I Cooked My Way Through WELL FED!

As part of my 43-Day Challenge, I decided to cook my way through Well Fed, a fabulous, Whole30-approved cookbook by Melissa Joulwan.  Have we enjoyed it?  Well, maybe the photos and commentary below will answer that question…

(I have also labeled my top 10 FAVORITES along the way.)

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Salmon a L’Afrique du Nord - favorite!

Cumin-Roasted Carrots

Turkish Chopped Salad

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Good grief, this was good!  Just looking at the picture makes my mouth water!

First on the list, Salmon a l’Afrique du Nord (Well Fed, p. 103).  Wow.  That’s basically all I have to say.  To be honest, I’ve never cooked salmon on my own before, so this was really a challenge!  And to top it off, the recipe has you cook the entire 2-pound filet in one piece… yikes!  So when I went to Whole Foods to pick up a few things, I stopped by the fish counter and spotted a beautiful piece of wild-caught Alaskan salmon.  The clerk was even able to tell me exactly where in Alaska it was caught (Anchorage), and who the fishermen were… very cool!  This was not a cheap piece of fish, so I was a little nervous about botching the recipe!

I followed Melissa’s instructions to the letter (except for the fact that we don’t have a grill… I used my oven broiler instead), and the fish came out beautifully.  I’ll tell you how it tasted in a moment.

Next up, we had Cumin-Roasted Carrots (Well Fed, p. 115).  Wow again.  Who knew that carrots could taste so freakin’ good?  The spices blended perfectly with the salmon, and the carrots were juicy and succulent with the tiniest little crunch deep inside.  Amazing.

Finally, we added Turkish Chopped Salad (Well Fed, p. 141).  This blend of chopped, raw veggies is perfectly spiced, full of flavor, and so good for you!  And I loved the excuse to use raw radishes… YUM.

All in all, this was seriously the most gourmet-tasting meal I have ever cooked.  My husband and I were saying “wow…” with almost every bite.  And the best part?  None of it was difficult!  The most time-consuming part was probably chopping all the veggies for the salad… but turn on a good podcast, and you’re good to go.

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Meatza Pie

Greek Broccoli

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First off, Meatza Pie (Well Fed, p. 77).  Now, this is what I call a pizza crust… MEAT!  This recipe does not look complex, but the flavors are insane.  I started off by making Melissa’s blend of Italian Sausage Seasoning (Well Fed, p. 49), and then pressing it into the beef before forming a crust in the bottom of a baking dish.  Once that is cooked, you make up the simple sauce recipe, which includes Pizza Seasoning (Well Fed, p. 49), and just toss on whatever veggies you have available.  I have ALOT of yellow squash right now, so I used that, some broccoli, some onions, and some bell peppers.  This dish was easy, spicy, and delicious!

As a side dish, we had Greek Broccoli (Well Fed, p. 117).  What a cool recipe!  I would never thing to toss broccoli with tomato paste and a bunch of fabulous spices, but it totally works!  We really enjoyed this dinner.

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Grilled Chicken Thighs

Steam-Sauteed Veggies

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Our dinner of Grilled Chicken Thighs (Well Fed, p. 29) over Steam-Sauteed Veggies (Well Fed, p. 33) was delicious.  As I mentioned above, we do not have a grill, so I followed Melissa’s “No Grill?” instructions… very handy!  Why in the world have we not been eating more chicken thighs??  They are DELICIOUS!  I don’t know why, but we usually spring for boneless, skinless breasts… and now I know that those are far less flavorful!  I picked up some organic thighs from Costco, and boy, they were tender and juicy!

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Creamy Italian Dressing - favorite!

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Several times this month, we made a big salad with Creamy Italian Dressing (Well Fed, p. 59).  Most amazing salad dressing I have ever had.  Period.

My salad consisted of mixed greens, baby spinach, raspberries, blueberries, oranges, avocado chunks, slivered almonds, and cucumbers.  So, so, so good.  The dressing was so amazing that we actually “sopped it up” on our chicken thighs and scarfed it down.

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Ras el Hanout

Creamy Spice Market Kale

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We didn’t get enough chicken thighs the first night (seriously, we both wanted them again!), so I baked this again, but with a different spice mixture: Ras el Hanout (Well Fed, p. 47).  What an amazing spice blend!  It contains cumin, ginger, pepper, cinnamon, coriander, cayenne, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg.  Can you smell it already?  I can!  It is amazing.  I sprinkled the seasoning over the chicken before baking, and it gave it a beautiful flavor.

