best cookbooks

Review: Quesadillas by Donna Kelly (I LOVE this Cookbook to Distraction!)

April 11, 2022 By Joi Sigers

Four-Layer Folded Ranch

I was recently sent a copy of a wonderful Quesadilla cookbook in exchange for telling you all about it and I KNOW you’ll love it as much as I do. Quesadillas by Donna Kelly (Amazon link) is a dream come true for me for more reasons than one.

When you have to eat gluten-free, you turn to gluten-free tortillas, like the AMAZING ones from Mission (Amazon link) often. Roll-ups, wraps, quesadillas, burritos, etc. Things you can’t put in pliable bread, you can most absolutely put in pliable gluten-free tortillas!
I am obsessed… obsessed I tell you… with everything even remotely connected to Mexican or even Tex-Mex.
Quesadillas are a meal that comes together really fast. Meal prep can all be done ahead of time, leaving you with only one task – put it all together and make the magic happen.
This is a cookbook with easy to find (I’ve found that I usually have the ingredients on hand) recipes – ones you’ll use again and again and again.
It’s a physical cookbook. Let me tell you why I find this to be a HUGE plus… I detest searching through my phone, files, and drawers for a recipe! Detest it like a shy 12 year old kid hates giving an oral book report in front of a roomful of other kids with every single eye staring a hole right through me… I mean her. Physical books mean the recipe is always right where you left it. Each and every time.

Book Description from Amazon:

Simply put, the quesadilla is a delightful package of melted cheesy goodness―all sandwiched inside crispy tortillas. But now these little gooey snacks we all used to make as kids have evolved into savory meals and scrumptious desserts that are bursting with flavor. Featuring all new photography, Quesadillas contains some of these delicious favorites, including Roasted Veggie and Goat Cheese, Thai Peanut, Parmesan-Crusted Italian, Chicken Caesar, Philly Cheesesteak, Peanut Butter Apple, Triple Chocolate Decadence, and Pecan-Crusted Pear.

The first recipe I made was the one titled Four-Layer Folded Ranch. It involves bacon, cream cheese, Ranch dressing mix, chicken, tortillas, pepper jack cheese… see why I chose it first?? It’s pictured at the top and was even more delicious than it looks.

Remember how I spoke of meal prep above? I am a firm believer and ardent follower of the meal plan attack for suppers. I have the JOY (one of the greatest blessing of my life if we’re keeping score) of watching my grandbabies (from around 8:00am to 4:00-5:00 pm) while their parents are at work. I have two (ages 4 and 2, both boys) every weekday and some days also have their cousin (18 months, also a boy!). My days are FULL of fun, dinosaurs, Hot Wheels, laughs, and immeasurable love.

They’re also deliciously busy – and, if you’re familiar with little people, you know that between 3-5 is the crazy zone. I mean, they kick it up a notch or 50 around then, don’t they?! That’s why I love meal prep and that’s why I turn to things like quesadillas so often.

For the quesadillas pictured at the top, I cooked the chicken and the bacon earlier and placed them in meal prep containers. Then I sliced the cheese and combined the other ingredients I’d need. When 5:00 came, all I had to do was heat up the gridle and throw everything in place.

Whether it’s adorable miniature humans or a not so adorable 9-5 job, meal prep may be your new best friend.

Other Recipes Include:

Crowd-Pleaser Sheet Pan (Giant Quesadilla!)
Old World Mexico (potatoes and chorizo)
S’Mores (a scrumptious looking dessert)
Peaches and Cream
Greek Isles (Feta, spinach, black olives…)
Black and Blue (spicy beans and several cheeses)
Four-Layer Folded Caprese (cream cheese, diced tomatoes, mozzarella, basil..)

There are International, Vegetarian, Meat-y, and dessert recipes as well as a section for salsas and sauces… they are amazing.

I can’t recommend this wonderful cookbook enough. I know you’ll love and use it as much as I do!

For more information, please see Quesadillas by Donna Kelly (Amazon link).

Quesadillas by Donna Kelly

Cookbook Review: Rachael Ray Top 30 30-Minute Meals Comfort Food

May 12, 2016 By Joi Sigers

Two of My Rachael Ray Cookbooks

I have collections within my cookbook collections (as you’d expect from a Crazy Cookbook Lady). I have Michael Symon cookbooks, Food Network cookbooks, Gluten Free Cookbooks, Cooking Light cookbooks… and you’d darn well better believe I have a Rachael Ray cookbook collection. It may or may not require it’s own shelf.

