Cookbooks: Well Fed 2 Review and Giveaway!
Look at all those recipes I want to try!
The second edition of Melissa Joulwan’s best-selling paleo cookbook is — no hyperbole here — even better than the first. Those adhering to a paleo diet, going for the Whole 30, or even just looking for new recipes for homemade condiments, spice mixes, sausages and ways to soup-up vegetables will all find joy in Well Fed 2.
The introductory sections of the book cover everything from basic cooking lessons (What is a “pinch”? What is a “simmer”?) to why a person would want to try eating a paleo diet, and more specifically, try the Whole30 challenge (“When you take out the non-food and replace it with real food … you can throw off the shackles of calorie counting … and just eat. Peacefully. Healthfully. Robustly.”) all without feeling like you are being indoctrinated into some weird cult of personality. Melissa has a friendly, funny way of speaking gently to the fear and resistance we all are familiar with when approached with change, and making it not scary. She includes tips on how to stick to your guns in the face of social pressures; positive motivational stories from her own experiences; and a detailed list of paleo pantry staples to help you stay on the wagon.
An example of some of the new features in Well Fed 2: recipe reading tips!
I personally am very familiar with the paleo diet and Whole30 (though I’ve never had the cajones to try it myself) and have been enjoying Melissa’s recipes for a couple of years now through her blog and her first book, Well Fed. What I love about her recipes is that this girl likes to EAT. I mean, she truly appreciates bold flavors and new combinations and is constantly experimenting in the kitchen to find ways of making old favorites (like pizza, Chinese take-out, and nachos) into edibles that won’t kill you if you you eat them every day. She also draws heavily from her wordly travels and restauranteur parents to come up with home versions of exotic fare.
A large portion of the recipes section is devoted to homemade condiments and sauces like hoisin and ginger salad dressing as well as a few basic spice blends that are used throughout the book, and I imagine could be used for any number of things your brain might tell you to use them in. From these, I tried the Almost Amba (a mango-based, spiced sauce that happens to go awesome on grilled chicken) and the Lizard Sauce ( a mildly spicy Costa Rican salsa) and I’m overjoyed that I still have some of them both in our refrigerator for adding interest to future dinners.
Most of the recipe section is dedicated to proteins of all sorts, one of the funnest sections being “Burgers, Balls, and Bangers”. The concept is simple — multiple recipes for seasoned meat mixtures that may be formed into burgers, meatballs, or sausages depending on your mood — but so well-executed. She took inspiration from the sausages of the world to come up with 15 recipes for beef, pork, lamb or chicken that will seriously impress anyone. The Thai green curry meatballs and Turkish doner kebab are delicious in every way.
Look at that beautiful picture!
Beyond burgers, balls and bangers, there are also slightly more complicated main dishes like scrambles, stews, and stir fries. Thai Basil Beef hit all the right spots, as did the Deconstructed Gyro. Snacky things like Plantain Nachos and Tod Mun Chicken Cakes were a huge success in my house. The vegetable dishes are also beautifully inspiring: Balsamic-Grilled Butternut, Sesame Cucumber Noodles (yay!) and Pink Grapefruit Salad (double yay!). These would be welcome at any potluck, with no askance glances from your pasta-loving family.
For serious paleo dieters, there is also a large appendix at the end for sourcing ingredients and support. And for people following the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) Melissa has thoughtfully addressed each recipe in the appendix, explaining how to modify them for AIP diets.
As with the first volume, the recipe instructions and ingredients are clearly laid-out and easy to understand even for novice cooks. Each recipe has menu ideas and many suggestions and variations for people who enjoy experimenting with recipes. The food photography (by Melissa’s husband, Dave) is outstanding. A preview of the book is available on Melissa’s website if you would like to see more.
Between the recipes themselves and Melissa’s warm presentation, anyone who loves to eat everything will love this book. Highly recommended.
WELL FED 2 GIVEAWAY!
Melissa is giving away a print copy of Well Fed 2 to one lucky person here! To enter, please “like” her Facebook page and then come back to this window and leave a comment here telling me what your favorite fall or winter foods are! Contest begins now, Friday October 18, 2013 and ends Friday October 25 at noon CST.
