Turbo Charged Recipes by Dian Griesel, Ph.D & Tom Griesel

A new book, TurboCharged Recipes by sibling authors Dian Griesel, Ph.D. and Tom Griesel, is a perfect standalone or an excellent companion book to the highly acclaimed rapid fat-loss and health book TurboCharged: Accelerate Your Fat-Burning Metabolism, Get Lean Fast and Leave Diet and Exercise Rules in the Dust. The recipes in the pages of TurboCharged Recipes were created and compiled for the person who loves good food, but can't or won't spend hours preparing it because they are far too busy living and loving life. Featuring more than 400 flavorful and culinary delights, this book makes it possible to comfortably and tastefully get lean and healthy, and stay in great shape for the rest of your life.

The book's recipes include:

• Beverages
• Dressings & Dips 
• Appetizers 
• Soups & Stews 
• Salads 
• Vegetarian 
• Eggs 
• Fish
• Meats 
• Poultry 
• Desserts 

Whether breakfast, lunch, appetizer, dinner, snack or dessert, each recipe follows the TurboCharged® principles that make lifelong health in an awe-inspiring body truly possible. These highly nutritious recipes will keep your metabolism revving and your excess fat burning off as your energy needs are fulfilled the TurboCharged way-keeping you lean and feeling great.

About the book:
TurboCharged Recipes by Dian Griesel, Ph.D. and Tom Griesel
 ISBN: 978-1936705078
Publisher: Business School of Happiness Inc.
 Date of publish: May 2012
Pages: 268
 $24.95

I found that this isn't a cookbook that you just pick up and find something to make quick and easy.  Many of the recipes in this cookbook I didn't have much of the ingredients on hand to make.  The recipes are more schedule and plan ahead type to make sure you have all the ingredients for the recipe.  The recipes sound yummy but if you don't have ingredients to make them then it can be discouraging to look for a recipe to make that you have everything on hand.  I did find a burger recipe that my daughter and I tried and it was very good. (check out my Scraps of Life site for the recipe) There is a chicken in foil recipe that we want to try also.

Look good????  get recipe here.

In the Introduction and through out the book there are many helpful tips.  You'll learn what the turbocharged lifestyle is all about.  Tips on getting kids to eat healthy, flavoring with herbs and spices, seasonings for vegetables, a little tidbit on sugars, MSG and low calorie foods and beverages.  TurboTips are sprinkled throughout the pages of the book.  FDA tips on fresh, raw fruits and vegetables.  You'll find tips on perfect eggs and fish, chicken and meat tips. 

About TurboCharged:
TurboCharged® is a groundbreaking 8-Step program that defies common weight-loss theories. It successfully delivers body-defining rapid fat loss, accelerates metabolism, and improves health and odds of longevity without gimmicks, supplements or special equipment. The TurboCharged Mind is an excellent companion book to the author's acclaimed rapid fat loss book, TurboCharged, or perfect as a standalone read. A series of supporting TurboChargedT hypnosis downloads are available for sale via the book's website, which offers ideal guided meditations to support and direct self-hypnosis sessions for faster fat loss, greater health, reduced stress, and to quit smoking. For more information, log on to http://www.turbocharged.us.com .

A copy of this book was provided by the author and Bostick Communications for the purpose of this review.

Food Family Style by Leigh Oliver Vickery

I have another cookbook to tell you about.  Boy is this cookbook full of wonderful surprises.  Some common ones that you've heard of and many not so common, but they are just as the title says...simple (a plus) & tasty (another plus).   There are about 365 recipes in this cookbook so I didn't have a chance to try them all.  I didn't even get a chance to try as many as I wanted, but my daughter and I did try a very tasty Island Smoothy (p. 22).  Oh, it was yummy.  I didn't have the pineapple juice on hand but did have a tropical juice that we substituted in its place and it was oh, so yummy and smooth and refreshing.  Nice hot summer day treat.

The author is known in the MOPS (mothers of pre-schoolers) circle and many of the recipes in this book that she shares were used during their MOPS groups so they are tried by kids and favorites of kids themselves.  So you could say they are KID approved....Here's a listing of the chapters:

• Kids in the Kitchen
• Snacks and Beverages
• Breakfast
• Sandwiches, burgers and pizza
• Table Talk:  in this chapter the author shares cleaver little conversations table starters to help families get some table talk going. 
• Soups and Salads
• Main Dishes
• Side Dishes
• Proportion Distortion:  discusses proportions and shares a few tips to help you discern the correct amount to serve. 
• Desserts
• Menus for Special Occasions
• Back to  Basics:  this chapter has lists of Kitchen and pantry essentials, spices that are good to have on hand and some healthy swaps instead of this....try this....

There is also a recipe Index listing main ingredient and what recipe you'd find it in such as...

