REVIEW: Forage. Gather. Feast.: 100+ Recipes from West Coast Forests, Shores & Urban Spaces by Maria Finn

Synopsis

Celebrate the pleasure of the wilderness (or even your backyard) with this approachable forage-to-kitchen cookbook featuring 110 recipes using foragable foods—from seaweed love to mushroom lust and everything in between.

Identify foragable foods in your own backyard to create simple, rustic recipes from the bounty of the coast, forest, and urban spaces up and down the West Coast.

Featuring more than 100 recipes and chock-full of lush photography, this cookbook shows you what to do with the delicious foodstuffs you can dig, snip, or catch anywhere from Alaska to Northern California, then put it all together in homecooked meals best shared with friends and gorgeous sunset views or cooked in the wild over a campfire.

Format 304 pages, Paperback
Published April 9, 2024 by Sasquatch Books
ISBN 9781632174864 (ISBN10: 1632174863)

My Thoughts

This book is about making use of the wealth of edible ingredients that can be found in the wilds of the West Coast. At first glance, I can tell you that I love the cover! It's like a charcuterie board of foraged goodies! You can smell the earthiness of the foraged mushrooms and the saltiness of the oysters; taste the sweet citrusy bite of blood orange.

This book guides you into the woods and to the water's edge for an adventure with purpose. It helps you see delicacies hanging over the sidewalk or slipping through the cracks. Harvesting wild food is an unscripted experience that requires us to follow nature's rhythms of tides and seasons, rain and dry spells. If we do this, she gives us incredible, nutritious food for free.

The author suggests that foraging is a great stress-reliever from daily life and a great way to come to know yourself, and to share your newly-discovered self with others over the meals you craft from your wild findings.

Due to the nature of this book, it is inherently vegetarian and pescatarian. Proteins are sourced naturally, and recipes include nothing like chicken or beef or other farmed livestock.

There are three chapters:

• The Coast with recipes like Fire-Roasted Butter Clams with Seafood Gremolata, Dungeness Crab Boil, and includes a DIY for how to make your own Sea Salt.
• The Forest with recipes like Fire-Roasted Kabocha Squash with Chanterelles, Wild King Salmon Bellies with Roasted Morels and Peaches, and Pine Scones with Huckleberries.
• The Edge and Urban Foraging includes recipes like White Bean Stew with Stinging Nettles and Oyster Mushrooms, Rose Hips and Apple Jam, and a DIY for Rose Petal Honey.

The cookbook's recipes use foraged ingredients like crabs, clams, oysters, various seaweeds, wild mushrooms, flowers, pinecones, berries, herbs, ferns and various greens. It provides instruction on how to catch crab, find bivalves, and harvest seaweed. There are a few Seasonal Menus at the end of the book to inspire you to host a seasonal party, or perhaps a Campfire Brunch with recipes like:

• Elderflower French 75
• Pine Scones with Huckleberries
• Herby Mushroom Leek Toasts
• Spruce Tip and Juniper Berry Sockeye Salmon Gravlax on bagels and cream cheese
• Campfire Dashi-Poached Eggs with Vegetable Hash
• Flaming Pine Needle Mussels
• Bay Laurel Nut Hot Cocoa
• Chilled Huckleberries with Campfire Caramel and Seaweed Salt

My final word:

I lived in the Pacific Northwest for several years in the '90s and consider it my second home. I fell in love with the area while living there with a military husband. This cookbook is reminiscent of the West Coast and the time I spent wandering the forests looking to identify edibles. I love the pictures. I love what this cookbook aspires to be. The thing that holds me back is the feeling that the recipes are somewhat unattainable. As the author says in her introduction...

The recipes are simple yet the ingredients a bit esoteric. Some you may be able to find seasonally at the farmer's market or grocery store, but the fun is in finding your own patches of rose hips and huckleberries.

It's not that the recipes are overly-complicated or filled with hard-to-find ingredients, but they feel like they are more well-suited for a gastronomist. A little amuse bouche that you find off-menu at a five-star restaurant. But I love the endeavor, and the heart and soul of this book, and I recommend it for the hard-core food crafters who are always looking for something new to try, or those who live in areas of the West Coast with lots of areas in which to forage. Beautiful photography and ambitious. 

Buy Now:

Find purchase options on Sasquatch Books

My Rating:

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The Cerebral Girl is a middle-aged blogger just digging her way out from under a mountain of books in the deep south of Florida.

I received a copy of this book to review through Netgalley and Sasquatch Books in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not financially compensated in any way, and the opinions expressed are my own and based on my observations while reading this novel. 


 

REVIEW: Kowbird by Matt Horn

Synopsis

If you are like most people, you eat a lot of chicken. But chances are you haven’t had chicken like Matt Horn’s chicken. Now you can! Learn how to make the best chicken on the planet, from a true master of the art, in this fun and inspiring book.

Celebrated chef Matt Horn spent years perfecting his chicken recipes before he opened his widely acclaimed mecca for chicken cookery, Kowbird, in Oakland, California. Even to this day, he continues to experiment with different cuts of chicken, with a host of sauces and spice mixtures that bring out the best flavors in chicken, and with all sorts of cooking techniques that make this popular food explode with flavor on the palate. In the richly photographed pages of Kowbird, he shares his hard-won wisdom and his brilliantly creative culinary wizardry, elevating the humble bird to its rightful place at the center of the plate—and as the star of the meal.

Matt gives you 65 recipes packed with flavor and creativity for everything from comforting weekday dinners to spectacular weekend feasts. It’s time to set aside the tired old chicken spaghetti, chicken parmesan, and unadorned chicken cutlets and dig.

With recipes for grilling, smoking, sautéing, brazing, baking, broiling, pan-frying, deep-frying, and more, this is a book that takes chicken to delectable places you’ve never dreamed of before.

Format 176 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication May 28, 2024 by Harvard Common Press
ISBN 9780760387412 (ISBN10: 0760387419)

My Thoughts

I chose to review this book from Netgalley as one of those books acting as a catalyst for getting me back into reading and reviewing after a long hiatus. The cover is one of the things that drew me to this book. A delicious spicy chicken sandwich with dripping sauce and pickles. I can almost taste it and feel the crunch of the chicken crust and the bite of the dill pickle, wiping a smear of sauce from my chin.

