The South Beach Diet Cookbook. More than 200 Delicious Recipes That Fit the Nations Top Diet

My mother in law was on South Beach and lost a lot of weight, so I got the original book and read it cover to cover. My husband and I have lost a lot of weight on it and its not that complicated even for people who do work out 2-3 times a week and just cant get rid of that belly fat. Its not a fad diet, that I can assure you. It modifies all those things that 30 plus folks like us tend to find as comfort food that has comforted us for far too long. I got this recipe book as a supplement to the original book and it widens the scope of what is possible and modified. In a fat consious world, that is obsessed with diet pills and fad diets that dont do more than help you lose weight only to gain it all back and more,its nice to know that there is something out there that does work and doesnt mean you have to give up everything you love. I disagree with the reviewer that called this a fad diet...its not. Its a way that you can live with subtle changes to your eating habits and live longer because of it. It is a very healthy alternative to yo yo diets and hazardous pills...And it really does work.

I checked it out more closely in a bookshop. I must admit I was tempted by the delicious sounding recipes and tempting photos. But then I checked the nutritional analysis of some of the dishes. There are dinners in here with 30 and even 40(.) grams of fat. I read that the South Beach Diet has been criticized for being too high in fat (albeit good fat) and now I know why. If you can lose weight on this diet, more power to you. But Im going back to my Weight Watchers cookbooks.

I have been on the South Beach Diet for a few months now (and have lost 20+ pounds.) so I was eager for the day that this book would be released.

I am happy with all of the recipes but was disappointed in the way they were organized. They are organized into different categories such as breakfasts, appetizers, side dishes, etc. which is wonderful but under each of these categories, they should have grouped recipes for each phase together.

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 arent 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 dont 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

My husband bought this for me as a Mothers Day gift, and I absolutely love it. The South Beach Diet is wonderful, but I was ready for new recipes and options to keep things interesting. This book meets those needs and then some. Ive tried several recipes already, and theyve been fabulous. This diet is so smart and easy, I will never NOT follow the South Beach Diet principles. With the South Beach Diet Cookbook in my collection, I have more than enough options to do at our home interesting and yummy.

I read the book and I thought, this doesnt sound too bad, but I found myself miserable. I just was frustrated after a week....it was very regimented. I did benefit by eliminating my coffee habit with the help of a wonderful coffee substitute called soyffee (www.s o y c o f f e e .com) Its made from soybeans which is a godsend for those troubled with hot flashes like myself. This book I bought was the South Beach Diet book. I read that book and found the plan to be made up of things I would eat and the items were normal grocery store items so no hunting at the health food stores or buying online.

I have to say that this book has some good recipes although they are hidden among a lot of difficult and not so flavorfull foods. Most of the time I find myself modifying the recipes so that they will turn out better. However I really think the desserts are beyond help. I have tried 4 of them and they have all been duds. The book is a decent investment if you have the time to sort through the recipes and you have a family that is willing to experiment with sometimes not so good dishes.

Many of us are SB fans, but needed and sought relief for more recipe variety from other sources. Now Dr. Agatston provides more aid, two-hundred of them.

This is worthy collection of for sure SB diet met winners for all three phases. Some here are so good, for example in Phase 1 that I continue to make them even now in Phase 3, e.g. Baked Tomatoes with Crab and Smoked Ham Souffle.

There are included special dishes created for the SB diet by famous chefs such as Joes Stone Crab of Miami Beach who offers an unbelievably good Sweet Onion Dressing which works on not only salads, but I use it on veggies, fish, chicken, etc.

The desserts are even appetizing and satisfying, such as Peachy Walnut Torte, Apple and Almond Souffle, and even NY Cheesecake.

It covers the menu gamut, from Appetizer to dessert, with great sidebars on questions with answers given from diet users.

This is huge incentive to stay on the menu and shows one how to mix and match ingredients and techniques to even go on and create your own SB masterpieces.

The books sectioned into Breakfast, Appetizers andamp. Snacks, Soups, Salads, Side Dushes, Fish andamp. Poultry, Meats, Veggies, and Desserts. The majority of the recipes call for easily found ingredients while some call for ingredients Ive never heard of let alone know where to find. Im 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 Im 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.

Theres a lot of variety from Fried Green Tomatoes and Mashed Potatoes to Mexican Lasagna. Plenty of meat and fish dishes too. Theres 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.

Having lost more than 18 pounds since starting the South Beach Diet in mid-January, Im clearly committed to the changes in eating habits Dr. Agatston promotes. This is the easiest weight-loss Ive ever achieved and I only plan to lose about 5-8 pounds more. My primary motivation, however, was to improve blood chemistry.

