Sweet and Natural

McCarty (Fresh from a Vegetarian Kitchen) contends that ""you don't need to desert dessert just because you want to eat healthy"" and offers more than tempting delights that prove her point. Replacing milk, eggs, butter, sugar, chocolate, white flour and gelatin with soy milk, tofu, canola oil, brown rice malt syrup, organic unsweetened cocoa powder and agar flakes, McCarty works hard to re-create formerly fattening favorites in a way that's acceptable and appealing to vegans, dieters, the health conscious and those with food allergies. She is especially successful with fruit selections, which make up the first half of her book; Mango Coconut Sorbet and Deep-Dish Apple Pie with Streusel Topping are both richly flavorful. Cakes, breads, cookies and puddings follow, each recipe containing a complete nutritional analysis. McCarty writes an excellently detailed introductory chapter on methods and ingredients and concludes with a much-needed source list. She is a purist, advocating nonaluminum baking powder and homemade pump sprays for cooking oil (no dangerous aerosols!). For the dedicated health food fan, her carefully constructed recipes will be welcome--especially the opportunity to trade in a plain apple for some guilt-free Chocolate Pecan Bourbon Bundt Cake. (Mar.)