{Paleo 101 Books} Reader's Choice Giveaway -- Paleo Cookbook Guide

Over the month of March 2012, we reviewed 8 of the newest and best resources for following a whole foods, paleo diet.

Since you've stuck with me through this paleo cookbook-filled month, I want to give you something in return!

Here are the resources we reviewed:

1. Paleo Magazine 
2. Paleo Pals: Jimmy and the Carrot Rocket Ship by Sarah Fragraso
3. The Healthy Gluten Free Life by Tammy Credicott
4. Eat Like a Dinosaur by Paleo Parents
5. The Food Lovers Make it Paleo
6. Paleo Comfort Foods by Julie and Charles Mayfield
7. Well Fed by Melissa Joulwan
8. Everyday Paleo by Sarah Fragoso

Would you like to have your choice of one of these books OR a one year subscription to Paleo Magazine? 

I thought you might. So he's what you can do. I'm going to giveaway two books from this series. I'm buying them and sending them to you on my dime (because who doesn't love Amazon Prime free shipping?) Two winners will get to choose the book they would most like and it's on me! 

This contest is now over!  

All winners were chosen by Random.org!

Congratulations to: 

#24 "Hello there, I would love to have Eat like a dinosaur!! I have two beautiful boys, whom I struggle to teach Paleo because I struggle myself, that's why my second choice would be the subscription to Paleo magazine.  Thanks! Socorro G.

#9 "Definitely think I would like The Healthy Gluten Free Life" cookbook as it has egg/dairy free recipes and soy free. I'm reactive to soy and gluten as well so it'd be a good thing to learn those recipes. Kayla B.

AND because there were over 200 entries I had a bonus 3rd winner! 

#32 "I like paleo comfort foods a lot and have enjoyed several recipes from it." Marjorie

And thank you bunches to everyone for reading along this month through some of my favorite naturally gluten free, paleo cookbooks! 

{Paleo 101 Books} Sarah Fragoso's Everyday Paleo

This book is where my paleo journey began. When I first pondered the idea of following a paleo diet, Sarah's book "Everyday Paleo" is where I started. I actually contacted the publisher myself because I was so interested in having a copy of the book. They graciously sent me one and I have been in love with this book ever since. I actually talked about the book a little back in October 2011 and the food you see at the top of that post is a skillet meal from Sarah's book. 

Sarah helped me to learn how carbohydrates didn't have to be the base or main part of a meal. Up until I started "re-learning" how to cook with Everyday Paleo, I was stuck on using pasta, mashed potatoes, bread, etc... as the base of my meals and I didn't know how to change that. Sarah's easy one pot recipes showed me you could use zucchini, acorn squash, or tomatoes as the base of your meal. Proteins are very important on a paleo-type of diet, but Sarah showed me how to make delicious and creative meals with vegetables and proteins. Paleo isn't about just eating meat.

Some of my favorite recipes from Sarah's book are:

• Spice Rubbed Slow Cooked Chicken (I'm rather fond of anything slow cooker!) 
• "Breaded" Baked Chicken
• Better Butter Chicken
• Everyday Meatloaf (this was hubs favorite - and he liked it even better on the 2nd day!)
• Puerto Rican Beef
• Sirloin Dijon (MY FAVORITE! use kale as pasta? Who knew you could do that! I love this dish!)
• Garlic Beef Stew with Acorn Squash (serious comfort food! I loved this!) 
• Kids Love Cabbage Slaw (really awesome sweet and sour slaw! Love mango!)

While I haven't cooked my way through the entire book, this is a cookbook that is often on my kitchen counter when I'm trying to find something quick for dinner. Many of the dishes are skillet meals and are easy to prepare. One of the things I like about this book in comparison to other paleo cookbooks is that you can make most of the meals with very simple kitchen equipment such as a good knife and a heavy cast iron skillet. No ice-cream makers. No high-end blenders needed. Keep it simple. Keep it fresh. 

Other reviews and thoughts on Sarah Fragoso's first book, "Everyday Paleo": 

• Video review of Everyday Paleo by WellDoneChef (Potty Mouth Alert - parents only!) 
• PaleoDietLifestyle's Review
• The Clothes Make the Girl's Review
• FreetheAnimal's Review
• Lexie's Kitchen's Review

Return of the Gym Hamster -- Home Edition

Gym Hamster's been gone a while.

Not gone really, but working on a cookbook, focusing on self-care, and learning how to better communicate my thoughts and feelings. And honestly the gym was not missed. However, I know I need to begin to concentrate again on my physical fitness.

This time I want to stick with what I know. What I generally enjoy once I get into the habit of exercise. With what has worked in the past. For me: that's walking videos, strength training with my husband, and finding activities at home and on the go that will incorporate more movement.

Today was the first day back to more movement. My doctor told me to start today. Not tomorrow. Not next week. Take 15 minutes and start today. I love my doctor. Instead of making me feel bad for gaining back weight I had lost, he told me he knew I was motivated enough to try again. He believed in me. He made it clear to set small goals, start slowly, let it become a habit.

It's amazing how just having someone you respect believe in you can be so incredibly motivating.

So I started today. For 15 minutes. Anybody can do 15 minutes. A walk around our neighborhood. Here's the breakdown:

• 1 minute before walk: Honey, I so do not want to walk. I'm tired. I'm cranky. I do NOT want to walk. But please walk with me. I do NOT want to walk. I do not want to walk. I do NOT want to walk. 
• 30 seconds in: I hate walking. I am three years old and I do NOT want to do this. I will kick a rock.
• 2 minutes in: My legs feel so heavy. I hate walking. *Sigh* sigh* sigh* 
• 5 minutes in: My legs still feel heavy. I am still frustrated and I don't want to do this. Why can't our bodies be self-regulating? 
• 7 minutes in: Now paying attention to lighthearted conversation with hubs. It's good to connect with him. I guess we can do one more lap. 
• 10 minutes in: Legs don't feel quite so heavy anymore. Kind of tingly, but not in a bad way. Like I've moved. This is good. Okay, maybe walking isn't so bad. 
• 12 minutes in: I really don't want to admit by this point I'm enjoying this walk. 
• 15 minutes in: Done. Completed. Okay, so once I got warmed up it wasn't so bad. We'll do it again tomorrow, even if I have to drag myself out of the house. Getting started is the hardest part right? Even when it's getting started again... 

A Dog's Life -- Lessons on Strength and Hope

Yesterday I rescued a dog. And then less than two hours later I had to make the incredibly hard decision to put the dog to sleep. His back was broken. There was little they could do without really, really expensive surgeries and even then it was a gamble...

