Adding zest to your cookbook library - latest cookbooks - includes recipe

Sunset, March, 1996 by Elaine Johnson

There's nothing like a new cookbook to spark my mealtime creativity, especially when its recipes are low-fat as well as delicious. These new titles by Western authors are reminding me how much I love to cook.

Cooking for Heart & Soul (Chronicle Books, San Francisco, 1995; $16.95). Editor Stanley Eichelbaum asked 70 chefs from Northern California how they cut back on fat without sacrificing flavor. Not every one of their 100 recipes passes for lean, but all are inspiring.

Provencal Light (Bantam Books, New York, 1994; $30). Berkeley author Martha Rose Shulman has kept all the vibrant flavors of southern France while judiciously trimming the fat.

The Stanford Life Plan for a Healthy Heart (Chronicle Books, 1996; $25). Even if you're not concerned about heart health per se, this reference cookbook (nearly 600 pages) with enticing recipes will help you implement a low-fat lifestyle and understand nutrition advice.

Low-Fat Vegetarian Cookbook (Sunset Publishing Corporation, Menlo Park, CA, 1995; $9.99). For those who are cooking meatless at least part of the time, this latest low-fat title from Sunset Books gives achievable recipes for healthful dishes. Many of the recipes use eggs and dairy products; a few include a little meat for seasoning. This pasta recipe from the book has a flavorful sauce that's thickened with pureed cream-style corn.

Southwestern Fettuccine

Cooking time: About 20 minutes Prep time: About 15 minutes Makes: 4 servings

12 ounces dried fettuccine 1 can (15 oz.) cream-style corn 2/3 cup nonfat milk 1 teaspoon salad oil 1/2 teaspoon cumin seed 1 onion (6 oz.), chopped 1 red or yellow bell pepper (1/2 lb.), seeded and cut into thin strips 1 package (10 oz.) frozen corn kernels, thawed and drained 1 cup (4 oz.) shredded jalapeno jack cheese 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, plus sprigs 1 1/2 to 2 cups yellow or red cherry tomatoes, cut into halves Lime wedges and salt

1. In a 5- to 6-quart pan, bring 3 quarts water to a boil over high heat; stir in pasta and cook until just tender to bite, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta and return to pan; keep warm. Meanwhile, whirl cream-style corn and milk in a blender or food processor until smoothly pureed; set aside.

2. Heat oil in a 10- to 12-inch nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add cumin, onion, and bell pepper. Stir often until onion is soft, about 5 minutes; add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if pan appears dry. Stir in milk mixture, corn kernels, cheese. Over medium heat, stir just until cheese melts.

3. Pour corn-cheese sauce over pasta. Add cilantro leaves; mix gently. Divide pasta among 4 shallow individual bowls; sprinkle with tomatoes. Garnish with cilantro sprigs. Season to taste with lime and salt.

Per serving: 627 cal., 22% (135 cal.) from fat; 25 g protein; 15 g fat (6 g sat.); 104 g carbo.; 540 mg sodium; 112 mg chol.