Inspired by his Oakland restaurant Kowbird, the author Matt Horn begins the book talking about the humble chicken, and its background and history as a staple in Southern cooking. I never knew that someone could have so much to say about chicken, and with such passion and adoration! He would argue that the chicken is not so humble and is such a versatile protein that can be downplayed or elevated and is a perfect representation of cooking in the south.

The book starts with an introduction to Southern cooking and the chicken's place in it. The collard greens and fried okra, chicken roasted or fried or in chicken and dumplings. This cookbook is broken into eight chapters: "Why did the chicken cross the road?", "The southern roots of Kowbird: Chicken, culture and community", Chicken Mains, Southern Sides, Desserts, Southern Sauces, Gravies for Chicken, and Seasonings for Chicken. 

The first chapter walks you through the "chicken's journey through the culinary landscape". It's the ability for chicken to transport you back in time to your grandmother's kitchen with the smell of chicken stew simmering on the stove. Memories of picnics and Sunday dinners. And the author lauds the chicken's ability to "unite".

In a world brimming with differences, the love for chicken is a universal thread. It's a silent reminder that simple joys and flavors bind us all, regardless of where we come from or where we're headed.

The author then offers up a primary on chicken breeds, temperaments and reputations of each, and for what kind of dishes each breed is preferred. His restaurant Kowbird is about community:

Kowbird is more than just a nod to my Southern roots, though it is about building bridges, reviving communities, and fostering entrepreneurship.

The chapter on "The Southern Roots of Kowbird" explores "chicken, culture and community". The author acknowledges some other culinary establishments around the country from which he's garnered inspiration, such as the hot chicken from Prince's Hot Chicken Shack in Nashville or the chicken at Honey's Kettle. He explores the origins of ingredients like black-eyed peas and deep-frying techniques being attributable to the slave trade and enslaved Africans. How many Southern dishes were born of hardship:

Many Southern dishes-- often labeled soul food-- originated during times of hardship, particularly during slavery and the subsequent eras of segregation and economic disparity. Enslaved peoples often made do with the least desirable ingredients, which they transformed into nourishing and delicious meals with creativity and resourcefulness: pork intestines became chitterlings, pig's feet became a pickled delicacy, greens slow-cooked with ham hocks were sublime, and cornmeal transformed into grits.

This cookbook offers up main dishes like Chicken Brunswick Stew, the Kowbird Chicken Smash Burger, and Georgia Peach Chicken Thighs as well as Southern staples like Southern Fried Chicken and Chicken and Dumplings. Dive into Southern Sides like Southern Green Beans with Bacon and Biscuits with Honey Butter. Finish off your meal with Desserts like Sweet Potato or Mississippi Mud Pie, 7Up Cake or Peach Cobbler. Additionally, you have recipes for things like Country Sausage Gravy and Memphis Dry Rub.

My final word: This is such a thorough southern cookbook of everything chicken! It has beautiful photography, passion, history, and above all else, pride. This is a chef who takes pride in his Southern roots and wants to share the flavors and love and novelty and versatility with the world. If you love Southern cooking, or if you just love the humble chicken, I strongly recommend this cookbook!

Chicken is a "comforting constant, reminding us of shared tales and the magic of simple, unadulterated flavors."

My Rating:

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The Cerebral Girl is a middle-aged blogger just digging her way out from under a mountain of books in the deep south of Florida.

I received an e-book copy of this book to review through Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not financially compensated in any way, and the opinions expressed are my own and based on my observations while reading this cookbook. 

REVIEW: Vegan Cookbook for Singles by Jordan Riley

Synopsis

Bonus PDF with 70+ Additional Ethnic Recipes

✅ Helpful Guide for Beginners to Start

✅ Quick and Easy Complete Meal Plans

✅ Includes Link for PDF with all Recipes

✅ Everyday Budget Ingredients; Easy to Find

✅ Plant-Based, Animal-Friendly, Planet-Friendly

✅ Calorie and Nutritional Information For all Recipes

Grab the bonus PDF with 70+ additional vegan ethnic recipes.

Most cookbooks are not very helpful if you need a quick and easy way to start plant-based home cooking. An Information dump with 9,771 recipes is exactly what you don’t need to start your vegan journey. Vegan cooking can be healthy, affordable, quick, and delicious. This Cookbook will show you how. Prepare healthy, plant-based meals with just a few common ingredients. Take these recipes and tweak them as you like. Enjoy as you learn. Why can’t your learning journey be fun?

In harmony with nature. Focused on total health. Let's start!

Publisher: ‎ Veganeasyquick (June 5, 2022)

Publication date: ‎ June 5, 2022

Print length: ‎ 343 pages

My Thoughts

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” – Mahatma Gandhi

What is veganism? Why would you want to become vegan? What are the benefits? This book answers all of that and more! The author walks you through the history of veganism, the different reasons that people have for choosing veganism, the tenets of it, and how you can achieve it. You'll learn things like the fact that "Pythagoras advocated an early form of veganism as far back as 500 BC."

So, “Why vegan?” You can do it for the animals, for the environment, for your health, or any combination of the above. I’ve even known some who have done it simply because they didn’t like the taste of animal products. I am not vegan, but I used to be pescatarian, which is to say that I used to abstain from most meats, but I did eat fish and seafood. I aspire to return to a pescatarian lifestyle and hopefully eventually a vegetarian diet. I don't know whether I will ever become vegan, but I'm always exploring the possibility.

One of the biggest reasons to consider a vegan diet is the fact that livestock wreak havoc on the environment.

• It takes one-quarter of all our freshwater to sustain the meat and dairy industry 
• Animal agriculture is responsible for 14% of all greenhouse gas emissions 
• Livestock feed has become the leading cause of deforestation, accounting for 91% of the Amazon Rainforest’s destruction.

Health is another big reason to consider veganism.

The vegan, plant-based diet was found to reduce the risk for cancer, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and type-2 diabetes. A vegan diet was also found to provide the best protection against female-specific cancers…

It's also a great way to lose weight. This is because "plant foods are naturally low in fat, but still contain all the nutrients needed to survive. They are a good source of energy and protein."