I stopped by Food Lion on the way home. I needed groceries. Filled up the cart with butternut squash, baby spinach, green peppers, red cabbage, a few avocados, bananas. We were completely out of fresh veggies at home. I picked up a few steaks as well. I thought I'd make pan-grilled steaks and baked sweet potatoes. Packed up the car $160 later (don't you love how real food costs so much more?)...

Got in the car, turned on the country radio station and headed west on Hwy 264. The day was pretty. It had been rainy earlier in the week leaving wet, muddy puddles throughout eastern north carolina. I'd driven this route so often, it was muscle memory. The leaves on trees and fresh grass had become bright spring green. I always notice the seasons on this long drive home. I counted the exits as I always do, 20 miles until home, 15 miles until home... and then I saw him.

A small black dog, sitting in the median of the 4 lane highway. He looked fine, but it made no sense to me. I didn't understand why he was sitting there. I knew I would have to take the next exit to turn around and get him. I wondered what my husband would think when I told him we had ANOTHER rescued animal in the back yard.

It took about 8 minutes to get back to the place on the road I remembered the dog being. In front of me a red blazer also pulled over. A young girl on a cell phone got out of her car in tears. Long, straight, blond-brown hair, with shiny gold earrings. Tear-stained green eyes with noticeably long eyelashes. A stylish gold top and shorts. To be honest, someone I wouldn't have pictured stopping for a dog (how often we judge without knowing it). She was on the phone with her brother trying to ask what to do.

When she got off the phone, I asked her calmly to call 911. Tell them the exit we were at and that there was an injured dog. She called. The incident had already been reported. We tried to get closer to the dog, but he was afraid. His hind legs were obviously broken or hurt. He couldn't move them. As we walked closer to the dog, he mustered up as much energy as he could and started dragging himself with his lifeless hind legs across the highway. A very BUSY highway. How the poor dog didn't get hit again or cause an accident I'll never know. We heard him yelping in pain across the road and the poor girl nearly broke down. We didn't know what to do. We waited for the police for about 10-15 minutes. We knew that time was not on the dog's side. How long do we wait?

Finally, I told the girl I would drive to the next exit and turn around so we could get back on the same side of the road as the dog. The young girl followed me. She again called her brother to help, but he kept telling her there was nothing we could do. It seemed like forever to get to the next exit. We pulled over and I didn't see the dog. I was afraid he had crawled off into the woods and we'd never find him.

The young girl finally saw the poor dog. He was lying on his back in a muddy, wet, weed-filled ditch. I didn't know how to get to him. I had been in a few situations like this before with injured animals. That seems to happen when you're an animal lover. I was afraid the dog would bite or hurt us in the process of trying to help him. But, the young girl was adamant that we couldn't leave him. I told her that if I could get him in my car, we would take him to the Emergency Vets in a nearby town. But how in the world would we get him in the car.

We tried calling my husband, who like me, just wasn't sure what to do. I didn't think we could do it without help. I finally told him I'd call him back when I figured out what to do. Flustered, I asked the young girl if she had a blanket in her car. She said she had a towel and went and got it. We took the towel down to the muddy ditch and tried to figure out how to get it underneath the dog. After getting my footing on the mucky weeds, I was eventually able to get around the dog. The girl followed me and got on the other side. We carefully, slowly moved the poor muddy, wet dog onto the towel. He was breathing. His wide brown eyes seemed to be saying "I don't know what to do, just help me." He had a small cut on his right eyebrow. When the young girl saw the cut she just started crying again. I told her not to worry about the cut. The cut would heal. We needed to worry about his leg. The dog never made a sound as we lifted him onto the blanket and eventually carried him up the hill into the back seat of my car. I knew that wasn't a good sign. He should have been in agonizing pain.

It took us a while, but we eventually were able to maneuver the dog into my back seat. The dog seemed thankful, even grateful for the help. He didn't seem scared and he was very quiet. I told the girl to follow me to the Emergency Vet. Once I got onto the road, heart pounding, I called Michael again. I asked him to call the Emergency Vet and tell them we were on the way with a very injured dog. For a while the dog was settled on the back seat. I thought he'd be okay. He was looking out of the back windows, which I thought was a good sign. Surely if he was more interested in what was going on around him than in his legs, that must have meant internally he was okay, right?

Eventually, he tried to get off the seat. Because he couldn't control his back legs he fell into the floorboard of the car. He flopped around a bit. But I thought that meant he was probably stronger than he seemed. Several times he put his head up on the back seat to try and look out the windows again. At one point he put his head up onto the armrest in the middle of the car and I could pet him. His big brown eyes just looked at me, as if he knew we were trying to help him.

30 minutes later we arrived at the Emergency Vet. The young girl went inside and told them what was going on and a few minutes later they came out to get him with a rolling cart. The primary veterinarian looked at the dog and I could tell she was very concerned. The dog had ended up once again on his back in the floorboard of the car. His right arm was very stiff and wouldn't bend. They were able to pull the dog from the car and place him on the rolling cart. They buckled him down onto the cart and started rolling him in. As in the car, he didn't want to lie down. He wanted to look up and around him. He tried to get up with his one good front leg. We gently coaxed him back down and petted him on the way into the facility.

The vet told us immediately things didn't look good for the poor dog. He wasn't responding to touch on either his legs or his tail and he should have been howling in pain. She was afraid his back was probably broken. We followed as they wheeled the dog back to be x-rayed and examined. We were led to a small examination room as the dog went to the back. The technician gave us a form to fill out and the young girl just looked at me and said, "I don't know what they want me to do. I don't have any money." I gently took the pen from her and told her not to worry. We would take care of it. I filled out the form, which seemed pointless and we called the dog Buddy, since on the ride there, I just kept telling him, "It will be okay buddy."

She turned again to her phone. I finally asked her what her name was. Megan. "It's nice to meet you Megan. I'm Carrie." She held a small smile. We chatted a little about where we lived. It turned out she was a freshman student at the University I work at. She was headed home for the weekend. She'd had a bad week. A lot of tests. A lot of pressure. And she had been looking to adopt a puppy this very week. She had talked with her parents about it and they had three other dogs. She was already looking at breeders to find a puppy. And then this happened. And she was heart-broken. She wanted to take that dog home. Her dad told her that if the dog was okay, they could foster it until they knew it could live with them permanently or find a good home.

A few minutes later my husband came in. He sat with us. Not sure what to do. But just being there was enough. I was trying to keep things light, keep a positive attitude, for Megan. For Buddy. For me.

Then the vet came back in. "It's not good." She carried in a large laptop with a clear image of the x-ray. The backbone was clearly broken. The dog would be paralyzed for life. Surgery was possible, but not plausible. Not only would it be nearly $10,000 or more... it was only a hope. It may not work. The dog would still probably be paralyzed and he probably wouldn't survive the surgery. The best option would be to put the dog to sleep. She asked if we wanted to be present with the dog. Immediately I said no. No, I didn't want to see that. But Megan looked at me with soft eyes and I asked, 'Do you think we should be with him?" With tears streaming down her cheeks she said, "Yes, but I don't want to be alone." So we went and found the technician and asked for them to bring the dog in with us. I was so hesitant to be with the dog when he died. I didn't want to be there. This was the hard part. I don't like the hard parts.

