Book Review: YumUniverse by Heather Crosby

Benbella Publishing contacted me several weeks ago with an offer to share 3 of the their newest publications with me. I was excited because I started a whole-foods, plant-based, vegan-ish dietary change several months ago and let me tell you, it's been a challenge. I think in some ways it's been much harder than going gluten-free was for me. You can replace cookies, cake, muffins, etc... especially with all of the great gluten-free flours available now... but it's not quite as easy to replace a steak. Trust me, there are days I REALLY miss the steak!

But moving on... one of the cookbooks they sent was this beautiful book by Heather Crosby. First of all... can you have a cooler name for a cookbook than "YumUniverse ?" I know...I didn't think so either... it's just way cool!

Beyond the coolness however, it's just a wonderful cookbook. Filled to the brim with great information on how to begin a plant-based diet, how to stock your kitchen, how to shop, and most importantly HOW to cook! This really is a primer on how to learn to eat and cook using plant-based whole foods.

A big bonus for this cookbook? It's also gluten-free!

I've tried out several recipes so far, my favorite being the banana bread muffins. I made these for work this week and they are just simple and delicious. I'm really trying to learn how to bake again without eggs and using as little fats/oils as possible, so these muffins Heather created are a great beginner recipe. She uses whole grain-gluten free flours, along with almond flour and of course bananas.

The muffins are also gum-free, as Heather uses as few processed ingredients as possible. These muffins (despite their appearance) are really light and fluffy and have a wonderful banana flavor.

Heather uses a technique in these muffins that I had not thought of before. She purees the bananas with water and chia seeds (to replace the eggs) to almost create a banana "milk" which is the bulk of the wet ingredients. She also added chopped bananas to the batter to have some texture, but I realized that I really don't like chunks of fruit in my muffins, so I just pureed all the bananas in the water. I LOVE how the muffins turned out this way. They don't have odd, "wet" areas, and they are smooth and have a wonderful texture throughout the whole muffin.

For the recipe you'll have to check out the book, "YumUniverse" but Heather does have an earlier version of the muffins on her website, which I'm sure are just as tasty!

This is a great cookbook to check out if you're both gluten-free AND trying to follow a plant-based or vegan diet. The photography is just stunning throughout the whole book and it's very well written. Great job Heather! I'm a big fan! :)

Now as a bonus, the publisher is providing one book to giveaway , so if you would like a copy, please leave me a comment below! This contest will run through December 19th and end at midnight. I will use random.org to choose a winner.

The Giveaway:

• BenBella Publishing is providing one paperback copy of YumUniverse to give away.  
• This giveaway is open to everyone. 
• One entry per person.
• Enter by leaving a comment below on this post AND please include a way for me to contact you -- your email address preferably.
• The giveaway begins December 12, 2015 and ends on December 19, 2015  at 12:00 am eastern daylight savings time.
• No purchase is necessary.  Odds of winning are based on the number of entries.  
• The winners will be randomly chosen and will be contacted by email.  The winners will have 24 hours to respond.  If the winner does not respond, a new winner will be randomly chosen.

GLG Disclosure: 

BenBella Publishing provided me with a paper copy of  "YumUniverse" for the purpose of sharing an online review, if I chose to do so. They are also providing a copy to one reader of this blog through a giveaway. This is not a sponsored post and I did not receive compensation. The opinions in this post are completely my own. 

Lessons in cooking with Melissa Joulwan

Beef carnitas with homemade guacamole and the occasional handful of
organic corn tortillas. 

(I KNOW, I KNOW... these pictures are terrible!! I could NOT make this pretty! I'm sorry... I promise it tasted much better than this looks!) 

Since going gluten-free in 2007 I eat very differently at most restaurants. At the time (late 2007), one dish I discovered to be gluten-free at our local Mexican restaurant was pork carnitas. They were savory, rich chunks of pork that had been gently cooked down with warm spices until they were super tender. When the liquids cook out of the dish, the pork then sizzles in it's own fat until its crispy and delicious on the edges. Down home Mexican comfort food.

