Showing posts with label cooking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cooking. Show all posts

Friday, December 20, 2019

It's Baking Season!

It's the time of year for baking! Did you know that the Carnegie-Stout Public Library lets you check out baking pans? We have 50+ items in our baking pan collection, from tart pans and cake molds to specialty pans (like cannoli tubes) and baking essentials (like measuring cups and spoons).

The delicious cake pictured here was made by Adult Services Manager Bill Carroll. He checked out a bundt pan to make a molasses gingerbread cake with cinnamon whipped cream. The recipe he used is below if you want to make one of your own to share with friends and family for the holidays!



Molasses Gingerbread Cake with Cinnamon Whipped Cream
This recipe was originally from The New Thanksgiving Table by Diane Morgan.

Cake Ingredients:
·         1 tablespoon unsalted butter at room temperature
·         3 ¾ cups all purpose flour, plus extra for dusting pan
·         1 ½ teaspoons of ground cinnamon
·         ¾ teaspoon of ground cloves
·         ¾ teaspoon of freshly ground pepper
·         1 ½ cups sweet unsulphured molasses (not blackstrap)
·         1 ½ cups granulated sugar
·         1 ½ cups canola or peanut oil
·         1 ½ cups water
·         1 tablespoon baking soda
·         2/3 cup (packed) peeled and minced fresh ginger*
·         3 large eggs, beaten
*NOTE: You will need about 5-6 ounces of fresh ginger in order to get 2/3 cup of minced ginger. The easiest way to prepare the ginger is to peel it, cut it into small chunks, and mince it in a mini or regular-sized food processor using the metal blade. You may also mince it by hand, but it will take more time to do.

Instructions:
1.    Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350ºF. Generously butter and flour a nonstick, 12-cup Bundt pan, tapping the pan to remove excess flour (make certain every interior surface is thoroughly coated so the cake doesn’t stick to the pan).
2.    In a large bowl, sift together the 3 ¾ cups of flour, the cinnamon, cloves, and pepper.
3.    In another large bowl, whisk together the molasses, granulated sugar, and oil.
4.    In a 2 ½ quart saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the baking soda. Whisk this mixture into the molasses mixture into the molasses mixture, and then add your fresh minced ginger.
5.    Adding a generous cupful at a time, stir the flour mixture into the molasses mixture, until the flour is absorbed.
6.    Whisk in the eggs and pour the batter into the prepared pan.
7.    Bake for about 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. If the cake appears to be browning too quickly, lay a piece of foil over the top of the pan.
8.    Cool the cake in the pan for 1 hour on a wire rack. Place the rack over the top of the pan and invert to unmold the cake. Let the cake continue to cool on the rack.
The cake can be covered and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days, or wrap tightly and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight at room temperature.

Cinnamon Whipped Cream Ingredients:
·         1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
·         ¼ cup confectioner’s sugar
·         ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions:
1.    Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Use a whisk or electric mixer to whip the cream until soft peaks form.
2.    Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. The whipped cream can be prepared up to 4 hours in advance.

TO SERVE:
Dust the cake with confectioner’s using small fine-mesh sieve. Slice cake and serve with a dollop of whipped cream.
You could also cover the cake with the whipped cream like a frosting. Slice and serve.




Check out a pan from our Baking Pan Collection and make your own delicious creation for the holidays, a birthday celebration, a special occasion, or just because! 

Tuesday, October 9, 2018

Bingeworthy TV: Great British Baking Show


I'm not going to pretend I have any talent for baking, but I do enjoy it when I somehow manage to follow a recipe and turn out something edible. I like eating good food; I'm just not invested in learning how to create it for myself.


But somehow, in watching the determined, talented bakers of The Great British Baking Show, I've found myself thinking, "Hmmm, maybe I could make that..." Despite not always quite understanding what they are talking about.


With the judges and bakers throwing around words like "choux," "lamination," and "baps," it can be hard to tell where the technical cooking terms end and the quirks of British English begin. More ambitious viewers can seek out cookbooks and how-to videos from the judges, the rest of us can just enjoy the atmosphere.


