Reviewed by Christian Sia for Readers' Favorite

The Mediterranean Functional Lifestyle: Creative Recipes for Healthy Diets by Nikos Ligidakis is a gift for anyone who wants to eat and stay healthy. This book brilliantly showcases the old adage that “we are what we eat.” The author shares more than 250 original recipes for healthy dieting, designed for people who are focused on elimination diets, gluten-free diets, vegetarian, vegan, and many more. The author shares information about and provides a cooking philosophy and diet mostly shaped by what the earth provides. It was not about one particular food with unique benefits but rather eating mostly plant-based, nutrient-dense foods and limited amounts of meats. Insights into the Early Hippocratic doctors establish a strong connection between their eating habits, their diet, and the Mediterranean diet. In the preface, Helene, the wife of the author, starts by telling readers their experience with the elimination diet and how they eliminated sugar, alcohol, dairy, eggs, corn, and gluten for three weeks. By the end of the third week, they lost weight and had much more energy. This book contains their secrets.

I have read many cookbooks and have consulted them when I badly needed to cook, but The Mediterranean Functional Lifestyle is a treasure trove that doesn’t just teach readers how to cook, but also how to create healthy meals. Readers will understand the nutritional value of fruits, vegetables, nuts, spices and herbs that are presented in this book. Nikos Ligidakis shares his creative ways of cooking and presents recipes that are clearly described and with easy steps to prepare them. These recipes include healthy foods like arugula, artichokes, beets, broccoli, cabbage, capers, carrots, cucumber, mushrooms, and many others. This book will not only keep those who use it healthy, but it will increase their strength levels and overall wellness. I enjoyed the creativity when it comes to the recipes, the fluidity in expression, and the strength of the writing. I also loved that while the recipes are easy to prepare, the author has done a great job of researching the biological and health properties of the spices and the foods. A gem of a book that is highly recommended.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

The Quarantine Cookbook is a nonfiction cooking/food guide written by Beth Carter. The author’s comic muse has been hiding from her lately and making writing her typical literary fare, humorous women’s fiction, and romantic comedy rather more difficult to pen. And since she’s been actively cooking and posting her recipes and pictures online, Carter decided that the best thing she could do to help others get through the pandemic was to share her favorite recipes, many of which were handed down to her from family members. Most of them are perfect for those evenings when the pantry is somewhat barer than it could be, in fact, a number of them need only 5 ingredients or less -- and the ingredients are often staples most can find lurking in the pantry or freezer. Carter offers recipes for everything: appetizers, breads (that are easy to make!), salads, sides, soups, entrees, desserts, and even snacks. In her appendix, she includes Non-Stir Crazy Activities, Six-Word Memoirs on Quarantine Life, and an assortment of entertaining quotes on food.

I am always intrigued when a new cookbook comes my way and was particularly eager to read Beth Carter’s The Quarantine Cookbook. As she promises, her recipes are delightfully free of long lists of arcane and hard-to-get ingredients, and most of them are not involved and arduous undertakings. Her savory recipes are brimful of bright, healthy vegetables, and her desserts likewise feature generous helpings of fruit. Lest this scare away some readers, don’t let the thought of peppers, bananas, and berries cause you undue concern; this collection features generations’ worth of comfort food. Her Sausage Balls sound incredible and are incredibly easy to make. Beth’s Famous Baked Beans artfully creates a masterpiece one might expect to have taken hours on a hot stove, and Taco Lasagna is not only intriguing but again simple to prepare. While many have their own favorites and handed-down recipes for comfort food, Beth Carter has something for everyone in her cookbook. The ingredients are clearly and simply specified and the instructions are easy to follow and delightfully brief. The Quarantine Cookbook is highly recommended.

