Fast Food Fix

April 17, 2006
Is it possible to make fries that taste just like McDonald's with no trans-fatty-acids? Yes, but it's not easy. Blessed with an obsessive, analytical mind and cursed with a craving for Burger King, Alexander offers healthier (but not necessarily healthy) substitutes for brand name burgers, milkshakes, fries and pizza. In true fast food fashion, recipes are single servings, but some are generous enough to serve two. Though substitutions are included (use a whole wheat for a white bun or turkey for pork), Alexander reminds readers the goal is to "cut fat and calories...without affecting taste." This takes precision: though the Popeye's Cajun Battered Fries are still spicy and delicious and relatively straight-forward to make, the recipe for Hardee's 1/3-lb Western Bacon Thickburger has steps for breading onion strings, frying bacon, forming and grilling the burger, preparing the bun and making barbeque sauce. Luckily, her directions are clear and her comments are funny-in the KFC Popcorn Chicken recipe she tells of dissecting 38 popcorn pieces and finding chicken in only 20, then explains how to make the recipe "drive-though" style by preparing ahead and freezing batches. And the fabled McDonald's French Fries? They aren't quite the same and they're a pain to recreate, but they taste great. Fast food addicts with moderate kitchen savvy may find themselves hooked.

March 15, 2006
Alexander, a Los Angeles caterer, gave up eating fast food years ago -and eventually lost more than 50 pounds. However, she knows that Americans love their Big Macs, KFC Popcorn Chicken, and Pizza Hut Pan Pizzas, so she set out to create lower-fat renditions of these and other fast-food standards that would still be flavorful and satisfying. Each recipe includes a careful nutritional analysis of -before and after, - and many recipes offer a -Drive-Thru - tip, make-ahead information to make preparation easier. Todd Wilbur -s -Top Secret - series provides templates for duplicating fast-food favorites (loaded with fat or not) at home; Alexander -s book is for cooks who want a healthier approach. For most collections.

Copyright 2006 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.