I had held it together the whole time. Keeping a light sense of humor. Taking charge of the situation, making all the adult decisions. Trying to keep Megan calm. As long as I could avoid the emotions it was okay. But then I realized, Megan was right. I didn't want this dog to be alone. I needed to face this. I needed to be with this dog, and with Megan, as he died.

Buddy was wheeled back into the examination room and we spent a few minutes with him. Petting him. Telling him we were sorry we couldn't do more. That there were people who cared about him. He was already groggy from pain medication and not feeling anything. The vet said he was a small lab mix that was probably around a year old. I'm not sure if this made it harder or easier to let him go.

The vet then came in with the medication to stop Buddy's heart. She gently pushed the medication into the IV as we continued to pet him. And I wasn't afraid. I wasn't scared. Generally, I hate death. I've never learned how to deal with it. Not with people. Not with pets. I generally ignore it. It's frightening to me. Before this moment, I had never once volunteered to pet an animal that was dead or dying.

But I had to pet Buddy. I didn't want him to be alone. I didn't want to be alone. Megan pet him too. Tears rolling down both of our cheeks, my husband standing silently behind us. We signed a form to allow the facility to cremate Buddy and bury his remains. In hindsight, I kind of wish we had buried Buddy ourselves. Under the pecan tree in the back yard. So we could remember him... but at the moment, it was easier to let the vets care for his body. Megan wanted to help pay for the small cremation fee, and I should have let her help pay, so she could feel that she did something... but in that moment I didn't want her to worry about it. She still needed to drive another 45 minutes home. She had concerned parents who needed to see her. We hugged. I gave her my business card and asked her if she would find me on facebook.

We got in our cars. Michael and I led Megan back to the highway and then we headed home. Feel the feelings. Feel the feelings. Let it hurt. It's okay to hurt. Do not shove this away. Feel it. It's okay to love a dog you've only known for two hours. It's okay to cry. So I cried. and cried. and cried. and cried. I cried for Megan, for her big green eyes and her wide-open 18 year old heart. She reminded me of my young cousin Elizabeth. They are about the same age and have the same frame, hair color, and complexion. This was just as much my Elizabeth as it was Megan and my heart hurt for her. I prayed for her on the way home. I prayed for Buddy, who would never get to live a full life here on earth. I prayed that God made heaven a big enough place for all of our animals too.

And for a while, I didn't understand. I didn't understand why we were both at the same place at the same time saving a dog, who would have to be put to sleep just an hour later. It just didn't make sense. Life often doesn't. As I was riding home, so engulfed in my thoughts I didn't even notice when I passed my husband's truck on the way home. I wanted a shower. I wanted to get my muddy, wet socks off. Remove my mud-splattered pants and soak in the hot relief of the shower. And then it dawned on me.

Yes, we helped Buddy. He wouldn't suffer anymore. He wouldn't lay in a ditch for days on end and eventually die of starvation or thirst. And that was comforting. But really... it was Megan who needed me.  And I needed Megan. It was Megan who pushed me to do all of these things I didn't think I could do. From wading into a muddy ditch and not worrying about my clothes or shoes or my bad back, or facing a dog who could have bitten us or hurt us, and finally facing the hard emotions of death. Being with Buddy as he died. Megan made me face my fears. Partially because I wanted to protect her, to help her... but also because I needed to do it. I finally understood that death isn't always scary. It can be peaceful, comforting, and a relief from pain. It is sad, but not scary.

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

I haven't heard from Megan yet. But I have thought about her all day. I hope she is okay. I pray that she arrived home safe and sound. I hope her parents hugged her tight. I hope she knows how brave she is. I don't think I could have faced a situation like that when I was 18. I wish I could thank her for bringing out the best in me. For needing me to face the hard emotions that she was willing to feel, to deal with, because she knew it was the right thing to do. Even if it was hard.

I learned that from now on I'll always keep a few towels in the back of the car, maybe a pair of gloves and an old pair of shoes -- just in case. I learned that you can do a whole lot more than you think you can, especially during times of intense stress or fear. That sometimes you just have to act like you know what you're doing and stop worrying about how it will turn out. That other people can dig deep and bring out the best parts of yourself. I learned that death isn't always scary, sometimes it's a peaceful and loving experience. It's okay to feel and express being hurt, it's okay to let yourself feel the pain of disappointment. And that as hard as this life is, you should never, ever stop hoping for the best.

{Paleo 101 Books} Well Fed by Melissa Joulwan

I'm thrilled to share Melissa Joulwan's cookbook, "Well Fed" as part of my {Paleo 101 Books} series this month. I originally reviewed Melissa's new cookbook in mid-December 2011 and below are my first thoughts on the book! I loved the book then and I still do 4 months later! SINCE then I've made quite a few more of the recipes in Well Fed such as the Garlic-Browned Ground Meat, the Best Chicken You'll Ever Eat, Olive Oil Mayonnaise, Grilled Chicken Thighs, Scotch Eggs, Rogan Josh, and Czech Meatballs (phew!)... and they are ALL seriously awesome staple paleo recipes. We've enjoyed ALL of them (especially the chicken thighs, garlic browned meat, and the meatballs!) I hope you'll enjoy this book as much as we have! Make sure to keep reading this series as you'll have a chance to win a copy of Well Fed at the end of March! -- Carrie

Earlier this week I saw a post on facebook about a new paleo cookbook called "Well Fed." The cookbook (which is available both as an e-book and a printed soft-cover) was written by Melissa Joulwan, author of the blog "The Clothes Make the Girl." I had heard of Melissa's blog before, but didn't realize she was living a paleo lifestyle. This made me excited! I contacted Melissa immediately and asked her if I could possibly have a review copy of her cookbook. Melissa's book was not only gluten free & grain free, legume free, and sugar free... Melissa's book was also dairy free! Some paleo/primal cookbooks allow dairy in their food plan, but as I'm extremely intolerant to dairy, I was thrilled to know this cookbook could indeed feed me well.

Melissa Joulwan, author of "The Clothes Make the Girl" and "Well Fed" 

Melissa graciously sent me a digital copy of her cookbook.I have to say, I'm not sure exactly what I was expecting with Melissa's book... but I sat down and read it completely from cover to cover. This is a BEAUTIFUL cookbook (and I think I'll be putting the soft-cover version on my Amazon wish list!)... Melissa's unique artistic talent shines through on each page through the photography, through the layout of the pictures, and through Melissa's own personal story of cooking with family and love.

