A good cookbook gets well used and eventually becomes filled with notes, papers, smudges and miscellaneous residue from family gatherings.
It is repeatedly hauled on and off the bookshelf, and the better the recipes it contains, the more quickly it shows loving wear.
However, I was recently introduced to a fresh, fun and innovative cookbook that I can't wear out, no matter how much I love it.
And that's only the beginning of its advantages and delights...
As a low carber for many years I have found a great majority of terrific "low-carbed" recipes online through forums, e-mail groups, friends, and various low carb Websites.
I can't even begin to estimate the hours spent online gathering great recipes.
I had always had an idea in the back of my mind that it would be great to have some way to organize online, some kind of online recipe book, and I am very pleased to tell you that someone has done exactly that...
and in a fun, organized and very interactive way.
Low Carb Is Easy (www.
lowcarbiseasy.
com) is a clever meshing of an interactive cookbook and an information Website.
The cookbook software contains a database of over 100 recipes tested and approved as low carb, low GI (Glycemic Index), and tasty - with most being only three carbohydrate grams or less.
And these are recipes specifically meant for enjoyment and to offer instructions on foods that can be tricky to recreate in a low carb version.
Chapters cover Biscuits, bread and cakes; Desserts and ices; Main courses - cheeses, eggs, fish and nuts; Main courses - meat and poultry; Salads, soups and vegetables; Sauces, snacks and sweets.
All recipes come with complete nutritional information, including carb counts.
Once you subscribe to Low Carb is Easy, you receive full access to all the recipes and great customization tools for personalizing your cookbook:

• Existing recipes can be edited to suit your family's needs, and the nutritional information will automatically update for you.
  
• New recipes can be imported and added directly to the cookbook.
  
• Carb calculator allows adjustments and updating for any ingredients or portion size changes you might want to make.
  
• Contents page can be personalized with your new recipes.
  
• You can print out individual recipes or the entire cookbook for real hands-on use.
  

The folks at Low Carb is Easy put a lot of thought into this online cookbook, making it easy to use online and offline in print form.
They have also provided a wealth of information for serious cooks as well as those who want low carb and low GI information, articles, measurement and reference tables, and related resources.
I was delighted to find so much helpful information at my fingertips, but even more than that, I love the idea of this easy and fun way to organize, update and tailor all my recipes.
If you have ever wished for a better way to control your individual recipes, or keep your collection of favorites conveniently on your computer, then I recommend taking a look at the Low Carb is Easy interactive cookbook.
I have found it to be a great solution...
and no matter how well loved, there's no wear, tear, smudges or sticky spots to be found.