The Grand Central Market Cookbook

Founded in 1917, Grand Central Market is a legendary food hall in Downtown Los Angeles that brings together the many traditions and flavors of the city. Now, GCM’s first cookbook puts the spotlight on unique recipes from its diverse vendors, bringing their authentic tastes to your home kitchen. From Horse Thief BBQ’s Nashville-Style Hot Fried Chicken Sando to Madcapra’s Sumac Beet Soda to Golden Road’s Crunchy Avocado Tacos, here are over 85 distinctive recipes, plus spectacular photography that shows off the food, the people, and the daily bustle and buzz. Stories about the Market’s vibrant history and interviews with its prominent customers and vendors dot the pages as well. Whether you’ve visited and want to make your favorite dishes at home, or are simply looking for a cookbook that provides a plethora of multi-national cuisine, The Grand Central Market Cookbook is sure to make your kitchen just a little bit cooler.

My thoughts: For years, my family had a booth at a local farmers market, so I have a bit of a soft spot for them.;) I love the variety of products, color, and people that you can find at a farmers market. This cookbook makes me excited to once again visit a
market and enjoy the culture and food. This book is a great one to pick up to get one excited about markets and CSA's! I highly recommend the flavorful recipes and lovely photography!
I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

Vibrant India

From the acclaimed chef and owner of Brooklyn Delhi, a debut cookbook focused on the celebrated vegetarian fare of South India.

Lifelong vegetarian and chef Chitra Agrawal takes you on an epicurean journey to her mother’s hometown of Bangalore and back to Brooklyn, where she adapts her family’s South Indian recipes for home cooks. This particular style of Indian home cooking, often called the “yoga diet,” is light and fresh, yet satisfying and rich in bold and complex flavors. Grains, legumes, fresh produce, coconut, and yogurt—along with herbs, citrus, chiles, and spices—form the cornerstone of this delectable cuisine, rooted in vegetarian customs and honed over centuries for optimum taste and nutrition.

From the classic savory crepe dosa, filled with lemony turmeric potatoes and cilantro coconut chutney, to new creations like coconut polenta topped with spring vegetables 'upma" and homemade yogurt, the recipes in Vibrant India are simple to prepare and a true celebration of color and flavor on a plate. Chitra weaves together the historical context behind the region’s cuisine and how she brought some of these age-old traditions to life thousands of miles away in Brooklyn during the city’s exciting food renaissance.

Relying on her experience as a culinary instructor, Chitra introduces the essential Indian cooking techniques, tips, and ingredients you’ll need to prepare a full range of recipes from quick vegetable stir frys (corn, basil, and leeks flavored with butter, cumin, and black pepper), salads (citrus red cabbage and fennel slaw with black mustard seeds, curry leaves, and chile), yogurt raitas (shredded beets and coconut in yogurt), and chutneys and pickles (preserved Meyer lemon in chile brine) to hearty stews (aromatic black eyed peas, lentils, and greens), coconut curries (summer squash in an herby coconut yogurt sauce), and fragrant rice dishes (lime dill rice with pistachios). Rounding out the book is an array of addictive snacks (popcorn topped with curry leaf butter), creative desserts (banana, coconut, and cardamom ice cream), and refreshing drinks (chile watermelon juice with mint). Chitra provides numerous substitutions to accommodate produce seasonality, ingredient availability, and personal tastes. The majority of recipes are gluten-free and vegan or can be easily modified to adhere to those dietary restrictions.

Whether you are a vegetarian or just looking for ways to incorporate more vegetarian recipes into your repertoire, Vibrant India is a practical guide for bringing delicious Indian home cooking to your table on a regular basis.

My thoughts: We have a huge garden and I am always looking for ways to use up copious amounts of vegetables, so I was thrilled to get s copy of this cookbook to try out. I love that the flavors are so different, but the recipes aren't ridiculously hard. If you are looking for more ways to fix your vegetables, then I highly recommend this one!
I received a copy of this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

Far Afield

An extraordinarily photographed culinary travel book featuring profiles of the stewards of the world's traditional foodways—farming, fishing, and herding methods—along with 40 recipes.