You will fall in love with this cookbook. My favorite part of the cookbook is Melissa's technical explanation of how to easily prepare your foods for the whole week in a couple of hours. She shares a wonderful technique called "Hot Plates" which shows you how to make super easy combinations of your favorite proteins, vegetables, fat, and spices to create a fun & different meal each night of the week. I have already referred to her "Hot Plate" ideas for several of our weekly meals! A completely brilliant concept Melissa!

Also included in the book is a whole chapter on recipes for different sauces and seasonings, explaining if you make a few of the sauces (such as her Sunshine sauce, mint chutney, Sri Lankan Curry Sauce etc...) ahead of time, you'll always have a great condiment to really give your homemade meals a truly gourmet touch!

Throughout the book Melissa shows you how to cook and run your home kitchen as efficiently as a  restaurant kitchen. She gives you really helpful tips and ideas on how to make cooking fun, innovative, and something you'll enjoy. And the bonus... every single one of these recipes will make you feel great, energetic, and absolutely well fed!

Please visit Melissa's blog! 

Also feel free to check out her book with a free 30 page preview of Well Fed! 

***********

GLG Disclosure: Melissa Joulwan through her personal publishing company, "Smudge, Inc." provided me with a free digital copy of "Well Fed" for the purpose of providing a review, if I chose to do so. This is not a sponsored post and I did not receive compensation. 

The opinions in this post are my own. 

Gluten Free Almond Flour Lemon Muffin/Cake Recipe

Almond flour lemon muffins - this was my favorite flavor.

The past two weeks I've been slowly working towards making all of my meals and snacks paleo (basically no grains, sugar, legumes, or dairy).  I feel so much better when I eat less sugar, less grains, and less baked goods... however... I just can't help it. I love to bake. (Although admittedly, not really as much as I used too... I'm starting to think I like cooking more than baking now... what is happening to me? lol!)

So a few weeks ago I made an amazing lemon cake for a friend's birthday. It was SO good. Especially since I made it using Meyer lemons which are just wow. So I wanted "lemon" something else. I couldn't decide between cake or muffins and honestly, they aren't that different... so the recipe I'm sharing today could be used either as cake or a muffin. You pick. Don't you like it when you get to pick?

Just pretend you don't notice the stray cathair on the up front cupcake. No, you don't see it. And if you want to make that nut-butter frosting, here you go:  http://www.whole-body-detox-diet.com/sugar-free-carrot-cake.html

This cake is lower in sugar than most gluten free cakes. For the main sweetener I used coconut palm sugar. If you don't like coconut palm sugar or can't find it... just use plain ol' white sugar. It will work just as well. I also used lemon gelatin in this cake for flavor. I've tried in the past to use a lot of citrus and/or lemon juice in cakes and it never goes well. SO I'm sorry if you're opposed to lemon gelatin... if you come up with another alternative let me know! All I know, is I made a vanilla version of this cake minus the lemon gelatin and I didn't like it nearly as much... so apparently I like the lemon gelatin. I'll pretend it's paleo.

I also used liquid stevia in this recipe. I used the "NOW" brand, but there are many different brands available. The cake would probably taste fine without it and honestly I wasn't a fan of using the stevia in the plain vanilla version... so take it or leave it... again, you pick. See how easy this is?

I'm including the vanilla variation at the bottom of the recipe, but I will tell you, it wasn't my favorite. ALSO... the almond flour batter is heavy... therefore it rises better as muffins or cupcakes. They are taller, prettier, and much less dense as cupcakes than it is as a cake. SO... you pick. :-)

Gluten Free Almond Flour Lemon Muffins or Cake, with a Vanilla Variation
free of grains, soy, dairy/casein, and gluten (also low in processed sugar)
created by Carrie Forbes of Gingerlemongirl.com
printer-friendly version

Dry Ingredients:
2 cups blanched almond flour, gently packed in the cup
1/2 cup arrowroot starch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 baking soda
1/2 cup coconut palm sugar
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3 tablespoons lemon gelatin (about half of a 3 oz. package)

Wet Ingredients:
1 teaspoon lemon extract
10-12 drops liquid stevia
3 large eggs
1/2 cup almond milk

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12 cup muffin/cupcake pan with paper liners -or- an 8" cake pan with parchment paper on the bottom and grease pan with non-stick cooking spray or olive oil. In a large mixing bowl whisk together all dry ingredients. In a smaller bowl whisk together all wet ingredients. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients  and whisk until thoroughly combined. Pour batter into lined muffin/cupcake pan or cake pan. For cupcakes/muffins bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a cake comes out clean. For one-layer cake bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack until completely cool. For cupcakes frost with your favorite frosting or you can use a low sugar/low glycemic nut frosting such as this one.

Vanilla Variation -- If you want plain vanilla cake/muffins instead of lemon simply use 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract in place of the lemon extract and leave out the lemon jello. You may want to leave out the stevia in a vanilla version as I felt you could really taste the stevia since the cake was so plain. Using vanilla paste or the seeds from a vanilla bean might really improve the flavor of the plain cake. If you try it, please let me know what you think!

{Paleo 101 Books} Paleo Comfort Foods by Julie and Charles Mayfield

Love fried chicken? Love creamy mashed potatoes? Love beef roast and chili? Me too. And I think this book definitely calls my name. This one is "Paleo Comfort Foods" by Julie and Charles Mayfield. Even the cover of this book screams comfort to me -- right down to the wooden farmhouse kitchen table. I'm a country girl. I always have been. While we ate a lot of healthy foods growing up, we also packed away some incredibly good fried chicken, buttery mashed potatoes, and creamy gravy.

Julie and Charles get that. They know you love comfort foods too. And anyone following a lower carbohydrate paleo/primal type of diet will understand that longing for old-time comfort food favorites.  Recipes such as Julie's barbecue chicken (we loved that one!), mashed cauliflower, creamed spinach (serious yum!), and probably my personal favorite: sawmill sausage gravy and paleo biscuits!!

Yep, paleo gravy and biscuits. Now I know a lot of paleo enthusiasts wouldn't consider an almond flour baked good healthy... and no, you're not gonna lose weight eating almond flour biscuits. But for an occasional old fashioned comforting breakfast -- these biscuits and that creamy sausage gravy really fit the bill.

This paleo cookbook is full of down homes recipes like this. Whether you're a chili fanatic or a gumbo fan, you'll find recipes here that are familiar and welcoming.

Here are a few things I really like about Paleo Comfort Foods:

• The beginning chapters contain a wealth of information on how to follow a paleo diet, what types of kitchen equipment you will need, how and when to go cooking, and the heartwarming story of Julie and Charles. 
• This book is set up in very helpful and straight-forward chapters such as quite simply: main dishes -- which means you can use these main meals for breakfast, lunch, OR dinner. Don't worry about figuring out what specifically to eat for breakfast, just pick a main dish. 
• If you're new to paleo and you miss bread, you'll find a paleo sandwich bread recipe in this book. It won't be the same as your Wonder white bread, but it will fill that craving for delicious fillings between two slices of bread or even having french toast for breakfast. 