The humor is sometimes a bit adult, but I think it's probably still a good choice for families to view together as the show's overall warmth and good spirit override the occasional innuendo. It's so very heartwarming to watch the bakers try their absolute hardest to achieve seemingly impossible tasks, while still taking the time to cheer on and assist their competitors.


I highly recommend The Great British Baking Show to anyone looking for a sweet escape from the hassles of real life that won't add inches to your waistline.


~Sarah, adult services

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

#ComicsWednesday: Food Wars! by Yuto Tsukuda & Shun Saeki


Food Wars! shokugeki no soma is written by Yuto Tsukuda and illustrated by Shun Saeki. Professional chef Yuki Morisaki serves as a culinary adviser for the series. I highly recommend this manga to foodies, but parents should be aware that this series may be inappropriate for children and younger teens, despite its high school setting.

If you've ever lost an afternoon, an evening, or an entire weekend to a marathon of Chopped, Iron Chef, Cutthroat Kitchen, or any of the other dozens of cooking competition shows, this is the manga for you. Main character Soma Yukihira has already found his passion at the age of 15: cooking with his dad in their family restaurant. His father, however, has his own plans, and enrolls Soma in the incredibly competitive Tōtsuki Culinary Academy.

This series is known both for the delicious food and for its over-the-top fan service (translation: sexy images where very little is left to the imagination), where characters' enjoyment of particularly delicious food is shown as an orgasmic experience. It's a choice that I found personally off-putting at first, but gradually it became a part of the series's quirky charm.

There is a two-series anime adaptation that is currently only available with subtitles through a streaming service (no DVDs), and fans of the anime should definitely check out the manga. The manga not only expands on the story, but includes actual recipes for several of the dishes!

~Sarah, Adult Services

Sunday, April 17, 2016

Staff Review: The Mystery Writers of America Cookbook

If you're a fan of mystery novels, I'm willing to bet at least one of your favorite authors has a recipe in The Mystery Writers of America Cookbook. Just pulling from our staff reviews on this blog, there are recipes from James Patterson, Laura Joh Rowland, Gillian Flynn, and Richard Castle. Yes, the best-selling fictional mystery author Richard Castle shares his recipe for "Morning-After Hotcakes."

Some of the recipes are drawn from the pages of a given author's novels, while others are personal favorites. Each recipe is accompanied by a short anecdote from the author explaining its significance, and a few of the recipes are almost like reading a very short story. In my opinion, the best part is that there are recipes for culinary experts, and recipes for those of us more interested in eating something than in making it. So obviously, I had to check this out and try a few myself (with a little help from my partner in crime)!

Appetizer: Male Chauvinist Pigs in a Blanket by Nelson DeMille
Even without having read DeMille's series following the adventures of anti-terrorism expert John Corey, I can say with certainty that I have a good feel for the character after trying this recipe. This is some straightforward, beer and sports, bachelor style cooking.

We did make a few changes to the recipe: we used cocktail sausages instead of  cut up hot dogs because that's what we had, we skipped the yellow mustard because neither of us like it, and we watched cartoons instead of a sports game.

The Verdict: Simple, tasty, and fast. We weren't sure how much impact the beer marinade had on the overall flavor, but that might be due to the hot dog substitution.

Entrée: Kinsey Millhone's Famous Peanut Butter & Pickle Sandwich by Sue Grafton
I followed this recipe exactly. Both because Sue Grafton is very, very clear that substitutions are not allowed, and because this recipe made me realize that reading A is for Alibi as a teen is probably when I started eating peanut butter and pickle sandwiches myself. My variation calls for kosher dill pickles, a slice of hard cheese (horseradish cheddar if you can get it), and a little hot sauce.

My partner was less enthused by the idea of a pickle and peanut butter sandwich, but he was hungry enough to be willing to try something unexpected. Especially since it's such a quick recipe to assemble.

The Verdict: I could eat this sandwich every day (or a variation thereof). The pickle chips were very drippy, and you'd probably do well to pat them dry on a paper towel first, especially if you are making your sandwich to eat later in the day. We were split on the pickles; I found them very sweet, my partner thinks that substituting actual sweet pickles is the way to go.