Journalist Shane Mitchell and photographer James Fisher have traveled the world on assignment for food and travel publications such as Travel + Leisure and Saveur. Along the way, they have encountered the fascinating people who are keeping some of the world's oldest food traditions alive, such as taro farmers in Hawaii who have never left the islands, Maasai warriors in Kenya, and Icelandic shepherds who still use the techniques of their Viking ancestors. Full of compelling photography from far-flung locations, Far Afield profiles these people, sharing their unique and captivating stories along with forty recipes.

My thoughts: This book would make the perfect gift for a foodie, since it is such a great combination of recipes and stories. I love that a lot of the places featured in the book are not ones that you commonly see in cookbooks, like Iceland and Peru. The photography is a delight to the eyes and the recipes are a treat for one's taste buds. This one takes the best from cookbooks and travel magazines and meshes them together into a delightful book!
I received this book from Blogging for books in exchange for my honest review.

Inspiralize Everything

The ultimate spiralizing cookbook for turning your favorite dishes into clean meals that fit into any diet, whether low-carb, vegan, gluten-free, or raw.

Inspiralize Everything is the second cookbook by the indisputable authority on the topic, Ali Maffucci. This new book is organized alphabetically by type of produce, allowing you to cook with whatever you already have on hand, what comes in your CSA box, or what you find at the farmer’s market. Ali highlights more than 20 vegetables and fruits, detailing their nutritional value and preparation techniques, including the more abundant beets, butternut squash, and carrots, but also the less common chayote, jicama, and kohlrabi.

Each recipe was crafted to become a well-loved staple in your repertoire with a focus not only on healthy eating, but also on easy cooking. Diet customization options, veggie swap suggestions, and special attention paid to one-pot, make-ahead, and no-cook meals ensure that Inspiralize Everything will become a workhorse in your kitchen. Want a vegan dinner that’s minimal on cleanup? Try Cheeseless French Onion Soup. How about a hearty meal that’ll make great leftovers for lunch tomorrow? Winter Lasagna with Butternut Squash, Brussels Sprouts, and Chicken Sausage is for you. Need a super detox to reset your tastebuds? The Watermelon Radish Nourish Salad with Lemon-Ginger Vinaigrette is just the thing. Sweet tooth satisfaction? Proceed straight to the Zucchini Noodle Bread with Coconut Cream Frosting.

Whether you have weight-loss goals, follow a specific healthy lifestyle, or just want to make good-for-you food at home, this book has the answer. If you’re a spiralizing pro, this book will become your recipe bible; if you’re just starting out, it will teach you everything you need to know. Either way, get ready to be inspiralized.

My thoughts: I've had my eye on a spiralizer for some time, but I just didn't know if I would use it and what I would do with the vegetables once I had them all spiraled. Well, this cookbook caught my eye, and I am so glad it did! The recipes are a great variety, from hearty pasta like dishes to stews, pancakes to avocado tacos. Now, I just need a spiralizer to go with this amazing cookbook...;)
I received this book from blogging for books in exchange for my honest review.

Martha Stewart's Vegetables

In this beautiful book, Martha Stewart—one of America’s best-known cooks, gardeners, and all-around vegetable lovers—provides home cooks with an indispensable resource for selecting, storing, preparing, and cooking from the garden and the market. The 150 recipes, many of which are vegetarian, highlight the flavors and textures of everyday favorites and uncommon varieties alike. The recipes include:


• Roasted Carrots and Red Quinoa with Miso Dressing
• Swiss Chard Lasagna
• Endive and Fennel Salad with Pomegranate Seeds
• Asparagus and Watercress Pizza
• Smoky Brussels Sprouts Gratin
• Spiced Parsnip Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Martha Stewart’s Vegetables makes eating your greens (and reds and yellows and oranges) more delicious than ever.

My thoughts: We grow a lot of our own vegetables, so I was thrilled to get this cookbook to come help me come up with some more ways to cook and enjoy the variety that we grow. Especially since we started growing some of the less common things parsnips.;)
This cookbook has a wonderful array of vegetables, both common and those harder to come by, which makes it a fun cookbook if you garden or are part of a farmers market or CSA that offers a wide variety of vegetables. This book is delightful and a wonderful resource! I always enjoy Martha's recipes!
I received this cookbook from Blogging for books in exchange for my honest review.

