book review Archives - Page 12 of 18 - Have Sippy Will Travel

Bake and Destroy: Good Food for Bad Vegans

September 11, 2013 by Samantha 1 Comment

As a mom who wants to feed her kids food that they will not only like but that is also good for them, it has not always been easy. I have 4 very active children ages 8-17. We are the ultimate on the go family, band competitions, football games, basketball games, cheerleading, gymnastics. You name it, my kids jump for the opportunity.

My biggest worry hasn’t been being too busy, we have our break schedule along with the activities but the food they eat. We have more often found ourselves picking up a pizza because the kids don’t like the meals I would like them to eat. Now normally I would just say eat or don’t it’s your choice; but not with their activities.

Thanks to Natalie Slater and her book bake and destroy I have been able to conquer 3 parts of our
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Creative Book Reviews

September 9, 2013 by Samantha 1 Comment

This past week, I had the opportunity to check out three different books to help spark creativity.

The first book I received was called Animals Everywhere : a Pop-Up Adventure which was written by Yvonne Deutch and Jonathan Woodward made the beautiful pop up pictures.

This book is so much fun to read and the pop-up images are just incredible. Really, with every page I was in awe. Plus, it’s packed with fun facts and definitely kept the kids I read it to thoroughly engaged. This book would make an excellent gift for any child who loves animals (and knows how to be careful with their books).
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Filed Under: book review, kids, review Tagged With: books for kids, Creative Book Reviews, creative books for kids, cute books for kids, hands on books

Book Review: Get Your Family Eating Right

September 9, 2013 by Christine 4 Comments

I was sent a book for review, “Get Your Family Eating Right” by Lynn Fredericks and Mercedes Sanchez M.S, R.D.

The book is a 30 day plan to getting your kids and family into a healthy eating lifestyle. It shows you how to introduce healthy foods and even provides step-by-step instructions on how to get your child to help you cook the foods in the book.

The Good:

I liked the bright photos in the book. Nearly every recipe has a photo and there are great photos of kids cooking. This book is definitely child friendly and fun to learn from. I also enjoyed the instruction in the book on how to get your child to enjoy healthier foods. I also liked the way the book broke down how to create balanced meals. I do think this book is great for almost all skill levels in the kitchen.

The recipes include a format that is easy to follow, allowing mom or dad to have their child perform tasks to creating the dish. There are even foods from around the world’s cuisine. I like how it helps open your family’s taste buds to new ones.
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Filed Under: book review, food, recipes Tagged With: Book Review: Get Your Family Eating Right, cookbooks, easy family recipes, feed the family, food, Get Your Family Eating Right, good food, review

The Piccolo Chef Cookbook

September 4, 2013 by Admin Leave a Comment

Cooking with your kids is a lot of fun, and it’s the best way to teach them some great healthy eating habits! The Piccolo Chef Cookbook by Tina Fanelli Moraccini and Lilian Palmieri is a healthy way to start getting the kids not only interested in helping you out in the kitchen but getting them to eat it too.

We’re all busy sure but meal time should be family time also. Why not get them in the kitchen and pitch in on making the meals as well? The idea being Piccolo Chef is encouraging the kids to be a part of that meal. It boosts confidence and even creativity. My own kids have so much fun helping me make a meal and they are more willing to eat it rather than when I simply just set food down before them. You engage them in the entire process they are much more likely to get something more out of it, and that’s worth all the time in the world. It’s quality time spent as a family and they will have so much fun you’ll want to do it everyday!

The cookbook is full of inviting pictures, wonderfully illustrated throughout . Each recipe is easy to read and clearly written directions. There’s tips throughout each as well, nutritional and even kitchen tips to help you and the kids create some wonderful meals. With Chapters on Breakfast through dinner and even snacks you have everything covered. There aren’t any hard recipes in here either, so they are truly kid friendly, and appeal to both adults as well as kids. I really enjoyed the breakfast section, with school in full gear we need healthy yet friendly morning meals and this book had wonderful ideas. The California Frittata was my favorite while the kids begged for the Buckwheat Pancakes.
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Filed Under: book review, parenting Tagged With: cookbooks, family meals, fun breakfast ideas, fun cookbook, fun cooking, fun home coking, healthy cooking, home made pizza, innovative breakfasts, kids cookbook, The Piccolo Chef Cookbook

Widow Walk – New Book

August 31, 2013 by Samantha Leave a Comment

I recently finished reading this new book by Gerard Lasalle, Widow Walk. Once I began reading it, I finished it quickly. It was a good read, had a good flow, likeable characters, and an interesting plot.

Here’s a brief overview: Pioneer Isaac Evers, based on the historical figure Colonel Isaac Ebey, and his wife Emmy, settled on Whidbey Island and established a prosperous, small colony there. Their life was fairly quiet until a bloody attack on northern indigenous tribe members set a group of natives off on a path to revenge. When their path crosses the Evers’ homestead, chaos ensues. Emmy must use every resource and muster every thread of courage she has to protect and piece back together what matters most – her family.
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Filed Under: book review, lifestyle Tagged With: fun read, good books, good summer read, historical fiction book, new books, Widow Walk - New Book, widow walk book

Pies and Tarts with Heart Cookbook

August 30, 2013 by Admin Leave a Comment

Who doesn’t like Pie? I mean come on, you have endless possibilities of what can make up a pie. You can have cookie crusts, pastry crust, heck you can even make a vegetable crust <- Yes I said that, and no I’m not making it up! You can even make a cookie dough crust! Are you drooling yet? Hungry are you? I haven’t even started in on the fillings, you’ve got fruit, vegetables, cheese, cream, meat the sweet the sour the in between and do not ever forget the toppings! The toppings, yum whipped topping , ice cream, warm homemade sweet fruit glazes.