Reviewed by Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite

Braided: A Journey of a Thousand Challahs by Beth Ricanati, MD is a memoir that captures one woman's journey into her spiritual center, the place where self-love and self-care happen, and the very place where one heals oneself from the ache of anxiety and depression that punctuate the day-to-day life of a woman. In this fascinating book and in a voice that is confident and bold, the author shares secrets about staying in the present and how to allow simple activities such as baking to inspire the heart. In a sense, this book teaches readers the magic ritual and how it allows them to enjoy the daily chores of life, create meaning, and accomplish work that matters without feeling the strain of it.

If you were to offer a meaningful gift to a significant woman in your life, it should be this book. In reading Beth Ricanati’s Braided: A Journey of a Thousand Challahs, one feels as if one is drinking from a spiritual fountain that allows a new wave of life to surge within them. This book offers both a recipe and a path to personal growth and healing. Packed with insight and wisdom, it is one of those rare books that every woman should read. The author shares her experiences and does so in a style that engages the reader in a heart-to-heart conversation. The popular, conversational style of writing coupled with the author's gift for intelligent and unique phraseology drive home the message in a powerful manner. A must-read for the contemporary woman.

Reviewed by Gisela Dixon for Readers' Favorite

James Laughren's 50 Ways To Love Wine More is a fun, light and entertaining book all about wine. James Laughren offers an introduction to the finer details of wine drinking and exploration. The book is divided into 50 short chapters where each one addresses a different facet of how to enjoy wine, explores the various types of wines, and also touches on a few aspects of the industry of wine making itself. Some of the chapters include the recommendation of using a sommelier to enhance the experience, finding your favorites, introducing a beer drinker to wine, exploring sweet wines and dessert wines, young versus old vintage wines, chocolate and wine, travel, rose and orange wines, entertaining and making friends over wine, taking wine tasting classes, philosophy, and more.

For anyone who is a wine drinker or simply just wants to learn more about wine in general, this is a great little book that forms an ideal introduction to wine for both the beginner and the expert. The short chapters make this an easy read. The writing style is equally light and engaging and the author's passion and knowledge of wines comes through. There are a number of photographs spread throughout the book and I especially liked the historical photographs related to wine making and the wine industry of the past. Overall, I found 50 Ways To Love Wine More by James Laughren to be both informative and entertaining, and I would recommend it to others for reading or even as a gift for someone who enjoys wine.

Reviewed by Donna Gielow McFarland for Readers' Favorite

Any cookbook that has “gorgeous” in its title had better deliver great photography. A Taste of Gorgeous by mother and son team Craig Harlen and Johanna Harlen has, if anything, a title that is too modest. Part cookbook and part coffee table photography book, A Taste of Gorgeous is a collection of 50 dessert recipes, many of which are common in their simplicity, but these recipes are plated and photographed to perfection. Johanna Harlen is the author of the recipes, which range from Easy Cherry Cobbler to White Chocolate Crème Brûlée. She describes the recipes as simple, and, for the most part, they use ingredients and techniques that should be accessible to almost any home cook. But the way executive sous chef Craig Harlen plates and photographs these simple desserts is spectacular! He makes even Carrot Cake and Pineapple Upside Down Cake look like they belong in a Michelin Star restaurant. And what he does with the S’more is extraordinary!

I can’t gush enough about the wonderful photography, but the recipes in A Taste of Gorgeous also sound so good it was hard to choose a favorite. The standout for me was the recipe for Key Lime Pie Deconstructed. Johanna Harlen not only describes how to make the dessert, but she lists step-by-step how to plate it so it looks like the photograph. This is the only recipe in which the plating is explained as the other recipes simply tell how to make the dish. The photos are so inspiring that I might have to try it. Highly recommended as a dessert cookbook, and even more highly recommended as gorgeous food photography. I’m not sure which is the best part of A Taste of Gorgeous – the recipes or the photographs! Really impressive job!