Entrée: Innocent Frittata by Scott Turow
Scott Turow is another author whose books I haven't read (yet), but I've always wanted to try my hand at a frittata. The fact that Turow's recipe includes information on how the frittata could be used as a murder weapon just makes it even more delicious.

This was the most complicated of the recipes we tried, but even so it only took about 40 minutes from start to finish to put together. Rather like a quiche with no crust, this is a solid base recipe that opens itself up to endless variations.

The Verdict: We liked it! Seriously, my "dramatic" picture doesn't do it justice. My partner in crime didn't even mind the artichoke hearts (he's not a fan, but I love them, so we compromised and halved the amount called for). The only other change I'd make is to use fresh, rather than canned, mushrooms.

Overall, I highly recommend that anyone who loves food and mystery novels check out The Mystery Writers of America Cookbook to try their hand at some deviously delicious recipes! And if you happen to find yourself looking for even more recipes from mystery novelists, check out The Cozy Cookbook, which focuses on recipes by cozy mystery novelists.

~Sarah, Adult Services

Sunday, December 27, 2015

One of the Best Books I Read in 2015: The Dirty Life by Kristin Kimball

Kristin Kimball and her now-husband Mark are the founders of Essex Farm in upstate New York. The CSA (community-supported agriculture) shares they sell to their members provide a diet for an entire year - meats, eggs, vegetables, grains, syrup and beans. They raise all of this on their 500 acres of land. The Dirty Life is the story of how Kristin and Mark met, fell in love, and made this incredible farm come into being with very little funding, even less experience, and enough enthusiasm and dedication to make up for it.

Kimball's narration of the first years of the farm and her relationship with Mark is mesmerizing. Within months, she goes from living in the East Village, to a home without electricity or toilets, to leading a team of draft horses, and everything in between. Her style is witty and descriptive, and I often had trouble putting the book down. I was captured on the first page by a mouthwatering depiction of a home-grown, home-cooked meal. There is plenty of adventure and suspense as well: although Kimball states from the beginning that she is now married to Mark, reading about the many months that planning their wedding took the back burner to farm chores was nerve-wracking. I understood how they became so distracted, though, with farm life. Kimball and her fiance barely had time to sleep between caring for the animals, staying ahead of the weather, and acquiring complicated equipment to manage their land.

Every chapter offers a new anecdote: juicy gossip among small-town neighbors, a frigid day at an Amish auction, visits from skeptical mainstream friends, and various misadventures with animals, including Kimball being charged by a bull, are just a few of my favorites. Within pages, Kimball swings from heartwarming to hilarious to heartbreaking and back again, luring you to read on and continue the cycle. Whether you're a foodie, a farmer, a vegetarian city-dweller (as Kimball was before she met Mark), or just someone who finds yourself captivated by a sunset or a birdsong, Kimball's story will keep you cozy and entertained on a long, cold winter evening.

~Rachel, Circulation

Monday, December 1, 2014

December Magazines of the Month

Our December Magazines of the Month are The Card Player and Fine Cooking.


Fine Cooking has tips, techniques, and recipes for cooking and entertaining. A great resource for anyone who will be hosting a get together or celebration this December. More information is available on their website: www.finecooking.com

The Card Player is the magazine for poker, with news, strategies, and more. The magazine is part of their larger website with even more information and videos related to poker: www.cardplayer.com



You can check these magazines out from our periodical collection on the library's second floor, behind the Reference Desk.

Friday, August 1, 2014

August Magazines of the Month: Vegetarian Journal & Allrecipes

August is likely peak harvest time for those of us with home gardens, or for those of us exploring the abundance of the Farmer's Market. If you're looking for new and tasty ways to use your tomatoes and zucchini, check out our magazines of the month, and the cooking display on the second floor of the library. And make sure to register for Food Preservation 101 with Cindy Baumgartner from ISU Extension on Thursday, August 14th at 6:30 p.m. Call (589-4225) or stop by the Reference Desk for more information or to register.

