Liz Applegate, a popular lecturer at UC Davis, specializes in sharing important information about nutrition in a down-to-Earth way, guaranteed not to make you feel guilty.

So those of you interested in diet modification, those of you who have been afraid to pick up a book because you're afraid of finding out all the things you've been doing wrong, take heart. Her new book, "Eat Your Way to a Healthy Heart" (Prentice Hall Press, 1999, $20) is practical, non-threatening and fun to read.

How can you go wrong with a nutrition book that devotes a full page to new research on chocolate? You can't.

She says Associate Professor Andrew Waterhouse of UCD's department of enology has found that chocolate contains significant amounts of phenols, the same protective agent in red wine, which fight against heart disease.

"When all is said and done, chocolate isn't as bad as you may have thought," says Applegate. "But as with anything, moderation is the key. The bottom line for chocolate fans is to keep portion sizes small and stick with dark chocolate, which has a greater phenol content than milk chocolate. Or better yet, make hot chocolate with cocoa powder and nonfat milk. Here you get a dose of phenols (along with calcium) with only a speck of fat."

But Applegate doesn't sugar-coat the bad news about heart disease facing all of us. Instead, she emphasizes the positive role that food can play in keeping your heart healthy. She describes 100 common and delicious foods that can protect your heart, dozens of easy recipes, and lots of tips on healthful strategies for eating out and food shopping. For instance, did you know that avocados contain a monounsaturated fat that actually lowers blood cholesterol levels?

Applegate will sign copies of her book at The Avid Reader in Davis on Friday, Aug. 27.

Another excellent recipe and nutrition book is "Stealth Health: How to Sneak Nutrition Painlessly into Your Diet" by Evelyn Tribole (Viking, 1998, $24.95)

Both women have the same idea - they have written books designed to get us to eat better foods in spite of ourselves. Both women also describe nutrition research taking place that is sure to encourage the most recalcitrant eater.

Tribole, who lives in Southern California, suggests that the person who hates milk can try drinking it in a caffe latte, while vegetable haters will love a hearty spaghetti sauce that has finely chopped spinach masquerading as basil. Those who don't particularly like fruit, or don't eat enough, will gobble up her strawberry and cream pie, where over half the strawberries are pureed and incorporated into the pie along with gelatin and nonfat cottage cheese. She comes up with some wonderfully creative and tasty ideas.

Finally, Michele Anna Jordan of the San Francisco Bay Area has written her 10th book, "Salt and Pepper" (Broadway Books, 1999, $25), which really does tell the complete story of two of the world's most essential seasonings.

She sorts through the confusing array of salts and peppers now on the market shelves and offers simple, clear guidelines in helpful usage charts, a comprehensive glossary, and a resource guide. She also includes 135 recipes that illustrate the ability of salt and pepper to transform foods and make their flavors blossom.

Jordan explains the classic cooking techniques of salt curing, brining, preserving, and roasting in salt crusts and doughs and explores the traditional spice blends from countries such as France, Japan and Malaysia, which depend on black pepper for their character.

Last winter, Jordan and I had dinner at Dos Coyotes in Davis and I can't remember her saying a single thing about either salt or pepper. I remember being stunned because she told me that she didn't like desserts. I didn't know there was really anyone like that on Earth, much less a cookbook writer.

"I was born without a sweet tooth," she said. I should have guessed that a book about salt and pepper was on its way.

Each one of these three books is filled with good ideas for healthy summertime cooking. (And Jordan will quickly convince you that salt is not bad for you.)

So try something new this summer, like a delicious healthy recipe. There are lots to choose from.

To inquire about ordering any of the above mentioned books from an independent bookstore,
Bogey's Books at discounted prices [ Click Here ]

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