Amazon.com Product Description

Ovusoft Fertility Planning software uses the Fertility Awareness Method (FAM) to help you to achieve pregnancy. So often, when you are trying to conceive, it is simply a case of not understanding our bodies and reproductive cycles that prevents us from knowing when to time intimacy for pregnancy. The average time to conceive for normally fertile couples is 6 months. By monitoring your fertility signs, a woman can decrease the average time it takes to achieve pregnancy to less than 3 months. Ovusoft software automates the process, so that when a couple decides to try to have a child, they are better able to speed up the process or become aware of potential fertility issues more quickly. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Loved it
I think that this software is handy and every woman has to have benefit of it, of course you should have basic information about (FAM) to enable you to get a long with the CD, IT'S WORTH TO GIVE A SHOT. It will worth to purchase it if you already have this book (TAKING CHARGE OF YOUR FERTILITY) by TONY WESCHLER, MPH

Need to everything at the same time
The current version of the software assumes that all OPK, CM, and cervix tests happen at the same time -- the time that the morning's temperature is recorded. If you have a change in any of the key indicators or if you record an indicator at a later time than first thing in the morning, you must pick which one to record as that day's reading or decide if it really should relate to the next day.

I'm very pleased with the software and would recommend it with the caveat that frequent "checkers" may have more decision making to do.

Most useful software I ever purchased
I bought this software with the accompanying book "Taking Charge of Your Fertility: The Definitive Guide to Natural Birth Control, Pregnancy Achievement and Reproductive Health" By Toni Weschler. I read the book and began using the software before we were even ready to begin trying to conceive our first child. After reading the book and charting my cycles for a few months it became obvious to me for the first time that we were going to have a difficult time getting pregnant. Were it not for this software and book it could have taken us years to find out why we weren't getting pregnant. But since I did learn so much about my body and my cycles I was able to go to my doctor with all of the information he needed. We got pregnant within 6 months of this discovery. We're now expecting twin boys in just a few weeks! Also, check out www.ovusoft.com for a WONDERFULLY supportive online community of women who have 'been there' and are anxious to help you through it too.

NOT for breastefeeding!
This is a wonderful product for anyone who is trying to concieve, also trying NOT to (although this isn't what they made it for). It doesn't work for you if you are currently not ovulating due to breastfeeding or whatever. I would suggest waiting for the next version, which is supposed to come out sometime this year.

Wonderful Program
I used a version of this software to conceive my darling child in one month. I found it easy to use and chock-full of helpful information. I also recommend that you read the corresponding book, "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" to achieve success in getting or preventing preganancy. Best Wishes! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Good software, reasonable price
The most useful component of this compilation is the NutriGenie Low Carb Diet software. If you are not Atkins dieter, search the web for NutriGenie. They have other diet software that you can upgrade to at a discount as I found out today. ... Read more

Features

• Import your own photos and give yourself an incredible makeover that turns you into a star
• Try on the hottest hairstyles and accessories for an all-new you
• Experiemnt with the most fashionable cosmetics and create the perfect look for your skin
• Once you've created the new you, design your own model perfect e-cards-- send them out to share your new look with friends

Product Description

An interactive CD-ROM to teach you the Pilates Method step by step, and a separate audio CD workout program. Pilates offers a low-impact, non-stress approach to better posture and stronger,leaner muscles. It enhances aerobic exercises and can be use to help you recover after an injury. ... Read more

Features

• Teach yourself the renowned Pilates workoup program with this complete step by step, Twin CD interactive set

Amazon.com Review

Enter your own PC kitchen--MasterCook: Deluxe 5.0 is a complete resource for your culinary needs. An asset for the professional and the amateur, this software provides nutritional analysis, shopping lists, over 5,000 recipes, and much more. The variety in culinary delights is endless, with choices from "Indian Masala" to "American Fried Chicken."

