There are new recipes on the way!

Meanwhile, enjoy this bowl of cereal 

😋

Healing Through Nutrition by Eliza Savage, RD, MS, CDN, Rockridge Press, Callisto Publishers, 214 pages

"I hope this book will inspire you to start exploring your own relationship with plant-based nutrition and healing. Lace up your shoes and let me guide you to a healthier and happier you--naturally!" Eliza Savage, Introduction, page ix

Healing Through Nutrition is a clean-eating with regular cooking techniques but a different eating style. The directions, side notes are helpful with good organization and easy to follow recipes.  I did not see any hard to find ingredients to prepare recipes because most are pantry staples.

I chose the Three-Bean Slow Cooker Chili to prepare since it was raining outside and seemed the perfect time for something nice and warm. The flavor was good and tasty with the homemade bread I prepared.

You have to go it alone as far as how things are supposed to look because there are no pictures except at the beginning of every chapter (mostly ingredients). I posted pictures of the chili recipe and believe me it was good!  I recommend this book to persons wanting nutritious meals prepared at home with little fuss and time.

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission Guidelines.

Whole Food Vegan Baking by Annie Markowitz, PhD, Rockridge Press, Callisto Publishers, 103 pages

“Whether your passion is blueberry muffins, chocolate chip cookies,

red velvet cupcakes, or pecan pie, this coobook covers all your

whole food vegan dessert-making needs.”

-Annie Markowitz, Introduction, page x

Whole Food Vegan Baking has five chapters with Chapter 1 covering Baking without Eggs, Baking without Milk, Flours, and Natural Sweeteners, and Essential Tools. Chapters 2 through 5 are filled with scrumptious desserts from cookies and pies to bread and tarts. The cookbook concludes with The Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen, Conversion Charts, Weights of Common Whole Food Baking Ingredients, and Ingredient Substitutions. The last two sections are very helpful and useful with excellent information for vegan baking.

Recipes I plan to prepare are 10-Minute Whole Wheat Biscuits, and since I like certain cookies, I tested the Oatmeal Raisin, and Coconut Cookies recipes (yay).The Oatmeal Raisin cookies were simply delicious that I cooked them again a week later. The Coconut Cookies were moist and chewy, the best coconut cookies I have ever tasted thus far. I might try my hand at the Healthy Carrot Cake with Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting. The pictures are posted below.

I recommend this vegan-baking cookbook to every person who likes baking to please that sweet tooth. This cookbook is not just for vegans, it is for every baker.

I received this book from Callisto Publishers in exchange for an honest review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission Guidelines.

Truly Healthy Vegan Cookbook by Dianne Wenz, Rockridge Press, Callisto Publishers, 174 pages

“I will also be sharing recipes for healthy

veganized versions of comfort food favorites,

such as burgers, tacos, and macaroni and cheese.”

Dianne Wenz, Introduction, page ix

This cookbook starts with An Unhealthful Vegan Diet and Top 10 Vegan Diet Mistakes, The Healthy Vegan Pantry, and Allergy Alert: How to Swap Ingredients. There are 10 chapters with Chapter 9 dedicated to Pastas, Noodles, and Rice. That immediately drew my attention to this section because I love pasta.

The recipe Homemade Vegetable Stock is not just for vegans but any cook that uses stock in preparing any recipe requiring such an ingredient. Included are a Prep and Cook Vegetable Chart and Produce Storage Guide that proves to be helpful and useful to every cook.

This cookbook will be sent to my daughter living in Sweden who is a vegan and has been for many years. She will be very happy and surprised to receive this gift because she loves to cook and bake but has a hard time finding worthy vegan cookbooks.

Recipes I chose to prepare are Pad Thai and Strawberry Nice Cream. The Pad Thai had a wonderful taste and the Strawberry Nice Cream was a little tart for my taste. The pictures are posted below.

I received this cookbook from Callisto Publishers in exchange for an honest review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission Guidelines.

How to Bake for Beginners by Mahy Elamin, Rockridge Press, Callisto Publishers, 158 pages

“As you read this book and try the recipes, things will connect 

and your baking skills will grow. 

Baking has brightened my life, and I hope this book brings you 

the joy, happiness, and love baking offers.”

Mahy Elamin, Introduction, page ix

How to Bake for Beginners by Mahy Elamin starts with in-depth information regarding how to bake, and what you should know about the needs of your pantry and refrigerator.  Kitchen tools, baking equipment, and how to use recipe and baking lingo are also included.

Instructions were organized and easy to follow with no hard to find ingredients. The sidebar tips are helpful, but clarity was sometimes confusing with missing information such as, “coat another large bowl with olive oil” when there was no earlier mention of coating anything.