Good Fast Eats

Food that’s fast, but not Fast Food! These recipes are healthier, delicious, and easy to make. Featuring Beef and Potato Picadillo, Sweet and Spicy Chicken Black Bean Enchiladas, Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Skillet, and Baked Breakfast Taquitos. You won’t have to spend a fortune or a lot of time cooking or cleaning up. Your family will love these fresh and perfectly balanced meals with amazing ingredients and spices. Cooking has never been simpler or more satisfying!

My thoughts: I love that this recipe book is all about healthy, quick options for meal time! It has a wonderful, wide variety of different dishes, set up in different categories like meatless, seafood, various meats, soup, and sweets. As the weather gets cooler, I am the most excited about the new soup recipes to try out.;) The Cauliflower Cheddar soup looks amazing! This book has such a fun variety, it makes the perfect addition to most kitchens, since we all have busy days where it is hard to plan a nice, healthy meal. This is the perfect cookbook to have on standby for those days!
I received this book from Cedar Fort in exchange for my honest review.

About the Author:
Amy Flanigan is the founder of the popular cooking blog, Belly Full. Her recipes have appeared on Parade.com, in HERLIFE Magazine, The Huffington Post, BuzzFeed, and all around the Internet.

Cuba!

Cuba continues to captivate visitors with its vibrant culture, colorful cities, and incredible cuisine. Cuba! explores the magic of this country through recipes and stories that will set taste buds on fire and delight even the most well-seasoned traveler.

Brazen, bold, and colorful, Cuba is a country that pulses with life. Fascinated by its people and their endlessly delicious home-cooked cuisine, friends Dan Goldberg and Andrea Kuhn have been visiting this magnetic country, capturing its passion and vibrancy, for the past five years. Dan, an award-winning photographer and Andrea, an acclaimed prop stylist and art director, along with renowned food writer Jody Eddy, bring the best of Cuban food to home kitchens with more than 75 meticulously tested recipes. From Cuban-Style Fried Chicken and Tostones Stuffed with Lobster and Conch, to Squid-ink Empanadas and Mojito Cake with Rum-Infused Whipped Cream, this book offers a unique opportunity to bring a little slice of Cuba into your home and onto your plate.

My thoughts: I love how colorful this book is! While I haven't been to Cuba, it looks like this book gives a wonderful sampling of the culture and recipes that make up part of the country. The recipe of fried plantain (along with some of the other ones) remind me of my trip to Belize and what I have heard about some of the other South American countries. This is a fun book to experiment with and add some spice to your cooking and life! I think it is an excellent book for newbies or pros.
I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

The Bread Baker's Apprentice

Co-founder of the legendary Brother Juniper’s Bakery, author of the landmark books Brother Juniper’s Bread Book and Crust & Crumb, and distinguished instructor at the world’s largest culinary academy, Peter Reinhart has been a leader in America’s artisanal bread movement for over fifteen years. Never one to be content with yesterday’s baking triumph, however, Peter continues to refine his recipes and techniques in his never-ending quest for extraordinary bread.

In The Bread Baker’s Apprentice, Peter shares his latest bread breakthroughs, arising from his study in several of France’s famed boulangeries and the always-enlightening time spent in the culinary academy kitchen with his students. Peer over Peter’s shoulder as he learns from Paris’s most esteemed bakers, like Lionel Poilâne and Phillippe Gosselin, whose pain à l’ancienne has revolutionized the art of baguette making. Then stand alongside his students in the kitchen as Peter teaches the classic twelve stages of building bread, his clear instructions accompanied by over 100 step-by-step photographs.

You’ll put newfound knowledge into practice with 50 new master formulas for such classic breads as rustic ciabatta, hearty pain de campagne, old-school New York bagels, and the book’s Holy Grail–Peter’s version of the famed pain à l’ancienne. En route, Peter distills hard science, advanced techniques, and food history into a remarkably accessible and engaging resource that is as rich and multitextured as
the loaves you’ll turn out. This is original food writing at its most captivating, teaching at its most inspired and inspiring–and the rewards are some of the best breads under the sun.Co-founder of the legendary Brother Juniper’s Bakery, author of the landmark books Brother Juniper’s Bread Book and Crust & Crumb, and distinguished instructor at the world’s largest culinary academy, Peter Reinhart has been a leader in America’s artisanal bread movement for over fifteen years. Never one to be content with yesterday’s baking triumph, however, Peter continues to refine his recipes and techniques in his never-ending quest for extraordinary bread.