The book is also chock full of dietary tips like why you should avoid sugar and the effects of saturated fat on inflammation in the body, and includes three weeks of menu plans and recipes. Delicious recipes like Maple Cinnamon Oatmeal, Adzuki Bean Stew with Miso, Thai Noodle Salad, Chocolate Almond Butter Fruit Dip, and Warm Tomato Salad. And better yet, the recipes are small batch recipes for a single person! No more having to make a big dish to serve six people and eat the same thing for days!

My final word: Informative and packed with yummy recipes, this book is a great primer for anyone looking to explore veganism! It's well written and well organized and full of great information. I also love that it's designed for single people! Note that I read a kindle edition, so I can't speak to the quality of the book binding or picture quality.

The foundational pillar upon which Veganism rests is one of ethics as it is driven by one’s personal, moral, and ethical compass which considers the use of animals for food, clothing, or entertainment to be cruel. Beyond ethics, veganism is the belief that one does not need to consume animals or their by-products to meet nutritional needs. It’s a personal decision for those who love fruits and vegetables. The intention is not to pass judgment on non-vegans, but to offer an ethical option for those who desire alternatives to the omnivorous, western diet of meat and potatoes. Like any other diet, veganism isn’t for everyone and that is perfectly ok.

Buy Now:

Amazon

My Rating:

 

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The Cerebral Girl is a middle-aged blogger just digging her way out from under a mountain of books in the deep south of Florida.

I received a kindle copy of this book to review through Hidden Gems Books in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not financially compensated in any way, and the opinions expressed are my own and based on my observations while reading this novel.


 

TLC BOOK TOURS and REVIEW: Dishing Up the Dirt by Andrea Bermis

Synopsis

Andrea Bemis, the creator of the popular farm-to-table blog Dishing Up the Dirt builds on her success with this beautiful, simple, seasonally driven cookbook, featuring more than 100 inventive and delicious whole-foods recipes and dozens of color photographs.

For Andrea Bemis, who owns and runs a six-acre organic farm with her husband outside of Portland, Oregon, dinners are inspired by what is grown in the soil and picked by hand. In Dishing Up the Dirt, Andrea offers 100 authentic farm-to-table recipes, arranged by season, including:

Spring: Honey Roasted Strawberry Muffins, Lamb Lettuce Wraps with Mint Yogurt Sauce, Spring Harvest Pizza with Mint & Pea Pesto, Kohlrabi and Chickpea Salad

Summer: Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Biscuits, Roasted Ratatouille Toast, Kohlrabi Fritters with Garlic Herb Cashew Cream Sauce, Farmers Market Burgers with Mustard Greens Pesto

Fall: Farm Girl Veggie Bowls, Butternut Molasses Muffins, Early Autumn Moroccan Stew, Collard Green Slaw with Bacon Gremolata

Winter: Rutabaga Home Fries with Smokey Cashew Sauce, Hoisin Glazed Brussels Sprouts, Country Girl Old Fashioned Cocktails, Tumbleweed Farm Winter Panzanella

Andrea’s recipes focus on using whole, locally-sourced foods—incorporating the philosophy of eating as close to the land as possible. While many recipes are naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, or vegetarian, many others include elemental ingredients like bread, cheese, eggs, meat, and sweeteners, which are incorporated in new and inventive ways.

In short essays throughout the book, Andrea also presents an honest glimpse of life on Tumbleweed Farm—the real life of a farmer, not the shabby-chic fantasy often portrayed—offering fascinating and frequently entertaining details about where the food on our dinner tables comes from. With stunning food photography as well as intimate portraits of farm life, Dishing Up the Dirt allows anyone to be a seasonal foodie and an armchair farmer.

Hardcover, 304 pages
Published March 14th 2017 by Harper Wave
ISBN 0062492225 (ISBN13: 9780062492227)


About the Author

Andrea is the writer, recipe developer, and photographer behind the food blog DishingUp TheDirt.com. Her recipes and Tumbleweed Farm have been featured in publications such as the New York Times, Well and Good NYC, and Eating Well Magazine. She lives on her farm in Oregon with her husband and dog.

Follow the author on Instagram
Friend the author on Facebook



  

My Thoughts

I've learned many lessons in the seven years since my life took a radical turn for the dirt. I'm physically capable of doing tasks that I would never have dreamed I could do in my prefarming life. I now organize an entire calendar year between the first and last predicated frosts of the season. I know community is everything. Food is medicine. And most important, cocktail hour should never be passed up after a long and hard day of work.

Author Andrea Bermis lives with her husband Taylor on a six-acre farm named Tumbleweed Farm located outside the town of Parkdale, population 266. While living in Oregon in 2008, they made the unexpected decision to move to Taylor's family farm in Massachusetts to learn how to live the lives of farmers. After several years of hard, back-breaking but satisfying farm work, the author and her husband could deny their longing for the west coast no longer, and they moved back to Oregon to start their own farm from the ground up.

The recipes in this book utilize fresh local grown ingredients and are organized by season, so you get them at their freshest. The author begins with a brief introduction before shifting the book to seasons.

Each seasonal chapter begins with a description of life on the farm during that season. Spring is hectic and full of anxiety as they rush to get seedlings into the ground and nurse them through damaging weather and protect them from foraging wildlife, and raise and rotate chickens and harvest their eggs. This chapter leads into recipes utilizing springtime ingredients like strawberries, various lettuces and herbs, radishes and beans and eggs.

Summer on the farm is a time of teeming life and prayers for rain. Lots and lots of time is spent weeding to produce healthy plants without pesticides.

This is our life all summer long. Weed. Water. Harvest. Weed. Water. Harvest. Rinse and repeat.

And Tuesdays in the summer brings CSA boxes that must be packed and delivered to their members who love the fresh and organic produce delivered straight from the farm. And summer evenings consist of enjoying the sunset with a beer and a view of the crops, followed by dinner on the deck by candlelight. Dinner might include dishes like Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Herbed Yogurt, Corn Salad with Walnuts and Feta, or Summer Squash and Corn Pasta with Garlic Tahini Sauce.

