America's Favorites, Naturally

This cookbook is intended for chefs who don't wish to sacrifice their favorite foods to the requirements of a healthy, nutritious diet. Cavalier, a natural-food cooking instructor, presents more than 200 recipes for such homey mundanities as apple pie, pizza, Boston brown bread, lasagna and chicken pot pie, which are made from healthful ingredients and without refined flours or sugars, and are high in fiber and low in salt. The author clearly describes necessary staples, and a useful index lists natural food distributors. Cavalier, an advocate of ""natural'' mothering as well as natural foods, also provides recipes for infants and toddlers. Most of these basic dishes will interest only beginners, although even they may be too advanced for recipes like salad, cheesy popcorn and trail mix. Unfortunately, the breads are too challenging for novices, and the attractive color photos and line drawings do not sufficiently illustrate methods of preparation. (July 10)