YogaLean:Poses and Recipes to Promote Weight Loss and Vitality - for Life!, by Beth Shaw

Title: YogaLean: Poses and Recipes to Promote Weight Loss and Vitality - for Life!

Author: Beth Shaw

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Date: September 9, 2014

Paperback: 352 pages



About the Book
Forget diets and guilt and judgments! Achieve your optimal weight by developing what internationally recognized yoga and fitness expert Beth Shaw calls Lean Consciousness. The ultimate path to weight loss, weight management, and whole-life wellness, Lean Consciousness grows out of filling your mind with good intentions, fueling your body with good food, and then moving your body intentionally. Combining the latest nutrition and exercise science with yogic wisdom and principles, YogaLean offers an easy-to-follow and inspiring holistic lifestyle program.

My Take
I was given the opportunity to review an amazing life changing book, YogaLean. This book is chock full of information on how to take your life and change it for the best. Yes, there are a ton of diet and exercise programs out there, but this one shows you how to mentally and physically change your lifestyle.

The book has two parts: The Power of Lean and Gaining Lean Consciousness. The first part of the book gives you all the background of yoga and the different parts. It shows you how to mentally achieve what you are trying to do. The "learning" section. The second part is the physical part. It shows you different yoga positions (which comes with amazing step by step photos, descriptions and the benefit of doing the pose), meditation, cardio and weight training, and most importantly, how to eat lean.

The section on eating lean is amazing. She breaks down what are considered good foods, how to eat them, store them and amazing recipes to try. I tried two of the soups right away and was not disappointed. I tried Beth's Immunity Soup (recipes for immunity). It was really good. I am going to try to eat this at least once a week. I also tried the Spicy Tomato Soup (metabolism recipes). Another home run. My daughter even liked this one.

Another part of the book that a lot of people will find very helpful, is The YogaLean One-Week Jumpstart. Here she maps out one week of what to eat, how to exercise, and how to meditate.

Like I stated before, this is a really amazing book and anyone who reads it, will learn from it. If you like yoga or want to physically and mentally get better, then this book is for you.

About The Author

Beth Shaw is the president and founder of the world-renowned YogaFit training systems and the author of Beth Shaw's YogaFit. She and her company have been featured in O: The Oprah Magazine, Time, More, Entrepreneur, Yoga Journal, Glamour, Self, and USA Today, as well as CNN, NBC, CBS, Showtime, and E! Entertainment Television. She lives in Beverly Hills, California.

This complimentary book was given to me for my honest review.

Garden Safari: Vegetable Soup, by Eluka Moore, Larry Puzniak and Marianne Walsh

Title: Garden Safari: Vegetable Soup

Series: Kitchen Club Kids

Author: Eluka Moore, Larry Puzniak and Marianne Walsh

Publisher: Bread & Butter Publishing

Date: May 6, 2014

Hardcover: 38 pages





About the Book
Explore numbers, colors and vegetables as you learn how to create a tasty soup in ten easy steps. Join the Kitchen Club Kids as they visit the garden to find fresh vegetables to eat. They search and count. They cut, dice and stir until the meal is complete. This rhymey-good-timey recipe adventure story offers basic cooking lessons and promotes healthy eating. The colorful illustrations and layered learning opportunities on each page will keep your child's interest from beginning to end. Kitchen Club Kids books are also real, hands-on cooking activities that help teach 2-6 year olds how to follow recipes. But, you don't have to be a chef to enjoy these books. Whether you're reading with your child before mealtime or before bedtime, Kitchen Club Kids books turn story time into a culinary, learning adventure. Gold Medal Winner - Mom's Choice Awards 2014 Book of the Year Award - Creative Child Awards - Creative Child Magazine

My Take
Every time I review a children's book, I seem to think that I am not going to find one to top it. I have to say, this one is at the top of my list right now. What an awesome idea for a book. Not only do your children get to hear a lovely story, but they also get to learn how to count (the ingredients are numbered in the book), learn their colors (each color "word" is in its particular color) and cook soup in the process. Now, this book is for children 2 - 6 years old, but I have to say, when my daughter saw the book, she was just as excited and she is 11 years old. I believe the whole "interactive" part of it and the fact that it rhymes, is what is going to draw a lot of young readers to it. And the fact that the soup had vegetables in it, made it so much better. At the end of the book you will find the soup in an actual recipe form (I am guessing this is for the parents) with cooking directions. There is also extra ways to make it taste even better.

The illustrations in this book are amazing! I love how they have kids of different races. It will allow the children looking at the book to feel a part of it because they can see "themselves" in the book. The colors are bright and vibrant. Even though it is in "cartoon" form, every thing is pretty realistic looking.

