Zone Meals in Seconds

January 1, 2004
"My favorite type of meal preparation is getting dressed to go out to dinner," writes Lynn Sears, whose husband, Barry, created the now famous Zone diet. Lynn's chatty voice welcomes readers to the couple's 10th Zone book, which focuses on simplifying the diet for busy readers. Sears's voice charms and encourages: she writes of her daughter eating nothing but chicken, grapes and apples and modestly jokes about her formerly plump days. The book is broken into sections on breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks, as well as food for children, prepackaged food, slow-cooked food and special occasions. For Thanksgiving"in the Zone," forget the yam with marshmallows: stick to barley stuffing. In Shrimp, Asparagus and Tomato Salad with White Beans and Goat Cheese, a lunch recipe, Sears carefully explains how to blanch and chill asparagus using a collapsible metal steamer and a bowl of ice water. Though the recipes are easy to read and follow, with accurate prep and cooking time approximations, the ingredients read more like formulas than"recipes," broken into unappetizing blocks of carbohydrates, protein and fat. There is lavish use of expensive, processed ingredients: stevia extract, protein powder, dried egg whites, frozen bags of vegetables and fake mayonnaise. Not one breakfast recipe could be made in a typically stocked kitchen; all require special ingredients. Lunch and dinner are slightly better, and though they still rely heavily on packaged ingredients, the section contains diamonds like Salmon and Apricot Tajine with Spinach in a Spicy Walnut Sauce. Most helpful to someone already interested in the Zone, the book may also interest those readers who currently eat fast food, canned soup and frozen dinners but are looking to make healthier choices without a time commitment.