Reviews

A Wonderful Gluten-Free and Vegetarian Cookbook: Whole Bowls by Allison Day

May 15, 2019 By Joi Sigers

When I had to quit eating wheat and gluten (as well as cooking, baking, smelling, and dreaming about them), I had to adopt and adapt. Adopt a new way of eating, cooking, and serving meals and adapt to every single change or be a miserable cuss.

I have no intention of being a miserable cuss… so adapt, I did!

One of my favorite sanity savers and means of serving meals became (and remains) “Bowls.” Some call them Buddha Bowls and others call them even fancier names. Me.. well I’m a simple gal from Kentucky, so Bowls suits me just fine.

My middle daughter, Brittany (who happens to be a beautiful vegetarian – more on that in a minute), knew how much Bowls mean to me and gifted me with the gorgeous cookbook you see here, “Whole Bowls: Complete Gluten-Free and Vegetarian Meals to Power Your Day.” This cookbook could not be more up my alley! Not only are there MANY (countless, really) great gluten-free recipes but they’re ALSO vegetarian, meaning I can make them for Brittany to enjoy as well.

Only fair, right? After all, she bought the book!

Above, I referred to the recipes in this cookbook as “countless.” Obviously, the actual recipes can be counted – I’ll tell you why I insist on calling them countless! Each and every recipe in Whole Bowls can be tweaked and switched up to your individual tastes. For example, “Loaded Baked Potatoes with Baked Beans and the Works” (page 157), calls for russet potatoes, you can easily use sweet potatoes. If a recipe calls for quinoa, you can use brown rice.. if a recipe calls for white rice, you could use cauliflower rice… and on and on. I would recommend making each recipe exactly as given – but, after that, get creative. It’s your Bowl, after all!

There are also recipes for out of this world sauces that can be incorporated into the bowls they’re recommended for as well as other bowl recipes (whether in or out of this particular cookbook). A few of the sauces are Pumpkin Seed Sauce, Homemade Mayonnaise, Balsamic Glaze, and a Chive Oil (page 109) that is extraordinary on just about anything and everything. In fact, I have a special glass bottle in my Amazon cart I’m buying solely for keeping some of this oil made up and handy.

I love that author Allison Day has made Whole Foods such a gorgeous cookbook (they’re somehow more enjoyable to use, aren’t they?) and that the recipes are completely gluten-free. I also love that they’re basic – deliciously creative, but yet “doable.”

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Other AMAZING Recipes Include:

Mac and Cheese with Smoked Tofu and Baked Tomatoes
Mediterranean Pasta with Arugula, Peas, Yellow Tomatoes, and Feta
Roasted Pears with Whipped Goat Cheese and Maple Pine Nut Brittle
Hummus
Coconut Dreamy Whip
Homemade Nut Butter
Spring Rice Bowls with Chive Oil
Holiday Bowls with Stuffing, Sweet Potato Latkes, Brussels Sprouts, and Balsamic Glaze
Greek Mushrooms Stifado with Horseradish Mashed Potatoes
Miso Meal in a Bowl
Black Beans with Butternut Squash, Black Rice, and Chimichurri
Three Bean Garden Salad with Asparagus and Coconut Dressing
Curried Falafel with Kale Salad
Winter Chopped Salad
South of the Border Bowls with Walnut Meat and Grilled Avocado
And many, many, many more creative, delicious, and nutritious recipes.

From the Back Cover

“Allison’s first cookbook is fresh and fabulous! I was bowled over by the mouthwatering photos and flavor combinations. The cauliflower hazelnut pilaf alone is worth the price of the book!” —Greta Podleski, bestselling author of Looneyspoons

“Whole Bowls makes healthy food crave-able! It marries the concept of comfort food with healthy eating and shows in the most tantalizing way that the two don’t have to be mutually exclusive.” —Chelsea Allen, RD, creator of Chelsea’s Healthy Kitchen

“All of the best nutrition advice in the world is of little use if you don’t know how to feed yourself well. Allison effortlessly takes one of my favorite things—a comforting bowl of veg and grains—up a whole bunch of notches (hello, hazelnut dukkah!). Whole Bowls will show you just how insanely delicious a plant-centered life can be!” —Desiree Nielsen, RD, author of UnJunk Your Diet

About the Author

Allison Day is a nutritionist and the creator of the award-winning whole foods, vegetarian recipe blog Yummy Beet. She has contributed to various food, health, and news publications such as the New York Times, Prevention, and The Kitchn. Allison grew up in a small, country town—the place where she first developed her love of seasonal, local foods. She resides in southern Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

Whether you choose to eat gluten-free or the choice has been made for you, you will absolutely love Whole Bowls. For that matter, you’ll love it if you eat gluten with wild abandon! This is just a fun, exciting, and delicious cookbook. I highly recommend it to everyone.

