Merry Christmas! Here's your free cookbook from your's truly!

Download or read online a FREE .PDF or text copy of my cookbook 'The Best of the Best of JB Ranch Recipe Sampler Cookbook' by Carol Bardelli.

Simply click here to go to Scribd and download or read it.

Recipes included are from A Cowboy Cookin’ Every Night Cookbook By Carol Bardelli, All American Meals Cookbook Compiled by the JB Ranch Staff, Authentic Cowboy Cookery Then & Now by Carol Bardelli and F.E. “Lizzie” Hill, Easy Gourmet For Diabetics Cookbook By Carol Bardelli, SN, The Hooked Cook – A Fisherman’s Cookbook
By Carol Bardelli and John Cuneo Sr., The Protein Edge Cookbook High Protein, Low Fat, Low Calorie Recipes by Carol Bardelli, SN and the Iron Mountain Gym Staff, Wild Man Gourmet Wild Game Cookbook By Carol Bardelli & The JB Ranch Staff, Use Your Noodle! Three Italians Cook By Carol Bardelli, Nikki Diavolo & Dante “Blue” Azzurro.

Free pancakes at IHOP, free grilled sandwich at Jack In The Box, low carb and diabetic options

It's a good day for fast food lovers. IHOP is giving away a free short stack of pancakes to all customers and asking for donations for the Children's Miracle Network in return. Simultaneously, Jack In The Box is offering a free grilled sandwich to anyone buying a large drink. Free carbohydrate laden foods aren't exactly doing a favor to your waistline though. But who can turn down free pancakes for a good cause.

Read "How many carbohydrates should I eat?"

While fast food, and starchy food like pancakes in particular, are not healthy foods per se indulging occasionally won't hurt most healthy people. Diabetics and borderline diabetics might want to pass on these carbohydrate bombs as they elevate blood sugar. Low carbohydrate dieters should also think twice before accepting these freebies. Or get the free sandwich, skip the bun and the International House of Pancakes hotcakes.
Click here to read more and see the video.

Free ice cream! July 19th is National Ice Cream Day

The weather is blazing hot and everyone's looking for ways to cool off. Ice cream tastes so very creamy and sweet, but it's the ice part of the equation we really seek this time of year. National Ice Cream Day is the third Sunday of July. It's time to take a break from our diets and indulge in a cool treat.

While many view ice cream as a diet no no, one cup averages 268 calories, 14.3 grams of fat, 32.5 grams of carbohydrates, and 4.7 grams of protein. Ice cream is also rich in vitamin A, calcium, phosphorus, and riboflavin. If you don't over indulge, ice cream can be part of a healthy diet.

Until July 19th, Starbucks is giving away free ice cream...

Read more and watch the videos.

Frugal Friday - free abs diet, workout advice and videos

Almost everyone is looking to save money in these difficult economic times. Free stuff is popular but finding it takes time you may not have. Welcome to Frugal Fridays! I'll give you tips on places to find a cheap or free item or resource to help you live the lifestyle you want despite economic hardships. So cut back on spending while getting want you want or need.

We want to maintain our quality of life and that includes staying fit and eating healthy. Free fitness advice and exercise instruction is easy to find. And a good place to start is YouTube. Below are a few examples of free exercise videos and fitness advice you can access anytime.

The key to making these freebies work is actually using them. Read more and watch the videos.

Celebrate St. Patrick's Day for free or cheap

St. Paddy's Day means parties and parades. Can't go out to celebrate or trying to saving money? Try these fun ideas for budget friendly fun. I plan to write more article on budget friendly ideas in the future. Want to share your budget friendly, thrifty, or cheap ideas or links? Email me or leave a comment.

We're all trying to save money these days. But budget cutting can be creative and entertaining. Resourcefulness and sharing leads to more money in your pocket and closer, more rewarding relationships and experiences. We recently cut $34 out of our budget by opting for the cheapest satellite television package. We watch the shows we no longer receive through paid tv on YouTube and

network websites. Many network websites like FOX, NBC, and CBS offer full length episodes of hit shows for free after the premiere episodes air. Check out a few samples of free or low cost videos, video websites like veoh, and guides below. Look for St. Paddy's Day classics like 'The Quiet Man' starring John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara, or Darby O'Gill and the Little People starring Sean Connery.

Reconsider going to a Saint Patrick's Day Parade. They are free, after all, and fun for the whole family. Read more, get links, and watch the videos.

Free for 48 hours, the best in fitness and fat loss

Fitness Expert Joel Marion

Yes, for free, you get Joel Marion and a few of his super fit friends. They're giving away valuable fat loss and body transformation advice you don't want to miss. Download free sample chapters of their bestselling books now for 48 hours only.

If you want in on the latest and greatest cutting edge information on how to get fit and lose body fat check it out. I highly recommend these books. As I always say, seek fitness and nutrition advice from the people you want to look like. They know what they're doing. The proof is in the physique.

These free fitness giveaways include Joel Marion's radical muscle building workout book 'High Frequency Solution', Jon Benson's book 'The Every Other Day Diet', Mike Westerdal's '7 Fastest Ways to Increase Your Bench', Jeff Anderson's 'Supplement Review Guide', and Vince Delmonte's '16 Week Razor Sharp Abdominal Cardio Workouts'. Read more and access links to the freebies.

Get fit now for free

The economy is in the toilet and almost everyone is slashing spending. Our personal budgets are under careful scrutiny. Luxuries are the first items to get slashed. Unfortunately, for most people this includes gym memberships, fitness equipment, supplements, and even diet products.

Even if your household budget and wallet are losing weight, it doesn't mean you can't lose weight at the same time. You can get fit for free. What's the catch? Just the small inconvenience that you'll have to be self motivating and not rely on your $50 an hour personal trainer to whip you into shape. Oh, and you can forgo that pricey gym membership while saving on time and gas.

For more information, including three sources of free exercise videos and sample workout videos check out my latest column at The Examiner.