Autumn channels in the beginning of the cooler weather. Autumn is about "reaping the rewards of the last several months of tireless work". This is when the root vegetables like potatoes and carrots and turnips are dug up for delivery or storage. Gone are the frenetic days of spring and summer, and this is the season to start to sit back and enjoy all of their hard work. The author and her husband host a "thank you" party at their farm for their CSA members who put their faith in the them each year that they will produce food for all of them to enjoy the following year. Then there comes the preserving of food-- pickles, jams, vegetables, pesto. Winter projects are planned, and winter recipes include ingredients like beets, peppers, carrots, mushrooms and all sorts of squash.

Winter is a time of dormancy. The fields and greenhouse are barren and hibernating for the winter, the stores and freezers are packed with food to get the couple through the winter. The biggest concerns are winter storms and warm chickens. It's a time to make plans and purchase supplies of seeds, fertilizers and soil for the coming season. And cold winter nights are spent filling up on hearty meals like Tumbleweed Farm Winter Panzanella, Venison Stew, Spiced Winter Porridge, and Roasted Chicken Thighs with Root Vegetables.

I'll admit that the recipes in this book didn't really "grab" me. They are more rustic than I'm use finding in a lot of the cookbooks I get, or they have ingredients that are somewhat foreign to me, so I just couldn't get really excited with the flavor the recipe held in store. However I decided to try the recipe for Chicken and Chickpea Pesto Summer Salad. Yes, I know this book is organized seasonally, but I live in Florida where we have no seasons! So summer cooking is fine in the middle of winter!

And may I just say that I was pleasantly surprised with how refreshing this salad was? Full of shredded poached chicken and chickpeas, thinly-sliced cucumbers, radishes and celery, tossed with pesto and topped with parmesan, it was full of flavor! I'm sure it will be even better tonight after the flavors have had time to meld. I admit that I cheated and used jarred pesto, so it could probably be even better with homemade, but I was still duly impressed!

I also made a batch of Farmer's Candy, which are oven-dried cherry tomatoes (like sun-dried tomatoes, but better!)

The author suggests "If you can resist eating them in one sitting, try adding them to pasta and eggs, or top your morning toast with goat cheese and a small handful of these guys". I've stored a batch in the freezer for use over the next few months.

I would like to thank TLC Book Tours and HarperCollins for including me on this tour. Check out the website for the full tour schedule:

Tuesday, March 14th: No More Grumpy Bookseller
Wednesday, March 15th: Just Commonly
Thursday, March 16th: Ms.Bookish.com
Friday, March 17th: Cerebral Girl in a Redneck World
Friday, March 17th: Under My Apple Tree
Monday, March 20th: Wall-to-Wall Books
Tuesday, March 21st: #redhead.with.book
Wednesday, March 22nd: Sidewalk Shoes
Friday, March 24th: Create With Joy
Monday, March 27th: Broken Teepee
Tuesday, March 28th: G. Jacks Writes
Wednesday, March 29th: Luxury Reading
Thursday, March 30th: Literary Quicksand
Friday, March 31st: Library of Clean Reads


My final word: I must admit that when I first got this book, I wasn't initially impressed from the outset. The actual structure of the book reminds me a bit of a school textbook, so it left me feeling that I was about to have to do my homework or something equally unpleasant. However once I dived in I was pleasantly surprised at how charming this book actually is. It's down-home and genuine and honest, and the recipes are rustic seasonal recipes for the way I should be cooking. The recipes, like the author, are honest and bared for all to see.

This is a really lovely cookbook. I just wish it didn't resemble a textbook so much. I fear that it could cause it to be overlooked, when it deserves to recognized for what it is: A beautiful love story about the love shared by the author and her husband, and the hard yet fulfilling farm life that they've chosen to live together.

And it reminded me that I really need to grow some radishes again.


Buy Now: 

HarperCollins
Barnes and Noble
Amazon
IndieBound

My Rating:

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The Cerebral Girl is a forty-something blogger just digging her way out from under a mountain of books in the deep south of Florida.

I received a copy of this book to review through TLC Book Tours and the publisher, in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not financially compensated in any way, and the opinions expressed are my own and based on my observations while reading this novel.

TLC BOOK TOURS and REVIEW: The Dude Diet by Serena Wolf

Synopsis

From chef and creator of the popular food blog Domesticate-Me.com, 125 outrageously delicious yet deceptively healthy recipes for dudes (and the people who love them), accompanied by beautiful full-color photography.

Dudes. So well intentioned when it comes to healthy eating, even as they fail epically in execution—inhaling a "salad" topped with fried chicken fingers or ordering their Italian hero on a whole wheat wrap (that makes it healthy, right?).

There are several issues with men going on diets. First, they seem to be misinformed about basic nutrition. They are also, generally, not excited about eating "health food." You can lead a dude to the salad bar, but you can’t make him choose lettuce.

Enter Serena Wolf—chef, food blogger, and caretaker of a dude with some less than ideal eating habits. As a labor of love, Serena began creating healthier versions of her boyfriend’s favorite foods and posting them on her blog, where she received an overwhelming response from men and women alike. Now, in The Dude Diet, Serena shares more than 125 droolworthy recipes that prove that meals made with nutrient-dense whole foods can elicit the same excitement and satisfaction associated with pizza or Chinese take-out.

The Dude Diet also demystifies the basics of nutrition, empowering men to make better decisions whether they’re eating out or cooking at home. Better still, each recipe is 100% idiot-proof and requires only easily accessible ingredients and tools. With categories like Game Day Eats, On the Grill, Serious Salads, and Take Out Favorites, The Dude Diet will arm dudes and those who love them with the knowledge they need to lead healthier, happier lives—with flattened beer bellies and fewer meat sweats.

The Dude Diet includes 102 full-color photographs.

Hardcover, 352 pages
Published October 25th 2016 by Harper Wave
ISBN 0062424386 (ISBN13: 9780062424389) 

About the Author
(from the back cover)

Serena Wolf is a graduate of Harvard University and Le Cordon Bleu Paris. She puts her culinary skills (and sense of humor) to work as a private chef, culinary instructor, food writer, recipe developer, and blogger at Domesticate-Me.com. She lives in New York with her dude.