This was my staple Mexican dish when we visited that restaurant. I would crave those pork carnitas, served with warmed corn tortillas and refried beans and sometimes a guacamole salad.

At some point last summer we visited our local Mexican restaurant again (we hadn't been in a while) and I ordered my usual pork carnitas... except... they were NOT my usual pork carnitas. Apparently they had a new chef who had changed all the recipes and now the carnitas were deep fried (and most likely cross-contaminated in a shared fryer) and they didn't seem fresh. This recipe also didn't have the rich, deep flavors that I was used too. In all honesty it seemed like they reheated leftover fried pork carnitas... and they were NOT yummy. 

I was hoping it was a fluke, so we visited the restaurant again a few weeks later. Nope. Same deep-fried pork carnitas that seemed like last week's leftovers. They were not the succulent, slow cooked morsels of delicious pork simmered in Mexican seasonings that I had enjoyed for years and I was really disappointed.

So I went without them and we didn't eat much Mexican for a while... I was bummed. When I wanted comfort food, I really wanted those old pork carnitas.

And then, a few weeks ago I got my copy of Well Fed 2 by Melissa Joulwan, the queen of paleo awesomeness. And as I was flipping through her glorious cookbook, I remembered something... HER FIRST awesome cookbook... It had a recipe for citrus pork carnitas! I had to try them. (For those who don't have the cookbook, Melissa graciously has the recipe posted on her site.)

I'd never made a recipe where you purposely allow the liquids to simmer out of the pot (key word purposefully!)... as Melissa shared in her recipe directions:

"While it's cooking, it will look like uninspired soup! As the water evaporates, the powerful citrus juice tenderizes the meat... (then) watch as the meat magically fries and caramelizes in the fat and fruit juice. It is a thing of beauty..."

(For those of you who would like to write cookbooks, I encourage you to buy Melissa's cookbooks, not only for the amazing recipes, but to see awesome examples of how truly intuitive and helpful instructions should be written!)

And Melissa's instructions were key. The pork did exactly as she described and by the end of the cooking process those juicy pieces of succulent meat had soaked in all the amazing flavors of the broth and spices. The flavors that developed in those chunks of pork were amazing, I remember standing there just picking the meat out of the pot and swooning at each bite. THESE were the pork carnitas I had been missing. (Thank you Melissa!)

So in all this talk about pork carnitas, where does that top picture of beef carnitas fit in? It fits in on a rainy fall afternoon when finances are tight, but you just happened to have a beef roast thawing in the fridge. And I was kinda tired of your "plainjane" beef, carrots, potatoes, and onions "pot roast." It's good, don't get me wrong... but it's not what I wanted.

This particular beef roast I had thawing was marbled with a good bit of fat and while I was thinking about dinner soon after lunch (oh stop, you do it too!), I started to wonder if you could use the same technique with a beef roast as you could with pork. Then I found this recipe online, which sounded similar to Melissa's recipe for pork, and I decided to try it, using some of the suggestions from the commenters. Such as adding a bit of cumin and maybe some cayenne for some additional heat and flavor... and because I loved Melissa's version, I added lime juice as well. A little extra citrus never hurt anything.

And it worked. It worked amazingly well and because I cut the beef into about 1" pieces it was nearly done in an hour, which was very helpful for a weeknight meal. I think what I love most about this recipe is not only how tasty it is, but its lesson in appearances... that "uninspired soup" when you started cooking turns into a gorgeous pan of sizzling, bold-flavored cubes of meat that literally make you smile when you taste them. What seemed like the most simple and mundane of cooking techniques produced incredibly good results.

Have you had any kitchen epiphanies lately?

The guac? It was just two overly ripe mashed avocados with chopped cherry tomatoes, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and lime juice...

The tortilla chips? Rare and organic and work occasionally in my hue of paleo.

