This fabulous book from colleague extraordinaire has just hit the shelves.  It’s timely, well-researched, full of vital information and healing recipes AND we’re giving away a copy!

FERMENTED FOODS FOR HEALTH
Use the Power of Probiotic Foods to Improve Your Digestion, Strengthen Your Immunity, and Prevent Illness
by Deirdre Rawlings

We advocate eating fermented foods as a part of your daily diet on Cookus Interruptus (hence our sourdough bread fundraiser, recipes for sauerkraut and more). Fermentation is a process that uses microscopic organisms to transform food into easily digested, long-lasting, probiotic rich foods.   Increasing good bacteria in your diet is important for intestinal health—and a healthy intestinal tract means a healthy immune system, as 70% of our immune system resides in the intestines.

Holistic nutritionist and naturopath Deirdre Rawlings, Ph.D., makes  incorporating these vital foods into your meals simple and accessible. She does this not only with recipes for relishes, tonics, chutneys, yogurt, kefir and more, but also by clearly outlining these powerful foods work therapeutically.

I’m often confounded by the constant bickering between advocates of restrictive diets; each side claiming their way is the right way. Ms. Rawlings supersedes the nutrition rabble babble by cutting to one of chief causes of our ill health - poor gut bacteria - and gives us a toolkit for feeling better.

You want this book; you NEED this book, right?  Be the winner.  Here’s how to enter:

1. Be a subscriber of Cookus Interruptus Not a subscriber yet? Type your email address in the subscribe box right up there on the right above the blue navigation box. There’s also a place to subscribe on our home page (upper left).

2. Be a friend on Cookus Interruptus facebook. Not our facebook friend? Easy. Go to the Cookus Facebook page and click the thumbs up “like”.

3.  Taking the time to “make your own” food - whatever that means to you - can heal us on many levels.  What dish or recipe do you make time for? Not every day but once in a while. As evidenced by our recent fundraiser, you may have guessed that I have become a routine sourdough bread maker.  Now I’m as busy as all the rest of you are so don’t be all like - oh she just sits at home playing with food.  Not true.  But there is something about my weekly ritual of putting that loaf of bread together that reminds me that the world is full of good things if we just stop it already and pay attention. Anybody with me?

Your turn. Type your answer as a comment to this post.

4. Contest ends at 5pm on June 23rd. Check your email on June 24th . The winners will be chosen by random.org. If you don’t respond to your “winner” email within 48 hours, we will choose a new winner (tough love…).

Our first chocolate winner, Rachel (#63) who watches Cookus in Montana describes her mom as:

pessimistic, funny, friend

And Sara (#157), a Washington state resident, takes home the chocolate with her mom adjectives:

generous, fun, strong

Congrats ladies and big xo to Theo chocolates.  So proud to promote your products.

CONTEST CLOSED!  HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY TO ALL YOU MOMS OUT THERE!

We are awfully proud to once again feature one of our local chocolatiers in this week’s giveaway: THEO CHOCOLATES.

One can drop by their smallish factory in the Fremont neighborhood and they are arms wide open.  The friendly, local attribute is only the surface of the confection.  Dive into the center to discover the sweet politically-correct heart of of the company.   Theo Chocolate is dedicated to

• Using only pure ingredients that are grown sustainably. We source our ingredients locally whenever possible.
• Partnering with our growers by ensuring they earn a living wage and have access to education for their families.
• Honoring and respecting our employees and suppliers. This is possible due to the unique fact that we control every step of our own manufacturing process.
• Using green energy sources to power our factory.
• Using sustainable packaging and printing methods.
• Educating about social and environmental accountability 7 days a week through public tours of our artisan factory.

This Mother’s Day CONGO collection is part of their new partnership with Ben Affleck and the Eastern Congo Initiative (ECI) to help Congolese farmers cultivate a brighter future. A portion of proceeds from these boxes and their new Congo bars will be donated to ECI, with the potential to positively impact more than 20,000 people living in Eastern Congo.

They have high standards at Theo.  And the flavor of their products stands up as tall as their mission. (more…)

Random.org gave us #71 and the book goes to Kathryn from Maryland who prefers her burgers with “cheese, mayo, BBQ sauce, lettuce, and tomatoes are a must!”

The works! Onions won as the “must have” condiment on a burger.  Many of you specified caramelized onions.  Nice.  I see we have a crowd with taste here on Cookus Interruptus!

CONTEST CLOSED!  Thanks everyone.

Several of the last few Cookus Interruptus cookbook giveaways have been vegetarian-based.  So to keep the score balanced, we’re giving a big yee haw to Lynne Curry’s new hardback book Pure Beef.

This 276-page book with color photography is an up-close look at grass-fed beef. “Complete with learning recipes in every chapter and detailed beef cut and butchering illustrations, this cookbook presents a trove of modern and creative beef recipes arranged by cut for easy reference. It will inform and inspire you on your personal journey to eating sustainably and well.”

There are over 140 recipes included that celebrate flavors from every culture.  I’m eying Jamaican Jerked Tri-Tip with Coconut Scallion Rice and Feta Stuffed Sliders as I type. Her introduction is titled “How a Former Vegetarian Came to Write a Beef Cookbook and Why it Had to be Written”.  She’s sure right on the “why” part.  There talk a’plenty about why we should purchase grass-fed beef but little accurate information about how to treat it and cook it well.  Until Lynne stepped forward. (more…)

Random.org selected (ta da) NUMBER 30.

Megan from the wonderful Midwestern state of Iowa picks up the honors.

She likes,” Curried cauliflower and lentils- just had it for meatless Monday last night!”  Me too.  One of my favorite Indian vegetarian dishes.

Enjoy the book Megan!

CONTEST CLOSED.  THANKS EVERYBODY!

Subtitle: Vegetarian Recipes Carnivores Will Devour

And where did those jig-inducing falafels we are featuring come from?  That’s right - Kim O’Donnel’s happy vegetarian cookbook. Organized by season her recipes offer something fro everyone.  In fact, she codes the recipes so you can quickly find one that matches your vegan, gluten free, optional dairy, “kiddos” inclinations.  There’s even a code to let your know the recipe will provide great leftovers.  Kim is cheerful but also uber-practical. (more…)

Wow. Over 325 entries. We’ve never gotten that many responses before. Guess you friends are up for some juicing!
Random.org came up with # 279.
Our subscriber Jeroldine from Sedro Wooley wrote, “Biggest Christmas surprise:
This shows it’s tough to let go, given that it was a Christmas decades ago. I got a beautiful dollhouse but had asked for a chemistry set.”
Hope this is WAY BETTER than a chemistry set Jeroldine!

I think it might be because she wrote us a second email and said, “This is my new “most surprising gift” for the holidays.
Thank you again for your fantastic work.”

You are very WELCOME Jeroldine!

CONTEST CLOSED!  Thanks everyone.

A very nice person from this company contacted us (who’s a friend of a friend - and isn’t that how it works?) and offered to let us giveaway this juicer.  We didn’t say no.  And are happy to offer this big ticket item(retails @ $394.95)  to one of our loyal Cookus Interruptus viewers. (more…)

Coast to coast winners.  From New York to Washington State (where we’re competing to be the most liberal state!)

#37  Prema

#63 Erika

#86  Juliana

Congrats Ladies.  You’ll love this book.