One of my favorite blogs to read is Kitchen Stewardship.  (‘Though I’m never current; I always have a “pile” of posts sitting in my feed reader waiting to be read!)  Katie has really done us a service with her newest project, an ebook called Healthy Snacks to Go. It sells for $6.95, and it’s worth every penny.

I will never forget having read about a fellow blogger’s son who, upon looking into the pantry, lamented that, “there isn’t any food here, just ingredients!”  That’s what it’s like at our house most of the time, too – and probably at yours, if you eat primarily whole foods.  That’s where Katie’s book comes in, showing us how to turn those ingredients into easy, and mostly quick, foods that we and our little ones can munch on.

Healthy Snacks to Go contains twenty-one recipes, not including variations.  There is so much more to the book than that, though!  I was totally impressed by how much information Katie packed into this ebook.  To begin with, several tricks of offered for tricking the tongue into thinking a treat contains more sweetener than it actually does.  Then there’s a section with a key to the special symbols located throughout the book.  It was at this point that I really became amazed at all that is in this ebook.  All of the following things are indicated by symbols throughout the book: sugar-free, gluten-free, casein-free, no added sweetener, grain-free, nut-free, raw food, soaked option, slight indulgence, frugal snack, pricey but less than processed, diaper bag/backpack-friendly, and some refrigeration required.  That tells you a lot about the sorts of snacks that are in the book!  All are made with things that I consider real foods – no white (or brown) sugar, etc.  Real foods that I can be comfortable serving my children all day long.  We don’t have any food allergies, but the ___________-free labels will be helpful when looking for recipes to serve for visiting friends who do.

But that’s not all.  Several other symbols are used to indicate special sections in each recipe.  First, each recipe indicates whether it’s “easy,” “medium,” or “hard.”  (But even “hard” isn’t really all that difficult.  I think a beginner could handle any recipe in the book.  “Hard” just takes more preparation than the average snack.) Each recipe also includes time-saving tips, added bonus facts, healthy upgrades, and frequently-asked questions.  Every recipe really is packed with information; they aren’t just lists of ingredients and basic instructions.

The final element I found helpful was the section about “basic snacks for the absent-minded reader.”  This is just a list of snacks for which recipes aren’t necessary.  The things we all know we can eat, but can never seem to think of when we (or the kids) are hungry.  Maybe you don’t have that problem, but I can’t ever seem to think of anything decent to eat, so this list was really helpful for me!

I would have bought this book just for the granola bar recipe, since I have been completely unsuccessful in finding a recipe that doesn’t use brown sugar.  (The only sweetener in Katie’s granola bars is honey.)  But there’s also a “power bar” recipe in here (with a “zillion” variations), along with granola, a soaked granola bar option, a couple different muffins, spelt biscuits, wheat thin-type crackers, peanut butter kisses, stovetop popcorn, fruit rolls, applesauce, a couple other bars, “tater skin crispies,” veggie dip, potato salad, balsamic-n-spelt salad, rice pudding, and a group of ideas for using yogurt.  Many of these have variations with them.  All have a ton of helpful information.  The cost is given for each one, as well.

Hungry yet?  Click here to buy your own copy.

Filed under: Book Reviews - Other by Rachel
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Some of you may be familiar with Linda Dillow and Lorraine Pintus and/or their book, Intimate Issues, which addresses questions Christian women ask about sexuality.  Well, they have teamed up with their husbands to write a new book, Intimacy Ignited, for Christian couples.  It is excellent.

Unlike some other books, this is not about the “mechanics” of intercourse; rather, it’s essentially about the relationship - the intimacy – of a Christian couple’s sex life.  Rooted in the Song of Solomon, the book explores a variety of tools and methods for increasing the passion and intimacy of the reader’s marriage.

This is a tricky topic to write about well, but I believe the authors have succeeded.  They are not at all prudish – there’s definitely some spice here! – but, at the same time, they are respectful and not crude.  Just enough specifics are offered to be practically useful, without offering more information than is needed.  And when examples are given that would be otherwise awkward or inappropriate, they’re left anonymous.