In The Bread Baker’s Apprentice, Peter shares his latest bread breakthroughs, arising from his study in several of France’s famed boulangeries and the always-enlightening time spent in the culinary academy kitchen with his students. Peer over Peter’s shoulder as he learns from Paris’s most esteemed bakers, like Lionel Poilâne and Phillippe Gosselin, whose pain à l’ancienne has revolutionized the art of baguette making. Then stand alongside his students in the kitchen as Peter teaches the classic twelve stages of building bread, his clear instructions accompanied by over 100 step-by-step photographs.

You’ll put newfound knowledge into practice with 50 new master formulas for such classic breads as rustic ciabatta, hearty pain de campagne, old-school New York bagels, and the book’s Holy Grail–Peter’s version of the famed pain à l’ancienne. En route, Peter distills hard science, advanced techniques, and food history into a remarkably accessible and engaging resource that is as rich and multitextured as
the loaves you’ll turn out. This is original food writing at its most captivating, teaching at its most inspired and inspiring–and the rewards are some of the best breads under the sun.

My thoughts: I worked for a bakery for over a decade and LOVED it, but we didn't make a lot of these breads, so I was thrilled to get this book to review. The book is full of wonderful information to help the average Joe master some gorgeous, tasty breads. I always wanted to make more rustic breads (more than just sandwich breads), so this book was just perfect for me! If you are looking to learn how to bake bread or want to know how to make a wider variety of breads, then this is a perfect book for you! It makes an excellent addition to any cookbook collection.
I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

Modern Potluck

Uncover the best dish

Modern Potluck is a cookbook and guide for today’s potluckers that delivers Instagram-worthy dishes packed with exciting, bold flavors. These 100 make-ahead recipes are perfect for a crowd and navigate carnivore, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, and vegan preferences gracefully. With beautiful color photographs and lots of practical information such as how to pack foods to travel, Modern Potluck is the ultimate book for gathering friends and family around an abundant, delicious meal.

My thoughts: What a fun cookbook! I love that it is all about recipes to make and share with friends and loved ones. I picked this book up since we do a weekly potluck at my church, complete with themes, and needed some new recipes to try out. This book is chock full of interesting, different recipes. Some of them are a little to unusual for our group, or will need to be modified, but I love the versatile nature of the recipes. The strawberry cream cheese bars look amazing, as do a lot of the casseroles.
I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

Make Ahead Kitchen

Skip the hassle of last-minute meals and leftovers and replace them with simple, healthy, delicious, and easy-to-prepare make-ahead dishes! Your family will love these comfortable meals, new favorites, cozy drinks, and tantalizing desserts—all of them prepared ahead of time so you don’t have to worry! Enjoy simple, soul-filling foods without the chaos of preparing them at the last minute.

About the author: Annalise Thomas is a big city girl married to a small town boy. Every day is a joy and a challenge as she learns to live and love this small town life. Annalise is a foodie with a deep passion for everything edible and for sharing what she loves with others. Annalise is a wife and mom, a baker, a cook, and a blogger. She and her family live a very real life and eat as much real food as possible.

My thoughts: I adore this cookbook! It does a wonderful job of providing simple, yet fun recipes that are geared towards making life easier. I know that it came at the perfect time for me, since I am learning to juggle two little ones. So, having new recipes to try that I can make when they are napping or in bed for the evening is a huge plus. I also like that these recipes make potlucks and entertaining easier.
I love the maple glazed cinnamon rolls (especially that it makes a large batch, so there is plenty to share or freeze!) and her soups are incredible. Really though, this is just a great recipe book. I like the variety and how the recipes are different variations of favorites. Two thumbs up!
I received this recipe book from Cedar Fort in exchange for my honest review.