The Vegetarian Journal is a publication of the Vegetarian Resource Group, a non-profit group dedicated to the cause and promotion of vegetarianism. Their magazine and website provide information on nutrition, locating vegetarian and vegan foods, recipes, and more. You can check out their website here: www.vrg.org

Allrecipes magazine is published by Meredith, a media conglomerate based in Des Moines, and their first issue saw print in August of 2013. Allrecipes began life as Allrecipes.com, a site devoted to all things culinary that allows you to create a profile and join their social network. Because the recipes are posted to the site, voted on, reviewed and refined by the members of the site, readers are presented with recipes for a variety of appetites.

Monday, March 3, 2014

Gulp VS Relish: Dubuque Tournament of Books, Round One

This week we'll be posting the judges' decisions for the first round of the 2nd Annual Dubuque Tournament of Books. To see an overview of the judges and contestants, check out this blog post. 

Judge: Fran
Comparing Lucy Knisley’s Relish: My Life in the Kitchen and Mary Roach’s Gulp is like comparing pancakes and pigs’ feet. Both books deal with food but in a totally different context.

Let's first look at the ways the two books are similar.  Both are written by women who have a rich sense of humor and a clever writing style. Both are nonfiction. The consumption of food is a subject frequently mentioned in the two books. Both have amusing illustrations.

The Gulp illustrations appear prior to a chapter and are generally realistic. Knisley’s illustrations, since Relish is a graphic novel, are fundamental to both the format and the story. The cartoons are bright, colorful, and charming.  They help tell the story of Kinisley’s adventures and also provide a step-by-step guide for how to prepare the recipes she includes.  Her cartoon style reminded me of the Archie comics I enjoyed as a child.

Their differences are more apparent. Relish, a young adult book, is a memoir of Lucy Knisley’s childhood and young adulthood experiences with food. Her mother is a chef and her father a gourmand so she grows up eating a wide variety of food. She learns to cook, and to appreciate and enjoy food.  As a child and teen, she helps her mother with her garden and works in her catering business. The book is composed of her personal memories and her reflections on cooking and eating. Although several recipes are included they are her own or her mother’s recipes and no particular scientific information is offered.

On the other hand, Glup: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal, while written in a humorous and somewhat breezy style, is definitely a scientific work. Roach includes numerous footnotes and a twelve page bibliography. Details are given of experiments performed in the 1800s on through ones being done today. She conducts interviews and reports her discoveries. The language she uses is scientific although much of it is understandable and palatable to the non-scientist. She references her personal experiences, but they are related to the circumstances of a particular interview.

Roach is a well-known, established author. Many adults will choose to read her works and will find them enlightening. I highly recommend Gulp, but I feel it is a book that one should select as a personal preference. Given the subject matter, I don’t want to force someone to read it. On the other hand, since Relish is a book that many adults are going to pass over. It is a light, quick read and will make you smile. It will provide a much needed breath of fresh air as we struggle through the last months of a trying winter. And like me, a reader might discover that a graphic novel can be interesting and fun to read.

Sunday, December 1, 2013

December Magazine of the Month

It's December, and that means holiday entertaining! Our magazines of the month will help you get the celebrations started.

 

Martha Stewart Living is part of our Zinio collection of digital magazines. Our book collection includes a number of her cookbooks and other helpful titles. We'll assume that you are already familiar with Martha's empire, but if not, check out her website to learn more: www.marthastewart.com 

Bon Appetit is our second magazine of the month. With a focus on food and entertaining, this magazine has been in publication since 1956. Their website includes recipes, tips, tricks, and recommendations: www.bonappetit.com

Monday, July 1, 2013

July's Magazines of the Month: Cooking Light & Everyday with Rachael Ray

We've once again selected two magazines of the month for July. This month we're featuring Cooking Light and Everyday with Rachael Ray. These are both great titles to turn to as you plan summer cookouts, BBQs, picnics, family reunions and other festive gatherings!