The authors are also sensitive to issues such as past abuse.  They gently encourage moving beyond these things to fully appreciate the healthy relationships readers are in now.  However, they do not downplay the difficulty of doing so, or the magnitude of the hurt caused by the past.

As readers, we are encouraged to build up our spouses and soothe their insecurities, to try new things, and to be a source of refuge for our mates.  We’re urged to put away petty irritations, to be romantic, and to fully surrender ownership of our physical bodies.  We’re prompted to banish selfishness, hang-ups, and baggage from past experience.

Although centered in the bedroom, this book is much, much more than that.  It really encompasses the total relationship of a married couple.  I believe that newlyweds can greatly benefit from it, but fifty-year-marrieds can probably find something of value, as well.  This would make a great wedding gift!  I highly recommend it.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NavPress Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Filed under: Book Reviews - Other, Married Women Only by Rachel
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Many Americans are on weight-loss diets.  Some do well all on their own, while others use diet pills or programs to give them a little “boost.”  Consider books like Family Feasts for $75 a Week as hydroxycut for your budget.  Sure, you can cut the “flab” from your grocery budget on your own, but outside help can’t hurt.

I was blessed to win Mary Ostyn’s book a while back and, while I read it right away, I’m just now getting around to telling you about it.  (Sorry!)  Mary blogs at Owlhaven and, since she has ten children, I figured that her approach to saving money on groceries must also take time constraints into consideration!

The first few sections of the book discusses principles of saving on groceries.  Although none of this was really new information for me, it was a good refresher course, and would be excellent information for anyone starting out.  Mary’s style is very practical and realistic.  There is a sense of balance here that is sometimes missing from money-saving materials.  For instance, she mentions that they keep a stash of paper napkins in the pantry, but use the cloth napkins when they’re clean.  Instead of an all-or-nothing approach, this is a real-life way of doing things.  Baby steps are suggested, to do things like developing a price book without being overwhelmed.

After these introductory chapters, the recipes begin.  Although the collection draws somewhat heavily on ethnic recipes, there are not a lot of “weird” recipes here.  Most of them are fairly simple, healthy recipes using real ingredients.  They are all relatively quick, too.  Not all are super-speed recipes, but almost all of them are ready in under an hour (unless they are cook-all-day-in-the-crockpot types of recipes).  So all of these are very realistic to prepare.  Recipes are even provided for a lot of “make your own” items, like baking mix and pancake syrup.  And don’t worry; the recipes don’t all serve twelve!  Most of the meal recipes serve the standard 4-6, so you can multiply them – or not – as needed.

I think this would be a fantastic gift for a new homemaker.  Nearly all of us can probably glean something from it.  I am looking forward to trying some of these new recipes (now that I have written this up and can carry the book away from my computer!).

Filed under: Book Reviews - Other by Rachel
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Well, one way to get a blog sponsor early is to know someone.    In my case, my mom.  Now, even though this is my mother’s company, it is in no way inferior.  Mom’s products sell at homeschool conventions across the country, and she’s a popular speaker.  But the fact that she’s my mother endears me to her and was that little extra nudge that pushed her to spend some of her advertising dollars on sponsoring me to Relevant.  So, thanks to Mom and Everyday Homemaking, I have a ticket.  (I’m still seeking sponsors, though, for hotel and travel costs.  Just in case any potential sponsors are reading this and thinking that I’m covered.  I still have slots open.    )

Everyday Homemaking sells kitchen equipment, like the Electrolux Assistent (yes, it’s spelled like that; it’s foreign)/DLX stand mixer and some great, affordable waterless cookware, but their primary products are books.  I won’t describe them all for you – you’ll have to check out the website to read about all of them – but I will highlight a couple of them here.

Everyday Cooking is Mom’s cookbook.  Because she adopted many of her recipes before she learned about whole foods, they aren’t all quite as “whole food” as what I usually cook.  But many of them are and most of the few that aren’t are easily adapted.  All are quite doable for the average cook.  The best part about Everyday Cooking is that it’s jam-packed with Mom’s kitchen tips.  This is a favorite at conferences.

