Book reviews for good books on topics like organic living, sustainability, mindfulness, organic food, cooking from scratch, prepping, and other topics related to green and healthy living.
Getting in shape seems like a goal that I never actually achieve. I work at it a lot. I eat healthy..most of the time and exercise…sometimes. Okay, I exercise when I start to feel guilty and my pants are starting to not fit any more. It isn’t that I don’t WANT to get in shape. … Read more
I received a copy of Raw Food For Dummies for review. As I try to eat healthier I find myself interested in a number of different diet concepts. Some people go for high protein, low carb diets. Others choose to give up meat and/or animal based products. Some will only eat light and low fat foods. … Read more
There is much more to gardening than what you’ve learned in school. With Gardening for Geeks, you’ll examine your ecosystem and discover how you can create the right environment for your plants. If you are looking for a gardening book for science lovers, this is the perfect one. Want to plant a garden this year? … Read more
Why settle for preservative-packed frozen dinners, freeze-dried backpacking food and military MREs when a healthier and tastier option can easily be stored in the pantry? Meals in a Jar provides the step-by-step, detailed instructions needed to create all-natural breakfast, lunch and dinner options that you can keep on a shelf and enjoy at any time. … Read more
My son decided that he wanted to give up meat for Lent and I have been hard at work trying to create recipes that he will enjoy that also have enough protein for a growing teenager. I recently received The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Vegan Slow Cooking (Complete Idiot’s Guides (Lifestyle Paperback)) and have found a … Read more
Petite Treats Title: Petite Treats Subtitle: Adorably Delicious Versions of All Your Favorites from Scones, Donuts, and Cupcakes to Brownies, Cakes, and Pies Authors: Morgan Greenseth , Christy Beaver Publisher: Ulysses Press (December 11, 2012) ISBN: 978-1612431116 Format/Length: Paperback: 180 pages My Review: 5 From the Publisher: For hip bakers looking to dazzle guests, nothing … Read more
My husband and I spend a small fortune on locally raised, grass fed meats from a local farmer. One way we can afford to do this is by significantly cutting back on the amount of meat we eat. There are a ton of creative ways to serve meals that are loaded with protein and flavor … Read more
Fresh and Healthy DASH Diet Cooking is the perfect cookbook to get you back on your path to healthy eating. With the new year just a few days away, I am going to be doing a big push for healthy eating in my house. Over the last month I have gotten lazy and relied too heavily … Read more
My husband went to graduate school in Houston, Texas so for 7 years we got to live right on a bayou where egrets feasted on crawdads and the mosquitoes were the size of small birds. It was a totally new experience for me, having grown up in the burbs of New England! I ate alligator … Read more
The holidays are coming quickly and people will be celebrating by inviting family and friends over for food and drinks. I am always looking for creative ways to show off my culinary skills and I recently received the book Poptails: 60 Boozy Treats Served on a Stick and thought this would be perfect for holiday … Read more
If you have a weakness for soda, The Artisan Soda Workshop is a great solution. I have tried to curb my soda habit. It’s not the healthiest beverage to be drinking on a daily basis. I have switched to natural soda as much as possible but have you ever seen the price for a 6 … Read more
If you are a cookbook addict like I am, your shelves are probably overflowing with culinary inspiration. However, a good cookbook doesn’t have to teach you how to make exotic French cuisine or a fancy 12 course meal. A good cookbook can teach you how to make something ordinary into something extraordinary and that is … Read more
Growing up in New England I can honestly say that tortillas were not a staple part of my diet. In fact, I do not think my mother has cooked with tortillas EVER in her entire life. After graduating college and moving down to Houston for 7 years I ate tons of tortillas and loved them! … Read more
As we head out of summer and into fall we are often left with an abundance of produce and scrambling for ideas on what to do with it all. Unfortunately, our tomatoes don’t ripen one or two at a time…they tend to ripen all at once and we are left eating an awful lot of … Read more
The Natural Soap Chef shows how to take wonderful natural ingredients and turn them into amazing homemade soaps. It covers all the basics of soap making and shares some great recipes and ideas for making soap. The Natural Soap Chef soap making book This book will show you the way your great-grandma made soap, by … Read more
I honestly had never considered making anything in a muffin tin except for muffins! It was truly an eye-opening experience to read through some of the creative and even elegant recipes you can find in The Muffin Tin Chef. This is the perfect cookbook if you are looking for more portable meal ideas! If you … Read more
In Food Photography: From Snapshots to Great Shots, photographer Nicole Young dishes up the basics of getting the right camera equipment–lights, lenses, reflectors, etc.–and takes you through the key photographic principles of aperture, ISO, and shutter speed. She then discusses lighting and composition and shows how to style food using props, fabrics, and tabletops. Finally, … Read more
The Organic Nanny’s Guide to Raising Healthy Kids is designed to guide people to a more natural way of eating. The Organic Nanny is a wonderful resource for anyone who is concerned about the foods they feed their family. The author teaches you how to make realistic choices for your family that will help you … Read more
There are more than 750 recipes to choose from because we’ve tried to make sure home cooks have a selection to suit every possible occasion — from a dress-down backyard barbecue to the most elegant sit-down dinner. We’ve also considered the need to satisfy a variety of dietary preferences, from strictest vegans to wide-ranging omnivores. … Read more