Summer’s Here: Time For Giveaways Gone Wild!
[This giveaway is now closed. Thanks to everyone who entered!]
Summer has finally arrived, which means time for playing outdoors, fresh food, girls in bikinis. . . and giveaways! I’ve received several great products for review and giveaway the past few months, so I decided to use the warmer months to catch up by offering a summer series–I’ll be giving away something every week this month!
So. . . . Let the parties begin! [Giveaway info is down at the end of this post.]
I. Food at the Movies. . . .
When I decided to study holistic nutrition back in 2002, I was banking on the fact that food would be my best medicine. I’ve always been an avid student and was excited to experience an entire year of lectures, readings and online information about the links between food and health.
After seeing the film Forks Over Knives a couple of nights ago, I’m so glad to know that I was right. The film focuses on two medical mavericks and the results of their independent studies that, over time, intersected and resulted in their working together on the film. At turns entertaining, enlightening, horrifying and inspiring, the film provides not only information about the sorry state of North American’s eating habits, but also some impressive statistics (the results of large-scale, impeccably run studies) and concrete actions that we can take to improve our health dramatically.
I left the theater feeling super charged, determined to revamp my own diet to be even healthier (oh, and I also developed a wee crush on Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn). 
Have you seen the movie? If so, what did you think?
II. Food In Books (ie, giveaway time!)
Of course, I also love to learn about food in its other guises. . . especially as it appears in recipes within some of my favorite cookbooks! I will occasionally receive books for review based on one or more of the criteria of my diet: they’re vegan, they’re gluten free, or they are connected to dogs (yes, I once received a cookbook full of recipes for dogs!). Since I am the human embodiment of the old expression, “I read cookbooks the way some people read novels,” I’m always happy to receive a beautiful new culinary tome in the mail, even if it contains recipes I can’t actually make. I love looking at beautiful photos of food, and I love imagining my own takes on the recipes, which I use for inspiration.
Recently, I received a few cookbooks (and one literary book) written by authors whose blogs I read and admire. I quickly realized that there might not be a huge number of recipes I could use in them, but that they were wonderful books nonetheless–books that many of YOU might enjoy since your dietary habits may be different from mine. So I’ve decided to share the love!
Below are a few of the books I’ve been reading and enjoying lately. You can enter to win just one or any number of them; just let me know in your entry which one(s) you’re interested in. I’ll randomly choose a winner next Friday, June 10th.
Gluten Free Cupcakes
Pretty much everyone who eats gluten free is familiar with Elana’s blog, Elana’s Pantry. Now, in her second cookbook, Gluten Free Cupcakes, Elana has mixed up 50 recipes for cupcakes of all kinds, from White Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes to German Chocolate Cupcakes to savory Chive Pepper Muffins and even a vegan option for your veggie-loving friends. With her trademark simple ingredient lists and low-intensity directions, Elana provides a collection of great cupcakes that are easy to make and will also wow your guests with their interesting flavor combinations and spectacular appearance. Complete with a mouth-watering set of photos, too. 
Best for: Gluten free eaters who use eggs and nuts, and prefer agave as a sugar replacement.
Literary Ladies Guide to the Writing Life
It may not be a cookbook, but this collection of literary quotes, fascinating facts, insights and musings about the writing life from some of the world’s best-know women writers will enchant and captivate you. Interspersed with the written passages are stunning photos, artwork and design details, courtesy of the bestselling vegan cookbook author Nava Atlas (whose talents in art and nonfiction writing are very apparent on every page).
As some of you know, I started my career as a college English professor after completing a PhD on American short story writer Katherine Anne Porter. And while my doctorate feels like a million years ago, I am still drawn to any work about any and all literary women. I loved The Literary Ladies’ Guide. It’s the kind of lush, beautifully detailed volume that looks great resting on your coffee table or on display in your den. With inspiring quotes from the likes of Louisa May Alcott, Jane Austen, Anaïs Nin, Edith Wharton or Virginia Woolf, the book would make a fabulous gift for a friend or loved one. And even better, Nava has graciously offered to provide a signed copy of the book to the winner!
Best for: anyone with a literary bent, avid readers or those interested in literature, or basically any woman (or man who is acquainted with a woman).