It does.

One of the coolest little cookbooks in this collection is pictured here. It’s the Rachael Ray Top 30 30-Minute Meals Comfort Food cookbook and it’s a lot of yum for such a little guy.

Like all Rachael Ray cookbooks, Comfort Food reads just as you’d expect a Rachael Ray cookbook to read – just like you’re watching a 30 Minute Meals episode.

From the Back Cover:

Curl up in front of the fire with the delicious homespun fare of Rachael’s comfort food. Treat yourself with these Top 30 meals, a collection of her greatest hits. The perfect way to unwind after a busy day―you deserve it!

Rachael Ray Top 30 30-Minute Meals Comfort Food Cookbook

Rachael Ray Comfort FoodRecipes from the 30 Comfort Food Meals Include:

Chunky Guacamole
Pork Chops with Golden Applesauce
Rosemary Grilled Chicken and Wild Mushroom Sauce
Chili Mac
Super-Stuffed Monte Cristo Sandwiches
Quick Creole Shrimp with White Rice
Turkey Corn Chili
Quick Potato & Carrot Latkes
Chicken, Corizo & Tortilla Stoup
Everything Jambalaya on White Rice

Each meal takes 30-minutes or less to prepare and the ingredients are easy peasy to find. This particular cookbook wouldn’t be a great investment for vegans or vegetarians (unless you’re adding to a collection, of course) but it’s a can’t miss for everyone else.

The little spiral-bound, hardback cookbook is also available for Kindle or, of course, the free Kindle reading app.

See Rachael Ray Top 30 30-Minute Meals Comfort Food for more information.

Review: America’s Best Breakfasts

May 4, 2016 By Joi Sigers

America’s Best BreakfastsI am probably the biggest Food Network and Cooking Channel fan in the world. As a foodie and food blogger, I’m drawn to them like my husband is drawn to home improvement stores.

As a cookbook collector AND Food Network/Cooking Channel fanatic, I’ve found a cookbook that seems custom made for me: America’s Best Breakfasts by Lee Brian Schrager and Adeena Sussman.

This beautiful, fun, and highly unique cookbook is packed with breakfast recipes that are NOT your grandmother’s breakfast recipes. They’re insanely original, exciting, and F-U-N.

The authors have attacked a meal of the day (the one most people consider the most important one) that can get pretty boring. They didn’t just give breakfasts a wake up call, they’ve infused new life into the whole shebang.

Whether you love breakfasts first thing in the morning, tend to prefer “brunches,” or love breakfast meals for supper – this is a cookbook that’ll give you endless options, ideas, and inspiration.

From the Inside Cover:

Rise and dine! If there’s one meal of the day to get passionate about—no matter where you’re from in this great land—it’s breakfast with all the fixings. Featuring down-home diners, iconic establishments, and the newest local hot spots, America’s Best Breakfasts is a celebration of two of this nation’s honored traditions: hitting the open road and enjoying an endless variety of breakfasts. Even without a road trip, you can re-create favorites that will satisfy any time of day:

Shrimp and Grits, Hominy Grill, Charleston
Croque Monsieur Sandwiches, Tartine, San Francisco
Kimchi Pancakes, Sunshine Tavern, Portland
Filipino Steak with Garlic Fried Rice, Uncle Mike’s, Chicago
Cannoli French Toast, Café Lift, Philadelphia
Brioche Cinnamon Buns, Honey Bee, Oxford
Morning Glory Muffins, Panther Coffee, Miami

America’s Best Breakfasts isn’t just a great cookbook, it’s an especially fun read because it reads like a Food Network episode – you not only get to see (and then make) delicious looking food, you “meet” the colorful people behind the restaurants and food.

As I read through the book, I kept thinking, “I wish they’d turn this into a series.” Seriously, it’d be a winner. The great recipes are, of course, the best thing about the cookbook – they’re easy to make and delicious to eat. What’s more, they’re highly unique – like “Pacos” (pancake tacos), “Old Fashioned Oatmeal Breakfast Smoothies,” “Coconut Pancakes,” and “Roasted Potato Phyllo Pie” (just to name a few).

