Clean Slate ~ Book Review

Clean Slate: A Cookbook & Guide

Reset Your Health, Detox Your Body & Feel Your Best

ISBN: 978-0-307-95459-6

$17.10 (paperback)

$11.99 (kindle)

About the book:

It’s time to hit the reset button. This book emphasizes eating clean, whole, unprocessed foods as part of a primarily plant-based diet, with delicious and healthy recipes that make it easy to do just that. Refreshing juices and smoothies, savory snacks, protein-packed main dishes, and even delectable desserts will keep you satisfied all day long; among them are plenty of vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and allergen-free options, each identified by helpful icons. Comprehensive, informative, and utterly satisfying, Clean Slate is the complete go-to guide for boosting your energy and feeling your best.

More than just a cookbook, Clean Slate, from the editors 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.
 
Get inspired by more than 160 beautifully photographed recipes organized into action-focused chapters, including: 

My thoughts:

I have a confession. I LOVE just sitting and looking at cookbooks. I don't actually cook out of them much anymore as my fibromyalgia advances and I don't have much energy but this book caught my eye because of the cover and the text on the front. 

I choose this book for a couple of reasons. 

1) I feel better when I watch my processed foods and while I don't do it 100% (and not even 80%) I do feel better when I cook my own food and eat healthier. It seems to help me control my symptoms & I'm not nearly as tired.

2) As the years have gone by I've gained weight and as I've gained I've gotten sicker and I'm ready for that to end. The phrase "Detox Your Body" caught my eye and I'm wondering if Detoxing will help me feel better in the long wrong as the chemicals & preservatives in processed foods, our everyday produce and meats leaves. I've been told it will - and it just might.

When I took it out of the package I was excited to find a book that was interesting, beautiful and caught my attention. I immediately fell in love with this book. It's truly beautiful. I don't say that lightly - the pictures are gorgeous and the information that is contained is interesting, well written and concise. It is not a DIET book - but more of a lifestyle change type of book. You will not find a book full of dry scientific facts like "why this works and why you shouldn't have.....". 

I found several weeks of menus - there is a 3 day and a 21 day Detox plan that is easy to use. The detox itself uses a variety of smoothies & salads that are filling and has enough flavor so you don't get bored. I think the thing that most impressed me is 10 pages of Smoothies with easy recipes that don't need special ingredients - there are mangos, pineapple, apples, kale - and that most dreaded veggie in MY house BEETS! Ugh. 

Breakfast was my favorite chapter and I even purchased some Quinoa to use to make Cardamom Quinoa Porridge. I haven't tried it yet - but will soon. I found chicken and fish and several side dishes I want to try.  One thing I always look for in a cookbook anymore (I am dairy, whey & soy intolerant & Baby is Gluten Free) is whether the recipes are labeled vegan, dairy, nut or gluten free. I found plenty of anti-inflammatory ingredients & recipes that will help with the pain and discomfort of a Chronic Pain condition. =D 

A few good recipes:

Replenish: Get off to a good start

Whole-Wheat Waffles with Strawberries and Yogurt; 

Poached Eggs with Roasted Tomatoes

 

Reboot: Drink to your health

Grapefruit, Carrot, and Ginger Juice;

Green Machine Smoothie

 

Recharge: Load up on vegetables

Roasted Mushroom Tartines with Avocado; 

Steamed Vegetable Salad with Macadamia Dressing 

 

Reenergize: Choose your snacks wisely

Warm Spinach-White Bean Dip; 

Trail Mix with Toasted Coconut

 

Restore: Make meals with substance

Wild Salmon, Asparagus, and Shiitakes in Parchment; 

Grilled Chicken with Cucumber, Radish, and Cherry Tomato Relish

 

Relax: Have a little something sweet

Dark Chocolate Bark with Hazelnuts; 

Berry-Almond Crisp

I'm planning on trying out the 21 day detox program and will let you know how I do. The only reason I'm waiting at this point is that I don't have a juicer for the smoothies. 

Anyone have any suggestions for a good juicer that is $50 or less? (that is easy to clean?)

Disclaimer: I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for my honest review. Regardless I only recommend products or services I have personally read or used & think my readers will enjoy.