{A few more words about Bowls below the picture…}

A few tips I’ve picked up along the path of my relationship with Bowls:

If you’ve given up wheat/gluten for health reasons, to cut calories, or because you’re on a particular “diet,” you don’t have to give up flavors because of it. Get creative! Sloppy Joes, for example don’t have to have buns – they can just as easily be served over potatoes (baked, mashed, roasted..) in a bowl with pickles and onions on the side. Same with Pulled Pork or any other “sandwich” you need to deconstruct. Even Egg Rolls can be deconstructed and presented, beautifully, in bowls.
We all know how nutritious vegetables are or us. I won’t insult your intelligence or bore you unmercifully by going into their virtues. One of the wonderful things about Bowls is that you can “sneak” beautiful, colorful, and healthy vegetables in to the mix without compromising the taste. I love to keep avocados on hand because they add SO MUCH to bowls. They look great, taste great, and are healthy to boot.
Spiralized vegetables aren’t just beautiful in Bowls, they’re also filling and fun to eat. Kids, especially, love different sizes, shapes, and textures.
Roasted vegetables are also fun to throw into Bowls – they give a delicious contrast in flavors alongside cooked or raw vegetables and grains.
Bowls are IDEAL for those of us who keep and insist on using leftovers. Leftover corn is one of my favorite things to pop into bowls.
A “mock” KFC Chicken Bowl technique I love – Put Mashed Potatoes into the bowl(s), top with cooked yellow corn, chicken (omit if you choose), and brown gravy. I love to make and add a little vinegar coleslaw to the side, too. It’s outrageously good.
When buying bowls for… well… Bowls… look for wide-open bowls, usually called pasta or salad bowls. Bowls can make a gorgeous presentation – I like to use white bowls, often, but have also fallen in love with colorful ones.
Bowls are ideal for breakfast, lunch, and supper. Breakfast bowls are another favorite. Potatoes, bacon or sausage, eggs, broccoli, and cauliflower bowls make a breakfast that’s worth getting out of bed early for even on a Saturday.
Once you go down the Bowls rabbit hole, you’ll wonder what took you so long! Again, Whole Bowls is a wonderful source for inspiration and countless ideas.

T-Fal Cookware: Their Non-Stick Pans are a Personal Obsession

May 13, 2019 By Joi Sigers

This beauty is a personal favorite, my 12″ Non-Stick Fry Pan from T-Fal –the inventor of non-stick! This beauty came from Target, but T-Fal can also be ordered (easily) on Amazon.

T-Fal “Thermo-Spot” technology is something that was new to me, but now I’m completely hooked on it. The Thermo-Spot shows when your pan is ready to use… kind of like the red light that lets you know when your oven is good to go.

It’s amazing to me that someone hadn’t thought of this long ago. Leave it to T-Fal.

I also love that T-Fal Initiatives take the non-stick game to the next level. Seriously, everything slides right off of these pans. I love to make “cheese clumps” for salads and soups – which is simply putting little mounds of shredded cheese onto a skillet and letting them brown and crisp up a little. You’d think these guys would spell DISASTER for clean up, but T-Fal pans, they literally slide right off the skillet and into the dish.

As you’d expect from someone who has a food blog, I cook every single day of the week. In fact, when our cats need to find me (to play, feed them, scratch their heads or cater to them in any manner), the first place they look is always the kitchen. Come to think of it, the same’s true for every member of my family… except for the scratching heads part, the human members of my family seldom as for such a thing.

As an avid cook, I have had up close and personal experience with all manners of pots, pans, and cookware in general. If a new cook were to ask me to recommend ONE pan she/he should buy to begin their kitchen collection, I would recommend T-Fal. I love many different pans (including my beloved iron skillet collection), but this is the brand I’d most often recommend.

Why? In a word – perfection. T-Fal cookware is perfect in every single way.

Read more about T-Fal non-stick pans and their ingenious Thermo-Spots on Amazon.

