Awakening Beauty- Book Giveaway !

Who doesn’t want to be beautiful ? Admit it or not , all of us want to be beautiful , Last year while I was visiting family in India , my 14 year old niece had asked me at least 35 times if she looked beautiful and when I told her that she was indeed beautiful, she was ecstatic. I am the best aunt she ever has !

Often , we forget how beautiful we are , so much so that I am surprised when people tell me I look pretty , I must admit I really feel weird when someone compliments me on my looks or skin may be because I think certain aspects of my face are not so good or even ugly. While I was reading this book , It really occurred to me that I as an individual should embrace all that I have , restore peace and harmony and love myself in order to feel whole and really feel beautiful inside and out.

Most of us lead hectic lives , a fantastic career , great kids and family structure , busy weekends , girls night outs , you name it we do it , but how many of us , stop for a minute , look at ourselves and say “I am taking good care of myself , I am happy and content , I eat well , I take care of my body , my skin and my face “ ? How many of us set apart a certain amount of time everyday just for ourselves ? Well , I’m sure not many of us ! We , women tend to put our kids , family and career first than ourselves , we are programmed that way ! But if even one person, after reading this article , puts away some time for herself everyday, Id be the happiest !

Listen to the warning signs that work against your rhythm , listen to the Hungry , Angry , Lonely , Tired (HALT) signs and work in communion with your rhythms. Remember that your life is supported by your rhythms and cause it to unfold. By understanding your rhythms, you develop a sense of self , an ever- increasing capacity for genuine love and an ever – unfolding beauty.

What are rhythms ?

Rhythms are nothing but the gentle waves of your inner world which is alive with thoughts and feelings.

How do you recognize rhythm ?

Sometimes by doing nothing and relaxing and gently breathing . A simple way to bring order in your rhythm is to bring order in your environment like cleaning and de cluttering the space around you , enjoying the beauty of nature , most importantly giving time to yourself and trying to cleanse your mind of the negative thoughts that are clouding you.

I truly believe what goes into your stomach should mostly be organic and local. I also believe what you apply on your face also has to be organic. I am willing to cut back on other things which are not so important and spend on things that I use for my skin everyday ! I support cosmetics which have ingredients grown bio dynamically or organic in nature.

What is biodynamic farming?

Biodynamic farming was introduced by Rudolf Steiner , an esotericist, philosopher , thinker , It is a scientific use of crop rotation , composting, integrated soil , crop and pest management keeping in mind the health of the ecosystem and in the early twentieth century

Biological practices banned all the use of synthetic substances such as pesticides and fertilizers chemical in nature and sustainable practices like using green manure , composting , cover crops , crop rotation and companion planting were incorporated.

Dynamic practices included intentions to increase the life force of earth and the farm in general. Some practices were herbal remedies or preparations applied to the soil, the leaves of the plant and compost of the plants to make the plants grow healthier and stronger.

Out of the biodynamic farming was born the organic movement.

Boosting your life force for energy and beauty

Rudolf Steiner says there is an energetic connection between people.Our thoughts , emotions and words are bundles of etheric energy. Susan West kurz , who is the author of Awakening beauty gives us some great insight into this .
She says “ Everyone who touches you with love , care or compassion elevates your life energy and contributes to your health and beauty. The opposite is also true.

Some tips to strengthen our health, improve our lives and develop our beauty.

1.Spend some time in Nature

2.Eat unprocessed plant food

3.Express gratitude and love throughtout the day especially when you drink water or bathe or shower. Water is a powerful healing medium.

4,Dance or do rhythmic exercise

5. Seek out therauptic massage and healing touch like Reiki and acupuncture.

6. Listen to beautiful , harmonious music

7. Use skin care products made of pure plant substances, preferably grown biodynamically or organically

8. Practice rhythm

In spite of all this aging is inevitable , which means we need to be more and more conscious o exposing ourselves to the sources of healing and beauty. The reason being when you reach your thirties , forties and fifties , the life force turns its attention from the physical body towards your internal development , namely wisdom , spiritual development. Therefore your health and beauty depend on the wisdom of choices and how well you care for yourself, both internally and externally.


