Kosher by Design Teens and 20-Somethings, by Susie Fishbein

How many of you love to cook? How many of you started out at a young age? Well, I have been given the opportunity to review a really great cookbook geared for teens and people in their twenties. I am referring to Susie Fishbein's latest cookbook, Kosher by Design Teens and 20-Somethings. This is her latest in the Kosher by Design series.

The beginning of the cookbook has a couple of different sections. The first one talks about what you need to do to get started cooking. The second one gives you different healthy eating tips along with the right equipment to use. The third one tells you about the different labels and how to read them. Beside every recipe is a label to let you know what type of recipe it is. For instance, there is V for vegetarian, GF for gluten-free, DF for dairy-free, and NF for nut-free. So as you can see, this cookbook isn't just for regular diets, it also accommodates those that have health issues, which in this day in age is a great inclusion.

Just like most cookbooks, the recipes are broken down into different sections. I will break them down for you along with one of the recipes that I liked from each section.

1) Starters - Jamaican Jerk Chicken Wings
2) Munchies - Scones
3) Soups and Salads - Lox and Avocado Salad
4) Poultry and Meat - Teriyaki Mushroom Chicken
5) Fish, Pasta, and Dairy - Pesto Salmon
6) Side Dishes - Banana Pumpkin Cornbread
7) Desserts - Chocolate Chocolate Chip Sticks
8) Parties - Gives you ideas of party themes you can have

The recipes themselves are well written and very simple. One thing that I really loved is that there is a picture for every single recipe in the book. I love this because I like to see what it is going to look like before I make it. I need some kind of idea how it is going to turn out. They are very colorful also. Great presentation!

All in all I have to say that I really love this cookbook. I think that everyone should go out and purchase it. It will make a great addition to the ones they have or a great starter if they don't have one yet. I know this one has convinced me to go out and get her other ones and try them out.

I thank Marcus Wynn Goup Public Relations for giving me this book for an honest review.

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.



Food Allergy False Positives, Maybe, But I Don't Think So.

Just the other day, I was flipping through the television channels when I came across a news snippet about kids and food allergies. For a brief moment they talked about how kids can have false positives and not even be allergic to half of the things that the tests are saying they are allergic to. They were trying to warn parents to be careful with some of these test because half of them don't come out right.

Well, I beg to differ. I have a daughter who has been tested a couple of times and I can say for a fact that she IS allergic to the items listed on her results. I have seen her react to some of the nuts or seeds or even beans. It is not a fun thing to go through when you see your child's facial expression change from happy to sullen. It is scarey to think that can this be the moment when I am going to have to use the epi pen. Now, I don't mean to harp on anybody, but some of these people who are going on the news and saying that "kids and food allergies" aren't real, really piss me off. They don't have to talk to people before their child eats something. They don't have to sit and worry if their child is going to be okay when they are at school. If they had to, I bet they would sing a different tune.

I remember being on the internet and looking at some other people's posts to see what they had to say about food allergies and you would be surprised how many people I found who thought food allergies was just in the brain and not real. Once again, shocking, but true. It really amazes me how this is becoming a topic of discussion. At least, a little bigger than it should be.

Now I have heard of people who have had a bad reaction to food and then went for testing and it came back negative. But I have never heard of anyone who tested positive for a food allergy and then was able to eat it. I know they have different levels of food tolerance and maybe that is what they are talking about. And if it is, they need to say so instead of saying food allergies aren't real. Maybe it is just me, but I know I have enough Twitter/Blog friends to know that food allergies are REAL and not just something that is made up in one's head. Because I am not the only one, who has to worry about themselves or their child and food.

Mixes from the Heartland Reveiw #2

This is my second review for Mixes from the Heartland. I really enjoyed the food that they sent me and implore everyone to go to their website and try some of their food. It makes mealtime very quick and delicious. And if you have any food allergies it is perfect because they are a facility that is free of wheat, soy, barley, oats, rye, eggs, nuts, and by products (which is listed on the back of their packages).

The last time I posted a review, it was regarding their Beef Skillet Dinner and their Sweet Potato Brownie Mix (which was to die for!!). This week I am going to be reviewing their Italian Bean Soup, Corn-n-Tomato Salsa, Strawberry Dip, and Tex Mex Spaghetti Meal.

