Weekend Cooking: Two Books That Offer Healthy Guidelines for the Food We Eat

Many of us have made the decision this year to take control of the food we put into our bodies and to maintain healthier eating habits. For me personally, I began this journey two years ago after realizing that for the first time in my life, I needed to go on a diet. But it wasn't a diet I needed. It was a lifestyle change that I could adapt and continue to practice for the rest of my life. I began reading the nutrition labels on the food I was buying and learning what to stay away from. There's a lot of information in those labels if only you take the time to understand what they mean. Now I look at food a lot differently than I used to and I don't buy food just because it tastes good. Even though it may taste good, that doesn't necessarily mean its good for you. For two years now I've completely cut out processed foods from my diet and I can tell a significant change in my body. Most of the food I eat I prepare fresh at home from ingredients I choose. I rarely eat fast-food and when I occasionally slide, I immediately regret it because of how it makes me feel and then I vow never to to it again.

For today's post I wanted to share two books that I've come across that have helped me tremendously in my quest for eating healthy. The first book, HEALTHY FOOD GUIDE,  is a self-published ebook by Ceps Weston and is available on Kindle (for 2.99). Though not written perfectly, the information provided in the book allowed me to overlook the sub-par writing. (In my opinion) I read this book in a day and though its not an in depth, technical book, it is very helpful in identifying ingredients you should definitely stay away from and why.  This book would be great for those just starting to realize that they want to have more knowledge about what they are putting into their bodies.

The second book I want to mention is a much more in depth look at food in general and the benefits of eating real food, not food that the 'industry' tells us is healthy and good for us. This book came out in 2008 and was featured on many of the morning news shows for its bold statements about how the food industry manipulating the public into thinking they're providing us with healthy alternatives. Its a very interesting book written by Nina Planck, who is a renowned food expert who grew up on a farm in Virginia eating 'real' food and selling it at farm stands. Her knowledge of food is very broad and is not at all related to food trends, just simple whole foods.  This book is aptly titled REAL FOOD: What To Eat and Why. In it, Ms. Planck shares her wealth of knowledge about foods that have been around for thousands of years and the benefits of them. For anyone looking to learn about food and maintaining a healthier lifestyle I highly recommend this book.  I promise you won't look at food the same way again.

Thanks for stopping by today and I hope this post was helpful to you in some way. for more great cooking posts, please stop by Beth Fish Reads and check out all the other contributors for this weekly event. 

Review: The Lost Art of Mixing by Erica Bauermeister (TLC Book Tours)

This much anticipated follow-up to Bauermeister's THE SCHOOL OF ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS takes the reader back to Lillian's restaurant, but not for more cooking lessons. Lillian's is once again used as the cozy backdrop for the story but in a more subtle way. You still get the loving feel of the ingredients that go into the dishes she serves there, but a few characters from the first book are the obvious stars, along with some new faces who help tell their life stories.

The story picks up several months after the first book ends while the cooking classes are in between sessions. Lillian is, of course, front and center and we learn how her life has changed in those months. Others from the cooking class that are big parts of the story are Chloe, the insecure, former busser that Lillian hired; Isabelle, the older woman who is struggling to hold on to her precious memories; and Tom, the widower who lost his chef wife way too young to breast cancer. We add to them, the story of Al, Lillian's accountant who has made Lillian's an important part of his daily life; his wife, Louise, who has never been to the restaurant, nor ever met Lillian; Finnigan, the very tall, perceptively quiet dish washer who seems to know more than his nineteen years should allow; and we also meet Isabelle's son, daughter and grandson.  Each of these additional characters create more layers to an already developing storyline that, like each course of a fine dining experience, is like a memorable, delicious treat.

My Thoughts:

I can honestly say I didn't have any idea where this second book was going to lead. With so many interesting characters in the first book, there were many options for the author to take. I had really taken a liking to Chloe and even had a protective feeling over her, so I was really happy that she was a center point in this book. It was nice to see how she was becoming more sure of herself and I especially enjoyed her relationship with Isabelle. The character of Al was a complete surprise and.  I initially found him to be a bit odd. His relationship with his wife, Louise, was also a bit strange yet later in the story, I felt bad for her for being left out of so much of Al's life. It certainly proves a point I, myself, learned in my own marriage: That you can live with the person you are supposed to be the closest to in life, but much later down the road find that not only does that person not know the real you, but you begin questioning everything you thought you knew about them. Its a harsh reality that some can overcome but many cannot. I'd have to say, however that the new character of Finnigan was my favorite. He is wise for his age, kinder than most, and has such a subtle way with people and that really struck a chord with me. I like the possibility of he and Chloe making a go of it. (It's OK, I really didn't give anything away there!)

