Caribbean Light

Key West-based food writer and registered dietitian Shields offers a cornucopia of zesty and healthful recipes from the Caribbean basin. In the introduction, Shields details her approach to healthy, flavorful cooking: the use of contrasts in taste, texture, temperature, shape and color (""contrast cooking""), combined with fresh ingredients and realistic (""ample"") portion sizes. Shields incorporates Caribbean ingredients (e.g., mango, tomato, coconut) and seasonings such as jerk rub (allspice, ginger, cinnamon, pepper) and sofrito (garlic, onion, green pepper), eschewing complicated, multistep techniques. To achieve her ""lite"" touch, she substitutes for or omits caloric offenders such as coconut oil and cream without sacrificing flavor. The simple, straightforward recipes exude sensory appeal: Garlic-Stuffed Chorizo Dates (skewered on a toothpick, baked and served as an hors d'oeuvre), Pineapple on Fire (grilled pineapple dipped in lime juice and coarse black pepper), Almond Crunch Sea Bass and Grilled Beef with Spicy Tamarind Sauce. Those less adventurous can gravitate toward the Grilled Lobster Tail with Roasted Corn Stuffing or Pigeon Peas and Rice (beans and rice). Nutritional analyses accompany each recipe, and informative sidebars like ""Hot Zones"" (measuring heat level of peppers by Scoville units) and ""The Many Faces of Plantain"" provide guidance in prose as vibrant as the bold flavors it describes. (Sept.)