Today I am reviewing th Near & Far cookbook by Heidi Swanson. I really enjoyed this cookbook and found lots of new recipes that I can't wait to try. The photographs are beautiful and the layout of the book makes me want to come back to it again and again. The recipes are unique and very different. Things that I wouldn't normally think to make like Watermelon Radish Soup and Saffron Tagine. Each recipes is healthy and vegetarian. The authors writing style also makes you feel as though you are there with her in her travels. Smelling the warm bread and tasting various things. A completely enjoyable book. Highly recommended.  I received a complimentary copy of this cookbook from Blogging for Books. All of my opinions are my own.

I was so excited to get a copy of A Jewish Baker's Pasty Secrets by George Greenstein as his first cookbook had such wonderful reviews. While the recipes look amazing, there is not a single picture in the book except for the cover photo. This was very disappointing as I like to be able to see a picture of what I am making. This alone really turned me off.  The recipes do look wonderful and delicious, but it is hard to tell what the recipes should look like without a picture to go by.  Some of the recipes that I'd like to make are the Butter Kuchen with Two Sugars, the Babka with Three Chocolates, and the Streusel Cake. There are tons of very good and helpful baking tips sprinkled throughout the book and little antidotes about the authors personal life which I found to be enjoyable. Overall, if you are looking for a pretty book with lots of colorful pictures, you will be sorely disappointed. On the other hand, if you are looking for some really delicious time tested recipes that will Wow your friends and family, this is the book for you. I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for my honest review from Blogging for Books.

To get a copy of this book go here: http://amzn.to/1P28EWs

The Broad Fork Cookbook Review

I received a copy of The Broad Fork by Hugh Acheson and have throughly enjoyed looking through it. The photographs are bright and colorful and I love how this cookbook is broken into ingredients. This is perfect for when you have left over Red beets or any other vegetable and you're not sure what to do with it. I've found tons of recipes that I really would like to try including the following:

Slow Cooker Apple Butter; Roasted Figs with Pecorino Romano and Frisee; Kohlrabi Salad with Pecans, Lime, Paprika and Marjoram; Butter Lettuce Roasted Cauliflower and Brussels Sprouts; and Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Lime, Queso Fresco, Chiles, and Cilantro.Buttered, Roasted Summer Squash with Basil; Blackberry Vinegar; Raspberry Cobbler with Drop Biscuit Topping; Grilled Corn Salad with Chiles, Basil and Lime; Chile-Mint Sautéed Cucumbers; Honeydew Agua Fresca; Sautéed Catfish with Cantaloupe, Lime, and Cilantro Salsa; Pickled Pepper and Feta Salad with Chickpeas, Olives, Raisins, Orange and Mint; Tian of Squash, Zucchini, Tomato, and Basil.

There are so many more recipes to choose from. I really love this cookbook. Eating vegetarian has never been easier and more tasty. I highly recommend adding this to your collection. 

I received a free copy of this book from Bloghing for Books in exchange for my honest review. 

A Modern Way to east is quite an interesting cookbook. I am not a vegetarian but am always looking for ways to eat healthier and feed my family clean and healthy foods. The pictures in this cookbook are nice and it is a joy to page through. A Modern Way to eat is broken down into the following sections.

a modern way to eat - introduction
what gets me up in the morning - breakfast-types foods
food for filling a gap - healthy snacking foods
a bowl of broth, soup or stew
satisfying salads
easy lunches and laid-back suppers
hearty dinners and food to feed a crowd
vegetables to go with things - sides
sweet endings - desserts
cakes, breads and a few other things
things to drink
jam, chutney, stock and other useful stuff

There are tons of recipes that look appealing to me and make me want to try them. From the Kale Chips to the Blueberry Pie Oatmeal, they all sound completely delicious. This looks to me like a cookbook that I will get a lot of use out of and I recommend it if you are trying to eat more plant based foods and live a healthier lifestyle. I received this cookbook from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review. To get your copy, go here.

The Blender Girl Smoothies book by Tess Masters is a wonderful cookbook, filled with colorful photograph and 100 smoothie recipes. The recipes are broken into 4 sections, light & fruity, clean and green, an exotic ride and dessert. All of the recipes look absolutely wonderful and I honestly want to try them all. I love love love that most of the recipes don't use greek yogurt or milk as a base and many add healthy fats thereby lowering the glycemic index of the smoothies considerably. All of the recipes use common ingredients and superfoods that can be found at your local grocery store or health food store.  Some of my favorite recipes, are Strawberry Kiwi Candy (which tastes just like candy) and Apple Pie in a Glass.  Overall I highly recommend this smoothie cookbook to shake up the life of your smoothie repertoire. The recipes are excellent and the photography is beautiful.Go get a copy of Blender Girl Smoothies by clicking here I received a complimentary copy of this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

When I ordered this cookbook, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. This cookbook was surprisingly wonderful! I loved every crisp colorful page. Most of the recipes included full color photographs and all of them look very good. I honestly want to try them all! There is an entire section devoted to drinks including one for Kale Lemonade and Blended Apple Pie A La Mode which look incredible. There is another section with Salads, Dressings & Sides where the Hemp Seed Ranch looks like something I definitely can't wait to make. The Soups, Sandwiches & Wraps section has some Wild Salmon Sliders that take Salmon to the next level and the Casseroles & Comfort Food section has me wanting to make everything in the chapter. Of course there are some very healthy sweets in the Sweet Treats section like Nutty Chocolate Chip Cookies and Raw Cheesecake that look very enticing. Overall, I can't wait to start cooking from this cookbook. Each and every recipe appeals to me and I feel like my entire family would be happy eating things made from this cookbook including some very picky kids.  This book is definitely a keeper and I highly recommend making it a part of your cookbook collection.  

I received this cookbook in exchange for my honest review from Blogging With Books.  To get your copy, go here: Everyday Detox

Seven Spoons by Tara O'Brady: Cookbook Review

This cookbook is a really diverse and eclectic collection of recipes. Many are inspired by a hodgepodge of different cultures and are a mix of the author’s favorite and most cherished recipes from her family and friends. The pages have a nice thick feel and there are many pictures throughout but not all recipes include pictures. The book is broken down into 7 different sections. The Introduction is a great collection of tools and pantry staples that you will need to use throughout the book. The chapters or sections are broken into, Breads & Breakfasts, Lunches, Soups, Starters & Snacks, Suppers, Vegetables & Sides, Sweet Treats & Sips and Staples. The sections are very helpful when looking for something to make for that occasion. The recipes are very different and unlike many you’ll find in other cookbooks. Some do use ingredients that might be hard to find or out of the ordinary. Some of my favorites to try would be the Blueberry Poppy Seed Snacking Cake, Bee-Stung Fried Chicken, Chocolate Olive Oil Zucchini Bread and Trail Mix Snack Bars.  I like how each recipes has a fun family story or a description of the tastes you are likely to encounter once the recipe is made. Overall, I would recommend this book to a cook with a fair amount of experience and someone who isn’t afraid to try new things, as there are a lot of new things to try in this book. It’s beautifully written and the author poured her heart into each and every recipe. A great book to add to your collection.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Blogging for Books. To order your copy, go here: Seven Spoons by Tara O'Brady