Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I have so many things to say about this cookbook but I'll start with my favorite aspect and the reason I'm giving 4 stars. Con: It is simple. Upon first receiving it and glancing through it I was a little disappointed that it seemed sparse and recipes for mayonnaise, cauli-rice and chicken stock stuck out at me. Roughly just over 100 recipes and some of them very basic. I understand why the basics are in here but I didn't expect so much beginner 'education' in a second cookbook. Seems like those of us buying it would be familiar with paleo terms/shopping already. However, as is my custom, I read through it cover to cover and that is where the real value of this book comes out. Favorite: Those few reviewers that are unhappy with this book aren't realizing that the real value is in the unbelievable amount of time and work that Ms. Walker put into making 8 weeks of meal plans! If anyone has tried to do this on their own they'll really understand how valuable this is. We're talking 8 weeks of coordinated recipes, 8 weeks of shopping list and elaborate recipe indexes. This book is a two month meal plan and yet also a fully functioning cookbook. These recipes all work together, and leftovers are designed to be used in a new recipe (if desired). No longer do you have to open a can of coconut milk and hope the reminder doesn't go to waste, she accounts for so many of the little details like that. So far each of the recipes I've tried have been wonderful. Actually, every recipe I've tried of Danielle Walker's has been wonderful. Tried and true. To elaborate, here are the things I love about this book: - meal plan with shopping lists - indexes! By ingredients, meal type, allergens/dietary preference, time/one-pot/crock-pot and a photo index - tear-out menu plans and shopping lists. I'm telling you she thought of everything! The tear out pages are duplicates, so people like me who normally wouldn't use them for fear of losing the info. The fact that they're duplicated means I'm more likely to use them. - more nut free recipes! I'm not allergic but I don't like all the phytic acid in nuts and there are several almonds worth in a few tablespoons of almond flour. - the photos are great, and I appreciate that each recipe has one - although advanced cooks might not need a lot of the filler in this book, I appreciate that I can recommend this book to anyone beginner or veteran and both will find benefit. - again, I'm so impressed with the coordination and organization of this book. It's so elaborate and yet everything can stand alone too. There is so much time put into this cookbook. - storage tips. I love that she tells you how long things keep in both the fridge and freezer - nutritional info for every recipe On a personal note, I love the dedication to her daughter Aila. I love that this book is a celebration of her short life and that she lives on in all our hearts and kitchens as we enjoy the fruit of their labor together.