CARBOLICIOUS LOW-CARB DOESN'T MEAN LOW-FLAVOR.

Byline: Natalie Haughton Food Editor

A diet doesn't have to mean tasteless meals. That's what makes the low- carb craze so interesting. With help from the many cookbooks on the topic along with the new low-carb specialty products, you can craft a way of eating that suits your palate as well as your waistline.

You'll find recipes in the books for all sorts of delicious - and even surprising - creations you probably never thought you could enjoy.

Things like Unpotato Salad, Tortilla Pizza, Apricot Bourbon Chicken, Spanish ``Rice,'' Roasted Duck With Lemon, Chicken Pate, Crispy Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Jalapeno Lime Scallops, Vietnamese Chicken Salad, Meatza, Noodleless Shrimp Pad Thai, No-Crust Cheesecake, Black Bean Tostadas, Cheese Streudel, Flourless Chocolate Cake and much more.

``It's very easy to do low-carb cooking, but the key in making the diet successful is to add variety and a mix of flavors to different dishes so it is exciting to sit down to a meal,'' says Patricia M. Butkus, author of ``The Everything Low-Carb Cookbook,'' which has sold more than 50,000 copies since its release in November 2002.

``I'm utterly comfortable that I will be eating this way (low-carb) for the rest of my life,'' says Dana Carpender, author of the newly released ``15-Minute Low-Carb Recipes,'' and ``500 Low-Carb Recipes,'' which has sold more than 250,000 copies since its release in 2002.

Having lost and kept off more than 40 pounds since 1995, Carpender, who also wrote ``How I Gave Up My Low Fat Diet and Lost Forty Pounds,'' and consumes 50 or fewer carb grams a day now, encourages people to break out of their old ways of looking at food. Serve eggs for dinner or skip dinner and serve two or three healthy snacks. Have a burger or pork chop for breakfast and a dip and vegetables for lunch.

The recipes in her books - some shared by friends and her online newsletter readers - are designed to be user-friendly, accessible and to serve all ranges of low-carb followers, she says from her home in Bloomington, Ind. ``If I have to go to more than two stores to find ingredients, forget it.

``I wanted to come up with a whole cuisine - with very low-carb and midrange carb recipes for everyday and max-carb recipes for special, festive occasions - that people can live with the rest of their lives.''

Carpender believes real, unprocessed foods should be the heart of a low- carb lifestyle. ``The whole explosion of low-carb products is a double- edged sword. A plate of low-carb pasta is never a substitute for grilled salmon and a caesar salad.

``It's a mistake to latch on to these products with fervor, because most are highly processed and expensive. ``Use them wisely to add a little variety, to provide an occasional treat or to fight off cravings, but not as a major part of your diet,'' Carpender adds.

The new ``Atkins: The Complete Cookbook - Lose Weight With Hundreds of Low Carb Dishes,'' a compilation of 201 recipes, was also produced to show people the enormous variety of foods you can enjoy on Atkins, says Stephanie Nathanson, contributing food editor, Atkins Nutritionals Inc. in New York.

``This is a way of eating for life, so the most important criteria was flavor. Although a few recipes, particularly some of the breakfast options, use Atkins products, most don't.''

Will the low-carb craze last?

``It depends on if people are going to continue eating low-carb,'' notes Carpender, adding it will probably evolve and change with time as we learn more about nutrition. Butkus believes ``the pendulum will swing back a little - and be modified a little.''

Butkus notes that the low-carb phenom has had a definite impact on her catering business in the last six months. About 40 percent of her clients now request that she address the needs of guests on low-carb diets (Atkins, South Beach, etc.) at large-scale, buffet-style weddings.

``Even with the mad cow scare, we're still serving top-quality beef tenderloin - lots of it.'' Pasta stations of the past have been replaced with carvery and hand-rolled sushi stations. Desserts - still a big hit - are now buffets of petite sweets like mini creme brulees and key lime pies.

Cookbooks display the carb content of recipes in different ways. Carpender and Atkins include both full and net carbs, while Butkus only includes full carbs.

