Do you ever find yourself hoarding cookbooks for years and years, in hopes that they may prove useful one day? Cookbooks, foodie magazines, if it is recipe related, then I confess to an addiction. The fact that I also review cookbooks really doesn't help.

It is rare that I ever come across a cookbook that I really don't like, but many just don't fit my day to day style or dietary needs. So I am using our move as a wonderful excuse to clean things out and pass these unused, like-new cookbooks (9 books in total!) onto some people who can use them, which could include you!

How can you win? Share a dairy-free recipe on the Giveaway Post and you will be entered to win your book(s) of choice! As a bonus, I will compile the recipes and feature them on Go Dairy Free with credits to you (and link to your blog if applicable). I spend so much time experimenting and posting recipes myself, but we all want to know more about the wonderful foods that you all enjoy most! Head over to the Giveaway Post on One Frugal Foodie for more details on all of the cookbooks that are up for grabs and to enter to win.

Last month I featured an article on the wonderful free-from retailers that have filled the void in the Allergy Grocer's absence. But no company had yet to step into the shoes of the Allergy Grocer's signature product line, Miss Roben's mixes. When Allergy Grocer's online store closed, the mixes also slipped away from availability.

But, I am happy to announce that Allergy Grocer, along with the entire Miss Roben's Mixes product line (yes, down to the soft pretzels, mock graham crackers, and animal cookies) is making a comeback. Glenn Molin has purchased the company from the Allergy Grocer and Miss Roben's prior owner, Jay Berger. Jay will serve on the advisory panel to help keep the Allergy Grocer mission in tact, while Glenn is streamlining business processes to help increase efficiency to customers and offer benefits such as free shipping with minimum orders.

One word sums up how I felt when the beautiful box of Inspired Cookies arrived …

Seriously, I was thoroughly impressed by the delightful packaging, a tall rectangular canister that held over a dozen of these sizable, thick, and soft cookies … each one completely vegan (dairy-free and egg-free) and gluten-free. They also appeared to be free from refined sugars AND soy-free, though the ones with chocolate chunks may house some lecithin (ingredients are viewable on The Inspired Cookie Website).

Join Kids with Food Allergies (KFA) on Sunday, September 13th 2009, for a fun day! The event is being held at the Whole Foods Market in North Wales, PA, rain or shine, from noon to 3:00 p.m. (registration starts at 11:30).

Visitors will enjoy free admission, an outdoor concert by children's entertainer Kyle Dine, Master Magician Rob Marissa, 25 Allergy-Friendly businesses displaying their items and handing out samples, and a  $5.00 off a $25.00 purchase coupon from Whole Foods. In addition, there will be a children's Dance-a-thon to help raise funds for KFA. Enjoy the opportunity to connect with other families in the community who have children with food allergies. From more information, see the KFA annual expo page.

For years my husband has picked through stir fries leaving a pile of carrots neatly on the side of his plate, which I eventually end up nabbing with my chopsticks to avoid any waste (okay, I love carrots, so I really don't mind). But, when I made the outright statement that he doesn't like carrots, he eminently denied it. He claimed that most carrots just weren't good quality. The ones that we have had in some finer restaurants are much sweeter ... those, he likes.

Perplexed as to what the difference could be (after I had trialed organic, conventional, AND local carrots) I went online and discovered a little secret. Don't ask me where I found it, as I merely committed the idea to memory, but it seems many chefs will sweeten the pot a bit with just a wee bit of sugar to bring out the natural sweetness in carrots without going overboard and creating a glaze. So with this new-to-me concept and a 5-spice craving, I cranked on the oven, and threw together an easy yet flavorful side dish of Sweet Roasted Five-Spice Carrots. Though my husband wasn't elated at first to see a big pile of carrots on his plate, he gladly devoured every last morsel! View the recipe on my personal blog, One Frugal Foodie.