To wrap this up, I'll simply say this book was the perfect sequel that also leaves so many more possibilities for future releases.  Not surprisingly, the prose was lovely and had the same warm ebb and flow as we've come to expect from this talented writer. Erica Bauermweister, with the help of Lillian, had me yearning to be in a kitchen, laying out fresh goods and produce just collected from the farmer's market, and planning what herbs and spices to add to make delcious treasures to serve people I care about. That is how chefs and people who love to cook feel about food and this book brings all that out while at the same time telling the character's stories beautifully. If you couldn't tell already, I really enjoyed this book and I will always look forward to what is next from this author

There are many stops on this blog tour and you can find the entire list here. Be sure to visit these other blogs for more insights and opinions to this nove..  Special thanks to Lisa @ TLC Book Tours for allowing me to participate in this tour.

THE LOST ART OF MIXING
Author: Erica Bauermeister
Publisher: Putnam Adult
Scheduled Publishing Date: January 24, 2013
Pages: 228
Source: Publisher via NetGalley

Review: The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister (Paperback)

THE SCHOOL OF ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS by Erica Bauermeister is one of those books that was stuck on my mind since it came out in January 2009.  As a lover of cooking and all things food, I knew right away that I  wanted to read this book and I had every intention of doing so, but it just never happened. The only excuse I have is that there are simply too many great books out there and not enough time to get to all of them. Its a flimsy excuse, but it's all I got. That said, with the follow-up being released soon and being included on the tour, it was the perfect opportunity for me to finally get it read.

This beautifully written story of Lillian, a restaurant owner and cook, who closes her doors on Monday evenings to teach a cooking class, is the perfect book to read if you're looking for something calm, soothing and just plain lovely.  The story begins with how and why Lillian has such a love for food and cooking. You get a real feel for what kind of woman she is and, in my case, I instantly adored her. Her calm and graceful persona brings out the goodness of those around her, especially her students, who all seem to adore her as well.

As the classes continue, the reader is given insight to each of the people who show up eager to learn the next lesson and what brought each of them to be taking this class. With each passing week, the students are also learning more about each other, new friendships are formed through their interests in cooking and, thanks to Lillian, they begin to appreciate the simplicity of good food.

My Thoughts:

I really, really enjoyed this book and the journey in getting to know the students in the cooking class. Lillian is a great character and had a warmth about her that is inviting and soothing. Simply put, this is not a book filled with twists and turns and second-guessing about motives. This is a book that should be savored like a nice glass of wine after dinner - a book not to be rushed through. The characters are interesting and each of their stories are important and I enjoyed them very much.

This book is a quick read that is perfect for those times when you've just finished an intense book and are looking for something to make you feel good inside. All of the reviews that I read back when this book was first published were right on. I'm really looking forward to THE LOST ART OF MIXING, the follow-up to this book. I'll be posting my review later this month (the 29th), as part of the TLC Book Tour.

THE SCHOOL OF ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS (Paperback)
Author: Erica Bauermeister
Publisher: Berkley Trade
Published: January 2010
Pages: 261
Rating: 4 Stars out of 5

Four Foods on Friday

I found this fun food meme on Beastmomma's site a few weeks ago and since I am a foodie, I thought I'd play along this week. If you'd like to participate, visit Fun Crafts and Recipes.

Here are this week's four questions:

What's your favorite green food? Broccoli

Do you eat anything special on St. Patrick's Day? Yes, birthday cake because that is my birthday!

Do you drink any Irish beverages - tea, coffee, ale, beer etc? I do love Irish coffee and Killian's Red Ale, but I do not like Irish whiskey!

Share a recipe for corned beef: Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

6 to 8 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into thick (about 1/2-inch) slices
3 medium carrots, thinly sliced
2 ribs celery, thinly sliced
1 corned beef brisket, about 3 pounds
1 cabbage, about 2 pounds
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 cups water

Preparation:

Lightly butter or spray a 5 to 6-quart crockpot; layer potato slices over bottom of pot with carrots. Place corned beef on vegetables. Slice cabbage into 8 wedges and arrange around meat. Sprinkle with the pepper and add water. Cover and cook on LOW setting for 7 to 8 hours, until meat and vegetables are tender.

Worlds Healthiest Foods

I found this great website during my online travels that I want to share.. It’s called “The Worlds Healthiest Foods” located at http://www.whf.org/. Actually it is a not-for-profit organization called The George Mateljan Foundation.

The website is packed with all kinds of nutritional information and offers healthful recipes and tips too. I found it educational and interesting. For anyone who is trying to eat better and learn how to prepare foods in a healthier way, this website would be invaluable. There are over 100 recipes that you can search either by ingredient or nutritional element. For example, I have extreme hypertension, so I searched for foods with Omega 3 fatty acid benefits to help lower my blood pressure and to help promote red blood cell function, which will also help with my retinal disease. The recipes are not complicated nor do they use gourmet ingredients, so you don’t have to worry about the cost or finding specialty items.

Eating healthy doesn’t have to be a burden. You can use your imagination and come up with your own recipes using foods you like.