Book Giveaway: I'm a Celiac's "Gluten Free Family Approved Recipes"

Enchilada Casserole page 50, from Pam Jordan's "Gluten Free Family Approved Recipes" 

I am a simple cook. I love shows like "Chopped" and "Cupcake Wars" and "Masterchef"... but honestly I'd never want to compete in them. Because my cooking isn't gourmet, it isn't fancy, it's just good food for hungry bellies.

And that's what I love about Pam Jordan's lovely little cookbook called, "Gluten Free Family Approved Recipes." This wonderful cookbook has over 50 recipes that Pam uses regularly in her home. They are a mix of completely homemade simple meals and meals that use gluten-free shortcuts like Italian dressing mix, taco seasoning, etc... Another awesome thing about Pam's book... it has a slow cooker chapter! And I'm kinda partial to slow cooker recipes! :-P

Every single recipe has been shared and enjoyed at her family table with three hungry kids and her husband.

"One Dish Wonder" pg. 41 from Pan Jordan's "Gluten Free Family Approved Recipes" 

So far I've tried the "One Dish Wonder" on page 41, a really awesome chicken meal that shows you how to make the main dish + 2 sides in one casserole dish. I loved this meal. Pam shows you how to cook all three parts of the meal in one dish by making them side by side with different seasonings. I actually just layered the dish because I was short on chicken. But the flavors in this meal are spot on! Pam called for GF Italian dressing seasoning, but I didn't have any... so I used half a package of dry Ranch dressing mix instead and it was AWESOME! I can't believe I've never thought to use the flavors of a dressing mix in a casserole. We loved this!

We also tried the Enchilada Casserole on page 50 (see the top picture in this post). It uses jarred gluten-free enchilada sauce (I had never used it before! YUM!), corn tortillas, and ground beef (we used ground turkey since that's what I had on hand). This was a really good casserole. Michael said it was like a "Mexican" lasagna and that's what I thought too. We will definitely be making this again.

Pam's book is a real bargain. As a matter of fact, you can buy it for your kindle right now for only $3.99 from Amazon. A STEAL for an entire book of tested recipes that really work the first time you try them! The next recipe on my list to try is the Pear Cobbler. Pears are my favorite fruit and I've never thought to try them in a cobbler, so I know that will be absolutely delicious!

Would you like to win a print copy of Pam's awesome book? 

Here's how: 

The Giveaway Nittygritty:

• 1 brand new printed copy of Pam Jordan's cookbook, "Gluten Free Family Approved Recipes"  
• This giveaway is open to everyone. 
• One entry per person.
• Enter by leaving a comment below on this post AND please include a way for me to contact you -- your email address preferably.
• The giveaway begins July 25, 2013 and ends on July 29, 2013  at 11:00 pm eastern daylight savings time.
• No purchase is necessary.  Odds of winning are based on the number of entries.  
• The winners will be randomly chosen and will be contacted by email.  The winners will have 24 hours to respond.  If the winner does not respond, a new winner will be randomly chosen.

GLG Disclosure: 

Pam sent me a free printed copy of her book to review, if I chose to do so. This is not a sponsored post and I did not receive monetary compensation. The opinions in this post are completely my own. The giveaway copy of the printed book will be provided by Pam Jordan. 

Introducing: The Everything Gluten-Free College Cookbook! Coming July 2013

Over the past year I've been working very hard on a series of gluten-free cookbooks for the "Everything" series published by Adams Media. (Hence the reason the poor blog hasn't been updated as often as I'd like for it to be!)

And my latest installment is coming out next month on July 18, 2013. This new book is entitled, "The Everything Gluten-Free College Cookbook." This book has been especially designed for gluten-free college kids, but also those new to cooking gluten-free, and for busy folks everywhere.

The book specifically shares SUPER EASY recipes and tips to teach college kids how to cook fast, easy, and healthy meals right in their dorm room or apartment.