America’s Best BreakfastsBig, beautiful pictures are throughout the book, which is something else I love – pictures of the food, restaurants, and people you get to know along the way.

This is just a really exceptional cookbook and I know you’ll love it as much as I do.

And I still wish they’d turn this into a Food Network series….

America’s Best Breakfasts

About the Authors

LEE BRIAN SCHRAGER is the founder and director of the Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach and New York City Wine & Food Festivals. He is also the vice president of corporate communications and national events at Southern Wine & Spirits of America and the author of Fried and True and The Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival Cookbook. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Lee has appeared on Today and Rachael Ray, and serves on the board of directors for the Food Bank of New York City. He lives in Miami and New York City.

ADEENA SUSSMAN is a cookbook writer and recipe authority. In addition to this book she also collaborated with Lee Schrager on Fried and True, and is the coauthor of many other cookbooks. Her work has also been published in Food & Wine, The Wall Street Journal, Martha Stewart Living, Every Day with Rachael Ray, and on Epicurious and Food Republic.

Note: I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review. The opinions are entirely my own.

The Chew: An Essential Guide to Cooking and Entertaining (Review)

April 19, 2016 By Joi Sigers

The Chew An Essential Guide to Cooking and Entertaining Cookbook

I was sent a copy of a fun new cookbook (packed with personality), The Chew: An Essential Guide to Cooking and Entertaining (Amazon link) to review on the food blog a few weeks ago. I actually waited a little while just to let it get closer to Mother’s Day and Father’s Day shopping because this book is a perfect gift idea.

Just be sure to grab yourself one while you’re at it.

I love everything about this cookbook. The recipes are just the sort of recipes you’d expect with the names you see on the cover and the same can be said of the “spirit” of the cookbook. When you see the characters on the cover and see them in action on The Chew, you know they march to the beat of their own wooden spoons and that makes for pure entertainment.

It also makes for a must have cookbook – whether you watch the show or not.

The hosts bring their positive energy to every page of this cookbook – as well as their expertise in the kitchen.

Some of My Fave Recipes from this Cookbook Are:

French Onion Soup – Clinton Kelly
“Blow Your Mind” Baked Chicken Wings – Daphne Oz
Omelette in a Jar (made in the microwave!) – Carla Hall
Slow-Roasted Salmon with Avocado Salad – Michael Symon
Oven-Roasted BLT with Tangy Mayo – Michael Symon
Hush Puppies (with Dipping Sauce) – Carla Hall
Basic Tomato Sauce – Mario Batali
Classic Basic Pesto – Mario Batali
Hash Brown Frittata – Clinton Kelly
Grilled Cheese Espanol – Mario Batali
Whipped Pina Colada Dip – Daphne Oz
Clinton’s General Tso’s Chicken – Clinton Kelly
Spicy Queso Dip – Clinton Kelly
Dad’s Death by Chocolate – Michael Symon
Dynamite Disco Fries – Carla Hall
Popcorn Shrimp – Daphne Oz
Mario’s Spicy Dollar-Saving Pasta – Mario Batali
Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Brussels Sprouts and Brown Butter – Michael Symon
Banana Dippers – Daphne Oz
Chicken Potpie with Cheddar-Chive Biscuits – Carla Hall

As you can see and even expect from most cookbooks, the majority of the recipes aren’t “gluten free,” however thanks be to God we live in a time where gluten free all purpose flour and gluten free bread exist – meaning that any recipe you see in a cookbook can be made gluten free.

Mario Batli’s DELICIOUS SOUNDING Spicy Dollar-Saving Pasta is simple to gluten free-ize – simply substitute gluten free pasta and use gluten free panko bread crumbs for the bread-crumb topping. Get a load of the ingredients in this dish – yellow onion, pasta, garlic cloves, scallions, Italian sausage, tomato paste, jalapenos, and a panko bread crumb topping.

I don’t know about you, but this recipe, is making my mouth water. So much so, in fact, I’m going to make it one night this week.

Of course, there are recipes that are already gluten free – such as Daphne Oz’s Banana Dippers and Popcorn Shrimp (which uses rice flour), Carla Hall’s Disco Fries, and Clinton Kelly’s General Tso’s Chicken (just be sure to substitute Tamari for the soy sauce).

