Eat Fat Get Fit by Kusha Karvandi (Book Review)

*Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

About the book-

The health and fitness industry makes people think they are weak and that the best way to achieve the body they want is to suck it up and push harder.

 But if more is better, why do the majority of us rebound and gain all of the weight back after dieting?

The truth is you’re stronger than you think. It isn’t that you somehow lack willpower or discipline; it’s that you just don’t have the right decision-making system to optimize your diet for your body.

If you’ve tried diets before that didn’t work, don’t worry because Eat Fat Get Fit isn’t about a diet—it’s a way of thinking. With the right perspective, you’ll be able to look at nutrition and fat loss differently, so you can get great results for life.

While your naysayers are counting calories, feeling deprived, and still struggling to lose weight, you’ll be vibrant, full of energy and supercharging your metabolism for sustained fat loss.

My thoughts-

This book is short and sweet and to the point. You could easily read it in one sitting. It gives info on several different types of dieting and why those methods don't work. It then goes into the philosophy that has recently surfaced- eating good fats like avocado, nuts, and olive oil is actually a fantastic way to lose fat. I found most of the recipes at the end of the book to sound absolutely delicious, which doesn't always happen in these health books. I would eat any of the recipes and plan on adding several into my rotation on my weight loss journey. I recommend this book to anyone looking to eat better for their health and who may want to shed some unwanted weight.

5 in 5 For Every Season by Michael Symon with Douglas Trattner (Cookbook Review)

Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

About the book-

5 fresh ingredients + 5 minutes of heat = 165 recipes
 
Ridiculously easy from-scratch recipes to get you in and out of the kitchen in a flash every day of the week—now with sides and holiday dishes, too

The follow-up to the bestselling Michael Symon’s 5 in 5, this new book delivers 165 quick, easy, fresh recipes organized by season with an entire section devoted to making the holidays simpler than ever. Each chapter features inspired main courses as well as recipes for sides and 5 fun ways to celebrate the season, including no-bake summer fruit desserts and spiked drinks to warm up with in winter.

My thoughts-

I know that so many times when we eat something unhealthy at my house it is usually because I am tired and don't feel up to cooking something that is going to take me a long time. I think so many people equate clean eating with intricate cooking and complicated recipes and that just couldn't be further from the truth. I finally found a cookbook that has it all. Uncomplicated recipes with 5 main (all fresh) ingredients that do not take long at all to cook, all come together to look like you slaved over a gourmet meal. I love that there are sections for each season to cater to the changing trends and availability of certain foods during certain times. I also really enjoyed that there was a holiday guide in the back. I plan to put those menus to good use when Thanksgiving and Christmas roll around. I always have such a tough time eating well during the holiday, but now I have some healthy recipes to turn to!  I recommend 5 in 5 For Every Season to anyone looking to eat cleaner and wanting quick but healthy recipes.

Inspiralized by Ali Maffucci (Cookbook Review)

*Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.


About the book-

The definitive cookbook for using a spiralizer: the kitchen gadget that turns vegetables and fruits into imaginative, low-carb dishes.

Ali’s recipes for breakfast, snacks, appetizers, sandwiches, soups, salads, casseroles, rices, pastas, and even desserts are easy to follow, hard to mess up, healthful, and completely fresh and flavorful. Best of all, she tells you how to customize them for whatever vegetables you have on hand and whatever your personal goal may be—losing weight, following a healthier lifestyle, or simply making easy meals at home. 
Here, too, are tons of technical tips and tricks; nutritional information for each dish and every vegetable you can possibly spiralize; and advice for spiralizing whether you’re feeding just yourself, your family, or even a crowd. So bring on a hearty appetite and a sense of adventure—you’re ready to make the most of this secret weapon for healthy cooking.


On her wildly popular blog, Inspiralized, Ali Maffucci is revolutionizing healthy eating. Whether you’re low-carb, gluten-free, Paleo, or raw, you don’t have to give up the foods you love. Inspiralized shows you how to transform more than 20 vegetables and fruits into delicious meals that look and taste just like your favorite indulgent originals. Zucchini turns into pesto spaghetti; jicama becomes shoestring fries; sweet potatoes lay the foundation for fried rice; plantains transform into “tortillas” for huevos rancheros.

My thoughts-

I think it was probably about a year ago that I came across a recipe online (probably via Pinterest) that used zucchini in place of lasagna for a low carb lasagna recipe. What I discovered after making this recipe is that I actually prefer the taste that zucchini adds to pasta dishes and so I was on a mission to find more recipes using them as a replacement. That journey led me to a hand held spiralizer and now we have zucchini noodles pretty much at least once a week. When I came across Inspiralized I was so excited to see that there would be recipes for zucchini noodles, but so much more. When I received the book, it exceeded my expectations. There are sections to this book that I would have never thought you could make tasty spiralized recipes for (breakfast and dessert) as well as sections that I expected but with so many more recipes than I thought possible. The beginning of the book has a nice section on how to get started and the end section has more information on the fruits and vegetables that you can spiralize. It is evident in the book that Ali Maffucci is not only passionate about being healthy, but about creating recipes that reflect her love of delicious food. Inspiralized recipes are meant for a spiralizer with several blade options (there are several available on Amazon.com and I am sure elsewhere), but even if you want to start with a little handheld device like I have, there are plenty of recipes you could still create from this book. I love the wide variety of cuisine represented here- there's Italian, Asian, Indian, ect.- it makes food less boring when it is varied. And there are way more types of vegetables and fruits utilized than zucchini (although I definitely recommend trying them spiralized! YUM!)  If you are looking for a very easy (and quite delicious!) way to add more veggies and fruit to your meals, Inspiralized is the book for you!