The Everyday Family Chore System is another favorite.  Years ago, Mom sold “copies” of the actual chore chart we used, in kits the user could finish assembling.  The chart quickly become so popular that her part of the assembly was just too much, so she adapted it into book format.  The parts are still in the book in reproducible form.  More significant, though, is the system.  People were adapting Mom’s system for use with a variety of charts, so the chart itself wasn’t as important.  Mom expanded the explanatory portions, to create this book.  What makes this different from other chore systems is the “how-to-do-it” cards – cards that spell out the instructions for completing each chore.  (These can be used with the chart assembled from the included reproducibles, or with whatever chart you already have.)

Home Education 101. Originally designed to be used as a mentoring system, this also has lots of fans among moms who bought the book just to use for their own reference.  (It is still used for its original purpose; it just isn’t only used for its original purpose.)  This is a pretty comprehensive course, and covers everything you might need to know to get started homeschooling, as well as how to balance homeschooling with your other household responsibilities.  Many moms have purchased this book solely for the chapter about “Getting Dinner on the Table the Same Day You Homeschool”!  (Keep in mind that the student book is designed to be used in a mentoring group with a leader, so it will be missing information if you use it by itself.  If you are purchasing this book purely for your own reference, you will want to buy the Mentor’s Manual instead.)

Many thanks to Everyday Homemaking for graciously agreeing to sponsor me to Relevant.  Please visit them and check out their products.

Filed under: Book Reviews - Other by Rachel
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Raw Energy: 124 Raw Food Recipes for Energy Bars, Smoothies, and Other Snacks to Supercharge Your Body
by Stephanie Tourles

$ 16.95 US

Paperback
Pages: 272
Size: 6 1/2 x 7 1/2
Color: Full-color; Photographs throughout
ISBN: 978-1-60342-467-7

We don’t actually eat raw.  We do, however, believe that everyone can benefit from eating some raw food, and we can certainly use more fruits and vegetables in our diet.  For these reasons, I find it beneficial to peruse raw foods “cook”books.  Raw Energy is a great resource for this purpose, because of its focus – snacks.

Although the author came across, in my opinion, as very dogmatic about raw eating, she does understand that making the switch can be difficult.  This is a completely different approach to food.  What we know may all need to be thrown out!  But snacks are an easy baby step; integrating raw snacks into one’s diet does not require a complete change of menu or the subtraction of all one’s favorite foods.  So, for those looking to switch to an all-raw (or mostly-raw) diet, snacks are a great first step.  For the rest of us, they’re just a great set of healthy options.

The first three chapters offer basic information.  They describe ingredients common in raw food preparation, describe “uncooking,” and talk about some kitchen tools that are necessary and/or useful for this type of food preparation.  Honestly, I felt that this part dragged a bit.  There is some really good information here – especially for those who may be relatively new to the whole foods world in general – but these three chapters comprise about a third of the book.

The remainder of the book consists of the recipes themselves.  There is a wide variety here, from nut milks and smoothies to trail mixes to cold soups.  The instructions are clear and simple, and there are often several options offered in the ingredients list.  My one complaint about this section is the photographs.  The whole book is in full-color, with – technically – a lot of photographs.  But most of these photographs are images of the ingredients, and are used as page borders.  There are almost no pictures of the completed recipes, which I would have found very helpful in a book about foods that are so different from what I’m accustomed to.  With many of these recipes, I’m not at all sure what end result I’m supposed to be aiming for.

Still, the options offered, the simple instructions, and the sheer fact that these are snack recipes makes the whole idea of “raw” far less overwhelming than it otherwise might be.  The ingredients used are, for the most part, readily available, and not too “weird.”

Bottom line?  I found this book to be very accessible, and good for a raw food beginner.

Full Disclosure: The book for this review was provided by Storey Publishing and MamaBzz.

Filed under: Book Reviews - Other, Health & Safety by Rachel
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