Plan you meals from the pantry, to the shopping cart, to the table. Begin your menu with suggested courses or choose your own from the many cookbooks provided. If you are counting your calories or have a special diet to plan for, MasterCook: Deluxe 5.0 provides a nutritional analysis of your meal. Once you have selected your recipe, you can highlight which ingredients you have in your pantry and the program will automatically create your shopping list.

Worried about the presentation? Have no fear! MasterCook: Deluxe 5.0 provides tips for any-level chef: from wines and spirits to how to clarify butter. If that isn't clear enough, there are also video clips provided by professional chefs demonstrating techniques, such as serving caviar or shucking oysters.

Throughout your meal planning, don't forget you can e-mail any recipes to your friends and family, search the World Wide Web for additional information, and keep track of your most decadent meals in your "favorites" file. The only drawback we found to MasterCook: Deluxe 5.0 occurred when we searched for a common ingredient, such as pork. With so much content, the program takes about five minutes to search its massive index of recipes (this isn't much of a drawback if you make sure to be specific). Bon appétit! --Madeleine Miller ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Cook'n for Kids offers 100 fun and easy recipes for kids ages 8 and older. Filled with color photos, this program also adds 150 "how-to" video clips that take kids step by step through preparation methods and more. Special menus help kids plan their own theme parties with food to match. The included games test cooking skills by challenging children to solve riddles and nab the thief who stole Grandma's secret recipe. In addition, Cook'n for Kids teaches basic etiquette, nutrition, kitchen safety, and even food history. Printing capabilities move the fun from the keyboard into the kitchen! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Outstanding!
This is the coolest CD I have ever seen. Finally someone got it right. It has just the right balance between fun and education. Gorilla Poop cookies!?? I was surprised they had the guts to put this one in. I'm glad they did too because that is what caught my son's attention! Now he's telling me where white flour came from and how potatoes were discovered and all kinds of things that I don't even know.

Not very kid friendly
My eight year old son has a great interest in cooking, is a good reader, and a very knowledgable computer nerd :-). But even so, this CD was poorly organized and required constant intervention and help from me. We both quickly lost interest. My son learns more about cooking and recipes from watching the cooking section on "ZOOM". This was a real disappointment because I use DVO's Recipe/Meal Planner software and was very impressed with that. However, this is not the same quality as the adult software DVO makes. ... Read more

Features

• Quickly select wines by cost, rating, style, grape variety, and region
• Up-to-date reviews, ratings, and details for over 10,000 wines worldwide
• Complete wine cellar and buying-list management
• Comprehensive wine glossary with over 1,400 terms and definitions
• Interactive vintage chart with wine maturity and harvest-quality ratings

Reviews (1)

Not as useful as I had expected
An ardent oenophile (what an elderly friend of mine playfully calls a dedicated wino) with a newly purchased PDA, my discovery of this program in a Wine Enthusiast catalog conjured expactations of mountains of reviews at my fingertips. I also expected to be able to organize my own collection and record my impressions of wines I had drunk, as well as any notes and recommendations from others for wines I might like to try in the future. While, in all honesty, this program does this, it doesn't do it as well or as smoothly as I had expected.

Take for instance the reviews section. A surprising number of the listed wines carry only a breif description but no review. (Piedmontese wine lovers beware - the objects of your affection are sorely under-represented and even if listed are rarely reviewed.)

The cellar inventory aspect in good but not great. The autotext completion features that save one having to write "Bordeaux" one hundred times or that fill in appelation names from the first few letters lack many names that would be expected in a program such as this.

Perhaps most distressing is that Bordeaux wines are startlingly under-represented in the review section. Many premier chateau are not cited at all.

Am I being a bit too demanding of a $... program? Perhaps. Nevertheless, I was a bit less than satisfied with the program. Were it possible to return software programs, I suspect I would. Alas, such things are not allowed. I am left with it to make of it what I can. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

The Zagat Restaurant and Nightlife Guide 2002 provides access to more than 18,000 restaurants in 31 locations. Each guide can be installed collectively or individually and contains the same extensive information found in Zagat books. Looking for an affordable sushi bar with attentive service in your neighborhood? Where do you go for the perfect steak or fish? What's the place for that power lunch or intimate brunch? With a few taps of the stylus Zagat will guide you to the right place for every occasion. Instantly find the best place for people watching, brunch, parties, views, and much more, from preselected lists.