Naked Cookbook

A transformative approach to healthy eating that strips back one's diet to simple, clean, and pure foods that cleanse, restore, and nourish the body, featuring 60 recipes and a chapter on detoxing.

In The Naked Diet, author Tess Ward shares her personal prescription for renewal: a collection of deliciously simple yet flavorful recipes composed of the most nutrient-rich and simple foods. This is not a deprivation diet but an achievable lifestyle where food is enjoyed and celebrated in its purest form. Lamb Meatballs with Rhubarb Sauce, Smoked Tofu Panzanella with Figs, Hot and Spicy Seafood Soup with Crispy Shallots, Soba Noodle Salad with Cucumber and Mango--these delicious dishes support and fuel the body while encouraging optimal health.

My thoughts: This cookbook is excellent! I love the variety of recipes for sauces, dressings, smoothies, and raw foods. I love the salad recipes! They are so fresh and light, perfect for warmer weather.
The last part of the book is my favorite, with the section on detoxing and then the part about the naked pantry and what things are good to have in yours.
I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

Sweeter off the Vine

A cozy collection of heirloom-quality recipes for pies, cakes, tarts, ice cream, preserves, and other sweet treats that cherishes the fruit of every season.

Celebrate the luscious fruits of every season with this stunning collection of heirloom-quality recipes for pies, cakes, tarts, ice cream, preserves, and other sweet treats. Summer's wild raspberries become Raspberry Pink Peppercorn Sorbet, ruby red rhubarb is roasted to adorn a pavlova, juicy apricots and berries are baked into galettes with saffron sugar, and winter's bright citrus fruits shine in Blood Orange Donuts and Tangerine Cream Pie. Yossy Arefi’s recipes showcase what's fresh and vibrant any time of year by enhancing the enticing sweetness of fruits with bold flavors like rose and orange flower water inspired by her Iranian heritage, bittersweet chocolate and cacao nibs, and whole-grain flours like rye and spelt. Accompanied by gorgeous, evocative photography, Sweeter off the Vine is a must-have for aspiring bakers and home cooks of all abilities.

My thoughts: I was thrilled to receive this cookbook, since my husband and I have added quite a few fruit trees and berry bushes to our little plot of land since moving here. Now that they should be producing more, I am starting to feel a little overwhelmed at coming up with ways to use all the fruit.;) So, I enjoyed looking through this recipe book and seeing the variety of fruits and recipes! I won't be making just jams and pies with our fruit.;) I love the frozen treat recipes especially, though I look forward to trying all of these recipes through the next year.
I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

American Heart Association, Healthy Fats, Low Cholesterol cookbook

he classic cookbook for achieving heart health and wellbeing through a diet that is low in cholesterol and saturated fat--updated and revised with 200 recipes (including 50 new to this edition)

Lose the bad fats, but not the flavor.

Now in its fifth edition, American Heart Association Healthy Fats, Low-Cholesterol Cookbook provides the most up-to-date information on heart health and nutrition. Good-for-you food should also be satisfying, and the American Heart Association reveals how easy it is to replace the bad fats in your diet with healthier ones. This classic cookbook offers more than 200 tempting dishes, 50 of which are new, including:

· Fresh Basil and Kalamata Hummus
· Triple-Pepper and White Bean Soup with Rotini
· Taco Salad
· Hearty Fish Chowder
· Chicken Pot Pie with Mashed Potato Topping
· Balsamic Braised Beef with Exotic Mushrooms
· Grilled Pizza with Grilled Vegetables
· Stovetop Scalloped Tomatoes
· Puffed Pancake with Apple-Cranberry Sauce
· Mango Brûlée with Pine Nuts


The perfect companion for today’s healthy cook, this indispensable collection of recipes proves you can eat deliciously and nutritiously.