So if you're someone who prefers hearty, home-cooked, familiar meals -- Paleo Comfort Foods is the cookbook for you. Julie and Charles Mayfield will help you understand that following a paleo diet doesn't meal you have to feel deprived!

GLG Disclosure: Victory Belt Publishing provided me with with a copy of this book for review, if I chose to do so. This is not a sponsored post and I did not receive compensation. The opinions in this post are completely my own.

Gluten Free Slow Cooker Beef and Sweet Potato Stew Recipe

Visiting the Danville, Va. Science Center. Really awesome hand's on museum!

This weekend we had plans for a day trip on Saturday. I got to see my Dad, his wife Betty, and my sweet (almost 8 year old) nephew Christopher. (Here's an almond flour pizza crust we made the one summer he was visiting!) I knew I wouldn’t have as much time to cook a few meals ahead of time like I did last week. So I decided on Friday night to use a few pantry and freezer staples to throw together a quick stew in the slow cooker.

Checking out the railroad car and tracks at the museum. Love that kid!

Lately I’ve gotten into the habit of taking a serving of lunch to work and heating it slowly over a few hours in my “LunchCrock” – a small slow cooker that warms food gently over a few hours. It probably doesn’t have the capability to actually cook foods, so I wouldn't attempt that (it may not be safe!)… but it works great as a food warmer. It’s perfect for me because I don’t have to visit the office break room and use the community (ie… icky!) microwave. I also love that I can have a hot homemade meal for lunch with so little effort.

This stew is a very simple beef and root vegetable stew. I love the savory flavors combined with just a hint of sweetness from the sweet potatoes and apples. A tiny pinch of cinnamon or curry powder would also be a delicious addition, if you enjoy Indian inspired dishes. As fair warning... this is definitely a slightly sweet stew... and hubs did not like it... but then again he doesn't like Indian dishes or curries... so if you're not a fan of those types of foods this may not be for you!

Simple Slow Cooker Beef and Sweet Potato Stew
Adapted from Sarah Fragoso’s Garlicky Beef Stew with Acorn Squash, from Everyday Paleo
Free of gluten, dairy/casein, soy, eggs, and grains
Printer-friendly version

Ingredients:
1.5 pounds stew beef
1 small onion, finely diced
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
½ cup beef broth or water
OPTIONAL: 2 small apples, peeled and chopped
OPTIONAL: 5-6 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced

Directions:
Grease a 4 quart slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Add chopped sweet potatoes, diced onions, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper to the bottom of the slow cooker. Place the stew beef on top of everything. If you are using garlic, rub it over the stew beef. Pour beef broth or water around the beef into the vegetables. Cover slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours. If you use frozen stew beef, you may need to cook a little longer until beef is fall-apart tender. When the stew is ready use a fork to break the stew beef into smaller pieces and gently break up the sweet potatoes into the stew consistency you enjoy.

Carrie’s Notes:

• Apples? I added the apples to this recipe because I think they help bring out the natural sweetness of sweet potatoes. Their flavor will not make a huge difference in the overall effect of the stew, so feel free to leave them out if you like.
• Additional Seasonings: Because sweet potatoes and apples add just a hint of sweetness to this stew, curry seasoning and/or cinnamon would also be a nice addition if you enjoy curry dishes.
• Sweet Potatoes: Feel free to use acorn or butternut squash in place of the sweet potatoes. They will add a similar flavor to the stew with less carbohydrates and more fiber.
• Poultry Seasoning: I love using poultry seasoning in a variety of dishes that call for a specific seasoning like sage, marjoram, or thyme. All of those herbs are in poultry seasoning and since I have fairly limited cabinet space, it’s a perfect solution (one bottle in place of three!). And I promise it won’t make your dish taste like Thanksgiving dinner.

{Paleo 101 Books} The Food Lovers Make it Paleo

I think two words can best describe this cookbook: stunning photography. Bill Staley and Hayley Mason published this book in late 2011 and it's an absolutely beautiful cookbook. The recipes are simple and straight forward, yet also classy, sophisticated and made for paleo foodies. This is a hefty volume of beautifully photographed paleo meals.

The book takes you through different variations of breakfast ideas such as egg muffins, coconut nested eggs, a veggie scramble, and even homemade breakfast sausage. For lunch you could make herbed chicken skewers (we were fans!), grilled mahi mahi with mango salsa, ground beef stuffed banana peppers, or even a proscuitto and arugula pizza. I also love that they offer paleo "treats" at the end of the book with baked goods made from coconut flour and blanched almond flour. A few treats are: almond fudge brownies, coconut cake, and our favorite: chocolate pudding pie with an almond flour crust.

Bill and Hayley's book contain notes on each recipe about how to make different variations or cooking shortcuts, how difficult the recipe will be, and about how long it should take to prepare and cook the food. All of these features are helpful in deciding which recipes you have time to make along with the skill level needed to prepare the recipe. Some of my favorite features of paleo/primal cookbooks are not only the meat and chicken recipes, but the wide variety of vegetable recipes. A few of the recipes I'd love to try: Greek Salad, Fried Green Tomatoes, and even a Golden Beet Salad.

While we generally eat more readily available and simpler foods in our home (which is probably why cookbooks geared more towards children are favorites at our house!), this book will encourage you to try new things like stuffed banana peppers, spicy sauteed calamari, garlic and jalapeno bison burgers, or even duck confit.

I think if you are someone who really enjoys trying new foods or playing with unique flavors you'll really love this paleo cookbook. It offers a wide variety of healthy food choices and fun "better-for-you" desserts! As with many Victory Belt cookbooks, this is a heavy, hefty book, that isn't easy to carry around the kitchen You may prefer to purchase the digital version if you have joint or inflammatory issues. If you're interested in purchasing a copy, you might first want to visit the preview of "The Food Lovers Make it Paleo."

GLG Disclosure: Victory Belt Publishing provided me with with a copy of this book for review, if I chose to do so. This is not a sponsored post and I did not receive compensation. The opinions in this post are completely my own.

{Paleo 101 Books} Eat Like a Dinosaur By Paleo Parents

I have reviewed quite a few gluten free books geared towards children in the the past few years and I have to say that Eat Like a Dinosaur is truly one of my favorites. This book is written by Stacy Toth and Matthew McCarry, founders and authors of the website: Paleo Parents. The heart of these two parents is beautifully woven throughout this cookbook. I love the overall tone, which is loving, happy, and full of giggles! You can tell through the pictures and gentle words that Stacy and Matthew's children are healthy, joyful, and thriving. The recipes are written in such a unique and genuine way. They specifically show which steps children can take part in and help with. I love the explanations of each recipe and why this family loves them. I love the way the book is divided clearly and easily into main dishes, vegetables, treats, etc.