Access restaurants just as you would a name in the built-in Address Book: just enter the first few characters of the restaurant's name and it will instantly be displayed. And once you've made a reservation Zagat will add the details to your organizer's Date Book. The software also includes the Zagat New York City and Los Angeles Nightlife Guides. Use Zagat's signature ratings and reviews of more than 1,000 bars, clubs, and lounges in each city to plan your night out. More than 60 nightlife categories are just a few taps away. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

I find it's still current
Even though this item is from 2002, I find that the info is still very current. Owning this software also gives you access to a website where more current info & free updates are available for download, so I don't even notice that it's from 2002.

I've found that with this software, you can:
-Search restaurant features by cuisine, price, service, decor, location, etc. No more agonizing over where to go eat!
-Customize a personal restaurant list. Once you get it set up, you'll like this part!
-Record reservation details into your Date Book. Makes it easy!
-Install any of the 33 guides individually as you need them. I like only having on my Palm what I need and nothing that I don't. Plus this software doesn't take up much room to begin with.
-You get accurate and honest consumer-based reviews. It contains the same extensive info as the tall, skinny, burgandy-colored guides, but is much easier to navigate.

It also supports removable Palm OS memory cards and gives you the ability to beam restaurnat details to another handheld. This is great for when making dinner/lunch plans with others.

I use it for choosing restaurants for the family and for when entertaining friends. My husband uses his for scheduling business lunches with clients. They all think we're "in-the-know" with the best restaurants, but it's really just us using this software. Don't give our secret away! ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

It won't chop onions, but a computer can make life much easierfor the amateur chef. MasterCook: The Complete Suite Featuring BettyCrocker is a simple set of programs that lets you easily enter andretrieve recipes, calculate nutritional values, plan menus, and enjoythe wealth of cooking knowledge contained in nine complete BettyCrocker cookbooks.

Start with the 6,500 recipes already included, from holiday treats suchas pumpkin cheesecake to heart-conscious meals such as halibutasparagus stir-fry. Even those daunted by their computers will findthemselves translating recipes from their libraries and notebooks--it'smuch simpler to organize and find them once the machine files them.Plan menus for any size party, pick up a few entertainment ideas, andmake sure everyone's nutritional needs are met with the extra utilitiesprovided in MasterCook. And, if a recipe mentions a technique youhaven't tried before, open up the video library and find out how to doit properly the first time.

The interface is clear and attractive, without gaudy animation orirritating sounds to distract the user from the information onscreen.Installation is simple and takes only a few minutes for most computers,and all of the features are usable quickly, with minimal instruction.With little previous computer experience necessary for use, novice andintermediate cooks--even disorganized masters--will love havingMasterCook and Betty Crocker help out in the kitchen. --RobLightner ... Read more

Reviews (10)

It's good for beginners
I'm new to cooking so I wanted to buy some cookbooks that would show me the basics as well as give me some variety to choose from. I would have had to buy several books that would have amounted to a lot of money. This software is great because it has so many recipes to choose from and they are so easy to find. This is a really wise investment for a beginer cook because it puts so much valuable information right at your fingertips.

The only thing I would have changed is the organization. It can be a bit confusing when you first start using the software. Once you're used to it you'll find the information is worth the effort you have to make at the beginning navigating around.

Also, for those who do not want to have 1000 cookbooks hanging aroung their kitchen, this works out really well. Everything is stored in your computer. There is no clutter.