Michael Symon’s Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Brussels Sprouts and Brown Butter uses a combo of almond flour and all-purpose flour (simply sub gluten free all-purpose flour for the all purpose flour) is at the top of my “make soon” list.

Review Continued Below….

From the Back Cover:

Everything You Love About The Chew Captured in One Book!

In The Chew: An Essential Guide to Cooking and Entertaining (Amazon link), the five hosts of the hit ABC daytime show invite you to enjoy the fun and flavor of cooking without the hassle and expense. Mario Batali, Carla Hall, Clinton Kelly, Daphne Oz, and Michael Symon provide mouthwatering recipes and useful entertaining tips to make cooking for your family and friends simple, cost-effective, delicious, and fun. In this fourth cookbook from The Chew, the hosts bring their wit, wisdom, and practicality straight into your home.

In Back to Basics, learn how Daphne Oz prepares her Easy Oven Roasted Turkey Breast that is both delicious and a time-saver. Clinton Kelly’s Eggs Benedict recipe is a Comfort Classic that will make Sunday Brunch the best part of your weekend. Michael Symon’s Pizza Rolls are guaranteed to become one of your Feel-Good Family Favorites. In Old Faves, New Flaves, Carla Hall offers up her Cheesy Pull-Apart Pesto Bread, putting an exciting twist on garlic rolls. And Mario Batali’s Meat Loaf with Creamy Shells ‘n’ Peas is the definitive guilty pleasure.

And There’s More:

Answers to viewer questions that give you added details and insights from The Chew hosts.
Delicious favorites handed down from the hosts’ families to yours.
Mouthwatering meals that can be made ahead of time or in a slow cooker.
Several innovative ways to put a new spin on a favorite recipe.
A wide range of recipes from breakfast to dessert, from the lighter side to guilty pleasures, and everything in between.

Review continued below…

I can’t say enough about the GREAT recipes in this book – they really are exceptional. I also love all the fun pictures from the show and behind the scenes. This fun group seems to really love each others company and it shows. There’s just a wonderful vibe about the entire book and it, along with fantastic recipes, makes it one of my favorite cookbooks, period.

What is it about cookbooks Michael Symon is tied to? They’re always among the best. Golden touch, much?

I cannot think of anyone this cookbook wouldn’t be ideal for – new cooks, veteran cooks, moms, dads, college kids, bachelors, bachelorettes, new brides, new grooms… as long as the individual enjoys positive energy and great food, The Chew: An Essential Guide to Cooking and Entertaining (Amazon link) is a book they’re going to love.

Cookbook Review: The Duluth Grill Cookbook II

April 8, 2016 By Joi Sigers

I was recently sent a beautiful new cookbook to review: The Duluth Grill Cookbook II. The Duluth Grill (in Duluth, Minnesota) has been on the Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives with Guy Fieri. If you’re a fan of Guy’s, you’re probably with them.

Needless to say, I was very excited to get my hands on this cookbook!

I love cookbooks of all shapes, colors, sizes, genres, and attitudes. As a collector, I’m not very picky. If it says Cookbook on the cover, I’m going to hear it out. However, I do prefer cookbooks with the following traits…

Beautiful Pictures – I’m a really visual person and I love colorful photographs.
Creative Recipes – Ones that you don’t see a million and one times online, on Pinterest alone!
Recipes I’ll Make – Ingredients I’ve heard of and can readily get and recipes that don’t take the patience of Job to make.
Easy to Make Substitutions for the gluten free diet I must adhere to.
It’s a “little thing” to most, but I love for recipes that are Gluten Free to tell me right off the bat. Sure, a quick scan and common sense lets me know, but when the cookbook provides the information on gluten (as well providing information for vegans), I know they care. That means a lot.

The Duluth Grill Cookbook II nails each of the above preferences and brings something extra to the party… a personality that’s outta this world. This cookbook doesn’t read like a cookbook so much as it reads like a letter from a favorite family member – the one you love to see coming and hate to see leaving.

The spirit of the book is light-hearted and fun and were they to make 100 cookbooks, I’d want each and every one.

Looks and personality? That’s worth a WOW.

As for the recipes, they are even more impressive. They’re easy to make, yet are beautifully creative and imaginative. They’ll add fun and spark – to say nothing of deliciousness – to your kitchen.

