A Modern Way to Eat by Anna Jones (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-

A beautifully photographed and modern vegetarian cookbook packed with quick, healthy, and fresh recipes that explore the full breadth of vegetarian ingredients--grains, nuts, seeds, and seasonal vegetables--from Jamie Oliver's London-based food stylist and writer Anna Jones.

How we want to eat is changing. More and more people cook without meat several nights a week and are constantly seeking to push the boundaries of their own vegetarian repertoire. At the same time, people want food that is a little lighter, healthier, and easier on our wallets, and that relies less on dairy and gluten. Based on how Anna likes to eat day to day--from a blueberry and amaranth porridge, to a quick autumn root panzanella, to a pistachio and squash galette--A Modern Way to Eat is a cookbook for how we want to eat now.

My thoughts-

I like to have an eclectic mix of cookbooks in my walk in pantry, but I would definitely say that I lean vegetarian where I can. My family are all meat eaters and I do eat meat as well, but I know that it is healthier (and more cost efficient) to eat a primarily vegetarian diet. Sometimes that can get mundane, until you discover the wide array of vegetables and fruits that are actually available and find wonderful cookbooks like A Modern Way To Eat that present them so beautifully. ;The food pictures contained in this book are gorgeous! The recipes represented are delightful. I honestly forgot that this was a vegetarian cookbook while reading through it the first time because the recipes sounds so tasty and so filling. I love that there are several pages that present one recipes in many ways or offer you the ability to customize it to your liking or to be able to switch things up if like my family you like a huge variety in your food repertoire. I recommend this book to anyone who eats a vegetarian based diet, but I also recommend A Modern Way to Eat to anyone looking for exciting yet healthy dishes that will please everyone in the family.

annajones.co.uk

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.

Influenster's Good Life VoxBox- Great Products to Get Your Healthy Living On

*Disclosure- I received the Good Life VoxBox in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to render a positive review. All opinions stated are 100% my own.

The Good Life VoxBox

I have received several VoxBoxes from Influester in the few years that I have been a member of their website and I have to say- this one has been one of my favorites- second only to the Mary Kay VoxBox, which will be super hard to top. I am kind of a health nut, so I love discovering new products to enhance that part of my life. The Good Life VoxBox was full of some great health related products, several of which I had never even heard of. Here is what was in the box:

Zone Perfect Greek Yogurt Bars-

Meal replacement bars have been around for a while, but the Greek yogurt craze is a fairly new phenomenon. Zone Perfect took tasty "health" food- Greek yogurt- and coated what may have otherwise been a so-so tasting meal replacement bar with it. The one I received was pretty tasty. Definitely a bar that I would eat again.

Nonni's Thin Addictives-

I loved these! Nonni's Thin Addictives were really tasty biscotti. I thought the texture was perfect and the taste was spot on. This is the kind of healthy snack that you don't mind eating because it almost feels like an indulgence.

UrgentRx-

I hadn't heard of UrgentRx until I received this box from Influenster. It is a really novel idea. These are effervescent drinks that treat specific ailments- got a headache? There's an UrgentRx for that. Allergies? They have you covered! They also have drink powders for heart burn, critical care and stomach upset. This is definitely a more natural way to treat your ailments. I will definitely be using these more.

New Skin Liquid Band-Aid

I was so excited about this product because my kids and I are constantly getting little cuts and scrapes outside. I happened to have cut my foot the day this box arrived, so I took out the liquid band-aid to try. I put it on right after the cut and boy did it burn when I sprayed it on, but other than that, I was impressed. It kept my wound protected and I forgot all about it. In fact I wondered why there was a little part of my foot that looked so slimy and then I remembered that I had sprayed that on! Next time, I will just wait a little bit before spraying it on so hopefully it won't burn as much, but I really liked the New Skin Liquid Band-Aid.

