G.H. Cretors Popcorn

We love this machine! I was a little unsure of how much we would use it when I got it, but we use it all of the time. Brady loves to make the soda for anyone who comes over! Here is my review!

18 Rabbits Granola Bars

These granola bars are delicious! They are chewy and full of great ingredients. Click the link above to visit their website. For my full review on these bars click here.

Nasoya Wraps

These great wraps can be used to make tons of different appetizers and desserts! The possibilities are endless. Check out a recipe here!

Pure Bars

These bars are organic and raw. They can be found at grocery stores near you. Click the link above for a listing of stores near you. To read the full review click here.

Progresso Soup

Progresso offers a large variety of soups from low fat, light, vegetarian, hearty, high fiber and reduced sodium. For a recipe idea using this soup click here.

Stonyfield Oikos Greek Yogurt

One of my favorite types of yogurt! Review and recipe here!

Vega Vibrancy Bars

These bars are full of sprouts and raw protein. Check out my review here!

Book Reviews

Chris Powell’s Choose More Lose More

Obsessed: America’s Food Addiction and My Own

Simple Peasures: Healthy Seasonal Cooking + Easy Entertaining Book

500 Recipes for Lifelong Wellness

French Feasts: 299 Traditional Recipes for Family Meals & Gatherings

Stephane Reynaud

French Feasts at Amazon

Publisher: Stewart, Tabori & Chang (2009)

This is a beautiful book that covers everything from classic French stews to creme brulee. It is filled with fun illustrations, gorgeous photographs and 299 recipes. Below each recipe is a wine pairing. I love the book’s character and style.

Ratings:

Presentation of book: A (hard cover, lots of great photographs, heavy to carry around)

Difficulty of recipes: A- (overall recipes seemed easy to follow despite their complex names, a few dishes took a while to cook but not all of it was preparation time)

Healthy: C+ (many whole food ingredients were used and some recipes could probably be adapted to make them more healthy, lots of butter, oil and cheese)

Vegetarian/ Gluten Free: B (veggie or gluten free recipes were not on purpose but there were some, and modifications could be made to these recipes)

Entertaining: B+ (you could use this to entertain with, but I would suggest trying a few recipes first)

Overall, I would buy this for my coffee table because it is so pretty and it makes a statement. I don’t see myself opening it up and using it very often but I would also use it for a gourmet club dinner I was hosting or a special holiday dish. I think it would be a great gift for a friend who is into French cooking or culture or someone who just got back from a European trip!

Simple Stunning Parties at HomeKaren Bussen

Simple Stunning Parties at Home at Amazon

Publisher: Stewart, Tabori & Chang (2009)

This book is perfect for anyone who enjoys entertaining and having people over! It has lists to keep the host or hostess organized, ideas for theme parties, decor reccommendations and even music ideas. The beautiful pictures make this book fun to look at and get ideas from!

Ratings:

Presentation of book: A + (hard cover, a picture of many great things – food, decor and place settings)

Difficulty of recipes: B (easy to follow instructions, some not common ingredients)

Healthy: B+ (health was not the focus of the book but many whole food ingredients were used)

Vegetarian/ Gluten Free: B (veggie or gluten free recipes were not on purpose but there were some, and modifications could be made to these recipes)

Entertaining: A+ (the focus of this book!)

Overall, I would buy this for myself and for a friend and for my mom and for anyone who likes having people over. It is a great resource to add to your library!

Good Eats: The Early Years

Alton Brown

Good Eats at Amazon.com

Publisher: Stewart, Tabori & Chang (2009)

This cookbook is perfect for someone who likes read and understand what and how they are cooking. This book is packed with details about where food originated and how it came to be what it is today. The book also includes tons of tips and cooking hints to help you out in the kitchen. If you are looking for a deeper understanding of your food and how you prepare it, this is for you!