On The Go Edamame Tropical Fusion Snacks: Gluten-Free, Low in Sodium, and Delicious

February 13, 2019 By Joi Sigers

I recently received samples of a delicious new snack I know you’ll love as much as I do. These are On The Go Edamame Tropical Fusion Snacks. In addition to Tropical Fusion, these Edamame Fusion Snacks are also available in Berries Fusion and Goji Berry Fusion.

When I first heard about these snacks, I was completely intrigued. When I’m on the receiving end of snacks, gluten-free food, seasonings, etc., my emotions usually run the gamut from excited (when I just KNOW something will be delicious) to dubious (“How is this going to taste??“). However, this is the first time I can honestly say I was simply “intrigued.”

One of the reasons why is that I am the world’s biggest edamame fan. Seriously, I am addicted. I always have at least one bag of frozen edamame on hand – usually two. I love it popped in the microwave, salted, and set right in front of me….. and I really don’t like to share!

I also LOVE edamame in tossed salads and pasta salads. Delicious!

But… in a snack mix???

Like I said, it had me intrigued. Probably like the first time Popeye heard about Green Smoothies. Intrigued.

As soon as they came, I opened the box, quickly took pictures of the packets, and tore into one. Nevermind the fact that I was in the middle of cooking lunch – I had to know what they tasted like.

Suffice to say I nearly ruined my lunch by eating a packet at once.

Every single bite is delicious and nutritious.

I (obviously) love that they’re gluten-free – but that’s just one of the many things to love.

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Edamame Infusion Snacks Are…

Preservative Free
Gluten-Free (worth mentioning twice)
Sulfur Free
Good Sources of Protein
Good Sources of Iron
Good Source of Fiber
Perfect for Lunch Boxes or Backpacks
Ideal to keep in the desk door for snacking

Since I’m one of those people who has low blood sugar, I always keep a snack in my purse – just in case I find myself in need of something to eat before I drop to my knees. Carrying snacks in handbags, pockets, lunchboxes, or backpacks can be tricky. Chocolate melts, cookies crumble, granola bars… well, let’s be honest, sometimes I’d rather deal with dropping to my knees. Snacks such as this are always fresh and delicious. They won’t crumble, melt, or taste like cardboard doing an imitation of oatmeal.

I’m a huge fan of granola bars, could you tell?

Visit On The Go Snacks to learn more about their different snacks – this particular one is completely out of this world.

Where to Buy: You can find On The Go Edamame Fusion Snacks on Amazon. I’ve linked to the Tropical Fusion variety, but the others are there as well.

Pig Pallet Art Wall Hanging: Pig Collectors, You’ll Love This

January 28, 2019 By Joi Sigers

I’ve promised to always show you fellow pig lovers and collectors when I find irresistible pig decor or kitchen items. This one is a beauty.

The Pig Pallet Art Wall Hanging combines two of my favorite things – pigs and a rustic look. Love it!

The Pallet Art measures approximately 9″ by 12″ and comes ready to hang with a saw tooth hanger or wire picture hanger. These are hand cut and painted so they will vary slightly, making them one of a kind… something that makes it even better in my book.

Click through the link above or picture to the right for more information.

(Continued Below the lit up pigs!)

Part of my pig collection now sits on top of the hutch in our kitchen. My grandbaby LOVES pigs and he LOVES lights… so pigs and lights, it is!

eBay is a great place to find vintage pig collectibles, as are Hobby Lobby and Amazon.

How to Pick the Freshest Produce (Infographic)

January 8, 2019 By Joi Sigers

While I have often tried to focus on healthy eating on Get Cooking, I am really revitalizing my focus. Why? Because I’m revitalizing my focus on healthy eating in my own life and want only the best for you and your family as well!

Don’t worry, I have no intention of completely cutting out desserts and even less intention of completely cutting out carbs (they’d have to pull my potatoes out of my cold dead hands… whoever they are). But cutting back on less than healthy foods while increasing healthy foods only makes sense.

I’m lucky – I’ve always been a fiend for fruits and vegetables. Especially vegetables. I’m not sure if it’s because my parents always had gardens while I was growing up or if I simply enjoy the taste of just about every vegetable imaginable. Probably a little of both.

Below is a very useful infographic from Pounds to Pocket that’ll help you determine when a fruit or vegetable is the freshest.. as in ripe for the taking!