There are just so many wonderful things about this book! I love the introductory illustrated story for children about how the kids and their parents decided to follow a healthier diet. The children slowly learned to love the new foods and they felt better about themselves and healed their bodies. Following the story, there is collection of over 100 recipes that both parents and children will love. All of the recipes are easy enough for beginner cooks and include tips and hints on how to make the process easier, what you can do or prepare ahead of time, etc...

My husband and I have tried quite a few recipes from this cookbook over the last two weeks. I've made the Ratatouille twice (yum!! and wow it smells amazing!), "Eggs in a basket" (sausage and egg cups, YUM!), and one night this week we made the Fool's Gold chicken nuggets:

Even Michael helped! It was so much fun to cook these together!

We loved the seasonings in the almond flour coating and it was a really delicious and fast way to cook chicken! I think we're going to make a big batch of the dry coating as a "paleo" shake-and-bake!

Since last February I've learned a lot about my body. I'm better at understanding what foods make my body feel well and what foods do not. I already knew about gluten, dairy, soy, corn, shrimp, and a few other odds and ends... But one thing I finally came to realize is that my body absolutely doesn't digest beans very well. Yet, I really love vegetables. It was frustrating for me because it's a common teaching that beans are really healthy. So I would always TRY to eat them, even though I always had painful tummy issues afterwards.

While beans in general truly are healthy for many people, they simply do not work for my body. This was the biggest reason that following a "paleo" type diet would be beneficial for me. Yet, it also made me feel like a whole category of my diet was now off limits. But Eat Like a Dinosaur provides so many different types of veggie-filled, yet bean-free options, such as Bunny Soup and Ratatouille (which was absolutely delicious and made enough for an army), Carrot Rounds, Kale Chips, Mock-a-Mole... I absolutely don't feel deprived! I'd really love to just cook my way through this whole comforting cookbook.

Would you like a chance to do that too? I am going to giveaway a brand-new copy of this book as soon as it's released on March 20th. I'm personally buying this copy to send to you myself because I'm such a huge fan of it!

This contest has now ended! 

Congratulations to Kathysyear, comment #19: 

kathysyear Mar 15, 2012 10:56 AM
I've made the journey from gluten free to primal over the last 2 years. Now I'd like to bring my family along. Would love some kid friendly recipes for my (almost) 4 year old daughter.

To enter to win a copy of Eat Like a Dinosaur:

• leave a comment on this post (not on facebook, not on twitter) and tell me ways you've tried (or WANT to try) to incorporate healthier whole foods into your diet. 

For separate additional entries: 

• share this giveaway on facebook, and leave an additional comment here on the post letting me know you did.
• share this giveaway on twitter, and leave an additional comment here on the post letting me know you did. 
• "Like" Paleo Parents on facebook and leave an additional comment here on the post letting me know you did. 
• "Like" Gingerlemongirl.com on facebook and leave an additional comment here on the post letting me know you did. 

This giveaway will end on Tuesday 3/20/2012 at midnight to celebrate Eat Like A Dinosaur's release day!

I'm so excited to giveaway a copy of this book. It's truly one of the best cookbooks I've read in years and it makes me excited to cook. I hope it will encourage a spark of creativity in your own kitchen as well!

Make sure to stay tuned and continue reading the {Paleo Books 101} series! I will have a "reader's choice" giveaway with two winners to choose the books of their choice from this series! So you not only a chance today to win this copy of Eat Like a Dinosaur, but another chance next week!

GLG Disclosure: Victory Belt Publishing provided me with with a copy of this book for review, if I chose to do so. This is not a sponsored post and I did not receive compensation. The opinions in this post are completely my own.

A Recipe Cook-Along with Elizabeth Barbone

I was so excited a few weeks ago when one of my favorite gluten free cookbook authors, Elizabeth Barbone, asked me if I would like to participate in a blogging "cook-along" event celebrating her newest publication "How to Cook Gluten-Free." I was honored! Elizabeth's recipes were some of the first I ever tried when I went gluten free in 2007. 

Elizabeth sent me a PDF with several recipes to choose from that are in her new book. I had a hard time deciding between pizza, a grapefruit spinach salad (which may be on the menu at some point this week), but as you can see in the picture below her "donut" muffins clearly won over the salad. 

These are actually a very simple recipe for mini-donuts that you roll in powdered sugar. However I was super short on powdered sugar (I had about 1/4 cup! lol) and I was feeling adventurous that evening so I made the muffins in donut pans. Because how often do you use the donut pans? 

These muffins were super easy to throw together. I used gluten free flours I already had on hand instead of the ones the recipe specified, but they still worked out great! I love the grated nutmeg in the muffins, that was a lovely and simple flavor addition. One thing I noticed about this recipe was that Elizabeth chose not to use xanthan or guar gum in this recipe for muffins. So if you have trouble digesting gums or simply don't use them, this would be a great recipe for you!

My husband and I really enjoyed these muffins the next day for breakfast. We actually thought they tasted even better on the 2nd day! And for a gluten free baked good... that's a serious compliment!

For the main dish I chose to make the recipe for "Upstate Goulash."  Elizabeth explained that for her when she heard the term "goulash" it meant ground meat and pasta in a tomato sauce. That sounded perfect for dinner. 

Since I'm trying to be better about lowering the amount of overall processed carbohydrates we are eating, I decided to use diced eggplant in place of the pasta in this recipe. Eggplant is such a cool, all natural gluten free replacement for pasta. It has a great texture and it worked perfectly in this dish!

I love the simplicity of this recipe for goulash. The seasonings were simple, but flavorful, and just a touch of sugar really balanced the acidity of the tomato sauce. I really loved this recipe and while I know it would be outstanding with GF pasta, we really liked it with the diced eggplant.

So, if you are looking for a good basic gluten free cookbook, I think Elizabeth's new book, "How to Cook Gluten-Free: Over 150 recipes that really work" will be a great addition to your kitchen library!

{Paleo 101 Books} The Healthy Gluten Free Life by Tammy Credicott

The 3rd resource I want to share with you in this series of some of my favorite Paleo books is "The Healthy Gluten-Free Life" by Tammy Credicott. This book is more geared towards gluten free recipes, but many of the main dishes and vegetable dishes are also paleo-friendly!

At the beginning of the book Tammy shares her favorite tips for baking gluten free. One thing I enjoyed about the book is that Tammy prefers using "whole grain" flours (as I do) in her baking! She has great explanations of different gluten free flours, sugars (such as agave nectar, maple syrup, etc...), and special gluten free ingredients like xanthan gum or guar gum.

