Member Reviews
So far I have tried about ten items from this book and I have not been disappointed yet. I found out about two years ago that gluten doesn't like me to well but I still eat it. My daughter's favorite item in this book was the peanut butter rice crispy with chocolate, my favorite was Decadent mashed potatoes .I highly recommend this cook book to anyone and everyone because there are a ton of fantastic recipes. If you would like to find this book here is some info to help you.
150-Gluten Free Family Favorites
Tami Dillon and Bonnie Root
I have a number of friend who are gluten-free, and I've been eliminating (though not entirely) gluten from my diet, as well. I was excited to have the chance to review this book. I wish the recipes had included the nutritional information. The design isn't as appealing as some other cookbooks I have, but it is functional, which is the most important part. The recipes sound yummy, and I look forward to trying many of them (including Taco Lasagna, Cilantro-Lime Shredded Chicken Tacos, Sinfully Cinnamon Cinnamon Rolls, Blueberry Scones with Lemon Glaze, and Chocolate Chip Cheesecake). The directions are easy to follow. I like the fact there are helpful hints included, as well as the recipes. This will be a great resource to add to my collection.
This review was posted on Goodreads, and I'll post on Amazon after the book is released.
I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley, but I wasn't required to leave a positive review.
Our family has been gluten free for over 6 years and I am an avid reader of gluten free cookbooks. I own dozens and have read hundreds. I'm sorry to have to say this is one of the least helpful for me personally.
Some of my biggest issues with this cookbook are:
~ There are no photographs of any recipes.
~ The recipes are high in processed grains, sugar, dairy, meat, fat and calories.
~ The recipes are written to use purchased gluten free flour mixes. Most gluten free cookbooks have recipes for some general blends (for instance, a cake blend, a general purpose blend, etc.) that you make yourself with gluten free grains like brown rice flour, sorghum flour, tapioca starch, etc. These recipes just call for "2 cups one-for-one gluten free flour mix" and otherwise read like a regular recipe.
~ The authors don't even recommend the same flour blend, so you have to buy a whole lot of different flour blends. For instance, the buttermilk biscuits call for Namaste brand flour blend, while "Mom's Homemade Bread" calls for Betty Crocker rice flour blend. The next recipe calls for 1-to-1 gluten free flour blend (it doesn't say which one or what counts as that). I almost wonder if many of the recipes were copied from brand web sites or blogs because of this.
~ Some sections have nothing to do with gluten free cooking. For instance, the appetizer section includes the following recipes: bacon wrapped green beans, guacamole, deviled eggs, dill pickle veggie dip, salsa, jalapeno popper dip, little smokies BBQ bacon bites, fruit dip, salmon dip, fruit cocktail, artichoke dip and strawberry salsa. NONE of these traditionally contain gluten. It's great to showcase that some recipes are naturally GF, but it would be nice to include at least a few recipes for appetizers that are traditionally wheat based and were converted. Likewise, the dinner section includes mostly meats and dishes that are normally gluten free.
~ The recipes contain a lot of ingredients that gluten free folks are likely to also be allergic to, such as oats (even gluten free oats are unsafe for many people with Celiac Disease and gluten sensitivity), eggs and dairy.
~ There is no nutritional information given or calorie counts.
~ Most of the recipes are very high calorie and frankly, junkie. The breakfast section is filled with things like breakfast cupcakes (even frosted ones) and scones. The pina colada fruit dip contains 3 packages of cream cheese, a can of sweetened condensed milk, a half cup of powdered sugar, 2 cups of pineapple, sweetened coconut, and a carton of fake whipped topping.
~ The recipes are often very simple, and a little too "white bread" for my family's tastes. For instance, the potato salad recipe calls for 6 potatoes, 6 hard boiled eggs, a cup of mayonnaise and salt and pepper. That's it.
