just reduce my current consumption.  Like, my go-to is breakfast cereal and toast.  Maybe have dinners without potatoes, stuff like that.

That site looks good Diablita, thanks!  and great idea on the diabetic cookbook... I will look for that.  I suspect I could easily become diabetic just judging by how I react to sugar sometimes (I can feel my blood sugar spiking and plummeting...)

[witchypoo]

d. madison's "vegetarian cooking for everyone"

[onawhim]

cooking light is good and you can put in lots of search options if you want lower carb

If you want to try paleo or that type of thing Mark's Daily Apple has lots of info

[Ice Cream]

d. madison's "vegetarian cooking for everyone"

it's a good book, but I would not say low carb...

[witchypoo]

i missed that point.  i still recommend it.

[diablita]

d. madison's "vegetarian cooking for everyone"

I agree, one of my all-time favorites.   Rio can accomplish her 'reduced carb' goal with this book, as she could with the Moosewood cookbooks.  They all empathasize whole foods and plenty of vegetable recipes.

Another through for you is the Fit for Life cookbook.  If you discount all the food combining theories & no-water-with-meals hocus-pocus, the idea of being deliberate about what you eat at meal time under their plan would translate well.  If you strive to eat either a bit of grains with lots of veggies or a bit of meat with lots of veggies at meal time, you'll accomplish what you set out to do.  And their recipes are full of the foods you'll grow this summer. 

[RioG]

Rio, I'm not sure this is as grain-light as you want, but I've been thinking of using some of the meal plans from Clean Eating:
http://www.cleaneatingmag.com/Meal-Planning/Meal-Plans.aspx

It looks handy for meal planning and matches the way I like to prepare food -- balanced and healthy.

Wow - I just looked at one of the meal plans and this is perfect, thank you!  Also matches how I like to eat, but with the kick in the ass I need to lay off the sugar.  Yay!

[diablita]

yes!  that's how I felt about it!

[caribougrrl]

I like perusing http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/.  You will have to look for recipes that are low carb (avoid the dessert section for low sugar  ).  I have never had a failed recipe from there.  And brits take food seriously these days, from farm to table... though there are still recipes for toad-in-a-hole, so you have to sift a bit.

[Run Amok]

Sounds like you might have what you need... but I'm going to put this one out there also. The vast majority of the book is recipes. You can follow the eating plans if you want... but they will be too low calorie for a bfing mama. Of course, you could peek at them to get an idea of where to start. Mostly I'm posting for the recipes though. I have really liked everything I have cooked out of here and in most cases didn't need to adjust the seasoning. Several of her soups are my go-to for that particular kind of soup. She also has several tasty hot veg recipes and lots of yummy salads. DD seems to like her meat recipes also.

I will warn you that she does utilize some things I would never personally eat, in her meal plans. (like I think she lists sf jello as an option) She uses these with the idea that a lot of people need a stepping stone to get off of sweets and things. It wasn't a big deal for me- I just skipped those suggestions. But her recipes are not weird diet recipes, it's just whole yummy food.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Diet-Instincts-Weight---Off--Without/dp/076115874X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1363370068&sr=8-2&keywords=the+instinct+diet 

[Mom of Scooby]

I bet you could find a ton on Pinterest.  Search low carb food options or something like this..

Just a hint for your breakfast.. My nutritionist is a very strong advocate of carbs ok earlier in the day, but not so much at night when you are trying to lose.. but also.. very important to pair a protein with a carb.  That's why I put whey protein in my oatmeal or if I am having toast or an english muffin I always have a egg or two with it.

[CheryG]

This recipe is awesome, if you like mexican style food.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/rudys-molcajete-mixto/

I use a skillet instead of a molcajete (though I do have a molcajete), zucchini instead of the poblano, sour cream instead of the queso fresco, and one jalapeno instead of two, because I'm a yankee.  Don't eliminate the chorizo or green salsa.

If you want to skip the queso fresco, I'd reduce the amount of jalapeno.  Tonight instead of serving it on a burrito, I served it in a couple of romaine lettuce leaves. 

*all of my cookbooks are full of insanely wonderful and RICH recipes.

But as far as cooks go, if you want to watch TV or youtubes, Jacques Pepin is incredibly good.  I always tell the DH that if we weren't married Jacques would be my husband.

Light and Luscious (218): Jacques Pépin: More Fast Food My Way

[RioG]

Thanks guys!

RA - I'm all full up on gardening books, so I think I'm going to set my sights on cookbooks now.  So thanks for the suggestion!

I guess when I said "low carb" I didn't truly mean low carb... I just meant maybe not like macaroni casserole topped with bread crumbs as are in my current cookbooks.

And I think I have discovered the secret to eating vegetables... I mostly don't like vegetables.  But holy shit, sautee those suckers in olive oil and red wine vinegar and they're awesome.  I just enjoyed broccoli on my pasta!

I'll probably have to lighten up on the oil, but that's ok.   Plus when you cook grape tomatoes and onions they get really sweet... so it kind of satisfies my sweet tooth without a bag of chocolate.   I'm just kind of assuming that if the sugar is naturally occurring like that it's better than a bag of chocolate.

[CheryG]

Oh, in that case you need this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Horn-Moon-Cookbook-Ginny-Callan/dp/0060960388/ref=sr_1_1_title_1_pap?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1363389348&sr=1-1&keywords=horn+of+the+moon+cookbook

The flautas are wonderful, the hot carob drink incredible, it has my go-to spanikopita recipe in it, the cream of spinach and mushroom soup is da bomb.

