Cover Image: Clean Paleo Real Life

Clean Paleo Real Life

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

I tried several of the recipes in this book and they were delicious. However, there are quite a few recipes that contain ingredients that aren't Paleo.

Was this review helpful?

Clean Paleo Real Life offers some great recipes to allow you to live a Paleo lifestyle. I was a little unsure about the yukon gold potatoes that kept appearing, but those can always be skipped if they don't fit in for someone. I thought there were a lot of unique yet not out there recipes in here that I would definitely feed to my family. I enjoyed this book and I can't wait to try these recipes, particularly the main dishes, which I thought were varied and appealing.

Was this review helpful?

I love cookbooks and this one is a good one it has all the key components to a great cookbook. Lots of pictures, clear list of ingredients, easy to follow instructions, and substitutions! I will be wanting a hard copy of this as I felt the ingredients were almost always durable and the food looks amazing! Her introduction was great! The waffles are the best keto recipe I have run across and her side note helped me figure out why sometimes things flop when I use coconut milk!

Was this review helpful?

The strangest thing about this new paleo cookbook is that so many of the recipes aren't paleo. The author explains that some of the recipes are designed to work with the paleo/whole 30 kind of temporary reset diet, and that the rest of the recipes incorporate foods that aren't allowed on the diet after you go back to real life. As such, many of the recipes use grains, legumes, dairy and such. The top of the recipes tell what forbidden ingredients are included, but I noticed that it sometimes missed some (that may be changed in the final copy). Also, some ingredients like potatoes are included and not listed as forbidden, but I've always heard that potatoes are not paleo friendly. I'm not sure I'd use the word paleo in the title of a book that features ingredients like corn, oats and rice noodles. I also found it strange that the author never talks about the importance of sourcing organic, non-GMO ingredients, grass-fed meats, or other tenets of the paleo lifestyle.

The book shines in its color photos, which accompany about 1/3 of the recipes. You can tell the author is a professional food blogger, as they're all Instagram worthy. The recipes themselves also sound quite tasty for the most part. They are very heavy on meat and other animal products, meaning this won't work well for most vegetarian or vegan readers. There are many dairy free recipes and the author uses cashews for most of her dairy sauces, but she also adds dairy to many of them (even the dairy-free ones) in the form of ghee, butter and feta cheese especially.

One big disappointment for me is the lack of nutritional information, which is a major failing in a book that's focused on health and diet. While one recipe is labeled keto, I wouldn't really call it keto (waffles made with tapioca flour). Without nutritional information it will be very hard for people to tell if the recipes work with their individual dietary needs for low carb, etc. Some of the recipes seemed like they would be exceptionally high in calories and others seemed high in sodium. I also am not a fan of adding processed supplements like collagen peptides to recipes. It doesn't seem very paleo to me. I'm pretty sure our ancestors didn't make things like "Cauliflower Rice 'N Oatmeal" but even so, I don't think they'd add two scoops of collagen peptides. For those who enjoy using those sorts of ingredients, this will give creative ways to do so.

This is ultimately a lovely cookbook that will work well for people who eat a lot of meat and fat, very little dairy, no gluten, low sugar and some grains. It mostly focuses on whole foods and will please people who enjoy the Standard American Diet but want fewer processed ingredients.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review purposes.

Was this review helpful?

This book is a work of art! Perhaps one of the most visually appealing cookbooks out there, it is filled with beautiful photos of individual recipes that will make you feel like cooking as soon as you open it.

Recipes are neatly organized with ingredients, alongside allotted time and tips on how to make each recipe work best. There is a wide array of recipes covering categories of brunch, mains, desserts and all the in-betweens. Some recipes require more ingredients then others but overall recipes are simple to execute.

Although I personally don't follow a Paleo diet, the author advocates intuitive eating, not restricted eating, which I identify with. I truly believe there is something for everyone in this cookbook, whether you are Paleo or not, this is a great addition to your collection.

Was this review helpful?

This cookbook introduces readers to Paleo cooking. Chapters include an introduction to the Paleo lifestyle, breakfast & snacks, soups & salads, apps/entertaining & finger food, one-pan/one-pot meals, main dishes, side dishes, desserts & drinks, and sauces & dressings. Most recipes have a photograph accompanying them, but not every single one. All recipes do have, however, clear and complete instructions that make cooking seem easy. What might not be quite as easy, is finding all of the ingredients, especially specialized types of flour. For myself, it would be difficult because I live in a very small town and we don't have alternative flours at our grocery store. Having said that, most recipes have easy-to-find ingredients and those specialized ones don't occur in all of the meals. I tried one of the sauce recipes today, the "honey mustard sauce & dressing" and it was delicious! The "best steak rub" was also really yummy! Most of the recipes in this book seem very appetizing and I look forward to trying them!

Was this review helpful?

This book has a fantastic collection of side dishes and sauces that make my paleo heart melt. Thats not to say it doesn't have an amazing amount of entrees also, because it does! I cannot wait to make Soft Boiled Eggs Salad, Brussel sprouts slaw, or Potatas Bravas. I needed more side dish inspo and this is the perfect place. I love also how the beginning of this book has a collection of staples and instructions for those who are not as familiar with clean living.

Was this review helpful?

Gorgeous pictures! I am a big fan of cookbooks with pictures because I want to know what I am making and how I should expect it to look. This book did not disappoint. This book has recipes for breakfast, lunch/dinner, side dishes, desserts, drinks, sauces and one pot/pan meals. It talks about what the paleo diet is and lists what foods should be avoided to support this diet. I also like that each recipes gives you a time estimate so you are aware of how long it will take. I can't wait to make even more delicious meals! Thank you NegGalley.

Was this review helpful?

Gorgeous book with mouth-watering pictures! This book contains recipes for breakfast, main dishes, side dishes, desserts, drinks, sauces and one-pan/one-pot meals. It explains what the clean paleo diet/lifestyle is and gives you tips. Of all kinds of diets, I find paleo the best one. Most of the recipes have pictures and it makes you want to make them even more! I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review

Was this review helpful?

Cookbooks are making a comeback, making the shelf space crowded with talented, inventive chefs. What I've found to be the difference-maker is two things:
• In-The-Kitchen Factor: How much does this chef's voice come off the pages? Can I picture her gabbing it up in the kitchen with me while I'm throwing one of his/her dishes together?
• Drool-worthy Factor: How much am I instantaneously begging for a dish once I've scanned the page?

And overall, Clean Paleo Real Life had high notes of both, but not consistently. Some sections of Monica's asides were personable, relatable, conversationally -- while others were cliché and read like an obligation to insert just-anything here. As far as pictures, I'm a big believer in a dish photo on every page, even a smaller one. Some of the dishes I felt would have been so much more lip-smacking worthy had a visual given me that final push.

I love the range in flavors, Asian to Italian, and the overall layout of Clean Paleo Real Life reads simply. I making a grocery list to whip up Monica's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars later today!

Was this review helpful?