I love cooking and love eating. While its easy to convert most recipes to accomodate South Beach guidelines, its great to be able to pick up a book full of well-written and nicely illustrated selections that tantalize the taste-buds but fit within the plan without modification. I bought the book yesterday and was impressed with the variety of spices and colorful ingredients melded together in recipes ranging from simple to sophisticated, with many an ethnic touch. Many fine restaurants have also contributed recipes.

This evening I made two of the selections for dinner. Zesty Crab Cakes with Creamy (Red) Pepper Sauce with a side of Overnight Slaw. My husband isnt on South Beach - so I added hot rolls for him. The meal was delicious - and its a sign of a good cookbook when the recipe looks and tastes the way one thinks it will. Tomorrow Im going to try Oven-Fried Chicken with Almonds.

The book clearly identifies which Phase of the diet each recipe is appropriate for. The major categories are. Breakfasts, Appetizers and Snacks, Soups, Salads, Side Dishes and Accompaniments, Fish, Shellfish and Poultry, Meats, Vegetarian Entrees and Desserts (which sound too good to be true.).

My only caution is that some of the more complex recipes require spices and items that one might not readily have in ones pantry. But I know Im going to be making many of these meals over and over so the ingredients will be put to good use.

I purchased this cook book so that my wife and I would have a variety of recipes to chose from. There are a good variety of recepies. The recipes are labeled to indicated what phase of the diet each receipe is suited(PhaseI, Phase II and Phase III). The problem with the recipes are that they usually require many steps and many ingredients. If you work or have a hetic schedule than these recepies wont fit your life style. I hope that Dr. Agatson will sponsor a cook book that uses fewer steps and fewer ingredents. Not all of us have time to prepare gormet type meals. A South Beach Everyday Cook Book would be a hit with me.

The Southbeach Diet Cookbook was written to provide a number of recipes to complement the original The Southbeach Diet book.

The cookbook opens with an overview of the diet program. It describes the diet though not in the detail of the original book. It explains what you need to do to get your fridge and pantry southbeach friendly. It explains what is allowed in terms of diary, meat, oils, pasta, snacks, beverages and more.

Next the book has a question/answer session with Dr. Agatston. In this section he updates some of the information from the original book (milk and yogurt are now allowed in phase 1 for example) and he gets into more detailed regarding different types of food.

Then comes the core of the book. The recipe categories include breakfasts, appetiziers and snacks, soups, salads, side dishes and accompaniments, fish shellfish and poultry, meats, vegetarian entrees and desserts. Each recipe indicates what phase it is appropriate for and many of the recipes are pictured in mouthwatering photographs.
Sample recipes include Vegetable Salad with Feta, Homestyle Green Bean Casserole, Pan Seared Pecan Grouper, Whole Wheat Vegetable Lasagna, and Apple and Almond Souffle. Over 200 recipes.

One very nice feature is the inclusion of recipes so you can make many of your own condiments. Unfortunately ketchup, barbeque sauce and many other toppers are laden with high fructose corn syrup. So Dr. Agatston includes the details on how you can make your own.

Overall the quality of recipes is very good. The one negative I have is the total avoidance of sugar and reliance on sugar substitutes. I would rather use real sugar in moderation than sugar substitutes like aspartame. He has a recipe for strawberries with velvety chocolate dip and suggests you use sugar free chocolate syrup. Instead why not use a high quality cocoa bar and melt it down. This is healthier than the faux sugars like malitol,which are in sugar free products and so much more satisfying.

Dr. Agatston has some wonderful recipes in this book from top chefs and restaurants and they are worth buying the book for. But many of the desserts with the fake sugars and fat free sour cream fall flat. Moderation is key. Use the real deal in a tiny quantity like the French do.

Im 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 didnt 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.

If you have a lot of time to cook Im sure these are tasty dishes. However, none of the recipes are as simple to put together as the ones in the South Beach Diet book. They call for hard-to-find items (one ingredient, for example, can only be found at a specialty store) and require a lot of preparation. Not suitable for someone like me - a mother of two little ones with a full time job. This book went back for a refund.

Weve now had over 30 patients in our cardiology practice road-test and try many of the recipes in Dr. Agatstons companion volume to his popular South Beach Diet. The response has been overwhelmingly favorable, both in taste as well as in weight loss.

The condiment recipes, like South Beach Barbecue Sauce and South Beach Teriyaki sauce, have gotten rave reviews from our patients, as well as some of the unique vegetarian entrees, like tofu cacciatore and baked Portobello caps with melted goat cheese. Dr. Agatston, a professed chocoholic, concludes with 20 recipes for desserts that use some clever substituting to avoid excess sugar, flour, and unhealthy oils.