Cooking Light shares a publisher with Southern Living magazine, which is also available at Carnegie-Stout. Cooking Light is a monthly magazine that features recipes along with fitness and health tips and information. You can them out from our collection the next time  you visit, or take a sneak peak at their website right now: www.cookinglight.com


Everyday with Rachael Ray is available through Carnegie-Stout in both print and digital editions. You can download the latest issue through our Zinio collection. Rachael Ray's magazine began publication in 2005, and was recently acquired by the publishing company responsible for Midwest Living. Be sure to check out the website, which is packed with tips, recipes, videos, and more: www.rachaelraymag.com

Monday, April 29, 2013

Staff Review: Vegan Cheesecake Recipes

It started as a joke. My friend Jackie was describing a complicated cheesecake recipe she was baking for a party while I was browsing through the smoothie recipes on a vegan blog, when I stumbled across a recipe for Raw Vegan Strawberry Cheesecake*. I immediately suggested she switch recipes, to which she responded, "How can it be cheesecake if there isn't any dairy!?" 

A year later Jackie has come to Dubuque for a visit, and I immediately realize that this is my chance to have someone who knows how to bake food help me in the creation of the mysterious raw vegan strawberry cheesecake.
Raw Vegan Strawberry Cheesecake, based on a recipe found in Raw Food for Real People
"Wouldn't you rather I show you how to make a real cheesecake?" she asked. No. No, I wouldn't. I can buy real cheesecake at the store or in a restaurant, but a raw vegan cheesecake is a challenge. A quest. An accomplishment. A topic for a book review for the library's blog.

I've seen other libraries post reviews of recipes from their favorite cookbooks, and I knew that our collection includes vegan cookbooks, so all that was left was to identify a recipe and bake a cheesecake.
 
 In the end, we decided to try making two different vegan cheesecakes:

Things we learned from our experience:
  • Vegan baking is expensive, but it's possible to substitute vegan egg substitute with soy yogurt.
  • The reason Sweet Vegan calls for you to make your own vegan graham crackers that you can then crush to use for the crust is likely that there are very few pre-made vegan cookies available in the store. We went with a vegan, nut free, gluten free, cinnamon cookie.
  • Simulating regular food with a raw food recipe is far, far too much effort. It would've been so much easier to just fill a bowl with sliced strawberries, mixed nuts, and healthy squeeze of agave nectar.
  • All the extra effort does make the reward of taste testing at the end that much sweeter. Plus! Vegan cheesecake has to be healthier than regular cheesecake!
Then came the fun part, bringing the finished product into the library and convincing my co-workers to give it a taste! While several library staff members turned a piece down on the basis of not liking regular cheesecake, or finding the idea of a vegan cheesecake too off-putting, those brave enough to try something new gave both generally positive reviews.

The last piece of vegan cheesecake.
The baked vegan cheesecake was the real winner. Amy said that if I hadn't told her she "would never have known it was tofu or vegan. All I could taste was the vanilla in the cinnamon crust and the consistency seemed very cheesecake-like." Andrew found both cheesecakes to be "entirely cromulent." He also coined the term "nut mush" for the raw vegan recipe, which more accurately describes the cashew butter experience of a raw vegan cheesecake.

And in case anyone was wondering, Jackie and I followed our vegan baking adventures up with burgers at Paul's tavern - to maintain a balanced diet.

~Sarah, Adult Services

*
T
he blog with the original raw vegan strawberry cheesecake is no longer in existence. :(

Friday, April 26, 2013

Snack Time, Read Up!

 
Gulp, the latest book by popular science author Mary Roach, tackles the mysteries of the digestive system. If you enjoy learning while you laugh, you should definitely check out Mary Roach's writing. She has an ability to bring humor and insight to topics that would normally make the average person squirm (sex, death, etc.). If you're already on the waiting list for Gulp, or you're not quite sure you want to read about what happens in the small intestine, we've pulled together a list of some other recent titles that explore our relationship with food.


Mark Kurlansky is another popular author of non-fiction known for his engaging style and incredible detail, though his tone is far more serious, and his focus tends toward the historical. If you're looking to learn more about our relationship to food prior to consumption, you should ddefinitely check out Salt: a world history (333.85632 KUR), Cod: a biography of the fish that changed the world (333.956633 KUR), and Birdseye: the adventures of a curious man (LP Biography Birdseye). For other in depth explorations of a single consumable's impact on humanity's history, try:


Salt, Sugar, Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us by Michael Moss (613.2 MOS)
This recent title has also spent some time on the best seller lists. A through-provoking and passionate look at our relationship with junk food by an award-winning journalist. If you're already on the hold list for this one, check out:


