Love Food & Live Well by Chantel Hobbs

I just finished up this book and I really enjoyed it.  I am a big fan of Chantel Hobbs.  I read her first book Never Say Diet over a year ago and it totally changed the way I view losing weight.  This book is no different.  I have read tons of weight loss books and hers by far is my favorite.  Her writing style is easy to read...like you are her best friend and she's merely giving you some weight loss advice.  About 10 years ago, Chantel found herself at 350 lbs and at the end of her rope.  She surrendered her battle to the Lord and He helped her to change her life one step at a time.  She has kept the weight off all this time and is now using what she has learned throughout her journey to help others.  She doesn't teach a lose-10 lbs-by-tomorrow sort of plan, but a lifestyle change through good old exercise and healthy eating.  Her book contains information about calorie counting, recipes, body types, and even exercises (with pictures!) to help you as you start your own weight loss journey.  This is a great read for anyone who is wanting to lose weight and live a healthier life.  I found it so encouraging!

In addition to teaching readers about the physical aspects of weight loss and living a healthy lifestyle, Chantel also teaches the importance of inviting God into your journey.  God created food for us to enjoy, so why should we feel guilty about enjoying our meals?  Of course, we must use reason and self-control when eating so we don't self-sabotage our efforts to lose weight.  Through this book, Chantel teaches us that we really can Love Food & Live Well!

If you would like to read Chapter 1 of Love Food & Live Well, click here!

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

The Encounter by Stephen Arterburn

I received another complimentary book from Booksneeze.com and was asked to review it!  (Did I tell you I LOVE their program??)  Anyways, the title of the book is The Encounter by Stephen Arterburn.  I got it in the mail yesterday, and finished reading it in just a few hours!  It was a great book!  At only 140 pages, it was a quick read, but well worth it! 

The story starts out with Jonathan Rush, who is the CEO of a very successful businessman from Miami, traveling to Alaska to search of some answers concerning his birth mother. His mother had given him up for adoption at the age of 4 and 31 yrs later, he still doesn't know her reasons for it. He knows nothing about his mother, not even her name, and only has a couple of memories concerning her. As an adult he has struggled with anger and bitterness, which has caused him to have three failing marriages, an addiction to painkillers, and almost his life through an unsuccessful suicide attempt. Jonathan's pastor counsels him and suggests to go to Fairbanks, Alaska to find the answers from his past.
Without giving away the end of the story, I will say that it is a happy one! It is a story about how Jesus gave us grace and offered forgiveness to us for our sins, and we, as Christ-followers, can do the same to others!

Recipe: Pumpkin Rolls

My FIL & BIL came over for lunch today and I made a pumpkin roll for dessert.  I LOVE pumpkin rolls...actually I just really like the cream cheesy goodness in the middle of them, but since it's wrapped up in pumpkin cake, I eat it too.  I have made pumkin rolls each fall for the past 2 years and it's sort of a tradition now.  I usually make quite a few of them and freeze them.  They make a great dessert to take to dinner parties or to pull out of the freezer when unexpected guests stop by for a visit.  One warning though...they are addicting!  lol  This recipe is for 1 roll, however I decided to double it and make 2 rolls.  I used a 29 oz. can of pumpkin and only used about half of it, so I think I have enough pumpkin left over to make 2 more rolls!!  (YAY!)

Pumpkin Roll (found at About.com)

Yield:  1 roll

3 eggs

1 c. sugar

2/3 c. pumpkin

1 tsp. lemon juice

3/4 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ginger

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. salt

Filling:

8 oz. cream cheese - softened

4 T. butter, softened

1 c. powedered sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

In large bowl, combine eggs and sugar, beating with a mixer until thick and light yellow in color.  Add pumpkin and lemon juice, mixing until blended.

In separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, spices, and salt.  Add to egg mixture mixing well.  Spread batter into greased and waxed-paper lined 10x15pan. (Jelly roll pan).  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 mins.  Remove from oven.  Cool for 15 mins.

Place cake on clean tea towel sprinkled liberally with powdered sugar, with waxed paper side up.  Cool 10 mins longer. Remove waxed paper from cake  From 10" side, roll cake up in towel.  Set aside.

While cake is cooling in towel, prepare filling.  Beat together cream cheese and butter; stir in powdered sugar and vanilla and blend until smooth.  Unroll cake. Evenly spread filling over cake. 



Roll up cake (without towel).  While I rolled up the cakes, the girls helped with clean-up (aka licking every iota of frosting off spatulas!)

Wrap in plastic wrap.  Cover and chill at least 1 hr (if you can wait that long to indulge in a piece...I couldn't)  Slice before serving. 

Keep leftover slices refrigerated.  To freeze, wrap in plastic wrap, then wrap in foil.  Let thaw on counter prior to slicing and serving.

So one pumpkin roll is now gone thanks to my family and we have one more left.  My son suggested taking it to our neighbor who is recovering from an automobile accident, which I thought was so generous of him!  I want to stock our freezer with enough to last us through the holidays, so I will be working on that over the next couple of weeks.  Don't be intimidated by them, they really are easy to make...and you will impress your friends and family for sure!