There seems to be no letup in the low-carb cookbook frenzy. Butkus is already at work on low-carb recipes prepared in 30 minutes or less, scheduled for release in March 2005. Carpender has completed a 200-recipe low-carb barbecue book due out this spring and is already testing ideas for ``500 More Low-Carb Recipes.''

Natalie Haughton, [phone]

natalie.haughton(at)dailynews.com

TENDERLOIN WITH VEGETABLES

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons grated lemon peel

2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves

1 teaspoon dried marjoram 

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 (4-pound) trimmed beef tenderloin roast

1 small red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch wedges

1 small yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch wedges

8 green onions, cut into 2-inch pieces

2 yellow squash, cut into 1-inch pieces

In a bowl, combine olive oil, lemon peel, thyme, marjoram, salt and pepper. Rub 1/2 of mixture over tenderloin and toss remaining mixture with vegetables to coat.

Place beef in a large roasting pan. Roast in preheated 425-degree oven 40 minutes. Add vegetables to pan. Continue cooking until an instant-read (or meat) thermometer inserted in tenderloin registers 135 degrees F for medium-rare or 145 degrees F for medium doneness. Transfer roast to a cutting board. Let rest 5 minutes before slicing. Makes 8 servings (can be used during all four phases of the Atkins eating plan).

NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING: 682 calories, 54.5 grams fat, 4 grams carbohydrate (2.5 grams net carbs), 42 grams protein, 1.5 grams fiber.

From ``Atkins: The Complete Cookbook - Lose Weight with Hundreds of Low Carb Dishes.''

SPINACH-ARTICHOKE DIP

1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed

1 (13.75-ounce) can artichoke bottoms, drained

2 cloves garlic

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Grease a 1-quart ovenproof dish. In a food processor, process spinach, artichokes, garlic, cream cheese, Parmesan cheese and pepper until well- combined. Scrape down sides of processor as needed.

Spread spinach mixture in prepared dish. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven about 30 minutes, until warmed through. Serve hot with cut-up vegetables. Makes 8 servings (can be used during all four phases of the Atkins eating plan).

NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING: 177 calories, 13 grams fat, 7.5 grams carbohydrate (5 grams net carbs), 9 grams protein, 2.5 grams fiber.

From ``Atkins: The Complete Cookbook - Lose Weight with Hundreds of Low Carb Dishes.''

CARIBBEAN SNAPPER WITH GREEN SAUCE

SNAPPER:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

3/4 cup 1/4-inch diced red bell pepper

3/4 cup 1/4-inch diced green bell pepper

1/2 cup diced onions

4 (7- to 8-ounce) snapper fillets

1/2 teaspoon salt

SAUCE:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves

1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 lime, quartered, for garnish

For Snapper, heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add peppers and onions; cook 5 minutes, just until tender and lightly golden. Place fish on a baking sheet lined with foil; sprinkle with salt. Divide pepper mixture over fish. Bake in a preheated 400-degree oven 10 to 12 minutes, until fish flakes.

Meanwhile, process all Sauce ingredients except lime in a food processor or blender to a chunky puree. Transfer fish with vegetables to plates, top with sauce, and serve with a lime wedge. Makes 4 servings (can be used during all four phases of the Atkins eating plan).

NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING: 388 calories, 20 grams fat, 6 grams carbohydrate (4.5 grams net carbs), 44.5 grams protein, 1.5 grams fiber.

From ``Atkins: The Complete Cookbook - Lose Weight with Hundreds of Low Carb Dishes.''

HEROIN CHICKEN

Once you try this recipe, you'll understand the name - these are totally addictive.

4 pounds chicken wings (OR buy 4 pounds chicken wing drumettes)

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons dried parsley

1 tablespoon dried oregano 

2 teaspoons paprika 

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup butter

Cut each wing into 2 drumettes, cutting off pointy tips and saving to make soup. Combine Parmesan cheese, parsley, oregano, paprika, salt and pepper in a bowl. Line a shallow baking pan with nonstick foil. (Do not omit this step or you'll still be scrubbing the pan a week later.) Melt butter in a shallow bowl or pan. Dip each drumette in butter, roll in cheese and seasoning mixture and arrange in foil-lined pan.

