Customer Reviews

The South Beach Diet Cookbook: More than 200 Delicious Recipies That Fit the Nation's Top Diet

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I've been following the South Beach Diet (SBD) for several months, and it's my own fault if I fall off the wagon. Thank goodness the SBD makes it easy to get back on track. So, when the SBD cookbook arrived, I was looking forward to seeing enough recipes to carry us from Phase I through III. However, there appears to be an imbalance in the number of recipes offered for each phase, being very thin on Phases I and III. While the color-coding for each phase is nice, perhaps it would have been better to organize them in chapters, like the original book.

Not a complete disappointment, the SBD Cookbook is attractively presented. So, are we to expect a sequel: Phase III - SBD for Life?

It takes determination to lose weight and I've always thought the formula to be relatively simple: eat less calories and burn more through exercise. However, it is very difficult to do so. So I turned to South Beach diet. I've found this to be a very practical diet. After the initial first two weeks (the strictest) I've lost about 5 pounds. But, I've done no exercise whatsoever and have eating quite a bit which accounts for the lower than the average weight loss.

Very helpful was also another book. The title is "Can We Live 150 Years?" In addition to longevity issues there is also a very good chapter on obesity, proper food combination, etc. It is a very good addition to "South Beach Diet".

I really like South Beach by design. I have lost 40 pounds and love the fact it is a "healthy" low-carb alternative. It was great to see them (though not a suprise considering book sales) to come out with the cookbook. Overall the recipes I have made were good BUT

1) They use a lot of ingredients I don't - aspaagus for breakfast, expensive seafood like seabass, sole and lobster and interesting but umcommon vegetables like choyote squash and fava beans
2) They take a long time to make - and I am an accomplished cook
3) The desserts are too limited and so-so

The point is they worked hard to make pretty, chef like food so you feel you can eat well, but forgot how many of us love the basics - easy to follow recipes with easy to find ingredients for "regular" food.

I highly suggest Fantastic Food with Splenda - 160 Recipes Low in Sugar, Carbs, Fat and Calories. It is compatible with SB and I love the Chai Tea, the Breakfast Cheesecake Cups (high in protein), the Three Bean and Spinach Salads, Sweet and Sour Chicken and Barbequed Pork Tenderloin. Better yet the Frozen Peach Yogurt and Key Lime Pie will truly make you forget you are on a diet. I have suggested it to many friends and they are also hooked. Delicious everyday recipes that are healthy - that's dieting made easy.

I thank Dr. Agatston for an alternative to a low fat diet. My husband and I have both lost weight. I have tried several of these recipes and some of these are a disaster. The Zesty Crab Cakes fell all apart and the cooking time was much more than stated. I have made the Peachy Walnut Torte twice with bad results both times. The instructions aren't clear whether it is to be stored in the freeze or what. The Sesame Baked Chicken is wonderful but it takes 3 times the amount of coating for the amount of chicken called for. Some of these recipes use every bowl in the kitchen. The amounts of ingredients called for are split up when you read the instructions. It seems to me, this was put together way to fast and the recipes not tested well. I also don't understand how they divided the Class 2 and 3 recipes. There is one class 2 recipe, Aruglua and Basil Pesto Linguine, that is a class 2 with 520 calories, 21 g. fat and 65 g. carbs. Should this one even be in the book? Recipes I have tried with good results are the Chicken Salad, Mexican Lasagna, Pizza Meat Pie, Chocolate Swirled Cheescake, (With FF cream cheese, not Ricotta that never gets smooth),Flourless Chocolate Cake, Breakfast Cups and the Oven Fried Chicken with Almonds.
This is not a cookbook for beginers. Recipes have to be read carefully. I was curious if anyone had had the same problems?

