Good Housekeeping Rush Hour Dinners Great Meals in 30 Minutes or Less
June 30, 2009 by Microwave Recipes · Leave a Comment
Good Housekeeping Rush Hour Dinners Great Meals in 30 Minutes or Less
In today’s hectic and crazy world, it’s hard to find time to prepare a healthy home-cooked meal. That’s why Good Housekeeping’s “Rush Hour!” magazine column has proved so popular; it helps busy people make wonderful dinners in less than half an hour. Now there’s an entire new book of Rush Hour recipes, with 150 quick and delicious dishes featuring beef, pork, fish, chicken, pasta, vegetables, and soups. Some are classic American favorites; others are Italian, Thai, Mexican, or other specialties. Since these entrees take under 30 minutes, there’s time to bake delicious desserts too. The book’s introduction offers time-saving cooking tips, with advice on stocking the pantry, the best kitchen equipment, and food preparation shortcuts.
Preventions Healthy One Dish Meals in Minutes 200 No Fuss Low Fat Recipes for Busy People
June 29, 2009 by Microwave Recipes · Leave a Comment
Preventions Healthy One Dish Meals in Minutes 200 No Fuss Low Fat Recipes for Busy People
Prevention’s Healthy One-Dish Meals in Minutes delivers on every promise in its lengthy moniker. Hard to believe, but you still need to add a word–delicious. This book is excellent for beginning, unsure, or disorganized cooks, as well as for anyone more experienced and health-conscious. The food is interesting middle-of-the-road fare, mostly using meat, poultry, and seafood in modest 4-ounce portions, and lots of non-fat or reduced-fat products. The Express Recipes, ready in 15 minutes, are amazing. In 20 to 30 minutes, recipes for intelligently updated classics will also win smiles.
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars My Favorite Cook book
I have had this cookbook since Prevention first published it. Although I have many cookbooks, this one is my absolute all-time favorite for quick, healthy, delicious meals. Every week, when I plan my meals, I use at least 3 out of this book. I can’t say enough good about it. The food is low fat, healthful, easy and quick to prepare and doesn’t require alot of exotic ingredients. In fact there is a list in the introduction of the basic foods you need to have on hand to prepare the dishes in the books. There are even suggestions on the side for the use of leftovers. Get this one! I’m getting another for my daughter.
5 Stars One of my most-often used cookbooks!
My husband and I both love to cook, and we have about six dozen cookbooks representing a wide range of cuisines. Yet I keep coming back to this one cookbook again and again. I’ve had it for about five years, I think, and probably a month hasn’t gone by that I haven’t cooked at least a few recipes out of it — which I can’t say for most of our cookbooks.
The meals are generally pretty easy to prepare; very few of the recipes require any special equipment or techniques that would throw off the beginner. There’s a nice variety, with at least a few real “keepers” in every category (e.g., soups, sandwiches, stir-fries, meat-and-potatoes, etc.).
I especially like the fact that they give nutritional information for each dish, although I wish they included fiber (and sorry folks, no carb counting). The dishes are lower in fat and lower in calories than usual, and yet they don’t require a lot of silly, time-consuming techniques to do so.
Also, many recipes have sidebars with hints about variations on the recipe, or how to use the leftovers to make a new dish.
The one thing I find a little annoying — or more, amusing — is that some of the pictures do NOT look like the finished dishes. The funniest one is the recipe for microwave polenta: the picture clearly shows *grill marks* on the polenta, yet the recipe never involves an oven or broiler, much less a grill. But the important thing is that the recipes come out tasting good.
My two favorites are Moroccan Chicken and Indonesian Rice with Chicken. The only recipe that really bombed (and we’ve probably tried 80% of them by now) was the Javanese Tempeh Curry. But the picture looks so delicious… haha.
Buy this book while you still can; I’m planning to buy all the used copies I can find to give to all my friends and relatives.
