New Cookbook ~ Giada’s Feel Good Food

Giada smallAs I was doing my morning journaling yesterday, I realized that I’ve been stepping up to the plate with some big challenges and it was time to reward myself. Rewards used to be small things like manicures, but I’ve been enjoying giving myself manicures that include nail art. It has become a new hobby. And I’ve enjoyed the creativity that comes from doing it.

Barnes and Noble mailed me 20% discount cards, since I am a member. It’s great when they come in the mail. I love getting mail that isn’t a bill or a solicitation. There’s always a book on my wish list and who doesn’t like to save money. I’ve been looking at Giada’s Feel Good Food cookbook by Giada de Laurentiis, for some time and kept putting off purchasing it. Today is the day.

When I got home, I spent time with the cookbook. It lays out a month of recipes. Giada shares some tips and tricks that she does to keep herself looking and feeling great. One tip/trick is that she does during her morning routine is dip her face in ice water to help reduce swelling from sleeping at night. It supposed to help make your eyes bright and reduce the bags that formed during sleep.

There are some recipes that I was attracted to right away like Orange-Scented Almond and Olive Oil Muffins. I love muffins and always enjoy baking them and having different recipes to choose from keeps me from being bored. There are some dishes that are out of my comfort zone like Quinoa, Roasted Eggplant. Eggplant is one of my favorite vegetables, but I have never cooked it and have been leery of it. I remember my dad making eggplant parmesan and it was an ALL day process from slicing the eggplant, salting it and pressing it between 2 plates with the iron on it. This was supposed to draw out the bitterness. It’s crazy to be afraid to try something new in kitchen, right?! The worst thing that can happen is it comes out bad and I throw it away. But our fears are real. I do plan on making it and will blog about it. Plus I make quinoa all the time. Love it. It’s time to challenge myself more in the kitchen. The cookbook has a lot of gluten free recipes and some I will have to adapt since I’m gluten free. It won’t be a challenge to swap out one flour for another or gluten free pasta, grain, or bread. I’m grateful that my supermarkets carry a large selection of gluten free products.

When I bake, I often substitute sugar for other options that are on the low glycemic level like agave, honey and maple syrup. These golden liquid sweeteners don’t spike my blood sugar like refined sugars do. The more even one’s blood sugar is the less food cravings one has. The first receipe that I’m planning on baking the chocolate blueberry brownies. Yum!