Blog Tour: Review of The Blue Zones Kitchen by Dan Buettner

Author: Dan Buettner

Publisher: National Geographic

Publication Date: December 2019

Best-selling author Dan Buettner debuts his first cookbook, filled with 100 longevity recipes inspired by the Blue Zones locations around the world, where people live the longest.

Building on decades of research, longevity expert Dan Buettner has gathered 100 recipes inspired by the Blue Zones, home to the healthiest and happiest communities in the world. Each dish–for example, Sardinian Herbed Lentil Minestrone; Costa Rican Hearts of Palm Ceviche; Cornmeal Waffles from Loma Linda, California; and Okinawan Sweet Potatoes–uses ingredients and cooking methods proven to increase longevity, wellness, and mental health. Complemented by mouthwatering photography, the recipes also include lifestyle tips (including the best times to eat dinner and proper portion sizes), all gleaned from countries as far away as Japan and as near as Blue Zones project cities in Texas. Innovative, easy to follow, and delicious, these healthy living recipes make the Blue Zones lifestyle even more attainable, thereby improving your health, extending your life, and filling your kitchen with happiness.

The Blues Zones Kitchen is a new cookbook put out by National Geographic.  It's kind of a hybrid of recipes and travel guide.  The sections of book deal with a different part of the world and recipes commonly found there.  I am not the cook in the family, so after flipping through it, I gave it to my husband to look through. He is eager to try out a few of the recipes.  One thing I did like was the vibrant photos included in the book.  From National Geographic, I always know I will get wonderful photos to look at.  I think this is a great book to add to any cookbook collection.

Purchase Links

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

About Dan Buettner

Dan Buettner is the founder of Blue Zones, an organization that helps Americans live longer, healthier lives. His groundbreaking work on longevity led to his 2005 National Geographic cover story “Secrets of Living Longer” and two national bestsellers, The Blue Zones and Thrive. He lives in Minneapolis, MN. Visit him on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and at his website bluezones.com.

Review Stops

Tuesday, February 18th: Man of La Book

Wednesday, February 19th: Read. Eat. Repeat.

Thursday, February 20th: Instagram: @books_with_bethany

Monday, February 24th: Run Wright

Tuesday, February 25th: Instagram: @jenabrownwrites

Thursday, February 27th: Instagram: @thelastbiteblog

Friday, February 28th: Jennifer ~ Tar Heel Reader

Monday, March 2nd: A Bookish Way of Life

Tuesday, March 3rd: Living My Best Book Life

Wednesday, March 4th: Eliot’s Eats

Thursday, March 5th: Kahakai Kitchen

Friday, March 6th: From the TBR Pile

Monday, March 16th: Bibliotica

TBD: Monday, February 17th: PNW Pixie

Blog Tour: Signs and Seasons by Monte Farber and Amy Zerner, with Chef John Okas

Authors: Monte Farber and Amy Zerner, with Chef John Okas

Publisher: Harper Elixir

Date of publication: May 2017

Discover how to eat for your sign and nourish your soul in Signs and Seasons, the one-of-a-kind cookbook that pairs chef-driven seasonal recipes with deep insight into how astrology shapes our appetites, from iconic astrologer Monte Farber and artist Amy Zerner.

Food connects us to our families, history, culture, and to the natural world itself—to the seasons and the cycle of life. Just as our path around the sun—and through the Zodiac—dictates the seasons, the seasons dictate what will flourish, from the tender greens of early spring to late summer’s lush and impossible perfect tomatoes.

In Signs and Seasons, Farber and Zerner—along with chef John Okas—take home cooks through the four seasons and each of their astrological signs in over 95 tantalizing seasonal recipes that include starters; meat, seafood, and vegetarian mains; sides; and desserts for each sign.

Inspired by the cuisine of the Mediterranean, home of the Greco-Roman cultures that named the planets after their gods, Signs and Seasons teaches you how to:

·         Feed friends and loved ones based on their signs and the season

·         Deepen your understanding of Nature and the Universe

·         Discover how astrology shapes our personalities, tastes, and appetites

Whether exploring the “Twin nature” and “Mercurial spirit” of ramps (a spring delicacy well suited Geminis) in a recipe for Ramps al Olio or the historical association of saffron with Venus in the recipe for Roasted Corn Orecchiette, Signs and Seasons is the perfect guide for eating in a way that emphasizes both sensual nourishment and psychic satisfaction. Beautifully photographed in full color by Monte Farber and illustrated by Amy Zerner, Signs and Seasons is a one-of-a-kind source of inspiration for astrology enthusiasts and home chefs alike.