Like most of their packages, all the ingredients are inside. I just added some chopped tomatoes and Italian sausage and the meal was good to go. You put it on the stove and boil it for a while and then it is ready to eat. I will be honest, I hate soup, but this one I really liked. I wasn't sure if I was going to, but I did. The variety of beans and the added sausage, makes it a quick meal in one soup.

Their Tex Mex Spaghetti meal was really good. I added the browned beef and tomatoes and mixed everything together for a Texas flare to the spaghetti. It was really good. And everything again came right in the bag. All of the meals that I made produced enough for a family to eat. I was able to actually share most of everything that I made with my sister's family. They said they really enjoyed it also and would buy from Mixes from the Heartland (and none of them have any food allergies). Once again, people probably think that this food might not taste as good because it is allergy free, but it does have flavor to it.

The Corn-n-Tomato Salsa was really good as well. I put the mix in sour cream and made a chip dip with it. It gave a great twist to the plain chip.

If there is something that I think you should try, it would be the Strawberry Dip. I had people asking to take some of it home (not trying to be selfish, but I didn't want them to). This was a major hit in my house. It was amazing!!! All I had to add was some cool whip and cream cheese and it made an incredible dip for fruits. I used strawberries and bananas. It tasted great with both. My niece was eating it plain out of the bowl. That is how good it tasted. I have to say I was surprised by this dip.

Once again I have to say that I really think that this is a company that you should shop through if you have food allergies. It is something that everyone can eat and the person with the allergies will not feel left out because everyone is eating the same thing. So go out and buy some of their products. Their food will be in my cupboards!!

A Child's Food Allergy Poem

I have a food allergy

So what if that’s true.

That doesn’t make me different

I just avoid certain foods.

You may think it’s funny

To taunt and to tease,

But I also have feelings

So stop and back away please.

Just think how you would feel

If denied all these foods,

Especially at birthday parties

Where you can’t have cake or ice cream too.

Each and everyone of us is different

Our allergies are not the same.

For some it could be dairy, nuts, or fish

And for others soy or wheat is to blame.

Whether young or old

I have to remain safe,

Because cross-contamination

Could cause a devastating fate.

So please learn to read all labels

And my arm bracelet too.

Cause 100% safety

Is the best thing for me and for you.

© 2010 Belladona Creations
QE4J2BJFGA37

Mixes from the Heartland Review

I have been lucky to be able to do a review for Mixes from the Heartland. They sent me a variety of different items to try and review. They are a facility that is free of wheat, soy, barley, oats, rye, eggs, nuts, and by products (which is listed on the back of their packages). If you click on their name above it will take you to their website.

The first item I tried was their Beef Skillet Dinner. It came in a sturdy plastic pouch with the noodles and the seasoning mixture. How much more convenient can you get than to have an all-in-one dinner packet? This makes last minute meals very quick and easy. I know a lot of people may think all natural food lacks in taste, but this didn't. It was really good. And there was enough in one packet to feed a whole family for dinner. This is perfect for someone who has a gluten intolerant. The noodles are made out of brown rice instead of wheat.

The next item I tried was their Sweet Potato Brownies. These were AWESOME! I usually don't eat anything that deals with sweet potatoes (not a fan), but I was glad I ate these. They have turned over a new leaf in me. These are a quick bake also. All you do is pour the packet contents into the bowl, add butter and eggs and you are done. They bake up nice and soft. My house smelled so good! When my sister stopped by I asked her if she wanted to try one, she did and enjoyed them.

So, if you are a person who has is gluten intolerant or has a nut allergy, this would be a perfect company for you to get food through. My daughter has nut allergies and was able to eat everything that I made. I didn't have to worry about what was in the food for once. I also have a mother who is gluten intolerant and she was also able to eat everything that I made. She has a difficult time finding food to eat and this turned out to be a perfect place for her to buy food that she loves and tastes good. I will start buying from them and urge you to also. Their food is really good.

Over the next couple of days I will be writing reviews on their Tex Mex Spaghetti Meal, Italian Bean Soup, Corn-n-Tomato Salsa, and their Strawberry Dip. So come back and read my reviews on those items.

Disclaimer: I received no form of monetary compensation for this post. I did receive a sample of the product to try in order to write a fair and honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own and were not influenced in any way.