• Almond
• artichoke
• bacon
• beans 
• chicken
• caramel 
• chocolate
• popcorn 
• seafood 
• many, many more categories this is just a brief listing as a  sample

I must say that I believe I'll be turning to this cookbook many times over.  I'd love to share one recipe from the book that we tried.  It is listed as a MOPS Favorite (so it is kid tested)

Zebra Cake

p. 36 (under kids in the Kitchen)

1 pkg. Chocolate cake mix with pudding (plus ingredients as stated on package for making this cake)
8 oz. cream,cheese, softened
1 egg
1/3 cup sugar
8 oz. whipped topping, thawed
chocolate syrup as desired

Prepare cake as directed and pur into greased 9 x 13 cake pan. 

Mix together cream cheese, egg, and sugar

Spoon mixture randomly onto the cake batter and swirl it with a knife.  

Bake cake according to package directions.  Cool completely.  

Mix desired amount of chocolate syrup into whipped topping and spread over cake.  Drizzle more syrup over top (oops I forgot this step).  Store in refrigerator.  Serves 18. 

A copy of this book was provided in exchange for my honest review by... 

Don’t Panic – Quick, Easy, and Delicious Meals for your Family by Susie Martinez, Vanda Howell and Bonnie Garcia

Barbecue Chicken Wraps

Great served either warm or cold; take one to work for lunch tomorrow!

Ingredients:

2-3 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 cup barbecue sauce
1&1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
shredded lettuce
tomato, sliced or diced
1 cup tortilla strips
6-12in. tortilla warps
ranch or blue cheese dressing, if desired

Directions:

In medium bowl (or sauce pan if heating) mix shredded chicken with barbecue sauce of your choice.  Set aside. (heat if you are warming)

 If using warm method pop tortilla shell in microwave for 20 sec. to warm.  Layer ingredients down the center of each tortilla. 

Wrap up your tortilla and enjoy! 




This recipe was very quick and easy and oh, so YUMMY!  My teen daughter loves wraps and this was a hit with her for a quick lunch.

*  We also made the Crazy Good Chocolate Cake recipe (p. 235) from this book....

Teen daughter's comment:  "I haven't found too many made from scratch cakes I liked, but this one was good." 
Hubby's thought:  Anything chocolate is a hit; however, he loves his frosting so I had to make the Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (p. 220)....

My thoughts: this recipe was just the right measurements and made the perfect consistency.  Nice frosting recipe. 

My thoughts on the book.  There are so many recipes that I really would love to try in this book that look Quick and Easy and sound very Delicious. 

Great meals for your busy family!
We're all busy, but that doesn't mean we have to eat like we are. You don't have to settle for feeding your family commercially packaged meals full of sodium and preservatives or fat-laced fast food. Quick and healthy meals from your very own kitchen are easy with delicious recipes like

• Southwestern Baked Cheese Dip
• Thai Chicken Wraps
• Walnut Spinach Salad
• Homestyle Mac & Cheese
• Slow Cooker Pork Chops
• Oven Roasted Orange Chicken
• Grilled Flat Iron Steak Sandwiches
• Spicy Shrimp and Asparagus Stir-Fry
• Fruit Pizza
• Mexican Chocolate Mousse
• and many more

From quick meals made on the grill or in the sauté pan to crockpot dishes that require little prep and cook while you're out for the day, the recipes in this cookbook are tasty and nutritious--and require less hands-on preparation than traditional meals. Easy appetizers and desserts; one-dish casseroles and pastas; simple soups, salads, and side dishes; and even fast breakfasts round out the selections. Meals that are freezer-friendly are marked for those who want to make ahead.

Give your family the best--the easy way!

Bonnie Garcia is a busy mother of three sons. She works as a part-time pediatric nurse, where she enjoys working with newborns and their parents. In her free time, she enjoys downhill skiing and reading. An Iowa native, Bonnie has been married to her husband, Steve, for twenty-six years. She is active in her local church, where her husband is the senior pastor. After recent trips to Greece and Israel, Bonnie has discovered that she is hooked on international travel.

Vanda Howell is a busy mom who works part-time as a kitchen design consultant. Vanda is a Denver native and has been married to her husband, Mike, for twenty-seven years. She is absolutely in love with (a.k.a. addicted to) dark chocolate, espresso lattés, and going to movies. In her free time, she enjoys gourmet cooking, gardening, and wakeboarding with her husband and teenage son.

Susie Martinez is a professional counselor with a private counseling practice in Colorado. She has been married to her husband, Joe, for twenty-two years and has two teenage children. Susie adores her family, her Kitchen Aid mixer, and her purple PT Cruiser. In her free time, she enjoys shopping with her daughter, taking long walks, and home decorating. Susie also struggles with a particular weakness for palm trees and white sandy beaches.

Bonnie Garcia and Vanda Howell and Susie Martinez

Price: $14.99 ISBN: 978-0-8007-1994-4 ISBN-10: 0-8007-1994-8 Dimensions: 7 x 9 Number of pages: 256 Carton Quantity: 24 Publication Date: Apr. 2012 Formats: Paperback

To order a copy of this book click here


“Available April 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

A copy of this book was provided in exchange for my honest review by... 

copyKat recipes free.....

