cookbook

Cookbook Review: Healthy Vegan, Happy Body

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Healthy Vegan, Happy Body by Tess Challis
Healthy Vegan, Happy Body: The Complete Plant-Based Cookbook for a Well-Nourished Life
by Tess Challis

4 out of 5 stars


This book begins with advice on being vegan and the benefits for your health.
There are some good instructions about including vitamins and supplements in your vegetable diet, as well as answering questions about getting enough protein.

There is a chapter with advice on how to prep, items to stock in your pantry, and equipment that is needed in the kitchen. The recipes are divided by Smoothies, Juices, and Shakes; Breakfast, Snacks and Sides, Salads, Soups and Stews, Handhelds, Noodles and Rice, Special Occasion Showstoppers, Desserts, and Staples. Continue reading →

Non Fiction Review: Family Cookbook Recipe Journal

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Family Cookbook Recipe Journal by Rockridge Press
Family Cookbook Recipe Journal: A Blank Recipe Book for Family Favorites
by Rockridge Press

5 out of 5 stars

This blank recipe journal is perfect for writing in all your favorite family recipes! It’s divided into color-coded sections that you can label any way you want. You could organize the sections by which family member submits the recipe, or by the type of recipe, or by the time it takes to cook.

Each section has a title page where you can write in the title you have chosen for that group of recipes, and a contents page where you write in the page numbers for each individual recipe in that section. The contents page makes it easy to find any recipe you need!

Each page has a colorful design with a place for the title of the recipe, a list of ingredients, prep time, cook time, how many servings it makes, and plenty of room for instructions and notes.

I just love the colors and the designs throughout this book. There are simple illustrations of cooking utensils, pots and pans, salt and pepper shakers, oven mitts, tea pots, and all sorts of cute things. There is also a measurement conversion chart at the back of the book for easy use!

The construction of the book is quite sturdy as well, to withstand a few generations of cooks spilling things in the kitchen. The pages are a little thicker than normal, and the cover is thick for a paperback too.

I can’t wait to start writing in some favorite recipes!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.

Non Fiction Review: Healing through Nutrition

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Healing through Nutrition by Eliza Savage
Healing through Nutrition: The Essential Guide to 50 Plant-Based Nutritional Sources
by Eliza Savage

5 out of 5 stars

This book has recipes for healing foods of fruits, grains, herbs, coffee and tea, and dozens of vegetables. The sections are divided by the type of food, with information about the benefits of that food, it’s healing power, and medical conditions that it will help.

The recipes are simple with easy instructions and common ingredients. There are also variations on the recipe in case you want to add or substitute something. I really like how the recipes are organized, and the design and layout is easy to navigate. Continue reading →

Cookbook Review: Bento for Beginners

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Bento for Beginners by Chika Ravitch
Bento for Beginners: 60 Recipes for Easy Bento Box Lunches
by Chika Ravitch

4 out of 5 stars

This recipe book has all the instructions you need to start using Bento boxes for work or school lunches or dinners. It begins with the history of Bento and the traditions behind this style of food packing, then gives advice on using traditional Japanese recipes or using more Americanized versions of Bento.

I love that there are so many options for Bento-style lunches! The reader has the freedom to substitute favorite vegetables and dishes, mixing them with the recipes in this book.
The recipes are all simple and easy to cook, using basics like rice, beans, chicken, and veggies. Each recipe has substitutions and labels for vegan, pescatarian, nut-free, and gluten-free. Continue reading →

Cookbook Review: Whole Food Vegan Baking

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Whole Food Vegan Baking by Annie Markowitz
Whole Food Vegan Baking: Delicious Recipes Using Healthy, Natural Ingredients
by Annie Markowitz

4 out of 5 stars

This vegan cookbook includes recipes for Breads, Biscuits, Muffins, Scones, Cookies, Brownies, Bars, Cakes, Cupcakes, Pies, and Tarts. The introduction begins with some information about how to bake without eggs, butter, or milk, using vegetable substitutes like applesauce, nut butters, almond milk, or pumpkin puree to function as the oils and fats that bind a dough together. There are sections about types of flour and natural sweeteners as well.

Each recipe has information about whether or not the food is soy-free, gluten-free, or nut-free. There are excellent tips for storing your baked goods, as well as variations on the recipe to try out. Continue reading →

Cookbook Review: Truly Healthy Vegan Cookbook

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The Truly Healthy Vegan Cookbook by Dianne Wenz
The Truly Healthy Vegan Cookbook: 90 Whole Food Recipes with Deliciously Simple Ingredients
by Dianne Wenz

4 out of 5 stars


This book begins with advice on being vegan and common mistakes that can put your health at risk.
There are very good instructions about including vitamins and supplements in your vegetable diet, as well as an entire section about getting enough protein.

