Peas and Thank You Review

Sheer excitement is what I felt all of yesterday.

I could not wait for my work day to end so that I could rush home and find this:

Can't tell what great package I've received from Amazon.com?

It is Peas and Thank You: Simple Meatless Meal the Whole Family Will Love by Sarah Matheny (aka Mama Pea).

Look at the excitement once I FINALLY got the wrapping off

I don't know what was going through my head, as these are some goofy shots.  What can I say, I was giddy with excitement and couldn't wait to sit down and read it. 

Read a cookbook you say?  Why yes I love to read recipes, but I already knew (from keeping up with her blog) that the book was going to be filled with stories.

It was after 8 when I finally got my children to bed and I could delve into the pages. 

The book does not disappoint.

Sarah goes through how she gave up meat and the transformation her family took into a mostly vegan lifestyle (there is a small amount of cheese consumption by the youngest daughter, Lulu).  She has numerous witty stories related to her children and husband.  My favorite story, thus far as I didn't make it completely through the book (I mean a girl has to go to bed sometime), is "fruit skewers with cheesecake dip." 

I don't want to give the story away but I can relate to the anxiety a mother, who feeds her children good food, goes through when it is time for school birthday celebrations.  Fruit skewers gets an A+.

As for the recipes, oh the glorious recipes, there is a picture to go with each one.  I don't know about you but I very much appreciate knowing what the dish SHOULD look like upon completion.  The photography is so well done that the food practically jumps off of the pages and begs to be eaten.

The choices of recipes are ones that will be loved by meat eaters and veggie eaters alike.  Sarah takes meals that are traditionally carnivorous and veganizes them (i.e. jambalaya and reubens).

The best way to describe the format is two books harmoniously and naturally melded into one.  Mama Pea seemlessly moves from Hawaiian vacation story to recipe for a blackberry basil smash smoothie... and never misses a beat.

After reading her blog for so long I could just sit down and read a book dedicated Mama Pea and her daily dealings (similar to sTori Telling by Tori Spelling...just no fake boobs for Mama Pea), maybe that could be her next publication (although we might feel short changed if we didn't get a few delicious recipes from her).

I gush so much about the book and this woman because seriously if I knew her in real life I think I would love her and beg to be friends with her.  I relate to so many aspects of her life (i.e. raising healthy children, dry wit, sarcasm, raunchy humor, and a baseball loving husband who supports the new choices in eating).

I think it goes without saying that I highly recommend this book.  It can be purchased in a number of stores such as Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and Target as well as a few more here.

So let me close by saying...Give Peas a chance :)

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