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Clean Slate From the Editors of Martha Stewart Living (Cookbook Review)

Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions stated are 100% my own.

About the book-

More than just a cookbook, Clean Slate, from the editor's of Martha Stewart Living, provides you with the nutritionally sound information you need to shop for and prepare food that nourishes body and mind. You'll find guidelines for restocking your pantry with whole grains, beans and legumes, lean proteins, and healthy fats; glossaries of the best sources of detoxifiers, antioxidants, and other health-boosting nutrients; and menus for a simple 3-day cleanse and a 21-day whole-body detox, with easy-to-follow tips and strategies for staying on track.

My thoughts-


I saw Martha Stewart recently on Late Night with Seth Meyers and I knew immediately I needed to get my hands on a copy. To me, anything with Martha's name on it having to do with food is going to be fabulous and Clean Slate well exceeded my expectations.  The cover is simple but beautiful and the pages within the book follow the same theme. The first section of the book is full of information on what is good for your body vs. things that you should steer clear of. This is the most organized book of the sort that I have ever seen. After the pages giving you the foundation for healthy living there are a couple of detoxes to follow to give your body the recharge it may need, a 3-day and a 21-day full body detox. Each meal is completely laid out for you on both plans so there is no guesswork involved. My favorite part of the book, of course, are the recipes. As I have already mentioned, the recipe section is laid out beautifully with gorgeous pictures, but beyond that the recipes each include nutritional information and even have a note to what kind of diet each recipe is suited (labels include gluten free, nut free, dairy free, ect.) This makes it very easy for someone on a special diet to know which meals they can make as is from the book. I was very impressed by the breakfast and dessert sections. In most books, these two sections are full of recipes comprised mostly of grain and refined sugar, not so in Clean Slate. There are some tasty sounding savory breakfast recipes and the desserts while free of refined sugar still sound tantalizing and satisfying. I highly recommend this book to anyone at all who wants to get back to the basics, eat clean food and say no to all of the processed junk out there making so many of the people eating them very ill. This is a book worth having on a cookbook stand on your counter for very easy access!

Clean Slate is available at online retailers such as Amazon.com and at books stores and other retailers nationwide.

The Doctor's Diet Cookbook by Travis stork (Cookbook Review)

Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

About the book-

A companion to the #1 New York Times best-selling diet book that has swept the nation, The Doctor's Diet Cookbook is a collection of simple, delicious, and balanced recipes that will help you maintain a healthy weight now and throughout your life. The highly flexible and workable plan in The Doctor's Diet unlocked the power of 10 Food Prescriptions to activate weight loss while restoring health, preventing disease and adding years to readers’ lives, and this cookbook is an extension of that plan. The positive feedback on the tasty recipes in The Doctor’s Diet was overwhelming, and you demanded more. So, in The Doctor's Diet Cookbook, Dr. Travis Stork brings brand new, easy-to-follow and quick-to-prepare ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and, of course, dessert, all designed to support your weight loss efforts and keep you at optimal health. Dr. Travis believes that in order to commit to healthy eating, our food must taste good and these meals reflect his passion by presenting unique food variations that are delightful for the palate, as well as for the waistline. Plus, it’s flexible for almost any dietary restriction or choice; whether you’re a “meat and potatoes” type, a vegetarian, or watching your sodium or sugar intake, this cookbook has mouthwatering options for you.

My thoughts-

I absolutely loved Travis Stork's book The Doctor's Diet. There was so much good information in it and it was written in a tone that felt like you were having a casual conversation with a friend. I like Stork's laid back style and his terrific advice. The book also included several recipes, all of which sounded tasty, but there just were not that many recipes since it was a self help book and not a cook book. I was super excited to see this companion cookbook come out. I knew that the recipes would be healthy and tasty and I wasn't disappointed. The book is full of great recipes for the whole day as well as information about why specific foods are good for you and why you should eat them. I appreciate the breakdown of why we should eat certain foods rather than a long list of what we shouldn't eat. This book is encouraging and easy to read. 

The Diet's Doctor Cookbook will be available for purchase October 21. You can pre-order it now on Amazon.com.

About the author-

Travis Stork graduated Magna Cum Laude from Duke University where he studied anthropology. He received his medical degree at the University of Virginia and completed his residency in emergency medicine and Vanderbilt University Medical Center. On October 9, 2013 Dr. Stork joined tele health company MDLIVE as Chairman of its Medical Advisory Board. Stork is best known for appearing on season 8 of The Bachelor and for being the lead doctor on the panel on the syndicated television show The Doctors.

