By: Eva Marie Everson and Linda Evans Shepherd

Potlucks make sharing good, home-cooked foods with friends and family easy and simple. For a proven recipe for success, begin with a few (or a lot of) guests, delicious dishes to share and mix with love.

The popular authors of the Potluck Club books and veterans of countless potluck dinners, Linda Evans Shepherd and Eva Marie Everson, have gathered their favorite recipes. There’s something for everyone, (even if you are watching your weight), with these recipes from salads to casseroles to slow-cooker delights. Not only will these potluck ideas save you money, they’ll also build memories to last a lifetime.

Published by: Revelle Books

by Cynthia Lair

So many women become interested in eating a whole foods diet once they become pregnant. Whereas before they were mostly interested in maintaining their weight, once they’re responsible for another life, it becomes more important to maintain health.

But then when baby starts eating solid foods, a curve ball is thrown into the kitchen. How do you prepare meals for babies, tots, kids and a hungry husband too?

Thankfully there are many awesome cookbooks available that make the job of preparing and cooking food for your family a little easier.

Feeding the Whole Family is one such cookbook. It’s not strictly vegetarian nor does it advocate any kind of exclusive eating regime.
It’s just what it says – a whole foods cookbook. You won’t find any recommendations for fake foods or boxed stuff or mystery ingredients that are hard to pronounce (except maybe for a couple of items that are only available at your local health food store). The recipes are simple and easy to prepare, tasty and appeal to everyone.

What makes this cookbook unique is that each recipe has a recommendation for feeding a baby. Many moms want to make their own baby food so as to give their infant the freshest, highest quality food they can, but don’t want to spend all their time in the kitchen.
That’s hardly feasible when you have a young baby anyway! Nor is it even necessary. All you have to do is remove a little of the food before adding salt or other ingredients that baby may not be eating yet. Simple!

The first section of the book provides an overview of what whole foods eating means, suggestions for alternative ingredients (such as healthier fats and sweeteners) and other tips for pregnant and nursing moms who may have questions about their diet. It gives instructions on how to prepare whole grains including some that may be unknown to someone new to whole foods eating.

This cookbook would be an excellent choice as a gift for a friend who is transitioning to a healthier diet or on any mom’s shelf who has already made a commitment to feeding her family well with a minimum of fuss.

Carrie Lauth is a single homeschooling mom of 4 who blogs at http://www.naturalmomstalkradio.com/blog

The Stevia Cookbook – Cooking with Nature’s Sweetener

by Donna Gates and Ray Sahelian, MD

Are you trying to reduce the amount of sugar your family eats but don’t want to resort to artificial sweeteners? This book would be an excellent addition to your cookbook library.

The first part of the book talks about the history of stevia. Why, despite the fact that it’s so commonly used in Asia and has been in use by South American Indians for centuries, is stevia so little known in the western world? The book points to the usual suspects: money and politics.

Thankfully stevia is available on health food stores shelves. It’s calorie free and inexpensive. It only takes a couple of drops to sweeten your tea or a half teaspoon to sweeten an entire dessert.

Stevia won’t contribute to tooth decay and some natural healing experts say stevia is highly nutritious and healing to the pancreas and adrenal glands.

Chapter 3 tells the history and dangers of artificial sweeteners.

Diabetics and those who want to lose weight are quick to use these, but how safe are they really?

Chapter 4 acquaints you with the various forms of stevia: from whole leaf to green to white powder to liquid concentrates, you’ll learn which formulation is best for your needs.

Part Two is all about the recipes. You’ll find recipes for pancakes and crepes, muffins, salads, dressings and sauces, beverages and of course – desserts!

My family has been using stevia for years and we love it. My kids reach for the liquid stevia whenever they make green tea. My sister reaches for it when she has a cup of coffee. I’ve used stevia in my desserts (don’t tell anyone because they didn’t know the difference!)

Learn more about stevia and start using it to sweeten your family’s food safely and naturally with the Stevia Cookbook.

     Carrie Lauth, stevia lover, blogs about more of her favorite natural products at http://www.naturalmomstalkradio.com/blog/reviews/