I'm going to start reviewing Paleo books I've bought. So far, I have quite a few and I've got a lot more on my wish list! Here's the review on the very first Paleo book.
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I really love the book, Practical Paleo by Diane Sanfilippo. It has it all. It answers questions like, "Why shouldn't I eat grains?" and has awesome recipes like Pumpkin Pancakes, in the same book. I make those Pumpkin Pancakes all the time, they're easy to make and so tasty! Anytime someone asks me what Paleo book should they buy first, I always tell them Practical Paleo.
The first part of the book is all about the why's of the Paleo diet. Why is grain bad? Why is dairy bad? She also explains how the body digests and uses the food we eat in an easy to understand way. To me, it was very important to have all of this information, especially when I first started Paleo. I needed to know why I was eating this way, especially if I was struggling to eliminate a certain food. It's a lot easier to eliminate bad foods from my diet now that I know the affect it has on my health. Like the other day, someone brought in a store bought Pecan Pie - my all-time favorite dessert. I really wanted to eat it, but I didn't. Instead, I looked at the ingredients on the box it came in - lots of corn, wheat, chemicals and sugar. No thanks. The Pecan Pie didn't look good anymore because I knew why that stuff was bad and what damage it would cause. You know what they say... knowledge is power!
Diane includes handy guides to hang in your pantry or take with you to the grocery store. Want to know if a certain cooking oil is safe? There's a guide for that! Something else that ready helped me is her restaurant & travel guide. She goes through each type of restaurant and goes over safe food choices. I went on vacation when I was newly Paleo and the guide helped me stay on track. The only time I went off the diet in the 3 days, was when I had ice cream. I couldn't not have ice cream!
The next portion of the book is nothing but meal plans for specific health problems and some for people with specific needs like weight loss. Diane tells you what foods you need to avoid or eat more of for your particular situation. It's like a custom Paleo template. Each plan also has a 30 day menu all planned out using the recipes in the book. She makes it so easy! There's even a list of what supplements to take depending on your situation. Some of the plans are weight loss, blood sugar regulation, digestive health, neurological health and heart health.
The rest of the book is all recipes. Delicious recipes! Everything I've tried so far I've loved! She has a spicy chili recipe that uses butternut squash instead of beans. The squash is the perfect replacement. Recently, I started making her Apple Streusel Egg Muffins ahead of time for my and my husband's weekday breakfast. They're packed with cinnamon and reheat well.
The newest recipe I've tried was her Zucchini Pancakes (they're a savory flavor, not like a typical pancake). It was Saturday and I was searching for something to make for lunch and remembered that she says they make good hamburger buns. We eat hamburgers without a bun all the time, but my husband misses being able to pick the hamburger up with his hands. So I thought I would try it. Just like her other recipes, this one was easy to make and it made the perfect bun! Bonus- my husband ate a lot of veggies that day, too! He's not a fan of veggies, but he liked the "bun".
Other recipes that look good, but I haven't tried yet are Carrot Gingerbread Muffins, Fiery Jalapeno Buffalo Burgers, Thanksgiving Stuffing Meatballs, Candied Carrots, Butternut Sage Soup and Pumpkin Pie Custard. I think I just planned my meals for next week! Diane has some recipes from the book on her website- BalancedBites.com (If mentioned a recipe that's on her site, I linked to it above). Check it out!
Now, go buy the book! You'll be glad you did!
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