Check out the author's website
Follow the author on Instagram




My Thoughts

You know, I'm not a dude, but I tend toward eating like one. I like fatty, salty comfort food. I want nachos and chili and steak and grilled sandwiches. My hips are not happy about this. I need to trick myself into eating healthfully while convincing my stomach and brain that I'm still just as bad as ever!

This book can help with that little problem. The author offers up recipes that will appeal to any "dude", while making those who care about them feel okay about what they are feeding their dude. The full title says it all: "The Dude Diet: Clean(ish) Food for People Who Like to Eat Dirty". That's me! I like to eat dirty!

The book is divided into chapters like Badass Breakfasts and Take-Out Favorites. The author starts out with an introduction on how how her boyfriend got her started on this path, leading to not only this book, but also the website Domesticate-Me.com. She was pleasantly surprised at the enthusiastic response she received from not only her boyfriend, but from plenty of dudes everywhere-- even a couple of NFL players.

The book includes a list of 14 "Dude Diet Commandments", with "rules" like: 

2. I shall eat more fish, poultry, and lean pork. Red meat is an indulgence, not a diet staple.  

12. I shall exercise on a regular basis. Such exercise will break a sweat. Sitting in a steam room or sauna does not count.

She then walks you through the basics of the Dude Diet, and how to be successful at it before leading you into a collection of recipes like Apple Pie Overnight Oats and Cheeseburger Quinoa Bake, and classics like Epic Meatloaf and Dude Diet Philly Cheesesteaks. 

Now in full disclosure I admit that I tried the Skirt Steak and Avocado Quesadillas, and I must be honest and say that I was not a fan. However I also must say that I don't think this really reflects much on the recipe, but rather that I discovered that I am not a fan of the flavor or texture of skirt steak (which I'd never had before) nor whole wheat tortillas. With a few tweaks to suit my own taste buds, I think this recipe could be a winner. There are still plenty of recipes in the book that don't contain skirt steak. The Apple Pie Overnight Oats are at the top of the list, as well as Chicken Parmesan, Chopped Chicken Club Salad with Honey-Mustard Dressing, and Double Chocolate Pound Cake. 
 

I would like to thank TLC Book Tours for including me on this tour. Check out the website for the full tour schedule:

Monday, October 17th: #redhead.with.book
Friday, October 28th: Create With Joy
Friday, October 28th: Joyfully Retired
Monday, October 31st: Just Commonly
Tuesday, November 1st: Art Books Coffee
Wednesday, November 2nd: Library of Clean Reads
Thursday, November 3rd: Wall-to-Wall Books
Monday, November 7th: Stranded in Chaos
Tuesday, November 8th: What Will She Read Next
Wednesday, November 9th: Jathan & Heather
Monday, November 14th: Rebecca Radish
Tuesday, November 15th: Cerebral Girl in a Redneck World
Thursday, November 17th: Oh, That’s Tasty!
Friday, November 18th: WildmooBooks
Monday, November 21st: From the TBR Pile
Tuesday, November 22nd: In Bed with Books
TBD: Diary of a Stay at Home Mom


My final word: This is a great idea for helping the dudes in your life, as well as yourself, eat more healthfully. We're talking hearty food cleaned up and made lighter without losing flavor. It's a homerun!

Buy Now:

HarperCollins
Barnes and Noble
Amazon

My Rating:

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The Cerebral Girl is a forty-something blogger just digging her way out from under a mountain of books in the deep south of Florida.  .

Disclosure:

I received a copy of this book to review through TLC Book Tours and HarperCollins, in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not financially compensated in any way, and the opinions expressed are my own and based on my observations while reading this novel.

REVIEW: Cast-Iron Cooking: Recipes & Tips for Getting the Most out of Your Cast-Iron Cookware by Rachael Narins

Synopsis

Get the most from your cast-iron cookware with 40 fabulous recipes especially designed for cast iron, from a full English breakfast to chilaquiles, pan pizza, cheesy beer fondue, Korean fried chicken, vegetarian chili, mango curry, party nuts, two kinds of cornbread, baked apples, gingerbread -- and the perfect grilled cheese sandwich! You'll also learn how to buy the cast-iron pots and pans that are right for you and how to care for them successfully.  

Paperback, 96 pages
Expected publication: August 9th 2016 by Storey Publishing, LLC
ISBN 1612126766 (ISBN13: 9781612126760)


My Thoughts

All across America, there are cast-iron pans displayed proudly on pot racks in kitchens, decoratively hung from nails in barns, nestled in cupboards, and tucked away in attics and basements.

I bought a cast-iron skillet years ago, but I have barely used it. I've never been sure just what to do with it. I mean, you can't cook without non-stick coating, right? So I was eager to learn from this book how to use my cast-iron skillet; how to care for it.

This cookbook is slightly different from most cookbooks, as there isn’t an extensive introduction. Usually a cookbook has fairly detailed intro that gives a glimpse into the thought that went into the cookbook, history, cooking equipment, cooking techniques, etc. This book does that, but in much briefer style, and after a dozen pages you are diving into the recipes. I liked this! They got to the point, told you what you needed to know, and moved on to the meat of it!

You learn about the different types of cast-iron. Not only the traditional skillet, but also griddles and pots and specialty pans. You learn how to best "season" the pan (so you have no need for that non-stick coating I mentioned earlier), and a "seasoned" pan vs. enameled cast iron, and what not to do with cast iron.

It's broken into chapters for Breakfast,  Lunch and Dinner, Sides and Snacks, and Dessert. All recipes are cooked in a cast-iron pan, whether on the stovetop, in the oven, or over an outdoor fire. Classic recipes like Fried Chicken or Steaks with Red Wine Sauce, something a little more unexpected like Baked Crab & Shrimp or Charred Eggplant Dip, or a dessert of Cranberry Upside-Down Cake.

Each recipe is showcased with a full page picture and the recipe title boldly stretched across it. Bright and colorful and yummy photography, simple and easy-to-read ingredient list, and numbered recipe steps.

I decided to make the Korean Short Ribs (galbi). The recipe called for "flanken-cut beef short ribs", and I had no clue what "flanken-cut" was. It would have been nice if it had explained this. Regardless I just used what I had on hand.

