Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (2 page)

PREFACE

INTRODUCTION: MY KITCHEN

RECIPES: FOOD FOR HUMANS

CHAPTER ONE: BUILDING BLOCKS

CHAPTER TWO: NIBBLES

CHAPTER THREE: SALADS + SOUPS

CHAPTER FOUR: EGGS

CHAPTER FIVE: PLANTS

CHAPTER SIX: SEAFOOD

CHAPTER SEVEN: POULTRY

CHAPTER EIGHT: MEAT

CHAPTER NINE: TREATS

WHERE CREDIT’S DUE

BIBLIOGRAPHY

RECIPE INDEX

METRIC CONVERSIONS + EQUIVALENTS

Of course, I knew it was a preposterous notion, so I never gave it much thought—until I started receiving offers from book publishers. Naturally, I freaked out. “I don’t know how to do this,” I told my husband. “It was just a dumb dream.”

Henry did his best to reassure me. “It’s not a dream if you can do it,” he said encouragingly. “It’s a
goal
.”

“Yuck!” I rolled my eyes. “The motivational poster store called, and it wants its clichés back.”

As usual, my spouse was unfazed. “You should do it, Meech. Write the book. I’ll help you. It’ll be fun!”

I knew he wasn’t kidding. When Henry’s not working, he’s forever throwing himself into creative endeavors: printing T-shirts in the garage, devising ways to make spicy jerky using toy blocks and a box fan, teaching himself photography, or renovating the entire house. I suppose I’m no slouch, either: for the past few years, I’ve been consumed with recipe development and food writing. Together, we created Nom Nom Paleo, a website that gradually evolved from a lark to a popular online destination for real food enthusiasts.

But a
cookbook
? We both have hectic careers: I’m a clinical pharmacist at a large hospital, and he’s a busy lawyer. We have two young sons who need to be fed and watered (and hugged, too). Besides, the last book Henry designed was his high school yearbook, and the last book I penned was for a fourth-grade homework assignment. It was dreamily entitled
Someday
.

“Someday is
today
,” Henry grinned. Yes, I married a cliché-spewing machine.

Now, after more than a few buckets of blood, sweat, tears, and very strong coffee, our cookbook is finally in your hands. I hope you dig it as much as we do.

To be crystal clear, this is a cookbook, not a textbook. In these pages, you won’t find scholarly explanations of biochemistry or pages of citations to research studies. (Interested in the science behind ancestral eating? Visit the
Resources page on nomnompaleo.com
.)

Instead, I wrote this book to share my favorite flavor-packed, nutrient-rich recipes for demanding foodies and picky kids alike. As a busy working mom and unrepentant food geek, I wanted to create a book that focuses on three of the most important things in my life: food, family, and fun. That’s why we crammed these pages full of photographs, cartoons, and tips for getting the clan back into the kitchen.

Frankly, I don’t care if you’re a committed Paleo eater or not—our goal is to get
everyone
excited to cook and savor meals made with real, whole, nourishing foods. So if you’ve ever dreamed of eating more healthfully but without sacrificing flavor, remember:

It’s not a dream if you can do it. It’s a goal.

And this book was written to help you achieve it.

Oh,
great
. Now he’s got me doing it.