This book has achieved its goal because of the in-depth information in Chapter 1: Welcome to the World of Baking, and Chapter 2: Fundamental Skills. There are a few very useful photographs showing how to separate eggs, cutting in, and folding.  Both novices and seasoned cooks and bakers can enjoy the information and recipes.

I am not a baker but using this cookbook was very helpful in my attempt to prepare the Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies and Easy Garlic Parmesan Knots recipes. The cookies were not done completely in the middle, which will not stop me from attempting to bake them again. The Easy Garlic Parmesan Knots were almost perfect, except for the bottoms. They burned a little because I did not have the parchment paper called for in the recipe.

I recommend this cookbook for beginners learning to bake for the first time and for seasoned bakers to add a few new baking recipes to their collections.

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission Guidelines. 

The Plant-Based Diet for Beginners by Gabriel Miller, Rockridge Press, Callisto Publishers, 155 pages

           " While losing weight was my original goal,

                                        I believe my greatest accomplishment has been

                                           encouraging and leading many of my family 

                                        members and friends to regain their own health.”

        -Gabriel Miller, Introduction, page IX

This cookbook is separated into two sections, Part One: Getting Started with Chapter 1 explaining why you should go plant-based and Cooking with Oil (really without) on page 4, and Chapter 2 containing shopping lists and sample menus. There is a vitamin chart listing vegetables to eat that are rich in nutrients and a chart for some foods to eat “instead of this, eat that” on page 15. A good cookbook contains pantry, refrigerator, freezer, and equipment essentials which this one does starting on pages 16 through 19. Part Two: The Recipes has Chapter 3 through Chapter 8 with the titles of Entrees, Smoothies and Beverages, and Sauces, Dressings, and Dips to name a few.

Two recipes that caught my eye are Sautéed Collard Greens on page 63, and White Bean and Chickpea Hummus on page 133. I am a  hummus lover and fortunately have the ingredients in my cupboard of staples.  I like collard greens also and usually prepare in my slow cooker, but decided to try this sautéed recipe in a saucepan.

The White Bean and Chickpea Hummus after tasting was a little bland so I added additional fresh lemon juice, onion and garlic powders, a pinch of kosher salt and a few roasted red bell pepper. The Sauteed Collard Greens were very tender and tasteful.

I am recommending this plant-based cookbook for any person interested in preparing plant-based meals for a simpler and healthier eating lifestyle. There are plenty of interesting recipes to prepare for a taste test. Get ready, set, and go!

I received this cookbook from Callisto Publishers in exchange for an honest review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission Guidelines.

The Essential Cookbook for Men by Manuel Villacorta, MS, RD, Rockridge Press, Callisto Publishers, 134 pages

                          “Get ready to experience a lifelong journey that will keep you

strong, healthy, rejuvenated, and empowered

to take control of your health right in your own kitchen.”

-Manuel Villacorta, MS, MD, Introduction-page xii

This cookbook aimed at men who want to cook healthy meals in their home kitchen is full of numerous tasty recipes that are healthy and may be prepared within a bare minimum of time. The photography provided by Thomas J. Story is simply beautiful that has me wanting to eat the sandwich off the front cover and take a fork to the avocado dish on the back cover.

The Essential Cookbook for Men has nine chapters with Recommended Food Brands, Measurement Conversions, and an Index in the end of the cookbook. There are sections such as Introduction to the Kitchen, Gear Guide, Pantry Essentials, Grocery Store Guide, and basics to include in the pantry. Villacorta has compiled easy recipes with easy ingredients that have prepping and cooking times reduced to a minimum.

Here are my two favorites I will be preparing and posting pictures at least one of the two (even though I am a woman, smile): Stir-Fry Beef Sandwich and California-Style Stuffed Bell Peppers.  I do recommend this cookbook for men who want to prepare easy home-cooked meals with as less time as possible. Eventually, you will be able to graduate to more complex homemade meals.

I prepared the Stir-Fry Beef Sandwich and forgot to take a picture. This is a very flavorful sandwich and easy to prepare recipe. The leftover mixture was placed in the freezer for a later date. I guess the wonderful smell and taste made me forget about the photograph for my post! (smile)

I received this book from Callisto Publishers in exchange for an honest review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission Guidelines.

The Complete Clean Eating Cookbook by Laura Ligos, MBA, RDN, CSSD, Rockridge Press, Callisto Publishers, 315 pages

“Clean eating encourages you to choose foods

that not only taste good but also optimize

your healthy and wellness.”

-Laura Ligos, Chapter One, page 1

Chapter One starts this cookbook with the Clean Eating Basics and Code. There is a section on how to stock your kitchen, refrigerator and freezer, and what tools and equipment to have to enhance preparing your meals.