5 Stars Really like this one
This cookbook is great for those of us who are busy, but who want healthful and tasty meals. The dishes are quick and easy to prepare and use common pantry items. The nutritional content is provided for each recipe, which is great if you are watching your calorie or fat (or any other) intake. Another feature I like is a “To Your Health” box that provides interesting and pertinent nutritional information about some of the ingredients used in the recipe. I rented this from the library but plan on purchasing it–even though it is out of print now!
Diabetes Low Fat and No Fat Meals in Minutes More Than 250 Delicious Easy and Healthy Recipes and Menus for People with Diabetes Their Families and Their Friends
June 27, 2009 by Microwave Recipes · Leave a Comment
This cookbook is aimed at helping “stop heart trouble before it starts” in people with diabetes. That translates to a diet low in saturated fat (less than 10 percent of total calories). In addition, people with diabetes have other dietary challenges to manage, such as restricting sugar intake. If you know you need to make changes, but you’re not ready to switch from ham to tofu, Diabetic Low-Fat and No-Fat Meals in Minutes presents more than 250 modified recipes that fit the lower-saturated-fat requirements, avoid sugar, don’t require major taste changes, and are quick to prepare. Most of these recipes are lower-fat substitutes for familiar, fatty favorites, such as Blender Egg Nog (no fat, made with nonfat milk and egg substitute), Chicken Pot Pie, Cheese Nachos (made with reduced-fat cheese), Low-Fat Pancakes, Bean and Bacon Casserole, Chicken Chow Mein, and even Chewy Double Chocolate Cookies. Each recipe includes preparation and cooking time, and the nutritional breakdown includes calories, fat, protein, carbohydrate, cholesterol, and sodium. Additional sections, such as “Top 10 Ways to Cope with Picky Eaters” and “50 Ways to Do Without Sugar and Fat with Herbs, Spices, and Seasonings” make this cookbook even more useful. Author M.J. Smith is a registered dietician who specializes in working with people with diabetes and has written seven other cookbooks. –Joan Price
User Ratings and Reviews
4 Stars Really Tasty!
I have tried two recipes from this book and will be trying more soon. What I really love is that these recipes are not too flashy-they don’t have a million ingredients and are pretty quick to put together. For a July 4th party, I made the “Kitchen Quarterback Salsa and Bean Dip” and the “Diet Mountain Dew Salad” simultaneously while my six month old was screaming at me. I think that says a LOT about the simplicity/ease of preparation that these recipes entail.
The best part is that some of my guests were the type to gripe about low-fat/diet food and they RAVED about these dishes and asked me for the book info. That says a lot about the taste factor.
I would highly recommend this book for people that want quick diet food that actually TASTES good.
5 Stars Best “usable” cookbook for the noncooker
I bought this cookbook for my mother to use (father is diabetic and had heart bypass surgery). It has so many great recipes and lets you know what to do in order to make it have less sodium, etc. It has red meat recipes (he can’t eat that) but we just substitute fish, chicken, or turkey. It uses ingredients she actually had in the kitchen and would use again (not just for one recipe). I made the “No fat fried chicken” (a baked recipe to taste like fried) and my dad said it was the best chicken he has ever had. These recipes will dress up the same few meats so that one doesn’t get tired of the same thing and give up on a new way of life. The recipes are so, so, easy. My mother hates to cook and loves this book.
4 Stars Terrific Tasty & Easy Recipes for the Diabetic
A great source of everyday recipes for the diabetic. Recipes are easy to follow, simple to prepare, and surprisingly good. Each recipe includes exchange and nutritional information. I’ve tried three diabetic cookbooks and I find this is the only one I actually use. The rest of my family even enjoys it.
Eight Microwave Cooking Tips
June 27, 2009 by Microwave Recipes · Leave a Comment
Weight Watchers In No Time Cookbook Delicious Dishes in 20 Minutes or Less
June 26, 2009 by Microwave Recipes · Leave a Comment
Weight Watchers In No Time Cookbook Delicious Dishes in 20 Minutes or Less
The 128 recipes highlight many of your family’s favorite foods (like chicken and pasta), so you can create satisfying, from-scratch meals night after night. “In No Time” also includes recipes that work great as appetizers, easy breakfasts and fresh finishes.
