Well Fed: Paleo Recipes for People Who Love to Eat (and I do).

As mentioned in the previous post, this book goes down in history as one of my most favorite Christmas presents ever. Given, with love (and hopeful appetite I imagine) by my BFF Margaret. Infinite love to Margaret.

Author: Melissa Joulwan

Photographer: David Humphreys

I should begin with the disclaimer that, I don’t follow recipes, I will peruse a recipe now and again for a general guideline or inspiration, but never for instruction. And, I don’t invest much by way of cook books. I learned to cook at a young age; everyone has their thing, and this is mine. It’s always come very naturally and very little has ever intimidated me in the kitchen. I generally prepare everything from scratch, and will stray from a recipe if put in front of me. IT’S JUST WHAT I DO!

However…

So far, I have made 10 recipes from Well Fed and haven’t changed a thing! AND, there hasn’t been one recipe that I haven’t adored. (okay the Baba Ganoush and I didn’t make great pals but I think I’m to blame for that because I didn’t do the eggplant due justice with the cooking method). I vow to give eggplants better opportunities going forward.

So! This book is a beautiful and witty compilation of over 140 pages full of wonderful and exotic recipes AND photographs which are Paleo AND Whole Life Approved. Things you won’t find in this book: Grains, Cheese, Taters (only sweet ones), Peanuts, Pasta, and nudity. If you want to read legit information about this book and the folks behind it, go here. And if you want to see legit nudity, well, you don’t have to go far. This is the internet.

Starting a mostly Paleo lifestyle can be intimidating and frankly, sometimes gloomy. I miss cheese. So working totally new recipes into the weekly grind if you are a Cook-Every-Night-At-Homer (like myself) that are Paleo AND satisfying can be a daunting task. Let this book take away your anxiety and hunger. Close your eyes, start flipping, and let your finger fall on ANY of the pages and start cooking. Euphoria will follow.

Another thing I really appreciate about this book is how “out of the box  country” the origin of most of the dishes are. It’s a vast representation of cultures, flavors, and spices that challenge the reader/cook to get out of their comfort zone and experiment with new flares. I even had to buy several new spices in my already extensive spice cabinet collection. I’m working toward a spot on a show like, MTV Cribs- Spice Cabinet Edition. This book will help me get there!

In the past, if I did decide to try something “new”, it was never so new that I didn’t have a great idea of what the outcome or flavor would be. When I began cooking “Rogan Josh” (a curry dish from Kashmir, page 85) out of this book, I literally had no clue what that first bite would taste like, even though I have prepared both Curry, and Indian dishes before. It’s a bit fun to anticipate the end result and even more fun when it surpasses your highest expectations.

And, like an idiot I didn’t take a picture of my Rogan Josh after I made it. So, here is a picture of me instead, sick in bed typing this blog post, squeezing my Well Fed Book in a display of love and affection.

Last night I prepared “Blue Ribbon Country Captain Chicken” (pg 107) alongside Zucchini Noodles Aglio Et Olio (pg 133). Below are some pictures of this experience.

Okay guys, I realize I need to work on my photo set up but I was really hungry and being impatient.

Up on the docket tonight, assuming I can peel myself out of the bed, is Cinnamon Beef Stew (pg 65), Toasted Cocoa Cauliflower (pg 127), and Green Beans (not a well fed recipe, but righteously delicious). I will come back and post a picture, but no promises I will have made any gigantic leaps forward in my photo ability by tonight.

UPDATE: So, I did not get to make this Friday night. I was too sick. Remarkably, I was MORE sick last night but I made it anyway with the help of my wonderful husband Rob. It turned out great. Rob cut up allof the veggies for me and did a lot of the cleaning up as I was too weak and sick to stand. (food dedication y’all).

Yes, you’re seeing that correctly. There is a grain there on the plate beneath the Beef Stew. I added Cous Cous for two reasons.

1. I was running a 100.8 degree fever and just didn’t give a damn. I didn’t have the energy to prepare the green beans to bolster the size of the meal, because I had expended everything I had in zesting the dang orange for the gremolata!

2. I had used up more cauliflower earlier on in the week than I realized and what you see on my plate (about 3 bite fulls) was exactly half of all that was prepared, and Rob took the other half. So, we needed additional tummy filliage. Remember, in my about me section I warned you that I sometimes don’t eat 100% paleo. Don’t be mad.

This dish was wonderful and I am excited about the leftovers when all of my taste buds come back from Flu-sville and I can really enjoy it.

So if you like Well Fed, and can’t get enough of all that it has to offer, you’re in luck. Because guess what…

There is a 2nd edition. You can find out more about that here because I don’t own it yet and can’t even think about owning it yet because I am still deeply smitten and involved with its predecessor. My focus can only afford so many angles. However, I do know that it’s 200 recipes strong and full of even more pictures, great writing, and smart information about what it means to be Well Fed.

Since I can’t come up with a truly fitting closure to this post, I will let the author do it for me.

“Ultimately, I hope this book will make you feel that paleo eating – too often defined by what we give up – is really about what we gain: health, vitality, a light heart, and memorable meals to be shared with the people we love.” – Melissa Joulwan

Happy Eating everyone!

P.S.

Can I just take a moment to show off my amazing husband hitting a PR on his bench press Wednesday night? Swoon.