The ribs were marinated for 24 hours in a soy sauce/rice marinade with scallions, pears, onion, garlic and ginger. Then they were cooked in a hot cast iron skillet.

However I am guessing from the picture in the book that "flanken-cut" means cutting the short ribs even shorter, right through the bone. This means that the ribs are normally much thinner than what I was cooking. Which means that my ribs weren't cooking through, and after much cooking and smoking (the recipe warned about the smoke), the ribs were still rare. So I decided to stick them in the oven to finish. Thank heavens for the cast iron skillet! Easy transfer from stove top to oven!

I cooked the ribs to medium well. They were then served with rice, lettuce, scallions and extra heated marinade.

Put a piece of meat in the lettuce with some marinade and scallions, and pop it in your mouth. Chase it with some rice drizzled with marinade.

Yum!

The trouble is that my skillet is now coated in cooked-on marinade, and it does not want to come clean. Which leads me to my only real complaint: This book didn't give me explicit instructions for how to clean off cooked-on food and grime, nor what type of scrubbing pads I could use (rather than what I can't use).

But that's really my only complaint. The book is concise at under 100 pages, beautifully done, with tantalizing recipes. It's informative and inspirational, and I love it!

Buy Now:

Barnes and Noble
Amazon

My Rating:

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The Cerebral Girl is a forty-something blogger just digging her way out from under a mountain of books in the deep south of Florida.

I received a copy of this book to review through Netgalley, in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not financially compensated in any way, and the opinions expressed are my own and based on my observations while reading this novel. The book that I received was an uncorrected proof, and quotes could differ from the final release.  

QUICK REVIEW: Dining at the Ravens by Jeff and Joan Stanford

Synopsis

At The Ravens, dinner is more than just a meal. It’s a feast for your spirit.

Located on the Mendocino coast at the only vegan resort in the United States, The Ravens Restaurant at the Stanford Inn by the Sea embodies a mindful, compassionate, and sustainable dining experience in an enchanting and unforgettable setting. Now in Dining at The Ravens, Jeff and Joan Stanford, the Inn and restaurant founders, bring the Ravens culinary experience into your home.

Teeming with beautiful photographs, Dining at The Ravens features more than 150 delicious vegan recipes and shares the charming history of the Inn and restaurant, cooking tips for perfect recipe execution, and even inspiration for creating your own garden.

Discover one of the restaurant’s most popular breakfast dishes, Citrus Polenta with Braised Garden Greens and a Creamy Toasted Cashew Sauce, and many others, such as:

Ravens Sea Palm Strudel
Indian-Spiced Polenta Napoleon
Mushroom Pesto and Sun-Dried Tomato Burger
Ravens Spicy Peanut Curry Sea Palm
Sweet Summer Corn Bisque
Peach Huckleberry Cobbler

Pull up a seat and find out why vegans and non-vegans alike flock to The Ravens for an extraordinary dining experience.


My Thoughts

Jeff and Joan Sanford moved to Mendocino, CA and purchased The Big River Lodge in the early '80s with dreams of creating a "stellar" resort and restaurant. As their family grew, so did their resort and gardens. During this time, Jeff became a vegetarian, and then later a vegan.

In 1997, they opened The Ravens vegan restaurant, and it became a huge hit among vegans and non-vegans alike.

Cue this cookbook. On the plus side, there are a lot of recipes in this book, and a lot of photos (a good thing for someone like me who is visual and needs a cookbook with pictures to entice me)!

However I don't like to see a list of 30 ingredients, such as with the Seasonal Wild Mushroom Crepe. I prefer my recipes simpler for the most part.

Nor do I like having to create several other things in order to make one dish, such as with the Eggplant Cannelloni (which requires you make a batch of Hemp Ricotta and a batch of marinara in order to make the dish).

I'm more for the "fresh" style of food preparation, whereby it's mostly just chopped/sliced veggies, perhaps a grain, a fat like olive oil and some seasoning to make a dish.

So I respect what they were doing here, the way they share their belief system and how The Ravens came to be. I think their recipes will do well to inspire people and show the potential to be found in vegan cooking. It simply isn't my style.


Buy Now:
Barnes and Noble
Amazon
 

My Rating:

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The Cerebral Girl is a forty-something blogger just digging her way out from under a mountain of books in the deep south of Florida.

I received a copy of this book to review through Netgalley, in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not financially compensated in any way, and the opinions expressed are my own and based on my observations while reading this novel. The book that I received was an uncorrected proof, and quotes could differ from the final release.

REVIEW: Food Swap by Emily Paster

Synopsis

Whether your goal is to start your own community food swap, or just make delicious treats to share with family and friends, this is the book you need! Part cookbook, part how-to guide, Food Swap features more than 80 recipes for artisanal items that will be coveted at food swaps and adored as gifts, including preserves, baked goods, granolas, cheeses, pestos, roasted nuts, flavored salts, and specialty spices -- everything from salted caramel sauce and Meyer lemon curd to green tomato salsa, lavender shortbread, cultured butter, apricot jalapeno jelly, and rum vanilla extract. You'll also find creative ways to irresistibly package your items, and the book even includes perforated gift tags ready for personalization. Finally, author Emily Paster -- co-founder of the Chicago Food Swap, one of the biggest in the world -- offers guidance on setting up a food swap in your own community, as well as inspiring stories from people who are part of this growing movement.

Paperback, 224 pages
Published May 17th 2016 by Storey Publishing, LLC
ISBN 1612125638 (ISBN13: 9781612125633)
 Check out the author's website


My Thoughts

I've always been fascinated with the idea of growing my own food and a pantry and refrigerator full of homemade goodies, and then trading my goods with others who do the same. Unfortunately I'm not very good at growing things (I don't quite have a black thumb, but I can't compete with the Florida heat to allow most things to thrive and produce, especially anytime outside of winter and fall). But I still hold out hope for myself.

I have dabbled a little with homemade food stuffs. I've canned jelly and relish, made spiced nuts, fresh butter and farmer's cheese. And doing so has just assured me that I'd like to do more of it! But you always wind up with much more than a single person can eat, and you just want to share. Enter the food swap!