Reviewed by Kristy Volchko for Readers' Favorite

Tummy Revolution 21 (Gut Health Made Simple) by Sara Chadwick is a comprehensive guide to better digestive health. Sectioned into three parts, each one is designed to guide you through the process, making it easy for low-FODMAP newbies to adapt quickly and navigate their way from start to finish. Want to know why your belly looks like you're eight months pregnant after eating an apple but you’re fine with dark chocolate? It’s those darn monosaccharides and Polyols again! Wait, what are those? The answer to that and more are between these pages. The book explains what FODMAPs are exactly, the importance of eliminating them in order to push the belly (reset) button, and become aware of what you’re most sensitive to and to what amount, eventually healing your gut. Tummy Revolution 21 is mapped out in such a way that you’ll eventually gain enough knowledge to customize your own variation of a low-FODMAP diet based on your individual needs and tolerance levels.

This is an excellent book with tons of factual information, tips, meal plans, and colorful, easy-to-follow recipes. Having my own FODMAP and food sensitivity issues, I’ve followed a low-FODMAP diet for years, and when I don’t, I know it! Tummy Revolution 21 is perfect for anyone who’s had digestive issues, brain fog, chronic fatigue, joint pain, migraines; a healthy gut is vital to good health! I loved the added meditation and yoga sections, because destressing plays a huge part in healing the body. I give this positive, well-written book five stars!

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

Breathe. Taste. Savor. Smile. Mind to Mouth: A Busy Chick’s Guide to Mindful Mealtime Moments by Heather Sears is a book for all readers as it discusses the topic of food and what it means to nourish oneself with real food. The author’s journey about her struggles, questions, discoveries, and the solutions that have worked for her - based on practical ideas - can be incorporated into readers' daily lives. The author highlights the importance of being mindful and how starting to notice the differences, paying attention to new things, and getting interested in what is around us can bring many benefits in life. This book will equip readers to be more aware and respond to the forces that they are up against during their mealtimes.

Mind to Mouth is a book that will help readers have a deeper appreciation of themselves and create the type of mealtime outcome that they desire. The author’s exploration of the three key takeaways is useful to readers when it comes to planning, shopping, and preparing the meals because they have a great impact on what is put inside their mouths. The author’s personal experiences are engaging and will help readers perceive eating and food choices in a different light. The topic has been handled in a very interesting way that will make readers pay more attention to their eating habits by helping them to eat in moderation, break bad habits, reduce food cravings, develop an awareness of hunger, and make conscious food choices.

Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite

Food is a basic essential of life. But when food becomes toxic to the body, then it is time to re-evaluate what is in the food. Even so-called fresh produce can be laced with pesticides and GMOs, which can be, and is, terribly toxic to a lot of people, especially small children who are just beginning to grow and develop. With the increasing use of pesticides and the preference by governments, farmers, food manufacturers and grocers to promote GMO foods, learning to eat wisely and safely is a quagmire of obstacles and unknown variables.

What’s needed? A useful, informative guide to help young mothers feed their children healthy food alternatives, food that not only is safe for the child, but looks good and tastes delicious. That’s where this book comes in handy. Catherine Barnhoorn had to heal herself from many autoimmune conditions and, when her newborn, Mila, started showing unusual and concerning symptoms, this young mother started researching and implementing a healthier, safer diet program for both herself and her new baby. As she researched and developed hundreds of recipes, she started to develop an idea of an extensive health guide that would not only explain the perils we now face with trying to eat healthily, but also the many options available to improve our eating habits.

The result? Her 500-page book, Mila’s Meals: The Beginning and the Basics. This is a must study, must enjoy, healthy eating alternative not only for feeding children, but also for feeding ourselves as adults. Everything you could possibly ask about the difficult food industry is answered in this book. Beginning with her own story, Catherine leads the reader through her experiences and sets us up with a course of action: first and foremost, read the labels and be aware of what you are eating. She complements her discussions with concise charts of the good and the bad in different food groups. She lays out the research compiled on the subject of food intolerances and allergies, and she provides a great resource of recipes, from snacks to main course meals to yummy desserts, and all that you could possibly want in between. The glossary is succinct and very thorough and useful. This is a must have guide for all young mothers and for anyone who wants to eat healthily and stay healthy. Well done! A great resource. Love the photos of Mila.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

