Rodale's Best Recipes, 1988

This multifarious roundup reflects Rodale's continued commitment to high nutritional standards, but its functional value is diminished by a convoluted format. Nevertheless, many appetizing, easily prepared recipes appear here. Delicious breakfast offerings include banana splits with apricot cream, barley pilaf with grilled apples, fruit kabobs and orange-poached fish. Other highlights are a five-minute tomato sauce, herbed haddock Parmesan, maple-mashed sweet potatoes, petite pate sandwiches, apple-caraway bread, frozen apricot mousse and pear charlotte. Salt is excluded, and viable substitutions are suggested for milk, butter, mayonnaise, dressings and marinades (although the recommended artificial egg substitute is a nutritionally dubious alternative). Numerous charts are interspersed throughout and efficiently detail ""Fast-Fix Blender Breakfasts,'' ``Easy Crepes Creations,'' ``The Cook's Guide to Oils,'' ``Tempting Potato Toppings,'' ``Six Easy Steps to Stir-Frying,'' ``Chef's Tips for Grilling Success,'' etc. (February)