Bake in preheated 350-degree oven 1 hour. Makes about 50 pieces, each with only a trace carbohydrate, a trace fiber, 4 grams protein.

From ``500 Low-Carb Recipes,'' by Dana Carpender.

UNPOTATO SALAD

You are going to be surprised - this is amazingly like potato salad.

1 large head cauliflower, cut into small chunks

2 cups diced celery

1 cup diced red onion

2 cups mayonnaise

1/4 cup cider vinegar

2 teaspoons salt OR Vege-Sal

2 teaspoons Splenda

1/2 teaspoon pepper

4 hard-cooked eggs, chopped

Put cauliflower in a microwave-safe casserole, add just a tablespoon or so of water; cover. Cook in microwave on high power 5 to 7 minutes and let it stand, covered, another 3 to 5 minutes. You want the cauliflower tender but not mushy.

Drain cooked cauliflower and combine with celery and onion in a large bowl. Combine mayonnaise, vinegar, salt, Splenda and pepper. Pour mixture over vegetables and mix well. Mix in chopped eggs last, and only stir lightly, to preserve some small chunks of yolk. Chill and serve. Makes 12 servings, each with 3 grams carbohydrate (2 grams net carbs), 1 gram fiber, 3 grams protein.

From ``500 Low-Carb Recipes,'' by Dana Carpender.

NO-CRUST CHEESECAKE

1 tablespoon butter, for greasing pan

2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature

1 cup sugar substitute (Splenda)

4 large eggs, at room temperature

1/4 teaspoon orange extract

1/4 teaspoon lemon extract

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream 

Butter bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan and set aside. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese on medium speed until very smooth. Slowly beat in sweetener 1 tablespoon at a time. Then add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add remaining ingredients, scrape down bowl and beat to combine.

Pour cheesecake batter into prepared pan and smooth top with a rubber spatula. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 275 degrees and bake for about 1 hour, or until edges are lightly brown (the cheesecake may be cracked on top). Turn off oven. Remove cheesecake from oven, run a thin-bladed knife around edge of pan, and return pan to oven to cool slowly. If center of cheesecake still looks a little undercooked, it will firm up in the oven as it slowly cooks.

Cover cooled cheesecake with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or up to 3 days. To serve, run a knife around the edges again and remove sides of springform pan. Makes 12 servings (moderate carbohydrate level), each with 13.4 grams carbohydrate, 7.9 grams protein.

From ``The Everything Low-Carb Cookbook,'' by Patricia M. Butkus.

BEEF WITH CUCUMBER

8 ounces plain yogurt

1/4 cup coarsely shredded, unpeeled cucumber

1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion

1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh mint

1/4 teaspoon sugar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 pound (1-inch-thick) boneless beef sirloin steak

1/2 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning

Mint leaves for garnish

Preheat a gas grill or broiler. Make sure grill grate is clean and lightly oiled to prevent sticking.

Combine yogurt, cucumber, onion, mint and sugar in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper; set aside.

Trim fat from steak. Sprinkle steak with salt and lemon-pepper seasoning on both sides. Grill steak on rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium heat or broil for 12 to 15 minutes for medium, turning once. Let steak stand at room temperature 5 minutes before carving. Using a long straight-edge slicing knife, cut steak into thin strips across grain of meat. Roll each slice and secure with a toothpick and place on a platter that is garnished with mint leaves. Serve cucumber raita sauce on side. Makes 4 servings (low carbohydrate level), each with 4.9 grams carbohydrate, 27.2 grams protein.

From ``The Everything Low-Carb Cookbook,'' by Patricia M. Butkus.

EASY MEXICALI CHICKEN

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 tablespoons oil

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack, pepper Jack OR Mexican cheese blend

1/2 cup mild, medium OR hot salsa (buy the lowest carb salsa available)

Pound chicken breasts to 1/2-inch thick and divide into portions if needed. Place a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat, add oil and saute chicken breasts about 5 minutes or until bottoms are golden. Turn and saute another 3 to 4 minutes. Top chicken with cheese, turn heat to medium-low, cover skillet and cook another 3 to 4 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Meanwhile, place salsa in a microwavable dish and heat in microwave oven at 50 percent power about 1 minute, until hot. Remove chicken to serving plates, top with salsa and serve. Add a dollop of sour cream and some chopped fresh cilantro if desired, but it's really not necessary. Makes 4 servings, each with 2 grams carbohydrate (1 gram net carbs), 1 gram fiber, 45 grams protein.