Freedom Superfoods Organic Cacao Powder Raw Review

We try to eat fairly healthy at our house, but we like our sweets too. I have been wanting to try raw cacao for a long time and I was so excited to get the opportunity to try this amazing cacao from Freedom Superfoods. I have been wanting to try my hand at making some raw food recipes and of course the first and easiest place for me to start is with dessert. The first thing I tried to make with the raw cacao powder was raw vegan truffles. They were delicious and so much healthier than a traditional truffle. I love the fact that cacao comes with health benefits too. You can use that as an excuse to add it into your diet every now and then! I have so many more raw recipes containing raw cacao pinned on Pinterest to try soon- raw peanut butter cups, cacao fudge and so many others I can not think of at this moment!

Another cool thing about raw cacao is that it makes a terrific DIY beauty product ingredient. that body butter I wrote about a week or two ago that I used the shea butter in? You guessed it, this cacao was a key ingredient in that recipe. I have also since made a facial mask that felt divine and I think I might try to use this cacao as an ingredient in a lip balm soon.

I love that I can use raw cacao in both food and beauty recipes. I specifically enjoyed the Freedom Superfoods raw cacao because of the quality of the product, but also because of the packaging. The bag is resealable to keep the cacao as fresh as can be for as long as possible. The ingredients are clearly labeled on the front as well and all of the information you need is right there on the package. As a label reader, I really appreciate the clear information.

If you are interested in eating healthy but still tasty foods, I definitely recommend you give this raw cacao a try!

 I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Clean in 14 Detox by Melissa Costello (Book Review)

Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

About the book-

P90X creator Tony Horton, the Old Spice Man, and hundreds of others lost weight, boosted their immunity,and increased their energy levels—undeniable proof thatThe Clean in 14 Detox really works!

Millions of people are embracing cleansing because it rids the body of accumulated slow poisons that cause a sluggish metabolism, inflammatory and digestive issues, a host of chronic diseases, and unwanted weight gain.

The Clean in 14 Detox is a whole foods, vegan- and juice-based cleanse that not only flushes the body of toxins, but frees the mind of negative patterns, allowing the entire system to reset itself to a place of balance.

From leading successful group and private cleanses,Melissa Costello pulls no punches: She explains that the key to kick-starting health is to eliminate the CRAP (Caffeine, Refined Sugars, Alcohol, Processed Food) and the SAP (Sabotaging Addictive Patterns). Costello encourages readers to make the commitment, teaches them how to prep their minds and kitchens, and shares practical tips to succeed through the program with minimal withdrawals or cravings. The best part of this cleanse is that it’s user friendly and the participant will never feel deprived, unlike most other cleanses out there. A wide variety of delicious, unprocessed foods are allowed and there are no diet pills or chalky shakes. The Clean in 14 Detox features 14 days of mix-and-match meal plans and more than 75 irresistibly fresh and simple recipes, including Baja-style fajitas,chopped salad with creamy pepita dressing, coconut yam soup, oven-baked sweet potato fries, and more.

My thoughts-

I have Melissa Costello's cookbook Karma Chow in my pantry and it is definitely my go-to cookbook for vegan fare. I like to eat predominately vegetarian, but the rest of my family are meat eaters and still they will eat most things that I make from Karma Chow. I knew that I would have to check out the Clean in 14 Detox because I knew already that Costello has some home run recipes and if trainers like Tony Horton get in shape on her meal plans, then it is definitely worth a shot. There are great recipes in Clean in 14, but I knew that would be the case before I opened the book. What really set apart this book from other weight loss and detox books is that it is an overall approach to getting healthy. One of the things included in this book that I really liked is a journaling aspect. There have been countless books telling us to journal what we eat, but this book tells us to journal about how we feel. There are morning and evening journaling exercises to complete that allow you to let go of some emotions you might otherwise be holding on to and the act of writing them down is helpful in allowing thoughts to tumble out of your head and onto paper. That simple act is quite helpful for mental health. Another aspect of this book that helps with mental health is doing a bit of meditation. You can eat healthy and exercise, but if your too stressed out, you may still be holding yourself back. There are recipes included to guide you through the 14 days. Melissa Costello provides all of the tools necessary to complete this detox and begin your rode to a better you. Even if you are not into eating vegan, these recipes will be doable. It is only two weeks, give it a try and see how you feel. You might find that you actually want to eat less meat after seeing how good it will make you feel giving it up for a short amount of time. I recommend this book to anyone looking to jump start good, healthy habits. 

About the author-

Melissa Costello (Santa Barabara, CA) is the founder of Karma Chow and the personal chef to celebrity fitness guru Tony Horton, creator of the highly popular fitness system, P90X®. A certified nutritionist and wellness coach, Costello is constantly finding creative ways to keep Tony and her many other clients happy, fit, and healthy through a whole foods, plant-based way of life. She works one-on-one with clients and leadsfood-based cleanses with large groups, teaching how to implement changes that will yield a lifetime of great health.

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