Are you one of the millions of people that suffer from arthritis, a chronic disease, or a physical injury?  Is cooking your passion or, at the very least, a necessity?

Come along on a culinary journey around the world with Melinda Winner in her second cookbook, A Complete Illustrated Guide to Cooking with Arthritis, which will bring the millions of physically challenged individuals back into the kitchen pain free and fearless. As a physically challenged individual herself, Melinda shares techniques for creating mouthwatering recipes for everything from appetizers to desserts, as well as delicious rubs, sauces, and jellies.

A Complete Illustrated Guide to Cooking with Arthritis is packed full of delectable, original recipes sure to delight any palate and is a must-have for any cookbook collection.  Each easy-to-read recipe is written for use by anyone, physically challenged or not, and includes an informative section of kitchen terms, culinary resources, and basic tips to help make everyday life simpler.

“If you have arthritis and love to cook, you must have this book!  Even if you don’t have arthritis, you will love the great mix of traditional and modern recipes.”     - Gayle Long Ward, Wilmington, NC

Melinda Winner has had a passion for cooking since childhood.  She has five forms of arthritis and a birth injury that left her right arm with very limited use, but Melinda still attended culinary school and now enjoys preparing food of all types from simple Southern to fine cuisine.  Melinda has won several national recipe contests, cooked off on a major television network, and published her first cookbook, Yankee Cooking with Southern Charm, in July 2008.  In her spare time, Melinda enjoys horseback riding, swimming, traveling, and hiking.  She has three grown children and five grandchildren. Melinda enjoys life to its fullest each and every day!

Endorsments for A COMPLETE ILLUSTRATED GUIDE TO COOKING WITH ARTHRITIS:

Shrimp and Scallops Au’ Blu over Squash Pasta

Yields 4

3 T. sweet cream butter

3 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided

juice from ½ fresh lemon

6 oz. fresh shrimp

6 oz. fresh scallops

4 large fresh garlic cloves, minced

1 c. heavy cream

3 oz. crumbled blue cheese

¼ c. freshly grated parmesan cheese

salt and McCormick pepper melody to taste

1 spaghetti squash, baked and raked

red bell peppers for garnish, finely diced

fresh parsley, chopped finely for garnish

Squash:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Cut squash in half and remove the seeds and any string-like material. Rub the outside in oil, place on a baking sheet, and cover with foil. Bake for 1 hour or until tender. Rake with a fork to form strands that resemble spaghetti.

Au’ Blu Directions and Assembly:

In a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, add butter and one tablespoon oil. When melted add scallops, shrimp and cook for about 3 minutes just until shrimp becomes pink, scallops become white and firmer to the touch and then squeeze lemon juice over seafood. Add garlic, cream, and blue cheese. Continue to cook over medium-high heat, stirring often. Let the cream reduce to a sauce-like texture. Add salt and pepper melody to taste. Stir in grated cheese. Remove form heat and let stand for 2 minutes, then rake your squash so it looks like spaghetti. Place squash on plate and top with seafood sauce mixture. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and diced red pepper.

Recipe by: Melinda Winner

Melinda’s Bio: Melinda Winner is a very talented chef and cookbook author that has devoted her life to helping the physically challenged. She herself suffers from five forms of arthritis and a birth injury. One of the forms of arthritis she suffers from is rheumatoid arthritis. This particular form causes severe pain as well as it is crippling. Melinda does not define her life by her disease as a matter of fact she has used this disease to help millions in their battle against arthritis. Melinda writes a daily blog on blog spot. She also has two completed books, Yankee Cooking with Southern Charm and A Complete Illustrated Guide to Cooking with Arthritis.

She has won many national recipe contests and competed on the Food Network’s Ultimate Recipe Showdown in 2008. This woman has made it her life’s work to help others despite her own diversities. Before Melinda’s illness she wore many hats. She was an art director in the motion picture industry, a celebrity interviewer, and ran a rescue for horses. Melinda has three children which two she adopted, she also has five grandchildren. Melinda moved to Gulfport Mississippi to help in the rebuilding after hurricane Katrina slammed the gulf coast. She volunteered for the Red Cross. Melinda also took the public speaking class at camp Mash in 2008 for the National Arthritis Foundation and signed on to be an ambassador for her congressional district in Mississippi. Melinda was born 1961 in Pittsburgh PA. the daughter of Thomas Painter and Dorothy Lowe Painter.