Garden Safari: Vegetable Soup (along with End of the Rainbow: Fruit Salad) is an amazing book in the Kitchen Club Series. I definitely will be getting the first one (End of the Rainbow: Fruit Salad) and purchasing the third one (Feed Your Senses: Homemade Bread) when it comes out.

About the Author

Eluka Moore
For over twelve years I worked as a marketing professional, developing campaign strategies for a variety of well-known consumer brands. Today, Kitchen Club Kids allows me to bridge my professional experience with my love for cooking and education. My hope is that our books give parents a reason to start cooking with their children and experience all the wonderful learning opportunities it has to offer.

Larry Puzniak
For me, the Kitchen Club Kids storybooks are an opportunity to apply count-and-identify lessons, making the learning real … real tasty. So, don’t be surprised if a “grill creations” adventure shows up in the collection at some point.

My favorite part of this venture is that it gives me the chance to bring the best of my professional career and personal life together, utilizing my brand savvy and communications skills to create ways to “dad” smarter.

Marianne Walsh
Currently working in the advertising industry, Kitchen Club Kids has allowed me to tap into my roots in education. My first job as a kindergarten teacher and later as a child behavior therapist continue to fuel my passion for children’s books.

Vegan Holiday Cooking from Candle Cafe, by Joy Pierson, Angel Ramos & Jorge Pineda

 Title: Vegan Holiday Cooking from Candle Cafe

Authors: Joy Pierson, Angel Ramos & Jorge Pineda

Publisher: Ten Speed Press

Date: September 30, 2014

Hardcover: 176 pages






About the Authors
JOY PIERSON is co-owner of the Candle Cafe, Candle Cafe West, and Candle 79, and coauthor of The Candle Cafe Cookbook and Candle 79 Cookbook. Certified in nutritional counseling, Joy has appeared on the Todayshow, Good Day New York, CBS News This Morning, The Food Network's TV Food Diners, and NPR.

ANGEL RAMOS is executive chef at Candle 79 and Candle Cafe West. His recipes have been featured in the New York Times and Vegetarian Times, and he helped develop the nationally distributed Candle Cafe Frozen Entrees line. In 2010, Angel was named the VegNews Chef of the Year. Pastry chef and kitchen manager

JORGE PINEDA developed the nationally distributed Candle Cafe Desserts and Candle Chef's Cuisine for Whole Foods Markets, and his pastries have been deemed the "Best Vegan Desserts in America" by the Los Angeles Times.

About the Book
This collection of vegan holiday recipes—the first of its kind from award-winning chefs—elevates plant-based fare to a new level. With fresh, inventive menus for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Eve, Lunar New Year, Super Bowl Sunday, Valentine's Day, Passover, Easter, Cinco de Mayo, and Independence Day, this cookbook blends favorite traditions with a modern sensibility. Tantalizing dishes include Sweet Potato Latkes with Almond Crème Fraîche for Passover; Porcini-Crusted Seitan with Glazed Cipollini Onions and Mushroom Gravy for Thanksgiving; and Red, White, and Blue Margaritas for the Fourth of July.

Now home cooks can entertain in the spirit of New York’s premier vegan restaurants, Candle Cafe, Candle 79, and Candle Cafe West. With forewords by Alicia Silverstone and Laura and Woody Harrelson, plus sumptuous photography throughout, this festive cookbook invites vegans and omnivores alike to gather around the holiday table and enjoy.

My Take
If you are like me, you love a good cookbook. I can't really cook but love to eat. So cookbooks are a good thing for me to have. I actually like to collect them and have quite a bit of them. The Vegan Holiday Cooking from Candle Cafe, I will say is my first vegan cookbook. I never really thought of vegan eating as something that would look/taste good. When I think of vegan, I think of bland healthy food. But after perusing this cookbook, I realized I was wrong.

The Vegan Holiday Cooking from Candle Cafe is broken down into 10 sections. Each of these sections being holidays we celebrate. They have everything from the Super Bowl to Passover. Under each section, you will find different recipes that you can cook and enjoy. Most of the ingredients can be found in your home, so cooking should be extremely easy. Like the Make Your Own Chili Bowl recipe, I had everything in my pantry already. This one is listed under the Super Bowl Big-Game Party section, but can be enjoyed at anytime, like I did the other night. My daughter even liked it and she is a picky eater. Some of the other mouth watering recipes are Soba Noodle and Seaweed Salad with Wasabi-Tahini Dressing, Passion Fruit Crème Brûlée, Grilled Artichoke Hearts with Pesto, Crispy Black Bean Tacos, and much more. I guarantee you, if you get this book, you are going to want to try just about every recipe in this book.