How to Pick Fresh Fruits and Vegetables in the Store

Infographic Created by Pounds to Pocket: https://www.poundstopocket.co.uk/pound-place/how-to-pick-fresh-ripe-fruits-and-vegetables/

The Muffin Tin Cookbook: Fun and Easy Meals Your Family Will Love (Plus a Fish Tacos Recipe)

January 1, 2019 By Joi Sigers

A while back, I was sent a wonderful cookbook to review, The Muffin Tin Cookbook: 200 Fast, Delicious Mini-Pies, Pasta Cups, Gourmet Pockets, Veggie Cakes, and More!

Love it, love it, love it.

Cooking is more than just one of my favorite hobbies and pastimes – it’s a passion that I love greatly. Even now, I’m sitting at my desk in my home office – working in a frenzy of keyboard tapping and brainstorming, breaking only for much needed sips of coffee. Yet all I can think about is what I’m going to cook for supper, what my next dessert will be, and wondering when I can try out a new stuffed chicken recipe I saw yesterday.

Cooking, baking, cooking, baking, cooking, baking… a peek inside my brain.

Given the fact that it’s something I love so much, I want others to get the same kind joy from cooking as I do. I think that’s one of the reasons I get so excited about fresh, fun, and creative new cookbooks like The Muffin Tin Cookbook. Not only are new cookbooks a complete joy ride for me in my amusement park of a kitchen, I know that other foodies will get a huge kick out of them as well.

I also like to see cookbooks filled with recipes that people will actually make! Recipes that don’t call for you to visit a foreign country and bring back an extract you can only find there – then stir it into a broth using the feather of a virgin peahen… Please. Every single recipe in The Muffin Tin Cookbook is one you’ll make and make again.

Another thing I like to see in a cookbook is plenty of recipes that are quick and easy. A lot of people have to work outside of the home AND come home and cook supper. People who have a limited amount of time to work with don’t need fussy recipes. They need recipes that can be thrown together quickly, cooked in a flash, and don’t require a lot of cleaning up afterward. The Muffin Tin Cookbook is a dream come true for someone looking for such recipes.

Since the recipes on Get Cooking are gluten-free (as are all of the recipes I personally make and eat – health reasons), I will point out that this is NOT a “gluten-free cookbook.” Many of the recipes call for flour and a host of other foods off limits to those of us why have to eat gluten-free. HOWEVER, as with most cookbooks in my collection and recipes I find in the wild, I simply make the necessary substitutions.

Book Description

Muffin Tins—They’re Not Just for Muffins Anymore

There’s nothing you can’t make in a muffin tin—and we’re not talking merely muffins. All you need is a muffin tin, paper liners, and this ingenious, one-of-a-kind cookbook, and you can whip up delicious dishes that are as easy to prepare and serve as they are good to eat.

From quick-serve appetizers and sides to gourmet entrees and desserts, you’ll find an amazing variety of mouthwatering options for your dining pleasure, including:

Shrimp Cakes with Cilantro Lime Dipping Sauce
Egg Crescent Pockets
Deep-Dish Pizza Cups
Cornmeal-Crusted Mustard Chicken with Sweet Potato Coins
Duchess Potatoes
Zucchini, Corn, and Tomato Cups
Mini Ice-Cream Cakes

The best part (besides the tasty goodness): It’s fast, easy, mess-free, and provides built-in portion control. Kids will love to help you make them—like cupcakes, only better for your family!—and leftovers are as easy as popping the muffin-meal into the microwave.It just doesn’t get any better than The Muffin Tin Cookbook . . . your next memorable meal is just a muffin tin away! – From Amazon

Fish Tacos Recipe

3 pieces tilapia, about 3-4 ounces each, cut in half
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
Salt and Pepper
6 taco-size flour tortillas
Light sour cream, chopped green onion, chopped tomato, lettuce, and salsa for serving

Place the tilapia, chili powder, cilantro, oil, lime juice, and salt and pepper in a bowl and allow to marinate 1/2 an hour, in the refrigerator.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and prepare 6 jumbo muffin cups by spraying with cooking spray.
Push one taco tortilla down into each cup and press any sections that bubble out against the sides.
Place 1 piece of marinated tilapia in each cup and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, depending on thickness of fish, until cooked through.
Serve with toppings.

Taco tortillas are smaller tortillas and are just the right size to line jumbo muffin cups. Lemon juice can be substituted for the lime juice.

Muffin Tin Recipes

There’s an entire chapter in The Muffin Tin Cookbook devoted to Breakfast – a time of the day when few of us have unlimited time. Recipes in the Breakfast chapter include:

Egg Crescent Pockets
French Bread French Toast
Grits Casserole
Cheese Danish Cups
Bagel Sausage Sandwiches
And More!