As a base, I also made Creamy Spice Market Kale (Well Fed, p. 111).  Have you ever had moist, juicy kale?  I hadn’t before tonight… the coconut milk in the recipe truly does make it creamy and wonderful.  But be prepared – it is definitely spicy!  We loved every bite.

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Shepherd’s Pie

Mashed Cauliflower

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 Shepherd’s Pie (Well Fed, p. 97) was homey and yummy… Mashed cauliflower (Well Fed, p. 113) topped it, and that is a favorite of mine!

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Waldorf Tuna Salad

Olive Oil Mayo

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Check out this beautiful Waldorf Tuna Salad (Well Fed, p. 67).  I have recently fallen in love with tuna, so this was awesome!  The crunchy, tangy apples make the recipe a perfect flavor blend.  And, of course, you can’t go wrong with Olive Oil Mayo (Well Fed, p. 43).

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Caramelized Coconut Chips - favorite!

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Caramelized Coconut Chips (Well Fed, p. 153) are now a FAVORITE snack of ours.  I cannot believe how much these crispy little goodies taste like popcorn!  I made this and took it to a recent movie outing, and it was so much fun to crunch along with all the popcorn-eaters around us.

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Berries and Whipped Coconut Cream

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Berries and Whipped Coconut Cream (Well Fed, p. 149) was so good!  Fresh, wholesome, and full of delicious summer flavors.

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Cocoa-Toasted Cauliflower

Ranch Dressing

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In case you’re wondering, the amazing-looking steak in this picture is a recipe from It Starts With Food… “Mocha Steak Rub.”  The Cocoa-Toasted Cauliflower (Well Fed, p. 127) was pretty good.  Not a favorite, but pretty good!  And the Ranch Dressing (Well Fed, p. 59) was delicious!

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Pad Thai - favorite!

Roasted Spaghetti Squash

Sunshine Sauce

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The Pad Thai (Well Fed, p. 63) recipe has been one of my favorite meals of all time.  It is creamy and delicious… the closest thing I’ve had to real, slurpy pasta since before I started eating Paleo-style.  I love the method for preparing Roasted Speghetti Squash (Well Fed, p. 123) for this recipe.  And the glue that held it all together was Melissa’s incredible Sunshine Sauce (Well Fed, p. 45).  This is just too easy and delicious to be real.

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Czech Meatballs

Roni’s Creamy Cucumbers

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I have to be honest and tell you that we were not big fans of Czech Meatballs (Well Fed, p. 89).  I think we just really don’t like caraway seeds.  However, Roni’s Creamy Cucumbers (Well Fed, p. 135) was absolutely phenomenal.  I have actually made this recipe several more times since we first tried it.  Wonderful flavors!

Also pictures, Yellow Squash Latkes from The Food Lovers!

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The Best Chicken You Will Ever Eat - favorite!

Moroccan Dipping Sauce

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 This recipe doesn’t lie.  Melissa wasn’t joking when she named this The Best Chicken You Will Ever Eat (Well Fed, p. 69).  In fact, I must apologize for the quality of the picture… it’s terrible because the chicken smelled SO good that I just snapped one and said “forget it… I gotta eat this now!”  There is quite a process to make this recipe, but every step is well worth it.  I have never tasted a more tender, juicy chicken breast.  Wow.

To top it, I made Moroccan Dipping Sauce (Well Fed, p. 55).  This is a perfect pairing, and my husband loved it as much as I did.  So fun!

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Bora Bora Fireballs

Cauliflower Rice Pilaf

Coconut-Almond Green Beans

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This photo is pretty awful, and does not do justice to the deliciousness of this meal!  We had this on the 4th of July, because I thought Bora Bora Fireballs (Well Fed, p. 99) sounded festive and fun!  Boy, were they!  These meatballs were spicy, juicy, and good.  I will definitely be making them again.

As for the Coconut-Almond Green Beans (Well Fed, p. 125), well, there are no words… This is our new FAVORITE way to consume green beans.  The sauce is both sweet and spicy, and it pairs perfectly with the crunch of the almonds.

The Cauliflower Rice Pilaf (Well Fed, p. 121) was good, at least to me.  My husband did not like it at all… but he’s never been a big fan of cauli-rice, anyway.

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Best Stir-Fry Sauce Ever

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This recipe almost needs a separate post of its own.  It’s just chicken breasts, but it’s sautéed in Best Stir-Fry Sauce Ever (Well Fed, p. 51), which truly is the BEST stir-fry sauce EVER!  I love anything with Chinese 5-spice powder, so I was excited to try this!  It also contains orange juice and coconut aminos, which proved to be a seriously winning combo.

