Yes, I bought the book. Not worth buying. There's a forum on Garden Web---Soil, compost and mulch---where you can learn a lot more about sheet composting than you can from Lanza's fluffy book. Lanza irritates the heck out of me---copying Ruth Stout's gardening methods and never so much as a wink in her direction.

In response to the original poster's statement: you do not *need* an enormous amount of protein to start your day. In fact, one does not require a large amount of protein per day at all. Rather, this is a gross exaggeration on the part of various "how to get fit" diet books. What you need to kick start your day is a lot of vitamins and micronutrients with some good sugars. To do this, I usually mix about 1/3 of a pineapple with 1/2 a mango in some orange juice, then embellish with a variety of other fruits or berries such as banana, cranberry, strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, kiwi, or really any fruit that would taste good with the pineapple/mango base. The fruits are a good kick start (especially the banana and pineapple) because they are natural "feel good" fruits that contain a little bit of caffeine (*dramatically* less than in coffee, and far far less than even in green tea, but present and functional!). They will literally make you feel awake, aware, and alert. If you are a busy-body and don't get around to lunch often, it's important to add some healthy fats in with this shake either in the form of a splash of olive oil, or more ideally, a heaped tablespoon of coconut milk (preferably with no preservatives, but that's a rare find these days). Mix this all up in a blender until smooth (or you could eat it all raw, but that takes a long time and you're looking for a quick fix). "But what about protein?" Well, first of all, fruit has more protein per calorie than meat or beans do. That's because a lot of what's in a fruit is water or calorie-free minerals and the like. As such, your body is packing on fewer pounds per unit of protein it is extracting. Secondly, you don't WANT a bunch of *excess* protein, because this negatively impacts your overall health and has been linked with heart disease, early stage diabetes, and a variety of dermatological pathologies, most notably acne and cellulite. Moreover, you can add a raw egg yolk or two (be sure to mix the min with a fork rather than the blender as the friction with the blades is sufficient to cause heat denaturation of the fragile amino acids in an egg yolk) to your drink. Egg yolks are loaded with natural amino acids as well as good HEALTHY cholesterol (as opposed to 7-ketocholesterol). On days when I do not work out and have a light schedule, I have found that this one meal keeps me full for basically the full day without making me feel bloated or 'stuffed.' For a creamy alternative to coconut milk or olive oil, try peeling and pitting an avocado and sticking it in with all the other fruit. It sounds gross, probably, since avocados have such a thick texture on their own, but blended in with fruit it makes the whole smoothie taste like you added a shot of cream or ice cream to thicken it, and is one of the most pleasant add-ons to a recipe I've ever tried! In closing, let me say that I have drawn all this information from an authoritative source which is available online at www.freeacnebook.com. The first link on the page takes you directly to the book which is a few hundred pages of information about dermatopathologies and their link to diet as well as an explanation of why the diet this book recommends will work. It is well-researched, and cites all the major assertions the author makes. As a research biologist, I loved that this work cited its sources, since many diets are content to say "The FDA said so," and leave it at that! Finally, I have been on this diet for around 2/3 of a year and have lost 60 pounds (I'm convinced I would have lost more if I had been more overweight, but I'm now at an ideal weight for my height, build, age, etc.). More importantly, my level of energy has increased, my attention span (which was not bad to begin with) has improved, my IQ is measurably higher, and I feel more alert and oriented than I ever have in my life. I should note that when I was younger I was an athlete, and I feel more fit than I did as an NCAA division 1 rower. As such, I can't see any draw backs to this diet, as it has done nothing but make me healthier, happier, and keener. It's done the same for friends and family who have tried it. Up to you what you want to do with it, but either way I applaud you on your decision to eschew grains or dairy as they are addictive, noxious substances that cause you to eat 10% extra calories, resulting in obesity or chronic health conditions. Sincerely, Dave Stratton

I agree on the 8 inch round pans for the coffee cake. For the casserole, butter your 8 by 11 dish very well, and pack in the frozen and well drained shredded potatoes....grate a little onion over the top...not a lot just about 2 teaspoons....enough to flavor it. Not sure what size the "packages" of hash browns are....but make the crust about 1/2 inch thick...pack the shredded potatoes in and then bake at 375 until lightly browned. That's your crust. then fill the dish with veggies of your choice...you will need 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 cups of veggies to fill the dish....and I would like a mixture of lightly sauteed onions, some red peppers, either roasted or from a jar, broccoli, maybe some cauliflower...both briefly blanched to soften a little...or previously frozen and drained, sliced sauteed mushrooms, maybe carrot buttons blanched, perhaps some dried or roasted tomatoes, maybe some water chesnuts. Just have enough veggies to fill the dish...I always have on hand a cam of sliced mushrooms and a bag of frozen broccoli in case I am short. toss with the shredded cheese and parsley and add all to the pan. Then mix up the eggs and milk...because you have used a potato crust you likely won't need all the 7 eggs and 3 cups of milk....more like 2 cups of milk and 5 eggs....with 2 tsps of worchestershire. Pour over the stuff in the pan////bake....and cool I think this recipe is better cooked right after making and reheated....rather than saving and baking later. Good luck!! Linda C

Here now, I've found a website that provides a Lactose-Free Ricotta Cheese recipe. Here goes: 1/2 gal lactose-free milk 6oz lactose-free plain yogurt 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 1 tsp non-iodized salt 1. Whisk milk and yogurt together in a large cooking pot over medium heat. Stir often to avoid scorching. Bring the milk up to 175 degrees (hot but not yet simmering; use a candy thermometer if you have one), and remove from heat. Add vinegar while stirring briefly. Tiny bits of curd will form. Set the mixture aside for 15 minutes. 2. Line a colander with several layers of cheesecloth. Pour curds and liquid (whey) into colander to strain. Let drain for at least an hour. Ideally, tie up the bundle with twine, thread the twine around a wooden spoon, and suspend the bundle over a pitcher to drain, in the refrigerator, for a couple of hours or more. 3. Transfer solids to a bowl and add salt, working in gently. (You can also add lemon zest, herbs, or anything you like for flavor.) Refrigerate in a covered container; keeps for about a week. (I think it makes about 2 cups) How to make lactose-free ricotta cheese