Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites

October 2, 1996
The Moosewood Collective delivers toothsome fare for health-conscious carnivores as well as vegetarians in their latest collection (which joins Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant, Moosewood Restaurant Cooks for a Crowd, etc.). With an average of 16% of calories from fat, these 250 recipes rely on fruits, vegetables and grains for high variety, taste and nourishment. A brief introduction gives general tips for low-fat cooking and eating; e.g., use evaporated skim milk in place of cream, applesauce instead of oil. Recipes range from appetizers to savory soups, Mediterranean- and Asian-inspired dishes, main dish salads and desserts. Most appealing is finding low-fat variations on familiar favorites: cottage cheese adds heft without calories to both Guacamole and Macaroni and Cheese; Another Shepherd's Pie is hearty with vegetables, a mashed potato crust and flourless mushroom gravy. Penne with Creamy Walnut Sauce might even fool a fat lover. Herbs and spices are used lavishly and to excellent effect: in Sweet and Sour Lentils, Asian seasonings (ginger, soy sauce, rice vinegar) substitute for curry. Each recipe is followed by nutritional analysis and menu suggestions. Illustrations not seen by PW. One Spirit, Good Cook and Prevention Book Club selections; BOMC alternate; authors tour.

September 15, 1996
The Moosewood series of vegetarian cookbooks continues with a new volume that jumps on the current bandwagon of low-fat cookery. Vegetarian cooks haven't always worried about the fat content of their recipes, but now the marriage of vegetarianism to a broader conception of health consciousness has created a new style of cooking that concerns itself not only with the elimination of meats but also with those fats that derive from vegetable sources as well. In the eclectic fashion cooks have come to expect from the Moosewood group, their new book ranges broadly from Armenian-influenced entrees to sushi rice salad. A few recipes for fish and shellfish run counter to the book's vegetarian emphasis. Some attempts to create both a vegetarian and a low-fat version of a classic like cassoulet fall into the category of oxymoronic cuisine, but others have a greater chance of tasting good as well as leaving arteries unclogged. Salads and soups with unusual herbs are especially appealing here. ((Reviewed Sept. 15, 1996))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 1996, American Library Association.)