Official Book Review: Carrots 'n' Cake

A few weeks ago, Tina Haupert of Carrots 'n' Cake ("a blog devoted to a healthy balance") sent me her book to review, which is appropriately titled Carrots 'n' Cake.

What a fun read! Definitely appropriate as we move into these warmer months, where all we really want to do is lounge in the sun with a lemonade in one hand and a good book in the other. A beach read? You might call it that, although it's still too cold for me to enjoy my books at beach, but I digress. Carrots 'n' Cake is a diary of sorts. Ever wonder what goes on in the mind of a healthy living blogger?  This book is for you. Equal parts personal experience and helpful hints, Tina gives the reader a glimpse of her diet (the good and the bad), her life and her techniques for balancing it all.

Peppered throughout—some of her favorite recipes, although I wouldn't consider this a cookbook. Buy it more for the story than for the recipes, although the recipes are very good. Well, I guess they look good. I can only say with certainty that one is quite delicious:

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. Why on Earth would I pick such a generic recipe when the book contains recipes that are far more interesting? Don't judge a cookie by it's appearance on a plate. You can't see 'em, but chickpeas play a huge role in these delicious treats. And although Tina calls for raisins, I substituted mixed berries to make it even more interesting.

I promise they were good. Delicious, really. You can find the original recipe on Tina's blog, or just come upon it as you flip from page to page in her book. And as you flip, you'll also come upon quotes like this:

Am I not always telling you to ignore the number you see on the scale? See, I'm not crazy! Tina is very good a giving advice through her own personal experiences, which means you don't feel as though she is yelling at you to get your act together—that's how I always feel when I read diet books. Know what I mean? You probably do.

Lucky, Tina. She made the May issue of People StyleWatch.

And now, I feel like I should write a book. Should I write a book? Hmm, the wheels are churning. Someday, dear readers. Perhaps someday.

Until then, I will continue on as I have been. I'll continue to dish out fit tips with a little bit of my life added in for the heck of it.

Today's bit of my life: Sunday's shopping excursion with my parents. Although I wouldn't really consider it a shopping excursion, as I will soon have a house to pay for.  Enter the gift certificate to Down To Earth, and all the goodies it produced:

Ever have (or use) any of the above? I am hoping the little honey dipper thing makes it much easier for me to get my honey out of it's jar. I buy it fresh from one of the ladies at the gym, and it does not come in a cute little squeezable bear. Let's just say I've wasted many a teaspoon of honey trying to successfully pour it from the jar into whatever container I need it to be in. Ugh and messy.

I also picked up these sweet deals from Old Navy:

Reusable sandwich baggies! On sale for $2.97 per set. Score! They'll make transporting snacks to and fro a much easier task, that's for sure. Head on over to your Old Navy and see if you can get some for yourself. Love me some Old Navy.

Question: Have you read any good books lately that relate to either fitness or diet in some way?