The Older Americans Cookbook

Though it blazes no new trails through the cholesterol/sodium/fiber forest, this book provides simple, familiar recipes and menus, as well as useful health and shopping tips for senior citizens, thus filling a need for this growing population. McFarlane, the author of six previous books, but without professional experience in geriatric nutrition, identifies ``many'' of her 178 recipes as low in sodium and cholesterol, yet does not claim they are appropriate for restricted diets. The reader is urged to seek medical advice if concerned. Appendices listing low-sodium and -cholesterol dishes are not extensive, and very few of these dishes appear in McFarlane's six-week menu plan. Ranging from the familiar (meatloaf) to the modestly adventurous (ginger-coconut chicken), recipes are easy to follow and designed for one or two people. Many were developed by senior citizens themselves. Surprisingly, butter is used quite often, and there are as many recipes for beef, pork and ham as for poultry. (Oct.)