I expected it would take quite awhile to get enough recipes together to \rmake a difference. However, thanks to Dana Carpender's newest low-\rcarb cookbook my collection has grown overnight!

15-Minute Low-Carb Recipes by Dana Carpender (Fair Winds Press, \r2003) gave my collection a huge boost. From the introduction, I found \rthat the entire purpose of this book is to provide a cookbook filled with \rrecipes that take a maximum of 15 minutes to make-and that includes \rprep time. Sound intriguing? I thought so, too.

This 253-page compendium offers more than just microwave or ¡°tear \ropen a protein bar¡± meals. These recipes were all timed and each was \rconsidered for health, feasibility and appropriateness to the book's \rtheme. Dana's introduction explains her reasons, her processes, and \roffers detailed hints, tips and tricks to cut down prep time.

To give you an overview of the contents, there are thirteen chapters \rdivided by food type, such as ¡°15-Minute Eggs,¡± ¡°15-Minute Tortilla \rTricks,¡± ¡°15-Minute Main Dish Salads,¡± ¡°15-Minute Skillet Suppers,¡± and \rChapter 12, ¡°15-Minute Condiments, Sauces, Dressings, and \rSeasonings,¡± which has my favorite homemade sugar-free ketchup \rrecipe. Of course, I cannot forget to mention the last chapter, ¡°15-Minute \rDesserts.¡±

Written in an easy to follow, relaxed style, this book feels like an old \rfriend for those of us who have come to know Dana's work from her \r2002 cookbook, the very popular 500 Low-Carb Recipes. If you are not \rfamiliar with her previous book, I think you will be pleased with her \rcomfortable, confidant style and helpful insights.

There seems to be recipes to suit most everyone, from low-carb soups to \rhigh-protein nuts. I especially appreciate that the recipes have short \rinstructions, are very fast to read-and they are easy to make. A few I \rhave tried and enjoyed include, ¡°Houbyfest Eggs,¡± ¡°Blintzlets,¡± \r¡°Parmesan Chicken Breasts,¡± ¡°Sour Cream Ham Supper,¡± and \r¡°Cheater's Chowder.¡± And, I am wrapping ¡°Cinnamon Splenda? Nuts¡± in \rred plastic wrap tied with a thin velvet ribbon for Valentine's Day mini \rgifts. (I will wait until next month to tell the recipients the gift was sugar-free!)

15-Minute Low-Carb Recipes by Dana Carpender is available through \rbook retailers on and offline. Get more information on Dana Carpender, \rher books, projects and e-mail newsletter on her Web site at \rwww.holdthetoast.com.

Cherie¡¯ Davidson is a freelance writer and Web content developer who \rlives in the Pacific Northwest with her toy poodle, Auggie Dog, her \r¡°energy muse.¡± She has her own freelance writing business, Suitable \rWords Publications (http://www.suitablewords.com), where she writes \rand promotes Website content, designs and develops e-books, hires out \ras a copywriter and writes a wide variety of articles, reviews and essays. \rShe has started a blog at http://suitablewords.blogspot.com and a free \rarticle site at http://www.writerscontent.com - If you would like her to \rreview your book, writer her at cherie@suitablewords.com