I'm not really into astrology other than to say I am a Virgo, but this seemed like a neat concept. I'm also not really one to read cookbooks.  I'm more of a look at the photos type of person.  I did look through the book and have to say that the photos are gorgeous and made my mouth water! 

 I'm not sure if I have mentioned it before, but I'm not the cook in my house.  My husband took over that job a long time ago.  Yes, I'm spoiled!  He is always looking for new recipes to try out, so I handed him this book to leaf through.  After looking through the book, he had a hard time finding something that he could make that the kids would eat.  They are kind of picky eaters and not too adventurous.  That was his only complaint.  But, he is going to keep it on hand for the next time we have dinner guests so he can show off his fancy cooking skills.  Even if you aren't into astrology, the recipes seem straight forward and interesting enough to try for the adventurous foodies out there.

About the Authors:

Since 1988, AMY ZERNER, a U.S. National Endowment for the Arts award-winning fine artist, and her husband, author MONTE FARBER, have created what they call their family of “spiritual power tools,” including The Enchanted Tarot, Instant Tarot, Sun Sign Secrets, Karma Cards, Little Reminders: The Law of Attraction Deck, Chakra Meditation Kit, The Truth Fairy Pendulum Kit, The Soulmate Path and Quantum Affirmations. There are over two million copies of their works in print in sixteen languages. The couple lives in East Hampton, NY. They believe that adding love, light, and laughter to everything one cooks is essential to creating great meals and a great life.  More at www.theenchantedworld.net.

CHEF JOHN OKAS began his career in childhood, cooking alongside his Sicilian grandmother in their family kitchen. He has cooked at Paradox in Manhattan, Georgette’s in Easthampton, and the Captiva Inn in Florida. Under the pen name John Penza, he is the author of Sicilian-American Pasta and Sicilian Vegetarian Cooking. He currently lives in Bridgehampton, New York, where he is a personal chef and is also associated with the Highway Restaurant.

Tour Stops

Tuesday, May 2nd: Sara the Introvert

Tuesday, May 2nd: I Brought a Book

Thursday, May 4th: Stranded in Chaos

Friday, May 5th: Bibliotica

Monday, May 8th: Mother’s Kitchen

Tuesday, May 9th: A Chick Who Reads

Wednesday, May 10th: Becklist

Thursday, May 11th: From the TBR Pile

Monday, May 15th: Dwell in Possibility

Tuesday, May 16th: In Bed with Books

Thursday, May 18th: Unabridged Chick

Monday, May 22nd: A Chick Who Reads

Tuesday, May 23rd: The Cactus Chronicles

Wednesday, May 24th: Books & Tea

Thursday, May 25th: All Roads Lead to the Kitchen

Tuesday, May 30th: Kahakai Kitchen

TBD: Wining Wife

Blog Tour: The Dude Diet by Serana Wolf

Author: Serena Wolf

Publisher: Harper Wave

Date of publication: October 2016

From chef and creator of the popular food blog Domesticate-Me.com, 125 outrageously delicious yet deceptively healthy recipes for dudes (and the people who love them), accompanied by beautiful full-color photography.

Dudes. So well intentioned when it comes to healthy eating, even as they fail epically in execution—inhaling a “salad” topped with fried chicken fingers or ordering their Italian hero on a whole wheat wrap (that makes it healthy, right?).

There are several issues with men going on diets. First, they seem to be misinformed about basic nutrition. They are also, generally, not excited about eating “health food.” You can lead a dude to the salad bar, but you can’t make him choose lettuce.

Enter Serena Wolf—chef, food blogger, and caretaker of a dude with some less than ideal eating habits. As a labor of love, Serena began creating healthier versions of her boyfriend’s favorite foods and posting them on her blog, where she received an overwhelming response from men and women alike. Now, in The Dude Diet, Serena shares more than 125 droolworthy recipes that prove that meals made with nutrient-dense whole foods can elicit the same excitement and satisfaction associated with pizza or Chinese take-out.

