The Low-Carb Gourmet
250 Delicious and Satisfying Recipes  
By Karen Barnaby

    Karen Barnaby is an executive chef. Her sixth cookbook is her two cents in the latest diet craze -- low-carb eating. Some treat the latest craze as a diet while others prefer to live a low-carb way similar those who are vegetarians. One thing dieters should remember is that low-carb usually means high in fat, so you will be making a trade off. Believe it or not, there are those who feel it’s worth it.

   Barnaby begins by explaining low-carb eating.

“. . . controlling or restricting your intake of carbohydrates, you will control the release of insulin. Controlling insulin is the key that helps your body burn fat instead of storing it and that helps control appetite and cravings.”

    The first chapter is about various subjects -- beginning the lifestyle change, how to low-carb shop in gourmet foods stores (Japanese, Chinese, Italian deli). The cookbook does have a little something for everyone, even though it’s a “gourmet” low-carb cookbook. The author starts off by recommending anything for breakfast. She then goes into various recipes, some quite unusual, such as Flax Porridge, Cheesecake Pancakes, and Norma June’s Spaghetti Squash Breakfast Casserole. In the snack section, the author reminds readers that snacks keep the blood sugar level. In the soup section there is a wide variety of recipes. I personally enjoyed Chilled Cucumber and Avocado soup. Included in the section is a “What to Eat When You are Sick” table with some valuable low-carb, health conscious information. Typically following a soup section would be a chapter of salad recipes. The author reminds readers there is more to a salad then Iceberg lettuce. In her eclectic group of salad recipes, she includes homemade dressing recipes like Basic vinaigrette, Caesar Dressing, Blue Cheese, Ranch, and Japanese-style Sesame Ginger Dressing. “A plainly cooked piece of chicken can be quite sexy when it’s sitting beside a luscious vegetable dish . . .” The author shows us what she means with dishes like Broccoli Italianissimo - broccoli with olive oil, garlic anchovy fillets, sea salt and parmesian cheese. Green Beans with Eggs and Nutmeg - eggs, parsley, green onion tops, nutmeg, sea salt, green beans, olive oil, red wine vinegar. There are four cauliflower recipes. Let’s not forget the fish section, which most dieters look forward to. The author includes recipes for Salmon, tuna, halibut, clams, prawns, mussels. The other meat recipes are Chicken and Turkey, Beef, Pork and Lamb. At the end, the author lists Sauces and Condiments (basic BBQ sauce and ketchup to Grainy Mustard and Vermouth Sauce and my favorite Basil Pesto). In the dessert ch! apter the author recommends keeping them to special occasions and recommends sweeteners to sugar. In the end, there are two pages listing essentials one needs to stock up for low carb baking.

    This is truly a treasure trove for gourmet cooks looking to extend their health conscious cooking skills. For the rest of us, it’s a collection of recipes that will take us a step beyond typical cooking. Cooks can expect to learn and enjoy with this one.