[RioG]

Oh, in that case you need this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Horn-Moon-Cookbook-Ginny-Callan/dp/0060960388/ref=sr_1_1_title_1_pap?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1363389348&sr=1-1&keywords=horn+of+the+moon+cookbook

The flautas are wonderful, the hot carob drink incredible, it has my go-to spanikopita recipe in it, the cream of spinach and mushroom soup is da bomb.

I don't understand a word you said but I'll check it out.

[Ice Cream]

Jaques Pepin is wonderful!

[cgraz]

Thanks guys!

RA - I'm all full up on gardening books, so I think I'm going to set my sights on cookbooks now.  So thanks for the suggestion!

I guess when I said "low carb" I didn't truly mean low carb... I just meant maybe not like macaroni casserole topped with bread crumbs as are in my current cookbooks.

And I think I have discovered the secret to eating vegetables... I mostly don't like vegetables.  But holy shit, sautee those suckers in olive oil and red wine vinegar and they're awesome.  I just enjoyed broccoli on my pasta!

I'll probably have to lighten up on the oil, but that's ok.   Plus when you cook grape tomatoes and onions they get really sweet... so it kind of satisfies my sweet tooth without a bag of chocolate.   I'm just kind of assuming that if the sugar is naturally occurring like that it's better than a bag of chocolate.

If you are looking for more ideas to make vegetables more appealing, try roasting. I have come to really love most veggies when they are oven-roasted and carmelized. I'm talking carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, summer squash & zucchini, and Brussels sprouts, along with the usual suspects like sweet potatoes and onions. Toss with a little olive oil, sprinkle with salt & pepper, and lay them out on a sheet pan (I line with foil for easy clean-up) and leave 'em alone in the oven for a suitable amount of time depending on how big the pieces are and how dense the veggies themselves are. For things like carrots, I also cover with foil for the first 15 minutes to help them get a little tender before they start to brown.

Plus, oven roast some of those little tiny tomatoes, toss with olive oil and caramelized onions, and put that over some nice angel hair pasta (carb satisfaction without so much heaviness) with shaved parmesan, and you will be in HEAVEN. There's that sweetness you mention. Yum. And fast and simple.

I hear you on the carbs - I don't do "no carb" or really "low carb" but I choose my carbs carefully - whole grains, fruits & veggies - and enjoy in moderation, not as the main course, a la macaroni casserole.  I figure a little carb is ok if it comes in something that also bring me fiber and other nutrients and isn't "empty."

And on the breakfast tip - I have made a hot breakfast cereal with quinoa instead of oatmeal - add diced apples and cinnamon, and it's hearty and satisfying, plus a boost of protein, as MoS mentions. Easy to make a batch on Sunday or Monday and then have a quick easy option with a cup of it warmed up every morning.

[Run Amok]

I hear you on the carbs - I don't do "no carb" or really "low carb" but I choose my carbs carefully - whole grains, fruits & veggies - and enjoy in moderation, not as the main course, a la macaroni casserole.  I figure a little carb is ok if it comes in something that also bring me fiber and other nutrients and isn't "empty."

This is me too. Mostly I just skip the carb component of a meal. Like, I eat a big bowl of stir-fry, no rice. I eat scrambled eggs and either skip the toast and potatoes or have a slice of high-fiber bread. I already posted about my "less pasta" option. Like cheese, most of the time I don't even miss it. But, through experimentation I've found the places where it really matters to me. I need a LITTLE pasta in my bowl of pasta. I need crust on my pizza... things like that.

Or, a reasonable substitute. I like whole barley (not pearled) or farro as a sub for rice. 1/2 cup is a reasonable portion and for me is a good substitute. Way more fiber and protein so it doesn't spike your blood sugar. I make a big batch and freeze it in 2cup portions. I will thaw 1 batch at a time and eat on it for a couple of days.

[/quote]
And on the breakfast tip - I have made a hot breakfast cereal with quinoa instead of oatmeal - add diced apples and cinnamon, and it's hearty and satisfying, plus a boost of protein, as MoS mentions. Easy to make a batch on Sunday or Monday and then have a quick easy option with a cup of it warmed up every morning.
[/quote]

This is also a great suggestion. I do something similar but use farro. I cook the farro with milk to add a little more protein (although it has a lot in it already). I eat it with stewed prunes... which I know sounds gross, but really they are super yummy!

[triciaflower]

d. madison's "vegetarian cooking for everyone"

I was going to suggest this too!

Such a good resource.

I subscribe to Clean Eating and they have weekly meal plan ideas that are invaluable!

[The Turtle Whisperer]

This has some good stuff, but they aren't adding anything anymore... http://www.mediterrasian.com/

and I use this one a lot... http://www.eatingwell.com/

[rocketgirl]

Plus when you cook grape tomatoes and onions they get really sweet...

Yes they do.  As do the red bell peppers. 

[Natasha]

This has some good stuff, but they aren't adding anything anymore... http://www.mediterrasian.com/

and I use this one a lot... http://www.eatingwell.com/

Thank you, I was just going to request a Mediterranean diet cookbook.

[omega lambda]

Maybe this is too obvious, but I really like the Cooking Light website/magazine.  They lighten a lot of recipes to healthful versions, create a lot of their own, and on their website you can search recipes with specific parameters (like low fat, low carb, etc.)

[cgraz]

Yes! I've used some great recipes from Cooking Light over the years. Not "diet" food but healthier versions of good things, that are still tasty and usually pretty easy.

[Ice Cream]

Maybe this is too obvious, but I really like the Cooking Light website/magazine.  They lighten a lot of recipes to healthful versions, create a lot of their own, and on their website you can search recipes with specific parameters (like low fat, low carb, etc.)

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