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Blue Ribbon Country Captain Chicken

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I was pretty surprised at how easy Blue Ribbon Country Captain Chicken (Well Fed, p. 107) was to make.  It’s one of those “throw it in the oven and let it take care of itself” types of recipes.  There are a few additional steps, but overall, it’s very simply.  The flavors are awesome.  I’ll be making this one again, for sure…

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Citrus Carnitas

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Wow.  That’s all I have to say about this.  Just… wow.  We served Citrus Carnitas (Well Fed, p. 95) over roasted spaghetti squash, with a side of fresh cherokee purple tomatoes.  The recipe is unbelievably tangy and juicy.  I loved the flavors of lemon and lime on pork, and my husband now loves it too!

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Scotch Eggs

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Scotch Eggs (Well Fed, p. 83) have become a favorite little breakfast package for us.  I actually took a shortcut and used some local spicy pork sausage to wrap the hard-boiled eggs, and they were SO good.

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Cinnamon Beef Stew with Orange Gremolata

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This was a crazy recipe.  Cinnamon Beef Stew with Orange Gremolata (Well Fed, p. 65) is packed with amazing, complex flavors.  I can’t say that it was a favorite, but we did enjoy this very different dish!  We served with sautéed kale.

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Basil and Walnut Pesto - favorite!

Jicama “Potato” Salad

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The Basil and Walnut Pesto recipe (Well Fed, p. 53) knocked our socks off.  I served it over grass-fed filet mignon, and we felt like we were in food-heaven.  I absolutely LOVE basil, and Melissa’s recipe does not have you missing parmesan cheese (a typical pesto ingredient) at all!  So, so, so good…

Alongside, I served Jicama “Potato” Salad (Well Fed, p. 137).  It was pretty crazy to discover how much jicama resembles potatoes after it’s been softened in the crock pot for 24 hours.  I will be making this again for picnics and cookouts, that’s for sure!

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Sri Lankan Curry Sauce

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I served Sri Lankan Curry Sauce (Well Fed, p. 57) over some cubed steak, and it was really good!  There are a lot of vegetables packed into this recipe, not to mention the good coconut fat from the milk!  This meal was warm, hearty, and filling.

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Machacado & Eggs with Avocado Relish - favorite!

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This was a fantastic lazy-day breakfast for us.  It was easy to make, but it tastes gourmet.  Machacado & Eggs with Acovado Relish (Well Fed, p. 79) is definitely on our “favorite breakfasts” list.  With a side of bacon, breakfast just can’t be much more delicious.

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Ginger-Lime Grilled Shrimp

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Ginger-Lime Grilled Shrimp (Well Fed, p. 75) is one of those recipes I probably would not have made had I not challenged myself to cook through a recipe book.  Shrimp is a lot of work… I spent a lot of time cleaning and deveining, and it smelled… shrimpy.  However, the outcome was outstanding, and my husband LOVED it!  We don’t have a grill, but the recipe worked wonderfully under the oven broiler.

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Egg Foo Yong

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This picture makes me want to run to the kitchen right now to make Egg Foo Yong (Well Fed, p. 87).  What a delicious Asian-flavored meal!  Served with “Spicy Secret Sauce,” it is really incredible.  I did not have pancake rings, but these turned out just fine poured into the pan like regular pancakes.

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Baba Ghanoush

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 As beautiful as this photo is, I have to admit that we did not love Baba Ghanoush (Well Fed, p. 139).  I think it’s just because we’re not huge eggplant fans.  We’ve never had a recipe for Baba Ghanoush that we’ve liked.

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Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork) - #1 favorite!

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This recipe stands out as my FAVORITE one in the book.  Char Siu (Well Fed, p. 91) is sweet, tangy, tender, and delectable.  I have never tasted pork like this.  It may even be better than bacon (say what??).  We silently enjoyed every bite… and I think I actually took a few too many bites.  It was very difficult to stop eating this.

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BBQ Pork Fried Rice

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I made this just before a little weekend getaway to bring with us.  It re-warmed beautifully, and tasted like authentic Chinese food.  We LOVE BBQ Pork Fried Rice (Well Fed, p. 93), and I will be making it again very soon.