The Cookbook is also a graphically-beautiful book, with full-color photos accompanying many, if not most, of the recipes.

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 dont 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 dont 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 dont eat so much of it.

Having lost more than 18 pounds since starting the South Beach Diet in mid-January, Im clearly committed to the changes in eating habits Dr. Agatston promotes. This is the easiest weight-loss Ive ever achieved and I only plan to lose about 5-8 pounds more. My primary motivation, however, was to improve blood chemistry.
I love cooking and love eating. While its easy to convert most recipes to accomodate South Beach guidelines, its great to be able to pick up a book full of well-written and nicely illustrated selections that tantalize the taste-buds but fit within the plan without modification. I bought the book yesterday and was impressed with the variety of spices and colorful ingredients melded together in recipes ranging from simple to sophisticated, with many an ethnic touch. Many fine restaurants have also contributed recipes.

This evening I made two of the selections for dinner. Zesty Crab Cakes with Creamy (Red) Pepper Sauce with a side of Overnight Slaw. My husband isnt on South Beach - so I added hot rolls for him. The meal was delicious - and its a sign of a good cookbook when the recipe looks and tastes the way one thinks it will. Tomorrow Im going to try Oven-Fried Chicken with Almonds.

The book clearly identifies which Phase of the diet each recipe is appropriate for. The major categories are. Breakfasts, Appetizers and Snacks, Soups, Salads, Side Dishes and Accompaniments, Fish, Shellfish and Poultry, Meats, Vegetarian Entrees and Desserts (which sound too good to be true.).

My only caution is that some of the more complex recipes require spices and items that one might not readily have in ones pantry. But I know Im going to be making many of these meals over and over so the ingredients will be put to good use.

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 dont - 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 - thats dieting made easy.

If you are looking for great recipes, healthy foods, sumptuous desserts, and extraordinary cuisine to help you stay healthy and fit, The South Beach Diet Cookbook will entice your culinary skills, and bring you some of the best recipes provided by some of the worlds greatest chefs.

From snacks, appetizers, and full course meals, to new ideas for mixing fruits and vegetables, this is one cookbook that will bring a treat both to yourself, and your guests. Highly recommended for its exceptional recipes. Barbara Rose, author of, Individual Power and If God Was Like Man

Okay, having read the basic bible to the South Beach Diet (ISBN. 1579546463), which I would recommend to you if you are interested in this cookbook, I wanted to try some of the meals Agatston referred to in his book.

The author divides the cookbook into the following sections. breakfast, snacks, soups, salads, side dishes, fish and poultry, meats, vegetarian, and desserts. Each section has approximately 20 recipes, that appear easy enough to prepare and follow the 40pct. protein, 30pct. carb, and 30pct. fat you would expect on a diet plan like this. Also, most of the recipes included carb counts, protein grams, etc. I noticed in the dessert section (my personal favorite of any cookbook) that the recipes employ yogurt, almonds, and fresh fruit extensively. Some sugar substitutes were noted, but not a lot.

The author also dedicates 8 pages of the book to summarizing the diet plan, a long chapter on shopping in accordance with the diet plan, and 5 pages of question and answer type stuff that addresses general questions relevant to the diet. Color photos were available for about 50pct. of the recipes, which is why I titled this review Pretty Pictures. I would recommend this book to any reader who enjoyed and plans to use the SouthBeach Diet.

If youve read the South Beach Diet, it did include some preliminary recipe ideas, but they were few and far between. This follow-up cookbook is being marketed as if it were looking to dovetail on the popularity of its predecessor, but I believe if you have this, you dont even need the original.

The variety of recipes is fascinating, and the diet phase they correspond to in the original diet (which you can easily comprehend from this book alone) is clearly marked.

Mind you, this is not a low carb book. It is about lowering bad carbs while allowing good carbs. The South Beach idea veers around keeping the Glycemic Index low and Agatston does a pretty good job of explaining the nutritional logic for doing so.

The recipes that I have tried so far are quite good in terms of taste. The best thing for me is that none of the recipes includes any fancy condiments that youd only find in some super-elite department stores on the other side of town. Very handy for a health-conscious bachelor.

Give it a try. Healthy *and* tasty recipes cant be a bad investment anyway.

