The Joslin Diabetes Gourmet Cookbook: Heart-Healthy Everyday Recipes for Family and Friends

Some of the diet and diabetes books I've been getting lately are pretty bland and boring with just a few recipes in each category. This book has many options to help us eat healthfully at home, while satisfying some of our eating out cravings. Last night I made the Chicken Vindaloo and Curried Eggplant and Lentils because my husband has been craving Indian food. Tonight I'm making the Thai Basil Chicken. Over 3 dozen soups! I love how it has a Recipe Index in addition to a regular index, and menu suggestions for creating complete meals. Finally a diabetes cookbook that I'm going back to over and over again. The only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because they need to put out an updated version. This was printed in 1993. I bought it used for less than $7 w/shipping. But with Whole Foods and Trader Joe's making whole grain products more available to the average shopper, it would be nice to see whole wheat and other whole grain flours incorporated in the recipes, rather than white flour. And, for example, hulled barley recommended over pearled in a soup recipe (that has plenty of simmer time anyway (to allow for the longer cooking time of the whole grain product)). Also, in the next edition, they need to standardize their measurements. For example, in one recipe the chicken breast quantity was described as "2 whole skinless and boneless chicken breasts 1/2 pound each, halved" and in another as "1 pound skinless and boneless chicken breasts" - both recipes make 4 servings with the same protein grams in the nutritional info, so I assume both recipes call for 1 pound chicken breasts, but that could be made clearer. However, for expanding your options beyond the quick, easy, boring or bland, I highly recommend the Joslin Diabetes Gourmet Cookbook

I have not reviewed other cookbooks for diabetics as a caveat. My purpose in reviewing this book was to see if it would be suitable for a friend who is a gourmet cook and reluctant to be relegated to boring food 'just for the sake of her diabetic care'. There are a wide variety of exciting gourmet recipes sure to please the palate. Each recipe also contains complete nutrition information with which to fit these meals into the Joslin exchange program. I recommend the book to every diabetic wishing to put some pzazz into their meal plan.