Other chapters include:

Appetizers and Snacks (Asian Dumplings with Dipping Sauce, Spiced Pecan Cups, Hot Pretzel Bites…)
Beef and Pork (Mexican Meatloaf, Sloppy Joe Cupcakes, Taco Mini Pies…)
Chicken and Turkey (Teriyaki Turkey Cups, Chicken Tortilla Pies, Italian Chicken…)
Seafood (Salmon Cakes, Deviled Crab Tarts, Shrimp with Polenta…)
Potatoes, Rice, Pizza, and Pasta (Candied Yams, White Pizzas, Stuffed Gnocchi…)
Vegetables ( French Onion Pie, Edamame in Rice Paper Cups, Cherry Tomato Cups…)
Muffins and Breads (Corn Muffins, Monkey Bread, Peanut Butter & Jelly Muffins…)
Desserts (Hot Chocolate Muffins, Lemon Pound Cake, Apple Cupcakes..)

Each recipe indicates the size of muffin tin needed. As the author says on page 8, “Keep in mind that you can make your dishes any size you like, but you will need to adjust cooking time up or down accordingly (if you make a bigger cup than the recipe suggests, baking time will be longer; if you make a smaller cup baking time will be shortened).”

Please see The Muffin Tin Cookbook for more information. When giving cookbook reviews, I like to suggest the sort of cook that the cookbook in question is “ideal” for. Although this cookbook is PERFECT for busy cooks, it’s just as fun and enjoyable for those of us who are simply busy cooking! It would make an excellent gift idea for someone who’s new to the world of cooking – maybe even in a bag with a brand-spanking new muffin tin.

Change Bites: Change Your Plate, Change Your Life (Review)

December 21, 2018 By Joi Sigers

I was recently sent a review copy of Change Bites: Change Your Plate Change Your Life in exchange for telling you about this exciting new book. Before I get to the actual book review, itself, I wanted to give a few quick thoughts as well as a brief personal story.

A Few Quick Thoughts

I love that the book is relatively short, totally uncomplicated, and very easy and fast to read. Let’s face it, most of us simply don’t have the luxury of sitting and reading for hours each day – especially around Christmas and New Year’s! The fact that this book reads fast is a huge bonus.
I love that the book, while using the author’s experiences as examples, focuses on the reader. This is YOUR story about YOUR health and it has the power to help a lot of people.
I love that the book is interactive. There are numerous places for you to jot down your symptoms, your goals, your plan of attacks, etc. Books that serve as workbooks keep the reader engaged and the change they seek is infinitely more likely to happen because they are taking an active part.
When doing book reviews on my various blogs, I often like to include a “Who Needs this Book” section. I’m not doing it this time simply because everyone needs this book! Whether you’re trying to transition to a vegetarian diet, trying to add more healthy foods into your daily meals, or suspect you may have an intolerance to dairy, gluten, and/or wheat, this book will help you tremendously. What’s more, if you simply want to take a proactive approach to your health and give yourself a good “once over,” this book will prove invaluable.
I have multiple blogs and joyfully do book reviews on each. This year (seems to be a boon on great books!), I allowed myself to become swamped in books. I honestly had to struggle to keep up. Around October, I stopped taking in new books (for the rest of the year). Then the e-mail about this particular book came through. I knew, from the introductory e-mail, alone, that this was a very special book – one that could give people their lives back.. a book that could, in fact, even save lives. As you can see, I made an exception.

I’t a lot easier to take a leap of faith if your current state of “pain” is worse than the pain of changing. – page 21, Change BITES

My Personal Journey

Years ago, I began experiencing a number of health problems that I chalked up to a number of things: allergies, aging (after all, when you get on this side of 40, a lot of interesting things happen!), thyroid, etc. I had digestive issues that, honestly, became so commonplace that they didn’t even register with me. I was taking Benadryl daily – in fact, I averaged two or three a day.

The tiredness, lethargy, and overall feeling that I had to fight to make myself exert energy? That was attributed to the Benadryl – which, I’m certain didn’t help matters.

Worst of all, however, was the fact that I LITERALLY kept at least one mouth sore or mouth ulcer for over a year. That’s right… for over a year, each and every day I had at least one mouth sore. The doctors would prescribe medicines, I’d swish with salt water.. it was a nightmare that I cringe over to this day. Those things are painful!