From the Inside Flap

Great food thats good for you - thats the foundation of the South Beach Diet and the reason millions of people around the world have adopted it as their lifelong eating plan, shedding unwanted pounds in the process. Created by leading Miami cardiologist Arthur Agatston, M.D., the diet emphasizes good fats and good carbohydrates, the kind that stave off cravings for unhealthy and sugary food and promote long-term weight loss. Its not diet food - its satisfying, flavorful dishes that are good for your health and your waistline. Whether youre already a South Beach Diet success story or brand-new to the program, youll find a wealth of inspiration in The South Beach Diet Cookbook to keep you on track without feeling deprive. The recipes are simple enough to make every day but delicious enough to serve on any occasion. Oatmeal Pancakes, Buttermilk Salmon Chowder. Caribbean Baked Chicken with Mango, Grilled Filet Mignon with Roasted Garlic Chipotle Pepper Chimichurri, Mexican Lasagna, Sage and Rosemary Pork, Red Snapper with Avocado Salsa, Thai Vegetable Stir-Fry, and Chocolate Pie with Crispy Peanut Butter Crust. Each recipe is marked Phase 1, Phase 2, or Phase 3, so youll know immediately where it falls in the diet. there are also 25 all-new recipes from the top chefs and restaurants in Miami. Illustrated with 50 full-color photographs and packed with extras like shopping lists and a pantry guide, The South Beach Diet Cookbook is an essential addition to your kitchen shelf.


About the Author

Arthur Agatston, M.D., is an associate professor of medicine at the University of Miami School of Medicine and has authored more than 100 scientific publications, as well as reviewed manuscripts for medical journals such as the New England Journal of Medicine and the American Journal of Cardiology. He is the author of the best-selling book The South Beach Diet and has appeared on national television shows including Dateline, Good Morning America, CNN, and 20/20. In addition, Dr. Agatston is frequently quoted as an expert in cardiac health and diet in the media. He maintains a private practice in Miami Beach, where he lives with his wife, Sari, and their two children.

From Publishers Weekly
Cardiologist Agatston (The South Beach Diet) follows up his blockbuster book on weight-loss with this volume of more than 200 recipes, a number of which are culled from the kitchens of chefs in Miami Beach and other cities. Each recipe is designated as Phase 1, 2 or 3 to help readers discern the segment of the diet for which they are appropriate. Carbohydrates are off-limits during Phase 1, but good carbs (like whole grains) are gradually reintroduced in Phase 2. Phase 3 segues into a less restrictive but still healthy eating regimen. Among the Phase 1 recipes are the simple Reuben Wrap (which calls for cabbage leaves instead of bread. the author notes readers will have to have a rye sense of humor for this), as well as more complex main dishes such as Coconut Chicken and Sage and Rosemary Pork. Phase 2 and 3 eaters will find delicious options such as Sesame Baked Chicken, Crab Royale and Couscous Salad. Noting that a variety of foods and recipes combats the repetition and boredom that are many dieters downfall, Agatston presents a wide array of choices, with plenty of enticing fish and vegetarian dishes. He also includes breakfasts, snacks and desserts, as well as ideas for home entertaining South Beach-style with a focus on fresh veggies, fat-free dips, shrimp and nuts for appetizers, and main dishes of grilled tuna or flank steak. Agatston leaves no stone unturned, even providing shopping lists and recipes for homemade condiments that forgo sugars.
Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Book Description

The long-awaited cookbook is here.

Great food thats good for you--thats the foundation of the South Beach Diet and the reason millions of people around the world have adopted it as their lifelong eating plan, shedding unwanted pounds in the process. Created by leading Miami cardiologist Arthur Agatston, M.D., the diet emphasizes good fats and good carbohydrates, the kind that stave off cravings for unhealthy sugary food and promote long-term weight loss. Its not diet food--its satisfying, flavorful dishes that are good for your health and your waistline.

Whether youre already a South Beach Diet success story or brand-new to the program, youll find a wealth of inspiration in The South Beach Diet Cookbook to keep you on track without feeling deprived. The recipes are simple enough to make every day but delicious enough to serve on any occasion. Oatmeal Pancakes, Buttermilk Salmon Chowder, Caribbean Baked Chicken with Mango, Grilled Filet Mignon with Roasted Garlic Chipotle Pepper Chimichurri, Mexican Lasagna, Sage and Rosemary Pork, Red Snapper with Avocado Salsa, Thai Vegetable Stir-Fry, and Chocolate Pie with Crispy Peanut Butter Crust. Each recipe is marked Phase 1, Phase 2, or Phase 3, so youll know immediately where it falls in the diet. there are also 25 all-new recipes from the top chefs and restaurants in Miami. Illustrated with 50 full-color photographs and packed with extras like shopping lists and a pantry guide, The South Beach Diet Cookbook is an essential addition to your kitchen shelf.