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Sesame-Garlic Nori Chips

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I’ve been looking for ways to eat more seaweed lately (seriously…), so I was excited to give Sesame-Garlic Nori Chips (Well Fed, p. 129) a try.  I thought they might be similar to SeaSnax (the pre-packed version you can find at Whole Foods, etc.), but they were WAY better.  Melissa actually has you double up on the nori, so they feel more like a crunchy chip (rather than tasting like sea-flavored tissue paper).  I really enjoyed these.

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Maki Rolls

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As you can see from this not-so-great picture, I do not have a sushi mat, and my rolling skills are not great.  However, Maki Rolls (Well Fed, p. 81) were a fun project, and I liked them!  My husband was not a fan.  Sadness…

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Italian Sausage and Eggplant Strata

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This was GOOD.  Italian Sausage and Eggplant Strata (Well Fed, p. 101) was a really cool version of lasagna.  And the eggs  mixed with the tomatoes gave it a very (dare I say it??) CHEESY flavor and texture.  Really… it tasted like it had cheese in it!  Even though we’re not huge eggplant fans, we did enjoy this a lot.  In fact, this photo was taken after I made it last night, and we’re having leftovers tonight!  Yay!

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NOT PICTURED:

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Garlic-Browned Ground Meat (Well Fed, p. 31) – I will never “just brown the meat” again.  Cooking grass-fed been with moisture from coconut oil and onions, with added flavors from black pepper and garlic powder, take this simple component to a whole other level.

 Moroccan Meatballs (Well Fed, p. 71) - favorite! - I am so sad that I did not take a picture of this meal!  We actually made it twice… the first time one of my best friends and I cooked it together, and enjoyed it together, and it was so fun!  The flavors go so well with ground lamb… I already can’t wait to make it again.

Chocolate Chili (Well Fed, p. 73) – I blogged about this recipe once before… check it out here.

Rogan Josh (Well Fed, p. 85) – We didn’t have lamb meat that could be cubed, so I used ground lamb instead.  While my husband loved it, the flavors were a little too rich for me.  I could only take a few bites, and I was done.  this would be good served with a neutral flavor, as Melissa suggests, like mashed cauliflower, cauli-rice, roasted spaghetti squash, etc.  Unfortunately, I had none of that on hand, so we just ate it plain (like stew).

Meat and Spinach Meatballs (Well Fed, p. 105) – I really enjoyed this recipe.  It was easy to make, and very tasty and filling!  A great breakfast option…

Velvety Butternut Squash (Well Fed, p. 119) – I actually tried Melissa’s suggest variation for this one, and used sweet potatoes instead.  It was SO good!  I do plan to try it again with the real ingredient… butternut squash!

Jicama Home Fries (Well Fed, p. 131) – This recipe is best if you soak the jicama for the entire 24 hours (the recipe suggests 12-24 hours).  I whipped it up after only 12 hours, and it was still really crunchy… not the way I envision home fries.  I’m looking forward to trying this again.

Zucchini Noodles Aglio et Olio (Well Fed, p. 133) – favorite! - This is another one where I really wish I had a picture.  We served these amazing noodles with the Moroccan Meatballs, and they have to be another FAVORITE recipe from this cookbook.  I could eat them every day.  They have an incredible spicy creaminess that taste restaurant-calibur.

El Minzah Orange Salad (Well Fed, p. 143) – Unfortunately, I cannot eat oranges, so I did not have the pleasure of tasting this recipe.  However, I did make it for my husband and my parents, and they really enjoyed it!

Fried Apples with Bacon and Pecans (Well Fed, p. 147) – I mean… what else needs to be said?  There is no picture because this bowl of insanity was gobbled down in 2 minutes flat.  Yum.

Peach Almond Crisp (Well Fed, p. 151) – Because it is so dessert-like, this recipe is not Whole30-approved.  However, I look forward to enjoying it very soon!

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I am so grateful to Melissa Joulwan for this fantastic culinary masterpiece.  It made our month VERY delicious, broke me out of my little cooking rut, and gave me an amazing list of items that I cannot wait to make and share again.

Mission accomplished.

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Big Goal #2: Be “Well Fed” (+ a giveaw...

UPDATE: I completed this goal!  Check out the picture post here.

If you haven’t already, be sure to check out yesterday’s post, where I share my 8 BIG GOALS for these 43 days.

 And be sure to read to the end of this post to check out my exciting giveaway!

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Big Goal #1 will be expounded upon as I go through the month and re-read my highlights from It Starts With Food.  In short, we’re doing a Whole30 from now through the end of July.  I am so excited!

Big Goal #2 has already been super-fun, and I am so excited to share it with you!  Here it is:

In an effort to broaden my Paleo food horizons and experiment with some new styles of cooking, I’ve decided to make each and every recipe from Well Fed during the next 41 days (kinda “Julie and Julia” style, ya know?). 

