Kitchen Products, Natural Home, & Book Reviews

At our house, we rarely eat grains (with the exception of rice on rare occasion) since we have one son still on GAPS and it is just easier to avoid grains (plus we feel better). Even though I have a lot of my own original recipes, it is always fun to find a cookbook that …

One of the most popular recipes I’ve created from scratch is my homemade Italian pasta sauce recipe. It took me a long time to get it right, as I married into an Italian family and my husband has pretty high standards when it comes to cuisine from “the boot.” Creating healthy, grain-free options of traditional Italian foods …

Bill and Hayley, authors of Gather and Make it Paleo, have come out with yet another great book in their new 30 Day Guide to Paleo Cooking. As someone working on a first book, I really have no idea how they manage to write and beautifully photograph these books so quickly, but they certainly haven’t …

I must admit, I was skeptical when I first heard about “Beyond Bacon.” Certainly, we have many favorite recipes that involve pork at our house, but an entire cookbook devoted to pork? Now that I’ve had the chance to read Beyond Bacon, I can absolutely see why a cookbook dedicated to only pork is such …

I’ve written before about how many of the plants we consider weeds are edible and beneficial, but a book I recently had a chance to review, Dandelion Hunter, takes it to a new level! Rebecca Lerner, who blogs at First Ways, has a funny yet edgy writing style that really draws you in to the …

I recently read the book The Paleo Coach: Expert Advice for Extraordinary Health, Sustainable Fat Loss and an Incredible Body by Jason Seib and would recommend it, especially to those searching for motivation in switching to a healthier lifestyle. Jason is a friend and business partner of Sarah Fragoso (who blogs at Everyday Paleo) as …

I recently read the book “Deep Nutrition: Why Your Genes Need Traditional Foods” and I found it to be a must-read health book that explains in a very detailed and easy-to-understand way how our diets affect us on a cellular level. Dr. Care Shanahan provides the best explanation I’ve found for how many modern foods are …

I’m a big fan of slow-cooker meals, especially in the fall and winter. I think it’s a great way for those new to a real food diet to feel less-overwhelmed and more confident in their ability to make nutritious meals. Slow cooker freezer recipes are also ideal for working moms, homeschooling families, or really anyone …

I recently had the opportunity to interview New York Times Best Selling Author Tim Ferriss about the release of his new book: The 4-Hour Chef: The Simple Path to Cooking Like a Pro, Learning Anything, and Living the Good Life. Ferriss and I talked about why he chose cooking to teach his methods for learning anything …

I recently got a review copy of the book Paleo Slow Cooking by Chrissy Gower and I”ve thoroughly enjoyed reading through it. Just as the title suggests, this 200+ page cookbook is dedicated to paleo, grain-free recipes that can be easily prepared in a slow-cooker. I was most surprised to see breakfast slow-cooker recipes since …

I’ve been experimenting a lot lately with at-home workout options since it can be difficult to make time to get away to a gym with five kids. I recently tried a workout called T-Tapp at the recommendation of a friend. If you aren’t familiar with T-tapp, it is a short workout system that *looks* very …

I’ve read the book “Gut and Psychology Syndrome” by Dr. Campbell-McBride several times, but recently re-read it and wanted to offer an in depth review. You might have seen blogs or articles mentioning the GAPS/SCD diet, especially in reference to Autism, Allergies, A.D.D, etc. I first read this book several years ago, and while we …

There have been a lot of real food cookbooks released lately, and for any and all things that are baked, Paleo Indulgences tops my list. I’ve tried eight of the recipes so far and they have all been a hit at our house. Paleo Indulgences has a lot of grain free baked good recipes with …

I get a lot of emails asking natural fertility questions, and I recently had the chance to read and review this book: Naturally Knocked Up, which is a great resource for couples who are trying to conceive. Written by blogger Donielle Baker, who blogs at NaturallKnockedUp.com, it is an easy to understand and comprehensive resource …

If you haven’t already heard the buzz, Sarah Fragoso from Everyday Paleo recently released her new Everyday Paleo Family Cookbook! Sarah’s blog is a wealth of information and delicious recipes and it is on my list of daily reads. I use Sarah’s original book, Everyday Paleo, often as a reference and for recipe ideas, and I …

Several friends recommended How to Raise a Healthy Child in Spite of Your Doctor and I finally got a chance to read it. Though it was written in the 1970s, much of the information is just as important (if not more so!). Dr. Mendelsohn is a pediatrician who was hoping to change the field from the inside. In …

I recently had the opportunity to review an interesting new idea for new and expecting moms… A box filled with natural, organic, and earth friendly products that moms (and moms-to-be) can try without the need to buy a full size bottle. Started by an eco-friendly mom of four, Ecocentric Mom is a company dedicated to …

I was ecstatic to receive an advanced copy of Practical Paleo and was completely unprepared for how HUGE this book was and how much information it contains! Diane Sanfilippo did an amazing job of organizing all the information in a very easy to read and understand format. This 400+ page book is actually an easy …

I’d always assumed (and was told) that it was not possible to cure tooth decay, that cavities could not heal, and the only way to fix oral health problems was through modern dentistry. As I read and researched more, this made less and less sense and when I ran across information from Dr. Weston A. Price …

There are so many great health books coming out right now and It Starts With Food is probably one of my favorite. It was written by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig, founders of Whole9 and the Whole 30 Challenge and it is a great primer for those who are delving into a healthier way of living …

I was recently given the opportunity to review The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Eating Paleo by Jason Glaspey and Neely Quinn and it was definitely much more comprehensive than I expected for a “Complete Idiot’s Guide!” This 300+ page book not only has explans why some modern foods (grains, sugars, vegetable oils, etc.) are not …

I recently read Sweet Potato Power by Ashley Tudor and I admit that at first, I was somewhat skeptical of a 250+ page book completely about sweet potatoes, but Ashley did a great job. While this book definitely has some great sweet potato recipes, it also has an easy-to-understand explanation of why a grain free …

I recently read the book Making Shi(f)t Happen by Dean Dwyer from BeingPrimal.com. I’ve read Dean’s blog in the past, and I like his no-holds-barred approach to health and nutrition. To give a little background, Dean was a former Vegan/Vegetarian who, at age 45, decided to try a new approach. He re-introduced meat into his diet …