From the Back Cover:

The Duluth Grill is back for its second cookbook. It’s big. It’s bad. And after gaining fans from around the country, it’s better than ever.

Do you want to know why it’s taken so long to get that fish farm going? That’s in here. Wondering about that time the catering van almost got set on fire? That’s in here too. From digging up the back parking lot for a new garden to (not) getting sued by Heinz to having a Real Housewife of Miami endorse their first book, the last three years have been a whirlwind.

But the food is really the star here. You’ll find raw vegan marinara, but also a bacon ice cream sundae; gluten free options, but also homemade flaky biscuits. From the cilantro lime vinaigrette to the North Shore paella, from the beet lemonade to the bison stuffed peppers, this is Minnesotan food like you’ve never seen at a potluck. Whether you’re making the carrot cake (good), the sriracha aioli (good), or the bacon-blue cheese coleslaw (real good), you’ll be glad you picked this up.

So treat yourself. Support a family-owned business. And most of all, enjoy the read. Because when a New York Times published food writer, an award winning photographer and designer, and a nationally famous restaurant get together, you’re not going to be disappointed.

How creative and awesome are the recipes? Check out a few of my favorites listed below…

Recipes Include:

Pork Rub
Pickled Jalapeno
Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
Kale & White Bean Soup
Italian Sausage
Carrot-Daikon Slaw
Cuban Black Beans
Salmon Salad
Swedish Meatballs
Lemon Chicken
Vanilla, Chocolate, and Peppermint Whipped Cream
Broccoli Cheese Soup
Hummus with Preserved Lemon
Marinated Kale
Bacon-Blue Cheese Coleslaw
Besan Chilla (Vegan Omelet)
Gluten Free Buckwheat Caraway Bread (pumpkin, chia seeds, carraway seeds, honey….)
Chorizo
Cold Press Coffee
Blueberry Lemonade, Mint Lemonade, Beet Lemonade
Raspberry Syrup
Cashew Sour Cream
And many more – 100 GREAT recipes in all.

Order a copy of The Duluth Grill Cookbook II on The Duluth Grill’s website. They also have a “first cookbook” that I’m sure would be a great choice too. This one’s extra special.

gfff

Review: 5 in 5 For Every Season by Chef Michael Symon

September 23, 2015 By Joi Sigers

Michael Symon’s Newest Cookbook, 5 in 5 For Every Season

I’ve been hoping for a follow up to Michael Symon’s 5 in 5 (published in 2013) since I first opened it. It was everything a cookbook should be (and nothing it should not be) and it quickly became one of my favorite cookbooks of all time, as well as possibly the one I use the most.

Given the huge success and popularity of the book, I had a feeling there’d be a similar book in the future. Fortunately, the wait wasn’t long. The newly released 5 in 5 for Every Season (Amazon link) is here and I’m thrilled to have my hands on it.

My copy actually came in the mail a few days ago and I did what any obsessive food blogger would do. I rushed to my favorite grocery store to get what I needed to make one of the recipes immediately. Because of the brilliant simplicity of these recipes, I actually had everything I needed except for one spice.

Chef Michael Symon is cut from a different cloth than a lot of celebrity cooks. He somehow seems more approachable, doesn’t he? It’s kind of like we know him, without ever having met him. This unique quality comes through in each of his cookbooks. In addition to, quite frankly, being one of the best recipe creators on the planet, his upbeat disposition sets him apart.

Given the fact that he’s a unique chef, tv personality/host, and cookbook author – I thought it only fitting that this cookbook review be a little different too. Instead of a traditional review, In keeping with the 5 theme, I’ll give you 5 reasons this is the next cookbook you really should buy.

