All-American Vegetarian: A Regional Harvest of Low-Fat Recipes

This awkwardly organized collection embraces both traditional American and international dishes, (the latter, e.g., Pad Thai, Chicago Style, are included in deference to ``ethnic heritage''). Dividing the 200-plus recipes among five regional cuisines (Northeastern, Southern, etc.), the authors group recipes within each section according to course, also offering menus for special occasions, e.g., Midwest Family Reunion. A New England Red Boiled Dinner with Honey-Mustard Sauce is hearty vegetarian fare from the Northeast; the assignment of some other dishes to regions seems less straightforward: Carrot Soup with Matzo Balls from The Midwest and Heartland; Pasta Torte with Goat Cheese, Tomatoes, and Olives in The South-because Thomas Jefferson ""introduced macaroni and Parmesan cheese to the United States.'' Asides address such topics as The Perfect Baked Potato (no microwaving allowed) and the work of George Washington Carver; one plugs Starbucks coffee shops. Allowing in their introduction that not all of their recipes are low-fat, Grunes (The Classic Chocolate Cookbook) and food writer Van Vynckt acknowledge that their ``main criteria in developing and testing recipes were flavor and nutrition.'' Nutritional analyses are included with each recipe. (Oct.)