What people are saying about this book

Study after scientific study touts the benefits of eating everything from tofu to turnip greens. But, you wonder, how is anyone supposed to cook this stuff?

The answer is in The Phytopia Cookbook® ,by dietitian Barbara Gollman and food journalist Kim Pierce (Phytopia Inc., Dallas, 1998, $17.95), and it's delicious. Built around the idea that a healthful diet with a focus on fruits, vegetables, and grains doesn't have to be spartan or boring, the book is full of lively, flavorful recipes.

Looking for a dish that includes whole grains? Try the Tri-Grain Pilaf with Roast Garlic Vinaigrette -- we did, and loved the result. Need to include a fruit at dinner? Fruited Moroccan Chicken is a fragrant dish that can be served over healthful grains like wild rice or quinoa. Stumped about serving fennel? Phytopia's Orange and Fennel Salad will get you started.

Not everything in the book involves unfamiliar ingredients or exotic tastes. Phytopia® presents a new twist on familiar vegetables with recipes like Curried Carrots, Tomatoes Provencal, and Spiced Sweet Potato Rounds.

Despite the book's emphasis on plant-centered cuisine, the authors don't forget that most cooks (and their families and friends) aren't about to drop meat from their diets entirely. You won't find any recipes for barbecued ribs here, but many of the dishes include chicken and seafood, especially shrimp. And, sticking to the theme that a healthful diet isn't a monastic one, they made sure to include dessert: we think Pear and Apple Pound Cake or Toasted Almond Brownies sound pretty tasty.

In a section called "The Science Behind the Recipes,"Phytopia's authors also shed some light on phytochemicals -- those tongue-twisting compounds that are the focus of so much scientific research. In an overview of current research on plant-based diets, they explain, for example, how the lutein and zeaxanthin found in spinach and collard greens may help protect against age-related eye disease; soy foods might possibly reduce the risk of some cancers; and how the flavonoids in red wine, green tea, and onions might protect the heart. We particularly liked the fact that they explain the potential health benefits of phytochemicals without overstating the scientific case behind them.

You would have if you'd been following the latest nutritional trend, the phytochemical diet. To hear its advocates talk, this is the culinary equivalent of a miracle drug. Supposedly it can slow the aging process; boost immunity; prevent, slow or even reverse cancer; and strengthen the heart and circulatory systems.

"Phytochemicals are, in a sense, the vitamins and minerals of the 21st century," says Mark Messina, a soyfoods expert and former researcher with the National Cancer Institute's Diet and Cancer Branch.

Phytochemicals are chemicals that come from plants ("phyto" is Greek for "plant"), and the phytochemical diet leans heavily on fruits, vegetables, and grains -- always a good recipe for a more healthful diet. Phytopian cuisine nudges meat to the side of the plate, not off it.

"The top-10 phyto-foods are broccoli, oranges, garlic, kale, soybeans, green tea, red wine, onions, brussels sprouts and tomatoes," says Barbara Gollman, a cooking teacher and spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, who cowrote The Phytopia Cookbook® with Dallas Morning News food writer Kim Pierce.

During a recent appearance on KKTV, Gollman prepared a Mediterranean frittata; a salad of spinach, oranges and pine nuts tossed with tarragon-mustard vinaigrette; and a dessert, blackberry-rhubarb cobbler. Gollman uses tofu to replace egg yolks and reduce the fat in the frittata, a sort of open-faced omelette.

"Tofu looks like Jell-O or foam, and tastes about the same," she said. "It's bland, but absorbs the flavors of other ingredients in the dish. You would never guess that it's in the frittata if you had not seen it added."

She recommends blending tofu by whipping it in a small food processor or blender until it reaches the consistency of mayonnaise. She says about one-fourth cup of whipped tofu can be substituted for one egg.

Gollman likes to use small amounts of intensely flavored oils like sesame or walnut to add interest to recipes and cut the fat.

"This (diet) is not about deprivation, but about things we like to eat, but without the fat."

The authors' goal was to make phytochemical recipes so delicious and irresistible that meat and fats would never be missed.

If you follow nutrition news, you know that we're at the leading edge of a revolution in understanding food and its relationship to health. People who eat plant-based diets have lower rates of many diseases, and bit by bit, researchers are uncovering the protective properties of specific fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes. It will be years before a complete picture emerges, and the glimpses we get in headlines can be confusing. In their new cookbook, Phytopia® (Phytopia Inc., $17.95 paper), Barbara Gollman and Kim Pierce do a masterful job of explaining what is known so far about phytochemicals ("phyto" is Greek for plant). Beter yet, they offer 120 tempting recipes (Greek Gazpacho, Risotto Primavera with Shrimp and Basil, Banana-Cinnamon Bread Pudding) that show how delicious healthful eating can be.

"Consuming a diet rich in plant foods is the best way to increase the health-protective substances called phytochemicals. This book makes it easy to implement these guidelines with its extensive list of foods and recipes designed around plant-centered cuisine."

"Oh bliss! This book captures the joy of intensely flavored, interesting and wonderful food that brings health benefits as well. Food-lovers who are health-conscious must have this book."

"I like the common sense approach of Phytopia®- the way the authors emphasize the sensual goodness of plants side by side with their nutritional virtues, all while keeping a portion of the meat that so many people are accustomed to eating. In particular, they do wonders for tofu, treating it with an open mind coupled with good ideas and badgering readers to do the same. We all need a little nudging to change our habits, and Phytopia® provides not only the reasons to try, but the encouragement, information and tools to succeed."

"An inviting cookbook that transforms cutting-edge research into mouthwatering meals. Nutrition-minded readers will especially enjoy The Science Behind the Recipes."

"The Phytopia Cookbook® provides an excellent discussion of recent research findings upon which the recipes are based."