Mila’s Meals: The Beginning & The Basics Wins Gourmand World Cookbook Award.

South African self-published cookbook, Mila’s Meals: The Beginning & The Basics, wins Gourmand World Cookbook Award.

4 January 2017, Knysna, South Africa – The 2017 Gourmand Awards jury is delighted to announce that Mila’s Meals: The Beginning & The Basics by Catherine Barnhoorn is the national winner in its category: SELF PUBLISHED BOOK. These prestigious Awards are compared to the Olympics in scope and in glamour to the Oscars, with over 10,000 submissions from 209 countries competing for the 2016 awards.

 “This massive book is a mother-daughter team work. It shares much nutrition information and tips, plus one hundred recipes. The photography is delightful. This is an excellent book.” – Edouard Cointreau, President of the Jury – Gourmand World Cookbook Awards

Mila’s Meals will now compete in its category against winners from other countries for the Best in the World. The results will be announced on May 27 & 28, 2017 at the annual Gourmand Awards Ceremony in Yantai, China.

Mila’s Meals: The Beginning & The Basics is a 500-page collection of over 100 gluten-free, sugar-free, dairy-free nourishing wholefood recipes and food ideas for baby’s first years (and the rest of the family too). Created, written and published by Integrative Nutrition Health Coach Catherine Barnhoorn with photography by Alfred Lor.

Part recipe book, part nutrition encyclopedia, part journal of Catherine’s journey into motherhood, Mila’s Meals is a call to action for every parent to be conscious of what they are feeding their little ones, providing a guideline on how to achieve this as effectively, effortlessly and joyfully as possible.

“This book is a game changer.” – Debbie Logan (journalist, real food activist spearheading the Jozi Real Food (R)evolution & owner of The Organic Natural and Whole Food Emporium).

With more people learning about what foods their children can’t eat (with the prevalence of conditions like celiac disease, IBS, lactose intolerance, gluten intolerance, ADHD, and diabetes on the rise), uncertainty about what food options they can eat has become a growing problem.

Mila’s Meals addresses this overwhelming challenge by being more than just a cookbook – it offers a very comprehensive explanation of food intolerances, an extensive ingredient glossary (for all 156 ingredients used in the book) as well as various charts and tables showing which nutrients are necessary for optimal growth and development and where to find them (while avoiding gluten, dairy and sugar), which food additives to avoid, as well as food introduction charts and guidance.

“With so many littlies out there with constipation, runny noses and ADHD, Catherine Barnhoorn has explained the importance of staying clear of gluten, dairy and sugar and supplied alternatives, which include delightful recipe suggestions. All the fun in eating is still there, promise!” – Rachel Jesson, (health food specialist, sports scientist and co-author of Wholesome Nutrition For You)

Catherine Barnhoorn is Mom to Mila, a certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, an author and blogger.

Catherine healed herself from autoimmune conditions (Endometriosis, Candida, Leaky Gut and severe Eczema) through diet as well as organic and holistic living. After noticing that her daughter reacted badly to the same foods as she did (even while she was still breastfeeding), Catherine made the decision to raise her daughter on a “free-from” diet – that is, free from gluten, sugar and dairy.

When Catherine couldn’t find a recipe and nutrition book which catered to feeding a baby this way, she set about creating one herself.

Catherine holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Psychology from The University of Cape Town; a diploma in Marketing and Visual Communications from The AAA School of Advertising (accredited by The International Advertising Association); and a diploma in Health Coaching (INHC) from The Institute For Integrative Nutrition (IIN) & certified by The International Association of Health Coaches (IAHC).

In her ‘previous life’ Catherine was a graphic designer and branding consultant in London, Johannesburg and Cape Town. Surviving an armed home invasion in Johannesburg led her to start a new life in Knysna in order to fulfill her ‘If-I-Survive-This-Promise’ to live a life of meaning and of service to others.

“As our food becomes more polluted with artificial food additives, preservatives, GMO’s and pesticides, and as more and more of us are suffering from auto-immune conditions and lifestyle diseases, I am deeply passionate about empowering parents to make informed decisions with regards to what they feed their children and themselves. I firmly believe in what Ann Wigmore so eloquently stated: “food can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.” – Catherine Barnhoorn.

Catherine sees her, and her daughter’s, food intolerances as a blessing which has led them down a path of learning, discovery and good health – which will hopefully stand them in good stead for years to come.”

The news of this award is coming on the heels of another – Mila’s Meals was placed as the Runner Up in The 2016 London Book Festival Awards – Cookbook Category.

Mila’s Meals: The Beginning & The Basics can be purchased online on www.milasmeals.co.za or from: www.Faithful-To-Nature.co.za, www.Yuppiechef.com, www.Takealot.com, www.Loot.co.za, www.Amazon.com, www.BookDepository.com as well as other online and brick and mortar stores. Please see the Mila’s Meals website for full details.

Catherine Barnhoorn is available for interviews and live appearances. She is also looking for sponsors to help get her to China for the Awards Ceremony in May.

She can be contacted by email (Catherine@milasmeals.co.za) or by phone (084 823 6273).

Review copies of Mila’s Meals: The Beginning & The Basics are available upon request.

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