Blood, Bones, and Butter by Gabrielle Hamilton (641.5092 HAM)
The stories of the people who devote their lives and careers to food and the restaurant business can provide a different perspective on our relationships with food. Blood, Bones, and Butter is a moving and straightforward autobiography by Gabrielle Hamilton. The book chronicles Hamilton's difficult path from rural New Jersey to the head chef of her own New York restaurant. For more chef, foodie, and restaurant memoirs, try:


Flour, Water, Salt, Yeast: The Fundamentals of Artisan Bread and Pizza by Ken Forkish (641.815 FOR)
Perhaps you're more interested in creating the delicious foods you eat yourself? Carnegie-Stout does have an excellent collection of cookbooks, but for today we'll stick to a few on baking bread. Flour, Water, Salt, Yeast is a recent guide to home baking from ken Forkish, a Portland baker. The recipes in this cookbook range from the beginner to rather more advanced. If you're looking for more, check out:

Please stop by the Recommendations Desk on the first floor, check out NoveList Plus on the library's website, or visit W. 11th & Bluff next week for more reading suggestions. Or submit a Personal Recommendations request, and we'll create a reading list just for you! 

Friday, April 5, 2013

Check these books out from the comfort of your own home

This week we're spotlighting a few titles available as eBooks through Carnegie-Stout's OverDrive collection. Some of these titles are only available as eBooks, and if you'd like some help downloading one give us a call (563-589-4225) or stop in! We offer drop in tech help on Wednesday nights starting at 6:30 p.m. In order to checkout an eBook from Carnegie-Stout, you need to live within Dubuque city limits, but most other Dubuque County libraries provide access to eBooks for residents of their communities.

We've pulled together a selection of titles from various genres, so hopefully there's something here for every reader! Print aficionados, never fear, some of these titles will be added to our print collection, or we may be able to borrow a copy from another library (another service only available to city residents).

Destiny's Embrace by Beverly Jenkins
Beverly Jenkins is one of the foremost authors of African-American romance writing today. Over the course of her career she’s written historicals, romantic suspense, and even Westerns. Her heroines are sassy, her writing is engaging, and the romance is steamy. Her most recent title, Destiny's Embrace, follows Mariah Cooper as she starts a new life as a housekeeper on a ranch in California, and the sparks fly between Mariah and rancher Logan Yates. This is an engaging start to a new series with sharp characters and interesting historical detail.

Prophet by R.J. Larson
R.J. Laron’s first novel is a fast-paced and engaging fantasy novel that draws on the stories of the Old Testament for inspiration. Prophet tells the story of Ela, a teenage girl who never expected to be called on by the Infinite as a prophet, but she rises to the challenge and sets off to serve His will in distant lands. Currently, Carnegie-Stout only owns this title as an eBook as part of our OverDrive collection. If you don’t own an eReader, this book would be a great excuse to try out one of the Sony eReaders we have available for checkout!

Split Second by David Baldacci 
Baldacci is known for his fast-paced political suspense novels and pulse pounding plot twists, though there's never any question that his heroes are the good guys. The first book in his Sean King and Michelle Maxwell series, Split Second introduce two Secret Service agents who turn to a second career as Private Investigators. The series is ongoing, with the latest book, The Sixth Man, coming out this April.


Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett
Our collection includes dozens of titles by prolific fantasy author Terry Pratchett, but we are missing one or two print copies out of the 39 from his Discworld series. Pratchett is known for his humor, world-building skills, and memorable characters. Wyrd Sisters puts a new spin on Shakespeare's Macbeth, with allusions to several of his other plays, and has, in turn, been adapted as a play itself. Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, and Magrat Garlick become embroiled in politics when they suddenly become the guardians of a murdered king's only child.


The Feast Nearby: how I lost my job, buried a marriage, and found my way by keeping chickens, foraging, preserving, bartering, and eating locally (all on $40 a week) by Robin Mather
If you're interested in the local food movement or tales of frugal living, you should check this book out. The story of her exploration of the local food options of her Michigan community are interspersed with delicious and straightforward recipes. This is an upbeat book and Mather's writing has a warm humor, rather than dwelling on her personal upheaval.