From ``15-Minute Low-Carb Recipes: Instant Recipes for Dinners, Desserts and More!'' by Dana Carpender.

The secrets to low-carb success

For cooks following a low-carb lifestyle, keep the following tips - shared by Dana Carpender, Patricia Butkus and the Atkins folks - in mind.

--Use lettuce or cabbage leaves for bread. Burgers taste great wrapped in iceberg lettuce leaves.

--Instead of eating a sandwich filling between slices of bread, put the filling on a bed of lettuce. ``Most things that taste good on a sandwich will taste good on a salad or in an omelet,'' says Dana Carpender. Often this offers a good solution when dining in casual restaurants.

--Use steamed cauliflowerets instead of potatoes to make potato salad. Steamed cauliflower mixed with butter and cream makes faux mashed potatoes as well. Raw cauliflower can also be shredded in a food processor and used as a substitute for rice.

--Use finely ground almonds or hazelnuts for replacing some or all of the flour in cake and cookie recipes. OR use half protein powder and half ground nuts for flour in recipes. Nuts can also be used to make pie crusts.

--Use orange and lemon extracts instead of fresh juices for flavoring. Carpender often uses a combination of white wine vinegar, Splenda and orange extract instead of orange juice in recipes.

--Cooked spaghetti squash can substitute for noodles in some creations like pad thai.

--Be aware that balsamic vinegar often contains a lot of sugar.

--Guar and xanthan gums are forms of water-soluble fiber that are both flavorless white powders that can be used as thickners in place of flour (put them through a blender with liquid used in recipes to avoid gummy lumps). Look for them at health food stores.

--Use peeled and thinly sliced jicama, marinated 30 minutes in lime juice, then drained and sprinkled with chili powder, ground red pepper and salt as chips to serve with dip.

--Use olive tapenades, eggplant caviar or caponata to jazz up grilled or broiled steak, chicken or fish.

--Be aware that Splenda, an artificial sweetner that has been bulked up, measures just like sugar, cup for cup, thus making recipe adaptations easier. Unlike aspartame, it can also withstand heat in baked goods. But be aware that Splenda does contain about 24 grams carbohydrate per cup or 1 1/2 grams per tablespoon.

--Become a food sleuth. Read labels on food products and ask about product contents if you're buying something at a deli or takeout counter - you'll be amazed at the amount of carbs in some products.

--Use low-carb specialty products in moderation.

--When eating out, don't let the waiter place a bread basket on the table. That way you won't be tempted.

--If you're dining out and craving dessert, opt for berries topped with whipping cream (be sure it doesn't contain sugar). Then sweeten it yourself with a packet of sugar substitute on the table.

--To make Carpender's favorite whipped cream, simply whip together 1 cup chilled whipping cream with 1 tablespoon sugar-free vanilla instant pudding powder until fluffy. Don't overbeat. It makes two cups with only a trace of carbs per 2-tablespoon serving. Use in coffee drinks, over berries or wherever.

--Eat before you shop. You'll be tempted to buy things you shouldn't if you're hungry.

--Use a carb/calorie counter so you'll have some idea of what's going into your body.

--If you want to read Carpender's Internet newsletter, Lowcarbezine! go to her Web site, www.holdthetoast.com.

--If you're interested in low-carb baking, get a copy of ``Baking Low Carb,'' by Diana Lee. Carpender recommends Lee's Peanut Butter Brownies.

- N.H.

CAPTION(S):

3 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- cover -- color) LOW-CARB...

and loving it

(2 -- color) TENDERLOIN WITH VEGETABLES

(3 -- color) SPINASH-ARTICHOKE DIP

Photo by Mark Ferri; From ``Atkins: The Complete Cookbook - Lose Weight With Hundreds of Low Carb Dishes,'' Time Inc.

Box:

The secrets to low-carb success (see text)