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars Lightning fast delivery
I couldn’t believe how quickly this order was delivered. Everything is in excellent condition. I will do business with this seller anytime I can.
5 Stars This is a great cookbook!
I have number of Weight Watcher cookbooks but this is the one I reach for the most. The recipes are quick, use regular ingredients and are filling. I think it is one of the best Weight Watchers cookbooks out there. The omelets are family favorites as are the Chicken milanese, and a Turket cutlet recipe.
A Dinner a Day Complete Meals in Minutes for Every Weeknight of the Year
June 25, 2009 by Microwave Recipes · Leave a Comment
A Dinner a Day Complete Meals in Minutes for Every Weeknight of the Year
Containing more than one thousand recipes, all with preparation time of under an hour, a creative and practical cookbook offers 267 complete meals representing a year’s worth of weeknight meals.
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars Great Cookbook for any level cook
A Dinner A Day looks like a cookbook for beginners, but it actually has some great recipes even for more experienced cooks. Written by two working moms, the book lays out the weekday meals in menus and provides a weekly shopping list, equipment and utensils needed to prep and cook, and the order in which the meal should be prepared. The meals take from 30-60 minutes to make. My family likes the meals, which are generally healthier than average. There are many recipes featuring fish, chicken, and meatless entrees, plus some for meats such as pork, beef and lamb. The emphasis is on using fresh ingredients as much as possible, which saves money and reduces sodium and chemical additives in the diet. Recipes are for four servings—usually generous ones—and are easy to halve again or double for larger groups. I highly recommend this cookbook as both a money and a time saver for busy cooks. It would also make a great gift for someone just learning to plan and fix meals, as it covers every step involved and helps teach good nutrition.
3 Stars Almost there
I bought this a few years ago, and it is obvious that a lot of thought, care, and love went into this cookbook. At first the thought of having all the pre-work menu-planning done for me sounded appealing. But once I tried to get into the schedule, I felt suffocated. I was incredibly stressed the first two weeks. I think the problem is that although we all like new ideas, most of the time I like the tried and true. You don’t want a challenge EVERY night, and an unfamiliar recipe is always a challenge the first time. The thought of a year of this stress was just too much for me. It felt claustrophobic. Too much of a committment. Too micro-managed. Also, like some of the other reviewers, I got tired of the “cute” recipe names that didn’t always tell me what the recipe was about (Pinata Pie; Contemporary Chicken). A cute name won’t win over a picky child. What if I wasn’t in the mood for “Rat-a-Tatouille?” But if I tried to delete those ingredients from the weekly shopping list, I wasn’t sure if I was sabotaging another recipe that week that might depend on the same ingredient. As for the food, some of the dishes were–how should I put this?– terrible. However, I did find some keepers: I loved Fools Gold (mashed sweet potatoes with carrots), and was surprised how much I enjoyed Impeccable Peppers (I would never have thought of pairing allspice with red bell peppers). My recommendation is try a week of these recipes a few times a year, then go back to your normal routine in between.
5 Stars a FUN cookbook!
I love to cook and try new recipes. I’ve had this cookbook for awhile, but hadn’t ever used it until recently. I’ve started following all the recipes and trying new things. My husband is being very adventurous too! I either half the recipes, or cook for leftovers (since there are only the 2 of us)I like how the grocery list is all laid out. Because of calories I spend a few minutes before shopping and eliminate the desert items from the grocery list. My husband I only eat one desert a week,(unless it’s a fruit desert) we pick which one sounds the best and have fun with it. I have gotten him to eat artichoke hearts, spinach, and cabage… all things he said he has hated in the past! This book is a must for any family.
3 Stars Love the concept, not the recipes
I pined over this cookbook for months before I finally got it, I loved the idea of having everything planned for me, including the shopping lists. The book is laid out great and the recipes have fun and interesting titles, and are not the ’same old thing’ I had been cooking before.