We started our challenge on Tuesday, and our meals have been INSANELY DELICIOUS so far!  To be honest, I was starting to get into a little cooking rut – only cooking things that I’ve made a bazillion times (hey, they’re easy and delicious, so why not?).  But my sweet husband has hinted around a little lately that maybe we should try some new recipes.  That sounded like a challenge!

 

This kinda goes against one of the “keep it simple” tips in my eBook (Easy Paleo: 21 Practical Ways to Simplify Your Paleo Life, $4.99), but it’s just for a one-month challenge, so I can handle it!  Generally, trying to use a recipe every night isn’t the best idea… but this is going to be SO fun!

 

As I read through my new favorite book of all time, It Starts With Food, I learned that Melissa Joulwan’s Well Fed is completely Whole30-approved and recommended (except for one very desserty recipe at the end).  This was really exciting to read!  I LOVE Melissa’s work (check out my interview with her here – what a cool chic!).  She has an amazing website, and her book is so lovely.  I’ve made lots of recipes from her site (including Chocolate Chili), and they have all been delish, so I knew we were in for a treat!

Here’s a look at what we’ve had so far, and a peek at what’s in store for the end of the week!

Monday

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Good grief, this was good!  Just looking at the picture makes my mouth water!

First on the list, Salmon a l’Afrique du Nord (Well Fed, p. 103).  Wow.  That’s basically all I have to say.  To be honest, I’ve never cooked salmon on my own before, so this was really a challenge!  And to top it off, the recipe has you cook the entire 2-pound filet in one piece… yikes!  So when I went to Whole Foods to pick up a few things, I stopped by the meat and fish counter and spotted a beautiful piece of wild-caught Alaskan salmon.  The clerk was even able to tell me exactly where in Alaska it was caught (Anchorage), and who the fishermen were… very cool!  This was not a cheap piece of fish, so I was a little nervous about botching the recipe!

I followed Melissa’s instructions to the letter (except for the fact that we don’t have a grill… I used my oven broiler instead), and the fish came out beautifully.  I’ll tell you how it tasted in a moment.

Next up, we had Cumin-Roasted Carrots (Well Fed, p. 115).  Wow again.  Who knew that carrots could taste so freakin’ good?  The spices blended perfectly with the salmon, and the carrots were juicy and succulent with the tiniest little crunch deep inside.  Amazing.

Finally, we added Turkish Chopped Salad (Well Fed, p. 141).  This blend of chopped, raw veggies is perfectly spiced, full of flavor, and so good for you!  And I loved the excuse to use raw radishes… YUM.

All in all, this was seriously the most gourmet-tasting meal I have ever cooked.  My husband and I were saying “wow…” with almost every bite.  And the best part?  None of it was difficult!  The most time-consuming part was probably chopping all the veggies for the salad… but turn on a good podcast, and you’re good to go.

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Tuesday

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On Tuesday, we had another delicious dinner!

First off, Meatza Pie (Well Fed, p. 77).  Now, this is what I call a pizza crust… MEAT!  This recipe does not look complex, but the flavors are insane.  I started off by making Melissa’s blend of Italian Sausage Seasoning (Well Fed, p. 49), and then pressing it into the beef before forming a crust in the bottom of a baking dish.  Once that is cooked, you make up the simple sauce recipe, which includes Pizza Seasoning (Well Fed, p. 49), and just toss on whatever veggies you have available.  I have ALOT of yellow squash right now, so I used that, some broccoli, some onions, and some bell peppers.  This dish was easy, spicy, and delicious!

As a side dish, we had Greek Broccoli (Well Fed, p. 117).  What a cool recipe!  I would never thing to toss broccoli with tomato paste and a bunch of fabulous spices, but it totally works!  We really enjoyed this dinner.

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Wednesday

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Last night’s dinner consisted of Grilled Chicken Thighs (Well Fed, p. 29) over Steam-Sauteed Veggies (Well Fed, p. 33).  As I mentioned above, we do not have a grill, so I followed Melissa’s “No Grill?” instructions… very handy!  Why in the world have we not been eating more chicken thighs??  They are DELICIOUS!  I don’t know why, but we usually spring for boneless, skinless breasts… and now I know that those are far less flavorful!  I picked up some organic thighs from Costco, and boy, they were tender and juicy!

As a side dish, we made a big salad with Creamy Italian Dressing (Well Fed, p. 59).  Most amazing salad dressing I have ever had.  Period.