~ Some of the desserts in particular sound really tasty but are so incredibly high in calories. Now that I'm middle aged and no longer a hundred pounds soaking wet, I can't eat the kind of food that's in this cookbook and not end up gaining weight. I already have a ton of high calorie recipes that I CAN cook but that's not helpful when I'm watching my own weight and my husband's weight, trying to keep us all healthy, and want my kids to keep their love of nutrient-rich cooking. As it is, they love things like fresh fruits and veggies and enjoy really healthy dishes, so I'm not about to start cooking this sort of food and make us all worse off even if it sounds tasty. There's plenty of delicious food out there that is also healthy and reasonable in calories.
~ Lastly, the religion is a bit over the top in this cookbook. That's not something I generally expect to say about a gluten free cookbook, but this one starts with one of the authors talking about accepting Jesus as her Lord and Savior on her knees at age 8 and God bringing her family food when they prayed for it, and it just goes on from there. I'm assuming it's a Christian publisher or a self published book, but it was a bit of a surprise for me.
The authors seem like sweet women who love their families and love food. Some folks may really enjoy this cookbook, especially those who enjoy reading stories and who share the authors' deep faith and love of traditional 1970's style American cooking. This cookbook is ultimately not helpful to me for our family's needs, but newly diagnosed Celiac families who are used to this type of food may find it sweet and encouraging.
I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book through Net Galley for the purposes of review.
I was diagnosed with celiac disease over 15 years ago, and am always interested in finding new recipes and/or ideas on cooking gluten free.
On the plus side, the book contains a large number of recipes. Also the author provides the reader/cook with useful tidbits. Lastly, if you are religious, you will find some interesting quotes.
That said, the book fails to provide nutrition facts , and allergens that might be found.
Also, though many of the recipes appeared to be yummy, gluten free doesn’t mean you should load on simple carbohydrates, sweets, sauces etc. In general, not the healthiest of recipes .
Didn’t measure up to my expectations but I respect the author’s attempt in providing a cookbook with gluten free options and for that I give it a 3 stars for effort instead of a 1 or 2 star rating.
I was entrusted a copy of this book by Netgalley. The opinions expressed are solely my own.
Although I am not prohibited from eating gluten, I was interested in reading this book. Sometimes, the occasion calls for gluten-free foods, such as when entertaining or attending a pot luck. I liked the author's writing style and it felt like we were engaged in a conversation. I plan on utilizing many of the recipes.
I subtracted two stars, as there were no photographs of the foods, and most importantly, no nutritional information was provided.
I did appreciate the list of "Great Options to Consider" provided at the end of the book. It was a current listing of the author's favored gluten-free foods.
If you or a family member lives gluten-free, 150+ Gluten-Free Family Favorites is a useful tool in your cooking shed.
This cookbook includes gluten-free breakfasts, breads, appetizers, entrees, sides, salads, desserts, holiday and kid-friendly recipes. What’s nice is the authors don’t add a bunch of recipes that are already inherently gluten-free. There are no quiches in the breakfast chapter—just yummy scones and cinnamon rolls.
The most confusing part of cooking gluten-free is what flour to use for each recipe. There are basically two kinds of regular flour—all purpose and wheat. But there over 20 different kinds of gluten-free flour that are usually used in combination. 150+ Gluten-Free Family Favorites not only tells exactly which flour to use for each recipe but includes a whole chapter explaining which ones to use for any family recipes that you may want to adapt to your lifestyle.
I love the great variety of recipes and all the information within this cookbook. However, I miss calorie counts and serving sizes. There are also no warnings of other allergens. Worst of all there are no pictures! Looking at the food is the main way I decide if I want to make it. Though I admire the effort, I can’t give this cookbook more than 3 stars.
Thanks to Harvest House Publishers and NetGalley for an advanced copy.
