Sweet Gratitude. Sweets for Your Sweet.

Sweet Gratitude by Rogers and Tamborra, is an apt title for February.  Written by chefs from Cafe Gratitude, it's filled with a zillion options for Valentine festivities, or any other occasion.

What I love:  The authors are completely sincere.  It's an uplifting book with a holistic approach to well being and food.  I love what they say about guilt and sweet indulgences and that foods like this are important and are soul food.  One need never feel guilty over anything provided in this book and can allow themselves to be nourished by the otherwise forbidden.  Having said that, I wouldn't sit down and eat a half of raw pie (if you are eating mindfully, you wouldn't want to anyway, it's safe).

There is a great variety and the recipes are laid out very simply.  I am on a cleanse at the moment and have not had a chance to try one of the many recipes I've bookmarked, but Aimee over at A Bitt of Raw makes mouthwatering desserts all the time from this book and frequently posts wonderful photos of her creations. 

What I don't love:  This book has the feel of a much older book, like a book from the 70's.  That doesn't do the content justice in my opinion.  I felt that way about I Am Grateful, the other Cafe Gratitude cookbook as well.  Also,  some recipe ingredients are listed by weight.  I found this cumbersome and don't like having to sort out conversions (which are listed in the front of the book).  It would have been nice if that had been done for the reader.

As for the difficulty, I don't think the recipes are any more difficult than conventional baked goods, they're probably easier, there's just a learning curve to be addressed for the uninitiated which is  fine. 

Overall, I do recommend this book without reservation.  I think anyone interested in healthy eating should have this in their collection and I think it would make a great gift for Valentine's Day or a great purchase prior to Valentines Day so you can prepare some sweets for your sweet.  Find it HERE. 

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Book Review: Ani's Raw Food Kitchen/Raw Food Desserts by Ani Phyo

Ani Phyo, author of Ani's Raw Food Kitchen, has come out with a new book: Ani's Raw Food Desserts. Before we get to that, let's talk about her first book. If you are new to raw foods, this is a good primer. In fact, I think it's a great book for anyone interested in health period, even if you don't want to become a raw foodist. Raw food books can be intimidating, this one is not.

I eat raw food every single day (in the form of salads, smoothies, and fruit) though I don't consume a raw food diet completely. I still love raw food cookbooks, I love the luscious photos, and I love reveling in my favorite foods--vegetables and fruit. If you already enjoy a raw food diet, great! But if not, don't feel you have to be committed to a raw lifestyle to appreciate and benefit from raw food books. I think sometimes people miss out on wonderful things because they don't think they apply to them--vegan and raw food for instance.

Ani's Raw Food Kitchen reads a little bit like a magazine. It's full of nuggets and side bars and is easy on the eye and fun to read. There are both black and white and color photos of some recipes. This book is eco-friendly and filled with educational material for a green lifestyle.

Another thing I like about this book is that it doesn't make you feel like you have to go out and get a $200 Excalibur food dehydrator to prepare complicated and time consuming recipes. Not that there's anything wrong with complicated and time consuming, it's just not practical for most people. I have a raw food cookbook that is spectacular, the photos are breath taking, but I've never made a single thing because it's just way too daunting. I am not ready for a three day recipe and I'm not sure I ever will be. Ani's recipes are accessible.

My favorite section is the salad section. I love salads as a daily main course and I'm always on the prowl for new ideas. Arugula with golden beets and walnuts in orange miso dressing is the kind of thing you find here--YUM.

Coconut breakfast cakes (with an emphasis on brain healthy flax meal) would make an excellent quick breakfast for kids to get those motor neurons going before school. There are also some easy to make nutritious bars that would be perfect to slip into backpacks or lunches.

Summertime is the perfect time to delve into raw food--it doesn't heat up the house and the variety of fruit and vegetables at the Farmers' Market is wonderful. It's a great time to try this book, you can get a copy HERE.

And now for dessert. Ani's Raw Food Desserts is a smaller book, loaded with delicious color photos. The layout is attractive and helpful--at the top of each recipe are little icons of what equipment is needed to prepare it--nice touch! Pecan Pie Cookies, Chocolate Crunch Cupcakes with Molten Mint Frosting and Oatmeal Raisin cookies are some of what you will find inside. All made with ingredients like dates and raisins and fruit. This is the kind of treat I'm happy to give my son. And believe me--he's happy to have it. Recipes are gluten, dairy, processed sugar, and cruelty free. What a great way to indulge while still consuming healthy foods! You can find a copy HERE .

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