Some great features of this book include: 

• A whole chapter explaining what being gluten-free means, how to buy and store gluten-free foods in your college dorm room or your first apartment. How to ask about gluten-free options on your college campus, how to teach your friends about WHY you are gluten-free, etc... 
• Over 300 EASY AND DELICIOUS gluten-free recipes that ANYONE can make, especially beginner cooks!
• An entire chapter on meals you can make in your microwave!
• Recipes for easy breakfasts, lunches, parties, study snacks, and special chapters on fast and quick main dishes and gluten-free pasta meals.
• An entire chapter on gluten-free vegetarian and vegan recipes!
• Tons of NATURALLY gluten-free recipes, which means you don't have to buy special gluten-free flours or baking ingredients (unless of course you want too for the baked goods!) 
• For those who want to learn to bake, many EASY gluten-free baked goods such as muffins, cupcakes, cookies, etc... 
• Dairy-free substitutes are listed throughout the book for those with dairy or casein sensitivities. 

A handful of awesome gluten-free recipes to try from this book include: 

• Banana Nut Pancakes
• Very Veggie Omelets
• Baked Pumpkin Crunch Oatmeal
• Classic BLT's
• Mini Pizzas in a Flash
• Tuna Salad with a Kick
• Buffalo Wings
• Never-Enough-Nachos
• Microwave Chicken Divan
• Easy "Tandoori" Chicken
• Mexican Lasagna
• Frittata with Asparagus and Two Cheeses
• Classic Italian Risotto
• Cheesiest Macaroni and Cheese
• Stovetop Oatmeal Fudge Cookies
• Basic Rice Krispies Squares
• Speedy Mocha "Mousse" Pudding
• and many, many more!

If you're not a college student, this book can still help you learn to make super fast and easy meals at home. It's perfect for busy moms, commuters, anyone working full time who needs quick and healthy gluten-free meals on-the-go, etc... 

This book is on-sale now for pre-order through:

• Amazon
• Barnes and Noble
• Books a Million
• Powell's Books

And will be available on July 18, 2013 at your favorite local bookstore. 

Have any questions about this cookbook? Send me an email: gingerlemongirl at gmail dot com. 

To kick-off this book, let's have a giveaway! 

Would you like a copy of this book? (And you absolutely should!)  I'm personally giving away two brand new paper-back copies of this cookbook! Simply leave a comment on this blog post letting me know why you'd like this book and what recipe you would try first! 

*******************

This contest is now over: 

Congrats to Cindy and Marcie the winners of "The Everything Gluten-Free College Cookbook"

The Giveaway Nittygritty:

• I am giving away two BRAND NEW COPIES of my new cookbook: "The Everything Gluten-Free College Cookbook." 
• This giveaway is open to everyone. 
• One entry per person.
• Enter by leaving a comment below on this post AND please include a way for me to contact you -- your email address preferably.
• The giveaway begins June 18, 2013 and ends on June 22, 2013  at 11:00 pm eastern daylight savings time.
• No purchase is necessary.  Odds of winning are based on the number of entries.  
• The winners will be randomly chosen and will be contacted by email.  The winners will have 24 hours to respond.  If the winner does not respond, a new winner will be randomly chosen.

GLG Disclosure: 

I am giving away two copies of my newest cookbook. These copies have been provided by ME. This is not a sponsored post and I did not receive compensation. The opinions in this post are completely my own. 

Gluten-Free Book Review: The Everything Guide to Gluten-Free Living

This is another book review I've been meaning to share with you for months! My good friend Jeanine Friesen, creator and author of "The Baking Beauties" a wonderful Canadian gluten-free food blog, has written a brand new book called, "The Everything Guide to Living Gluten-Free."

(...and I know I'm biased, but I'm thrilled this book is published by Adams Media, the publishers I work with as well and who also published my gluten-free slow cooker cookbook!) 

In the very beginning of the book Jeanine states, "...a gluten-free life isn't all about loss and restrictions. It is also about variety and abundance and finding new ways to enjoy your life."  THIS is why I love Jeanine. She believes in being positive and finding the best possible outcome even when you're diagnosed with Celiac disease or gluten sensitivity or a wheat allergy. This book will give you an incredibly positive outlook on life gluten-free.