Please ignore the useless review about hitting the gym by a guy who clearly hasn't read the SBD books. I've worked out in the gym regularly for 8 years (45 min. cardio plus weight training 4-6x week) but always carried around extra weight because I was addicted to starchy, sugary foods! Once I turned 30, it became clear that exercise wasn't enough anymore, I had to address my eating habits too. This diet is all about breaking that addiction and learning about which foods create healthy blood chemistry, thus causing you to lose weight. It is not low carb, but good carb. I lost 10 lbs the first two weeks.

The books sectioned into Breakfast, Appetizers & Snacks, Soups, Salads, Side Dushes, Fish & Poultry, Meats, Veggies, and Desserts. The majority of the recipes call for easily found ingredients while some call for ingredients I've never heard of let alone know where to find. I'm sure they there can be substitutions.

My only complaint is the lack of organization. Instead of starting with phase one it jumps around making it a little frustrating when I'm looking for a phase one recipe or phase two or three. The best thing to do would be to bookmark all of them which is a waste of time in my opinion.

There's a lot of variety from Fried Green Tomatoes and Mashed Potatoes to Mexican Lasagna. Plenty of meat and fish dishes too. There's also Lemon cookies, Cheesecake and Chocolate Pie for the sweet tooth!
The carb count looks to be under 25 grams (a lot under 10) for most of the dishes and fat is low too.

It's worth it's weight in gold!

Myself and 4 friends didn't get any results from this book.
I saw a review for another website and ended up using it to lose 23 pounds in 3 months - and i'm still losing. My friends have also found success with it after trying so many different fad diets.
The website is www.lowfatmealplans.com
Check it out, its great!

I just completed day 2 of Phase 1 - it has been more difficult in some ways than expected and easier in others. The difficulties are somewhat related to my not being able to clear out my house of foods that might tempt me. My 2 year old daughter who is a picky eater will only eat things such as Macaroni and Cheese, Pizza, Grilled Cheese, PBJ, Hotdogs... So every meal I make for her is done with envy that I am not the one about to consume that meal.

I was thin before I had my daughter, all of the eating off of her plate has gotten me into the position I find myself now: 15 to 20 pounds overweight, so despite my yearnings for her food I am committed to making changes that will help me look and feel better.

Anyway, about the cookbook, I like it (don't love it because of organization problems mentioned by other reviewers). The recipes I have tried so far have all been delicious. Our favorite so far is the Steak Kabobs with Peanut Dipping Sauce. It does not taste like diet food AT ALL. The cauliflower mashed potatoes were just okay -- I personally do not like the flavor of trans free margarine and could taste that with every bite. Rosemary Chicken was excellent.

I do feel fortunate to be a stay at home mother, otherwise I am not sure I would have the time to effectively follow this diet. I have had to run the dishwasher three times per day with all the pots, pans, cutting boards, and bowls I have had to wash. Also my initial grocery bill for stocking up for the first several days (and purchasing other pantry items that will last a while) was close to $250.

I think the premise of the diet is a good and healthy one so I will stick with it -- for that reason I am glad I purchased the cookbook as it gives more direction and recipes that will help to stave off boredom.

Good luck to anyone interested in trying the diet or the cookbook -- I hope I didn't turn you off. Hopefully the days to come will be easier - I expect they will given the feedback I have heard from others further ahead in the diet than I.

Some the recipes in this book are very tasty, but they take a long while to make. I end up eating more than I would normally after all that fixing.

What the South Beach and other high protein diets have neglected to mention are the acne, bad breath, PMS, or irritibility that result from increased meat proteins. After I read Healthy Beauty by Hadady, I found some better options for fast, effective weightloss without those unpleasant and embarrassing side-effects.

This cookbook is incredible, even if you aren't on the South Beach Diet. It just has healthy, sensible recipes that are DELICIOUS!! I've made many of the recipes, and they have been hits with my husband, which is saying a lot! He loves his carbs!!

I will agree with other reviewers that this book does involve a lot of chopping. But, that's to be expected when you are cooking with fresh ingredients and avoiding processed foods. However, I have three kids, one of which is a 6 week old, and I've been able to cook the recipes. It's worth the work, trust me!