Low Fat Cooking Book Review - The New American Plate Cookbook

In an age of supersizing and value meals, and of increasing obesity rates and associated rising health-care costs, we are slowly realizing that bigger is not better. The New American Plate Cookbook is an extension of the American Institute for Cancer Research's campaign to help us think differently about what and how much we put on our plates.

A Sense of Proportion

The traditional American dinner plate comprises three kinds of food: a 6-8-ounce piece of meat, a large helping of potatoes or white rice, and a smattering of peas or perhaps green beans. On the face of it, this seems balanced enough, but the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) disagrees. This kind of plate has too many calories, an excess of fat and not nearly enough nutrients. By shifting the proportions on our plates and reducing portion sizes, we can eat in a way that not only helps us manage our weight but also helps reduce our risk of developing certain diseases, including cancer. See more below.

Move Over, Meat

The AICR encourages us to gradually shift from a diet rich in animal protein to one that relies increasingly on plant-based foods. It's less a call to give up meat, but more an appeal to make the meat on our plates less central, and to increase our intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans. The AICR's New American Plate comprises four foods rather than three: suggesting two vegetable servings, one whole grain serving and one 3-ounce serving of meat or fish. Research shows that diets rich fruits, vegetables and whole grains, combined with a low consumption of saturated fat, salt and sugars, can help prevent obesity and cut the risk of chronic disease. Add in exercise, and such a diet can also lead to weight loss.

Focus on Flavor

To help us make the change, the AICR has published The New American Plate Cookbook to illustrate the point that if we focus on flavor and variety, a gradual shift away from a meat-centric meal is easily accomplished. The emphasis on the word "gradual" is important. For any dietary change to be long lasting, it shouldn't take place overnight or be done cold turkey, if you'll pardon the pun.

The New American Plate Cookbook points out that its portion sizes are different to what we've become used to. Many of its recipes serve six, where you might think there's enough to feed only four. This is where we have to make another leap, but again the AICR suggests we adapt the serving size to suit our needs, at least to begin with, then gradually reduce the amount on our plates to its suggested serving sizes.

Lest you think The New American Plate is all about sacrifice, the cookbook is bursting with 200 imaginative and flavorful recipes, with plenty of color photographs. Each recipe has an introduction that describes the blend of herbs, spices and flavors, as well as suggestions for pairings and substitutions. Here are some examples of what you will find:

• Carrot and Apple Soup
• Quinoa Pilaf with Peas and Sage
• Three-Bean Salad with Cilantro-Chile Dressing
• Acorn Squash Stuffed with Apricots and Cornbread
• Cinnamon and Raisin Couscous with Chicken
• Grilled Ginger Tuna
• Fresh Plum Tart
• Chocolate Angel Food Cake with Raspberries

Underlining its point about changing the proportions on our plate, many of the New American Plate's recipes that have meat cite the meat last in the recipe's name: Three-Bean Chili with Corn and Turkey or Portobello Mushroom Jambalaya with Chicken. This is the mindset we are encouraged to adopt: use meat to adorn a dish, not make it the center of attention.

In the New American Plate Cookbook, The AICR has done a great job of proving that less is really more.