My salad consisted of mixed greens, baby spinach, raspberries, blueberries, oranges, avocado chunks, slivered almonds, and cucumbers.  So, so, so good.  The dressing was so amazing that we actually “sopped it up” on our chicken thighs and scarfed it down.

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Thursday

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We didn’t get enough chicken thighs last night (seriously, we both wanted them again!), so I baked this again, but with a different spice mixture: Ras el Hanout (Well Fed, p. 47).  What an amazing spice blend!  It contains cumin, ginger, pepper, cinnamon, coriander, cayenne, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg.  Can you smell it already?  I can!  It is amazing.  I sprinkled the seasoning over the chicken before baking, and it gave it a beautiful flavor.

As a base, I also made Creamy Spice Market Kale (Well Fed, p. 111).  Have you ever had moist, juicy kale?  I hadn’t before tonight… the coconut milk in the recipe truly does make it creamy and wonderful.  But be prepared – it is definitely spicy!  We loved every bite.

We had a good amount of salad and dressing leftover from last night, so we were thrilled to enjoy that again!

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Friday

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Tomorrow night we are having dinner with some friends, and I’m bringing the food.  I’m making Shepherd’s Pie (Well Fed, p. 97), and I am so excited!  This will be my first experience with ground lamb, and I can’t think of many things I love more than mashed cauliflower (Well Fed, p. 113), so I’m sure it will be delish!

UPDATE: Check out the picture!  This was delicious… My lamb didn’t arrive in time, so I made the “Cottage Pie” variation from the book (ground beef instead of lamb).

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Saturday

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On Saturday, we’re going to visit some Paleo friends who live near our beef farmer, so we’ll pick up an order on the way!  Blair and I met through my Facebook page, and we’ve had lunch a few times.  We’ve had so much fun, that we decided our hubbies should meet as well!  Three cheers for Paleo meet-ups!  Blair is cooking for us, and I’m bringing a few side dishes (probably the Cumin-Roasted Carrots and Turkish Chopped Salad recipes that I tried earlier in the week – they are definitely winners!).

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Sunday

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On Sunday, I’m making Waldorf Tuna Salad (Well Fed, p. 67).  I have recently fallen in love with tuna, so this is sure to be delicious!

Update: Here’s the picture, and YES – it was amazing!!

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Also, as a snack this week, we enjoyed Carmelized Coconut Chips (Well Fed, p. 153).  I cannot believe how much these crispy little goodies taste like popcorn!  I will definitely be cooking up a batch before our next movie outing.  Fo’ sho.

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Who loves a GIVEAWAY?

 

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Seriously, people… not only is Melissa Joulwan a culinary genius, she is also such a sweetheart!  She emailed me today and offered a SIGNED COPY of Well Fed to one lucky winner… cool, huh??  I’m also throwing in a copy of my eBook, Easy Paleo: 21 Practical Ways to Simplify Your Paleo Life.  What a great combo!

Here are the rules:

1. Commit to doing a Whole30 yourself!

2. “Like” the Easy Paleo Facebook Page

3. Either “like” The Clothes Make The Girl on Facebook, OR follow Melissa on Twitter (@melicious)

4. SHARE this giveaway post with your friends on your own FB page (I will be able to see the “shares” under the post).

(The “share” button is directly under the FB post ON FACEBOOK – right beside the “like” button).

5. Comment on this post, letting me know that you’ve done all the steps above, and the dates of your own Whole30.

Easy peasy, huh?  Get on it!  You NEED both of these books!

Drawing will be done on July 1st, 2012.

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Be sure to check out the next post: Natural Skin Care!

Interview Series: Melissa Joulwan!

There are so many bloggers, writers, and smart “paleo-people” out there!  I thought it might be fun to ask some of them a few questions to see what is going on in their “neck of the woods.”   I am hoping to make this a weekly element on my website…  If you are a blogger, and would like to be featured on EasyPaleo.com, be sure to comment on this post so I can contact you.

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This week we’re talking with

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Melissa Joulwan

Author of Well Fed

I am Melissa’s biggest fan.  Period.  She is an amazing Paleo Powerhouse with more creativity than most of us have in our pinky fingers.  If you have never tried her recipes, you are missing out!  

One of my favorites is her Chocolate Chili.  Her cookbook is fantastic too… see my review HERE.  

Melissa was kind enough to agree to an interview, and I have been SO looking forward to sharing it with you!  What fun!

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Easy Paleo: If you had to describe yourself in one sentence, what would you say?