Complete with chapters on why people go gluten-free, an in-depth look at Celiac disease, and what gluten is and ALL the places it can be found. Jeanine's guide will give you tips and hints for every aspect of going gluten-free. There is an entire chapter on starting a gluten-free diet. How to organize and stock your kitchen gluten-free. How to go shopping gluten-free. How to eat out and travel gluten-free. If you want a complete all-in-one guide, Jeanine's book is the best resource for your gluten-free lifestyle!

And then on top of all that, Jeanine also includes 100 incredible recipes for starting a gluten-free diet. Recipes such as:

• Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins
• Cheesiest Macaroni and Cheese
• Baked Chicken Fingers
• Lean Beef Stroganoff
• Waldorf-Inspired Quinoa Salad
• Baked Mexican Rice Casserole
• Fluffy Buttermilk Biscuits
• Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes with Fluffy Raspberry Frosting

So do those sound good? I thought so! Jeanine's new book is NOW available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and probably your favorite online retailer! Please check out her new book, buy a copy, and please please please leave her a review once you've picked one up! 

Seriously, "The Everything Guide To Living Gluten-Free" is one of the best resources to have on hand if you are gluten-free. I hope to donate a few copies of this to my local library very soon! 

What's the most important tip you could give to someone who is newly gluten-free? 

Please share your thoughts in the comments below! 

Book Review & Giveaway: Cybele Pascal's Allergy-Free and Easy Cooking

Several months ago I received a brand-new beautiful  review copy of Cybele Pascal's latest cookbook, "Allergy-Free and Easy Cooking." And my friends... if you deal with multiple food sensitivities or allergies, this book is DEFINITELY for you. Cybele made EVERY recipe in this book free of: gluten, wheat, dairy, eggs, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, and sesame.

The book contains 75 recipes for quick and easy 30 minute meals at home. TO be honest, I receive so many cookbooks, I wasn't really sure what to expect with this book. But as soon as I started thumbing through it, I immediately smiled. These are easy, everyday, "down home" comfort foods... and that is the kind of cooking I like to do.

I'm about as far from a gourmet as you can get (although I do prefer freshly grated pepper and nutmeg, smoked paprika, and grass-fed beef... I mean you have to have some priorities right? :-) Cybele does an amazing thing here... as a sophisticated wife, mom, entrepreneur, chef, and home cook she takes the gluten-filled foods you loved and remember and turns them into allergen-free masterpieces with basic, healthy ingredients you probably have in your pantry right now.

There are a few specialty ingredients you will need for some dishes (such as Daiya dairy-free, soy-free "cheese" -- which I LOVE) but most of these items can easily be found online, if not at your local higher-end grocery store like Whole Foods.

Here are a handful of recipes that particularly caught my eye:

• Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Squares
• Creamy Mac & Cheese
• Shepard's Pie
• Chicken and Sausage Paella
• Chicken a' la King
• Salisbury Steaks with Mashed Potatoes

I had every intention of trying the Salisbury steak tonight because I have to admit, on the occasional time we had frozen dinners growing up, I LOVED Salisbury Steak... and I was SO excited when I saw Cybele's rendition of this classic ground beef steak and gravy. 

Unfortunately work has been a little crazy and we ended up having gluten-free sandwiches because this chica was too tired to chop an onion (although Cybele shares her onion-chopping secret throughout the book and I have to say, I may just have to invest in it! It sounds like it would make weeknight veggie chopping a BREEZE!) 

However I have a very special treat for you my dear readers... Yep! You now have a chance to win a copy of this wonderful book. Many cookbooks will come and go, but I truly think Cybele's "Allergy-Free and Easy Cooking" will be on your kitchen shelf for years to come! 

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW OVER!! 

Congrats to comment #17 Lisa D! 

I hope you really enjoy the book!