At a food swap, attendees bring homemade foods (or sometimes crafts) to trade with others. It's a good way to fill your pantry with a variety of items rather than just a couple of things, and to be exposed to items you may have never thought about trying otherwise.

This book explains what a food swap is, has examples of food swaps held across the country, strategies for hosting a successful swap (or for just being a successful attendee), and then provides a large selection of recipes for popular food swap-type foods, and is filled with lovely photos. Try some Salted Caramel Sauce (great drizzled over ice cream) or Lavender Shortbread. Swap some Kale and Onion Miniature Frittatas. Or how about some Tuscan White Bean and Rosemary Dip to share? I'm eager to try the Citrus Curd (a great choice here in Florida), and the book informs us that granola (like the Cherry-Almond Granola in the book) is always a big hit at swaps.

My final word: This book did the job. I've always been intrigued by the idea of "food swapping" and preserving foods and self-sustaining methods. I got this book to explore one of those ideas a little further, and it fueled the fire with its wealth of information, lovely photography, and taste bud tantalizing recipes. I got a free review copy of this book through Netgalley, but I will be buying a copy to add to my permanent library. A great introduction to the food swap phenomenon!

Buy Now:
Barnes and Noble
Amazon
IndieBound

My Rating:

 

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The Cerebral Girl is a forty-something blogger just digging her way out from under a mountain of books in the deep south of Florida.

I received a copy of this book to review through Netgalley, in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not financially compensated in any way, and the opinions expressed are my own and based on my observations while reading this novel. The book that I received was an uncorrected proof, and quotes could differ from the final release.  


 

QUICK REVIEW: The Soup Cleanse by Vivienne Vella and Angela Blatteis

Synopsis

Souping is the new juicing!

When Angela Blatteis and Vivienne Vella set out to create Soupure, the LA-based soup company at the forefront of the souping movement, they wanted to share the power of healing soups with the world. With a few simple, delicious recipes they've helped people lose weight, boost their energy, and feel better every day. Now with THE SOUP CLEANSE they are bringing their satisfying, 100 percent good-for-you, whole food-based soups straight into your kitchen.

With more than 50 delicious recipes and a flexible, easy-to-follow detox program, you'll learn how to nourish and purify your body while flooding it with essential nutrients. You will sip your way through high-fiber soups packed full of regenerative whole food ingredients. Unlike juicing and many other quick-fix diets, THE SOUP CLEANSE is built on simple, satisfying recipes that won't leave you feeling hungry or deprived, making it accessible and easy to stick to-even for those with the busiest lifestyles.

Get ready to rejuvenate, revitalize, and reclaim your health-one sip at a time!

Hardcover, 240 pages
Published December 29th 2015 by Grand Central Life & Style
ISBN 1455536660 (ISBN13: 9781455536665)


My Thoughts

I came upon this book quite fortuitously. I had learned of Soupure on the Today Show, and checked them out online where I learned of this book. I thought, "I wonder whether Netgalley would have this book?" Sure enough, it did!

I got side-tracked by the flu, and this book wound up expiring before I was able to give it a thorough review and try any of the recipes. However I can tell you the following:

• There is an introduction to how the company Soupure began, and the thinking behind the soup cleanse.
• The book includes beautiful photography, and I loved the colors that reminded me of cantaloupe and honeydew melon and lemons.
•  It offers up guidelines for several cleanse options, including one-day, three-day and five-day cleanses. You can make the cleanse as extreme or easy as you wish. Go totally raw with no dairy or meat, or do a modified cleanse.
• It includes a list of ingredients that are great for detoxification, like almonds, flax, pineapple and turmeric.
• It instructs how to choose and prepare for your cleanse.
• It includes a detox journal and worksheet for you to log physical complaints before you start the cleanse, and how you feel after the cleanse has been completed.
• It includes broths, cold soups, hot soups and even infused waters.
• It also includes some other recipes for a less restrictive "mini-cleanse", like Grilled Lemon Chicken Salad with greens and cherry tomatoes, and even a dessert of Chocolate Soup with Sea Salt, Almonds and Whipped Coconut Milk.

I definitely think if you enjoy soup, this is a great option that can even be included in your regular diet.  And if you like to do the occasional cleanse, this is much more appetizing and satisfying than simply drinking juice, or honey and lemon water.

Check out the Soupure website, to get a better idea what they are about, or to order their book.

My Rating: A-

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The Cerebral Girl is a forty-something blogger just digging her way out from under a mountain of books in the deep south of Florida.

I received a copy of this book to review through Netgalley, in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not financially compensated in any way, and the opinions expressed are my own and based on my observations while reading this novel.

REVIEW: Cut the Sugar, You're Sweet Enough by Ella Leche

Synopsis

Energy, lightness, vitality - life without sugar is sweet indeed!

Cut the Sugar, You’re Sweet Enough is a practical, real-life approach to reducing sugar the healthy way so you don’t feel deprived. This is not a sugar-detox book but an inspiring cookbook and guide to change your relationship with the foods you love and address your cravings properly. There are over 100 delicious and easy recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and yes, even dessert!

Ella Leché, the voice behind the popular food blog Pure Ella, used to consider herself a healthful eater. She ate salads; she drank water. But like so many of us, she also looked forward to her daily sweet treats. It wasn’t until her health fell apart due to a rare illness that she began to make the food-health connection.

Back in 2008, just months after the birth of her first child, Ella developed debilitating weakness to the point where she collapsed numerous times. She had difficulty getting up from the bed and could barely breathe and eat. The diagnosis was myasthenia gravis, a neuromuscular autoimmune condition for which there is no medical cure. The medication she was put on wasn’t helping, and she decided to try and heal through food. She treated candida and eliminated many culprits such as processed foods, wheat, dairy, and, most important, sugar. Slowly she began to feel stronger and healthier. She found sugar was also triggering her frequent headaches, mood swings, and energy slumps. Now she is inspiring others to eat healthier and apply her approach to cut the sugar, not quit sugar entirely!

With emphasis on real, nutrient-dense whole foods—all presented deliciously and beautifully photographed by Ella herself and written in her encouraging, upbeat, grounded voice—Cut the Sugar is an inspirational and accessible guide to the sweet life . . . because you’re sweet enough already!