Around this time, my oldest daughter, Emily, began to have a few health problems. She had to have her gallbladder removed and, just when we thought she was returning to normal, her health seemed to get worse. After reading everything I could get my hands on, I told her that I thought she should do an elimination diet with gluten/wheat because it sounded like she was either Celiac or extremely gluten-intolerant.

I told her that I’d do it with her – to help her out and give her support. We researched food, restaurants, and armed ourselves with all the information we needed for the journey. I’m an avid cook, so I knew that I’d be able to come up with gluten-free dishes for us to eat. What could have and maybe should have been frightening and depressing was actually kind of exciting and fun. Having someone with you on the journey, in my experience helps a lot.

We decided we’d give it a month and see if her symptoms improved. Not only did they improve – they improved after just two weeks of totally eliminating gluten/wheat from her diet.

But there’s more.

My mouth sores and mouth ulcers disappeared and, over the years, have only returned when I’ve accidentally eaten wheat/gluten. My energy returned, I slept better, my digestive issues improved, and I was able to stop buying two boxes of Benadryl each week.

We’ve, needless to say, avoided gluten entirely since doing so put us squarely back in the game of life.

Change Bites: Change Your Plate, Change Your Life

Change Bites was written by Marissa S. Costonis, H.C., who had her own personal journey with her health and the way her body was responding to food.

It makes sense, when you think about. So much so that I’m amazed it takes most of us so long to make the food and body connection.

Imagine if a new experimental drug came onto the market. If you’re like me, there’s no way on earth you’d take even one, let alone a daily dose, if you weren’t certain of the effects it’d have on your body. Yet, we put bite after bite after bite of food into our mouths each day without a second thought.

Some of this food may be doing as much harm to your body as the drug would be.

One of the interactive exercises in this book involves taking a close look at your health. You’re asked questions you probably had not considered before and are given an opportunity to uncover clues your body has been leaving for you – clues that something is wrong. If my daughter and I had had this book years ago, we would have saved ourselves a lot of pain and sickness. What’s more, we’d have been able to STOP eating something that was causing damage to our bodies.

About the Author: Marissa S. Costonis spent over a decade in change management consulting leading a variety of business transformation initiatives around the world. After developing neuropathy and a host of other health problems began to pile up, Marissa decided to break down the change process one bite at a time to transform her health with great success. She became a Certified Health Coach and launched her business, Change Bites, LLC.

From the Back Cover:

Finally, a step by step process for how to change your eating habits and transform your health!

Are you inspired or even forced to try a new eating strategy, but not sure how to get started?
Do you have a good sense of what to eat, but not sure how to to make lasting changes to your eating habits?
Want to improve your health, but don’t want to give up all the foods you love today?
Have a growing list of health problems, but afraid to admit that food could be the culprit and the cure?

New Year, New You?

My husband and I frequently talk about the important role food plays in health. I love how, on the back of Change BITES, the author says food can be the culprit and the cure. Profound and so very true. Whatever the condition my daughter and I have, I’ve often thought of people in our family and wondered if they, too, had this condition and suffered needlessly. Perhaps, because their problem wasn’t caught early enough, they did lasting damage to their bodies.

I hope you’ll read more about Change Bites: Change Your Plate Change Your Life – if you recognize yourself in any of the following, this could be your first step to making 2019 the year you begin feeling better than you have in years!

Do you feel more tired than usual? It is NOT always a sign of the aging process. Your body could be maxed out simply trying to digest food that it’s having difficulty digesting.
Are you, for health or other reasons, thinking about becoming a vegetarian or vegan? This book can help you overcome any initial setbacks and help strengthen your mind and resolve.
Do you suspect that you have a food intolerance? Does dairy seem to make you bloat or do you feel unusually gassy after something as simple as a sandwich? Food you eat each and every day could be doing more harm than good. This book can help you know for sure.
Do you want 2019 to be the year you and your family eat healthier… and not just for the first two weeks of January?! The reason resolutions usually don’t stick is because we don’t have the “glue” to make them stick. This “glue” is how we react to change and the various challenges it presents. Again, this book could prove invaluable.
How about your moods? Food intolerances don’t just effect how we feel – they often effect how we behave. If you suspect you’ve been crankier or more emotional than you used to be (undoubtedly loved ones will let you know if this is the case), the cause may be in the kitchen and not the person in front of you. I read an article written by a man with a severe gluten-intolerance. He said that the first (and most profound) symptom he had when he had been accidentally glutened (when gluten or wheat passes your lips without you realizing it) was a severe shift in mood. In fact… and I found this kind of fascinating… his wife and children usually realized it before he did. They’d basically tell him to go to his man cave for a week or two until the symptoms passed!