The Giveaway:

• I am giving away one brand new copy of Allergy-Free and Easy Cooking by Cybele Pascal.
• This giveaway is limited to residents of the 48 contiguous United States aged 18 and older.
• One entry per person.
• Enter by leaving a comment below on this post AND please include a way for me to contact you -- your email address preferably.
• The giveaway begins January 8, 2013 and ends on January 15, 2013  at 11:00 pm eastern time.
• No purchase is necessary.  Odds of winning are based on the number of entries.  
• The winners will be randomly chosen and will be contacted by email.  The winners will have 24 hours to respond.  If the winner does not respond, a new winner will be randomly chosen.

GLG Disclosure: 

Ten Speed Press provided me with a free copy of "Allergy-Free and Easy Cooking" for the purpose of sharing an online review, if I chose to do so -- ALONG with 1 brand new copy to giveaway. This is not a sponsored post and I did not receive compensation. The opinions in this post are completely my own. 

Book Review & Giveaway: Nourishing Meals By Alissa Segersten and Tom Malterre, MS, CN

Book Title: Nourishing Meals -- Healthy Gluten-Free Recipes for the Whole Family
Authors: Alissa Segersten and Tom Malterre, MS, CN
Publisher: Whole Life Press
Copyright: 2012
Available for sale: Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen and Amazon.com 

Several months ago before my book was published Ali Segersten was kind enough to send me several copies of her newest cookbook Nourishing Meals. I was thrilled to receive Ali's cookbook. You see Ali cooks the way that I WANT to cook. I'm still learning how to use and cook whole foods on a daily basis. I grew up eating a lot of convenience foods and I still rely on many of them today (like canned vegetables and fruits, quick cooking rice, etc...) I want to learn how to make more healthy, but delicious vegetarian meals using as many fresh ingredients as I can. This book will be KEY in getting started!

Ali's beautiful new book has an incredible way of making whole foods seem simple and delicious. Her pictures are enticing and down-to-earth. Chapters at the beginning of this book extensively cover the how's and why's of celiac disease and the gluten-free diet, why their is a rise in food allergies and sensitivities, and how to raise healthy children. 

At the beginning of each recipe chapter Ali shares helpful and fun tips about the foods the cover chapters. She shares ideas for creating balanced menus, packing school lunches, quick snacks, healthy and fast breakfasts, etc... These tips alone are worth the cost of the book!! 

Ali & Tom have created a whole foods cookbook that not only makes healthy organic vegetables and fruits enticing to cook, they encourage you to learn more along the way. They want to help you and your family eat well. They believe in the power of healthy foods and reading this book will make you want to start cooking their way too. 

From their website here is additional information about their new book:

Here is what you’ll find in the Nourishing Meals Cookbook:

• How to raise a healthy eater
• Key nutrients for pregnancy and childhood and contributors of deficiencies
• How to pack a healthy school lunch 

• Creating balanced family meals 

• Vegan, vegetarian, seafood, and meat main dishes
• Nutritional benefits of soups and stocks 

• Tips for getting your children to eat more vegetables
• Tips for a quick, nutritious breakfast
• Charts for soaking and cooking whole grains 

• Wholesome gluten-free breads and muffins, including sourdough recipes
• Healthy snack ideas 

• Alternatives to refined sugar 

• Nourishing grain-free dessert recipes 

• Ways to preserve the harvest, including recipes for lacto-fermented vegetables

Here's a sample recipe from Ali's new book shared from their online store: 

image & recipe shared with permission of Ali Segersten 

Zucchini Almond Pancakes 

From Nourishing Meals, pg. 103

I like to make these savory grain-free, protein-packed pancakes on a summer morning before we head out for the day. Combined with a green smoothie they create an energizing breakfast! These store well in the refrigerator, but if you prefer to make a smaller batch halve the recipe. Top each pancake with a dollop of sour cream or Cashew Sour Cream, and chopped parsley if desired. -- Ali Segersten

4 large organic eggs

3 cups grated zucchini

¾ to 1 cup almond flour

½ cup minced onion

½ to 1 teaspoon Herbamare or sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

olive oil or butter for cooking

Mix all ingredients except the oil together in a medium-sized bowl. Batter will thin a little as it sits.

