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Bookshelf

December 31, 2009 By 1 Comment


Since I have come to realize that I am cookbook obsessed and not everyone is, I thought I’d start sharing my reviews with you all to help you focus on the books that will help you most with your meal planning! Afterall, one of the challenges many people face is finding the time to meal plan and look for new recipes or ideas. For me, browsing the many, many shelves at the library or bookstore each week is a fun and relaxing trip. For so many though, I know it is overwhelming and you don’t even know where to begin! My book reviews will save you the time and trouble of sorting through the many, many titles that are out there! All of the books are those that I have read myself They are either books from my own collection but many checked out from the library (I’m a frugal gal too!). Occasionally I will review books sent to me by publishers or authors in which case I will let you know. But you can rest assured I will only review books that help you find new ideas to add a little more magic to your meals!

Check below for all the reviews I’ve already done. Then subscribe to my blog (if you haven’t already!) to read the newest reviews. Got a special title or area of cooking in mind? Let me know what you want to see and I’m on the case ASAP!

P.S. By the way, if you choose to purchase any of these books, please do so through my site…it helps me keep my website up and running for you!

FAMILY FRIENDLY / QUICK and EASY
Artisan Bread in Five Minutes A Day *
5 A Day: The Better Health Cookbook
The Dinner Doctor
Everyday Italian *
The Family Kitchen *
Kitchen Life-Real Life Real Food for Families–Even Yours! *
The Mom’s Guide to Meal Makeovers
Robin to the Rescue *
Southern Living Ultimate Quick and Easy Cookbook *
The Weekend Baker
Whole Grains For Busy People

KID FRIENDLY
Around the World Cookbook *
Deceptively Delicious *
Dinnertime! *
The Healthy Lunchbox
Healthy Foods: An Irreverant Guide to Understanding Nutrition and Feeding Your Family
Healthy Meals for Babies and Toddlers *
Kid Favorites Made Healthy *
The Kids’ Holiday Baking Book
Petit Appetit: Eat, Drink and Be Merry
Robin Miller: Quick Fix Meals
The Sneaky Chef
Sneaky Chef to the Rescue
Super Food For Babies and Children

FREEZER and BULK COOKING
30 Day Gourmet: BIG Book of Freezer Cooking *
Bake and Freeze Desserts
Cooking Among Friends
Don’t Panic! Dinner’s In the Freezer
Freezer Cooking Manual from 30 Day Gourmet
Make-A-Mix *

SLOWCOOKER
Make It Fast, Cook It Slow
Not Your Mother’s Slow Cooker Cookbook
Rival Crock-Pot: 3 Books In 1 *

SPECIAL DIETS
Getting Your Kid on a Gluten-Free, Casein-Free Diet
Kid Friendly ADHD Cookbook
Supermarket Vegan

EVERYTHING ELSE
30-Minute Meals for Dummies
834 Kitchen Quick Tips
Barbarians at the Plate
Desperation Entertaining
Escape From the Kitchen
The Family Kitchen Garden*
Mariel’s Kitchen: Simple Ingredients for a Delicious and Satisfying LIfe*
The New Best Recipe Cookbook
Rotisserie Chickens to the Rescue!
Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade: Grilling *
Saving Dinner
Saving Dinner Basics
Taste of Home’s Everyday Light Meals *

* Means these books have lots of photos for those of you that like that in your cookbooks (I do!)

I’ll update this list regularly to include the most recent book reviews I do on the blog. Check back often for updates to this list or just search for “Cookbook Review” in the search box on the home page of this blog. If you are an author or publisher with a book you’d like me to review, please see my Advertising Page for details. Thanks for reading and happy cooking!

Filed Under: autism diet, Cookbook Reviews, Cooking With Kids, food allergies, homemade baby food, kid-friendly, meal organizing, meal planning, meal plans, toddler meal planning

Cookbook Review: The Kid-Friendly ADHD & Autism Cookbook

December 16, 2009 By Leave a Comment


As I mentioned in my cookbook review of Getting Your Kid on a Gluten-Free, Casein-Free Diet, I have many friends who face this challenge for their families. Whether your particular concern includes ADHD or Autism or perhaps just a milk allergy or celiac disease, this is a great book to help you learn more about how the diet can affect any of these conditions.

This book is well-organized and includes chapters on the science behind how diet relates to autism and ADHD (and a few others mentioned in this book). It explains why the authors, a medical doctor and a registered dietitian, believe it works. One chapter, “The Culprits”, talks about where to find the problem foods and how to avoid them. Another chapter talks about how to get started and whether a gradual approach or “cold turkey” is right for you. A large recipe section gives many options for whipping up all kinds of meals for your child. Several of them do call for prepared GFCF products (such as tapioca starch or xanthum gum) but there are many others that use commonly found ingredients. And I have discovered that more and more common chain grocery stores are carrying these ingredients now…there’s not necessarily a need any more to seek out the natural food store.

What I especially like is the Resource section at the end of the book. The authors have included many listings for other GFCF cookbooks and books on Autism and ADHD; magazines and newsletters you can subscribe to; organizations and online information for support and more learning; and product/ingredient resources. The only downside is that there could probably be a few more recipes that have toddler appeal but there are several basics that should work too.

I highly recommend this book to anyone that faces the challenge of a GFCF diet for themselves or their children!

Filed Under: autism diet, food allergies, gluten free, gluten-free diet, kid-friendly, kids nutrition

Getting Your Kid on a Gluten-Free Casein-Free Diet {Cookbook Review}

September 23, 2009 By Leave a Comment


Although our family does not personally deal with food allergies, I have many friends who do. Talking with them I have learned it is not only a challenge to find the right types of food but also those that have kid-appeal.

I first came across Getting your Kid on a Gluten-Free Casein-Free Diet at my local library. What I like about this book is that the chapters are short and explain in real words what it means to be gluten free or casein free (GFCF). It gives real-life examples of how to make the change and TONS of great alternatives for all meals including snacks. Sure, you can probably do some of this on your own (like figure that fruits and vegetables are always a good option), but it is nice that someone else has already made the list for you. What I especially like is that it addresses other common issues parents face when starting a GFCF diet like what to look for in the grocery store (and where to find ingredients), dealing with special occasions like a pizza party at school or birthday parties.

In keeping with the whole meal planning method that I like, the recipe section includes instructions for preparing GFCF baking mixes in bulk to have on hand when you want to make up some pancakes, biscuits or other ‘usual’ kid-friendly baked items. There are many more recipes included as well. The index includes a Nutritional Table of GFCF foods by vitamin/mineral listing that include the many GFCF options and how that nutrient is important to your body.

The only downside I found is that I wish the book included an index of resources for more information on this subject. There is a small one but not that much.

So, if you’re facing the challenge of providing a GFCF diet for you or someone in your family, check out this book as a great starter!

Filed Under: autism diet, celiac, Cookbook Reviews, food allergies, gluten free, gluten-free diet, lactose

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