Simply Grilling & a Recipe too!

~ Book Review

Simply Grilling
by Jennifer Chandler
ISBN: 978-1401604516
$16.49 (Hardback)
$11.99 (Kindle)

If your grilling repertoire is limited to burgers and hot dogs, it might be time to reconsider your grill’s true potential. Think beyond that typical backyard menu, and imagine serving up a platter of skewered Caribbean Grilled Shrimp with Pineapple Salsa or a Balsamic Beef Tenderloin alongside an Asparagus and Cherry Tomato Salad. Memphis chef Jennifer Chandler has assembled everything a grilling amateur could possibly need to achieve pitmaster caliber results any night of the week. Whether you’re cooking with gas, charcoal, or cast iron, Simply Grilling will eliminate the uncertainty and have you manning the flames with confidence.

In her accessible style, Chandler explains everything—the tools, the heat, and the flavors. If you’ve always found grilling to be a guessing game, you’ll never have to wonder again if the heat is just right or if you flipped your food too soon. From appetizers to desserts and everything in between, Simply Grilling is your guide to delicious meals, hot off the grate.

My thoughts:
Jennifer Chandler has written a Grilling Cookbook that is perfect for everyone - the beginner, casual & master grillers - women who may be a little intimidated by what usually seems to be a guy's territory. Jennifer opens Simply Grilling with a thorough but easy to understand explanation of the different types of grills, tools you'll use and how to heat up the grill and how to know if your food is done.

She has a wonderful selection of recipes to choose from like & do-ahead tips and variation ideas to match everyone's palate:

Starters: Grilled Artichokes and Grilled Salmon Dip
Chicken: Tequila Chicken Fajitas (I see a few people drooling!) or how about Tandoori Chicken (I can smell it already!)
Veggies & Sides: Smokey Steak Fries or Mexican Corn on the Cob
Sweet, Sweet Endings (anyone still hungry?): I'm personally thinking Jennifer's Strawberry Cake would hit the spot about now (or maybe in an hour!)

One of the nicest things about Simply Grilling is that many of the recipes are based on using the grill to bring out the flavors of fruits & veggies. She worked with 2 friends who are vegetarians to develop the Veggies & Sides chapter and with some of the desserts the fruits were sliced and then grilled and other desserts never even touched the grill at all. Many of the recipes are ideal for Dinner Parties, casual cookouts and even tailgate parties.

Tandoori Chicken
You don't have to have a clay oven to make this tandoori chicken. I actually prefer the smoky flavor this classic Indian dish gets from a hot grill. (Note - this may be a bit spicy for your taste. I had to tone it down a lot. If you are like me you might consider adjusting the amount of cayenne pepper and garam masala you use. I like the smoky flavor - not the spiciness so that wasn't a problem with me)

1 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1 Tab freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tab finely grated fresh ginger
1/2 teas ground coriander
1/2 teas ground cumin
1/2 teas ground turmeric
1/2 teas ground paprika
1/2 teas ground cayenne pepper
1 teas garam masala
8 skinless, bone-in chicken thighs
Vegetable oil for the grates
Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 pkg (12oz) naan (Indian flatbread)
1 cup raita

In a shallow nonreactive dish just large enough to hold the chicken in a single layer, stir together the yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin, turmeric, paprika, cayenne pepper, and garam masala.

With a sharp knife, cut 2-3 deep slashes in the chicken meat. Place the chicken in the marinade and gently toss until well coated. Cover, place in the refrigerator and marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat a clean grill to medium high with the lid closed for 8-10 minutes. Lightly brush the grates with oil. Remove the chick from the marinade and shake off the excess. Discard the marinade. Season the chicken with the salt/pepper to taste. 

Place the chicken on the grill. Close the lid and cook, turning once or twice, until no longer pink in the middle, 20-25 minutes total. Serve with warm naan and raita on the side. Serves 4-6.

Raita - a cucumber-yogurt sauce that is traditionally served alongside spicy Indian dishes to cool the palate. To make this condiment, combine 2 cups plain yogurt, 1 cup finely diced cucumber, 1 minced clove of garlic, 1/2 teas cumin and 2 Tab chopped fresh mint or cilantro.

