"Hey, I started out writing articles for Muscle & Fitness magazine, where my editor told me to 'Think dumb guy.' I've made the book so that you can use it even if you don't cook a lot."

Her recipes often call for low-fat cheeses, and Alexander advises trying different brands before putting them in recipes. "Some are rubbery, plastic and taste awful," she said. "In Mexican dishes I use Cabot light cheddar, because their cheese doesn't taste low-fat."

Her saucy pasta shells are stuffed with Precious brand fat-free ricotta, so they weigh in at just 100 calories each.

For a juicy barbecue bacon cheeseburger that's just 304 calories and 10 fat grams, use center-cut bacon because it's 40 percent leaner than regular bacon, she advises. Use 96 percent lean beef, but don't smash it down while cooking so it retains the juices.

Although her recipes are generally low in sugar, she's not a fan of low-carb diets. "It works short-term, but I know people who gained weight on it in the end. It was so easy to eat two pork chops for breakfast, but long-term it's not good for you."

Alexander's is one of several recently published cookbooks of healthful recipes that don't scream "DIET."

"The Food You Crave," by Ellie Krieger (Taunton, $28), offers 100-plus recipes that are both healthful and delicious.

"Most people think the words 'luscious' and 'healthy' can't be used in the same sentence," writes Krieger, host of the Food Network's "Healthy Appetite" series. "Like you, I crave food that is bursting with flavor and aroma. Food that draws you in and leaves you satisfied. Guess what? That kind of food can be healthy."

Recipes include Garlic Fries that contain 270 calories per 3/4-cup serving and Carrot Cupcakes that are 230 calories each. Besides the usual list of "bad" nutrients, such as calories, fat, carbohydrates and sodium, each recipe also lists the vitamins, minerals and fiber content.

"WeightWatchers All-Time Favorites" (Wiley, $29.95) offers 225 recipes considered the "best-ever" from the company's test kitchens, and that work with the company's "Flex" and "Core" plans.

The book "transforms many classic, must-make dishes into recipes that work for your busy lifestyle," according to the introduction.

Some of these include Coleslaw-Chicken Salad with Peppery Dressing, totaling 214 calories for a 1 1/2-cup serving; and Fettuccine With Gorgonzola and Toasted Walnuts, which is 208 calories and six fat grams, and has a Weight Watchers points value of four. The meatless Italian Bean Soup is a budget-wise choice that is brimming with vegetables, for three points.

Sure, dieters can settle for a grilled chicken breast and celery sticks. But why, if you can have your low-fat cheesecake and eat it, too?