CopyKat cookies get your free eBook today.

Click here

NEWS BREAK!!!

We interrupt the regularly schedule programming to bring to you this new and latest and BREAKING NEWS

It came today.....

Cook book I have a featured recipe in. I don't think it actually goes on sale til June though. Be watching for it on book store shelves.  Click here to visit Gooseberry Patch site

WooHoo! Now I'm going to have to try some other yummy recipes.

Do you know how hard it is to get a good picture of yourself by yourself???? Well, it isn't easy. I think I had to take 20 before I found a half way decent pic.

May you all have a very wonderful weekend.

I'm published....

...Well almost.  I received a letter today from Gooseberry Patch and they have chosen one of my recipes that I submitted to put into their new cookbook coming out this fall.  Quick & Easy Autumn is the name of the cookbook.  I am so excited!!  I'm doing the Happy Dance. 

Let's Eat by Denise Burroughs

In her cookbook Let's Eat, author Denise Burroughs, shares recipes that are easy and affordable.  I have tried may of the recipes in Let's Eat with my family.  They are very good.  I don't know of one that I've tried that my family didn't like.  I liked the fact that they are EASY and Affordable.
There are a few recipes that are your old stand-bys but  nice to have around such as:

• fantasy fudge, nice for the holiday season
• marshmallow potatoes, always a favorite on the Thanksgiving table
• Victoria's peppermint cocoa, yummy winter warmer-uper

Here are just few that I tried on my family:

• Taffy Apple Salad, oh, so yummy!!!  
• Beef and Noodles,  new twist but they loved it.  
• Peppers and Eggs, by my hubby's request and he isn't a breakfast food eater.
• BBQ Pork Chops, we love anything with BBQ sauce

However, there are many more that I'm excited to try yet:

• Boston roast
• Chicken casserole
• Tuna casserole
• cheeseburger casserole
• Swedish meatballs
• mushroom pork chops
• sausage bread
• chocolate Italian cookies, is most intriguing because of one of the ingredients in the mix.  I have never heard of black pepper in cookies?  I really want to try these just once at least and see how they go over in my house.
• Many more yummy recipes

Burroughs also shares 10 kitchen tips in Let's Eat a page of baking tips, an equivalent chart, baking substitutions, how to tell if it is done and tips on preparing marinades and sauces. 

Denise Burroughs combines her rich Italian heritage with years of southern tradition in Let’s Eat!, her debut cookbook. Her love for cooking shines through in this comprehensive book, suitable for all levels of cooking experience. Let’s Eat! provides readers with simple, inexpensive dishes. Recipes range from “Potato Flake Chicken” to “Chocolate Italian Cookies.”

Her strong Italian background shines through in many recipes, combining her love of tradition and her passion for rich flavors.

Burroughs’ unique dishes have been cultivated through years of experience, filling the hearts and stomachs of her friends and family. She writes: “Enjoy what you do! Your kitchen is your way of self expression and the heart of your home.”

In Let’s Eat!, Burroughs goes on to share cherished childhood memories of her family cooking authentic Italian meals. Burroughs recalls: ” Back when my great grandmother used to make pizza they called it ‘Tomato Pie’. It was not like pizza we get today. It was square and had sauce, oregano, and grated cheese on top.”

Burroughs includes helpful cooking tips for first-timers and some useful veteran secrets. She takes great pride in her recipes and is excited to share them for the very first time. She is confident these recipes will satisfy your family and friends.

She was raised in the sun, she came from a large Italian family with very strong ties to their heritage. She was born in Rome, NY and moved to Miami, Florida in December of 1969 with her mother. Raised in South Florida, she attended school until 1983. Having two daughters from her first marriage, she remarried in 1995 and in 2004 moved to Tallahassee, Florida where she currently resides.

She’s the owner of a paint and body shop and a member of NAPEW (National Association of Professional & Executive Women 2007-2008). A love for cooking and a desire to share wonderful family traditions was put to paper to create Let’s Eat. There have been so many people who have inspired her in her life, but no one inspired her more than her mother. Many of the recipes in this book have been served many times over and enjoyed by family and friends. She is happy to share them all with you and hopes you enjoy every bite as they were all made with lots of love.

You can visit Denise at www.deniseburroughs.com.

Now for the Giveaway.  I have one of Denise's cookbooks to give to one person who leaves a comment.  Please US/Canada mailing address only.   

Leave a comment telling me what your (or your family's) favorite food during this Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Year's season is.  

Be sure to leave an way of contact.  I will draw a winner on Christmas Eve for this book.  

('Tis the season)*Tell me you are a follower of my blog and you'll get a bonus entry.

winner 

A copy of this book was provided for review by Virtual Book tours