Book excerpt: From Atkins to The South Beach Diet, low-carb diets have taken the country by storm. But many require that you give up virtually all carbohydrates--even healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Breakthrough research into how and why low-carb diets work convinced dietitian Bettina Newman that limiting the intake of carbohydrates can lead to safe, healthy weight loss--if it's done right. Teaming up with Prevention, America's premier health magazine, she developed a moderate, nutritionally sound low-carb approach to weight loss. Here she offers her simple, seven-step plan for shedding pounds the smart, healthy low-carb way--along with 200 low-carb recipes for such great-tasting dishes as Whole Grain Pancakes with Berry Cream Syrup, Pesto Chicken Sandwich with Roasted Peppers, Slivered Pork with Vegetables and Pasta, and Cantaloupe Sorbet, everything from snacks, soups, and sandwiches to main-course dishes, easy one-dish dinners, and even desserts!