Italian Moms - Spreading their Art to Every Table: Classic Homestyle Italian Recipes is a Regional Italian Cookbook written by Elisa Costantini and her son, Frank Costantini, with photographs by Versano Photography. Elisa Costantini learned much of her skills in the kitchen while helping her Aunt Ida. She was the only one who was allowed to assist the secretive chef with the incredible dishes that earned her the status of a celebrated chef and caterer in Teramu, which is located in Abruzzo, Italy. Abruzzo, a mountainous region in Southern Italy, is known for its meat dishes, a basic meat sauce called Ragu, spreadable sausages, and mountain honey. Costantini interweaves the story of her childhood and early married life in Italy and later in the United States with her recipes. She begins with cooking tips and then presents a variety of regional antipasti. Her recipes are easy to follow and very well presented. Most call for a modest amount of ingredients and the cooking instructions are clearly described. The photographs of each dish will make most readers instantly start making cooking plans and compiling grocery lists for the recipes they’ll be unable to resist preparing.

I've enjoyed trying new recipes for many years and, while my favorite chefs are Julia Child and James Beard, I've always had a soft spot for Italian dishes. When I first saw Elisa and Frank Costantini's gorgeous regional Italian cookbook, Italian Moms - Spreading their Art to Every Table: Classic Homestyle Italian Recipes, I knew I was in for a treat. But I had no idea just how much of a treat this marvelous cookbook would be. I loved reading about Elisa's life and appreciated her descriptions of her first time making some of these special dishes. Her recipes are a dream to read, and I instantly started compiling an internal catalogue of the dishes I would have to try right away. There's so much in this book, from breads, to pastas, meat dishes, soups -- and desserts to die for -- but I have to admit my first project will have to be Costantini's Timballo, a massive dish that's similar to lasagna but is made with scrippelles, a type of Italian crepe, with, perhaps, tiramisu and Italian rum cake for dessert. Each of the dishes presented in this book speaks most eloquently of the love the authors have for their cuisine, and the recipes will be irresistible to anyone who enjoys cooking. Italian Moms - Spreading their Art to Every Table: Classic Homestyle Italian Recipes is most highly recommended.

Reviewed by Tracy A. Fischer for Readers' Favorite

In a stunningly beautiful new offering by author and chef Olga Petrenko, Intimacy on the Plate: 200+ Aphrodisiac Recipes to Spice Up Your Love Life at Home Tonight is a guide through gastronomic heaven. As many at home chefs know, the visual appeal of a cookbook definitely adds to the joy involved in preparing a meal, and this book is beautiful from start to finish. The focus of the work, creating and sharing meals with your partner with a special emphasis on aphrodisiacs, is extremely interesting, and the science behind how foods affect the sexes appears to be sound. The book is divided into easy to use sections, including vegetables, fish, seafood, erotic spices, nuts, fruit, chocolate and love potions, and has easy to follow instructions on preparation as well as information on the potential effects of eating particular foods. The beauty of the photos of the food as it is being prepared is only bested by the beauty of the photos of the finished product.

I loved this cook book. Loved. It. How's that for a review? It's definitely how I felt about Intimacy on the Plate: 200+ Aphrodisiac Recipes to Spice Up Your Love Life at Home Tonight. Author Olga Petrenko has done a simply outstanding job in her work on this cookbook, and the information about the food as well as the photos provided are just magnificent. This book would be perfect for anyone who enjoys cooking, is looking to prepare a perfect romantic or Valentine's Day meal, or who is looking to spice up their love life. I am so pleased to be able to highly recommend Intimacy on the Plate: 200+ Aphrodisiac Recipes to Spice Up Your Love Life at Home Tonight, and I look forward to reading more from this very promising cookbook author as soon as I am able to!