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TAMALES 101
by Alice Guadalupe Tapp
Ten Speed Press
$19.95/softcover
208 pages
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Once reserved for special occasions like
Christmas, a festival or a family reunion,
tamales have become an everyday treat, rapidly
overtaking other popular Hispanic
foods like enchiladas and ceviche. The
reason? “Tamales go well with everything,”
says Alice Guadalupe Tapp, author of
Tamales 101. “You can have them as a snack,
for dinner, breakfast, lunch, whenever.”
Tamales are made to be untied and
unwrapped—the perfect little gift.
Though tamales are traditional in Latino
families, their popularity crosses ethnic lines.
With nearly 100 tamale recipes, Tamales 101
contains the much prized and exclusive traditional
recipes of every tamale-making
country including the Caribbean, the
Philippines, Cuba, Trinidad, Puerto Rico
and Brazil. There are regional Mexican,
Aztec and Mayan tamales, as well as creations
from Tapp’s own kitchen. Her specialty
tamales are variations on the
traditional ones she made as she grew up and
include vegetarian, vegan, low-fat and
dessert tamales and sauces.
Tamales 101 provides a more hands-on,
authentic approach than other tamale books,
emphasizing the Hispanic tradition of what
tamale making truly represents: fun, creativity,
family and friends. “Where can I find
the best homemade tamales?” Tapp is frequently
asked. Her answer? “In your own
kitchen.”
Keep in mind when making tamales several
more cooks help make this time consuming
process enjoyable for all the cooks.
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MYCOMEDICINALS: AN INFORMATIONAL TREATISE ON MUSHROOMS
by Paul Stamets
Myco Media Periodicals
$9.95/softcover
96 pages
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While the scientific community delves into
mushrooms as a new source of antibiotic and
antiviral agents, Stamets assures us that science
is confirming what ancient cultures
have always known: mushrooms contain
some of nature’s most potent medicines.
Mycomedicinals is the primo medicinal
mushroom guide, an educational tour
through mushrooms’ curative properties,
ancient and modern. Stamets reveals their
innumerable powers—to increase vitality,
improve liver and kidney function, relieve
stress, lower cholesterol, reduce inflammation
and even prevent cancer. He cites promising
research for curing disease in the 21st
century:
- antiviral agents in the gypsy mushroom are effective against shingles, influenza A and B, and Herpes Simplex I and II;
- anti-HIV agents have been identified in shiitake, maitake, reishi and oyster mushrooms;
- therapeutic use of mushrooms with radiation
and chemotherapy strengthens the immune
system and improves the rate of disease-free survival.
To the unaware, the mushroom is the
rubbery growth in the shade of the forest, the
pesky gray nodule poking through suburban
lawns. To Stamets, author of five books and
over 20 scientific papers, renowned speaker
on the botanical lecture circuit and founder
of Fungi Perfecti in Olympia, Washington,
the complete source of medicinal mushroom
products and information, mushrooms are a
guiding force in the ecology of the planet
and the health of its inhabitants.
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WHAT YOUR DOCTOR MAY NOT TELL YOU ABOUT PARKINSON’S DISEASE
by Dr. Jill Marjama-Lyons and Mary J. Shomon
Warner Books
$14.95/softcover
400 pages
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What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About
Parkinson’s Disease is an indispensable handbook
for the more than one million people
currently living with this debilitating neurological
disease—and the additional 50,000
people diagnosed each year. It explains the
mechanisms behind Parkinson’s disease and
provides detailed information about both
common and less-known symptoms. It summarizes
the primary means of diagnosis and
explores all of the pros and cons of conventional
treatments including levodopa,
dopamine agonists and surgery.
The book also covers groundbreaking
and often controversial alternative treatments
for Parkinson’s disease including glutathione
therapy, NADH and Coenzyme
Q-10. Other alternative therapies in the book
include diet/exercise, homeopathy,
Ayurvedic medicine and energy work. Dr.
Marjama-Lyons also details ways in which
patients can deal with sleep problems, freeze
attacks, anxiety, depression, muscle spasms
and other persistent symptoms.
What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About
Parkinson’s Disease is an invaluable resource
for anyone dealing with the debilitating
effects of Parkinson’s disease, including their
caregivers, friends and family.
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VEGAN PLANET
by Robin Robertson
The Harvard Common Press
$18.95/softcover
576 pages
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There are an estimated 10 million vegetarians
and 1.7 million vegans in the United States
and the majority of Americans eat one or more
meatless meals a week. Enjoying vegetarian
and vegan meals has never been easier, thanks
to a growing number of ethnic and health
food stores and better stocked markets. With
Vegan Planet, vegetarian cookbook author and
cooking instructor Robin Robertson makes
good health and good eating even more attainable
by sharing flavorful delicacies such as
Ginger-scented Vegetable Pot Stickers and
Indian-spiced Lentil Soup from her internationally
inspired vegan repertoire.
In the introduction to Vegan Planet Robin
proclaims, “When you cook vegan, you can
have it all—the flavors you crave, the nutrients
you need and, best of all, the freedom to step
beyond the confines of the same old meat- and
dairy-based meals.” She isn’t referring to plates
of lettuce and sprouts. Many traditional
favorites that contain meat and dairy—such as
shepherd’s pie, eggplant Parmesan and
spanakopita—can be transformed with a little
creativity into hearty and heart-healthy vegan
fare. With 20 chapters and 400 recipes that
range from appetizers, breads and desserts to
main-course grain, bean, pasta and vegetable
dishes, Vegan Planet is one of the most comprehensive
vegan cooking guides on the
market.
Vegan cookbook author Erik Marcus considers
Vegan Planet “a spectacular achievement.
Robin Robertson expertly draws from
an astonishing range of cuisine to produce
some of the tastiest meals I’ve ever tried.”
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GINGER: COMMON SPICE &
WONDER DRUG
by Paul Schulick
Hohm Press
$9.95 /softcover
166 pages
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Not just another zesty flavor, my friends. The
same rhizome that spikes your taste buds in
teas and Asian entrées is one of nature’s most
potent and versatile medicines. A natural
remedy for a long and seemingly unrelated list
of complaints, ginger is the mainstay in
ancient formulas for treating everything from
ulcers to morning sickness.
Author Paul Schulick is a master herbalist
and researcher and founder of New Chapter,
Inc., a producer and distributor of organic
herbal supplements. In this tersely informative
exposé, Schulick reports the long, romantic
history of ginger, which has been coined the
“Alka-Seltzer of the Roman Empire.” He
explains ginger’s enzymatic properties and
some staggering facts such as its ability to
super-size digestive absorption by up to 200
percent and to rid intestinal worms. And he
cites groundbreaking research on ginger’s
ability to ease morning sickness.
It would almost be easier to name the maladies
that ginger does not relieve. But among
the complaints it’s been reported to treat, you
will find arthritis, digestion, cough or cold,
fever, headache, menstrual complaint, low
energy, nausea, parasites, poor circulation, low
appetite, hormonal imbalance, toothache, sore
throat, spinal and joint pain, general tonic,
heart problems, diabetes, cholesterol, clotting,
inflammation and even hangover.
Inexpensive, widely available, no side
effects…where has ginger been all our lives?
This book will make you want to stock up on
ginger for your kitchen and medicine cabinet.
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