Coleslaw Wraps/ Food Cures - Review & Giveaway

 The best six doctors anywhere

And no one can deny it

Are sunshine, water,rest, and air

Exercise and diet.

These six will gladly you attend

If only you are willing

Your mind they'll ease

Your will they'll mend

And charge you not a shilling.

~Nursery rhyme quoted by Wayne Fields, What the River Knows, 1990

While, I am no expert on Food in general and nutritive & healthy eating in particular, I can safely say that, while sunshine,water,rest & air are something which we may not have control over ; diet & exercise are definitely within our ambit and we can strive to bring positive & proactive  changes to it.

 In this regard, the book Food Cures forces us to think deeply about our daily food habits and how we can bring a healthy perspective to it, thereby keeping ailments at bay !

Sometime back, I received a mail from Joy Bauer team to find out if I was interested in reviewing her book Food Cures  and I was delighted. Having already heard glowing views about the book from  various sources, my immediate answer was in affirmative. When I received the book, the only words that crossed my mind on flipping a few pages was Treasure Trove.

Joy Bauer - The leading nutritionist has a simple food philosophy, whereby nutritive & healthy food when eaten in right proportions can aid in curing many ailments. The theory is heart warming and something that can be easily followed. While, you have a host of other sites including all and sundry telling you the same thing, what is special about this book is that, it is a is a fine collection of information relating to a host of topics including weight loss, glowing skin,happy smile, osteoporosis,type 2 diabetes,boosting memory, fighting migraine etc and she actually forces the readers to think like a nutritionist by minding the food habits.

It is not a simple makeover, it takes time but with patient planning and sincere approach, what she promises is that, eating healthy becomes habitual and a way of life.

I tried her creamy low calorie version of the coleslaw and used it as a spread for the phulkas, the Indianised Tortillas and the result was one lovely lunch.

For the Coleslaw :-

• Shredded Cabbage - 1 cup
• Shredded Carrot - 1/2 cup
• Scallions - as required - chopped
• Dried Cranberries - fistful (I used Dried Figs)
• Low Fat Mayonnaise - 1/8 to 1/4 cup - as required
• Apple Cider Vinegar - 1/2 tbsp (you can also use orange juice)
• English Mustard - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Ground Black Pepper - to taste

For the Wraps :-

• Phulkas/Tortillas - as required
• Coleslaw - as required
• Pieces of Tomato,cucumber
• Pepper powder to sprinkle

How :-

Combine the ingredients in a large bowl and toss to mix. Layer the phulka/tortilla with generous dabs of the coleslaw, top it with the veggies (Non Vegetarians- you can add turkey breasts) & sprinkle pepper powder. Roll & dig in.

Now how does she tackle the issues ?? 

For every issue, the problem is broken in to 4 step program - the first being Start with the basics, second is Your Ultimate Grocery List wherein she details potential food to stock up for that issue, third being Going above & beyond to go for that extra mile in preventing issues and finally meal plans including breakfast/lunch/dinner options.

I was very much hooked to her pages on Boosting Memory & averting cardiovascular diseases. She has shared a whole lot of insights both food & otherwise as to how to keep your brain active & sharp as well as what food aids in keeping the memory from slipping !

A few dishes I tried out were the Cottage Cheese & Cantaloupes as well as  the Scrambled Eggs with Peppers, mushrooms & onions. Both of these were part of the breakfast options under the issue of Vision.  The scrambled eggs also found its way in to an option for dealing with arthritis issue. 

Another yummy breakfast under the cardiovascular disease that was thoroughly enjoyed by us was topping peanut butter on a slice of apple. 

What I like about the book :-

• Information on what can aggravate health issues, how food can be planned & menu executed to tackle the issues.

• In the eventuality of eating-out, what to look out for & what to avoid, for instance she says that people who eat gluten-free dishes must never order oats when at a restaurant or buy prepared/packaged foods that contains oats. Why ? Though oats are naturally gluten free, they can be contaminated with wheat during the growing , milling or packaging process.

• The book is loaded with interesting information about ingredients as well as issues.

• Addressing FAQ's on all concerns.

• A comprehensive list of ingredients to stock your pantry for all the issues mentioned.

• Nutritive recipes for a healthier lifestyle.

• Other than the diet planning she has also harped on herbal & other supplements to boost the lifestyle.

Now for the fun part, Joy Bauer has happily agreed for giving away this book to 2 readers (one within India & one International). The books will be shipped by Joy Team to the lucky winners selected randomly by me.

Giveaway from Jan 30 - Feb 15
Winners will be announced on Feb 20

There are 2 books to be won, anyone can participate

You can share about this giveaway on your FB page or tweet about it

What you need to do (Leave a comment) :-

• To enter this giveaway , share your thoughts on how do you ensure healthy eating ?
• Where do you want the book to be sent ?
• Your e-mail address.

Think Healthy, Eat Right,Stay Fit :)