This article first appeared here: www.gazette.com
By Teresa Farney • Updated: July 14, 2015 at 11:46 am
Eat Well: Cookbook authors cover healthy eating in new books
A couple of interesting cookbooks crossed my desk recently: “Beyond the Mediterranean Diet – European Secrets of the Super-Healthy” and “Secrets of Healthy Cooking – A Guide to Simplifying the Art of Heart Healthy and Diabetic Cooking.”
Layne Lieberman, a dietitian who lives part-time in Boulder, was a finalist in the “Best Indie Books of 2015” by the Independent Book Publishing Professionals Group, in May for her “Beyond the Mediterranean Diet – European Secrets of the Super-Healthy.”
The first book, by Layne Lieberman, a dietitian and culinary consultant who lives part time in Boulder, examines the cuisines and lifestyles of Switzerland, Italy and France.
“These three countries have amazing health statistics with the best health scores in the world,” she said.
In the book, Lieberman writes, “According to recent National Research Council’s comparison of longevity for the world’s 17 most affluent countries, Switzerland ranks number 2, Italy ranks number 4 and France ranks number 5. (Japan ranks number 1). Sadly, the United States ranks last.”
She points out that those three nations have the longest life expectancies and some of the lower rates of heart disease, diabetes and obesity in Europe – despite the fact that pasta, cheese, bread, chocolate and wine are at the center of their menus.
The first part of the book explores the foods and lifestyles of these countries. The second part offers six easy steps to adopting the European-style diet, helpful shopping tips and a guide to ordering when dining out. The final part includes recipes complete with nutritional analyses.
Lieberman’s journey into becoming a health professional began in childhood when, at age 9, she was diagnosed with dangerously high cholesterol.
“My world fell apart,” she said. “But I learned I could control the condition through diet.”
She said good-bye to Twinkies and Deviled Dogs and replaced meats with legumes, poultry and fish. She also discovered tofu, lentils and brown rice.
Lieberman is recognized as an expert in the field of nutrition, noting in her book, “Doctors, coaches and counselors who call themselves ‘diet experts’ often have no comprehensive training in nutrition; so if you’re seeking dietary advice, be sure they have an RD (registered dietitian) after their names.”
So why did Lieberman choose to base the book on these countries?
“My husband received a job offer in Geneva, Switzerland,” she said. “We spent two years there, so I had time to research and enjoy the healthy ways they eat, shop and cook.”
Her cookbook is available at Barnes & Noble, and you can learn more about Lieberman at her website, WorldRD.com.
The second book is by Barbara Seelig-Brown with “Stress Free Cooking,” a TV show, website, book and blog. In addition to this book, the New Jersey-based author has written four books for the American Diabetic Association: “The Diabetes Seafood Cookbook,” “The Stress Free Diabetes Kitchen,” “The Healthy Home” and “Secrets of Healthy Cooking.”
“Secrets of Healthy Cooking” is fantastic for the beginning cook who is interested in eating healthy. It covers the basics such as stocking the pantry, storing different types of foods, shopping the best grocery aisles, following recipes and learning the lingo via a kitchen glossary.
Many of the book’s recipes have step-by-step color photographs detailing things such as how to cut a tomato or garlic and how to make pizza dough. The recipes are simple, with limited ingredient lists. Different methods of cooking are covered: no-cook, stove-top, oven, grilling and slow cookers. And all the recipes have nutritional analyses, with exchanges for those who follow a diabetic program.
This is definitely a go-to cookbook for students heading to college or those who haven’t embraced their inner cook and need to learn how to improve their health through diet. It is available in bookstores or at shop diabetes.org.
Visit stressfreecooking.com to learn more about Seelig-Brown and find more recipes.