Mastercook - The bottom line.
I just bought Mastercook, The Complete Suite, Featuring Betty Crocker Recipes, and I love it. I've just spent the last 2 hours.. pouring through the recipes.. figuring out how to work the program. It gives you your own favories.. your own cookbook, it has 26 cookbooks already.. just to start. I love that it'll give the nutritional values and let you edit the recipes so that you can add notes.. I like to substitute ingredients sometimes, so that's a great feature. I also love that it has a grocery list. You can just pick out your menu for the week, then with a click.. you've just made out your shopping list.. So Cool.. :) Thank you Mastercook and Sierra..

MasterCook is an excellent program...
I am a housewife and I also have a small catering service. I received this at my wedding shower a few weeks ago. I was very disorganized and often could not find the recipe I was looking for among my stacks of cookbooks and recipe boxes. I still mostly use my own recipes but this has been good for organizing my things and I have found some dishes in here that I really like to make at home. I definitely recommend this product for anyone.

What a bargain!
This release of Mastercook comes with the recipes of nine popular Betty Crocker cookbooks, as well as at least ten other collections of recipes from various sources, such as food manufacturers and industries. Many of the recipes have pictures as well. One of the cookbooks is "Betty Crocker's Cooking Basics" which would make this a great gift for a newly married couple.

I have entered all of my recipes I use on a regular basis, even those with only a few ingredients that I have in my head. Then I select which recipes I want to make for the week, and generate a shopping list. Makes planning my shopping trip quick and easy.

It's very easy to use, from searching for recipes to entering your own. My only gripe is that the interface is overdone, I prefer just a traditional interface without all the pretty graphics. For this reason you might find it sluggish on older computers. But, all in all, this is a program I've bought and use very frequently. BTW, I have used it before and after I installed Windows XP and it works just fine.

how did you get it to work with XP?
I agree, it's a great software, but after having updated to XP I have been unable to load the software. If you were successful, could you please let me know if there are any tricks? Sierra told me it was not compatiable with XP and there were no plans to update. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Billing itself as a personal home nutritionist, Cook'n for Diabetics helps you plan diabetes-friendly meals for the whole family. With a particular focus on children living with the illness, counting carbohydrates is simplified while you compile nutritious and delicious menus that will please even the choosiest young palates.

Unlike many cooking programs, which come with a massive archive compiled from a number of cookbooks, Cook'n for Diabetics has a tight focus and a smaller set of recipes. All of its meals come from Kids, Food and Diabetes by Gloria Loring, a cookbook which focuses on making foods children will enjoy while accommodating the specialized dietary needs of diabetics. To this end, the electronic version of Loring's work makes extensive use of features that analyze the nutritional content of recipes--not only the ones provided in the book, but any recipe you care to enter into the program. As long as the ingredients are in the Cook'n database, this program will give you the good and bad news on any proposed dish.

Cook'n for Diabetics can also be imported as a single chapter into the larger recipe archive of Cook'n 2000. The two programs' interfaces are identical, with function buttons at the top and the core data below in the remaining screen. It is simple to use, for the most part, but lacks the flexibility and powerhouse features of better-known cooking software. Its recipes cover the full nutritional spectrum--from breakfast to dessert--and offers some excellent tips for involving children in meal preparation.

Parents looking to simplify the nutritional challenges of feeding a diabetic child will find the information in Cook'n for Diabetics to be both entertaining and useful. --Alyx Dellamonica ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great Tool for Diabetics
As a diabetic of 21 years, I recently decided to go on the insulin pump. In order for me to do that my doctor told me I would need to plan out my meals and county my Carbs. This great software program has been instrumental in helping me achieve my goal. After a year of learning how to plan my meals and count my Carbs, I finally got my pump and I am loving it! This program has helped me more than I can say. It allows me to plan my meals ahead of time and know that I am getting the proper amount of Carbs, fat etc... This has also proven to be a useful tool for my family. Being married to someone who is NOT a diabetic makes it a little tough when it comes to meal time. It has helped my husband keep his diet in check as well. I would be lost without this program.