Thank you all for taking a moment and reading what I wrote. I have written just a fraction of what I have read and understood from this book. All I can say is Take good care of yourself. Truly believe that sometimes if you have to put yourself first ,then you should do it in order to become a better person. I am speaking from experience, I have a 10 month old baby and its no small task to care for her , I have signed away my life to her and I am the happiest about it. I believe if I take care of myself , I can do a better job in taking care of her .

We , The Daily tiffin team are giving away Awakening Beauty – Dr Hauschka Way by Susan West Kurz with Tom Monte . Please leave a comment in the below comments section. Meeta and I will pick up the winner randomly and inform the winner and post the book in 7 days. Last date for leaving a comment is 25th Feb 2009.

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Check out more details of the book on Amazon



The book has a lot of information about

Sustainable beauty practices.

Details about specific healing conditions.

The advantages of using plant products especially from Biodynamic and organic farms.

Great recipes for facial scrubs and best of all over 60 recipes for a healthy skin and beauty.


Note: Awakening beauty was used for reference and the above content is picked from the book. Thank you to Cercone Brown & Co, the publishers for sending us the book.

This post was written by Dee

Are you interested in contributing to The Daily Tiffin? Drop us an email: thedailytiffin@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing your ideas.

‘Earth to Table in the Shortest Time’… The locavores have arrived!

Locavore … a term coined on World Environment Day, 2005, to promote the buying /eating of produce grown within the 100 mile (160Km) radius.

~

The issue being addressed in 2005 was the alarming trend of produce being transported half way across the globe to feed a ‘global appetite for exotic fare'. What was satiating the palate was no different in calories, but meant hugely in terms of miles it travelled, the cost of shipping … in other words, the significant carbon footprint it left stamped on a burdened Earth.

I am a firm supporter of the 100 mile diet. My Indian lamb chops taste as good as any I have had. New Zealand lamb chops may still be the best, but I am ‘palate happy'. I cringed when I heard of a new butter chicken launched in a city in India, advertised as “Anaarkali, the classiest Butter Chicken on earth is about more than just exotic ingredients & years of research.” A dish that serves 2 is for Rs 6000/- (USD 136/-), counts as its ingredients fresh tomatoes and Hunt’s Tomato Paste, Danish Lurpak Unsalted Butter, Fillipo Berio Olive Oil and Evian Natural Spring Water. It might well be the best butter chicken on the face of this Earth, and the entrepreneurs mean well as they are donating part of the proceeds to charity, yet, wouldn’t ‘eating off the land’ have been better for Earth?

This is not about food snobbery. It’s all a matter of perspective, and it’s heartening to see foodie bloggers playing a hugely responsible role in following a locavore diet. It’s wonderful to see them following seasons, blogs glowing orange with anything from persimmons to pumpkins announcing fall. Even better to see folk roasting their own pumpkins for puree! It’s imperative to begin counting ‘Food Miles’, or the distance food travels from where it is grown. The words ring loud… the closer the food, the better the taste! Andrea Meyers leads with her Grow Your Own event, a twice-a-month blogging event that celebrates the foods we grow or raise ourselves and the dishes we make using our homegrown products.
In September this year, the Obama administration launched a 'Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food' initiative to connect consumers with local producers. The idea is not to limit choice, but to expand consciences, and encourage healthy seasonal eating. 2 recent cookbooks that sing the locavore anthem of ‘Earth to table in the shortest time’ are worth a mention. In their book, Earth to Table, renowned chefs Jeff Crump and Bettina Schormann remind us of the relationship between local eating and taste, and demonstrate how you can reduce your carbon footprint without diminishing your enjoyment of food. Bringing together stories of the passage of seasons on the farm; how-to sections; stunning photographs; and, of course, creative and delectable recipes that will leave anyone wondering why they ever considered eating a tomato in February. In Cooking for Friends, award-winning chef, world-renowned restaurateur, bestselling author, and Hell’s Kitchen star Gordon Ramsey offers us more than 100 exceptional recipes from his own family table. The way Gordon cooks here embodies his strongly held views: use in-season, fresh ingredients at their peak; support local producers and farmers' markets whenever possible; and celebrate the food culture and its many influences.