Quick and Easy Recipes with Simple Ingredients. Most of us just don’t have time to Google substitutes for exotic ingredients we’ve never heard of. We don’t all live in or near large cities and I think that’s something a lot of cookbook authors fail to realize. 5 in 5 For Every Season, like its predecessor, is built on the fact that you don’t have to have tons of ingredients and the ones you do have don’t have to be weird – they just have to be flavorful. 5 Fresh ingredients is all it takes – and they’re ingredients that’ll keep you off Google.
Beautiful Color Pictures for the Vast Majority of the Recipes. Okay, this one’s just a personal thing – but I love for cookbooks to come with lots of pictures. I realize that “back in the day,” cookbooks seldom included anything more than drawings – maybe a photograph at the beginning of each section, but certainly not a picture for the majority of the recipes. But… well… this isn’t “back in the day” and this foodie is a very visual foodie. 5 in 5 for Every Season (Amazon link) has gorgeous pictures throughout the book. I kinda love that – like, a lot.
It’ll Help Make You a Better Cook. Seriously. When you follow recipes and tips from a trained chef, you pick up things that you wouldn’t pick up on on your own. You learn about flavor combinations, you experiment with different techniques, and you gain confidence that’ll be evident in every bite. Even if you’re already a great cook, it’ll honestly make you better. What expert doesn’t need to keep their skills sharp?! It’ll also make you more creative – which, in the kitchen, is an especially good thing. Creativity is what will separate you from the rest of the cooks and will make your food stand out.
Very Gluten Free Friendly. When I had to start eating gluten free, it turned my little doughnut-loving world upside down. It touched two vital areas of my life – eating and cooking. I soon realized that even one of my life-long hobbies (collecting cookbooks) would be touched as well. Some cookbooks are what I call “gluten-free friendly” while others are like total strangers. Both of the 5 in 5 cookbooks are off the charts gluten free friendly. Many recipes are, as is, gluten free. Others are ridiculously easy to adjust. For example, in 5 in 5 for Every Season (Amazon link), on page 216 is a recipe I plan to make for Christmas – Cheesy Broccoli Gratin. It looks so delicious! As a bonus, the vivid green will be gorgeous on the Christmas table. The recipe calls for 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs. The fact that you can find gluten free bread crumbs pre-made at the grocery store makes it a VERY easy swap. Another example is the Kale Bread Salad with Feta on page 230 (not waiting for Christmas on this beauty) – the recipe calls for 3 cups medium-diced crusty bread. A loaf of gluten free bread makes this a cinch. Naturally, any recipes that call for pasta.. simply use gluten free pasta. Because the ingredients are so fresh, gluten rarely rears his head – and when he does, gluten free bread or other swaps make it a non-issue. More about the gluten free friendliness below.
These are recipes that’ll quickly become family favorites. You will make and re-make the recipes again and again. With the first 5 in 5 I have a certain number of recipes that I’ve made so often, I know them by heart. A quick look through 5 in 5 for Every Season (Amazon link) lets me know that history is about to repeat itself. These beautiful, fresh, and flavorful, recipes span the entire year – holidays included. This will be a cookbook you’ll keep out on your counter from January through December.

Some of the Recipes In 5 in 5 for Every Season :

Fried Calamari with Okra & Hot Sauce
Grilled Skirt Steak with Radish & Blue Cheese
Vegetable Stir Fry (to make gluten free, use Tamari in place of regular soy sauce)
Sirloin Steak with Sweet & Sour Onions & Arugula
Grilled Chicken Thighs with Edamame & Grapefruit
Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Pecorino
Mashed Potato Cakes with Parmesan
Cubed Pork with Cabbage & Walnuts (again, Tamari, if you’re gluten free)
Beef Tri-Tip with Broccoli & Fresno Chile
Mushroom Philly Cheesesteaks
Thai-Style Shrimp Salad
And MANY more – for a total of 165 recipes.

Review Continued Beneath the Deliciousness….

Spicy Beef Tacos with Fresh Salsa from 5 in 5 for Every Season

Spicy Beef Tacos with Fresh Salsa- Crazy Delicious!

The first recipe I made from 5 in 5 for Every Season (Amazon link) was the Spicy Beef Tacos with Fresh Salsa (the best tacos I’ve ever had). They’re pictured on the back of the cookbook and they caught my eye immediately. If you’ve had to give up gluten, you know by now that it’s almost impossible to find a taco seasoning that’s gluten free. As someone who’d always enjoyed Taco Tuesdays, I missed the yummy tacos I’d grown so in love with.

Then along comes the best tacos I’ve ever had…. and they’re naturally gluten free.

Did I mention they were the best tacos I’ve ever had?

By using a few spices (most you’ll have on hand), you create a taco filling that puts every other taco seasoning to shame. These are spicy, packed with flavor, and absolutely addictive.

Even if you don’t eat gluten free, you’ll never buy another packet of taco seasoning again.

