Cookbook Reivew: Good Morning America Cut the Calories

Good Morning America Cut the Calories Cookbook
Edited by Sara Moulton with Jean Anderson Foreword by Emeril Lagasse
HB 2000 ISBN 0-7868-6463-0
Price $24.95
few color photos

In the spring of 1999 GMA had a cut the calories cook off contest, this book
is the result of that contest. It contains the best recipes submitted by
viewers. During the contest Sara Moulton selected the top ten finalists. The
winning recipes were then chosen on air by Emeril Lagasse and Wolfgang Puck.
Each recipe has the nutritional values included in the book. Also included with
each recipe is information about the person who entered the recipe into the
contest and whether or not it was a finalist, etc.

I got this book when I joined the Good Cook Club several years ago. Not long
after I got the book I managed to misplace it in a box that I had put into the
closet. I found it a couple years later after giving up and thinking I'd
returned it to the library with some books. I don't think I cooked from it
until 2006 during a cookbook a week project on a cookbook collectors group I belong to.  I've made a couple other recipes since that time and they were all good.
The only thing I really don't care for in this book is that sometimes you have
to turn a pageto see the end of a recipe. I like books better with recipes either all on the
same page or if it's a really long recipe at least on pages that are together
when the book is open, that isn't always the case in this book.

During the cookbook review  assignment I chose to make Turkey Salsa Meat Loaf and it was very good. This recipe was submitted by Sarah Tackett of Springfield, Ohio. This
recipe was a finalist in the entrees category.

Turkey Salsa Meat Loaf
makes 6 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped yellow onion (about 1 medium large onion)
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot (about 1 medium small carrot)
1/4 cup finely chopped celery (about 1 small rib)
1 pound extra lean ground turkey breast
1 cup old-fashioned oats (not quick-cooking)
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons nonfat tomato salsa (as hot as you like)
1 large egg
2 tablespoons minced fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Coat 8 1/2x4 1/2x2 3/4 inch loaf pan with nonstick
cooking spray and set aside.

2. Heat olive oil in medium size heavy skillet over moderately high heat for 1
minute. Add onion, carrot and celery and stir fry until limp -- about 5 minutes.

3. Transfer skillet mixture to a large bowl. Add turkey, rolled oats, 1/2 cup
salsa, and all remaining ingredients. Mix well.

4. Pat mixture into prepared pan and bake uncovered 30 minutes. Spread
remaining 3 Tablespoons salsa on top and bake until meat loaf is set and juices
run clear -- about 15 minutes longer. A meat thermometer inserted in middle of
loaf should read 180 F.

5. Remove meat loaf from oven and let stand in upright pan 15 minutes, this
firms up the loaf and allows the juices to settle.

6. Cut into six thick slices and serve.

Per serving: 227 calories; 10 g fat (2 g saturated); 95 mg cholesterol; 621 mg
sodium

For those interested this is 5 points per serving on weight watchers. I did
make a couple substitutions; I didn't have celery so omitted the salt called for
and used celery salt instead, also didn't have fresh parsley so used a smaller
amount of dried.