The South Beach Diet Cookbook
by Arthur Agatston MD
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Book Reviews of The South Beach Diet Cookbook
Book Review: Good diet, but the cookbook could be improved
Summary: 3 Stars
The book starts out with a good, basic explanation of the precepts of the South Beach Diet, just in case you haven't read the original book or need a refresher. It includes a much more thorough guide to stocking your kitchen than what you'll find in the "Good Fats Good Carbs Guide." It starts off with a list of all the things you should clean out of your pantry when you start the diet, and then moves on to a fairly thorough guide to what you should look for when perusing the grocery store.
Recipes are handily marked with a colored bar and label saying which phase they're intended for. There are definitely some wonderful recipes in here. The Oatmeal Pancakes are absolutely amazing. The Sausage and Cheese Breakfast Cups tasted good, but the consistency was terrible--they only sort-of firmed up, were soggy on top, and when used in conjunction with paper muffin cups as suggested, refused to part ways with the paper. The Hot Scrambled Tofu had no real flavor to it and was pretty unappealing. Texture and structure were two weak areas for this cookbook, which is a trait I associate with cookbooks written by people who may cook good food, but aren't entirely familiar with tried-and-true techniques.
The layout is clear and easy to read. Ingredients are set apart from the recipes and spaces out well; the fonts are clear and easy to read at a glance; instructions are broken down into small paragraphs; and all recipes include nutritional information.
There is definitely wonderful food to be found in this cookbook, and we certainly won't put it on a back shelf and never use it again. However, the quality is just spotty enough that we tend to turn to other cookbooks first.
Book Review: What were they thinking?
Summary: 2 Stars
I think in general that this diet is something needed in this fat country of ours, and I fully support the basic principles of it. HOWEVER, I find this cookbook overly complex, and I am an accomplished cook. The recipes are complicated, require too many 'special' items, seem exotic just for the sake of making you feel like you are really doing something special, and don't taste all that great. In EVERY SINGLE recipe I have tried so far, the instructions are either incomplete, contradictory to themselves, or obviously wrong, and the ingredient list is inconsistent with the instructions. It is as if the book was written in a hurry, and no one tested them, much less proof read them for accuracy or completeness. If you othink you can hold a day job and follow these recipes you are fooling yourself. I have been getting up an hour early to prepare for the day, and I end up in the kitchen, after work, twice as long as I normally am to create these monstrous masterpieces of odd tasting entrees. Since we have moved on to phase 2, I have reverted to the Body For Life cookbook, whichi s by FAR easier to read, create, and much tastier. I would HIGHLY recommend it- it follows the basic principles of the SB diet, but it is SO much better; better thought out, better (fewer) ingredients, better tasting, and easier on those of us who don't have live in cooks. Unfortunately, like the SB Diet, the desserts are completely disgusting, but I think there is not much you can do when you cut that much out of your diet. I still advocate REAL dessert- just don't eat so much of it.Book Review: Healthy and Flavorful, But Expensive
Summary: 3 Stars
My husband and I gave the South Beach diet a try to lose "baby weight" we both had gained, and the diet works very well, that is, if you can stick to it. We both got compliments about our trimming down within a couple of weeks of starting the diet. South Beach isn't all about eggs and turkey sausage, and this book proves it. However, South Beach ingredients are expensive, and the recipes are pretty time consuming. It got to a point where we made a choice to go back to quick and convenient foods so we could free up more time to both play with our daughter, and to put an end to the massive grocery store costs. However, there are some awesome recipes in this book, and I will probably draw from them to cook for my family when my daughter is eating adult meals. We like the Sausage and Cheese Breakfast Cups (we baked them ahead of time, stored them in the fridge, and then just popped them in the microwave each morning when we were ready to eat them), and the Mexican Lasagna and Chicken Mole are so yummy I don't need to be on a diet to want to eat them. It is nice that there are so many food categories, and they list which phase they are in, to keep your diet on track. South Beach foods definitely aren't bland or boring. They just use herbs and spices for flavor, instead of bad carbs and sugars, which is a good way for everybody to eat, whether they need to lose a few pounds or not. Some recipes in this book are a little to weird though. We like fish, but some of the many fish recipes here do not sound very appetizing.Book Review: Searching for the good ones
Summary: 4 Stars
I'm a long time (as these things go) south beach dieter: I started in January 2003, lost 30 pounds by July 2003, and have kept it off. I bought this cookbook because of the initial buzz that there would be some really interesting new recipes. Unfortunately, the first two I tried were bombs. The oven roasted chick peas had very little flavor and a really odd texture (maybe I didn't roast long enough? Perhaps, but they still could have used some kick to the flavor.) Based on reviews here, I next tried the salmon in creamy lemon sauce, billed as having a remarkably rich and creamy taste. It was average at best; the sauce was thin and the flavor one-dimensional. At this point, I actually printed out an Amazon lable to send the book back. However, I had tagged one last recipe to try--the oatmeal pancakes. These were dynamite! I had tried some VERY expensive lo-carb pancake mixes that yielded odd little things that tasted like bad synthetic omelets, and had sort of resigned myself to no pancakes. But the oatmeal pancakes recipe here? Beautiful cakes, fabulous flavor, good texture. I made a whole recipe, ate 3, and put the rest in a bag in the frig. Then every morning, I popped some in the toaster oven, where they heated up beautifully. Re-inspired, I went back to the cookbook and made escarole with white beans. Another hit! Tonight I will try the salmon with 5-spice seasoning and lime juice, and see how that is. I think now that I will keep the book, and see what other jewels I can come up with.Book Review: IT WORKS....Plain and simple.
Summary: 5 Stars
I had heard about the South Beach Diet 2 years ago through my Mom and Dad and sister. They all follow it and I thought I couldn't do it because I was nursing my baby. I wish I had tried it sooner!!! You can do this diet while pregnant/nursing and no matter what your health situation is! My physician said it is the ONLY diet he will encourage people to follow. It will work, it just takes a little discipline in the beginning (Phase 1). You get through that and it's easy street. I started the diet On March 1st, 2006 weighing 170 lbs. and a size 16. I weighed myself this morning and am down to 145 and a junior size 11. I am 5' 7" so I am technically well within my ideal weight range, but I am shooting for 140lbs. I KNOW it will happen any day now. I am in Phase 3 and I eat dessert (in moderation), bread (whole grain) and LOTS of yummy dishes!!! I've even got my kids cooking in the kitchen with me and they eat foods you'd never believe a little kid would eat. It's a family plan and a way of life. I've got so much more energy that I WANT to exercise any chance I get now! My whole family is healthier and happier for it. I do recommend reading both books--read them over and over...I've read the South Beach Diet 4 or 5 times. When you feel a little down or like you're falling off the wagon, read it. It will reaffirm what you're doing and why you're doing it. TRY IT, YOU'LL LIKE IT! Good luck~~Julie