The Homemade Kitchen Review

I was eagerly anticipating The Homemade Kitchen, by Alana Chernila as I do have the author's other cookbook. This one however is completely different from her first. There are lots of healthy meal ideas and tons of salads to make.  The book itself has lots of thick pages with many photographs scattered throughout. Not every recipe has a photo however. The organization of this cookbook is much different than what you are probably used to. It is broken down into many different sections, such as Be Helpful, Do the Work, Eay Outside. This makes it somewhat hard to find a recipe that you are looking for. The book has main dishes, desserts and appetizers strewn throughout so you really have to hunt to find what you are looking for. I do appreciate the authors first chapter entitled Be a Beginner. It has many different techniques and recipes for basic things such as how to make Jam and basic vinaigrettes. There is actually a lot of useful information there. I do like the most of the recipes, there are many unique and interesting items to make such as, Jambalaya, Pear Gingerbread and Stuffed Tomatoes. Overall this cookbook is not only filled with great recipes but is enjoyable to read and look through. There are lots of stories and good information scattered about. It will make a good addition to my cookbook collection for years to come.  I received a free copy of this cookbook in exchange for my honest review from Blogging for Books.

I have been eagerly awaiting Giada De Laurentiis new cookbook Happy Cooking for quite some time now and it did not disappoint. Lots of thick pages filled to the brim with recipes and lots of colorful photographs makes this book a workhorse in the kitchen. Everything in it seems quick easy, healthy and effortless. There are Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Dessert recipes. Even an entire chapter devoted to clean eating.  Recipes like Parsley Lemon Pesto with Farfalle, Broccoli Rabe Tacos, Noodle Paella and Better Wedge Salad are all recipes that I can't wait to try! There are tons of pasta recipes so if you are trying to go low carb, this book isn't exactly for you, but it is true to Giada's style of cooking.

My only disappointment would be with the snack section, where there wasn't anything new and exciting. Popcorn many different ways, fruit leather, Pico De Gallo and Wings  were included here. The dessert chapter was small and lackluster as well. I also didn't like that many recipes throughout the book used Agave and there was no option to substitute Agave for anything else. 

Overall I would recommend this book if you are looking for some quick and simple meal ideas to add to your collection. I received a free copy of this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

Kitchen matrix review

The Kitchen Matrix by Mark Bittman is a great new cookbook chock full of great healthy recipes that are easy and delicious. There are many pictures scattered throughout thick pages. It is a pleasure to page through and a welcome addition to my collection. Recipes like, ice pops done a million different ways, entrees, side dishes, desserts and much much more. 400 recipes all can be customized to your liking but are surprisingly simple. There is a recipe sure to please any palate. This cookbook is one of the best I've bought in a long time. You certainly won't be disappointed. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review from blogging for books   

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 was eagerly awaiting this new Food52 cookbook. I own all of their other ones and have loved each and every page. This cookbook is no exception. It has beautiful pictures and thick pages. It is a pleasure to thumb through and the recipes look healthy and easy to make. Want a Five Minute No-Bake Granola Bar? Or the Perfect Pumpkin Pie for a traditional Thanksgiving meal? Gena has you covered. There are simple recipes like Roasted Ratatouille with chickpeas and most complex meals like a Carrot and Fennel Pot Pie. Whereas the Jamaican Jerk Chili with Quinoa and Kidney Beans is a fun twist on chili. Unlike Gena's first cookbook, there is no particular focus on raw foods and the recipes seem a bit more grown up, although I do think my kids would like the Butternut Mac and Cheese recipe and Lentil Sloppy Joes.  Her barbecue sauce is delicious and I really liked the panzanella salad (the fried capers are a wonderful addition!).Overall this cookbook is a pleasant solid vegan cookbook and one that is definitely worth adding to your collection. I received a free copy of this cookbook in exchange for my honest review from Blogging for books. Get a copy for yourself here: http://amzn.to/1MUsoeR

Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook Review

The Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook by Pearl Barrett is the highly anticipated followup book to their Trim Healthy Mama diet guide. I was really looking forward to this book, but when I opened it my expectations fell flat. The book itself is substantial and heavy for a paperback. Inside, I was expecting far more in terms of photography. The pictures were few and far between. I like to see what I'm cooking before I cook it and the pictures also looked as if there were taken by the author herself which made most things look unappetizing. The recipes included many ingredients that you probably don't have on hand at home like Stevia and Xylitol and a Sweet Blend of sugar which you need to buy directly from the authors in order to make most of the items in this book. There is also a flour (Baking Blend) that they use for most of the recipes that you must buy separately as well. The flour comes in a 2 cup bag and is extremely expensive. This wasn't exactly what I had hoped for. Overall I was disappointed by this cookbook and feel that there are better alternatives out there.  I received a copy of this cookbook from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

Treat is a charming little cookbook filled with colorful photography of every recipe. The pages are sturdy and glossy and the recipes all used Rice Krispy cereal as a base. Who knew there were so many variations! There are 50 recipes in all. Some of my favorites are the After School Power Bar Treats, Chocolate Hazelnut Treats and the Chocolate Caramel Malted Treats. I can't wait to try every single one. I also love that there is a section on how to make your own marshmallows including recipes for Strawberry, Vanilla and chocolate marshmallows.  If you want to kick up your rice krispy bars a notch, I highly recommend this book. It is nothing but fun sweets that you can make and take just about anywhere. I received a free copy of this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review. To get your copy, go here: Treat by Stephanie Banyas

The New Sugar & Spice cookbook by Samantha Seneviratne is one of the most unique cookbooks I've ever had the pleasure of reading. The photography was beautiful and the recipes were purely unlike any I had ever seen before. Spicy and Sweet are mixed together to form new twists on some old favorites. Te Maple Sticky Buns use lots of fresh ground cinnamon to make them stand out and the Raspberry Shortcakes with Zingy Double Ginger Biscuits have a special zip that is spicy and sweet all at the same time. Originally, I wasn't so sure I would like this book and it deviated from the standard recipes that I am used to, but this cookbook surpassed all of my expectations and there are tons of recipes that I would like to make and try. It's a different cookbook that's not too different. It combines some familiar flavors with some new twists. I highly recommend giving it a try. I received a free copy of this cookbook in exchange for my honest review from Blogging for Books.