This morning I am having a piece of mocha cheesecake for breakfast, along with my cup of coffee. What a way to start a Monday! I recommend it. At 330 calories a slice, this is actually doable, a recipe from my friend’s cookbook. This is what I am giving away. Let me tell you a bit more about it.
Here is a link to the book, along with resource lists, some recipes, and words from the author.
A few years ago, Esther and her husband started a long, grueling journey to find solutions for their little daughter who had been diagnosed with absence seizures. During a period of trying one medication after another, they were discouraged to see no real progress and the side effects of the drugs had changed their little girl into someone they scarcely recognized.
Around that time their doctor broached the subject of trying a radical diet change to see whether it would improve her quality of life. He explained to them that some epilepsy sufferers have seen significant improvement when they eat a low glycemic index diet, which is a carbohydrate-controlled diet, using only low glycemic carbs with an emphasis on fats and proteins. The glycemic index ranks foods and beverages based on how they affect your blood sugar level. It was a huge, scary shift for the Yoders, but they were willing to do anything to help their daughter.
Esther has described to me how her life was completely overwhelmed with the need to figure out foods that her little girl could eat and actually enjoy. She worked carefully with the doctor and a dietician, spending entire days developing recipes and tweaking them until they were delicious. I can personally attest to this, as I have been using recipes from her cookbook this past week. My friend knows how to cook!
All the hard work paid off when they found that after only three months, the seizures were gone and the medications were being slowly tapered off by the doctor. They became committed to the diet for the long haul, and Andria is now seizure free, off all meds. Nutritious food became her medicine.
The cookbook is beautifully done, with serving sizes and nutrition information included in every recipe. I enjoy just paging through and looking at the gorgeous photos. This book is a labor of love and encouragement to anyone who faces the gigantic shift of a lifestyle change with their eating habits, especially the low glycemic index diet. This is typically recommended for folks with diabetes as well as a sustainable weight loss plan. For the Trim Healthy Mama crowd, these recipes are actually quite similar to THM.
I am giving this book away for the specific purpose of spreading the word. Everybody knows somebody and word of mouth is a great way to share exciting ideas and products. You can download a free preview here, which is the website for her bookseller. Maybe you know someone who would love to have this book, or maybe you are a collector of recipes. There are no requirements to qualify for the giveaway except this:
Simply leave a comment here on the blog. To give the book more publicity, I have decided to give an additional chance to anyone who shares on Facebook. A comment or “like” on Facebook does not count, because it would be much too hard for me to tally. (EDIT: I am having trouble with keeping up with the shares. I thought facebook would tally them for me, which they do, but they don’t give me a list of the names, so just mention it here in the comments that you shared. I think I got all of them from the first 24 hours. Thanks. )I am pretty green on the matter of give aways, but I plan to leave it open until March 31. You have one week. Don’t be shy. 🙂
wocket in my pocket 
Looks like a wonderful cookbook! Would love to win!
Our daughter-in-law is experiencing a hormonal breakdown and is searching for a new way to eat, and this sounds like something she would love to have. This experience is showinf me how great our God is and how intricate He has made us. Blessings to you for bringing Him glory through your hard times.
i would love to try this book.
jenny
ilovegk@gmail.com
I would love to win this!
Our son also suffers from epileptic seizures. he was on medications that caused horrible side affects. We started seeing a NMD who changed his diet drastically, cutting out all processed sugars & the difference was almost immediate! within less than a month he was seizure free, not even so much as a twitch. He is also using a drop supplement to repair his liver that was damaged from the medications. It would be such a blessing to have this cookbook! -Ruth
Looks like a great book..Hoping to win 🙂
would love love!!!
Would love to win this cookbook. 🙂
This is a cookbook I’d be very interested in!! I’m becoming more and more convinced that a low-glycemic diet is more healthy than the one we usually embrace–which is full of sugar and white flour and potatoes. We could probably avoid many problems with a lower glycemic diet.
..would love to have this….I’m trying to regulate my blood sugars …am finding it hard to find something that works.
Would love to try this cookbook!
I would love to have this cookbook and start cooking/baking this way!
i would like this book so i could make things that are good with no sugar or less sugar.
64 comments!!!!! I am trying to be happy about the publicity you’re getting but feeling a bit down on my winning chances! 🙂
my thoughts exactly Naomi!:)
I’m always on the lookout for fresh inspiration on healthy cooking, so this book would totally intrigue me!
I’ve been thinking about a diet change for our family. I would enjoy trying this book. I love your blog. Keep up the great writing. Christie
Wow,I can’t imagine the hours Esther must have put in this book! Good job on advertising it for her.:) I’ll try to do my part and share it on FB as well. And btw, I’d LOVE to win!
looks exciting! love new cookbooks!
Looks wonderful!!
Would love to win.
I SHARED ON FACEBOOK! (Did you hear me the first time?) 😛
Yes, dear, I heard you. I am astounded and delighted at the interest in this book. And as much as I like you, I will not be rigging the drawing. 😀
Count me in for a chance, purty please. 🙂
Would love to win, enjoy all cookbooks.
Looks amazing!!
I WANT this book!! Ive been hearing about its coming for awhile now!
It looks like a great cookbook!
shared on facebook
I shared in the first 24 hours but just in case you missed it, I shared on facebook. 🙂
Good job on advertising this for your friend. Sounds like a lot of interest has been sparked in purchasing a copy whether or not we win. 🙂
I would love a copy of this book!
This looks like such a yummy cookbook, both the recipes and the design/ photography look amazing. 🙂
Would love to have this!
Shared on FB.
I would love to share this cookbook with a friend whose daughter was just diagnosed with epilepsy.
Gina
A little over two weeks ago, our four-year-old daughter was diagnosed with epilepsy. She has become a stranger on the drugs. We are still adjusting to the shock of the diagnosis, so it’s too soon to upend my kitchen in such a radical way. But in time, if the way I cook could help our daughter live seizure-free without drugs, I would be willing to try the low glycemic index diet. It looks a little easier than the ketogenic diet, another method of treating epilepsy with food. Right now, Andria’s story–and her mother’s search for answers–will mean as much to me as the recipes.