A Lighter Way to Bake by Lorraine Pascale:
Cookbook Review and Giveaway
As all my readers know, I am on a diet and I am constantly looking out for ways to save calories and eat lighter. So, when I was sent a review copy of Lorraine Pascale’s latest book, A Lighter Way to Bake I was looking forward to seeing how Lorraine would lighten some of my favourite bakes and cakes. There are 100 “lighter” recipes in the book and the book is divided into the following chapters:
Introduction
Breakfast and Brunch
Bread
Savoury Bakes
Puddings and Desserts
Cakes
Cookies and Traybakes
Teatime Treats
Special Occasions and Entertaining
Pastry and Basics
Index
Acknowledgements
Each recipe has the all essential nutritional information for both “fatty” recipes and Lorraine’s “skinny” recipes, which is very handy. I was also very pleased to see lots of savoury recipes as well as sweet ones, as I am a savoury lover. I was particularly delighted to see a recipe for Macaroni Cheese and Cauliflower Cheese as well as recipes for savoury pies, tarts and lasagne. The recipes that stood out for me and that are on my “must make soon” list are:
Spring Onion, Thyme and Sage Rolls (Bread)
Lovely, Lighter Herbed Lasagne with Courgette Pasta (Savoury Bakes)
Crème Fraîche Potato Dauphinoise with Thyme and Sage (Savoury Bakes)
Skinnier Mac and Cheese with Thyme (Savoury Bakes)
Butternut Squash, Basil and Onion Quiche (Savoury Bakes)
Tarte au Citron (Puddings and Desserts)
Chocolate Chocolate Torte (Puddings and Desserts)
Oatmeal and Ginger Cookies (Cookies and Traybakes)
Cardamom and Ginger Shortbread (Cookies and Traybakes)
Wild Mushroom Tart with Sherry and Onions (Special Occasions and Entertaining)
Gruyère and Thyme Soufflé (Special Occasions and Entertaining)
Most recipes have an accompanying image and all of the recipes have a rather nice and personal introduction by Lorraine. The introduction is also extremely helpful, with notes and tips on ingredients, as well as how Lorraine managed to lighten her recipes without compromising taste, and with the help of dietitians and nutritionists. I also like the fact that that calories are given per slice, so it makes it easy if you are on a diet.
I am giving this book a 4.5 out of 5 for content, nutritional information, imagery and the rather nice mix of sweet and savoury recipes and I would recommend this to anyone who loves to cook and bakes, but is watching their sugar and fat intake, or dieting. Some of the recipes don’t not much of calorific saving, but any saving at all must be to good and every few calories saved here and there adds to the daily and weekly total!
Overall, it is a lovely book with some tasty looking recipes and a nice mixture of sweet and savoury, as well as classic cakes and bakes, and family supper dishes too. I am looking forward to baking several recipes soon, and will report back with my results.
Karen
If you fancy winning one of TWO hard copies of this book (RRP £20) PLUS the opportunity to win one if TEN iBook copies worth £9:99, then all you have to do is to leave a comment via the rafflecopter below! The prizes are, and will be drawn in this order:
Prizes:
2 x hard copies of A Lighter Way to Bake by Lorraine Pascale (RRP£20)
10 x iBooks for Apple – A Lighter Way to Bake by Lorraine Pascale (RRP £9:99)
The hard copies of the book are open to UK residents, but the iBook codes are open to International readers!
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Karen
I think it would be Lasagne for me
Something light, I love rice risotto dishes or something moroccan
stew and dumplings for me…love them!
I would love to see Donuts “lightened” & Sponge Cakes
It would have to be Macoroni Cheese for me 🙂
I would like to see a fudge recipe
Definitely Macaroni Cheese and then Red Velvet Cupcakes for afters!
Savoury pies for me. Such good winter comfort food but so many calories!