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This post was written by Deeba

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Cookbook Review: Raghavan Iyer - 660 Curries

Indian was my first love - when it comes to foreign cuisines - for a German girl, Indian food was as exotic as it gets. Yes, I've had my share of pasta and of Spanish and Austrian cooking, but when I started to cook seriously - and was a teenage and later twen vegetarian - I fell deeply in love with Indian food. Head over heels, to be honest. It started with Julie Sahni's terrific Classic Indian Vegetarian Cookery, and the love intensified later, watching Madhur Jaffrey on the BBC traveling through India an showing regional cuisine in the Flavors of India series.

A love that never faded, although I have left the world of vegetarian eating a decade ago (for health reasons, actually, but that's another story.)

So, when my husband handed me a review from Slashfood in the Cookbook of the Day column, I didn't hesitate a second to order

Raghavan Iyer - 660 Curries

The back cover quotes Madhur Jaffrey with "This book is nothing short of a treasure chest, containing an endless supply of very authentic Indian recipes, each bursting with the true flavors of Indias many regions." - and who am I to dispute Indian cooking with her?

The sections of the book:

• Poultry, Game and Egg Curries
• Beef, Lamb and Pork Curries
• Fish & Seafood Curries
• Paneer Curries
• Legume Curries
• Vegetable Curries
• Contemporary Curries
• Biryani Curries
• Curry Cohorts

cover about everything you'll need to know about Indian curries (and cooking) in a lifetime. From traditional to modern and fusion cuisine, from makkaroni & paneer to bitter melon with onion and tomato, a myriad of fresh and classic tastes awaits the adventurous cook. The Curry Cohorts section adds rice dishes and breads as well as pickles and chutneys to the menu.

The part about vegetable and legume aka vegetarian curries is enormous, as is the variety of dishes offered in this book. I have made 18 dishes from the book so far - spice blends are a part of it, and I enjoyed Punjabi Garam Masala, one of the recipes, tremendously. Each and every one of the recipes I've tried was good, which is quite the quota for me, when it comes to cookbooks. But not only were they good - most of them were plain terrific, stunningly delicious.

The recipes are explained thoroughly, substitution hints are given for not-so-common ingredients, and although (aside from the front and back flap) there are no pictures you'll start drooling the very moment you read the first recipe.

This is without doubt the best cookbook buy of 2008 in my shelves. I can highly recommend it to anyone who loves Indian cooking (and I've collected a few Indian cookbooks and then some over the years). With Iyers big book of Indian curries you'll be equipped with tons of ideas to choose from in your cooking life - and I bet your family will love it as much as I do.

(if you do read German, there is a list of recipes from the book - with links - in my blog at the German review, recipes which my friend Chili & Ciabatta and I have tried and blogged, so go ahead and have a look). Iyer's recipe for (great) Mulligatawny can be found here (accompanying text in German, but recipe in English) - and to make your mouth water I've decided to tease you with his version of Bharela Baingan.

Cashew-8tuffed Baby Eggplant with Tomatoes and Spices - Bharela Baingan

Baby eggplants are not bitter at all, as the gargantuan ones (the Italian variety), widely available in American supermarkets, can be. These bell-shaped, light purple varieties, roughly 2 to 3 inches long, are easy to find in Asian grocery stores. They can also be found at neighborhood farmers' markets at the tail end of summer, especially in areas where there are concentrations of Asian immigrants. If they are unavailable, however, you can use the standard large variety.

