Favorite lowish calorie cook books

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SymphonynSonata
SymphonynSonata Posts: 533 Member
in Recipes
I'm looking for some new recipes. I like hungry girl but a lot of her items are "diet" and hard for me to find in stores (like 40 calorie hot dogs). The more readily available ingredients, the better. Preferably 500ish calories and under overall, more is okay too, with filling serving sizes. Ty in advance for any recommendations!

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  • stiobhard
    stiobhard Posts: 140 Member
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    my best suggestion is "from a traditional greek kitchen" by aphrodite polemis.

    all the recipes have full nutritional info for each... calories, protein, fat, carbohydrytes.
    I didnt see any recipe over 500 cals and most are more like 130-160. (some of the sides are under 100.)
    All the recipes are vegetarian as it is published by the same place as louise hagler's farm cookbook.
    (your profile says you are eating vegan so this shouldnt be a problem, there are some recipes that call for
    cheese, butter or rarely, eggs, but you can substitute)


    This book was my first introduction to greek cooking and it is still my fav of the four books I have on that.
    (and every recipe I have tried is delicious) if you need
    inspiration its a good place to start.

    most of the ingredients are pretty straight forward.... there are some ingredients that greek specific.... but they are occasional and there are usually substitutions... and some are probably not that hard to find these days... (phyllo or tahini or orzo for example) and 90% of the ingredients are ordinary produce items... tomatoes, parsley, eggplant, etc.

    most of the recipes make 4-6 servings which is pretty standard.

    hope this is helpful!!
  • BrouhardRj
    BrouhardRj Posts: 21 Member
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    These book are great.. I can finally eat real food again.. even cake...

    Eat What You Love: More than 300 Incredible Recipes Low in Sugar, Fat, and Calories
    Marlene Koch (Author)

    Also Eat What You Love--Everyday!: 200 All-New, Great-Tasting Recipes Low in Sugar, Fat, and Calories
    by Marlene Koch...

    I also like Bobby Deen's Everyday Eats: 120 All-New Recipes, All Under 350 Calories, All Under 30 Minutes

    Hope this helps...
  • bingefreeaubree
    bingefreeaubree Posts: 220 Member
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    I have a cook book that was really cheap I got on Amazon and I love it! It's vegetarian; it's called- Vegetarian Times Low-Fat and Fast :happy:
  • pookiepie1
    pookiepie1 Posts: 13 Member
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    I love the hairy bikers diet books. The food is so tasty and each recipe calorie counted. They have a variety of recipes from breakfasts, lunchs and suppers plus dessert and sides. I use them a lot. Recipes range from comfort foods like stews, through to takeaway alternatives and foreign foods. Am trying all the recipes and so far only one that I would not make again. For me they are my bibles.
  • salembambi
    salembambi Posts: 5,592 Member
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    appetite for reduction by Isa Chandra Moskowitz
  • OPile
    OPile Posts: 104 Member
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    The Hairy Dieters. Without a doubt. The results are so delicious. We eat from the book most nights.
  • divvyh
    divvyh Posts: 32 Member
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    I find in general when I buy cook books I usually only try one or two of the recipes in it and overall feel like I've wasted money, but I've been finding a lot of great recipes for free on the Cooking Light magazine's website. Most of the ones I've tried have already been entered in the MFP database too.
  • wthetri01
    wthetri01 Posts: 13
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    Get the Taste of Home Comfort Food Diet cookbook, I got mine at Walmart, but sure you can get it online or where ever.

    It has a food/diet plan consisting of 1400 or 1500 calories a day, all sorts of recipes from 50 to 450 calories consisting of foods that are normal! I mean foods that you like, and foods that you can find at any grocery store. Really, this is a good cook book for only 16 bucks. I just got mine, made the baked chicken fajita recipe for less than 400 calories and it was so easy and so good. You just use chicken breasts, throw on some chili spice, and some cumin (used a little less than they called for), green and red bell peppers, onions, canned diced tomatoes, and a little olive oil, throw it in the oven, and you have chicken fajita mixture ready to throw in shells. The book has all kinds of desert recipes, breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a section of slow cooker recipes. Really, it’s a good one, and I am from the Midwest who likes comfort food!
  • CaraRahl
    CaraRahl Posts: 72 Member
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    my favorite is the Looneyspoons cookbook...real food, puns for recipe titles, and you'll actually be able to find all the ingredients in your average grocery store
  • Elsie_Brownraisin
    Elsie_Brownraisin Posts: 786 Member
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    I really like the Moosewood Collective cookbook, some nice summer salady recipes/cold soups and vegetarian food, especially if cooking for a few people. But I really didn't get on with the low fat book of theirs, bleuch.

    Another vote for the Hairy Bikers too.

    If I can get a cookbook out of the library, I usually try it out before purchasing.
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
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    Anything from Cooking Light.
    Martha Stewart, Everyday Food Light and Everyday Food Fast
  • stiobhard
    stiobhard Posts: 140 Member
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    I really like the Moosewood Collective cookbook, some nice summer salady recipes/cold soups and vegetarian food, especially if cooking for a few people. But I really didn't get on with the low fat book of theirs, bleuch.

    which moosewood? i love the recipes in sundays at moosewood but its the only one i have cooked from. I wasnt aware if they were calorie aware...
    Isa Chandra Moskowitz
    hehe. I have met her once and shes on my facebook. I havent tried her books but her buddy from the post-punk kitchen, Terry Hope Romero.... Id swear by Terry Romero's Viva Vegan book. again dont know what the calories are like on the recipes.... (since that was the original question in this thread) but the recipes are delicious, simple and cheap. And if you are looking for a vegan recipe with a latin american emphasis then its second to none.... I was eatig her chimichurri baked tofu last week. definitely a book i pull out again and again.
  • Swimnessa
    Swimnessa Posts: 44
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    I totally agree with the cooking light magazine and website. They also have a cookbook that I am currently using as my dieting bible called: Mix and Match low calorie cookbook. It has breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks and no matter how you mix it up it is under 1500 calories for the day if you stay within their serving guidelines. They have easy to assemble meals, which are great for busy weeknights and then weekend meals that take a little more prep. My kids and husband (who hates to eat healthy) LOVED the chicken bacon ranch mac and cheese. It was sooooo good.

    This week our dinners are all out of that book and we are having:
    slow cooker chili
    almond stuffed chicken
    roasted talapia with orange parsley salsa
    greek shrimp and asparagus risotto with fennel salad
    chicken carne asada tacos.
  • tudazies
    tudazies Posts: 50 Member
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    Gotta check some of these out.
  • LyneLM
    LyneLM Posts: 76 Member
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    Any of the South Beach Diet cookbooks. I have tons of cookbooks of all kinds, but the ones I have used the most, and made recipes over and over again, are from the South Beach Diet cookbooks. And not only for me: I have used some of those to prepare meals when I was having company over. Tasty recipes, nobody even knew they were in fact healthy.

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