BUT - I found that many of the recipes took too long to make and were too complicated for me, even though the steps are all arranged. Yes, it did take less than an hour as the authors suggest, but only barely. I don’t have an hour to spend in the kitchen every night. Every week at least 1-2 meals were things that just didn’t sound good to me, and I’m not picky. I tried a few other recipes that did sound good, and they were OK, but not great. A lot of the side dishes are too complicated for my taste, I’d rather spend time on one main dish and just put it with a salad and pasta. I don’t have the time or patience to make my own salad dressing - why bother? And each menu includes a dessert which I didn’t want. And the beauty of this cookbook (the shopping lists) is also its downfall - if you make any changes or try to take out anything the shopping list is almost useless. Plus there are some nights when I have classes and such that spending more than 15 minutes in the kitchen is not happening.
I am a person who hates to cook and can’t stand anything that takes over 1/2 hr to make. I’ll admit my standard are very high, and this didn’t live up to them. On the other hand, I gave the cookbook to my mom, and she loves it, so I guess its just a matter of lifestyle.
4 Stars Menu planning made easy
Sometimes the hardest part about cooking day after day is coming up with the menus. This has a year’s worth of weekday menus and recipes, organized seasonally. (Also bound nicely! Why don’t more publishers think about how a cookbook is used?) Complete with a shopping list for each week and balanced meals. My only complaint is it’s hard to find a recipe you want to repeat because of the “cute” names. A minor flaw though.
Mix n Match Meals in Minutes for People with Diabetes
June 23, 2009 by Microwave Recipes · Leave a Comment
Mix n Match Meals in Minutes for People with Diabetes
Diabetics may also turn to Linda Gassenheimer’s Mix ‘n Match Meals in Minutes for People with Diabetes. Gassenheimer seeks to make following a limited regimen easier by restricting kitchen preparation time. She also gives advice on shopping efficiently to save even more time and energy. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner all figure into Gassenheimer’s dietary recommendations. Breakfasts focus on low-carbohydrate eggs prepared as omelets with assorted savory stuffings. Dinners range widely among goulashes and Chinese, Korean, and Italian offerings. All recipes are designed to serve two, and many dishes can be frozen for future consumption. Mark Knoblauch
Copyright
Weight Watchers Meals in Minutes Cookbook
June 22, 2009 by Microwave Recipes · Leave a Comment
Weight Watchers Meals in Minutes Cookbook
Weight Watchers’ “60-Minute Gourmet,” with some 300 quick recipes, 100 of them for the microwave. The dishes are less fussy and cutesy than in some Weight Watchers’ cookbooks; some are standard, but others are more thoughtful (although the idea of a caviar-Cool Whip dip is a bit hard to take). For some reason–to make the ingredients lists appear shorter?–many recipes lump disparate ingredients together, as in ” cup each pearl onions, sliced carrots, and canned beef broth,” which can be confusing. Still, bound to be popular.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.
FitKid7 7 Simple Steps for a Fit and Healthy Child
June 20, 2009 by Microwave Recipes · Leave a Comment
FitKid7 7 Simple Steps for a Fit and Healthy Child
“A great book for all parents who are sick of diets and worried about their children’s health and Happiness.” –Anne Seymour Social Worker
“If you require a simple health & wellbeing plan, that is easy to apply & maintain then ‘FitKid7′ is the book for you. Sirkka Wolke’s conversational approach is reassuring, yet confrontational enough to inspire action! Speaking from her experience as an aware mother & Nutritional Expert she responds to the current problem of children’s diminshing health & fitness levels. More importantly, what we can do about it! Complacenecy costs- can your child afford to pay the price? There are great tips on how to make the changes & the menu ideas help plan ahead in a busy week to prevent self-sabotage. Apply the ideas from ‘FitKid7′ & the results will positively shout for themselves!! –Catherine Wernick Editor
In this day and age, the health of our children is seriously at risk. The childhood obesity rates are rising and our kids spend too much time sedentary. Our lives our super-charged, too busy and we often, too often, turn to pre-prepared or fast food to rescue us. And be sure to Super-Size it. We really need to stop it, but it s hard enough to get through our days we need an easy solution and FitKid7 is certainly a great guide to follow. Best of all, it s pretty easy. The author, Sirkka Wolke, a nutritional consultant and mom guides you through 7 very simple steps to change the eating habits of both parents and children. Yes, you do need to be a role model for your kids if you want them to eat better, you need to eat better as well. FitKid7 guides you through easy to follow steps and offers lots of additional advise and tips to help change those eating habits for good. The book is perfect for moms, it s a quick and easy read and broken up into small easy to handle chapters. There are even some easy recipes for the authors favorite dishes. –Bee- Mom2momlounge.com
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars Easy To Read Facts and Plan
I am the mother of two children and I found Wolke’s book to be a great book, with the information presented in systematic, but clearly understandable way. It is filled with practical ideas to on how to implement long term dietary habits for the whole family.