The presentation of this cookbook is eye catching. Not only does the cover look great, but the pictures inside are just as enticing. I personally feel like a good cookbook has pictures that make you want to keep opening it up and creating all the recipes over and over again, and this one does not fail. Even though it is broken down for specific holidays, you can use the recipes (meals, desserts, and drinks) anytime of the year for a casual meal or a spruced up one with guests.

This complimentary book was given to me for my honest review.

Brunette Ambition, by Lea Michele

Title: Brunette Ambition

Author: Lea Michele

Publisher: Crown Archetype

Hardcover: 208 pages

Date: May 20, 2014







About the author:
LEA MICHELE is best known for her performance as Rachel Berry on the critically acclaimed, Golden Globe, Grammy, and SAG-award-winning Fox television series Glee. She has been nominated for an Emmy, a SAG Award, and multiple Golden Globes. She divides her time between New York and Los Angeles. 

About the book:
The star of the hit show Glee shares her experiences and insider tips on beauty, fashion, inner strength, and more in an illustrated book that’s part memoir, part how-to, and part style guide.

In Brunette Ambition, she reveals the lessons and advice that have worked for her--from beauty and fashion secrets to fitness tips, and career insights.  Supplemented with never-before-seen photos and revealing anecdotes, it’s the book Lea wishes she’d had in her teens and early twenties: A practical and inspirational guide to harnessing tenacity and passion and living the fullest life, no matter what obstacles life puts in your way.

My take:
Brunette Ambition turned out to be better than I thought it would. I thought it was just going to be about make-up tips and that was pretty much it. I was so wrong. Lea Michele has packet as much information in here as she possibly could. And on top of that, most of the information is very helpful.

First, she takes us on the journey of how she came to be the person she is today. We learn about her childhood and her different Broadway performances. I didn't have any idea that she even started acting that young. After that she goes into the parts that I really enjoyed. Not that her life story wasn't enjoyable, but I love a good informational book.

There are a couple of sections in the book that I really enjoyed. I like the sections about self-care, food, exercise and style. With self-care, she talks about how to pamper yourself. For example, we learn how drinking water is very important (which I already knew), recipes for different home spa treatments, and what to use to help one relax (Lavender Oil and Epsom Salts is high on my list). In the section on food we learn how to create a great meal supplement, a great debloating drink, and a ton of great recipes. Next is the section on exercise, which she lists a lot of great ones to try. Last but not least is the section on style. She shows us how we can dress nice without having to spend a ton of cash.

What I like most about this book are the pictures. She has great pictures all throughout the whole book. They are very colorful and really add to the book in a good way. We can tell that her role model in Barbara Streisand. Not only does she tell us, but she has quotes from her listed all throughout the book. She also has little sections called The Spotlight that gives us extra information on the topic she is discussing, which I love because she has it on notebook style designs. A lot of her extra information is on colorful style paper throughout the book. Her writing style is as though she is speaking to a friend. It is very light and fun. You really enjoy reading it, which has me realizing that I will probably pick it up more than one time. With all the information that she has in here, one can go back to it time and time again.

I received this complementary book from Blogging For Books for an honest review.

SEAsoned - A Chef's Journey with Her Captain, by Victoria Allman

Author: Victoria Allman

Categories: Travel, Cooking

Publisher: NorLightsPress

Number of Pages: 200

Book Size: 6 X 9

ISBN: 978-1935254-37-9

Official Release Date: January, 2011

Have you ever turned the television on and seen one of those shows where they have a cook on a yacht while traveling? Have you ever thought how fun that would be if it were me? Well, Victoria Allman, author of SEAsoned - A Chef's Journey with Her Captain, was able to experience that very thing.

When reading this book, you will be taken on a trip in a yacht with rough waters and falling dishes, doors swinging open and shut and people not able to stand. These aren't the things that people think about when they picture themselves working on a yacht. Another thing would be the different attitudes you encounter when people come aboard, some pleasant, some not so pleasant.

Another thing I really liked about the SEAsoned - A Chef's Journey with Her Captain, is how there are recipes all throughout the book. The recipes at the end of the chapters go along with a meal in that particular part of the story. This really excited me because I could actually get into the book even more by trying the different foods that she prepared. Some of the recipes that I am excited about trying are Applesauce Cinnamon Muffins, Chocolate Chiffon Cake, Angel Hair Napoli, and Salmon Tartar. Not only are there recipes listed, she also includes a culinary glossary toward the end of the book.