Great Recipes! Cant wait to try a few out! I want to add this to my books at home. I think having this in hard copy would be great
Just looking at this book made me want to read it. I knew by the cover that there would be some great recipes in here. There was everything I could have possibly hoped for divided by sections, starting with the breakfast section and capping things off with both a holidays and kid friendly section. There were appealing options in every category and I like that the authors specified specific flours instead of making me go search for each different type of flour to make a gluten free flour on my own. It's so much easier and cheaper to buy a pre-made blend. I like that nothing in the book makes me think "that's a gluten free recipe". So many comfort foods and favorite foods are in these pages and that is especially important for my 10 year old daughter who has a gluten intolerance but doesn't want to feel different. I recommend this book to anyone who wants fantastic gluten free recipes all in one place.
Good selection of gluten-free recipes, heavy on the baking but with great ideas for salads and snacks too. Most of the ideas sound positively yummy, and the format of the book, with blank spaces to add your own notes, is genius. Definitely recommended!
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me this arc in exchange for an honest review.
This is my first time looking at gluten free recipes but I’d love to give them a try. There is a great variety of recipes and options to make in this book so you’ll never run out of ideas. I enjoyed the format of the book as it provides side margins to take notes in case you want to make changes or comments.
Lovely book.
This is a great book if you are looking for BAKING that is gluten free. Lots of great recipes.
However, they aren't the easiest to follow if you don't already bake with gluten free flour. I was hoping for something that was step by step how to make these, but this was more of a "here is a basic, and you can make it your own" which is great when you have a good idea of what you are already doing.
If you are looking to EXPAND your skills when it comes to cooking with gluten free products, this is a great place to look.
4 stars
A good collection of family friendly recipes for the gluten intolerant.
I voluntarily read an advanced copy.
I gave a gluten intolerance so I was interested in reading through this cookbook and trying out the recipes. Many people use the term gluten-free synonymously with healthy. Do not be mistaken. The recipes call for a generic gluten free flour blend or a package of gluten free cake mix. This is unlike other GF recipe books that call for various flours like rice flour, chickpea flour etc. If you’re looking for recipes for items such as cinnamon rolls, scones or other sweets that you were used to eating pre-celiac diagnoses than this cookbook may be for you. This cookbook offers a variety of recipes including breakfast items, salads, dips, lunch and dinner items and desserts. It is basically a family friendly (as the title says) gluten-free friendly cookbook. If you’re looking for low sugar, dairy free, vegan, Keto, Paleo or otherwise healthier options than I suggest you look elsewhere.
I received an advanced digital copy of this book from NetGalley.
I have never made gluten free recipes, but may just give a few of these wonderful recipes a try. I cannot say which recipe, as there were so many to choose from and so many to make my mouth water. Apart from the many wonderful recipes, i enjoyed reading the background stories. A book that i shall be wanting to add to my vast collection of cookery books! Recommended.
My thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for my copy. This is my honest review which has been freely given.
Even if you don't follow a Gluten-Free diet, this book is packed full of delicious gluten-free recipes to tempt your taste buds, from the everyday foods, to holiday festive delicious foods that are so easy to follow and make your mouth water just reading the recipes.
This book is a real winner for me and once you start reading, you are going to be completely tempted to get straight into your kitchen and create these heart warming comfort foods for your friends and family. The bonus being they are not going to affect your gut.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harvest House Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
I was really looking forward to trying out this cookook as I have Celiac disease and am not naturally talented in the kitchen. I love the variety of dishes and desserts offered along with the background stories. The recipes are very approachable with pretty basic ingredients and not too fancy overall, which was perfect for me. From mashed potatoes to a childhood favorite no-bake chocolate oatmeal cookies, these are usable recipes unlike several other cookbooks that I have tried that are now just collecting dust on the shelf. These family favorites have given me several more meal options that will now become part of the regular rotation, like taco lasagna, because they are delish and easy to prepare. Blueberry scones, Mom’s potato salad, and cinnamon roll muffins are next on my list to try!
The tips and tricks for eating a gluten free diet, avoiding cross contamination, popular conversions, and favorite products are spot on. I even love the GF playdough option!