My favorite part of the book is the picture recipe index in the back of the book. You can look at a small thumbprint of each recipe and see which one you would like to make! I also love that there are so many paleo-friendly recipes in this cookbook. Nearly all of the main dish recipes and vegetable recipes are safe for a lower carbohydrate, paleo type diet. The options with this cookbook are virtually endless.

The recipes in the book are also dairy free and egg free -- excellent added bonuses for those with multiple food allergies or intolerances. The book is also listed as soy free, however several recipes do list soy sauce as ingredient with the option of using 'coconut aminos' in place of  the soy sauce. I mention this becuase where I live coconut aminos aren't very easy to find and I haven't been able to find a good replacement for soy-free/wheat-free soy sauce.

Be aware this book, as with many other cookbooks published by Victory Belt, are really large heavy books. They are beautiful, with full-color photos and great photography, but they are rather hard to carry around the kitchen. If you like e-books and e-cookbooks, buying the digital version might be a better option, especially if you have arthritis or other joint/inflammatory issues.

Additional Reviews of "The Healthy Gluten Free Life" by Tammy Credicott:

• Cheryl Harris' review on Gluten Free Goodness
• Kelly Bronzna's review on The Spunky Coconut

GLG Disclosure: Victory Belt Publishing provided me with with a copy of this book for review, if I chose to do so. This is not a sponsored post and I did not receive compensation. The opinions in this post are completely my own.

{Paleo 101 Books} Paleo Pals: Jimmy and the Carrot Rocket Ship by Sarah Fragoso

As you know I'm already a fan of Sarah Fragoso's blog, "Everyday Paleo" and her book of the same title. She's a talented trainer, writer, wife, and probably most importantly, an amazing mom. Her first cookbook shared favorite paleo family recipes, a unique workout system for those new to workouts and training, and a great introduction to the paleo diet for parents and kids alike.

This book however, is just for kids. (Well, I say that, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading it myself!) In this book little Jimmy is used to eating packaged, sugary, and very processed foods. His parents have discovered a more healthy way to eat: all natural fruits and vegetables, meats, chicken, fish, nuts, and even baked goods made with almond flour. But Jimmy is reluctant and doesn't want to eat the new healthy foods his mom and dad want him to try. Enter Paleo Pals, some really cool super-heros that take Jimmy on a fantastic food adventure to show him how and why it's important to eat healthy, whole, and natural foods.  The end of the book shares really fun paleo recipes that kids can make with a little help from their parents.

Overall this book is just plain FUN! Whether you're on a gluten free diet, the paleo diet, or a primal plan, or just want to incorporate healthier, whole foods into your everyday life, this is a great book to share with kids on why it's important. The pictures are super cute and colorful. The book is really fun to read and (while I don't have children) I think the characters can really relate to kids and their feelings.

I definitely recommend adding Sarah's newest book to your children's library. It would also be a great book to donate for the waiting room at your local doctor's office or even your local library. Have you read it? I'd love to know what you think of it!

GLG Disclosure: Victory Belt Publishing provided me with with a copy of this book for review, if I chose to do so. This is not a sponsored post and I did not receive compensation. The opinions in this post are completely my own.

{Paleo 101 Books} Paleo Magazine - Modern Day Primal Living

Today is the first post in a series I'm writing this month on some of my favorite (naturally gluten free and dairy free) Paleo book resources. Today's post isn't about a book though, it's about an awesome magazine geared towards primal and paleo lifestyles, called Paleo Magazine. It's the ONLY paleo magazine currently available and it's a fantastic resource.

I was so impressed after viewing the Paleo Magazine website that I wrote the publisher and editor, Mr. Cain Credicott, and asked if he would be willing to send me a few samples of the magazine to review. He graciously agreed to send me copies!

I've been reading and re-reading these magazines since late December and I have to say they are excellent. Every time I re-read an issue I find something I missed before. Some of of my favorite features have been the beautiful, full-color pictures of recipes and paleo articles, informative editorials like a parenting section, a section in which a registered dietitian answers questions about the paleo diet, and even an "Average Joe Paleo" section which talks about how the everyday person can incorporate the paleo diet and exercise into their life. Some of my favorite columns in the "Average Joe Paleo" section share ideas for being able to follow a paleo diet as frugally as possible.

One of the my favorite articles in the magazine (so far) discussed the different types of grass-fed meat you can buy, basically what you would receive by purchasing a half or whole cow, and the best resources to use to find a local farm. The magazine is beautifully laid out, covers a wide variety of paleo and gluten free living topics, and I love the recipes shared by a few of my favorite paleo bloggers such as Sarah Fragoso and Bill Staley and Hayley Mason.

If you're interested in following a paleo or primal type of diet, I definitely recommend purchasing a subscription to Paleo Magazine. It's only about $30 a year for 6 super-packed, full-color issues. Also, now they even have digital back issues of the magazine for as little as $2.99 each. So whether you still enjoy print magazines (like I do), or you prefer a digital edition... Paleo Magazine can help you learn more about living a healthy and vibrant paleo life!

GLG Disclosure: Paleo Magazine provided me with with several print issues of their journal for the purpose of providing a review, if I chose to do so. This is not a sponsored post and I did not receive compensation. The opinions in this post are completely my own. 

Homemade Meyer Lemon Curd Recipe

Photo by Carrie Forbes, 2011

Lemon curd. I realize it sounds like curdled milk if you don't know what it is... but it's divine. It's like a super sweet  lemon pudding or lemon preserves... it's creamy and rich. Sweet and tart. And with Meyer lemons? Pure lemon heaven.

I love lemons. I guess that's no surprise if you are familiar with the title of my blog. But using them can be tricky. My husband doesn't like lemon in many main dishes OR desserts because he feel like they are usually too sour and overwhelm the taste of the dish. But when I used this meyer lemon curd in a cake this weekend. He liked it. He said it wasn't as overpowering as regular lemons.

Lemon curd is originally from England. It's a popular topping on toast, scones, and inside cakes and pastries. Some recipes call simply for sugar, egg yolks, lemon juice, and zest. Other recipes (like the one I'm sharing today) also contain the egg whites and butter which helps create a very smooth texture.

You can use this lemon curd in gluten free cakes, drizzle it on gluten free pancakes, enjoy in a hearty gluten free biscuit or scone. Stir it into yogurt, ice-cream, or even a fruity smoothie. Whatever you do with it... enjoy!

