The Low-Carb Gourmet

Steve Pitt is a Toronto-based freelance writer and an award-winning journalist. He has written many young adult and children's books, including Day of the Flying Fox: The True Story of World War II Pilot Charley Fox.

When chef Karen Barnaby began tipping the scales at 235 pounds, she knew
she had to radically change her lifestyle. She tried a low-carbohydrate
Atkins-style diet but lost only 10 pounds in 10 months while being
continually haunted by intense cravings. Through research and
experimentation, she developed a repertoire of her own recipes that she
says has enabled her to drop 70 pounds as well as lower her blood
pressure and cholesterol levels. This book is a collection of those
recipes.

In her introduction, Barnaby explains her theories about low-carb
cooking and some of the hidden traps that can snare an unwary dieter.
For example, while fat is “good” in a low-carb diet, transfats and
rancid fat (such as salted butter) are not good. Barnaby also tips her
culinary hand in her recommended ingredient lists—most of which come
from Chinese, Japanese, and Italian sources.

The result is recipes like Roasted Red Pepper and Sausage Frittata,
Curried Tofu and Mushroom Pepper Scramble, Mushroom Tapenade, Prawns
with Peppery Garlic Vinaigrette, Shrimp and Nori Rolls, Stir-Fried
Endame with Garlic, Tofu-Roni and Cheese, Parmesan-Stuffed Eggs with
Toasted Almonds, Thai Prawn Soup, Warm Steak Salad with Creamy Salsa
Dressing, and Daikon Cakes. There is even an ample dessert section with
offerings ranging from cheesecake to strawberry shortcake.

Barnaby dodges the carb bullet in ingenious ways. For example, she
makes lasagna noodles out of eggs, whipping cream, and three types of
cheese. She also uses spaghetti squash as a pasta substitute in two
separate recipes. An index and recipe nutrient chart are included. Even
if you are not watching your weight, the recipes in the book (for cooks
at an intermediate-and-up skill level) will definitely appeal to all
lovers of fine food.