1/2 cup raw cashew nuts, ground
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
I tablespoon mango powder, or fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons cumin seeds, ground
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher or sea solt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne (ground red pepper)
1/2 teaspoon Punjabi garam masola (recipe is in the book, or use regular Garam Masala)
8 to 10 small purpIe Indian (or 1 medium-size Italian) eggplants (about 1 pound total)
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup conned crushed tomotoes
1 teaspoon white granulated sugar

1 . Combine the ground cashews, 2 tablespoons of the cilantro, the mango powder, cumin, salt, cayenne, and garam masala in a small bowl. Stir together thoroughly.

2. If you are using small eggplants, wash them well but do not remove the sterns. Slit each eggplant threequarters of the way through by making two crosswise slits, forming an X. (Make sure you do not accidentally cut through the entire length. This keeps them held together and makes the pan-frying a bit easier.) If you are using one large eggplant, rinse it well and remove the stem. Slice the eggplant crosswise into 2-inch-thick rounds. Slit each piece three-quarters of the way through by making two crosswise slits, forming an X. Make sure you do not accidentally cut through the skin. You can use kitchen twine to tie them closed after you stuff them.

3. Stuff each eggplant with the spice-nut mixture (as much as you can push into the slits). Don't worry if some of the filling falls out; most of it will remain inside.

4. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the stuffed eggplants, arranging them in a single layer, and sear them on the underside, 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle any remaining filling over the eggplants, reduce the heat to low, and cover the skillet. Roast the eggplants, turning them occasionally (gently) with a pair of tongs, until they are fork-tender, about 30 minutes. As much as you are tempted, do not raise the heat to expedite the roasting; you will burn the spices and make the eggplant unpalatable.

5. Carefully lift the eggplants out of the skillet and transfer them to a serving platter.

6. Pour the crushed tomatoes and the sugar into the pan, and scrape the bottom of the skillet to incorporate all those wonderful pan drippings left behind after roasting the eggplant. Turn up the heat to medium-high and bring the sauce to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 3 minutes.

7. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon cilantro, pour the sauce over the eggplant, and serve.

Enjoy!

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This post was written by Petra from Foodfreak

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Meal-time Inspiration

If you're the one cooking the meals for your family, finding inspiration for what to cook can be a job in itself (and you haven't even started cooking yet). We all have some regulars we all fall back on, but in all likelihood, we've all gotten stuck trying to figure out what on earth to cook tonight/tomorrow/whenever. And if you're like me, living in an area where a decent restaurant is nearly impossible to find, you've got all the more pressure, er, "incentive" to figure something out.

My first impulse is to try to pick out whatever fruit/vegetables/herbs/protein are currently in season (and ideally, locally grown) and see if any ideas emerge from that (e.g. citrus season, blue crab season, etc). Aside from being a big money-saver, this is one of the easiest ways to get the most flavor from your food, so let nature do the work for you.

My next impulse is to go to my fellow food bloggers. There's a lot of very creative people out there with focuses on certain regional foods, styles of cooking, or even all things cake. I also like to go window shopping--we eat with the eyes, too, right? Until you find the sites you want to read regularly, it can be a bit daunting given how many great food blogs there are out there, but finding something that catches your eye is never difficult.

Another favorite place for me to go, my seemingly never-stops-growing collection of cookbooks. Since finding a great cookbook can be a rare thing (I have found plenty of not so good ones, unfortunately), I thought I'd share a few of my favorites:

• Mastering The Art of French Cooking, Volume One by Julia Child. You may have shied away from French cooking before, but there's a lot of surprisingly simple fundamentals that are the foundation of a lot of the food we eat today. Julia is one of the best teachers, with a charming voice that even comes through in this tome of a book, guiding you through the simplest and most complex of dishes and techniques. Not necessarily a quicky what's-for-dinner cookbook, but an indispensable one.


• Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan. If you do any amount of baking, this book is spectacular. Breakfast, dessert, or whatever, the recipes are very approachable, the tone friendly, the photos beautiful, and most importantly, the end result tastes fantastic.


• Indian Cooking by Madhur Jaffrey. If you're looking to get started with Indian cooking (and I seem to keep finding this to be true when I talk to people about cooking), this is a great place to get your footing. The recipes are adapted to be mindful of ingredients that easily accessible in western supermarkets and are easily approached even if you've never made a masala.


• The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz. If you've ever had an inkling to make your own ice cream, sorbet, or just about any frozen dessert, this is your go-to guide. Whether it be the classics or some off-the-beaten-path kind of flavors, this is a fun book if you like to keep your freezer stocked (as I do).

Lastly, whenever something pops in my head that I'd like to make, I jot it down on a list at home so that I don't forget it. Maybe it's from reading a web site, a great meal at a restaurant, or whatever. It's a good way to keep me from forgetting things and prevent my creative well from running dry.

Where do you find your inspiration for meal time? Magazines? Web sites? Books? Mystical incantations? I'd love to hear--dinner is approaching.

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This post was written by Mike

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Book Review: Lunch Boxes and Snacks

When I was looking for more simple yet delicious lunchbox ideas to pack into bentos in the future, I discovered this neat little hardcover book by Annabel Karmel, who is a food author specializing in cooking with and for children.

Lunch Boxes and Snacks: Over 120 healthy recipes from delicious sandwiches and salads to hot soups and sweet treats

The book is dedicated to

all those parents who can't face making yet another peanut butter sandwich, myself included.

She had me grinning there, I admit :-)

In most parts of the world the new school year is starting or already in full swing, and many parents are desperate for quick and simple foods their children will eat, not only for lunches but also for dinner, and this 128-page book comes in handy for both purposes. It is on sale for (used) less than two dollars, I bought mine in Europe for about 5 Euros, and these are wisely invested bucks by any means.

The six sections of the book are

• the creative lunch box
• special sandwiches
• savory specialties
• crunchy salads
• super soups
• sweet sensations

Karmel offers a wide range of foods, from classics such as BLT or coronation chicken, to more funky items like ramen noodle salad, or spinach salad with mango and strawberries. You'll find simple tomato soup and alphabet minestrone, homemade real-fruit popsicles, trail mix bars, muffins, cookies, Chinese rice salad or chicken chunks on a stick. The blend of well-known favorites with a new and fresh approach, and simplified fusion cooking, is very convincing.

What is even more appealing is the simplicity - you can cook all those dishes in short time and even with your kids, because the preparations are simple, and easily adaptable to your needs and tastes. Any of the handful of recipes I have tried so far (the ramen noodle salad named "mummy's ramen noodles" was an instant fave at a picknick recently) lent itself to easy adaptation and was as tasty as rapidly prepared.

I will make many more of the recipes in this book, without doubt, although most of them will probaby not end up in a lunch box. And if you are looking for great sandwich ideas, the sandwich chapter will bring new zing to your palate.

The initial chapter about packing lunches and how to bring your kids to eat new foods (directly related to Dharms article on raising picky eaters) is full of great tips and insights - can you imagine, that 84 % of all lunches contain potato chips and other salty snacks, and 94% feature sandwiches? It is high time to bring more variety to the palate by packing luscious lunches, and this little book is a great helper for that goal.

There's one thing I don't like about the book, though: it relies heavily on carbohydrates and grains, and if you need to watch your carb intake, or if you react to grains as I do, most of the offered ideas are not for you, unfortunately.

Still, I love the variety of new and traditional food ideas offered in the more than 120 recipes in Lunch Boxes and Snacks. Back to school? You and your children will at least be enjoying your meals.

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This Post was written by Petra from FoodFreak in Hamburg

Cookbooks for kids

The most popular cooking classes I offer give children a chance to come to my kitchen, with their parents, and learn to cook delicious, healthy, real food.