It would have to be chocolate soufflé for me – I am addicted! Vohn x
A good steak and onion pie with a lighter pastry
cannelonni would be nice
Cream of vegetable soup
Toffee cheesecake with fresh whipped cream (I wish it could be fat free!)
I’d like to lighten up a the Sunday roast – gravy, roast potatoes etc…
Flapjack.
chocolate fudge cake
Biscotti
Something warm and chocolatey with icecream!
I could enjoy the naughtiness of a lusciously creamy banoffee pie, so the goodness of ‘lightening’ the calorific load would be the icing on the cake, so to speak 😀
I love blue cheese pasta but it often feels like a ‘heavy’ meal x
Spag Bol!!
Lasagne!
Chocolate Cake
Chocolate trifle- yum yum 🙂
Lasagne!
New york Cheesecake! 🙂
Black Forest Gateau!
I would love to see a skinny version of big gooey chocolate chip cookies like the ones the supermarket bakeries do
Chocolate fudge cake
Macaroni cheese – ultimate comfort food!
sticky toffee pudding and custard
Curry
Caramel shortcake, definitely.
the ginger and oatmeal cookies for me
Ginger cake
I hope you enjoy reviewing the book Karen and testing out the recipes. I have to agree with Diana, I’m a sweet girl, so a lighter version of a chocolate chip cookie I think. Thank you for the rafflecopter giveaway 🙂
Lasagne 🙂 x
Millionaire shortbread
Cheese Scones
banoffee pie
apple pie
Sausage and mash
Any savoury pies. So many have a rich sauce that just piles on the calories.
Hello! I’m not entering as I already bought the book, as like you I am trying to reduce my waistsize and I have to honestly say, it’s the Hairy Bikers Dieter’s books that are helping! I bout this book as I wanted some more sweet recipes to try. I haven’t tried any because they still seem far to high in calories or my liking!! BUT there are a few recipes earmarked for a special occasion! Great blog Karen x
*bought
I just love pastry, not sure how you can make that lower in calories, but I’m open to suggestions
fish and chips!
Toad in the Hole, my favourite
Apple pie and custard. There is so much sugar involved, it would be great to get a low one
Maybe something like Lemon Meringue Pie (good luck with that!)
I’d love a chocolate torte recipe that isnt quite so calorific!
light chocolate mousse
Lasagne, Chocolate fudge cake, doughnuts and cheesecake!
Fish and chips, a British classic but one that isn’t so healthy usually! 🙂
Millionaire shortbread
I love brownies, so would love to make a lighter version of them.
A curry would be a good one to try and ‘lighten’.
new york cheese cake 😀
Lasagna or banana cake!
choc fudge cake
Cheesecake
Flapjacks
lasagna!
chocolate fondants!
banoffee pie 🙂
apple crumble and clotted cream
Tiramisu…
Any cheesecake
Spanish Omlette I love them but that chorizo!!
Chocolate Brownies
Chicken and asparagus pie.
Bananna loaf yum 🙂
chocolate cake
chocolate swiss roll
Sticky toffee pudding mmmmmmmmm
any possible cheesecakes are an absolute joy
mine would have to be Lasagne 🙂
Chocolate Eclairs
Toad in the HOLE
a nice lasagne
would have to be sticky toffee pudding with cream
Sponge pudding and custard!
Stew and dumplings
Chocolate cake
cheesecake
hot double chocolate fudge brownie and ice cream and cream
Wild mushroom tart – a yummy vegetarian option!
lemon meringue pie with cream x
Cheese and Potato pie!
Black Forest Gateau
Oatmeal and raisin cookies – my favourite
mac ‘n’ cheese
Lasagne definitely!
Chocolate cake
Lemon Cheesecake and Lemon meringue pie, I love lemons 🙂
Lasagne as all the family like it as well
moussaka. A good family meal.
Fish and chips.
I think it would have to be Lasagna
My pumpkin roll
Fish and Chips!
