The Big Chef AJ Giveaway--Winners and Bonus Winners Announced!

The are a lot of things that I love about Chef AJ, and one of them is her incredible level of generosity. Not only did AJ pick the three winners from our giveaway last week, she added four additional winners and an additional prize (a one hour coaching session from Sharon McRae who specializes in WFPB diets for young families). 

So if your name is on this list, be sure to read on and find out exactly what you have won! E-mail me at healthygirlskitchen@gmail.com and I will make sure that you receive your prizes.

Joanne

Omnimatty

Gloria Caraballo

Kimm

Jim

Jane Delaney

Jeff Searcy

Read on below to confirm if you are in fact a winner.

From Chef AJ: 

"Well, it took me hours to go through all 240 responses TWICE but I've chosen several winners.  5 additional ones in fact.  I appreciate everyone taking the time to write and since the most common answer was sugar addiction (a specialty of mine) I wold be happy to do a teleseminar on that subject with you.

For the book I choose from page 1:  I chose here because she says she can't eliminate sugar and oil and when she tries any of my desserts or my Disappearing Lasagna, she will see how delicious food can be when SOS FREE.

Joanne

I do pretty well cooking for me and my husband but can�t seem to eliminate the small amounts of sugar and oil I still use. We eat out only once or at the most twice a month, so eating out is not a problem. My husband is not vegan but eats what I cook when at home. (He orders animal products when we eat out.) I think he will complain if I get rid of the small amounts of sugar and oil that I still cook with. I could use coaching to show me how to keep food tasty while eliminating the sugar and oil.

For the DVD I choose from page 1: I chose him because he was already able to commit to a program for 66 days and I think he would really be able to commit to our program for 30 days and be quite successful.
@omnimatty

1)Sugar 
2) Chef AJ rocks! I'd like to learn from someone who has lived through it. I'm a Virgo and I want only the best :) 
I made it 66 days this year, broke a rib, and lost my resolve. Time to get back on track. And for good. 
Fingers crossed!

I am giving a 2nd DVD set to this person on page 5 because they are interested in disease prevention as well:

Gloria Caraballo

(1) What is your Number 1 struggle in adapting aWhole Foods, Plant Based diet (and by definition, that means SOS (salt, oil and sugar) free)? 

What I share, I do so by no exaggeration. Chronic, preventable death has been all around me my whole life. And today, I still carry this around with me. I no longer want to stand to the way side while a healthier life (which I intrinsically believe) is not out of reach. On the surface Whole Foods and Plant Based eating seems to go against so many ingrained culture (Puerto Rican) and social ideologies that I've been taught, produced and promoted. To go against that, walking/JUMPING into a new (scary) world ... THAT would be the struggle. 

(2) What difference would or could having a private coach mean in your life? 

I believe in family and the love that is shared between those special individuals. And just like the lives of those before me (my mother to diabetes, my father to stroke, my sister-in-law to heart disease AT 57!, countless others), I know what I am, who I am and what I do effects others. And today, by solely filling this out, I hope to take one step away from diabetes, high blood pressure, and being overweight and be one step closer to confidence, high genuine self esteem and literally BEING the change I pray for in my family's life. My husband (who deals with gout, diabetes and high blood pressure), who on the surface may not be the quickest to run towards change, will walk hand in hand with me to do this... together... as a family. So for us, like so many that have been helped and enlightened, this could literally extend and most importantly SAVE our lives.

For the consult I chose from page 1: I chose her because I felt that her reason for wanting the consult 'I want to be as healthy as possible after watching my mom die from breast cancer and my dad from heart disease," was the most compelling, as I lost both of my parents and grandparents at an early age from these diseases which were creating entirely out of their nutritional folly.'

Kimm

(1) What is your Number 1 struggle in adapting a Whole Foods, Plant Based diet (and by definition, that means SOS (salt, oil and sugar) free)? 