Basically, if you aren’t the same person you were a few years ago (or even a few months ago), it may be what you’re putting into your mouth. The self-assessment exercises and golden advice given in this book can help you get back to the person you remember. Again, I really, really, really hope you read more about Change Bites: Change Your Plate Change Your Life and consider grabbing a copy for you and/or anyone in your life who could benefit.

~ Joi (“Joy”)

Review of Wonderful Pereg Spices: Thai Sweet Chili and Burger

October 15, 2018 By Joi Sigers

The thing that leaves most restaurant food lacking is a lack of seasoning – not enough flavor or “personality” in the food. I’d venture to guess that it’s the same with food that tastes so-so in kitchens all across the globe. Some people, it seems, are timid when it comes to trying different spices and seasonings and stick with the tried and true.

Now, let me rush in like an SEC running back to say that there are many foods that require very simple seasoning – in fact, some shine the brightest with just a little salt and pepper.

However, if we’re being honest, most dishes benefit from layers of delicious spices and seasoning. The trick can be trying to figure out how much of this or how many pinches of that will actually all come together in a tasteful manner.

That’s where seasoning blends like Pereg come in so handy. They have the test kitchens and the experts to sort things out for us. They even put them together to create magical blends that are ideal for whatever meal we’re whipping up: Thai Sweet Chili, Burger, Sumac, Za’atar, Jerusalem, Soup, Chicken, Shawarma, Morrocan, Sweet Red Pepper… (all of these and more can all be found on Amazon).

I was sent a couple of these creative and flavorful spices in exchange for telling you all about them. I received the Burger and Thai Sweet Chili – as for the others, I’ll be ordering them two by two (ark style) asap. I love trying cooking and eating different foods from regions around the world and am excited to use each of these spices.

The Burger spice is the one I tried first. It was a knock-out. We eat a lot of burgers in our house and this spice is going fast. It’s very flavorful and gives the burger layers of flavor.

{Continued Below….}

The Thai Sweet Chili is just as outstanding. I’ve used it with grilled fish, fried catfish (my obsession, pictured above), chicken, and shrimp. The first time I tasted fish with this seasoning, the first word that came to mind was, “exciting!”

Pretty hard to beat that, isn’t it??!!

{Wrapped up below….}

Visit Pereg’s official website for more information on their MANY wonderful products as well as recipes and find many of their items on Amazon.

150 Best Grilled Cheese Sandwiches Cookbook

October 14, 2018 By Joi Sigers

Is anyone even half as ready for autumn and winter as I am? Don’t get me wrong, I love a lot of things about summer – baseball, fresh produce, songbirds at my bird feeders that aren’t there in cold weather, grilling out, and so on. Summer’s awesome in every way… but, having said that, autumn and winter are super special.

As a foodie, the cooler months make me think of soup, stew, chili, casseroles, chai tea lattes, and (of course) Halloween goodies, Thanksgiving dishes, and Christmas baking… how could a foodie NOT love this time of year???

I may be one of the biggest soup fanatics in the world, which is one of the reasons I’m excited about a new cookbook I was sent to review: 150 Best Grilled Cheese Sandwiches.

Naturally, grilled cheese sandwiches are perfect all year. We certainly eat them year-round in our house. In fact, we’ve been known to enjoy grilled cheese sandwiches at all times of the day and night. Talk about a delicious comfort food. Cheesy deliciousness that comes together pretty darn fast – sign me up.

150 Best Grilled Cheese Sandwiches is a perfect guide to getting extra creative with this wonderful comfort food. Although the modern version of the grilled cheese sandwich dates back to 1920 (when it became popular during the great depression, for obvious reasons), these delicious and inexpensive delicacies are currently a popular trend in cooking. I think one of the reasons is the fact that they aren’t expensive to pull together. I think the popularity of food trucks has also helped revive this wonderful sandwich.

Some people are even calling the grilled cheese sandwich the “new burger.” The fact that so many people are eating less meat is another reason these sandwiches are so wildly popular.