Most often it’s the kids who are more interested in cooking classes, and no matter how often we cook (usually every 5-6 weeks), they want to come more often. In class, each child works part of the time with his or her own parent, and then I mix them up, so sometimes the kids are working together, and sometimes they are working with another adult. This way, we all learn to respect each other in the kitchen, to make decisions together, and even to help each other with cleanup.

I let them suggest dishes they’d like to learn to make, and they do research in my cookbook library to get inspiration. Among the hundreds of cookbooks I own are many great cookbooks geared to young cooks of all ages.

If you have a child who’s starting to get interested in cooking, it's never to soon to buy your daughter or son a very first cookbook. Here are some of my favorite cookbooks for kids. (Note: all of these books are available on Amazon.com.)

Nobody does illustrated cookbooks for the preschool set better than Mollie Katzen:
Salad People, by Mollie Katzen
Pretend Soup, by Mollie Katzen

For ages 4-8:
Cooking Rocks! Rachael Ray 30-Minute Meals for Kids, by Rachael Ray
Williams-Sonoma Kids in the Kitchen: Fun Food, by Stephanie Rosenbaum
What’s Cooking? A Ratatouille Cookbook for Kids

For ages 6-10:
Gadgetology: Kitchen Fun with Your Kids, Using 35 Cooking Gadgets for Simple Recipes, Crafts, Games and Experiments, by Pam Abram

For ages 8-12:
The Children’s Quick and Easy Cookbook, by Angela Wilkes
Children’s Step-by-Step Cookbook, by Angela Wilkes
Spatulatta Cookbook, by Isabella Gerasole and Olivia Gerasole
Honest Pretzels, by Mollie Katzen
Emeril's There's a Chef in My Soup! Recipes for the Kid in Everyone, by Emeril Lagasse
Green Eggs and Ham Cookbook, by Georgeanne Brennan
Kids' Baking: Over 60 Delicious Recipes for Children to Make, by Sara Lewis

For teens, two great books by two sisters and their mom:
Teens Cook: How to Cook What You Want to Eat, by Megan, Jill and Judi
Teens Cook Dessert, by Megan, Jill and Judi Carle

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This Post was written by Lydia from The Perfect Pantry

Hungry Planet

My article this month focuses on a beautiful book called "Hungry Planet" by Peter Menzel and Faith D'Aluisio.

I love reading and go through stacks of books from the local library every month, but this book was exceptional in the way it touched me, so I wanted to share it in this space.

The premise of the book is that the authors visited homes of ordinary, average families in twenty four different countries. They spent time studying the food habits of the families in the context of their community and way of life, their likes and dislikes and food preferences. Each family gets a detailed profile in which the cost of their average weekly food is laid out. The authors take evocative photographs in which each family is pictured with their weekly groceries beautifully arranged around them. No matter if the family's groceries are a lavish carload or a meagre few, the food is treated with honor and lovingly placed in these evocative photographs.

The result of this extraordinary work is a snapshot of the way the world eats today. We as in the collective "WE". All the different continents, races and nationalities, as well as the rich and the poor, the urban folk and the rural folk, the producers and the consumers, all taken together. Now, I have been blogging about food for a while, and often do think of food blogs as a snapshot of the way ordinary people eat. But it is clear that food bloggers, while usually being representative of the middle class, are way more privileged than the average human. Anyone with internet access, literacy and not living a hand-to-mouth existence is in a special category. This book provides a glimpse into the lives and dinner plates of people that we may rarely come across, from countries that remain enigmatic, such as Bhutan, Bosnia, Mongolia and Chad, as well as chronicling the food habits of people in nations that are more familiar to me, such as Germany, Mexico, India and the USA.

In these days of global food shortages being discussed in all the news media and touching the lives of many of us, the irony of the title of this book, "Hungry Planet" is not lost on me. Looking at the non-judgmental photographs across these pages that objectively capture the huge disparities in the way families eat across the world the message that struck me was, how nice if we could share a bit more. The book created renewed respect in my mind for the status of food in our lives and a new recognition of the people who grow our food.