Flavor, flavor, FLAVOR!

Not only has this cookbook given me a fantastic new, easy “go to” gluten free taco recipe (pictured above and below), there’s also a recipe for Fried Calamari with Okra & Hot Sauce (page 91) that calls for rice flour and cornstarch – another wonderful gluten free recipe that’s going to reunite me with fried okra.

Yet another recipe, Tempura Green Beans (page 101), takes a traditionally gluten-laden recipe and makes it gluten free by using rice flour.

Best. Tacos. Ever.

Like every Michael Symon recipe I’ve ever made, the food makes an impression on you – and everyone else – before you even take a bite. He’s a master, not only of flavorful food combinations, but also at creating recipes that are also beautiful.

I guess he’s a visual foodie too. And we are all reaping the rewards of it.

I was pretty intent on sticking with the 5 theme and only listed the 5 reasons – but you could also add the fact that this cookbook is ridiculously inexpensive. You can actually buy it on Amazon right now for less than $14, which is just nuts. This cookbook is worth at least twice that. I hope you’ll grab your own copy of 5 in 5 for Every Season (Amazon link) immediately, if not sooner. You’re going to love everything about this cookbook.

Note: I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review. The opinions are entirely my own.

A Healthy Cookbook You’re Going to Love: My Crazy Sexy Kitchen Review

April 3, 2013 By Joi Sigers

This is not a “gluten free” cookbook but the recipes can be easily altered with simple substitutions to make the recipes gluten-free. I do it all the time!

A while back my husband ordered me a few cookbooks off of Amazon – just because he’s cool like that. One of these cookbooks was the one you see pictured above, Crazy Sexy Kitchen: 150 Plant-Empowered Recipes to Ignite a Mouthwatering Revolution (Amazon link).

As I’ve mentioned (as in over and over and over..) on the food blog, I’m a firm believer that we should all try to feed our families, and ourselves, the healthiest meals possible. Author Kris Carr has a great quote on page 28 of Crazy Sexy Kitchen, “… some foods have the power to heal, while others have the power to harm.” I love that so much, I’m trying to think of an artsy way to put these very words in our kitchen. Near the refrigerator. But, you know, something short of red markers on a poster board.

I do have a little class, after all.

There are a great number of “Raw Food,” “Vegan,” “Green Smoothie,” “Cruelty-Free Eating,” etc cookbooks on the market. I’ve even reviewed a few excellent ones right here. It’s a great sign that there’s a proliferation of these cookbooks – it shows that all of us finally GET that we have to break the chain of unhealthy eating. As diabetes and obesity rates soar, we realize that if we’re going to protect ourselves and the ones we love, we have to wage our battle in the kitchen.

Crazy Sexy Kitchen (Amazon link) is one of the best Plans of Attack I’ve come across. Not only are the recipes outstanding (what would you expect when chefs are in charge of recipes?), the sound advice and wonderfully written health information could stand on their own even if there weren’t 150 recipes tagging along.

Book Description

The woman who made prevention hot is now making it delicious! Crazy Sexy Kitchen, the follow-up to Kris Carr’s New York Times bestseller Crazy Sexy Diet, is a

Veggie Manifesto for plant-empowered gourmands and novices alike, and it’s filled with inspiration, education, cooking tips, and over 150 nourishing, nosh-worthy recipes. Infused with her signature humor, style, and personal stories, Crazy Sexy Kitchen redefines the kitchen as headquarters for America’s wellness revolution. The goodness born in the Crazy Sexy Kitchen will reach deep into the rest of your life—enriching your health, your home, your heart, and the planet.

Crazy Sexy Kitchen gives readers all the tools and know-how needed to adopt a joyful and vibrant Crazy Sexy Diet and Lifestyle. What is the Crazy Sexy Diet and Lifestyle, you ask? A nutrient-dense, plant-happy approach to eating and living that harmonizes your beautiful body at the cellular level. It’s a celebratory way of life that’s deeply connected, healthy, awake and engaged. Now that’s SEXY!