One thing that I have to make sure and mention is her writing style. She is a very descriptive writer, which makes you feel as though you are right there on the trip with them. I enjoyed her writing so much that I am going to go out and purchase her other book, Sea Fare - A Chef's Journey Across The Ocean, which also includes recipes.

This is a very enjoyable story and I would suggest everyone to read it. SEAsoned - A Chef's Journey with Her Captain kept me engaged from the beginning to the end.

I thank AME Virtual Book Tours and NorlightsPress for giving me the opportunity to review this book.

101 Recipes for GLUTEN-FREE Microwave Mug Cakes, by Stacey J. Miller

Do you or someone you know have a food allergen problem? I do and it is not always easy to handle. At times it can be hard to find really good food for them to eat and enjoy. Due to the fact that food allergies are becoming more and more prevalent, allergy free recipe books are starting to pop up all over the place. One book in particular, 101 Recipes for GLUTEN-FREE Microwave Mug Cakes, by Stacey J. Miller has become a household favorite of ours. If you are gluten intolerant and love cakes, this book is for you. Of course, you can use the book even if you are not gluten intolerant. There are cakes in here that everyone can enjoy.




*Click here to order the book* 

First of all, there are 101 different gluten-free microwave mug cake recipes. That alone should be exciting enough for someone who is gluten intolerant to want to own the book. That is over a cake a day for the next three months!!! Another great thing is that they take only 10 minutes or less to make from start to finish. All you do is mix the ingredients together, pour it into a mug, put it in the microwave and wait for it to finish. It is as simple as that.

Just to give you and idea of what is in the book, I have listed a couple of mug cakes below:

Very Cherry Microwave Mug Cake

Banana Chocolate Chip Microwave Mug Cake

Strawberry Cheesecake Microwave Mug Cake

Coffee Cheesecake Microwave Mug Cake

Lemon and Lime Microwave Mug Cake

Pina Colada Microwave Mug Cake

Beside every recipe, there is a small note with a whimsical statement or question for you to answer. Also at the top of some recipes, you will find icons that let you know if it calls for 'no eggs, dairy, sugar, or oil'. Another interesting tidbit is that at the back of the book, the recipes that require no eggs, dairy, sugar, or oil are all organized by their ingredient category. So if you are making one of these cakes for someone and they cannot have eggs, you can look down the list of all the cakes that do not require eggs and find one that they like. 

All in all, it is a great book filled with tons of single-serving cakes to make. And they are so simple that a child can even make them. So, grab the book, a mug, the ingredients, and pop it in and out of the microwave and enjoy a gluten-free mug cake.

I want to thank Stacey J. Miller for providing me a copy of the book for an honest review.



Homemade Corn Dogs

I have found another good recipe on the internet (Cooks.com). No I can not come up with them myself. I am just learning how to cook. I never really cared before, but with my daughter wanting different things more and more, I am having to learn how.

Homemade Corn Dogs

2/3 c. corn meal
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. oil
1 lb. hot dogs (I used Loma Linda Linkettes)
1 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
3/4 c. milk (I used Soy Silk milk)
1 egg, slightly beaten
8 sticks (I was able to make 10 w/batter left over)

Mix corn meal, flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Add milk and cooking oil, mix well. Add egg. Dry hot dogs; insert sticks and dip in corn dog mixture. Cook in hot oil at 365 degrees until golden brown.

*One thing that might help is if you put the batter in a jar and dip the hotdog in it. Also if you put flour on the hot dog first, it might help the batter stick to the hot dog.

Vegan Carrot Cake

Recently I decided to start making allergy free foods for my daughter (instead of buying the same foods for her all the time). We usually eat desserts that she cannot eat due to her food allergies. I hate her being or feeling left out because she cannot have what we are having. So, the first thing I decided to work on is desserts. Surprisingly she loved the cake. She wasn't to keen on the icing. She thought it was too sweet (she has never been big on sugar).

Crazy For Carrot Cake
(1,000 Vegan Recipes - Robin Robertson)
(makes 8 servings)

2 cups of all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup plain or vanilla soy milk
1/2 cup canola or other neutral oil
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 cups finely shredded carrots
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 recipe "Cream Cheese" Frosting

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, and salt.

3. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, soy milk, oil, maple syrup, and vanilla, then add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir in the carrots and raisins until just mixed.

4. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 45 minutes.

5. Let the cake cool in pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely. When completely cool, frost the cake with "Cream Cheese" Frosting.

"Cream Cheese" Frosting
(makes about 2 1/2 cups)

1 (8-ounce) container vegan cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp. vegan margarine
2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1. In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and margarine together with an electric mixer on high speed until well blended.

2. Add the sugar and vanilla, then beat until light and fluffy. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.