Help for Diabetics
This will be a help to any Diabetic that counts their Carbohydrates to control their blood sugar. I was disappointed that there were not more recipes, but the program allows you to add your own recipes. It also calculates all of the nutritional information for all of the recipes that you add. Now I don't have to guess the amount of carbohydrate grams in my favorite recipes. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Turn your PC into a personal fitness trainer. Vivonic's fitnessplanner software creates personalized fitness and nutrition programs thatmatch your unique goals, schedule, and activities. Whether you're a fitnessinitiate or an exercise afficionado, this software takes the guesswork outof targeting and achieving your fitness goals. A variety of program options help identify personal fitness goals, create customized exercise and nutrition plans, as well as track calories and activities with an extensive database containing more than 4,000 nutritional and fitness entries. Comprehensive reports monitor your progress so you can analyze your results and adjust your program accordingly. Free online resources, sample workout plans, and Vivonic's quick-start guide accompany the Fitness Planner CD-ROM--getting you up and running or down and stomach crunching quickly and intelligently. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Very useful to those for whom 'diet' is a bad word
Keeping a food journal is the ONLY way I can get a handle on my eating since I am loathe to even consider a formal diet.
Beginning to journal daily eating was a good first step for me and once that became an established routine I searched for a program to help me keep track of nutrients, carbohydrates and fiber. Vivonic suits me very well for this and more. I can tell at a glance which vitamins I'm not getting enough of, what my percentages of fat, carbohydrates and protein are and approximately how many calories my daily exercise burned.

One completes the screens for "The Plan" which asks questions about fitness level, weight, goals, level of activity and that sort of thing. At the end Vivonic supplies the number of calories one needs to eat and the number one needs to burn in order to lose weight at a moderate pace (if one choses the weight loss option). I adjusted the carb, fat, protein and fiber numbers to suit my own eating style and created custom reports for carbs and fiber so I can keep an eye on both.

I've learned a lot about my eating since using Vivonic, primarily that I don't eat as much protein as I thought even though I strive toward a lower carbohydrate diet and, as I suspected, I'm usually nowhere near the 25 g of fiber I think is ideal. And, even with a daily multiple vitamin I was always short on magnesium and vitamin e and have begun to supplement them seperately.

Adding custom foods isn't hard though it's a bit of a pain in the beginning. I wish Vivonic syched with my Pocket PC, allowing me to see my counts away from home, but it currently supports the Palm platform and its own dedicated device only. Instead, I note in my PPC what I've eaten and record it manually at home. As time has gone on I have a very good sense about how much I can eat without slavishly referring to a book of calorie counts.

Overall, a very useful program.

Doesn't work with newer Palm, Tech support non existant
I bought this program when I had a Palm IIIc. I raved about it. It was a great program until I upgraded to a palm T3. I have emailed Tech support 5 times with no response. They are NON EXISTANT! The program still works on my desktop but will not funtion on the T3. Don't waste your money!

In with a bang, out with a fizzle...
Got the desktop/palm software 1-2 years ago. It works okay, and does basically what I want it to. But, as far as I can tell, the company has flatlined. No new software updates, no enhancements to their product since it came out. And $50 is way too steep. I feel duped. Try something like Diet & Exercise Assistant 5.0, at palmgear.com. It's only $15-20.

Vivonic, better cross your fingers
It is a very interesting piece of software...BUT the company does not support the product in any way...no tech support, no
problem resolution, no product updates, need I go on??????

Vivonic Fitness Planner
This is a horribly laid out program. After one goes through and enters values of weight, routine, physical measurements, etc., it does not compute a regiment for you. I'm waiting for the new Fred "Dr. Squat" Hatfield program to come out later this year. The company that carried his previous program, "BodyCraft" discontinued the contract a few years ago. Stay away from this Vivonic garbage! ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Open up the box and start drooling--the pictures on the cover ofMasterCook Cooking Light 6.0 don't look like any "lite" food we've tastedrecently. After we had a glance at Barbecued Flank Steak with Chutney-BourbonGlaze and the Maple, Fig, and Marsala Pie, we couldn't wait to install thesoftware and start exploring recipes from almost a decade of CookingLight archives.

