Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

This book follows a grain-, legume-, dairy-free approach to paleo without going to some of the early extremes of the movement (anyone remember the days when paleo meant no salt and no vinegar? yikes!). Though they've become acceptable in paleo circles in recent years (they're even included on the Whole30 "yes" list!), potatoes are absent. They do use sweeteners (honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar) here and there, but use of sugar is limited overall as there are no desserts in the book - it's a cooking book, not a baking book. I'd say the selection of recipes is fairly well-balanced for an 80/20 paleo lifestyle - 80% being meat-and-veggie dishes, while 20% is paleo treats such as crackers, and pancakes. Oddly enough (or maybe not so much), most of the treats can be found in the breakfast section. For people new to paleo who are used to eating muffins and cereal for breakfast, the recipes for paleo muffins and granola will probably become gateway staples to help them transition to paleo. The book focuses on main dishes, though a decent selection of sides and appetizers has also been included. I appreciated the section of vegetarian mains very much as I've been meaning to have a few meatless meals in the week. There's also a subsection of staples, such as condiments and even paleo bread. As it says on the cover, the book includes 150 recipes in total. Though it feels poor compared to other ATK books (their Complete Cooking for Two Cookbook, for instance, contains a whopping 650 recipes!) , I feel it's a solid collection of practical recipes - mostly sautéed dishes, stir-fries and slow-cooker meals. I think that by keeping things simple and easy, they save the reader from inaction due to information overload. The fact of the matter is that a lot (and I do mean a LOT) of the recipes in other ATK books are already primal-, if not paleo-, friendly. So why buy this book? Well, I feel it helps teach the reader/cook how paleo substitutions work best as well as how to cook recipes that have become paleo staples, but cannot be found in conventional cookbooks. If you're new to paleo, it's invaluable. If you're a paleo veteran, go on and admit it: you've been hankering for this book to come from the burners of ATK. And if that doesn't cut it for you, then all I can say is that you'll be missing out on the best nut-crusted chicken breasts ever.