Calorie Bargain: Cooking Light Comfort Food, by the Editors of Cooking Light Magazine (Oxmoor House, 2011)
The Why: Most comfort food is normally very high in calories — think about fried chicken, mac and cheese, grilled cheese, meatloaf and brownies. However, Cooking Light's book lightens more than 200 of these comfort foods and shows us more than 200 mouthwatering full-color images. From the publisher: "Packed with helpful tips and colorful photos, Cooking Light Comfort Food is loaded with special features: ‘5 Ways with ...’ provides readers with five unique recipes for enjoying classics like mashed potatoes, meatloaf and mac and cheese. ‘Recipe Makeovers’ highlights a reader-submitted recipe and how it is made healthier, while keeping it delicious at the same time. Saving time is always important to busy home cooks, so ‘30 Minutes or Less’ icons showcase super-quick and easy recipes."
The Health Bonus: Low-calorie, tasty recipes, many in the 250-400 calorie range.
What We Liked Best: Lots of photos, cooking techniques, ingredient prep advice and detailed nutritional information.
The Price: $24.95
Where to Buy: Bookstores, Amazon.com, and BN.com
Calorie Bargain: The Part-Time Vegan: 201 Yummy Recipes That Put the Fun in Flexitarian, by Cherise Grifoni (Adams Media, 2011)
The Why: Veganism is on fire, with celebrities such as Bill Clinton, Ellen DeGeneres, Alicia Silverstone and even Mike Tyson singing the praises of the vegan lifestyle. This book has 300 recipes including: Purely Vegan Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread; Lean, Mean, Black Bean Guacamole; Very Vegan Potato Pesto Salad; Spicy Roasted Tomato Soup; Roasted-Garlic Mashed Taters; Spanish Artichoke and Zucchini Paella; and Barley Pilaf with Edamame and Roasted Red Pepper.
The Health Bonus: You'll eat more vegetables for sure.
What We Liked Best: Easy-to-follow recipes, but it would be nice if there was nutritional information for each recipe.
The Price: $15.95
Where to Buy: Bookstores, Amazon.com, and BN.com
Calorie Bargain: Stonehouse 27 Dates & Tamarind Cooking Sauce with roasted chiles and garlic
The Why: This sauce, inspired by Portuguese and British Indian cuisines, provides an explosion of delicious flavor — I really loved the taste and the low calories. The spicy and sweet combination works very well.
The Health Bonus: It's vegan, low-sodium, gluten-free, all-natural and has no refined sugar.
What We Liked Best: The very clean ingredients list — you can pronounce everything on it.
The Price: $6.49 per jar
Where to Buy: Online from www.stonehouse27.com, or you can check your local supermarket.
Nutrition Information: (1/3 cup): 70 calories; 2.5 g fat; 11 g carbs; 1 g fiber; 1 g protein; 10 mg sodium.
Ingredients: Onions, date puree, vinegar, water, GMO free expeller pressed canola oil, spices, garlic, tamarind, green chili.
Calorie Bargain: ACE Fitness 2011 Kick Start Online Workout Guide (Videos included)
The Why: Looking for a good solid workout? The American Council on Exercise offers a free 12-week fitness program. The goal of this workout, according to the ACE, is "to build total body strength, enhance cardiovascular endurance, gain muscular definition, lose weight, improve health and increase energy." Additionally, "It’s a great beginner-level program for those new to exercise, or it can be used as a valuable dynamic warm-up for the more advanced."
The Health Bonus: No gym needed to get healthy.
What We Liked Best: It's a great, well-rounded workout that is free on the Internet, and it includes videos and step-by-step instructions.
The Price: Free
Where to Buy: www.acefitness.org/article/3159/
Calorie Bargain: Hungry Girl 300 Under 300, by Lisa Lillien (St. Martin’s Griffin, 2011)
The Why: Lisa Lillien has another winner on her hands. Along with her wonderful TV show and her other great books, Lisa now offers great breakfasts, lunches and dinners that are all under 300 calories. Here are a few of her new recipes: Bean ’n Cheesy Soft Taco in an Egg Mug, PB&J Oatmeal Heaven, Creamy Crab Cakes Benedict, Classic Cheesesteak Salad, Dreamy Butternut Chicken Foil Pack, Burger-ific Mushroom Melt, Buffalo Chicken Wing Macaroni & Cheese, BLT Pizza, Big Apple Butternut Squash Soup, and Loaded Bacon-Wrapped Hot Dogs.
The Health Bonus: Eat 300 calories for breakfast, lunch and dinner (with some snacks, of course) and you will more than likely lose weight.
What We Liked Best: Lisa makes cooking and eating fun.
The Price: $22.99
Where to Buy: Bookstores, Amazon.com, and BN.com
Calorie Bargain: Tabatchnick Barley & Mushroom Soup Singles
The Why: The soup tastes great; it's low in calories and high in fiber.
The Health Bonus: It comes frozen in a safe, BPA (bisphenol-A) free, single-serving bowl that is both microwavable and oven-safe to 350 degrees so it’s easy to heat and serve.
What We Liked Best: Taste, calorie-level and pronounceable ingredients.
The Price: Average price is $5 for five.
Where to Buy: Check your local supermarket or visit www.tabatchnick.com/barleymushroombowl.htm
Nutrition Information: (1 bowl): 120 calories, 1.5 g fat; 24 g carbs; 5 g fiber; 4 g protein; 540 mg sodium.
Ingredients: Water, barley, carrots, mushrooms, onions, celery, corn starch, salt, spices, canola oil/soybean oil, mirepoix (vegetables [carrots, celery, onions], sugar, salt, corn starch, natural flavor), xanthan gum, garlic, natural flavors and annatto extract.