After installing Cooking Light 6.0, we were directed to a start page, completewith a table of contents and pictures of delectable-looking treats. Theapplication is divided into eight basic sections, all of which appear on anavigation bar that stays with you as you explore these areas. A MasterListcontains every single recipe on the application, from Asparagus with HerbedCheese on Toast to Chocolate-Cream Raspberry Tart. Once you click on a recipe,you'll get a list of ingredients and measurements, as well as easy-to-followdirections. In addition, there is a vertical toolbar that runs throughout theapplication, offering opportunities to find out more about specific ingredients,scale your recipes to fit your guest list, edit recipes, and print yourselections or e-mail them to friends or family (who knows, you may inspiresomeone to whip you up a delicious meal).

Of course, with a name like Cooking Light, you have to expect some nutritionalanalysis. For each recipe, you have the option to click on a heart-shaped icon,which pulls up nutritional information such as total fat, total carbs, sodiumcount, and more. The application lists the number of grams per serving, as wellas the percent daily value per serving, much like the nutritional labels on mostpackaged food. You can also obtain nutritional information for specificingredients by clicking on the Ingredient List in the Tools menu. Once there,you have the option to add and remove ingredients, based on personalpreferences.

Cooking Light 6.0 also includes a Wine List feature where you can createcategories for your wines and group them accordingly. The application evenprovides a list of sample wines, complete with information about wineries,regions, and years, as well as pertinent notes. Another cool feature is the MealManager, which allows you to create weekly menus, meal plans, shopping lists,and more. There's even a small calendar on the bottom of the screen to keeptrack of dates and menus.

MasterCook Cooking Light 6.0 is jam-packed with features to help you cook tastyyet healthy meals in less time. While most people won't go into depth with allthe features (the era of takeout food is far from over), this is a good tool tomake cooking more creative and less tedious. Plus, with all of your recipessafely stored on your computer, you won't have to worry about spilling milk onthe one copy of Aunt Edna's famous cornbread recipe. --Gisele Toueg ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Great Software Tool!
I received the Cooking Light software via a promotion and have loved its functionality. It is everything a cookbook should be. You can build your own cookbooks with your favorite recipes, import recipes from the Internet, recalculate servings, and even develop a shopping list (one that you can sort by food item or location in store). One of the cooler features involves listing everything in your kitchen, then hit a button and MasterCook scans its recipes to give you a list of what you can make with what you have. People who are concerned about nutrition will enjoy that MasterCook calculates nutritional values for all your recipes. The interface for the software is easy to use although it takes some getting use to the idea of the navigation buttons being at the bottom of the screen instead of at the top. Groups will enjoy the tool in that it allows you to "publish" a paper version of your cookbook complete with graphics. Very useful for fund raisers and other activities. The software also includes a subsitution list and a wine list.

It's a great product and I look forward to future releases. I hope they'll add the ability to export shopping lists to PDAs and the possibility of "publishing" your cookbook to the web.

solid and inexpensive software
Like any software, this program is not perfect - but it is an excellent value. The help function is weak: for example, it was difficult to find where to enter personal ratings of a recipe. However, the program is sufficiently user-friendly that one rarely wishes for a help function.

Cooking Light recipes are an excellent base for cooking. Entering recipes by hand is easy. Importing recipes in MasterCook format from the Serra site is simple. Importing recipes in text format is a bit more difficult but the tool for editing is good.

It provides a number of useful features - meals, meal plans for a period of time, shopping lists, pantry items expiration dates, a wine selector, comprehensive nutritional analysis including exchanges for diabetics - as well as photos, cooking tips etc. I did not load the pictures onto my PC; the program handles the absence with style ... a generic, graytoned picture.

The basic print format is satisfactory with two-sides options; I have not yet experimented with one's ability to manipulate the output.