Recipes include both fan favorites as well as many all-new offerings, including:

Millet-Apple Breakfast Cake
Creamy Avocado-Cucumber Rolls
Chocolate-Dipped Almond & Cacao Nib Biscotti
Raw Berry Swirl Raw Cheesecake
Healthy Three-Ingredient Chocolate Pudding

Paperback, 240 pages
Published January 5th 2016 by Andrews McMeel Publishing
ISBN 1449470718 (ISBN13: 9781449470715)

My Thoughts

Sugar is my arch-enemy. I could live on sugar... well, emotionally I could live on sugar. Physically sugar is killing me. Last summer I tried the Whole 30 diet, which was a strict elimination diet that required I avoid lots of things, and one of those was sugar. And I mean avoidance to the nth degree! You were supposed to completely eliminate all refined sugar. Not even things like mayonnaise or ketchup were allowed. And I noticed a lot of physical changes during this 30 day elimination-- positive changes. My skin cleared up, my cough disappeared, I no longer felt bloated, and I had more energy. I'm not sure how many of those changes can be attributed to the elimination of refined sugar, or how many were influenced by the other things I had eliminated like grains, but there was a marked difference.

And then the 30 days were over, and the sugar crept back into my diet. I swear I'm hopeless, but I keep trying.

So I grabbed this book when it became available on Netgalley.

The book begins with the author's story. She tells of her debilitating health issues, and how eliminating sugar from her diet resolved those issues.

Then she offers an introduction to sugar, and the easy steps to eliminating sugar. She teaches you how to fill your pantry with "superfoods" to help you not miss the sugar. Things like Cinnamon, Cacao Powder and Nutritional Yeast.

She educates you on how to sprout beans, lentils and seeds, and how to make your own nut and seed milk, i.e. almond milk.

The cover of this book shows waffles and fruit, and the cheerful colors of red, white and blue. And as you begin paging through it you see strawberries and lemons, and this got me expecting that this cookbook would be more desserts and breakfast. You know, healthier alternatives for sweets.

However it wound up being more about alternatives to sweets. It categorizes recipes by Breakfast, Salad & Appetizers, Soups, Mains & Sides, Desserts, Snacks and Drinks. It offers up the normal breakfast options like oatmeal and yogurt parfaits, and then other high protein options like Avocado Toast, or Caramelized Onion, Leek & Potato Chickpea Frittata.

My final word: This book is a good option for some, but not for me. It uses a lot of gluten-free ingredients (and I'm not looking to go gluten free, although you could probably easily use gluten options instead), and it uses sweeteners like stevia and rooibos (another thing I'm not looking to get into). Some of the recipes intrigue me (like Chocolate-Cherry-Chia Pudding), but many of the recipes (particularly those for the mains and sides) I just have no interest in. They simply don't suit my taste buds. It has beautiful photography and is informative, but it just isn't a good fit for me.


Buy Now:
Barnes and Noble 
Amazon
IndieBound 


My Rating:

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The Cerebral Girl is a forty-something blogger just digging her way out from under a mountain of books in the deep south of Florida.

I received a copy of this book to review through Netgalley, in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not financially compensated in any way, and the opinions expressed are my own and based on my observations while reading this novel. 

REVIEW: The New Sugar & Spice by Samantha Seneviratne

Synopsis

A wonderfully unique and unexpected collection of desserts that showcase spice over sugar, with 80 recipes that both reinvent classic sweets and introduce more unusual spice-infused desserts.

In Sugar and Spice, veteran food editor and recipe developer Samantha Seneviratne invites readers to explore a bold new world of spice-centric desserts. Each chapter centers on a different spice--some familiar, like vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger; others less expected (especially in sweet preparations), such as peppercorns, chiles, and cardamom. With fascinating histories, origin stories, and innovative uses for each spice, this book will inspire readers to rediscover and re-stock their spice drawers, and raise their desserts up to a whole new level of flavor.

Hardcover, 240 pages
Published September 8th 2015 by Ten Speed Press
ISBN 1607747464 (ISBN13: 9781607747468) 


My Thoughts

We’re obsessed with sugar in this country, and we’ve overwhelmed our taste buds with the sticky sweet flavor of sugar. This book shows you how other spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, bay leaves, cloves and lavender can balance out the sweetness in desserts to produce more full flavors.

Author Samantha Seneviratne opens the book with an introduction on how she began baking and sharing her creations with her dearly beloved brother (whom she later lost), the hours spent in her grandmother's kitchen in Sri Lanka, and the transition that had her making over traditional American overly-sweet desserts to more full-flavored desserts spiked with things like cinnamon and cardamon. 

She then shares a chapter on “Baking Tips, Equipment, and Ingredients” before delving into the spices and recipes for which this book is named. The chapters are organized by spice ingredient:

• Peppercorn & Chile
• Cinnamon
• Nutmeg
• Clove & Cardamon
• Vanilla
• Ginger
• Savory Herbs & Spices (like Caraway, Bay Leaves and Lavender)

Each chapter has an introduction to the chosen spice named in it, replete with childhood memories surrounding how the spice was used in family recipes, the history of the spice, and buying and storing suggestions, before moving into the recipes themselves, which include lovely yummies like:

• Golden Syrup and Berry Pudding Cake
• New Love Cake
• Indonesian Spiced Layer Cake
• Pistachio and Chocolate Butter Cake
• Pavlova with Lime Custard and Basil Pineapple
• Butter Rum Snack Cake
• Bay Leaf Rice Pudding 

My final word: I was so excited to open this book for the first time. It looks and feels high quality. There is beautiful photography throughout to entice you, charming stories shared by the author. The recipes are easy-to-follow and have some pretty common ingredients that should be easy to come by. I love complex flavors and textures, and this cookbook is right up my alley! This isn’t just a cookbook. It’s a memoir and world travelogue of the palate.

My Rating: 

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The Cerebral Girl is a forty-something blogger just digging her way out from under a mountain of books in the deep south of Florida.

I received a copy of this book to review through Blogging for Books and the publisher, in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not financially compensated in any way, and the opinions expressed are my own and based on my observations while reading this novel.