My First Cookbook Giveaway!!!

Welcome to my first giveaway! I was fortunate to be contacted by cookbook author, Nava Atlas, who is doing a blog tour to celebrate the 5th anniversary of her cookbook, The Vegetarian Family Cookbook.

Now, one glance at my blog and you'll know I'm not a vegetarian. But I do try to make a variety of balanced meals for my family. I have a large cookbook collection but this is my first all Vegetarian one. It has ten chapters such as Easy Breakfast Treats, Soothing Soups and Savory Stews, Salads and Such & Vegetable, Grain and Bean Main Dishes, just to name a few. It is a wonderful resource book as well. The author, Nava, talks about organic food, reasons to eat vegetarian and gives great choices and tips throughout the book.

I believe making small changes and better choices in the food we eat can make a big difference to your health and overall well being. Thank you, Nava, for providing your cookbook to me and one of my readers.

Banana Pecan Yogurt Pancakes

Enjoy!

These yogurt pancakes are one of the many recipes found in The Vegetarian Family Cookbook. It is the first time I used whole wheat flour. I used half whole wheat and half regular flour. I didn't tell my family about the whole wheat flour. They ate up the pancakes and we all liked them. My husband and I really liked the banana pecan version. My daughters ate them plain. We had some fruit on the side and I felt really good about this Sunday breakfast.

Banana-Nut Yogurt Pancakes
Recipe by The Vegetarian Family Cookbook by Nava Atlas

4 to 6 servings

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds, optional
1 1/2 cups low-fat yogurt or soy yogurt
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups low-fat milk or rice milk
2 tablespoons nonhydrogenated margarine (such as Smart Balance)
1 medium banana, sliced thin
1/4 to 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans
pinch of ground nutmeg
Pure maple syrup

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and flaxseeds (if using) in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the yogurt and milk. Stir with a whisk until the batter is just smooth; it should have an easy to pour consistency, but not too thin. Add more milk as needed. Don't overbeat.

Heat a nonstick griddle or a large nonstick skillet that has been lightly coated with some of the margarine. Ladle on the batter to form 3 to 4 inch pancakes. Cook on both sides over medium heat until golden brown. Serve hot with maple syrup.

Now, on to the giveaway details. In order to win The Vegetarian Family Cookbook, you must leave a comment answering this question:

What is your favorite breakfast food? (it doesn't have to be vegetarian) You must answer the question to be eligible. I want to see what other people like for breakfast. Also, to earn a second chance to win, go to the blog Aggie's Kitchen. Aggie is doing the same cookbook giveaway. So, bump up your odds and visit Aggie's Kitchen. You have until Tuesday night, Sept. 29th, at midnight to enter. I will announce the winner Wednesday morning by using Random.org.

Also, anyone can enter. You don't have to have a food blog to enter. So, family, friends, strangers and of course food bloggers can enter.

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson: Was it wrong that I didn't tell my family about adding the whole wheat flour to these pancakes? I really don't think so. Sometimes you have to be the "deceptive" cook (my husband prefers to use the word "creative") to get them to try new things. The more I expose them to healthier food choices, the more they will like them. Well, that's my hope anyway.