What features do I wish it had? An ability to export the added ingredients list, a cheese list equivalent to the wine list, and a better handling of alternate ingredients, nutritional analysis for individual family members, purchasable add-ins for other cookbooks, ratings of ingredients by brand name or variety (not all tea is equal, for example)

What features do I especially like? The freedom to use my own categories and rating system, the ability to search for recipes using ingredients I have on hand (useful only AFTER one loads the data which is simple but time consuming), the thoroughness of the nutritional analysis, the arrangement of recipes and menus for easy access, the intuitive interface so one can learn the system by doing ...

This is a software package that makes on-line cookbooks use the computer capabilities for a tangible advantage rather than simply computerizing the paper cookbooks 'cause the computer's there.

Excellent Resource for Serious Recipe Collectors
I've always been a fan of Cooking Light's recipes but the greatest feature of this software is that it allows you to organize, store and manage all of your recipes! The software allows you to create your own cookbooks, import recipes from the internet and even scan in photos. I will admit, though, that the instruction manual was not clear on how to use the import wizard but once you figure it out it's a breeze! If you have text conversion software for your scanner you can scan all of those recipes you've pulled from magazines and import them into the program. It has put an end to the clutter and gives me easy access to recipes. I highly recommend it.

Great for Weight Watchers
This program makes it so easy for me to store my favorite recipes, and then calculate Weight Watcher points. There are also many wonderful recipes already there to choose from!!

A gazillion recipes plus nutritional analysis -- EXCELLENT
This is a wonderful edition to any home computing library. This CD rom contains the recipes from years of Cooking Light's yearly recipe books. You may never have to buy another cookbook again! It contains all kinds of foods from complicated gourmet foods to simple delights. There is also full nutritional analysis on all their recipes at the click of one key! Then you can print out favorite recipes and the nutritional analysis as well! Super

Here in my opinion is the best feature of all -- not only can you input and save your own recipes very easily in an area called "my cookbook," but the click of one little button analyses your recipes! You get the lowdown on how much calories, fat, and fiber (especially useful for people on Weight Watchers), but also on every other nutrient in your recipes.

So not only is this a great library of recipes with their nutritional analysis, but it is also a great program to input your own recipes and get the analysis on them. This is a wonderful program -- I'm so glad I own it. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Eat your way to health! This is the concept behind Cook'n Lean, arecipe database that advocates having your (admittedly low-fat) cake and eatingit with gusto.

Based on Dana Thornock's bookLean & Free 2000 Plus,a copy of which comes with the program, the fundamental concept of this particularCook'n outing is that the key to effective weight management and healthy eatingis to avoid starvation diets and serious food deprivation. Users are providedwith hundreds of nutritionally balanced recipes, which can be combined into aninfinite number of menus. Videos included in the package walk you through theprocess of implementing Thornock's lifestyle recommendations and the basics ofmaking her suggested meals.

This program features a number of high-tech cooking options, such as the ability to halve or double recipes at the touch of a button. Its database can be increased by means of online updates, and the program allows users to build a personal cookbook of favored meals. Cook'n Lean also generates grocery lists automatically, based on the menus created by the user. Unfortunately, its most important potential tool is very limited--thesearch engine allows users to filter recipes to some extent, but does not distinguish carefully between differing types of food content. For example,many recipes have been carefully labeled to say which are diabetic-friendlyand which are not. However, a search for the terms "diabetic" or "diabetes"brings up recipes in both categories.

Even so, Cook'n Lean is easy to use, even for those who are still new to computer use. A series of large buttons at the top of its interface allows you to choose between the recipe index, shopping list, and other features. Beginners will find all of the recipes easy to cook. Many of them aredesigned with quick preparation in mind, and feature canned or other prepared foods as essential ingredients. For users who are truly strapped for time, Cook'n Lean advocates a highly tactical approach to meal planning, where you set out your chosen meals before shopping, and perform certain prep tasks--like cutting vegetables--only once for several meals. The point of this dovetailing is that users never duplicate effort unnecessarily.

