I chose to interview Elizabeth Drain who is a published author of the cookbook, "A Skirt With a Side of Egg Whites" published in the United Kingdom in November 1996. Drain is the mother of a roommate I had when I was living in Alberta. I was curious how she fell in love with cooking and moreover, got her start in writing. Her book, "A Skirt with a Side of Egg Whites" encompasses cooking with flavor while keeping the calories low.
Here are a few of the questions and answers of our interview which was conducted via telephone.
Q: When did you think you wanted to write and publish a cookbook?
A: I've been compiling recipes I've used and loved for years. When I was 30, just after I had Laura, I decided to sit down and set them into a book. It was funny because I was still trying to shed a bit of baby bump, and I wanted to change the recipes to make them healthier.
Q: What was the biggest challenge you encountered when writing this book?A: Aside from raising the little one? (laughs) It would have to be including all the dietary and nutritional information underneath each recipe. The math of it made it challenging but my husband was kind enough to help me. He hasn't counted calories since!
Q: Are your modifications of the recipes made so that people who are dieting can use the book?
A: Yes and no. I published the modified recipes so that those who are watching their waistline, but also for those who want to enjoy classic favorite dishes without all the fat and calories. A lot of it is common sense really, such as substituting non-fat for full-fat and so forth while adding a spice or two to not compromise the flavor.
Q: What is something the reader isn't expecting when they pick up your book?
A: A lot of my readers are people I know, so it's not shocking when they pick it up and underneath my recipes are favorite quotes of specific times in my life. I guess you could say my first love is writing and I'm blessed because I get to write and cook. 
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