My thoughts: This is a great, educational cookbook on how to incorporate healthy fats into your diet. I love that they have taken a lot of favorites and come up with healthier alternatives. There are also a lot of different and fun recipes in this book. My husband's family has a history of heart disease, so am always looking for healthy alternatives to help both of us out. The recipes are easy to follow and tasty. Two thumbs up!
I received this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Indian Family Kitchen

A fresh and friendly introduction to South Asian cuisine, The Indian Family Kitchen reflects how we cook today with seasonal and vegetable-forward recipes. This striking cookbook shows how to coax flavor out of your favorite foods by adding Indian spices: rub butternut squash with garam masala before roasting with salty feta and sun-dried tomatoes; marinate chicken wings in a punchy tandoori sauce; and brighten up a quinoa salad with ginger and cumin.

You'll also find classics refined over the years by the granddaughter of the family that brough Patak's sauces and chutneys to households around the world. Throughout, The Indian Family Kitchen demystifies traditional cooking methods with kitchen shortcuts and the spices you should always have on hand—for delicious family meals that'll be loved by generation upon generation.

My thoughts: I haven't tried a whole lot of Indian food in my lifetime, since it was hard to get a hold of in my small corner of the world until here recently. What I have had, I love! So much so, that I recently tried my hand at making a few Indian recipes that I came across online. So, when this cookbook came up to review, I was thrilled to get a copy of it!
I love how the book is laid out, since it is easy to use and the recipes are easy to follow (which is a must in this case for me, since I am not sure what the end result is suppose to look like in a lot of cases, since they are dishes I'm not familiar with). I also love that there is a section where she goes over spices and how to store then, something I have never thought about.:) This book is an excellent addition to anyone's kitchen, but especially for the adventurous chef who is wanting to try some unique and tasty dishes.
I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

Green Smoothies

About the book:A collection of 66 illustrated smoothies, juices, nut milks, and tonics to kick-start metabolism, fire up the mind, and promote whole-body health.
An easy-to-follow and informative guide, this book pares smoothie-making back to its essence. Each recipe is presented in a highly visual spread, and grouped ingredients are displayed opposite finished smoothies and juices, providing at-a-glance instruction. Recipes like Dandelion Tonic, Popeye's Juice, Coconut Kale, and Pineapple Twist provide a simple introduction for the new smoothie maker, as well as new inspiration for the experienced blender. A seven-day detox plan with straightforward recipes energizes and invigorates.

My thoughts: This book is incredible! Just the thing to kick illness and the Winter blues after Christmas. I love that there is a wide variety of recipes for fat burning, metabolism boosting, and detoxing (among other things). If you aren't a sweet person, there are plenty of savory recipes, or visa versa. I love that a lot of the ingredients can be found in one's garden (which makes me look forward to next garden season all the more!) or at a farmers market or CSA. My personal favorites are the ones with berries, but I look forward to using this book as a guideline to expand my repertoire.;)
I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

The Mexican Slow Cooker

A collection of 55 fix it and forget it recipes for Mexican favorites from an award-winning Mexican cooking authority, in a stylish, engaging package.

When acclaimed chef and cookbook author Deborah Schneider discovered that using her trusty slow cooker to make authentic Mexican recipes actually enhanced their flavor while dramatically reducing active cooking time, it was a revelation. Packed with Schneider’s favorite south-of-the-border recipes such as Tortilla Soup, Zesty Shredded Beef (Barbacoa), famed Mole Negro, the best tamales she has ever made, and more, The Mexican Slow Cooker delivers sophisticated meals and complex flavors, all with the ease and convenience that have made slow cookers enormously popular.

My thoughts: I love using my slow cooker, but I often have a hard time branching out and trying new recipes in it, since I have had a few that have over cooked or just didn't turn out like expected. So, I was thrilled to get this cookbook and try out some very different recipes from my norm! These recipes are easy to follow, often accompanied with a picture. I like that the recipes taste good without using a bunch of off the wall ingredients that you will just use once (a pet peeve of this thrifty cook. lol). If you are looking to make some fun, different dishes then I highly recommend this book!
I received this cookbook from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

Lucky Peach 101 Easy Asian Recipes

Beholden to bold flavors and not strict authenticity, the editors of Lucky Peach present a compendium of recipes that hit the sweet spot between craveworthy and stupid simple and are destined to become favorites.
 
Your friends and lovers will marvel as you show off your culinary worldliness, whipping up meals with fish-sauce-splattered panache and all the soy-soaked, ginger-scalliony goodness you could ever want—all for dinner tonight.