Natural Vegan Kitchen
It’s always great to receive books that are in line with one’s own eating philosophy, and in my case that includes The Natural Vegan Kitchen. As the founder and owner of The Natural Kitchen Cooking School, Christine Walteryer provides cooking classes in keeping with my own ideas about whole, unprocessed, animal-free eating. Her approach leans toward macrobiotics, which includes a few foods I’m not allowed at the moment (such as mushrooms and many fermented ingredients). I’ve been eyeing the zucchini and rice patties, sweet potato polenta pancakes, and peachy quinoa pudding.
Best for: vegans or anyone seeking an egg-free, dairy-free, meat-free and whole foods diet.
Simply. . . Gluten Free
Simply. . . Gluten Free Desserts was the first new cookbook I received last month, and I was blown away by the sheer gorgeousness of it. If you’re familiar with Carol’s blog of the same name, you already know how stunning her photos are. These are the types of desserts that are close to my heart (even though I don’t eat them any more): rich, creamy, frosted, multi-layered, beautiful. If you consume dairy and eggs–and love classic desserts of all kinds–you’ll want this book.
As it turned out, there was one recipe I could try from the book: Carol’s all-purpose GF flour mix! I made carob brownies and cookies with it, and both turned out great.From Chocolate Chestnut Cake to Bananas Foster Cupcakes to Chocolate Pavlova with Raspberry Cream to Peanut Butter and Jelly Ice Cream Sandwiches, every recipe in this book is a showstopper.
Best for: Gluten free eaters who use dairy, eggs, nuts and sugar.
HERE’S HOW TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY:
The giveaway is now closed. Thanks to everyone who entered!
Giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents (with apologies to my international readers!).
You are welcome to enter for one or any number of the books in the list. To enter, all you need do is leave a comment here with the name(s) of the books you’d like–please actually write the name(s) of each book you want in your comment. You can gain extra entries any of the usual ways (tweet about this (include @rickiheller so I will see it), mention it on FB, mention it on a blog, subscribe to this blog, like the DDD page on Facebook, follow me on twitter, “like” any of the listed authors on Facebook, or follow any of them on twitter, if applicable). For each extra entry, please be sure to come back and leave a comment here telling me that you did so.
The contest closes Friday, June 10 at midnight, after which time I’ll randomly select one winner for each book. The winners will be announced the following day.
Good luck, everyone, and happy reading! 
“Mum, I think you forgot to mention that summer is also GIRLS Gone Wild–Elsie and I can get pretty crazy with that hose, you know!”
Ricki,
I would be blessed to have any of the cookbooks!
Thanks of the lovely give-a-way!
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I subscribe to your web site.
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I all ready like DDD on FB.
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I posted about the give-a-way on FB.
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I follow you on twitter.
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I am FB friends with Elana.
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The Natural Vegan Kitchen and the literary book by Nava Atlas appeal to me the most.
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I “like” DDD on FB!
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I follow with GFC.
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Id love to win Natural Vegan Kitchen. Definately am interested in those patties from it you mentioned. It be kinda cool to win since the contest ends june 10th and my B-day is June 9th.
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What a wonderful giveaway! I would love the Literary Ladies or The Natural Vegan Kitchen.
I’m new to your blog and really enjoying it. Glad I found you!
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Following on google
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Liked on facebook
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Natural Vegan Kitchen. Great giveaway!
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I have yet to see Forks over Knives as I live in Brampton and the only theatre that shows it in this area is located in Yorkville (as I am sure you know). Not too far but still, a trek for a movie. I will see it though as I love the Dr.s’ principles and became fully vegan after reading books by Dr. McDougall. It is suprising easy to eat no/low-fat vegan yummy meals. It just takes a bit of time to cut out the fat (at least it took some time for me) when cooking. Also, yes Dr. Esselstyn is a looker. Also, his son is very, very nice to look at.
I would like to enter for The Natural Vegan Kitchen and Literary Ladies Guide to Writing Life.
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I would love either the Gluten Free Cupcake, The Natural Vegan Kitchen or Simply Gluten Free Deserts. Thanks for the giveaway.
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I found your Website througth JL Goes Vegan. I’d love Natural Vegan kitchen or Literary Ladies.
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I’d love to get a copy of The Natural Vegan Kitchen!
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And I just subscribed to your blog (which I truly enjoy reading btw) =)
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I would LOVE to win Natural Vegan Kitchen. I’m trying to create a bank of “hard copy” vegan recipes and tips. It looks like a great book! =)
BTW I am completely psyched about the fact that blueberries are this month’s ingredient!! I’ve got a few ideas up my sleeve..
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I’d love a copy of the Natural Vegan Kitchen!
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or Simply… Gluten Free Desserts sounds great too
Happy Summer and thanks for the giveaway opportunity!
