Harriet Roth's Deliciously Healthy Jewish Cooking: 350 New Low-Fat, Low-Cholesterol, Low-Sodium Recipes for Holidays and Every Day

This is a respectable collection of recipes for ethnic fare revised towards health, although Roth (Deliciously Simple) occasionally departs from tradition with such dishes as Vegetarian Fried Brown Rice and Pasta and Beans. Mother Mollie's No-Cholesterol Challah, made with canola oil and egg whites, is a good example of Roth's success in converting traditional foods. Such vegetarian remakes as Spinach Kugel, Vegetarian Stuffed Cabbage and Vegetarian Chopped Liver made with eggplant and lentils are strong standouts here; family heirlooms such as Cousin Pearly from Pittsburgh's Lima Beans for a Crowd-made with ketchup and brown sugar-will likely spark some memories. Roth's tendency to rely on packaged foods, such as the three cups of thawed frozen hash-brown potatoes called for in a latke recipe, may not seem healthy to all; the nutritional information included with each recipe, including its classification as meat, dairy or pareve, will allow cooks to discriminate as they wish. A beginning chapter with recipes and menus for holiday meals is preceded by a helpful introduction that covers both religious and health issues and includes USFDA Suggested Weight tables and hints for stocking a low-fat, low-cholesterol pantry. (Mar.)