The Complete Light Kitchen.

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.

Rose Reisman is the author of 17 cookbooks. With a family history of high cholesterol, obesity, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes, Reisman realized that she needed to find ways to eat healthily while still enjoying the food she cooked. In a few short years she became Canada’s Queen of Lean by creating hundreds of low-calorie recipes and sensible eating strategies. This book is a collection of more than 100 of Reisman’s favourite recipes developed over nearly two decades in the food business.

The book begins with an introduction to Reisman’s basic philosophies about food. For example, one of the keys, Reisman believes, to controlling calories is to carefully plan every meal instead of dashing something together at the last minute. This ensures that all the right ingredients are on hand and you don’t have to make unhealthy substitutions. She doesn’t preach but she states what works for her and lets readers make up their own minds about what might work for them. The recipes are divided into familiar categories: “Breakfast and Brunch,” “Appetizers,” “Salads,” “Soups,” “Fish and Seafood,” “Chicken,” “Meat,” “Pasta and Grains,” “Vegetables,” “Stir-fries,” “Chilies and Burgers,” “Sandwiches and Wraps,” “Dressings and Sauces,” and “Desserts.” If anyone thinks that eating well means denial, they are in for a pleasant surprise. There are favourite lean choices like Hummus and Italian Bean Pasta Salad, but the majority of the recipes are so luxurious most readers will feel downright spoiled. It is hard to remember you are on a diet while sitting down to Hot Crab and Artichoke Dip, Prime Veal Chop with Pesto and Feta Cheese, Roasted Seafood over Linguini with Lemon Olive Oil, Orange Soy-Glazed Swordfish with Mushrooms, and Chocolate Fudge Cheesecake. Nutritional analyses including sodium, fat, carbohydrates contents, and calories per serving accompany each recipe. Many of the recipes come with a cooking hint or suggested ingredient substitution for lower calories or less sodium. A very thorough index is included in the back, and dozens of beautiful full-colour photographs support the text. This book belongs in the kitchen of anyone who likes food, not just people who have high cholesterol or type 2 diabetes or who are trying to lose weight.