Ratings:

Presentation of book: B + (hard cover, too big to easily flip through with one hand, not a picture of every single recipe though, nice photos and tidbits of information)

Difficulty of recipes: B (there is a wide variety of recipes from difficult to easy)

Healthy: C (health was not the focus of the book – lots of common ingredients but not necessarily healthy ones, some ingredients are whole food based )

Vegetarian/ Gluten Free: C- (veggie or gluten free recipes were not on purpose but there were some, and modifications could be made to these recipes)

Entertaining: B (many of the recipes are meant to serve a family, the desserts serve more like 8-10 people)

Overall, this book is an interesting read. I don’t think I will open it up to make dinner each night, but I find the techniques helpful and the history interesting.

Endangered Recipes: Too Good to Be Forgotten.

Lari Robling

Endangered Recipes at Amazon

Publisher: Stewart, Tabori & Chang (2009)

This cookbook is perfect for someone who likes rich, home cooked meals from the past! It is packed with recipes that remind you of dinner at your grandma’s house when you were little. From sticky buns to fried chicken and banana pudding, this book is a blast from the past!

Ratings:

Presentation of book: B + (soft cover, comfortable to hold, not a picture of every single recipe though)

Difficulty of recipes: A (pretty simple overall)

Healthy: D- (health was not a factor in this book – lots of white flour, butter and sugar – just like the old days! )

Vegetarian/ Gluten Free: C- (veggie or gluten free recipes were not on purpose but there were some, and modifications could be made to these recipes)

Entertaining: B- (the recipes would be great for feeding a large group of hearty eaters, not my kind of entertaining though)

Overall, I think this would be a fun gift to give someone but I don’t know how much I would use it. I think it would be fun to go through it and make modified healthier versions of the recipes in the book like they do in Cooking Light!

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Eat Feed Autumn Winter: 30 ways to celebrate when the mercury drops.

Anne Bramley Photographs by: Tina Rupp

Eat Feed Autumn Winter at Amazon

Publisher: Stewart, Tabori & Chang (September 1, 2008)

This is a great cookbook to give a friend, neighbor or family member. The problem is, you won’t want to give it up!

This is the whole package when it comes to a cookbook for entertaining! Some of it’s amazing features include:

Pantry list for winter cooking: including the benefits of each food and what recipes it is used in
Host’s toolbox list: list and description of things you need for cooking and entertaining
9 Autumn Menus
21 Winter Menus
Holiday Tips section
Ipod suggestions for different parties
Tips on what type of foods to buy and where to find them
Drink/Wine suggestions for each menu
Presentation tips and ideas
Beautiful pictures

Ratings:

Presentation of book: A- (hardcover with great pictures, not a picture of every single recipe though)

Difficulty of recipes: A (easy to understand and seem doable)

Healthy: B- (the focus is not on health, but the foods are whole and not processed)

Vegetarian/ Gluten Free: C (not the focus of this book, but there are some recipes that would work)

Entertaining: A (great ideas for serving, hosting parties and having fun with friends and family!)

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Cooking with the Seasons at Rancho La Puerta: Recipes from the world famous spa

D. Skekely & D. Schneider with Chef J. Gonzalez Photographs by: Robert Holmes

Cooking with the Seasons at Rancho La Puerta at Amazon

Publisher: Stewart, Tabori & Chang (October 1, 2008)

A great book for making fresh, healthy colorful dishes! Perfect for the mind, body and soul, just like the spa.

This cookbook great for adding fresh, clean, natural meals to your weekly schedule. It provides different menus for the different seasons and emphasizes the importance of eating produce in season.

Great features of this healthy, spa conscience cookbook include:

Seasonal recipes with complete menus
Very healthy recipes with organic and natural ingredients
Variations listed for all recipes
A section a the basics of whole grains, beans, spices and other foods commonly used in the recipes
Recipes for spa-care products to make at home

Ratings:

Presentation of book: A- (hardcover with great pictures, not a picture of every single recipe)

Difficulty of recipes: B+ (simple recipes with organic/semi-exotic ingredients, may be hard to find)

Healthy: A (balanced recipes with whole foods, does not include nutrition information)

Vegetarian/ Gluten Free: B (not the focus of this book, but variations make it possible)

Entertaining: A- (great menus for friends who like light healthy meals, maybe not for all guests)

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