I really like the fact that Wolke discusses a healthy eating plan and is able to explain her reasoning from a professional point of view as well via personal reflections and anecdotes.
Her comments on the eating habits of school camps, children’s sports and school food alone are worth the read.
This books educates the parent and explains how to convey knowledge to children in ways they will grasp, which is ultimately what we want as parents. We hope that children will understand and value healthy eating, so they no longer have to swing from one extreme to the other.
The seven steps tie everything together in a concrete way and Wolke keeps her style warm, encouraging, yet uncompromising all the way through.
This is no fad to follow, it is a flexible, professionally crafted plan that will encourage and empower parents to implement life long healthy eating, exercising and communication around these issues. If all families could follow a basic plan such as FitKid7 from the start, they would be taking positive steps in navigating such issues as eat
4 Stars Good First Step
Let me preface this review by stating that I do not have children. However, I was one (weren’t we all?), and I did babysit for many, many years. Take my opinion about “FitKid7: 7 Simple Steps for a Fit & Healthy Child” as you will with this knowledge. A how-to book of any sort requires two basic things. First, it must be written so that the reader, any reader, can understand it. Second, it must have clear directions and advice to follow. Given these criteria, does Sirkka Wolke’s book qualify as a great investment of your money?
The book is divided into three basic parts. The first part lays out the steps to take. The 7 basic steps are easy to understand, because Wolke writes in an approachable, conversational tone. Frankly, her advice isn’t all that new. The only truly new thing I saw was the idea that you should not keep anything that isn’t healthy in your house. The rest, ranging from water as your primary liquid to a positive attitude, is very common in discussions of good health.
My biggest complaint in this first part is that there are a lot of how-to directions and advice that seem missing. I think many of these steps would be easy to put into place at the beginning of your family from the moment you get married or paired up or buy a house, and certainly before you have children. However, I can see many people buying this book who have older kids or teenagers, and I think much more practical advice is called for, such as how you convince your spouse or partner to get on board and how you deal with the stronger peer pressures and school access at the junior high and high school level.
In the second part of the book, Wolke looks at several factors that contribute to unhealthy behavior and eating patterns. Much of this is social, from the role of business to the pressure to succeed and passive entertainment. Again, there are several factors that are not deeply enough addressed, such as the American idea that dinner or supper should be the biggest meal of the day. Outside of the social factors, Wolke only pays brief attention to biology, and I’m not talking genes that make you fat. What about the fact that fats and sugars taste good to us? She mentions repeatedly the idea that our bodies can easily think we are starving, but how do you counter that long-standing biology in a world where we do not need to move as much and food production is incredible?
Of course, there are no easy answers for these issues, but I remember that my old private nutritionist looked at my ethnic background when she came up with a food plan for me. She considered not just my environment but my genetic background, and in her wise words she doubted I’d ever look like a supermodel because I came from “strong peasant stock,” where big, strong women were a plus. Wolke focuses on health, not weight, though she does raise the weight issue a few times. I was very happy that she did not promote those height/weight/age charts that are generic. I also was very glad that she emphasized that stress and mental health are just as important or more important than the shape and size of your body.