MJ: She is relentless, in spite of herself.

 

Easy Paleo:  How did you discover Paleo, and what is the BIGGEST difference it made in your life?

MJ: I’d been eating grain-free Zone for about a year when I started working with Melissa Hartwig of Whole9 (http://www.whole9life.com). She suggested (insisted?!) that I give up dairy for a week to see how I felt and gently encouraged me to eat a little more fat. That was in 2009, and I’ve never looked back. The biggest difference it’s made in my life is that food is no longer the enemy. I spent over 25 years of my life on a “diet” of some kind; that is not a loving way to treat oneself. Now, I know how to eat healthfully and it’s made food a pleasure instead of a source of stress.

 

Easy Paleo: Do you have an all-time favorite recipe?

MJ: To this day, my favorite food is buttered popcorn — the tiny white kind, not the big, fluffy yello kernels. But my favorite paleo recipe? I really love the Rogan Josh in Well Fed, and I’m proud of the grain-free Chicken Bastilla recipe (http://www.theclothesmakethegirl.com/2011/08/02/paleo-chicken-bastila/) I created because the traditional Moroccan dish is both stunningly tasty and packed with non-approved ingredients. It felt like a pretty big triumph to figure out an acceptable alternative.

 

Easy Paleo: What has been your biggest Paleo challenge, and how did you overcome it?

MJ: Socializing is one of the hardest parts of paleo, and I still work on it. When I’m feeling optimistic and energetic, it’s not a big deal to pack food or skip cocktails or say ‘no’ to an invitation to go out for pizza. But on those days when I “wish I could just be normal,” it’s still a challenge. I get over it by reminding myself that “normal” in the modern U.S. is now overweight, unfit, unhealthy, and probably, unhappy. I don’t really want that!

 

Easy Paleo: What do you wish EVERYONE knew about Paleo?

MJ: You will not feel deprived; the food is delicious and you can make it work without always feeling like the weirdo in the room.

 

Easy Paleo: Paleo-eating does not have to be difficult… how do you make this lifestyle an easy element of your life?

MJ: One of my biggest success factors is that my husband Dave is 100% supportive. I do all the cooking and he has never once complained about missing non-paleo foods. In fact, if a meal comes out boring in my opinion, he usually defends it and thanks me for cooking. That makes it easier to stick to the plan. Preparation is also essential for me. As I explain in Well Fed, I always do what I call a “Weekly Cookup” so there’s grab-and-go food available. I’m a terrible decision maker if I’m hungry, but I will always choose healthier foods if they’re ready for me before I reach the point that I want to gnaw on my own arm.

 

Easy Paleo: If you could go back to eating a particular food that you choose not to eat now, what would it be?

MJ: POPCORN! And feta cheese. Sometimes I really miss feta cheese.

 

Easy Paleo: How did you come up with the name of your cookbook?  It’s super-creative!

MJ: The book title is the result of gathering some of my favorite people around our dining room table, feeding them a bunch of food made from recipes included in the cookbook, and plying them with wine. Then we had a brainstorm of names that ranged from silly to rude to terrible to boring… and eventually found a gem: Well Fed.

 

Easy Paleo: If you could drop everything right now and take a month-long vacation, where would you go, and which recipes would you want to be sure and make while there?

MJ: Right now, I think I’d pick Paris because I just read Julia Child’s book My Life in France and I’m inspired to follow in her footsteps. I think it would be really fun to make some Moroccan and African food since there’s a France-North African connection. When we were Paris last Fall — for a few days, not a month! — I ate some traditional Ivory Coast snacks cooked to order by the most regal, friendly African woman… in an outdoor market in a residential neighborhood in Paris. The market was amazing! It was like the world had shrunk down and come to that street to sell everything delicious to us. I would love to be in that environment with some great recipes and my knife.

 

Easy Paleo:  Is there a food item (Paleo or not) that you absolutely can’t stand?  Or are you pretty “equal-opportunity” when it comes to grub?

MJ: I really don’t like capers, and I don’t like cilantro in Mexican food. I can only eat cilantro in Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine. Also, chicken hearts; not a fan. Although I do love chicken livers.

 

Easy Paleo: Tell us about the success of your cookbook!  It has done so well!

MJ: I didn’t set a sales goal before the book was published. I wanted to force myself focus on the project being its own reward. But the response has far surpassed anything I could have imagined!

