Last week I received three books in the mail by Viva Editions to review. They are The Lazy Gourmet, The Frugal Foodie Cookbook, and Fix it Make it Grow it Bake it. All three books are really great.
The first book is The Lazy Gourmet, a cookbook about great meals that you can make easy by Robin Donovan and Juliana Gallin. The first part talks about basics in your pantry and how they compare. Next is a chapter for tips (which are really great tips by the way). There are some things in there that I never thought to think about. For example, how to heat your oil, get the most zestiness from your citrus, and all the differences between your pots and pans. I love it! The chapters that follow are for the food. First is starters and snacks. Then you have your salads, soups, sandwiches, main dishes, sides, extras, and finally your desserts. There are also some measurement conversion charts in the back. There is a dessert recipe in the end of the book called Bananas Bread Pudding Foster. I haven't made it yet but plan to next week after we go grocery shopping. I am really exited to make it and can't wait to taste it. Overall, this book is really great. It's not just a cookbook, it's an awesome tool.
Next is The Frugal Foodie Cookbook by Lara Starr with Lynette Shirk. This book shows how to cleverly create inexpensive wonderful meals using ingredients and leftovers. It has a chapter for breakfasts, brunches, lunch, snacks, and dinners made for less $. Chapter 6 talks about inexpensive party food. This kind of stuff always comes in handy because when I have a party, it adds up fast. Chapter 7 is my ultimate favorite. It talks about clever kids meals. We all know once kids turn that age (mine is 4), they don't eat. I wonder how she survives. Now I don't have to worry. I love this chapter. Example, they have a great chicken nugget recipe, amazing mac and cheese recipe, a really cool colorful popcorn recipe, edible play dough, and finger paint. OMG I love it! In the next chapter, they have midnight snack ideas! Oh the list goes on. The last chapter has great gift ides like hot chocolate on a spoon! The tips throughout the book are great also. Remember people, all these things made inexpensive and easy!
Fix it Make it Grow it Bake it by Billee Sharp is a great book about living an easy simple life by using less and creating more. This a great book because it focuses on learning how to become more aware of what you have and what do to with it and if you don't have much, rethink and budget your lives. Be thrifty like shop online and use coupons. There is a lot of free stuff online. There is a really great page for money saving tips too. There is a really great section in the book for the body. It talks about using oils to help common problems like athlete's foot, headache, and heartburn. It talks about getting things for free like free entertainment and schooling online. I love the eco cleaning tips in the book. We all know as we have children in the house, cleaning is hard to keep away from the little ones. That's a good reason for using eco friendly cleaning. I don't want my babies or the world breathing in harmful fumes. It also has great fix it tips like what to do when your cell phone gets wet. The section on growing your own food and composting is very interesting. Next in the book is a cooking part. They talk about making your own soups and canning. I really like the fact that in chapter 7 they talk about holiday foods. I love it because they break it up into different foods for the seasons and holidays. Again, in this book the tips are great. This book is a great life changing book for anyone who wants to take simple steps to living a better life. If you would like to learn more about these books and others form Viva Editions, go here.
I received hard copies of The Lazy Gourmet by Robin Donovan and Juliana Gallin, The Frugal Foodie Cookbook by Lara Starr with Lynette Shirk, and Fix it Make it Grow it Bake it by Billee Sharp to review from www.vivaeditions.com.
My honest opinion has been expressed in this post. Life with Tootsabella and the Rose has not received monetary compensation for this post.
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