Homemade Meyer Lemon Curd
Adapted from "Julie's Lemon Curd" recipe in The Cake Mix Doctor Bakes Gluten Free by Anne Byrn, pg. 294
Free of gluten, soy, and options for dairy free
Printer-friendly version

Ingredients:
3 medium-sized Meyer Lemons (or 2 large lemons)
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
6 tablespoons butter, ghee, or coconut oil, melted and slightly cooled

Directions:

1. Wash and pat dry the meyer lemons. Using a microplane grater, zest the lemons and set the zest on a small plate. Then cut the lemons in half. Juice the lemons and strain the juice to remove pulp and seeds. Discard the pulp and seeds. 
2. In a small bowl whisk together the strained juice, pulp zest, sugar, and eggs. Whisk until thoroughly combined and a light buttery orange in color. Slowly, whisk in the melted and cooled butter, ghee, or coconut oil. 
3. Pour lemon curd into a small saucepan and cook over medium heat whisking constantly. Cook until mixture comes to a boil and begins to thicken and get silky smooth. It will take about 5-7 minutes of cooking and whisking. 
4. When mixture has thickened enough to thickly coat the back of a spoon, remove from heat and allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Pour lemon curd in a clean glass jar and top with an airtight lid. Chill in the refrigerator for 8 hours before initial first use, to thicken and cool lemon curd. Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Use lemon curd as you would jam or jelly. 

Potpourri and Pine: The Roanoke City Market c.1994

Photo by Carrie Forbes, 2010. 

I promise I'll start posting gluten free recipes again soon, after all, I know that's what you stop by for...but I hope you will indulge me and read about a fond memory that I was reminded of last night.

My friend Debbie shared on Facebook last night that one of her recipes  had been printed in a prominent publication by her work. She was SO excited and I was thrilled for her! And for some reason it reminded of when I first realized I loved writing.

I've always been a writer. I have journals that date back from when I was around 7 or 8 years old... but I think I truly realized that I had a love for words in my junior year of high school. I was in an advanced English class with a favorite teacher: Mrs. Harriet Little. She loved my writing, and she loved her students, and that meant so much to me. She truly listened to our thoughts. She encouraged this small class of young college-bound high school girls, and told us we had such an amazing life ahead of us. Her worn silver rings with an aged patina always faced us as she sat with elbows on her desk and fingers inter-laced. With wise brown eyes and always a story to tell she would say "Just wait until you're 35. You will love life. You will finally feel comfortable in your own skin and you will begin to know who you really are." To girls who were barely seventeen... 35 seemed ancient. Yet here I am... on the heels of being 34 this month. I had no idea how valuable her words would turn out to be. Mrs. Little gave us several writing assignments in particular that year that I remember.

The most memorable was a short essay that I wrote in December of 1994 about the Roanoke City Market. I have always loved this market. The smells and sounds. The Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings. Seeing fresh coffee ground at Mill Mountain Coffee & Tea, buying Roald Dahl books at the small local bookstore, visiting the planetarium at the Science Museum, etc... It was all simply remarkable. Mrs. Little loved my essay. I remember her smile as she was reading it. "Carrie, this is REALLY good." She said, with absolute sincerity. Ironically, I think it was when I first started learning how to use a thesaurus very effectively (lol)... but I was proud of that essay too. I loved my description of the market. Mrs. Little suggested I send it in to the Roanoke paper to have it published in the editorials section. I remember a small smile creeping on my face, but I was thinking that wouldn't work. My father worked for the paper at that time. Surely, publishing an essay from his daughter would have been considered  favoritism. Mrs. Little, however, told me to send it anyway. So I did. I didn't tell my Dad about it. I just quietly tucked it in the mailbox and forgot about it.

And then Christmas Eve 1994 came. We were on vacation from school. Mom and Dad were home from work. It was a joyful Christmas that year, I remember Dad making breakfast that morning and we were all sitting around the table. Dad, as always, was reading the paper as we ate. NPR was on the radio in the kitchen. And out of nowhere, Dad just put the paper on the table... "Carrie! This is your essay!" I was shocked. I had no idea they were going to publish it. It turned out that the editor of that section of the paper was on vacation at the time and the person working in her place didn't know who I was. So they published it. And then I saw it. My name in print under a few paragraphs that I had written. My Dad was thrilled. I was so excited. Mrs. Little... thank you!

I happened to find the essay that was printed in the Roanoke Times from an online database of newspaper archives which happened to date back to the early 1990's (talk about making you feel old!). Especially for those of you from the Southwestern Va., region I think you'll enjoy reading this short composition about how I saw the Roanoke City Market nearly 20 years ago... and amazingly how little it has changed since then!

Potpourri and Pine: The Roanoke City Market Captures the Season
From: The Roanoke Times Archives
Written by a 17 year-old me...
From the Editorial section, December 24 1994

THE SIDEWALKS are encrusted with forgotten orange rinds and apple cores, while the smell of hot apple cider lingers in the musty air. Passersby are greeted with fresh pine cuttings and little wooden men, each with its own story, made by an old carver whittling close at hand. Cheery seasonal melodies in the distance are strummed softly by local musicians.

The scent of flavored coffees and muffins draws people to the local coffee and tea house near the lighted trees of the old market. The little shops offer freshly made jams, homemade pies and ornamental decor right under the "cinnamon and cloves" aroma of the hand-stitched potpourri sachets hanging on the wall, which seem to be calling out for those close by to take them home.

I find that whenever I have the pleasure of visiting the Roanoke City Market, I return home with a reassured knowledge that believing is seeing. The market comes with scents and distinct feelings, contributing to a warm and homey atmosphere that overcrowded malls don't offer.

The atmosphere of such a place as the market is astonishingly different from that of a mall. The market offers so much more in return with its purchases than just the receipt you would receive at the mall. The mall was designed to make shopping trips easy and accessible while crowding many stores into one large building to make parking easier. The market's purpose is not that of a designer, but of the individual.

The market, though often less frequently advertised, gives individuals a chance to look in "nooks and crannies" for treasures of all sorts, whereas at the mall you only get the obvious. Craftsmen and street vendors line the cozy streets, selling their unique, "made with care" items, while at the mall the predictable clothing and other articles are often made in faraway poor countries. The specialties at the market usually don't consist of something from an imported famous designer, but from the special hands of hard-working people in our area.

The market is especially charming during the holidays. You feel welcome, and if you weren't in the spirit before you arrived, you will be when you depart. The mall offers some of the same feeling, but you can't enjoy it as much without the crisp fall air brushing against your cheek while you munch on a fresh apple from an open shop wondering if you can outrun the flock of pigeons before you get to your car.

The market leaves you with a wonderful magic that the mall can't ever impart. You believe the world can be as delightful as the market seems. The mall is just another mall; there are millions of them; they have no real personality. There is only one Roanoke City Market!


And Mrs. Little... I'll have you know... you are and were absolutely right. As I turn 34 this year... I am absolutely thrilled with where I am in my life and I can't wait to live more of it. I'm so glad you were my teacher.