Stephanie O'Dea, the author of that book, as well as her latest tome of recipes More Make It Fast, Cook It Slow: 200 Brand-New, Budget-Friendly, Slow-Cooker Recipes is a good friend of mine.

I met Stephanie at Blogher Food 2010.  I did not know a soul at the entire conference (though Shirley and Diane were kind enough to take me under their collective gluten free wing).  I accidentally sat next to Steph at lunch and was immediately charmed by this stranger's bubbly friendliness, candor, street smarts, forthrightness and downright adorable, charming attitude towards everything and everyone in life.  I found her to be absolutely lovely and vowed to myself that we would remain in touch and that I would get to know her even better.

However, this review is not about Steph (mother of three and New York Times best selling author), it's about her new book, which has quite a lot to offer.

While Stephanie and I have somewhat different approaches to cooking we have two very key things in common.  First, we both cook gluten free, and second, maybe even more importantly, we both like to make dishes that are quick and simple.  In the numerous conversations that we've shared, we often laugh that neither of us are chefs, let alone cooks; we really think of ourselves as no-fuss busy moms.

What I love most about Steph's new book is the abundant offering of quick and easy, family pleasing, delicious dishes.  Last night I made her recipe for Honey Garlic Chicken and my children lapped it up over steamed broccoli.  My husband and I liked it too.

So, today I'm giving away a copy of Steph's new book More Make It Fast, Cook It Slow in honor of her appearance this Wednesday morning on Good Morning America.  Leave a comment telling us your favorite recipe from either Elana's Pantry or Steph's blog Crockpot 365. This giveaway is open to everyone, everywhere and will end on January 13th, 2011 at 6pm (MST). I will pick the winner at random using random.org.

Cheers to crockpots, friendship and good food!

Update: this giveaway is now over and the winner was Jami!

First, I am so thankful for my amazing husband and my 2 delightful (and oh so helpful and cooperative) boys. Second, though maybe not even in that order, I am thankful for my health, especially given all of the challenges I have faced in this arena.  Getting up in the morning and going for a walk means so much to me, and having the health to be able to do fun things with my lovely family is wonderful as well.

Next? I want to thank all of you!

I love writing recipes, and I love that you all enjoy them so much and are so vocal about this.  I have been receiving so much beautiful and inspired feedback in the comments section of this website, that I feel as though I am mentally dwelling in a feedback loop of caring, generosity, and positivity.  And let me tell you all, it is a wonderful loop to be in with all of you!

So, not to be a downer or anything, (and I apologize for the abrupt transition) however, I do want to mention others today, who might not have as much to be thankful for as I do.  That is why I would like to discuss one of my favorite books of late, called, Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide. Written by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, it is a call to action in support of women around the globe, making the case for investing in women's health and autonomy.  Here is a review of the book by Publisher's Weekly:

Far from merely making moral appeals, the authors posit that it is impossible for countries to climb out of poverty if only a fraction of women (9% in Pakistan, for example) participate in the labor force. China's meteoric rise was due to women's economic empowerment: 80% of the factory workers in the Guangdong province are female...The authors reveal local women to be the most effective change agents: The best role for Americans... isn't holding the microphone at the front of the rally but writing the checks.

So as we move into this holiday season, I'm going to be selecting one (or more) of the charities that Kristof and WuDunn profile in their book and making a contribution.  Thus far, I have fallen in love with The BlinkNow Foundation and its founder Maggie Doyne, though there are many other compelling stories and organizations in the book.

Whether you wish to make a contribution or not, this book is completely and utterly inspiring, and today, on Thanksgiving day, I am giving away a copy of the book.  All you have to do to be eligible to win Half the Sky is leave a comment discussing your favorite charitable organization, volunteer opportunity, or something that you are grateful for in your life. This giveaway is open to everyone everywhere and I will pick the winner randomly. This contest will end at midnight, November 30th 2010.

Again, I'm so thankful for all of you!

Happy Thanksgiving,
Elana

It's been a busy summer, with baseball, boys and everything else that goes on around here.  Now that it's the "harvest," it's the perfect time to announce what I grew over the summer.  I cultivated a new book called:

Gluten-Free Cupcakes: 50 Irresistible Recipes Made with Almond and Coconut Flour

The book is available for pre-order on amazon.com and will be published next spring.  If you need to get an immediate cupcake fix, check out the cupcake recipes from my Month O' Cupcakes.

I had a blast writing this book.  I made batches and batches of cupcakes every single day of the week, often well into the night.  My neighbors were saturated with the results (think dozens of cupcakes at a time) and could barely keep up with me.  My husband was in charge of the chocolate section of the book --he faithfully devoured almost every version of every chocolate cupcake that I made.  Even my sons got into the act, developing recipe ideas, and pre-testing them for the book.

Since I finished the book, I've been making a lot of salads.  I think everyone in our household is kinda done with dessert for a while, at least until we get a bit closer to the holidays.

In giveaway news, today I'm giving away a copy of my new cookbook, Gluten-Free Cupcakes: 50 Irresistible Recipes Made with Almond and Coconut Flour. To be entered just leave a comment below, and I will send out a copy of the book to the lucky winner on the day it is published, April 26th, 2011. Everyone everywhere is eligible for this giveaway!

The winner of last week's giveaway --a copy of Ali Segersten's book, The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook is Alejandra!

Update: this giveaway is now over and the winner of Gluten-Free Cupcakes is Holly Ellerton.

A practical A-Z reference manual, Prescription for Nutritional Healing offers drug-free remedies using vitamins, minerals, herbs and food supplements. When one of us has a cold, it's the first thing I reach for. This book is no nonsense and a real winner!

The knowledgeable Loren Cordain, Ph.D., takes us back to the pre-agrarian diets of our ancestors. Yes, that's the Stone Age, a time before the Agricultural Revolution, which occurred a mere 10,000 years ago (a short time ago given man's 2 million year history).

The diet featured in this book is one of hunter-gatherers --thus there are no grains in any of the recipes, let alone other inventions of modernity such as sugar, cheese puffs or splenda.

Cordain provides us with the secrets of our Stone Age progenitors and claims that his diet can prevent heart disease and Syndrome X, amongst other health issues.

I simply feel better when I eat less carbohydrates and cooked foods and more raw fruits and veggies with lean protein. I was fascinated to learn the socio-historical reasons behind a way of eating that I have long known works for me.

Just a note --I do not condone or believe in a "one size fits all," eating plan that works for everyone. We are unique individuals and can find the foods that were meant for our bodies.

View all of my Paleo diet recipes.

Fast Food Nation reveals the impacts of this industry on our country, taking a hard look at how fast food has lead to the homogenization of our society, hastened the "malling" of our landscapes and lead to the systemic exploitation of the teenage workforce.

Schlosser reveals frightening information regarding the unsanitary conditions of fast food production. He also uncovers the industry's efforts to entice the youngest consumers, our children, in his dissection of the unholy alliance between the fast food industry and Hollywood.

Finally, Schlosser investigates the symbiotic relationship between American cultural imperialism and fast food and turns an eye toward globalization --a phenomenon launched by fast food.

Their voyage literally begins at the dinner table of three average American families with differing tastes and socio-economic backgrounds and continues as the authors set out to trace the provenance of the foods we eat, with stops along the way to check out the validity of labels such as "Certified Humane."

One highlight of The Way We Eat, is that it concludes with five simple principles that consumers can use to make better food choices.

However, a warning is in order. After reading this book, you will never look at turkey in the same way (let alone want to eat it) and will understand why the terms "turkey" and "sexual politics" can be appropriately used in the same sentence.