Thursday, May 26, 2011

Scatter Vegan Sweets – Review & Giveaway!

Did you know that in a previous life (a life before marriage, children and gluten-freedom) I used to be a cake decorator?  It’s true!  I even made and decorated my own wedding cake. 

wedding cake 1 

My wedding cake was vegan.  No milk or eggs in it.  After I got married, I discovered just how bad sugar is for you so I started making cakes without milk, eggs or sugar.  Then I learned that baking soda and baking powder isn’t that great either, so I started making cakes without milk, eggs, sugar, baking powder or baking soda.  Then my family went on this gluten free diet and that is when I quit making cakes.  When you’re making cakes with no milk, eggs, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, or wheat… Well, it’s really not cake any more. 

I didn’t just quit making cakes.  I quit baking altogether.  I don’t want to complain, but between you and I, the worst part about being gluten free is having to eat what passes for gluten-free desserts.  People use rice flour, millet flour, potato starch and other creative concoctions to replicate wheat in recipes and just between you and I, the results leave a lot to be desired.  I mean, if it’s full of MILLET, it’s just not a donut anymore!

Then I got an email from one of my blog readers.  (Hi Nicole!)  She said, "Recently, I purchased an inexpensive cookbook that is whole foods (no raw sugars, no oils) that is vegan and gluten-free.  I think you will really enjoy it and benefit from it.  I absolutely love it and it has been such a blessing to our family.  No longer do we say, ohh that is good for gluten-free, we just say “Wow that is great!”.  It’s called “Scatter Vegan Sweets”.  The lady who authored it sells it from her website I believe, her name is Wendy Gabbe Day.”  In another email, she said, “I’ve tried MANY of the recipes and have had great success with every single one of them.”

Now, if you’ve ever tried gluten free desserts before, you’ll know what Nicole meant when she said “No longer do we say ohh that is good for gluten free.”  If you don’t know what she’s talking about, consider yourself blessed!


Needless to say, I was intrigued.  A recipe book of vegan, gluten free desserts that actually taste good?  Personally, I doubted it, but I thought I’d give it a try! 

But actually, I am not going to be able to review this cookbook.  Here’s why:

Over the past month, we’ve had a lot of visitors.  Over 30.  Almost all of them have stayed overnight, so it’s been crazy-busy around here!  (Which is why I haven’t been very active on the blog over the past couple of weeks.)  What a perfect time to review a new, fabulous, cookbook, right?

Well, maybe not.  First, I made a bowl of pudding.  I put it out on the counter, came back a little while later and all that was left was an empty bowl!  

**sigh** So I tried again.  I made brownies this time.  By the time I could take a picture, here’s what was left:

Picture 441

I confess to eating the crumbs (but not the brownies!) and they were pretty good!

But I still didn’t have a picture for the blog, so I tried making a cake.  Here’s the picture I ended up with:

Canoe Photos 001

Time and time again I would make a recipe and it would get gobbled up before I could get the picture taken!  Granola, granola bars, scones, cookies, puddings, muffins… let’s just say that someone in this house has been eating pretty well lately (and it hasn’t been me!).

Well, it’s not quite fair (or accurate) to say that nobody left any for me.  There was this one time…

Canoe Photos 003

(I’m pretty sure a short person who I gave birth to might have been responsible for this!)

Eventually, I learned a thing or two and I did manage to take a picture of this plate of cookies immediately after it came out of the oven.  (Good thing I took the picture quickly, because these cookies didn’t last long either!)

Picture 454

So, that’s why I can’t review this cookbook.  I really have no idea how everything tasted.  I’m sorry, but if you want to know whether or not these recipes are any good, you’ll just have to make some of these recipes yourself.

How can you get a copy of Scatter Vegan Sweets

Well, you can head on over to Wendy’s website Veg Food & Fit where you can purchase the softcover version of her book for only $10.

She also sells the e-book version for $5.

But we’re having a Giveaway!

How do you enter the giveaway? 

Mandatory:  You must, must, must go to VegFoodAndFit.com and email Wendy.  (Her address is on the contact page!)  Tell her I sent you and that you would like a free copy of the ebook version of “Scatter Vegan Sweets.” 

And she will send it to you!  It’s really that simple. 

That’s right!  This is a giveaway where everyone is guaranteed to win!

It was Wendy’s idea that everyone should win a copy of the ebook! She is such an awesome Giveaway hostess!  It is not required, but it would be very cool if you would head over to her Facebook page and “like” her as a way of saying “Thank you!”

10 comments:

  1. This is amazing. It is just the kind of cookbook I need. Thank you for telling us about it. I've been like you described yourself, hardly baking anything, because it so seldom comes out very great when you take out all the things that are "bad for you."

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  2. It is amazing! So sweet of Wendy to offer it free! I hope you enjoy the desserts as much as we have. =) I still don't bake very often, but every once in a while it's nice to give the children a treat!

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  3. This is the funniest review I've ever read :)Can't wait to share Wendy's generous offer with my readers!

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  4. I agree with Kelly - laughed the whole time I was reading! LOVE IT!

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  5. Great post and awesome giveaway!!!

    Cake decorator, eh? Hmm, is there any chance you could make and decorate a gluten-free cake for for my wedding? ;)

    Btw, what's a good substitute for baking powder/ soda?

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  6. Yes, I could... but I'd need you to pay my way to Canada... It might be cheaper to find someone local. lol!

    A great substitute for baking powder and baking soda is food grade hydrogen peroxide. You only need to use a very little bit and it goes a long way. ;)

    For a gluten free cake... I would suggest not having the layers sitting on top of each other, but rather have them on a stacked cake stand instead. Or, if it was my wedding, I would probably make a wheat cake with one gluten free layer in it. Betty Crocker makes a white gluten free cake mix which is ok (not great, but not bad). Of course, it has baking powder in it. BUT, the gluten free mix is much improved if you use pineapple juice instead of water.

    I can't wait to see pictures! =)

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  7. Food grade hydrogen peroxide? Wow, I never would have guessed. I'll have to give it a try sometime soon! When's the best time to add it? Do I mix it in with the liquid ingredients, or should I mix it in just before I'm ready to pour the batter into the pans?

    The wedding is on a shoestring budget, so looks like we're out of luck where the cake is concerned...hmm, unless you'll happen to be visiting the area around the same time (hint, hint). ;)

    Thanks for the cake making suggestions. We're going to have a regular vegan slab cake to serve everyone. The "fancy" cake will be for us and our gluten-free guests. Since there will be less than 10 altogether, we'll probably go with 2 smaller cakes on top of 2 larger fake ones. We don't want too much leftover cake! :)

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  8. Almost forgot to mention that I've shared this review and giveaway with my website readers: http://www.natural-health-restored.com/natural-health-blog.html

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  9. I add the food grade hydrogen peroxide as the last wet ingredient, just before I pour the batter into the pans.

    I would love to come to your wedding and make your cake if I was in Canada... (Actually Papa the Farmer has more success with gluten free baking than I do!) But if you are only having 10 guests and there are 5 of us... Well... We would be most of your wedding. =) LOL!

    Thanks for sharing the giveaway on your blog! How fun! Wendy was delighted with how many people are interested in her wonderful book!

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  10. Thanks for supporting the gluten free family.

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