COOK IT LIGHT: Pasta, Rice,and Beans.

A collection of favorite recipes that have been altered to adhere to today's health concerns includes recipes for appetizers, soups, main dishes, and desserts and a nutritional breakdown of the calorie, fat, cholesterol, and sodium content for each recipe.

Jones's ( Cook It Light Classics ) syndicated column, "Cook It Light," is popular in part because the recipes unveiled there cut back on our common enemies: sodium, fat, calories, cholesterol. Her latest book provides fresh additions to that general roster, and healthful "revisions" of forbidden fruits requested by her readers. Her recipe for a "lightened" chicken fettuccine Alfredo, for example, calls for margarine, olive oil and low-fat milk, rather than the expected butter, cream and egg yolks; the per-serving calorie count is a mere 388. Elsewhere, the versatile bean is a frequent ingredient, whether with red snapper, salmon, or in numerous side dishes (bright beet risotto, spring vegetable stew, fava bean salad, black bean bisque with crab, and various chilis). The 200 recipes are new, not recycled, and should bring more of the faithful into the heat of Jones's kitchen. Desserts are not included; bread is. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Jones is the author of a hugely popular syndicated column called "Cook It Light," as well as of several previous Cook It Light cookbooks. This collection reflects the concerns of her column readers, many of whom ask her for more healthful versions of their favorite recipes. Here are lots of simple economical rice, pasta, and bean soups, salads, side dishes, and entrees, inspired by a variety of cuisines that should appeal to busy family cooks. These humble staple ingredients have become the newest culinary stars, and Jones's book is sure to be in demand. Literary Guild alternate; BH&G Book Club alternate.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Legumes + grain = complete protein. That equation, drummed into our heads by both the new USDA food pyramid and innumerable food writers, forms the basis of yet another Jeanne Jones compendium and addition to her Cook It Light series. Though it's certainly no difficult task to string her newspaper columns into a bound format, she begins her excursion into pasta, rice, and beans by explaining cooking techniques and defining the varieties for these three foodstuffs that are available. More than 200 recipes later, it's clear that this trio of ingredients is not for vegetarians only. She twists both old favorites and new tastes into light, healthier versions (all including counts for calories, cholesterol, fat, and sodium): macaroni and cheddar soup, peanut apple slaw, roasted chile cheese custard with rice and tomatoes, jambalaya, turkey lasagna rolls, beef and bean frittata, southwestern cornbread pizza. Barbara Jacobs