My thoughts: This is a fun cookbook for anyone who wants to broaden the variety of recipes they like to cook. The cookbook does a wonderful job of going over different ingredients needed for Asian cooking. I love that the recipes are easy to cook and that there is such a variety! I love that there are recipes for sauces and pickled foods included.
I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

The Healthy Mind

A collection of more than 120 recipes formulated to optimize brain health, boost memory, improve mood, sharpen the central nervous system, and more.

Between digital overload, sleep deprivation, and the stress of modern life, most people's brains are constantly in flight-or-fight mode, with levels of cortisol and other hormones and neurotransmitters out of whack. Brain conditions ranging from childhood ADHD and adult depression to memory impairment are on the rise, and medications for brain conditions, if available, do only a mediocre job while generating a host of debilitating side effects. Fortunately, Rebecca Katz has harnessed the latest research on brain functioning to identify how the foods we consume can improve the brain's ability to control cognition, emotion, and physical function--all of which dictate memory, mood, and motion. These 120 recipes translate the very best of this science into the kitchen, incorporating nutrient-dense foods that best promote brain health and development from childhood through the golden years

My thoughts: This is an excellent cookbook that promotes not only brain health, but ones over all health. I think it has a great selection of recipes that will help people and families use some different ingredients to make tasty dishes. I especially like the soup recipes in it, but that could just be partially due to the cold front coming in and soups sounding incredible right now.;) A lot of the recipes come with pictures and easy to follow instructions that even the novice chef will enjoy making.
I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

Happy Cooking

Giada De Laurentiis, one of the most recognizable faces on the Food Network lineup, invites readers to get to know her as never before. The celebrity chef is back with nearly 200 new recipes and helpful advice on everything from hosting a potluck or open house to what to pack along for lunch every day. Drawing on the time-saving tips and healthy eating strategies that keep her functioning at the highest possible level in her roles as working mom, restaurateur, and tv personality, she has assembled a year-round roadmap to vibrant good health and delicious eating. Readers will be inspired to try new ingredients, new wellness practices, and create a wholesome balance between peak nutrition - and the occasional decadent indulgence. Featuring her New Year's cleanse, homemade Christmas gifts, and ideas for every holiday, special occasion, and casual weekend in between, this is Giada’s 365-approach to cooking up a happy life.

My thoughts: What a fun cookbook! I love how a lot of the recipes are healthier and have great ingredients (like the zucchini spaghetti or flax seed lemon aid), while being nice and simple for those learning to cook more. I also like that her recipes don't call for a lot of different ingredients that you have to run out and buy just for one recipe (something that is annoying;)). I like that the recipes are easy while look impressive and that a lot of them come with pictures. This is just the cookbook I was looking for!
I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

Party Style

Make memories your children will treasure forever. As the creator of PartyStyle.com and editor-in-chief of Party Style magazine, Gemma Touchstone knows how to make children’s celebrations memorable. And with her help, you’ll want to find any excuse to party! Packed with easy and elegant DIY craft ideas, cool themes, and must-read entertaining tips, this book shows you how to party in style.

About the author:Gemma Touchstone is a leading authority on global party styling trends from the early identification of up-and-coming party themes, to premier event styling, food presentation and is an early adopter of the social media revolution in her field. She’s the publisher and author of two stylist industry magazines, a leading industry blogger and has been a regular stylist for Hollywood stars from the movies and TV. Gemma has spoken about global party styling mega trends, blogging and the social media revolution at conferences and business events around the country.

As a publicity expert Gemma has worked with business owners, stylists and international companies that want to leverage the free publicity in traditional and social media to establish their credibility, enhance their reputation, promote new products, or get the word out about a favorite cause or issue.

My thoughts: I love this book! I've thrown several birthday parties this year (and have another one coming up this weekend!) and would of loved to have this book sooner.;) I like how it starts out with determining your party style and then goes into how to actually plan your guest list and menu. My favorite part is the list of ideas for party themes and the recipes! From main dishes in a jar to dips to crowd impressing drinks, this book is bound to become a go to for party planners! I know I am thrilled to have it!
I received this book from Cedar Fort in exchange for my honest review.