How about now are you drooling? No?

Now are you drooling? This Crumble Top Berry Pie came from the book Pies and Tarts with Heart by Dynise Balcavage.

Inspired by vegan recipes for both the sweet and savory pies this book brings on pies in a whole new light . I know you all have heard the saying, “Easy as Pie” . While yes it may seem hard, Balcavage has made it that much easier with bright colorful photographs throughout the cookbook you have the beginning to a wonderful start in pie making.

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Easy to follow directions, you are walking through making your first crusts which is of course the base of it all. Go for nutty, go for gluten free or use that vegetable oil you have on hand. You have several different crusts to pick from and each one comes with step by step illustrated pictures to guide you smoothly through it. Tips and tricks are throughout the book making it extremely reader friendly. Each recipe also has a quick code by pictures, need a Gluten Free recipe? Just look for the wheat symbol crossed out. Short on time? There’s plenty of quick recipes, and if you have a special diet that needs to be low in fat they are all listed with quick code icons at the top of each page. Kid friendly recipes are throughout as well making it highly family friendly. Don’t feel like baking? Not a problem there’s no bake crusts and pies in here too like my kids favorite S’more Pie!
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Filed Under: book review, food, review Tagged With: baking, baking cakes, book review, cake recipes, cookbooks, dessert cookbook, pie recipes, pies, Pies and Tarts with Heart Cookbook, pies cookbook, tart recipes

Stealth Health Lunches Kids Love Cookbook review

August 19, 2013 by Admin Leave a Comment

With school just in a week or so it’s that time again to come up with healthy quick lunches kids would love to put in their lunch boxes! Not only that we all deal with the dilemma of healthy eating for kids. They can be picky and it’s a hit or miss half the time and let’s face it gluten loaded lunches can drag our kids down.

With the new cookbook Stealth Health Lunches Kids Love: Irresistible and Nutritious Gluten-Free Sandwiches, Wraps and Other Easy Eat, by Tracy Griffith you can take the guest work out of this hassle and make some nutritious and amazing lunches your child is guaranteed to love. Recipes in the book are all gluten free and unique aiming purely to be healthy and get the kids energized which is a mega help during school hours. Not only are they healthy but they are fun, delighting kids with plenty of variety to choose from.

Right away the cookbook is filled with really easy recipes. All of which can be made fast, are kid friendly this means mostly that not only are they eye catching, but in small portions that pertain to kids. There are different parts to the book, which include the sandwich area, rolls, pita pockets, rolls. gems wraps and buns. You have sidekicks or nibbles ( snacks) dips and spread as well as a section on how to cook perfect sushi rice. Rice is used in more than half of the recipe which also use what is called Gem Wraps. An all-natural wrap made from fruit and vegetable puree. Side note they are not good as a standalone they are meant to eat using the recipes in the cookbook in chapter four. Trust me on this.
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Filed Under: book review, food, review Tagged With: cookbook review, easy foods for kids, easy lunches cookbook, healthy cookbook, healthy cookbooks, healthy foods for kids, kid cookbook, kids cookbook, Stealth Health Lunches Kids Love Cookbook review

WIN – Best Lunch Box Ever Cookbook

August 14, 2013 by Admin 21 Comments

School is here! Ready to make those lunches? No? Well think again if you are dreading this daily chore to help get the kids off to school. The Cookbook Best Lunch Box Ever , ideas and recipes for School Lunches Kids Will Love by Katie Sullivan Morford is a promising cookbook to help get parents and kids excited about school lunches again.

Sometimes you just need help , an idea to help put together a lunch. Kids get tired of the same old things, peanut butter and jelly, an apple a salad. Boring! Spice up that lunch box and have the kids help .

With 10 Chapters to go through you have plenty to choose from, the Brown Bag basics which is tips to keep food cool till lunch, portion sizes and more. Planning is important, there’s a section on this and it will help even the most unorganized parent prepare lunch easier. Don’t skip this chapter! Next is the food chapters, your array of sandwiches, including just a few are- Smoked Salmon Tea Sandwich, Chickpea Panini and Turkey Hummus Cuties. You have Salads that are aimed for children, roll ups, wraps, and a whole chapter on how to help turn left overs into an amazing lunch. Not skipping the main bulk is fruits and vegetables, little extras to add in there for the kids and even a section for some healthy treats like Rosie’s Energy Balls and more. I like the additional chapters for after school snacks. Yet another daily thing that parents like myself sometimes come to dread. You just serve the same things over and over, well Katie helps take you through the steps and tips to kick up not only your kids lunch box meal but after-school goodies the kids will adore you for! I made some Shredded BBQ Pork Wraps for the kids from leftovers. Perfect size for the lunch box!
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