Particularly useful for newer cooks, this database delivers quick and easily prepared meals that focus on fully rounded nutrition. --AlyxDellamonica ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Cook n Lean
This is the most non user friendly piece of software I have ever come across. Unless you are an expert computer user don't waste your money. The book that comes with this package is nothing but a bio of the authors and their family history. It does nothing to make the software program any more user friendly. DO NOT WASTE YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY ON THIS PRODUCT. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Discover memorable dishes like Rosemary Chicken and delicious desserts like Raspberry Truffle from Miriam Loo. Cofounder of the Current Catalog and founder of the Current Test Kitchen, she lends her considerable expertise, personally tested recipes, as well as nutrition tips to Cook'n Deluxe. This title includes a total of 6,000 recipes, full-color photos, and special features that help with entertaining, planning meals, and managing nutrition. A convenient feature lets you select the number of guests for dinner, and the program calculates the ingredient amounts for you. An easy-to-use drag-and-drop system lets you compile menus filled with favorite dishes developed by Miriam Loo. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Big Dissapointment
We were searching for software that would allow us to create our own recipe book. This one does, unfortunately, it is weak in its categorizing ability. For example, we created our book and added a recipe for pie. Then, when you want to view all pie recipies in your book, you are forced to view all pie recipies on the CD. You could create a chapter called "pies" - but this is not very flexible (desserts would make more sense).

The screen layouts are unpolished and are not user friendly. Try finding Nutritional information (hint: click the list button).

Also, the program requires the CD to be in the drive at all times. You should have the option to skip the videos and run the program without the CD. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

If you strive to throw dinner parties in the style of Martha Stewart or even if you're just trying to better organize your weekly shopping and cooking routine, MasterCook: Food and Wine can provide you with some mouthwatering recipes and timesaving shortcuts. The software is easy to install, but requires some time with the manual at first to understand how to operate the more advanced features.

One of the best features of the software is its expansive nature. Upon installation, you can add six different recipe books, with 50 to 75 recipes apiece, into the software. You can also download additional recipe books from the MasterCook Web site and add your own concoctions into the "My Cookbook Folder" to increase your recipe database. We found the process of importing and exporting recipe files via the Web to be straightforward and worthwhile.

MasterCook also shines when working to plan meals and dietary needs. The calendar feature allows you to see weekly menus, using recipes from all of the separate cookbooks within your MasterList. If you're monitoring your caloric or sodium intake, you can click to get a nutritional analysis of each recipe to make sure it suits your dietary needs. You can also edit recipes within the software if you want to substitute or reduce an ingredient or scale recipes up or down to accommodate the number of people you'll be serving. Weekly menus can be imported into a shopping list that you can print out and bring to the grocery store, saving valuable time. There is a time requirement, though: while we were eventually able to figure out how to use the meal planning and shopping list features, we needed to spend additional time with the manual on our first try.

With software this complex, we encountered some frustrations. The software offers videos on in-depth topics, such as how to make a pie crust; however, we were unable to get the video to run. While MasterCook: Food and Wine's box promises "52 complete special occasion menus," this feature was not mentioned in the lengthy manual and we couldn't locate it within the program. (An obvious disappointment, since the presence of complete menu plans is a huge advantage for the less experienced cook.) In addition, we had a difficult time locating Food and Wine Magazine's Official Wine Guide within the program. Once we found it, we were impressed with the extensive list, but wished that the program would assist in pairing wines with particular entrees.

In spite of its few shortcomings, we found MasterCook: Food and Wine to be a valuable planning tool for the home chef. Besides its lengthy list of features, it eliminates the need for bulky cookbooks and gives you more space in the kitchen for cooking. --Cristina Vaamonde ... Read more

Features

• This comprehensive guide features 9,000 family-tested recipes that are easy to prepare and will get your taste buds jumping
• Step-by-step instructions and How To videos help you master basic cooking techniques
• Create special folders to organize and store your favorite recipes
• Automatic shopping lists save you time when you're food-shopping
• Scale the recipes to fit your needs -- cook enough for 1 person or 10