Sugar doughnuts
Chocolate guinness and blackcurrent cake
Definitely doughnuts x
Cheese scones
Jam roley poley!
flapjack
Has to be donuts!
tiramisu yummy 😉
Moussaka
Homemade quiche but with a lighter pastry, I love quiche, especially salmon and broccoli!
Macaroni Cheese Bake
chocolate fudge cake
Pie!!
Moussaka – My favourite
A nice light curry like i had in india
Chocolate Brownies
Chocolate and nut biscuits
Chocolate Gateau
Sticky Toffee Pudding with Custard
A lighter roast dinner!
Coffee and Walnut Cake
If someone could lighten up a huge plate of lasagne I would be eternally grateful 🙂
Steak and kidney pudding
pizza
Sticky toffee pudding
dumplings 🙂
Chippy chips
a steamed sponge pudding…and custard of course!
chicken korma
Treacle Tart
Black Forest Gateau
Lasagne
rice pudding with a sauce
Chocolate cheesecake
chicken tikka masala
risotto recipe
cheesecake
I’d like to see Toad In the Hole ‘lightened’
I’d like to see tiramisu lightened!
id love hearty things like sausages and mash made still as tasty but lighter! x
chocolate cheesecake
Lasagne and chips
Cheesecake!
Stew and dumplings 🙂
Toad in the hole! NOM.
Pasta carbonara and dulce de leche ice cream to round it off with x
Mince Pies
Butterscotch tart!
cheesy pasta bake!
bread I love it!
Vegetable Lasagne – I love it but it is very cheesey and full of calories when I make it!
toad in the hole
Macaroni cheese 🙂
fish and chips
Pizza slices for me!
A traditional Victoria Sponge for me
Banoffi pie
For me, it would be pretty much everything, I too am dieting, but especially the sweets… doughnuts, lemon cheesecake and the strawberry tart look gooooood!
Definately Christmas Cake !
A Lasagne or Spaghetti Carbonara 🙂 nom nom
I’d love to see a lighter version of a creme brulee 🙂
How about a mississippi mud pie??
Molten chocolate cake–do you think it’s possible??
Flapjacks… I love that they are made with oats but don’t love the amount of sugar and butter they are made with..
Spicy pumpkin stew
cookies!love baking them and eating them! if only they were lighter!
Banoffee pie!
Steak pie and chips!
Sausage rolls for me, especially if they tasted like Greggs
It would have to be Lasagne
Quiche for me I love it
A low fat trifle!
These look like fabulous recipes
has got to be any pastry foods because everyone loves pie quiche tart yet we all know pastry is really bad for us, an alternative way of making it less guilt free would be amazing
I would love the Full English Breakfast as we occasionally have this as a dinner time treat xxxx
I love to bake and I am trying to lose weight so this cook book would come in useful!
I love my Veggie lasagne but it is quite calorific! so would love to have that lightened up 🙂
Mac and Cheese!
ANYTHING CHEESE IS MY DOWNFALL SO CAULIFLOWER CHEESE OR MACARONI CHEESE IN A LIGHTER VERSION WOULD BE IDEAL
chocolate cake
Macaroni cheese, but lighter would be great
profiteroles
Chicken and Leek pie 🙂
Lasagne and chips
I would love to have a lighter version of a creme brulee 🙂
Home made Indian Tandoori Chicken
macaroni cheese
Meat pies! I don’t eat them anymore as they are too calorific which is a shame!
Mexican food like fajitas.
Dumplings
A Chocolate pudding (Chocoholic).
Cottage Pie – it’s so carby & heavy but delicious.
Beef and ale pie with a suet pastry topping – not easy to lighten up!
flapjacks. love them but all that sugar!!
Banoffee pie
home made scotch egg
Brownies!!!
I would like to see lighter version of ocean pie
Carrot cake.
Lasagne
Oh – macaroni cheese, definitely
I would like to see a trifle recipe! x
italien, i love it but always heavy on cals
I love Millionaire’s Shortbread…….surely it must be impossible to lighten that!!