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I’d love Natural Vegan Kitchen for some interesting new recipes.
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I’d love to get my hands on a copy of Simply… Gluten Free Desserts!
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Simply. . . Gluten Free Desserts is the cook book I would like to try out.
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Hi
plus husband would like me to win Elana’s cupcake book because treats are yummy and I can get eggs from a neighbor and not feel bad about using animal products.
I just found your site through “she let them eat cake” and am really liking what I see so far! I just subscribed to your post and liked you on facebook.
I would love to win the Natural Vegan book because that is the way I prefer to cook and live. However my boys (age 5 &
thank you!
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I’d love to win the Gluten Free Cupcakes book. I have been a fan of Elana’s for a while yet do not have any of her books. My friends and family will also tell you I am a cupcake-a-holic!
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I would love the Natural Vegan Kitchen as I am starting to incorporate more vegan foods into my diet and am hoping to make the leap very soon.
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I currently Like you on FB
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I also follow you on Twitter. Thanks for such a great giveaway – Happy Summer Reading!
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I would love to get a copy of any of these: Gluten Free Cupcakes, Natural Vegan Kitchen or Simply… Gluten Free Desserts!
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Christine Reply:
June 8th, 2011 at 12:33 am
I have your blog in my google reader!
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I would love to enter the contest for Gluten Free Cupcakes and The Natural Vegan Kitchen. I just discovered your blog this week, and I’m enjoying it immensely. I just subscribed, and I’m about to go like you on Facebook.
Thanks for the opportunity and the inspiration!
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I’ve been dropping by to peruse your site for a while as I work out whether gluten and/or Candida is/are responsible for my digestive issues. I’d be delighted to see Gluten-Free Cupcakes, The Natural Vegan Kitchen, or Simply Gluten-Free Desserts. Thanks! It’s also fun to see another received-but-removed-from-PhD holder, like me!
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I would love to have a copy of Elana’s Cupcake book! They sound devine
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Hi Ricki,
I love your site, and found your book, “Sweet Dreams” at our local library here in Ottawa, Ontario. I would be blessed to receive any of the above cookbooks. We are just starting our quest for satisfying foods, as my 7 year old son is allergic to eggs, dairy, wheat, beef, bananas and he’s also gluten free, and now we think he may even be allergic to apples!
Thanks, and have a great day!!
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The Natural Vegan Kitchen Please!
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Hi Ricki, I would love either the Literary Ladies Guide to the Writing Life or the Natural Vegan Kitchen. I recently stumbled across your blog when looking for recipes for napa cabbage and I’ve been hooked since! Thanks!
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what about one of your books?!
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Ricki Reply:
June 9th, 2011 at 8:43 pm
Aw, Kate, you are so sweet to think of that! This giveaway was meant for books I received from publishers, but I will definitely do a giveaway with mine as well, since you asked!
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I would like any of the cookbooks.
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I’d love to win a copy of The Natural Vegan Kitchen!
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I would like to win The Natural Vegan Kitchen, Gluten free cupcakes, Simply Gluten Cupcakes and The Literary Ladies. Any
of them would be great.
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wow, what a generous giveaway!
as a big cupcake fan, i’d love to win the gluten-free cupcake cookbook, but i would also be so giddy to receive the simply… gluten-free or the natural kitchen cookbooks! fingers crossed…
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Well, Elana’s cupcake book would be my first pick but honestly, I would be thrilled to get any of the books.
I follow you on Twitter.
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Forgot to add. I tweeted this a couple of times.
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What a great super-giveaway! I’d love to have a copy of any of these!
I’ve heard great things about Gluten Free Cupcakes, and use Elana’s first cookbook on a regular basis.
Literary Ladies Guide to the Writing Life sounds interesting. I love to read, and it sounds like there are some great insights in this book.
I’ve never heard of Natural Vegan Kitchen, but I am enjoying my quest to learn more about eating whole/unprocessed foods.
I am a huge fan of Carol’s and have wanted to get my hands on Simply…Gluten Free Desserts for awhile!
Thanks for the chance to win these books
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I am now a follower of yours on twitter.
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Like Simply GF on facebook.
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Like Elana’s Pantry on facebook.
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Follow Simply GF on twitter.
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Follow Elana’s Pantry on twitter too! Thanks for giving us lots of entries!
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The Natural Vegan Kitchen sounds good to me.
Thank you very much for giving me this chance and writing such an interesting blog. Good recipes.
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