Vitamin Shoppe Garcinia Cambogia- 

I am usually not a weight loss aid type of person, but Garcinia Cambogia is a natural product and I have heard about it on the Dr. Oz show so I was excited to try it. You take two capsules before each meal. I have definitely noticed a bit of appetite suppression and that this is a great aid to keep the digestive system working well. I even lost a few pounds. I bought a second bottle I liked it so much, so hopefully I will be able to lose a few more.

There was not a product in the Good Life VoxBox that I didn't like. I would recommend any of these products to anyone trying to lead a healthier lifestyle or just is curious about health related products.

Crum Creek Review + 15% off your first order!

I am always on the lookout for products that have my well being in mind. I don't eat things that have ingredients I can't pronounce and I don't use bath and body or cleaning products that have chemicals in them. What I love about Crum Creek is that it is a one stop shop. There are plenty of snacks and drinks to chose from and there are also many bath and beauty products. You will find everything from hot cocoa to pasta to bath salts to produce magic cleaner and more! I love that these products are all natural and that they are labeled non-GMO soy. I am more inclined to purchase a product if I know it is not genetically modified. I like to know what I put in my body and the little bodies of my children.

I was sent a few snacks to try for the purpose of this review. I got to try the soy bites breadsticks in two different flavors- superb sesame and remarkable rosemary & garlic. I absolutely love that there are minimal ingredients in these soy bites. There are less than ten things listed and all are things I have heard of- always a plus. I really enjoyed the flavor of the rosemary & garlic, that is just right up my alley. All of my kiddos stole a couple out of that bag as well. They were a super tasty snack. I didn't care much for the sesame bites, but that is just a personal preference. My kids seemed to eat those no problem as well. I would much rather them have a bag of these bites then say- a small bag of chips that is made of so many artificial ingredients it takes up half of the bag to list them. These are also pretty low in calories. 120 per bag for the superb sesame and they are a pretty filling snack. I think these are a great step to healthier snacking and I love that they come in individual packages, so you don't have to guess at the serving size or count them out. They come 10 to a box and come out to be around 80 cents each. Who said healthy snacking HAS to be expensive? I think the soy bites are a great deal!

I was also sent Almond biscuties to try out and I have to say they are fabulous. I found myself indulging in those as often as I got the chance. I hid those from my kids so I didn't have to share, but I ended up giving them one each in the end! They all loved them. I think that these we such a healthy twist on the traditional biscotti. They are made up of almonds and raisins and the spices added game them just the perfect taste. I loved this little sweet. Oh, did I mention they are choc full of iron, calcium ,fiber and protein? And that they contain NO added fat, salt, preservatives or cholesterol? This is a sweet snack I wouldn't at all mind sticking in my children's lunch boxes (once they start school that is!)

I really enjoyed my little taste of Crum Creek. I definitely recommend checking their website out to those who want healthy, but tasty snacks or great bath and body products. Crum Creek was nice enough to offer my readers 15% off your first purchase at their website! Just enter the code "Cristi15" at the purchase menu when prompted! This code is good until August 31, 2012!

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*Disclaimer- I received complimentary products to try for the purpose of putting this review together. All opinions are 100% my own.

Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil Giveaway!

One of the first giveaways I did when I first starting doing giveaways was a Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil Giveaway! I am happy to announce that Tropical Traditions is giving Cristi's Review's readers another chance to win this fabulous product!

You can read my Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil review here!

Win 1 quart of Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil!

Tropical Traditions is America’s source for coconut oil. Their Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil is hand crafted in small batches by family producers, and it is the highest quality coconut oil they offer. You can read more about how virgin coconut oil is different from other coconut oils on their website: What is Virgin Coconut Oil?

You can also watch the video they produced about Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil:

Tropical Traditions also carries other varieties of affordable high quality coconut oil. Visit their website to check on current sales, to learn about the many uses of coconut oil, and to read about all the advantages of buying coconut oil online. Since the FDA does not want us to discuss the health benefits of coconut oil on a page where it is being sold or given away, here is the best website to read about the health benefits of coconut oil.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.