Like a long, luxurious meal, Crazy Sexy Kitchen is laid out in courses. You’ll start with a detailed review of the Crazy Sexy Diet. Next you’ll learn how to stock your culinary arsenal. Kris will show you how to find the best kitchen tools and equipment, and prep you with basic culinary skills and lingo. Handy symbols like, gluten-free, soy-free, kid-friendly—and for the time pressed—Crazy Sexy Quickies, help you to easily identify the recipes that are perfect for your dietary needs. Not sure how to put a whole meal together? No problem. Crazy Sexy Kitchen covers that, too—with a hearty dose of menu plans and recipes to inspire and delight.

Joined by Whole Foods chef, Chad Sarno, Crazy Sexy Kitchen offers over 150 delicious, nutrient-dense recipes designed to nourish the mind, body, and soul. From juicing to planning a three-course meal, Crazy Sexy Kitchen has all the essentials to fill your kitchen (and life!) with health, happiness, family, friends, and good times.

While I love the information (including fascinating FAQs with a dietician) and am as excited by the recipes as any foodie would be – a few of my favorite things about this book are the beautiful photographs and the personal history Kris Carr shares with her readers. Pictures of her lovely grandmother and her stories of growing up in her grandmother’s restaurant are extra special. I could have read an entire book about the author’s grandmother!

Why Should You Listen to Kris Carr When it Comes to Healthy and Healing Foods?

One look at the cover, and you can tell that the author is a beauty. Slender, radiant, and sporting a smile that could light up a room. At the risk of judging a book by its cover (see what I did there?), I’d have taken her foodie advice without knowing a thing about her. However, when I read about the strong woman behind the smile, I was even more committed to hanging on her every word. In 2003 (ten years ago, if we’re keeping count), Kris was handed the news that she had a “rare and incurable stage IV sarcoma.”

The big C.

Her cancer diagnosis was the worst kind possible – the one that came with a warranty. Kris wasn’t given long to live, but apparently that arrangement didn’t set well with her.

I knew in my gut that I needed to fully participate in my well-being. That’s when I went back to my roots – food. I discovered I loved being an artist in the kitchen, just like Grandma. Except I added a revolutionary twist to her culinary foundation: cooking consciously and compassionately for the health and happiness of my body and the world around me.

Since that time I’ve not only been surviving, I’ve been thriving – with cancer. In fact, thanks in part to a healthy and active lifestyle, I actually feel better with the disease than I did without it. If I can feel healthy and happy while living with a life-threatening condition, just imagine how great you can feel! – Kris Carr, Page 15, Crazy Sexy Kitchen

Ten years – way past the “shelf life” her doctors gave her. Now just try and tell me it doesn’t matter what we put into our bodies!

As Kris Carr points out in the book, you don’t have to dive in to the deep end with the changes you make in your diet. You don’t have to swear off all red meat and there’s no need to pinkie swear to drink only green smoothies for breakfast for the rest of your life. Just make healthy steps in the right direction – the more the better. I couldn’t possibly recommend Crazy Sexy Kitchen (Amazon link) any more than I do. On a scale of 1 to 10, it’s so past 10 it can’t even see it in its rear view mirror.

Some of the recipes in Crazy Sexy Kitchen:

Juices such as Iron Machine, The Sicilian, and Morning Glorious…
Smoothies that include Crazy Sexy Goddess Smoothie, Chai Latte, and Vanilla Mystic…
Tofu Country Scramble
French Toast with Amaretto Creme
Cornmeal Banana Walnut Pancakes
Chickpea Crepe with Mushrooms and Artichokes
Mediterranean Wrap with Cashew Cream Cheese
Fruit and Almond Sandwiches
Hummus Pinwheels
Crazy Sexy Veggie Quesadilla
Pita Pizzas
Crazy Sexy Kale
Tomatoes and Herbs
Chile Rellenos with Red and Green Sauces
Garlicky Mushrooms
Sage Polenta with Nana’s Marinara
Dijon Vinaigrette
Tomato Relish
Fiery Pistachios
Sea Salt and Pepper Almonds
Raw Apple Spiced-Rum Shortcake with Maple Vanilla Glaze
Plus MANY, MANY more healthy, creative, and beautiful recipes!

These recipes will allow you to feel really good about the food you’re feeding your family (as well as yourself). They’ll also allow you to show off with great looking and delicious dishes that’ll probably earn you standing ovations.

Seriously, don’t wait another minute. Order Crazy Sexy Kitchen (Amazon link) today.

Review: Quesadillas by Donna Kelly (I LOVE this Cookbook to Distraction!)

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