From the Back Cover: A grilled cheese sandwich is classic comfort food and it’s enjoying an incredible resurgence in popularity. These fabulous recipes all begin with the grilled cheese we all know and love, and then from there, creative twists showcase just how incredibly versatile this sandwich can be. The recipes reflect an almost endless and delicious variety of choices that include simple and timeless as well as gourmet and artisanal. From breakfast to dessert, there’s something for everyone in this book.

Another reason grilled cheese sandwiches are so popular is, let’s face it, they’re fast and easy to make. You can have a warm, delicious, and comforting meal in a matter of minutes. This is one of the reasons they’re so popular with bachelors, college students, and beginner cooks.

Whether you enjoy your grilled cheese sandwiches with soup (one of my favorite meals), chips, or alone, nothing beats a great grilled cheese sandwich.

As I’ve probably mentioned on the food blog, when I had to totally give up wheat and gluten a number of years ago (health reasons), it threw my cooking persona into a tailspin. Imagine everything you are accustomed to cooking and baking for your family and yourself thrown out the door. Then finding yourself having to start over, pretty much, and discover a whole new way of both cooking and eating.

BUMMER!

It’s a hideous predicament for anyone but for an avid cook and food blogger who was extra keen on homemade breads, cornbread, cakes from scratch, pies, etc.. it knocked me on my backside for a bit. However, I (honestly) found out that many aspects of gluten-free food are actually as good as their gluten-y counterparts and some are even better in many ways.

For example, for whatever reasons, gluten-free fried catfish is actually better. Don’t ask me why (please), but the combo of rice flour and yellow cornmeal makes the best fried catfish in the world. Trust me, this is a personal favorite and something I’ve been cooking since I was allowed to touch the stove.

Grilled cheese sandwiches have been another pleasant surprise (along with French Toast, for that matter). Gluten-Free bread, in my opinion, makes them even better. I think it’s because they’re denser and, sometimes, thicker, than regular bread. Then again, Texas Toast is a great way to go with grilled cheese sandwiches.

150 Best Grilled Cheese Sandwiches includes so many creative, fun, and delicious recipes you won’t stop until you’ve made them all. The cheese combinations, along with the additions of complimentary ingredients will boggle your mind. I cook every single day (and have for years) and consider myself to be really creative in the kitchen, but even I found myself saying, “Ooooh, I would’ve never thought of that...” One of the combinations that was wildly new to me was the one given in the recipe below. I wouldn’t have ever invited Muenster Cheese to a grilled cheese party, but this recipe has me slapping myself for the oversight.

The recipe below is from the cookbook and is outstanding. I love it alongside tomato soup or chili and have been known to have it simply with a large dill pickle and Funyons.

I know how to live, after all.

Classic Grilled Two Cheese

Author: Alison Lewis
Serves 4

8 slices white or whole-grain bread (1/2 inch/1 cm thick slices)
2 TBS butter or margarine, softened
4 oz Muenster cheese, thinly sliced
4 oz Cheddar cheese, thinly sliced

Instructions

Brush one side of each bread slice with butter.
Place on a work surface, buttered side down.
Top 4 bread slices equally with Muenster and Cheddar cheeses.
Cover with remaining bread slices, buttered side up, and press gently.
Place sandwiches on preheated panini grill or in a large skillet over medium heat and cook, turning once if using a skillet, for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown and cheese is melted.
Serve immediately.

When it comes to grilled cheese sandwiches, you have to really be careful with cheese combinations. Make the wrong move and the result will be thisclose to gross. You also have to be careful with what fillings you add and how you treat the bread. Again, the wrong move can leave your taste buds borderline depressed. In this wonderful and fun cookbook, Alison Lewis has done all of the hard work for us and taken all of the guess work out of our hands. We’re left with a ton of delicious recipes and combinations that’ll make us the Queen or King of Grilled Cheese. Whether you use a Panini or Sandwich Press or a favorite skillet, you WILL use these recipes again and again and again.

Below are just some of the recipes included in 150 Best Grilled Cheese Sandwiches:

Roast Beef with Asiago and Watercress
Grilled Steak and Blue Cheese
Italian Tomato-Basil Bread
Hot Bacon Swiss Crostini
Havarti and Cucumber Sandwich
Grilled Spinach, Pepper Jack, and Bacon
Warm Peanut Butter Power Wrap
Italian Salami Panini
Sweet Pepper Relish
Hummus
The Pilgrim
And many, many, many more.

See 150 Best Grilled Cheese Sandwiches for more information and to order your copy today… just in time for soup season!