The recipes include sections for Basics, Breakfast, Salad, Soups and Stews, Burgers, Wraps, and Sandwiches, Sides, Dinner Mains, Pasta and Rice, and Sweets. Each recipe includes labels for Nut-Free, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free, Low-Carb, and Oil-Free options.
The recipes have wonderful tips for substituting ingredients, as well at nutrition labels. Continue reading →

Cookbook Review: Pastry for Beginners

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Pastry for Beginners Cookbook by Sharon Glascoe
Pastry for Beginners Cookbook: Step-by-Step Recipes for Sweet and Savory Treats
by Sharon Glascoe

4 out of 5 stars 

This cookbook begins with instructions for ingredients like yeast and tips on what equipment is needed in the kitchen. Each chapter focuses on recipes for different types of pastry dough, pies, tarts, puff pastries, yeast dough, and choux dough. Each recipe has special tips for making sure that your baking comes out perfectly each time, or how to repair mistakes. With variations on a master dough recipe, there are dozens of possibilities for flavors and decorations.

The instructions are clear and easy to follow, with instructions for prep time, rising time, and baking time.
I do wish that there were more photographs to show the finished recipe products, but the recipes all sound delicious. Raspberry tarts, pretzels, cinnamon rolls, strawberry danish, pecan sticky buns, and of course apple pie are some of the ones that I really want to try for myself! Continue reading →

Cookbook Review: The Coffee Recipe Book

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The Coffee Recipe Book by Daniel Lancaster
The Coffee Recipe Book: 50 Coffee and Espresso Drinks to Make at Home
by Daniel Lancaster

4 out of 5 stars


Illustrated with cute little drawings of coffee beans, honey, spice leaves, and cozy coffee cups, this book has recipes for 50 different types of coffee and espresso.

It begins with an explanation of types of roast, and types of filters and grinders and brewing machines, with advice on choosing your tools and equipment. There are chapters for basic coffee recipes like cafe au lait, and more complex drinks like espressos and lattes, even including cold coffee drinks, frappes, and milkshakes. (There is also a chapter for alcoholic coffee drinks that I am choosing to ignore.)

With delicious ingredients like caramel, honey, lavender, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, vanilla, chocolate syrup, whipped cream, and of course steamed milk, these recipes will delight any coffee drinker! Continue reading →

Cookbook Review: Cake Decorating for Beginners

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Cake Decorating for Beginners by Rose Atwater
Cake Decorating for Beginners: A Step-by-Step Guide to Decorating Like a Pro
by Rose Atwater
5 out of 5 stars


This book begins with basic tools and equipment that are needed for cake decorating, separated by must-have equipment and nice-to-have tools. There are also instructions on using food coloring, sprinkles, fruit, candy, and other decorative items on cakes.

There is an entire section just on baking and prepping the cake, with some basic cake recipes for common cake flavors. Then there are a few recipes for buttercream frosting, cream cheese frosting, and whipped cream frosting. The instructions on how to frost a cake are clear with photos showing each step, and tips on getting the frosting to spread evenly and smoothly. Continue reading →

Cookbook Review: 30-Min. Low-FODMAP Cookbook

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The 30-Minute Low-FODMAP Cookbook by Colleen Francioli
The 30-Minute Low-FODMAP Cookbook: 101 Delicious Recipes to Soothe IBS and Other Digestive Disorders
by Colleen Francioli

5 out of 5 stars


This cookbook begins with an introduction section that explains what FODMAPs are- specific types of carbs, sugars, and fibers that can trigger IBS symptoms. Some foods are naturally low in these types of carbs, and are easier on the gut, leading to better digestion and overall health. There is a lengthy list of types of foods to avoid and foods to eat more often. You can still eat small portions of FODMAP foods, and gradually reintroduce them into your diet as your gut heals. I really love the balanced diet portrayed in this health plan. There are pantry lists and lists of ingredients to watch out for on food labels.

Then the recipes are divided into sections for Smoothies, Breakfast, Sides and Salads, Meatless Mains, Fish and Seafood, Poultry and Meat, Snacks and Desserts, and Broths and Sauces. Each recipe has nutritional labels, and labels to say whether it is dairy-free, vegetarian, nut-free, vegan, one pot, or a quick recipe. Continue reading →