Ani Phyo Raw Food Essentials Recipe Book Giveaway!

Ani Phyo's newest recipe book Ani's Raw Food Essentials is dedicated to children. Her raw food diet has changed her life and left her feeling healthier and more energetic, something we all want for ourselves and our children. Ani Phyo is the queen of raw or "living food". She has proven that you can get the nutrition and taste you want out of food that is made from uncooked ingredients. Skeptical? Don't be. I began skeptical, thinking I would never get my family to eat raw. I received Ani's Raw Food Essentials, and set out on a mission to prove that food was not only delicious, but something even the pickiest little ones would eat. It was not only fun to make these delicious recipes, my daughter loved them!!!! I decided to give you all a sneak peak at just some of the many recipes we have tried and loved. The recipes are super easy to follow.

We started with a Basic Green Smoothie. It was filled with fruit, water and...kale. Of course you could use whatever greens you wanted, but I decided go big, or go home. My daughter drank two full cups of it. She also told me it was the best thing she ever had. I was shocked, but encouraged. My mission was working.

We made Almond Mylk and used it on our cereals, and even to drink by itself. It was yummy and great for someone like me, who really dislikes regular milk. It was the perfect add-in for smoothies too.

The Apple-Nut Porridge was a huge hit! Both my daughter and I are not huge fans of regular oatmeal. It always seems to make me feel tired and overly full. This fruit based porridge was so good, I would eat it for desert! The flax was a great source of fiber and omega's. We all fought over the last helping.

The Avocado-Pistachio Pesto is like heaven. It is so creamy and delicious. My meat-eating husband gobbled it down. We used it on kelp noodles and it was the perfect decadent meal. I not a fan of regular pesto (too oily for me), but this was just divine.

My daughter fell in love with the Chickenless Burger. It is dehydrated at 104 degrees and looks just like a real burger. The coconut adds some texture. She had eaten one the night before, and as I packed a picnic the next morning she specifically requested "the delicious burger from last night" (thank goodness, I had saved one). It was not only healthy, but super tasty. I am looking forward to our garden this summer so I can experiment with tomato toppings.

We finished off our day with some delicious Cookies made with Almond meal, Agave Syrup, Goji Berries, Chocolate chips and pumpkin seeds. Because it was a hot day, I also whipped up some Basic Banana Ice Kream.

There has yet to be a recipe in this book I do not like. If the pics of the food look good, imagine how it tasted?! So I bet you are drooling and wishing you had Ani's Raw Food Essentials. Well the publisher, Da Capo is offering a very lucky Product Mommy reader a chance to win a copy!

Giveaway Rules:
This contest is only open to US readers. You must be a Product Mommy follower. All entries must be received by 11:59pm on May 16, 2011. Please include your email address in each entry. A winner will be chosen at random. I will notify the winner on May 17, 2011 via email (please respond within 48 hours) and your copy of Ani's Raw Food Essentials will be mailed directly from the publisher.

How to Enter: You must be a Product Mommy follower. Leave a comment with your email address under this post.

Extra Entries:
You must do the "How to Enter" first and be sure you leave a "comment" for each extra entry and tell me which one you did. Don't forget your email address too.
1. Become a fan of Ani Phyo on Facebook
2. Become a fan of Product Mommy on Facebook
3. Become a fan of Product Mommy on Twitter
4. Subscribe to Product Mommy by email (top left of blog page)
5. Twitter about this contest (and leave a link to the Tweet)
6. Post this giveaway on Facebook (and leave a link)

Ani's Raw Food Desserts Puts the MMMM in Healthy Eating

As a parent, I feel it is my responsibility to get my child eating healthy. Does that mean we deny ourselves treats and snacks? No way! After becoming a huge fan of Ani Phyo and her delicious raw food recipes, I was super excited to find her "cookbook" Ani's Raw Food Desserts. As I said before, Ani Phyo is the queen of raw or "living food". She has proven that you can get the nutrition and taste you want out of food that is made from uncooked ingredients. I love dessert and so does my daughter, but I often find myself denying or reassigning her when she begs for more treats. I know most of what I can buy is not always healthy,and sometimes fruit alone does not hit the spot. We are in love with this book because it helps us add a lot of nutrition, but tastes so sweet your kid will not even realize how healthy it is. The recipes are easy to follow with few ingredients, so making them is easy and fun. Chef Ani’s easy-to-make sweets are wheat-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, processed sugar-free, and cruelty-free.

We tried a few so far (and I had to remake each one because they were gone within days). The Trail Mix cookies are a great mix of almonds, nuts and dates. The added touch of cinnamon makes them a fabulous fall treat.

The Strawberry Macaroons were easy to make and my daughter loves the pink color. Because they are dehydrated that have a wonderful consistency and the dried strawberries inside give it a delicious strawberry jelly flavor.

The biggest hit are the Lemon Kreamscicles. My daughter literally begs for them. With a mix of cashew, lemon and banana, they are a nutritious vitamin-packed treat. I have to admit I cannot get enough of them either.

Ani's Raw Food Desserts is another big healthy hit for us!

Ani's 15-Day Fat Blast

I have never been one to go crazy for fad diets.  I believe healthy eating is the key.  I wish I remembered that "key" more often.  When I was asked to review Ani's 15-Day Fat Blast, I was a bit skeptical, but also excited.  I have written about Ani before.  She is the queen of raw living food.  I use her recipes in our everyday life and they have become our favorites.   Ani's 15-Day Fat Blast is about a lifestyle change.  It is about getting rid of the toxins in your body and replacing complex sugars and carbohydrates with healthy living foods.

Looking for that one miracle diet that will simply melt pounds away? Here it is. Premiere raw food chef Ani Phyo breaks down the myths and preconceptions of eating raw and offers a revolutionary, easy plan to help you shed up to fifteen pounds in just fifteen days simply by eating delicious raw meals. The plan is simple: eat up and speed up the fat burning and weight loss by using simple, living, and all-natural ingredients with Ani’s signature recipes. Look forward to not only losing weight, but also building muscle, boosting endurance, slowing down aging, and feeling energized all day long.

 I will admit that the first few days were a little tricky for me.  I was not used to eat in liquid form.  However, after the first two days, I noticed a major change in my body and how I felt.  Ani does not believe in starving you.  I got to eat at regular intervals and even had delicious fresh snacks.  I started to feel better, like I had more energy.  I lost 8 pounds in the first week with this diet (and the pounds stayed off when it was over).  I also got a whole arsenal of recipes I now use every day, including delicious smoothie recipes like Simple Strawberry Shake.  I make the Collard Rolls and Cashew Pate on a regular basis and I am addicted to the Spring Sauerkraut Salad with Thermo Dressing (a dressing that goes so well with all kinds of salads).

Ani also gives you tips on how to keep your momentum going.  I tried this because I need to lose weight for my overall healthy and for fertility.  I never felt denied with this plan and best of all, I lost and kept off the weight.  I added energy and a positive perspective to my weight-loss journey.  Ani does it again, the healthy, raw way!