A special thanks to Gloria Hass for taking the time to let us interview her. Gloria was nice enough to send us a signed copy of her new cookbook, Giving Back to Your Community Cookbook.  We’ll have a random drawing on the 23rd including all of those who comment on the post. Can’t think of a comment? …What’s your favorite way to give back to your community? …Favorite charitable organization?

Gloria Hass

Gloria’s Bio:
Gloria Hass is a published author, evangelist and a patriotic and public speaker.  She conducts women’s healing seminars in churches around the United States. Gloria is a survivor of domestic violence and is an advocate for helping the less fortunate.

Gloria lives in the beautiful state of Arizona and enjoys desert living. She also enjoys traveling and meeting new people.

Gloria has two more books coming out next year.
We asked Gloria:
I love the idea. How did you come up w/ a Cookbook that addresses  giving back to your community?
In 2006, I was thinking of writing a cookbook only I didn’t want it to be the run of the mill cookbook. I wanted this cookbook to stand out and contribute more than recipes. At the time, I had helped in feeding the homeless at one of the Tucson area churches and thought about what other ways someone could give back to their community. Some people I had spoken to didn’t know how to organize a progressive dinner and other people said they wanted to know other ideas in how they could help. Thus, my cookbook was born!

Do you have a favorite local or national charitable organization that you work with? …or what are some of the ways you like to give back to your community?
Actually, I have helped area churches feed the homeless with donating food for their food closets. I also run Touch of God Ministries and with funds donated, I have helped some people. I was able to help someone pay their car insurance premium. I have given crocheted afghans, a Christian music CD and poem to people diagnosed with cancer. With funds tight, I’m no longer receiving the donations like I had in the past.

I have just received a few boxes of men’s clothing and that will be going to a ministry that helps the homeless in Quartzsite, Arizona in January when I am in the area.

Right now, all I’m able to do is call someone and given them an encouraging word which is important with our economy the way it is. People just need to know that someone is listening and that they care.

What kind of food allergies do you have?  I know lots of our readers have food allergies. Can you give our readers any tips for dealing with their allergies?
I am allergic to some food additives, preservatives and food colorings. I am also allergic to food binders. I used to be able to eat everything and now my diet is quite limited. I had to learn to adapt my mental outlook from being a junk food junkie to a health food nut. I could no longer eat food with yeast or any leavening agent, so I experimented on making an unleavened bread. While the bread is heavy, my stomach adapted to it over time.

It wasn’t easy for me to adapt and over time instead of looking at the candy, cookies, cakes, ice cream and other gooey stuff that I could no longer eat, I had to tell myself that being healthy and eating to live was more important than living to eat. I had the help of my doctor in educating me on how being healthy was more important than being overweight and unhealthy. My doctor told me I could accomplish more in life with losing weight and living a healthy lifestyle. I have lost 60 pounds and have kept it off. I feel so much better! I changed to eating organic food and I have better mental clarity than I had in the past. Before eating organic food, I felt as if I walked around in a fog and I had difficulty concentrating. Now, I can concentrate as well as feel clear headed.

I know you’re going to say that I have the gooey stuff in my cookbook. There are people that can still enjoy the sweet snacks and why not give them something they’ll enjoy? Just because I can no longer eat the sweet snacks doesn’t mean that others have to stop. Besides, eating in moderation is the key.

How long have you been cooking? When did you become interested in cooking?
I started cooking when I was 9 years old. I didn’t have a desire to cook at all. I enjoyed watching my mom and grandmothers cook but I didn’t want to be a part of it. My brother and I were getting older and my mom decided that both of us should learn how to cook. Every two weeks, my brother and I took turns in cooking something. I enjoyed baking more than cooking. I loved making desserts and learned that was my forte. My mom insisted we learn how to cook all the different components of a meal which my brother and I both did. Through this experience, I enjoyed cooking as well as baking but it took a few years.

From whom did you learn the most about cooking?
I learned the most about cooking from my mom. After I learned to cook, I wanted to see if I could make my favorite recipes that my mom made, just as good as she did. My mom told me I was a better cook than she was but I disagree. I still think my mom’s food taste better than mine.

The person I learned the most about baking desserts was my grandmother.

She taught me how to cook ethnically and gave me the Jewish family recipes that were handed down from my great grandmother.

If you had to choose a favorite recipe from your book, Giving Back to Your Community Cookbook, which one would you choose and why?
Oh, they’re all good! My favorite is the Potato Salad recipe on page 62.  This recipe I learned from my mom and I always looked forward to her making her famous Potato Salad so I could eat it.

Your bio says you like to travel with your dog.  Where do you like to go & what kind of dog do you have?
I like to travel to places in the United States and Canada that I haven’t seen before. I look forward to going to eastern Montana some day as well as the Carolinas. While I have been through most of the states, there are still places I haven’t seen yet and I look forward to traveling there. I hope, through my book signing tours, I will be able to accomplish this. It will take time and time I have. I hope in my travels I do hope to help as many people as I can.

I have a Miniature Schnauzer. We have shared our lives for the last 7 years. She loves exploring the new places and enjoys our walks together.

How did you find out about PaperBackSwap.com?
I heard about PaperBackSwap.com on a book reading list when you first started. I signed up and became a member. I am still a member and enjoy trading books for ones that I am unable to find locally.

What’s on your nightstand?
Besides a dog toy, my Bible is on my nightstand along with my cell phone and the book I’m currently reading.

– Find out more about Gloria Hass by visiting her ministry’s website TouchofGod.com, Twitter/Gloria Hass