I've been WFPB for 4 years but am still struggling with salt and sugar cravings. I find it extremely difficult to eat veggies without salt and it's hard for me to turn down sweet treats. Other than my husband, no one else I know personally follows a WFPB no SOS lifestyle. 

(2) What difference would or could having a private coach mean in your life? 

I think having Chef AJ give me a kick in the pants would help me improve my adherence to this lifestyle! I greatly admire her honest, no BS approach. Lately I've caught myself sabotaging my choices. Although I initially lost 36 lbs. doing McDougall, I still need to lose another 20-30 lbs. I want to be as healthy as possible after watching my mom die from breast cancer and my dad from heart disease. 

I am more than willing and able to write a guest post for HGK about the experience of coaching from Chef AJ should I be lucky enough to win that one! Thanks for the opportunity. Kim

I would also like to give an additional copy of my book to this fellow because he said his challenge is learning to cook tasty meals since his wife died and I believe my recipes are pretty darn tasty, especially the lasagna!
Jim 

My number 1 struggle is learning to cook tasty meals that I enjoy. For over 40 years, my wife was the "chief cook and bottle washer" in our house. After she passed away last year, I was left struggling with what to eat and how to make it. I became resigned to eating TV dinners, which I thought would be my main staple for the rest of my life. But then a friend introduced me to the whole foods, plant-based diet. I decided to try it, but in the beginning I still stayed with a lot of frozen meals (Kashi and Amy's come to mind). They had no animal products, but I was still eating a lot of fats, salt and sugar. Today, I'm eating much better and following the no oil, whole foods, plant-based diet. As a result I've lost 85 pounds in 9 months and I've gotten off of all prescription medications. But I still struggle with cooking good meals. That is without a doubt my number 1 challenge. 

Having the success that I've had in the program, I want to make a difference in the lives of others as well. And I'm doing so through several avenues. I started a website at http://www.wholeplantfoodsdietguidelines.com that helps other people understand this diet and how to do it. I also blog about my own experiences athttp://www.finallyourtime.com. And I maintain a listing of local restaurant foods that members of our 400 person Eat Smart, Live Longer (ESLL) Club can use when eating out. I believe that having the personal coaching from Chef AJ can help me to more effectively spread the word, help others to discover this great way of eating and also help me to learn to better cook for myself.

I would also like to give a copy of my book to this lady who struggles making tasty food without oil

Jane Delaney

My #1 problem is the use of olive oil. I use it for stir fries, salad dressings, and roasting vegetables. I have not been successful at my attempts to eliminate it. My husband is not vegan and he rejects a lot of food like salads and fruits. My friends and other family members complain too. I generally ignore their complaints but I would like to please them and improve their health too. I would love to have lots of tips, wonderful recipes, and alternatives to olive oil that Chef AJ could show me. I already know that she is a fantastic role model and so, of course, I would love to win such an opportunity. Also, in the near future, I plan to take classes through the Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine to be certified as a cooking instructor and I have the passion for the plant-based whole foods lifestyle.

For a free coaching session with Sharon Mcrae who transitioned 3 kids to a WFPB SOS free diet, on page 4

Jeff Searcy

#1 I have been able to adopt a plant based diet pretty good, and meeting Chef AJ was really life changing because it was the first time I had heard of SOS free. Giving up Meat, Dairy and fast food was one thing but now Salt Oil and sugar. Its a struggle especially eating out but I'm doing my best. My biggest struggle though is being a single dad raising 4 daughters and trying to prepare plant based SOS free meals that my kids will eat. They are so brainwashed into the horrible diet that I had for so long and passed onto them. If I could learn to make better meals and that they wouldn't even think of as plant based. 
#2 Having a private coach would help me not only prepare better healthier meals for my children, but give me the confidence to know that I'm doing it correctly. I want to set a better example for them instead of what I have been doing for years."

Congratulations to all of the winners! And thank you to AJ and Sharon for your generosity and inspiration!!!