It’s been so rewarding and so much fun to see people fall in love with Well Fed. I’m very happy that readers are finding the Weekly Cookup and information about how to streamline cooking to be helpful. I got email from a woman who said she was able to spend more time playing with her kids because she got all of the “heavy lifting” cooking out of the way at once. That made me feel successful.

But… we’ve had sale success, too! Well Fed has been out for a little less than three months, and we’ve sold over 12,000 copies.— but the cookbook has made it possible for me to resign from my dayjob so I can focus on writing full time. That is a tremendous gift!

 

Easy Paleo: Tell us why your blog is called “The Clothes Make The Girl.”

MJ: I know that, really, it’s what’s inside that counts, but I love fashion: little black dresses, stompy black motorcycle boots, sparkly things. Sometimes I wear all black just so I can pretend to be a spy who might need to outrun a bad guy.

I started my blog in 2008 to write about clothes, but I also started CrossFit around that time. Before I knew it, the changes taking place INSIDE my body were more interesting to me than what was hanging on the outside. I kept the title as a snide reminder that it’s what inside that counts — and if you work on the inside with solid training, clean eating, meditation, and yoga, the outside will look great.

 

Easy Paleo: What is your FAVORITE kitchen tool or appliance, and why?

MJ: This is totally unsexy, but I have a sauté pan that I use for almost every meal, every day, and I love that workhorse. I also couldn’t get very far without my food processor, and right now, I’m in love with the julienne peeler because I had a very tasty batch of zucchini noodles for dinner last night. It’s also essential for any cook to have one very good, reliable knife that makes them feel confident; keep it sharp!

 

Easy Paleo: How did you learn so much science behind Paleo/food?

MJ: I just look like I know a lot because I trust other smart people: Melissa and Dallas of Whole9, Robb Wolf, and Mark Sisson are the experts I rely on to help me understand enough of the “why” so I can focus on how to translate that into things that taste really good.

 

Easy Paleo: Tell us about Smudge!

MJ: Smudge started life as a stray cat who wandered into our neighbor Stefanie’s pottery studio and refused to leave. Stef asked us to “babysit” her for one afternoon, and that was pretty much it. That little cat totally tricked us into loving her, and now, she’s the boss of the household. We named her Smudge because she has a black patch on her nose. She reminds me every day to be glad to be alive and to make time to have fun. She likes to hide around corners to play hide-and-seek with us. It’s the most delightful thing ever. I have destroyed whatever meager punk rock cred I might have had by posting Smupdates (http://www.theclothesmakethegirl.com/tag/smupdate/) to my blog; Smudge has made me the crazy cat lady.

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Links:

My Blog – http://www.theclothesmakethegirl.com

Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Clothes-Make-The-Girl/200689133301047

Twitter – https://twitter.com/#!/melicious11

Pinterest – http://pinterest.com/melissajoulwan/

Well Fed, Indeed.

Let me begin by saying that I absolutely love Melissa Joulwan.  Since the beginning of my own Paleo journey, her blog has been a huge source of inspiration, ideas, and amazing recipes!  My husband is particularly grateful for her spicy okra recipe… it’s one of his FAVORITES!  When I heard that she was producing a cookbook, I knew that it would one day grace my Paleo shelf (I cannot wait to get my softcover copy!).

I love Melissa’s style… she writes her blog and her cookbook with sass, spunk, humor, and tons of energy.  It is obvious that she is passionate about eating clean, which is why her new cookbook, Well Fed, is so amazing.

It is really more than a cookbook.  As I scrolled through the beautifully-designed pages, full of photos that are sure to make your mouth water, I was so impressed by all the information Melissa provides!  There is much to be learned, as well as much to be made.  She even gives tips on how to make paleo-life easier (the weekly cook-up, shopping trip examples, pantry staples, etc.), a subject which is near and dear to my heart… and the purpose of my own blog and eBook.

My favorite part of Well Fed is that each recipe comes with so much!  Not only do you get a magical combination of ingredients that will make your taste-buds SING, you also get a note from Melissa about each recipe, projections for how much time each recipe will take to make, variations and/or pairing suggestions for each recipe, and even places for you to write your own notes (I usually fill up the margins of my favorite cookbooks with notes… now I have my own little spot to write- special!!!).

I also love that so many parts of the world are represented in the Well Fed recipes.  Whether you are in the mood for indian, southwestern, chinese, italian, mexican, or even good ol’ southern comfort foods, Melissa has you covered.

Do yourself a favor, and get yourself an early Christmas gift.  Trust me, you will be Well Fed.

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Don’t Forget!!  Well Fed is part of my GRAND PRIZE GIVEAWAY!  Check out the details here.