It is no secret that I love cookbooks. I have an entire cupboard dedicated to my collection in the kitchen. And while ebooks are increasing in popularity I still prefer hard copies of cookbooks. There is just something about holding the book in my hands, seeing the gorgeous pictures up close and being able to turn the pages and ear-mark them in person that I just can't get over.
The most recent addition to my cookbook collection is Mediterranean Paleo Cooking by Caitlin Weeks, Nabil Boumrar and Diane Sanfilippo.
If you haven't seen this book in person you should know that it is gorgeous. There are pictures of every recipe and the food looks so good that I had a really hard time picking only one recipe to share with you. And let me just say that the recipe I did pick is a good one. Like really good. But before I get to sharing the recipe I wanted to give you my review of the book itself.
The Pros
I already mentioned how pretty the book is. But I just wanted to say it again. It's gorgeous. There are tons of colours in the photos and the food all looks amazing. Every recipe I turn to I want to make. Like now! There is a great variety of recipes in here as well. And the recipes are divided into multiple categories so it is easy to find exactly what you are looking for (I personally hate it when cookbooks are organized poorly). The sections in this book include Breakfast, Appetizers, Soups, Pizza and Pasta, Poultry, Red Meat, Seafood, Odd Bites, Vegetable Sides, Desserts and The Basics. There are over 150 recipes in this book too. That is a lot of food my friends! Some of the recipes that I can't wait to make include:Cinnamon-Apricot Breakfast Cookies
Eggplant Dip
Roasted Pepper Dip
Mini Pitas
Cashew Pizza Crust or AIP Pizza Crust
Saffron Braised Chicken Cinnamon Braised Beef TajineSweet Lamb Stew Paleo Moussaka Almond Crusted CodCreamy Cilantro Salmon
Fig Brownies Flourless Chocolate Cake Strawberry Tart
As someone who has tried many different diets over the years (SCD, Paleo, GAPS etc) I really appreciate that every recipe is labelled, letting you know which diet it is safe for. And they didn't just tailor the recipes to a few special diets. All of the recipes fall into one of the following categories: SCD, low FODMAPS, AIP, Nut- free, Egg-free and low carb. And if the recipe in it's original version can be modified to fit one of these many diets they also include those variations. As a recipe creator myself I can only imagine how much longer this would have taken, but I am sure many of you will greatly appreciate this extra effort since you all follow such different diets.
The start of the cookbook has a fairly extensive introduction section where you get to learn more about the authors, their families and how this book came about. It then discusses the Mediterranean style of eating, the Paleo diet, Weston A Price's amazing body of work and how the Mediterranean-Paleo fusion recipes were created. It is an interesting read, and I definitely learned a thing or two. The book also teaches you how to shop, meal plan and outlines the specifications of all the diets this book caters to (SCD, AIP etc).
The Cons
To be honest I can't think of any. I guess if you aren't interested in the Paleo diet or Mediterranean food you may not like this book. But the food in here is all so good that I bet even the pickiest modern-way- of- eating individuals out there would like these recipes. That is how great I think this book is.My Overall Review
In the sake of not turning this post into a novel I will leave you with my final review. I personally think that Mediterranean Paleo Cooking is a great book. Not only for the delicious and unique recipes, but for the beautiful photographs and the valuable information it contains. This is the first time that the flavours of the Mediterranean have been adapted to the Paleo diet, and this new type of fusion food is a match made in heaven. I highly recommend that you add this book to your Paleo Book collection. You will not be disappointed.
Ingredients
1/4 cup plus 2 TBSP coconut flour1/2 tsp baking soda1/4 tsp ground nutmeg4 large eggs, beaten1/2 cup full fat coconut milk1 tsp lemon juice2 TBSP honey2 TBSP ghee, coconut oil or butter for cookingmelted butter or ghee for servingDirections
1. Sift the coconut flour, baking soda, nutmeg and cinnamon into a large bowl. Add the eggs, coconut milk, lemon juice and honey to the bowl. Whisk until smooth2. Melt the fat in a medium skillet over medium heat. Pour 1/4 cup of batter onto the hot pan for each pancake, leaving room for it to spread. Cook each pancake for 2 minutes, then flip it over and cook for 2 more minutes on the opposite side. Transfer the cooked pancakes to a plate and cover to keep warm while you cook the rest of the pancakes. 3. Top with the melted butter or ghee and serve.Prep time: 5 minutesCook time: 10 minutesServes: 2 Yield: 6 pancakes ** This recipe is Nut-free, SCD and GAPS compatible and has a low carb modification
This recipe is not my own, and was reproduced with permission from Mediterranean Paleo Cooking by Caitlin Weeks, Nabil Boumrar and Diane Sanfilippo