**The Publisher gave permission for me to share this recipe with you. Enjoy!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Part 1 - 30 Meals in One Day

Dear friends,

This book and software review is going to be done in 2 parts just to make it a little easier on me.  Part 1 will cover the menu planning, software and shopping trip.  Part 2 will cover the actual cooking process.  When a person has Fibromyalgia or another chronic illness it's important to split tasks up into more manageable pieces and that's what I like about this program.  

The 30 Meals in One Day program is written step-by-step starting with short easy to read chapters covering everything from What is Freezer Cooking, to selecting recipes, using lists to make it easier to teaching you to take 2 days - 1 for planning and shopping and 1 for prepping and cooking.  They will teach you how to package your meals for freezing and getting your dinner on the table.

The set I received was the "deluxe" set - 3 cookbooks, software, and labels for your finished product.

I started out by grabbing Lunch is Ready - the book I was most interested in.  I work 30 hours a week at my "main" job and a minimum 20-30 hours on my "FUN" job which is sharing The Books Kids Love to Read (along with doing product and book reviews online).  Some of the recipes in this book are: Beef and Chicken Fajitas following up the next day with Beef Fajita Salad, Ranch Hoagies, Zesty Beef and Vegetable Soup, Pizza Joes and several recipes for dressings for salads.  With over 200 freezer-worthy recipes and lots of menu suggestions you will have plenty of options for lunches.

Dinner is Ready has over 150 recipes perfect for the freezer such as Almost Ravioli, Chicken Stuffed Manicotti, Chicken Enchiladas and Grandma's Beef Stew.  Some of these recipes arecompletely assembled, others have all their pieces/parts and you assemble them just before baking. 

Lastly, On the Side has over 350 scrumptious side dishes to compliment all the meals from Dinner is Ready that you have prepared. Plus a suggested Complete Menu is on every recipe in the book. Use the suggestions or mix and match recipes according to your own preferences. There are endless fabulous combinations. There are 8 pages of menu's (!) such as:

Chicken Stuffed Manicotti

Red, White and Green Salad (pg 152)

Creamy Italian Dressing (pg 286)

Mushroom Puffs (pg 370)

Old Fashioned Bean Soup

Ham and Cheese Muffins (pg 326)

Smoky Maple Chicken

Bacon Pilaf (pg 118)

Parmesan Zucchini (pg 98)

Triple Orange Salad (pg 242)

Before I left for the store I sat down and pulled up the software.  The software contains all the recipes from the cookbooks. It does take some playing with the software and computer to get the hang of working this program, so I would suggest you don't do this the "day of" shopping.  I kept deleting what I thought I was saving - but once I got the hang of what I was doing I didn't have any problems.

(Note: to keep everyone from being confused - I will be referring to the 3 book set/software from now on.  This also applies to the individual book sets you can purchase if you don't want the entire set.)

All the recipes from the set is on your software.  You can choose a recipe, click on edit and change the # of servings.  When you click "Add to menu" your recipe is added to a list.  At this point you can indicate if you want say 2 batches of a recipe that you want to make.  This comes in really handy if you a cooking for 2 families, want to double a muffin recipe, etc.  Then you can create your shopping list, print off your recipes and labels and you're all set to go for the next day.

You can either purchase the individual books and their individual software, or you can purchase the "deluxe" set and get everything.  Purchased individually you would spend $95.85 once you ended up purchasing the book/software 1 at a time.  Purchasing the "deluxe" set right now (it's on Sale) saves you $20! So, it's $75.00!  (Note: these are using SALE prices)

___________________

At this point, I know you are really intrigued by this great program and maybe are itching to go and purchase your own.  BUT, you have a couple of options - yes, you can go ahead and go get your own.  Everything is on SALE and if you WIN the upcoming GIVEAWAY (and have purchased the full set of cookbooks/software) you will be refunded $60 of your purchase.  WOW!

Or, I will be posting the GIVEAWAY on Sunday as soon as I put up Part 2 of this review.  I will be sharing my cooking experiences, along with a couple of yummy recipes for you to try.  Until Sunday, go to the website take a look at the recipes and try a couple too.  Feel free to email the company if you have any questions.