I lingered on the pages of this book, piqued with genuine curiosity. Of course, every family is just one representative of that particular nation and does capture all the nuances of life in that country or speak for every family living there, but the information is very interesting anyway. For instance, what does the weekly shopping list in Greenland look like? (It is supplemented to a large extent by hunting and fishing). Does the Indian family's weekly groceries look anything like my family's when I was growing up in India? (It does...the family is the Patkars of Ujjain and you can see them surrounded by a large spread of vegetables, fruits and prepared foods, including a huge stack of rotis!). What is the difference in grocery spending between the industrialized and some other nations? (Unbelievable...the German family spent $500.07 for their week's groceries while the family from Mali spent $26.39. The former had almost all packaged foods while the latter had almost none.) One can spend hours poring over the essays, numbers and pictures in this book, and they tell us so much about the way we ourselves eat. I marveled at the vast number of chili peppers (4 baskets) eaten in a week by the family in Bhutan (the authors tell us that in Bhutan, the chili pepper is treated as a vegetable and not a mere condiment), gasped at the number of beverages consumed by the German family in a week (more than 2 dozen bottles of assorted drinks), shook my head at the ubiquitous presence of the Coca Cola bottle in family groceries from every continent, and felt a pang of sadness at the meagre food supplied to the refugee family in Chad (including just 77 gallons of water for the whole family for all purposes for the whole week...compare this to 25-50 gallons of water used in an average 5-minute shower). In essence, this book is a must-read. It does not preach, it simply lays out a wealth of information and keen observations that are interesting, informative and though-provoking. Please do look for it in your local library or bookstore and you will not be disappointed.

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This Post was written by Nupur from One Hot Stove.

Christmas Gift Guide: Books

In my last post I covered Homemade Gift ideas for Christmas. Something you can create with your kids or just yourself. Today I thought I would complement Shaheen's post and offer a few ideas on children's books and cookbooks.

I would love your feedback on this. If any of you already have one of these books let us know what you think of it. It might help others make a better decision.


Picture Books For Lil Ones

This Jazz Man by Karen Ehrhardt; pictures by R.G. Roth (US$16, ages 3 to 7)

"This jazz man, he plays one, he plays rhythm with his thumb, with a Snap! Snap! Snazzy-Snap! Give the man a hand, this jazz man scats with the band."
Using this jazzy version of the old "This Old Man" rhyme The jazz Man introduces a famous ensemble of African-American jazz musicians as it counts to nine. Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington to name two, joyfully jam for the kiddies and illustrations give clues to the performers, and the end matter has a biographical sketch for each one. It has won three honors including the Nick Jr. Book of the Year for Children.
This will appeal most to preschoolers and kindergarteners.

G Is For Gzonk!" An Alpha-number-bet Bookby Tony DiTerlizzi (US$16.95, ages 5 to 7)

DiTerlizzi's Dr.Seuss will amuse and surprise as he invents imaginary animals to illustrate as he describes a "silly dilly take on abc". Among all the laughs you will have with your kids, the will be exposed to colors, numbers and letters. A great a fun way to engage the creative mind and help them learn. One of my faves for Soeren.


Our 50 States by by Lynne Cheney, illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser (US$ 17.95, ages 4-8)

After America: A Patriotic Primer and A Is for Abigail, both Cheney and Preiss Glasser have compiled what in my opinion is their best yet. It is a story of a family who journey across the 50 states. Each page is a filled with colorful illustrations depicting the past and present. There are memorable song lyrics, historical data and famous landmarks are visited. Something that will have the kids glued to the sofa for hours.



Cookbooks

The Silver Spoon by Phaidon Press.

For fans of the Italian cuisine. A revised treasure of over 2,000 recipes, it is a true culinary bible that has been finally translated into English. Folks, this one is on my wishlist too! It contains everything from sauces, pastas, antipasti and sweet dishes.


Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Herme by Dorie Greenspan.

Another one on my own wishlist. Dorie Greenspan has compiled a divine chocolate desserts by the best pastry chef in the world, Pierre Herme. The recipe collection are compiled for the normal kitchen so even people like you and me can have a go at making some of these sensual creations. The photographs in this book are incredible. There are fantastic recipes for dacquoise, macroons and chocolate rice pudding. I have to stop here otherwise I will drool all over my notebook.
LOL!

King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking: Delicious Recipes Using Nutritious Whole Grains by King Arthur Flour

A 600 page baking bible for the health conscious with easy to follow recipes. A book with scrumptious recipes like brownies, flaky croissants and muffins all made with whole grain flour.


Jamie's Italy by Jamie Oliver.

Jamie shows his Italian soul in this book. He tours through Italy and collects awesome recipes from all over the country. Lovely photographs and candidly written. My current fave in my kitchen.

Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

Last but not least - a book that has made me find a new liking for baking. Easy to follow and written by Dorie Greenspan in a way you feel as if she was right there next to you in the kitchen. I love this book and have tried out a few recipes here and here. This cannot be missed out on. If you are interested in getting your hands on this book I am offering it as a prize for the Menu For Hope III auction.
Do something good - donate some money for a good cause and get your hands on this book.


You will also find several other great gift ideas on Chez Pim's campaign wesite. By bidding on any of the several prizes offered, you will also be helping some of the millions that desperately require every bit of support.

Please help us support Menu For Hope III by donationg generously.

Thank you!


This Post was written by Meeta from What's For Lunch, Honey?

Lighting Up Faces Before Lights Off

My son and we have a very simple sleep routine. It started when he was a baby and we read books to him to calm him down and get him ready for bed. He loved it and still goes to sleep just like that after a couple of books read to him (or now read with him as he has started reading). I know those of you who have a sleep rebel on their hands are envious and all I can say each to his/her own methods of calming down. Stick to a routine and they have something familiar to fall back on every day whether its a bath or a song or a book.

So now he has a bigger collection of books than we have and along with him, we too enjoy the variations and subtle jokes in the children’s books. Some of them remind us of our childhood when we were not so proper and were way too rambunctious for our parents. The books speak of experiences gently while entertaining at the same time. This time I am going to introduce you to three of our favorites. You may already be familiar with them but if you are not, welcome aboard.

A book we love to read at bedtime is “Sometimes I like to curl up in a ball” By Vicki Churchill. It is a sweet story of a wombat (Australian marsupials) who plays around the whole day but as night falls yearns for the comfort of his mother’s side. It has spectacular illustrations and makes you want to read it again and again. A comfort book.

The other favorite is DK First Encyclopedia which is packed with clear, well-researched information and quizzes for curious minds. Lively photographic design makes it especially appealing for children ages 4 and up and starts them off on the whole encyclopedia journey. The information is given in bite-sized key points and fact buttons in keeping with the junior minds and the material is similar to what is discussed in school.

The third book or rather magazine we love is “Zoobooks”, a monthly subscription magazine focusing on one type of animal. It has eye popping illustrations, educational diagrams and entertaining photos. Each book is a keeper as a future reference. It introduces ideas such as endangered animals, while describing an animal and its habits and habitats. It is a wonderful gift to give an inquisitive kid.

Do let me know which is your and your kid's favorite book. I could add more to my library too and we could make a best loved list by age group.

For Your Info: From December 11 to December 22 Meeta will be hosting a prize for the Menu For Hope III fundraiser. It would be great if the Daily Tiffin readers help raise money for this special cause by bidding on the surprise prize. Every penny you bid will be sent to the United Nations World Food Programme. In return you will be able to get your hands on a special prize. Many of us are taking part and you will find more details here.

This Post was written by Shaheen from Malabar Spices.