Review: Spiked Desserts by Fox Chapel Publishing

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

Raise your plate and say "cheers" to the newest idea in cooking and entertaining‑‑booze‑infused treats! Already‑delicious desserts are loaded with extra flavor when you add a hint of spirits to batters, frosting and more. From martinis and daiquiris to grasshoppers and tequila sunrises, you can turn your favorite cocktail into an intoxicatingly delicious treat for your next adult party.

MY TAKE:

I don't really drink alcoholic beverages, but I don't mind it when they're mixed with desserts.

Spiked Desserts has recipes for both baked treats and frozen goodies. There's a lot of variety when it comes to the liquor used. Right now, I'm eyeing the grasshopper cupcakes. It's mostly creme de menthe, which I like.

A special thumbs up for the food styling, too. It's a little more up-close than I would have liked, but it's still very pretty.

Thanks to NetGalley and Fox Chapel Publishing for the e-ARC. Publication date for Spiked Desserts is on May 1, 2012.

THE GOOD:

1. Gorgeous layout.
2. Interesting recipes.
3. Enticing photos.

THE BAD:

1. Some of the ingredients may be hard to find, especially if you don't live in the U.S.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

Come in and make yourself a drink... and a drink-inspired dessert.

READ IT IF:

1. You like booze.
2. You like desserts.
3. You like baking.

RATING:

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Review: Robin Takes 5!: 500 Recipes, 5 Ingredients or Less, 500 Calories or Less, for 5 Nights/Week at 5:00 PM! by Robin Miller

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

It's 5:00 PM. Everyone's hungry. It's takeout or fakeout, meaning nuking a processed meal from the freezer. But there's a third option that doesn't include processed food or an unhealthy heap of calories and fat—Robin Takes 5.

Imagine quickly preparing delicious meals for yourself, your friends, and your family with just 5 fabulous ingredients. Does it get any better? Absolutely, with Robin Takes 5. The book features 500 recipes and each dish is a mouthwatering 500 calories or less. Two-color recipe text complements full-color photography inserts. In addition, helpful icons note ideal recipes for holidays and entertaining as well as recipes with less than 500 mg of sodium. That's not all—nutritional information is given for each recipe.

In Robin Takes 5 500 recipes highlight at least 10 different ethnic cuisines, and dishes range from soups, pizzas, and pastas, to chicken, beef, pork, seafood, side dishes, and desserts. Consider 70 recipes just for chicken, such as Cashew Crusted Chicken with Roasted Jalapeno-Mango Chutney, and 50 dessert recipes, such as Orange Marmalade Tart with Chocolate Covered Almonds. Consider yourself armed for mealtime. The next time the clock strikes 5:00 PM and you want both noshing and nourishment, check out Robin Takes 5.

MY TAKE:

I have always wanted to get serious about cooking but because I move really slowly in the kitchen and a lot of the recipes which sound interesting have so many ingredients, cooking is pretty low on my list of priorities.

Robin Takes 5!: 500 Recipes, 5 Ingredients or Less, 500 Calories or Less, for 5 Nights/Week at 5:00 PM! is more or less the perfect cookbook for me. These recipes are easy to do and they don't need a lot of ingredients.

The book is divided into 8 sections based on the type of dish (side dish, pasta, etc.). There are also metric conversions and equivalents. What's great about Robin Takes 5 is the fact that aside from the usual "serves ___, prep time: ___, cooking time: ____", each recipe also includes nutritional information. I don't count calories, but if you do or you try to watch how much fat you take in, this is a great cookbook to have.

I wasn't able to try any of the recipes because when I went to the grocery to buy ingredients for the Mini Chocolate Cream Pie, it turns out that our grocery store didn't have whipped cream or phyllo shells.

Thanks to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the e-copy.

THE GOOD:

1. It's organized and it's easy to find recipes to try.
2. The recipes are quick to do and don't require a lot of ingredients.
3. Nutritional information is provided for each recipe.

THE BAD:

1. There are no introductions for each section.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

The only staples I expect you to have are olive oil (and occasionally cooking spray), salt, and black pepper.

READ IT IF:

1. You don't like meals that are too fussy to make.
2. You only have a small amount of time to spend on cooking.
3. You like low-calorie, moderate-sodium food.

RATING:



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Review: The Naked Foods Cookbook: Easy, Unprocessed, Gluten-Free, Full-Fat Recipes for Losing Weight and Feeling Great by Margaret Floyd, James Barry

SUMMARY FROM GOODREADS.COM:

Why go out to eat? Cooking at home is easy, healthy, delicious, and affordable—and with the right techniques and ingredients, preparing a home-cooked meal can be quicker than picking up take-out. Cook Naked, the anticipated follow-up cookbook to Margaret Floyd’s Eat Naked, shows readers how they can create whole, organic, and fresh “naked” meals that maximize the natural nutritional value of food. Unlike commercially available prepared foods and restaurant dishes, naked meals contain no harmful additives, preservatives, or empty-calorie fillers. Because cooking naked is well-suited to people who need energy for busy lifestyles, this cookbook is organized around the time it takes for readers to prepare each type of dish: “in a rush” recipes take ten minutes or less, “every day” recipes take twenty minutes or less, and an “impress the neighbors” section offers more time-intensive recipe selections. Readers who seek to control the quality of ingredients and nutrients in their food will turn to this cookbook time and time again for affordable, naturally delicious meals they can feel good about eating and serving to others.

MY TAKE:

Getting this book was no-brainer for me because it combines the two goals that I've been trying to accomplish for a long time: eat healthier and learn to cook something other than fried food.

What does it mean to "eat naked"? Basically, it means eating "clean, whole, unprocessed food". Sounds like a tough order in today's world wherein we don't really have a lot of time and money and the most convenient way to get a meal is by ordering takeout or having someone else cook it for you.

The Naked Foods Cookbook is not just a cookbook; it's also a guide to the naked foods lifestyle. Aside from explaining the basics, the book also teaches you how to stock your refrigerator and kitchen. For beginners, there are also descriptions of cooking techniques and there are tables to help you tell how "naked" the food you are eating is.

Some of the concepts discussed in the book, like local produce being good because it tends to be fresher and buying it helps the local economy, are already familiar to me. I did learn a few new things, though. For example, it turns out that freezing is probably the best way to preserve food because it's the least damaging and easiest way to preserve food.

The recipes are divided according to what type it is (breakfast, entree, etc.) and it is indicated at the heading of each recipe how quickly you can expect to finish each recipe.

I thought about trying one of the recipes and posting the results here, but for most of the recipes, I either didn't have all the ingredients or I didn't have a needed equipment. There's one recipe I have tried before, though. My family has its own variation on the coconut milk recipe, but it's pretty close to the one found in the book.

One thing's for sure. This book makes me want to go ahead and grow vegetables in our garden.

Thanks to NetGalley and New Harbinger Publications for providing me with an e-copy. Publication date for The Naked Foods Cookbook is on May 1, 2012.

THE GOOD:

1. The recipes are divided by meals (breakfast, lunch, etc.) and there are weekly menus, so it's easier to look for recipes you want to try.
2. There's a condiments section. Make your own condiments! :)
3. It's indicated how long/easy each recipe is.

THE BAD:

1. Some ingredients may not be readily available.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

If you're like us, then you know: If it's in the kitchen, you'll eat it.

READ IT IF:

1. You want to start eating healthier.
2. You have no time for food that takes a long time to cook.
3. You're curious about "naked foods".

RATING:

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