Chapter Two offers three Meal Plans: Clean Eating 101 Plan, Wellness Plan, and the Healthy Lifestyle Plan. The meal plans are easy to follow with weekly examples, the recipes, and corresponding page numbers from the cookbook, and shopping lists.

Chapters Three through Twelve contains numerous recipes including Smoothies, Snacks, Salads, Seafood, Beef and Lamb, and Desserts. Following the recipes are useful cooking temperature and measurement conversion charts, resources list and recipe index.

I chose the Turmeric Rice on page 93 to prepare with my Chicken with Olives and Capers (page 105), and Greek Fasolakia (Green Beans) (page71) recipes from the Mediterranean Diet Slow Cooker Cookbook by Shannon Epstein. This dinner was very tasty and filling and I plan to prepare these recipes again in the near future, maybe with different sides and main dishes.

Whether you are looking for a chicken, pork, or vegetarian recipe it is there waiting to be prepared for your enjoyment. I am recommending this cookbook for everyone who cooks wanting a healthier way to prepare their meals without compromising on flavor or any choice of food.

I received this book from Callisto Publishers in exchange for an honest review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission Guidelines.

One-Pot Diabetes Cookbook by Kathy Birkett, RDN, LD, Rockridge Press, Callisto Publlishers, 168 pages

“Everything a person with diabetes eats affects their blood glucose,

so knowing what to eat is the first step. But preparing that food requires a

strategy. One-pot meals you can make quickly using a few ingredients and

tools you already have in your kitchen is a great strategy for diabetes.”

-Kathy Birkett, Introduction, page x

One-Pot Diabetes Cookbook is filled with nine chapters beginning with the first two chapters dedicated to Living with Diabetes and Your Diabetic One-Pot Kitchen. Some of the information is simple swaps to avoid carbs and sugars, and a pantry makeover.

Those lacking vitamins A through E will find corresponding information of fruits and vegetables sources.

Diabetics usually have other factors involved with this diagnosis, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart disease naming a few. There are numerous beef and pork recipes including cheese and shrimp dishes normally avoided for diabetics or very limited in nature.  Concluding this cookbook is a list of resources of organizations for healthy eating and diabetes management.

Three recipes I will test, as I already prepare certain recipes with chicken or use ground turkey as substitutes (I keep the use of ground beef and pork to a minimum in my meals). The three are Balsamic Chicken with Leeks and Carrots (Skillet), Oven-Fried Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Cabbage Wedges (Sheet Pan), and Fish Packets (Sheet Pan).

The Fish Packets were delicious with the vegetables on top. I prepared this dish three times in one week! First two dishes I used Tilapia Fillets and the third time I used Flounder Fillet. This is a must try recipe. 

I recommend this cookbook for diabetics seeking new recipes and others who wish to cook on a healthier level.

I received this cookbook from Callisto Publishers in exchange for an honest review in accordance with Federal Trade Commission Guidelines.

Mediterranean Diet Slow Cooker Cookbook by Shannon Epstein, Rockridge Press, Callisto Publishers, 159 pages

“I hope this cookbook show you a different way to slow-cook and

opens your eyes to the wonders of the Mediterranean Diet…

Writing this cookbook made me remember why I love

Mediterranean food in the first place.”

-Shannon Epstein, Introduction, page ix

Shannon Epstein explains what the Mediterranean Diet consists of and what to eat a lot of, eat some of, eat less of, and what to eat none of in consecutive order. Epstein includes a food pyramid with first section containing fruits, vegetables, grains, herbs, and spices. Also discussed are the health benefits of the Mediterranean Diet and lifestyle.

The cookbook is divided into nine chapters with Chapter 1 dedicated to Mediterranean slow cooking. Chapters 2 through 9 include soups, rice and pasta, lamb, beef and pork, and desserts. Measurement conversions, resources and a recipe index conclude the slow cooker cookbook.

My tester recipe of choice is Chicken with Olive and Capers on page 105 and Greek Fasolakia (Green Beans) on page 71, but I prepared the green beans in a skillet instead of a slow cooker for timing purposes. This recipe was easy to prepare and uses staple ingredients and spices that should be in any cooks cupboard or pantry. The flavor was quite tasty and very filling. I paired it with Turmeric Rice (from The Complete Clean Eating Cookbook by Laura Ligos).

I recommend this cookbook for persons wanting to try a Mediterranean Diet with no fuss cooking and those who already embrace the Mediterranean Diet but want to experience it on a different cooking level.

I received this book from Callisto Publishers in exchange for an honest review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission Guidelines.