Please stop by the Recommendations Desk on the first floor, check out NoveList Plus on the library's website, or visit W. 11th & Bluff next week for more reading suggestions. Or submit a Personal Recommendations request, and we'll create a reading list just for you!

Friday, January 4, 2013

Spotlight: Delicious Food

We hope that you're enjoying 2013 so far, but if you're like us, you're probably feeling the pressure to lose a few pounds. Or maybe you're one of those lucky few who can eat whatever strikes your fancy and never gain a pound. Either way, Carnegie-Stout has you covered! We've gathered together information for some of the most popular diets, as well as some of the best cookbooks of 2012. Be sure to stop in and browse through our display on the first floor too!

Of course, our favorite diet advice comes from Michael Pollan: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."

Gluten-Free
Gluten is a protein found in several grains including wheat, barley, and rye. A gluten-free diet is necessary for people who suffer from Celiac Disease or a wheat allergy, though some people follow this diet for other reasons. You can browse our collection for materials on gluten-free diets here.


Best Cookbooks of 2012
Homemade Pantry: 101 foods you can stop buying and start making
by Alana Chernila
(641.5 CHE)


Paleo Diet
Sometimes called the Caveman Diet or Stone Age Diet, this diet purports to recreate the eating habits of humans before the development of agriculture. This means one can eat fish, fruits, vegetables, and other meat animals fed on grasses rather than grains, but no grains (wheat, corn, rice), dairy products, or refined sugars. You can browse our collection for materials on paleo diets here.


Best Cookbooks of 2012 
Mastering the Art of Southern Cooking
by Nathalie Dupree & Cynthia Graubart
(641.5975 DUP)



Atkins Diet
The low-carbohydrate diet was first proposed by Robert Atkins in the '70s, but didn't become widely popular until around 2004. These days a number of low-carb diet variations exist. We have many cookbooks and diet guides that you can browse by clicking here.


Best Cookbooks of 2012
The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook
by Deb Perelman
(641.5 PER)



Detoxes/Cleanses
Detoxes and cleanses are not diets proper, but are closer to the experience of fasting or being restricted to a liquid diet due to food poisoning or stomach flu. While you may lose weight during a weekend or week of drinking only juices, advocates will tell you the real goal is to create a clean slate internally. You can browse our collection for materials on here.


Best Cookbooks of 2012
Barefoot Contessa Foolproof: recipes you can trust
by Ina Garten
(641.5 GAR)



Raw Food
A raw food diet consists of foods that have not been heated, or heated to a temperature of no more than 115 °F (though there is some disagreement on this point). Adherents might consume raw fish, raw milk products, or a completely vegan diet. You can browse our collection for materials on here. 


Best Cookbooks of 2012
The Farm: rustic recipes for a year of incredible food
by Ian Knauer
(641.5973 KNA)



Mediterranean Diet
Every so often we're inundated with diet and exercise advice based on one geographical region or another (French women have perfect children! Everyone needs to try the Brazilian booty workout!). Luckily, living by the dietary norms of the Mediterranean, as recognized by UNESCO, makes for some delicious meals, and if there's a health benefit too, well, bonus. You can browse our collection for materials on here.


Best Cookbooks of 2012
Fifty Shades of Chicken: a parody in cookbook
by F. L. Fowler
(641.665 FOW)



Ornish Diet/The Spectrum
Dr. Ornish led a medical study that demonstrated a diet rich in plants, mild exercise, and stress management could improve the health of individuals suffering from coronary artery disease. His research led him to write The Spectrum, which adapts his dietary research for a wider audience.


Best Cookbooks of 2012 
The Back in the Day Bakery Cookbook: more than 100 recipes from the best little bakery in the south
by Cheryl & Griffith Day
(641.86 DAY)


Zone Diet
The Zone Diet, developed by Barry Sears, calls for participants to balance the calories in their meals to follow a ratio of 40% carbohydrates to 30% proteins and 30% fats. The thinking is that this will help to balance your hormone and insulin levels. You can browse our collection for materials on here

We also have books for Weight Watchers, the Eat This, Not That series, books with "skinny" in the title, and more.