The content of this cookbook easily gets a 5/5 from me, but the digital layout was not very user friendly. This one may be better to pick up as a hard copy rather than kindle version.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harvest House for an advance copy of this cookbook!
Why did I choose this cookbook? Well, I have celiac, and just because I can’t eat gluten, does not mean I don’t have taste buds and don’t want to eat normal food just like everyone else. If I could eat gluten filled doughnuts or pop tarts or hot rolls at restaurants, I would. I am very picky about what I cook and am always looking for new cookbooks that will help me prepare food that tastes normal to gluten eaters. So, when I saw 150+ Gluten-Free Family Favorites by Tamara Dillon and Bonnie Root, I decided to try it. Here are the main reasons I would recommend this cookbook.
I enjoyed the simplicity the authors use in the ingredient list, especially the flour. They give their favorite brands but tell you to try the brand that works for your family. I appreciate this because so many cookbooks require you to buy multiple different flours to combine into a flour blend. That can get pricey and sometimes hard to find depending on where you are located. Also, making your own flour blends is so time-consuming. While I love making food from scratch, I already have to make so much from scratch that to be able to use some premade ingredients is really wonderful.
I enjoyed the different tips and options the authors give to customize the recipe for your family’s tastes. Almost every recipe gives different toppings suggestions or suggestions for ingredients that can be swapped depending on the season or the type of recipe you are looking for.
I enjoyed the gluten avoidance tips. While none of the tips were new to me, they were a good reminder to always be looking out for possible contamination. I appreciated that they covered tips such as having separate only for gluten free items mayonnaise. So many times I had to find things like that out the hard way after becoming sick from contamination.
Lastly, I enjoyed the way the authors give the stories or reasons behind why each recipe is important to their family. It gave me a glimpse inside their homes and helped me be able to connect with them.
I would recommend this book to anyone who has to eat gluten free or for those who cook for people who are gluten free.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harvest House Publishers through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I was quite excited about this book since I have a gluten intolerance and try not to eat as much since my stomach has major issues after consuming it. However, this was unfortunately, not quite what I was expecting.
With such a beautiful cover, I was expecting more of the same on the inside. The kindle format on the inside was terrible. Sentences sometimes ended up jumbled and none of the pictures worked so I could not see what any of the dishes looked like.
In addition to know pictures, many recipes used store items like packaged gluten free flour and gluten free cake mix. All of which are highly expensive and not always available if one lives in a rural area. I was hoping for gluten free flour recipes or using items that do not contain gluten in place of it or something besides just adding more processed expensive junk.
I feel like they really did try to put together a nice book, however, it not being kindle friendly and using expensive, processed foods really was a turn off for me.
As someone always struggling to figure out what to bring as desserts to things that are considerate of family members with gluten issues, plus also knowing that I should be gluten-free because of my MS, this cookbook offered a lot of great looking recipes for me to try. Sadly, the recipes do not have nutritional breakdown (calories, etc) and for me that's a big importance factor in terms of what I can and can't have, so the book looses a star. The second star lost was the layout is...boring. That's an entirely personal preference, so I feel like it's important I put it here. If you don't care about the boring layout it won't bother you...but if you're someone who likes bright and colorful photos in your cookbooks to help entice you, know this is not the cookbook for you.
👩🍳 👩🍳 👩🍳 👩🍳 👩🍳
A terrific resource for eaters needing to cut out gluten from their diets. Offers a host of delicious recipes for different occasions including Little Smoky BBQ Bacon Bites, Cilantro-Lime Shredded Chicken Tacos, Sinfully Cinnamon Cinnamon Rolls, and Chocolate Chip Cheesecake. Oh my, don’t know where to start because all of these recipes sound fabulous! 5/5
Thanks to the author, Harvest House Publishers and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.
#150+gluten-freeFamilyFavorites #NetGalley