Healthy Cooking

Wanda E. Brunstetter's newest cookbook, "Amish Friends Healthy Options Cookbook," focuses on healthier recipes that many Amish and Plain people have shared using the vegetables, fruit, and herbs from their gardens. There are beautiful pictures of many of the recipes featured in the book along with scriptures that focus on food and health. Also, it was nice to have the recipes tagged as gluen-free, sugar-free, low-carb and so forth in each category. The categories include breads, breakfast, main dishes, desserts, and homemade remedies along with many more. The cookbook is spiral bound thus allowing it to lay flat while preparing a recipe which is a blessing. I am looking forward to preparing several of the recipes I have selected (Triple Chocolate Biscotti, Graham Cracker Crust, and Slow-Cooker Chicken Stir -Fry) as healthier versions to what I usually prepare. I am trying to prepare more healthier meals for my family and myself and this cookbook was the boost I needed. I think others will find it of benefit in picking healthier options for meal preparations. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

Historical Crime

Historical crime becomes more real in this fictionalized story, "The Silver Shadow," from the True Colors series. Liz Tolsma takes the reader back to the early 1900's in Denver, Colorado when someone began a rash of attacks on women. Building upon sparse information the author provides a tale centered on Polly Blythe, a young woman determined to make her mark in the world by being a journalist, and Edwin Price, a Denver police officer. Together they try to solve the crime spree by finding who is behind the attacks. Do they find a suspect? Does anyone get convicted of the crimes? In the process, Polly and Edwin begin to see each other differently. This dramatized fiction has a nice a pace to it but at times it felt forced, particular the dialogue. Overall, I enjoyed reading the book and recommend it to others who like historical fiction. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.