Zenbelly Cookbook: An Epicurean's Guide to Paleo Cuisine

Just got my copy today, so full disclosure: I haven't actually made anything yet. But, I LOVE this cookbook. As an experienced cook with an extensive cookbook collection, I've become very careful about which cookbooks I'm willing to purchase to take up valuable space in my library. I've been disappointed in the past and in an effort to streamline have donated or sold entires shelves worth of cookbooks. So, it was with a certain amount of trepidation that I ordered this cookbook sight unseen.I just love it, and here's why:1. The photography is beautiful and inspiring. A must for me.2. There's information in here that can actually teach even experienced cooks.3. There's great paleo recipes that aren't your usual "pot roast with turnips instead of potatoes or roasted chicken with chili marinade." I've spent a good part of the day looking through this book and there's tons of recipes I can't wait to make. What I'm excited about are there are unusual (but not weird) combinations that I wouldn't have thought of, e.g., cauliflower soup with lime/roasted sunchokes/lamb stew with tomatoes, olives, citrus, etc.).4. Ms. Miller gets that folks trying to go paleo miss "crunch." I cannot wait to try to plantain shoestring fries (!!!), plantain tortillas, and her recipes for crackers looks great too. Also in the bread/crunch category of things I haven't successfully let go of: pizza. She swears her crust recipe is approved by New Yorkers, and I'm going to give it a try this week.5. I love the suggested menu combos in the back of the book.I'll update my review when I've made 5 things, but, I will say, this is the first cookbook review I've ever written, and I have over 100 cookbooks (I've pared down!). This is the first one I've been excited about in 2014.Update: I've now made several things from this cookbook and I love it even more. The plantain shoestring fries add a great crunch to my chili or tortilla soup instead of regular tortillas, and the plantain tortilla is a great taco wrap (I was really, really tired of lettuce.). Her flavors are great, and I'm enjoying working my way through this book.

The Zenbelly Cookbook by Simone Miller is book I was most anticipating this year since I've begun eating Paleo. There are a lot of Paleo cookbooks and recipes out there on the internet but the fact that Simone is a chef first, and caters to an audience that may or may not be gluten-free, led me to believe that her recipes would pass muster for my non-Paleo eating foodie family. This is especially true of her baking mix! The addition of arrowroot powder has changed my grainy cookies and muffins into treats that my husband doesn't recognize as being "paleo"! I have not been disappointed and cannot wait to eat my way through the rest of the desserts and baked goods in this book!However, I've been on the 21 Day Sugar Detox since early October so I've spent the last month cooking meals each week from her main dishes and everything I've made has been amazing. Her recipes are simple, elegant, and please a wide spectrum of appetites. Some of our favorite meals thus far have been the Pan Roasted Chicken with Apples and Bacon (which works equally as well with mushrooms substituted for the apples for my fruit/meat phobic husband), the Tortilla (hold the tortillas) Soup, and the Cocoa Chile Pork Shoulder (great served over a baked sweet potato) which I've made twice now. I have found that my family tends to like a little more spice than the recipes call for, but doubling the chile for the pork did the trick nicely.We are also huge fans of the Spiced Pepitas, and the Cumin Orange Roasted carrots and my husband especially loves the Sesame zucchini noodles. After a long summer of rotating "zoodle" dishes, the sesame dressed version was very refreshing! I love the Blood Orange Vinaigrette on my daily salads, and her chicken bone broth is the first I've made that actually gelled as it was supposed to. Glancing through the book now I'm excited for all the things I have not yet made and am looking forward to trying everything in the months to come. Thanks, Simone, for spicing up our life and creating tasty, interesting morsels to keep us interested in eating this way for life!

Let's get a couple things out of the way right up front. If you're AutoImmune Paleo, you'll want to look elsewhere, as almost none of the recipes here are AIP-friendly. (No more than you might happen to stumble across in a non-paleo cookbook.) And this is definitely "foodie fare," rather than "family fare." (No one in my house is going to be eating chicken liver paté, oysters Rockefeller, or raw kale salad with currents and pine nuts anytime soon.However, with that said, if this is the type of fare you're looking for, it's a well-done book.The intro provides a little background on the author and the paleo diet in general. I really appreciated her blunt, down-to-earth style, paired with a bit of wry humor. I also appreciated her hype-free presentation of paleo eating.There's plenty of basic information to help the newbie to this style of cooking (or, for that matter, the newbie to COOKING) to lay the groundwork for the recipes to follow, from basic information about stocking the paleo pantry to fundamental preparation methods (like how to julienne carrots and how to cut up a whole chicken).The recipes are formatted nicely. The information is clear, and the organization is logical. (She progresses from the sorts of recipes I call "building blocks" -- the sort of thing you prepare, then use IN other recipes -- to breakfast, then appetizers, and so on.) The table of contents also lists every recipe in every section, which is very nice for finding things at a glance, or just skimming to decide what you want to make.

Great recipes with ingredients that are available in the UK. Measurements are in imperial but easily converted. However, I wish cookbooks would state the weight of an ingredient which would make things a whole lot easier. Clear layout of recipe ingredients and instructions makes for swift production of the concoction. Highly recommended to those who follow Paleo or gluten free diets with some use of dairy (the author does include dairy free alternatives). I've made the biscuits which turned out to be very tasty and no grains were used!

Wonderful cookbook by all-star paleo chef, Simone Miller. I had already purchased her Paleo Soups and Stews book (which is excellent) after attending one of her cooking classes in California and I decided I wanted more of her amazing recipes. The book is very comprehensive and a great starter cookbook for those interested in following a paleo diet. I love to cook (and eat) and I don't miss the grains that used to make me ill now that I have these books in my pantry. Also as a Nutritional Therapist I highly recommend Simone Miller's books to my clients. Enjoy!

A well written introduction and an excellent variety of recipes for when you want to make something extra special in your own kitchen. From sauces to desserts, with a great guide to equipment and kitchen basics.Eating paleo means feeling great but requires learning to cook (unless you can afford to pay someone else!) as convenience food is a no go. This book can help set you on that path. A brilliant addition to your paleo collection!

Food for thought

This book is probably one of the most amazing cookbooks I have ever purchased! Every recipe is amazing! Simone miller does an amazing job laying out each recipe and making it very user friendly! If you are eating paleo, and even if you aren't, this is a must have!