First let me point out that many cookware stores carry food scales and no, food scales are no more un-American than measuring out ingrediants using your hands & fingers.

While 30 minute recipies may not always be 30 minutes for us home cooks it doesn't have to take an hour or so. Don't go by the time it takes you to cook the meal the first time wait until you have cooked it three or four times, then you should know the real time to cook the meal. Like anything else you need to practice each meal before you decide you have been decieved. Of course if your a R. Ray fan you could have your 30 minute meals using cans, Boxes and frozen food with fresh food to make it seem you are eating healthy. Take a look at the ingrediants of the canned goods, boxed foods and the frozen food, yummy all those added ingrediants that are so good for you, sugar, salt and even MSG for starters.

For myself I always look at the picture of the author of the cookbook that claims healthier food, if the author is plump I have to wonder about the book and I would probably not purchase it. You need to use common sense when looking for quick meal type cookbooks that are 'healthy' for you. My fast meals take 40 minutes to an hour long using all fresh ingrediants, this includes same day prep time. If you can't take 40 minutes to an hour out of your daily routine then you need to slow down enough to do so if you truley care about your diet and want to eat healthier.

Sorry, left one thing out of my post, the cookbook in question is authored by an English cook regardless of his disposition and a quick meal for him would be using English ingrediants, this would only make sense. If you don't look at the recipes in the book before you buy then maybe you shouldn't buying cookbooks.