Heat a 10-inch stainless steel skillet or cast iron skillet over medium-low heat. Be sure to heat your pan long enough before adding the oil and batter, otherwise the pancakes will stick. Add about 1 tablespoon olive oil. Drop batter by the ¼ cup into the hot skillet. Cook for a few minutes on each side. Repeat with remaining batter, adding a little oil or butter to the skillet before cooking each pancake.

Yield: 10 to 12 pancakes

Kitchen Tip: A well-seasoned cast iron skillet keeps pancakes from sticking to the bottom of the pan and is especially useful in this recipe.

*********************

This giveaway is now over!
Our winners were chosen by random.org (and have been contacted by email):
Congrats to # 32, Melisa
and # 76, Joyce

The Giveaway:

• I am giving away TWO signed copies of Nourishing Meals by Ali Segersten & Tom Malterre.
• This giveaway is limited to residents of the 48 contiguous United States aged 18 and older.
• One entry per person.
• Enter by leaving a comment below on this post AND please include a way for me to contact you -- your email address preferably.
• The giveaway begins November 9, 2012 and ends on November 14, 2012  at 11:00 pm eastern time.
• No purchase is necessary.  Odds of winning are based on the number of entries.  
• The winners will be randomly chosen and will be contacted by email.  The winners will have 24 hours to respond.  If the winner does not respond, a new winner will be randomly chosen.

GLG Disclosure: Ali Segersten provided me with a free copy of "Nourishing Meals" for the purpose of sharing an online review, if I chose to do so -- ALONG with 2 brand new, signed copies to giveaway. This is not a sponsored post and I did not receive compensation. The opinions in this post are completely my own. 

Book Review: The Essential Gluten-Free Baking Guide, Part 2

Title: The Essential Gluten-Free Baking Guide, Part 2
Authors: Iris Higgins and Brittany Angell
Publisher: Triumph Dining, Inc.,
Copyright: 2012

Earlier this year a dear friend of mine, Iris Higgins the author of the website "The Daily Dietribe" asked me if I would like to try a few recipes from one of her new books, "The Essential Gluten-Free Baking Guide, Part 2." I was delighted. Iris is a registered hypnotherapist with a master's degree in psychology and is working on her second master's in nutrition.

Iris is also a passionate writer with a love of living holistically. Adding to her list of accomplishments, Iris also has a private wellness coaching practice in which she helps women to have a healthy relationship with food, with their bodies, and with their emotional, physical, and spiritual health.

And on top of ALL of that? Iris somehow finds the time to create recipes of all sorts! Iris' new cookbooks are published by Triumph Dining. They are entitled, "The Essential Gluten-Free Baking Guides Part 1 and Part 2." Iris along with her co-writer and co-recipe developer Brittany Angell (author of Real Sustenance) studied and experimented with 12 different gluten-free flours to learn about their properties and how they worked best. Then they both worked tirelessly to develop a number of recipes for each gluten-free flour.

One of the recipes I have tried so far are her basic Brownies. The brownies are very simple and are made with a new gluten-free flour called cassava flour. Cassava flour is made from the same plant as tapioca starch.  I made the brownies in a round glass pie pan for dessert one night last week. WE LOVED them! My inlaws had no idea they were gluten-free! They were gooey and rich and super crispy on the outside. The brownies were perfect with coconut milk ice-cream! 

The next recipe I tried from Iris' book was her Yeast-Free, Vegan Sandwich Bread.

This bread is simply amazing. I truly don't know how else to describe it. I have tried for YEARS to create a yeast-free bread that tastes like a normal sandwich bread. A yeast-free bread that doesn't crumble when it's cut, that is sturdy, yet pliable. That just tastes like good sandwich bread...and Iris' recipe nails it, plain and simple.