Trifle!
Lasagne!
Pizza, and not just light, I mean one that has a decent crust and a good cheesey topping too! (probably not possible though!!)
chocolate cake 🙂
Cheesy mash – it’s my comfort food! 🙂
I love bakewell tart and would love to see a healthier version with less calories
Chocolate profiteroles with Baileys’ ice cream….my two faves combined. x
I’d love to see Banoffee Pie lightened 🙂 x
Chocolate torte
Cheeseburgers
Chocolate cookies
stew and dumplings
Would have to be Chocolate Fudge Cake 😛
not sure what id like really as i make everything i can myself and make as fat and sugar free where possible so think anything would be good
chocolate fudge brownies
Sticky toffee pudding.
Lasagna
Toffee cheesecake with fresh whipped cream
Chocolate fudge cake 🙂
A decedent cake – something that tastes creamy and naughty but without all the calories x
A coffee cake which still has loads of flavour (and icing) Yum!
cheesecake xx
Cheesy jacket potatoes
Cheesecake
Cheesecake please – a nice light calorifically free version!
Moussaka – love the taste but not the calorie content!
A yummy lasagne.
Lasagne
Anything with pastry
Carbonara (yummy!)
Guilt free Victoria Sponge would Benjamin nice :0)
BE even ha ha
Macaroni cheese and lasagne!
Lasagne for me its my all time favourite !
Sticky toffee pudding.
A fry up!
steak pie & chips
A lighter version of Chinese Takeaway would be perfect 😉 x
Chicken Korma
Anything Italian for me.
lasange 🙂
I would love to see a lighter version of Haggis, if it is even possible!
I think it would be Lasagne for me
Chocolate cake 😉
Rocky Road ! 🙂
cheesecake
Curries.
Risottos because they’re my fave so I’d love to make it guilt free (even better if you make the focaccia bread and glass of wine I have with it guilt free too!)
Lemon drizzle cake
Lasagne! It’s my fave but I always end up eating the whole baking tray of it!
Komra 🙂
Cheesy pasta bakes
scones with cream and jam – the ultimate in afternoon treats
Key Lime Pie
A low fat but tasty biscuit would be perfect for me as biscuits are my weakness; as an advert used to say, a drink’s too wet without one!
I love rocky road brownies. If there was lighter option that would be fab.
I’d love to see a healthy version of chicken kiev!
I am not alone in saying a lighter version of chocolate fudge cake!
Ooh chocolate cake, yum
a cheesecake
Chicken curry
Chocolate fudge gateau
Cherry Pie ♥
lemon meringue pie
I’d love to know how to get great roast pots with less cals!!
Treacle sponge and custard!
sausage and mash! to make nice mash you have to use lots of butter so would like to see a lighter version still taste as nice! x
lasagne
lasagne
Fish and chips
Lasagne
Chocolate Fudge Cake, though I don’t know if it would be possible to a light version.
Is there any way of lightening a chocolate fudge cake? This would be the dream for me, although I’d probably eat the whole lot in ONE sitting trying to justify that by saying to myself it is lighter!!!
Custard Slices for me. I love them but can feel the weight going on just looking at them!
mmmmm looks yummy!!! Perfect for after the christmas period
I would like to “lighten up” Sticky Toffee Pudding!
Chocolate fudge cake
For main – Cannelloni
Pudding – Chocolate Fudge Cake
It would have to be a toad in the hole for a main and bread and butter pudding for a dessert…. mmmmmmmm!
cous cous for me-yummy!
Chocolate fudge cake for me or something else that is warm and chocolaty
Rum and raisin tart
quiche lorraine
Spinach and ricotta pasta
Sticky toffee pudding
Key Lime Pie
Banoffee Pie nom nom
this is really nice thanks
Salted Caramel chocolate brownie 🙂
enchiladas MMMM
Macaroni Cheese 🙂
New York Cheesecake