The third part of Wolke’s book looks at the various measures you can take to make these changes. Again, I think more could be said here, and the general advice consists of things I’ve heard and read repeatedly. She does list a few references for her advice, but more would also please the scholar in me. Of course, you can learn all you want but you have to make the actions match the information. As a person who has slowly added more fiber and leaner meats to her adult family’s diet, let me tell you that it can be emotionally draining to stay the course in the face of opposition. Yes, even adults can be picky eaters, and I’m no exception.
The book ends with several sections that offer further information, such as an ideal shopping list, recipes, meal ideas, and resources you can use. I think the resources and bibliography need to be much longer. I also want to know where Wolke received her degrees in nutrition and whom/how she consults? I think knowing that would add more authority to her words.
“FitKid7″ is a simple, fast read with good steps to take to help your children become more health-conscious and active people. It is really too short, though, at just over 100 pages, to give a lot of strong practical suggestions. Perhaps Wolke hopes you will consult with your own health care professional, but I would have liked more ideas for making this all work. The book is a good first step, but it won’t answer all your questions.
4 Stars Should be a Standard Read
Sirkka Wolke, drawing on her extensive expertise, addresses a growing health crisis in the world concerning our children in a forthright way that underscores the importance of raising healthy, fit kids and outlines how to execute this easily. Although many adults attempt to get fit themselves, they tend to ignore their kids. This book accomplishes what the author set out to do–to make us take notice of what we are feeding our children for the sake of their future. This should be a standard read for all parents and those who work with children.
…Teacher, mother of 2….
4 Stars A Good Place to Start
If you are new to the world of nutrition/lifestyle and you seriously want to get your kids’ health issues straightened out, then Fitkid7 is a good place to start. Sirkka Wolke offers information and advice on nutrition in combination with lifestyle suggestions specifically aimed and kids and families. Wolke combines her knowledge and enthusiasm in a conversational writing style which will most appeal to those who find textbook approaches to nutrition daunting.
Personally, while reading the book I felt encouraged to tidy up my own eating habits. Inevitably my kids benefitted from my choice to change my diet! However, though Wolke is passionate about her subject, I found the overuse of exclamation marks irritating. I also found myself wishing Wolke had sited more research when making claims. In any case, if you are fervently searching for help in getting your kids to make better diet and fitness choices, Fitkid7 might be for you.
4 Stars Does this book expect your kids to live on fruits and rabbit food?
No, plus my kids enjoyed the many ways on eating healthy from this book. We all want our children to be fit and healthy, but the current invasion of fast food, sugary snacks, and oversize portions are creating an epidemic of overweight, inactive, and unhealthy kids. The powerful influences of the fast-food industry, omnipresent junk food advertising, and the vicious cycle of TV, computer games, and Internet addictions only make our children more susceptible to a sedentary lifestyle and a lifetime of bad habits and obesity. Dedicated mom and Nutritional Consultant Sirkka Wolke says it’s time to say good-bye to sugarcoated cereals, artificially colored cheese puffs, oceans of sugary soft drinks, nutritionally deficient school lunches, and fast-food super meals!
This book is not a diet which will make the transition even better for not only for yourself but for your child. In “FitKid 7″ she shows you how to create a healthy, balanced lifestyle for your kids and how to make the transition from dairy-, fat-, sugar-, and chemical-laden foods to the vibrant, natural, nourishing foods we were all meant to eat.
You’ll find general dietary guidelines for healthy eating for active kids, as well as tips on pre- and post-exercise nutrition, staying hydrated while exercising, and healthy snacks. This book offers a proven plan to help parents and kids alike learn to eat healthier and feel better, it features:
The Fitkid 7 Steps
Why is it happening?
The Tools We need
Harmful Foo Additives List
Great Ideas for Meals and Snacks
List of Extra Tips
Fit and Healthy foods does equal Healthy Children. “FitKid 7″ provides the essential information on creating a lifetime of nutritional eating habits for your children. Highly recommended to those who care.
Weight Watchers Meals in Minutes 150 Speedy Recipes Low in Points Values
June 18, 2009 by Microwave Recipes · Leave a Comment
Weight Watchers Meals in Minutes 150 Speedy Recipes Low in Points Values