The Dude Diet also demystifies the basics of nutrition, empowering men to make better decisions whether they’re eating out or cooking at home. Better still, each recipe is 100% idiot-proof and requires only easily accessible ingredients and tools. With categories like Game Day Eats, On the Grill, Serious Salads, and Take Out Favorites, The Dude Diet will arm dudes and those who love them with the knowledge they need to lead healthier, happier lives—with flattened beer bellies and fewer meat sweats.

The Dude Diet includes 102 full-color photographs.

I will make a confession.  I only do about 10% of the cooking in my house.  I am spoiled as my husband is the cook.  He usually makes pretty healthy meals for the family.  So, I didn't go into this book looking for a healthier way of eating for him. I was hoping for some good recipes to help him change up the menu for us.  The book has some great recipes that my husband is looking forward to making.  We are just hoping our kids buy into them.  

The beginning of the book has a lot of tips on eating better in an effort to lose weight. There are great photos that made me hungry just looking at them.  I think this would make a great holiday gift for anyone (not just dudes) who is looking for a healthier way of cooking and eating.  

Purchase Links

HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About Serena Wolf

After graduating from Harvard in 2009, Serena followed her passion for food to Le Cordon Bleu Paris, receiving her cuisine diploma in 2011. Since then, she has put her culinary skills to work as a private chef, food writer, recipe developer, and blogger at Domesticate-Me.com.

She is currently a food contributor for ELLE.com and a member of SELF Magazine’s SelfMade Collective (an elite group of 25 influencers in the lifestyle space), as well as the former private chef for two players on the New York Giants. She also creates regular video content for her growing YouTube channel.

Serena’s writing, recipes and photography have been featured on The Huffington Post, SHAPE.com, SELF. Com, BetterHomesandGardens.com, WomensHealth.com, BuzzFeed and POPSUGAR among others. She has also appeared as a guest on The Dr. Oz Show and Martha Stewart’s Radio Show “Mostly Martha.”

Find out more about Serena at her website, and follow her on Instagram.

Tour Stops

Monday, October 17th: #redhead.with.book

Friday, October 28th: Create With Joy

Friday, October 28th: Joyfully Retired

Monday, October 31st: Just Commonly

Tuesday, November 1st: Art Books Coffee

Wednesday, November 2nd: Library of Clean Reads

Thursday, November 3rd: Wall-to-Wall Books

Monday, November 7th: Stranded in Chaos

Tuesday, November 8th: What Will She Read Next

Wednesday, November 9th: Jathan & Heather

Thursday, November 10th: Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Monday, November 14th: Rebecca Radish

Tuesday, November 15th: Cerebral Girl in a Redneck World

Thursday, November 17th: Oh, That’s Tasty!

Friday, November 18th: WildmooBooks

Monday, November 21st: From the TBR Pile

Tuesday, November 22nd: In Bed with Books

The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook

by:  Dinah Bucholz

Bangers and mash with Harry, Ron, and Hermione in the Hogwarts dining hall.

A proper cuppa tea and rock cakes in Hagrid?s hut.

Cauldron cakes and pumpkin juice on the Hogwarts Express.

With this cookbook, dining a la Hogwarts is as easy as Banoffi Pie! With more than 150 easy-to-make recipes, tips, and techniques, you can indulge in spellbindingly delicious meals drawn straight from the pages of your favorite Potter stories, such as:

Treacle Tart--Harry's favorite dessert

Molly's Meat Pies--Mrs. Weasley's classic dish

Kreacher's French Onion Soup

Pumpkin Pasties--a staple on the Hogwarts Express cart

With a dash of magic and a drop of creativity, you'll conjure up the entrees, desserts, snacks, and drinks you need to transform ordinary Muggle meals into magical culinary masterpieces, sure to make even Mrs. Weasley proud!

I'm not a cookbook person, but when I saw this one I had to have it.  I bought one for me and one for my sister.  We both love it!  I sat down and read the entire cookbook in one sitting.  For every recipe it references where it shows up in the Harry Potter books.  I thought that was so fun.  There are little blurbs throughout about the history of various dishes and bits of trivia here and there. 

This would be a perfect book to pick up to make treats for Halloween parties!