I have several friends who cannot tolerate yeast and I love baking egg-free (mostly because it's cheaper) so personally to me, this recipe alone is worth the cost of the book!!

This recipe uses sorghum flour, teff flour, and potato starch. It is a super light, fluffy bread and it contains a secret ingredient to give it structure and a texture that is incredibly similar to yeast bread.

It's seriously easy to make and I think this bread is my new weekly sandwich bread. I love that it doesn't use eggs and it's a high fiber, "normal" sized loaf of bread.

The cookbook is not only chock full of great recipes, but also handy baking tips, interviews with gluten-free baking experts, research on gluten-free flours, etc...

Basically this book along with the first, are both THE ESSENTIAL books you need to learn about the most useful gluten-free flours and the best ways to incorporate them into your everyday baking. There aren't many books that I would recommend to people who are learning how to bake gluten-free... but these books? Get them. Use them. And have a whole lot more fun baking gluten-free!

Iris...you're a genius girl. Simply genius! And those pastry tarts... I'm so making those next!

This Week's Menu - Kindle Cooking!

I never thought I'd say this.... but I am now the proud owner of a kindle. And I loooovvvvvvvveeeee it. I really didn't think I would love it. But I seriously loooovvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee it. I mean I really, really love it.  So far I've read three four books (I got it on Wednesday)... not listened to them... but actually READ them! I honestly haven't done that in years. Sad to say.

And on top of that.... I found a few super great deals on cookbooks I could download on my kindle... so another thing I never thought I'd do? I cooked from the kindle.

When I've actually had the time to do it in the past few months I've started cooking all of our meals on Sundays. My friend Angie has done this for ages and I've done it occasionally in the past few years... but now it's become the norm.

So Sunday while browsing through "Fix, Freeze, Feast" on my kindle -- which is actually more of a "freezer" cookbook, I found ideas for nearly all of our meals this week. It's become a running joke between my dietitian & I that ONE day soon (I've been saying that for probably a year now) we'll have a deep freezer... and it still hasn't happened (but it WILL! One day soon!).... so while I couldn't really take advantage of the freezer part of the recipes... it gave me great ideas for the week.

This Week's Menu: 

• Monday: Chicken Zucchini Casserole... I've been obsessed with this recipe ever since my friend Betty made it for Michael and I a few months ago when we went to visit. The casserole I made last night is a super altered version that includes chicken, rice, and no eggplant. I actually substitute zucchini for the eggplant when we have made it closer to the original directions. 

• Tuesday: Austrian Pork Goulash -- From Fix, Freeze, Feast served with steamed broccoli

• Wednesday: Simple Slow Cooker Beef Stew -- 1 pound stew beef, handful of baby carrots, half an onion roughly chopped, handful frozen peas, 2 chopped red potatoes, about 3 cups beef broth, salt & pepper... literally thrown into the slow cooker and cooked on low for 8 hours... 

• Thursday:  Chicken hash with red potatoes, green peppers, and onions  -- idea from Fix, Freeze, Feast

• Friday:  Mustard-Oregano Pork Chops -- From Fix, Freeze, Feast with garden peas & sauteed zucchini

Breakfasts: I made "regular" bagel sandwiches for hubs to take to work with him (this was cheaper than buying the frozen ones he really likes! lol) and for myself I used the same hash brown ingredients for the chicken hash above, but used eggs in place of the chicken for a breakfast hash for myself to take to work. 

Lunches: are leftovers! 

Desserts: fresh fruit... this has been my dessert of choice lately (we won't mention the fact that I ate nearly ALL of the grain-free, no-sugar-added chocolate cake -- that's a dangerous cake, especially when you add raspberry preserves on top!) my friend Heather gave me some ripe kiwi, which I haven't had in years so kiwi and peaches are my favorite this week!

Do you have a favorite kindle cookbook?? Please share! And so you're in the know... my slow cooker cookbook coming out this fall will be available for the kindle, nook, etc... so if you've become an e-cookbook lover, you'll be good to go! :-)