I’ll choose a winner at random from those who’ve commented here (please only comment once!) and announce the winner Saturday morning, October 26. Make sure you leave a valid email address (which will remain private of course!) with your comment so that I can contact you for your mailing address. Thanks, everyone! Good luck!
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My favorite fall/winter foods are pumpkin pie (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), tamales, and bourbon!
I absolutly love the acorn sqash and brussle sprouts. my kids loved them of course now they are grown they wont touch them.
I liked her on fb!! My favorite winter food is souuuupppp!!! All kinds of warm soup really helps me over come those rainy days in Vancouver 🙂
My favorite fall/winter food is gumbo…being from Louisiana. Also, a good chili!
One of my favorite cold weather foods is ‘Fasolatha (Greek Bean Soup)’. Growing up I also knew this as Peasant Soup. Sometimes it included a little ham or sausage, sometimes not. It basically a bean and tomato soup, any other ingredients were generally comprised of what is available.
I just love, love, love autumn mushrooms, so Cream of Mushroom Soup is one of my favorites! But also, yummy apple pies on a cold winter day is heaven-sent.
Would love a copy of this cook book. One of my favorite things to cook in the fall is a potato leek soup! Very delicious.
Favorite fall foods? I dunno. Fall and winter are hard times for me, so I normally make warm comfort foods like chili, or a spicy vegetable beef soup (which I’m eating a bowl of right now!). Apples are always delicious, and I seem to have an overabundance of them at this time of year. Also: pies. Lots and lots of pies.
Without doubt, Japanese Spicy Beef Curry over Jasmine Rice with a lot of fried shallots on top of them. Always make my tummy happy and ready to face the coldness of winter 🙂
I love comfort foods–soups, stews, warm foods that warm my soul. I liked Melissa’s facebook page.
Hey Hilah. My favorite winter dish is the japanese curry rice (chicken cooked with ginger and vegetables, plus the japanese rice), makes me all warm in rainy days, also lemonade ginger juice is just the best I can drink. I’m actually a huge fan of ginger *________* . By the way I’m from Morocco 🙂
My favorite fall food(s) are ANYTHING BBQ … ribs, pulled pork, brisket, collard greens, corn bread. MMMMmmmmmmmm
My fave fall/winter food is carne en su jugo (spicy, bacon, meat and beans soup.)
Liked on FB! I have her first book and LOVE it! My favorite cold weather foods are creamy pumpkin soup with a little kick of cayenne pepper and stew. 🙂
One of my favorite fall foods has to be my mother’s stuffing. She would make it every Thanksgiving and it was one of the best things I have ever eaten. She filled it full of mushrooms, celery, onions, and loads of sausage. It was pretty amazing.
Liked on FB. I love pozole and tamales during the “cold” months in Austin. Thank you for the giveaway!
My fav is a standing rib roast-rare-mashed potatoes, string beans, broccoli with cheese sauce, and salad.
I love any combination of the following, in the fall: Apples, butternut squash, brussels sprouts, and cranberry.
My favorite fall food to make, besides TACO’s,would be stews. Lot’s of yummy veggies simmered with beef,lamb, or chicken and I like to add a little hot pepper for some spice.
Pumpkins are okay, but APPLES are where it’s at. I’ll eat them on their own, I’ll eat them baked into pies or cupcakes or muffins, I’ll get apple flavored drinks and desserts in restaurants. They go well with so many different things (caramel, peanut butter, cinnamon, etc.) and next to pumpkins they just scream “fall” to me!
I love fall, because of all the varieties of soup i get to consume
Favorite fall food is roasted and stuffed acorn squash.
I seem to be in love with Pumpkin this year.. But anything that you can add the cinnamon/clove/nutmeg spice to is yummy.. Butternut squash, cider, mulling wine..
Our favorite Fall/Winter foods are hearty soups. The one we make most often is a butternut squash, parsnip and carrot soup. Oh so comforting on a chilly night!
I LOVED WELL FED!!! Can’t wait for book 2. My favourite fall and winter foods are stews and chillis. So good, so paleo!
Liked! I love soup. Although since going Paleo I have cut out my favorite Baked Potato soup. But that is okay I am better off with out it.
Thank you for a chance to win Melissa’s newest book! I am looking forward to WellFed 2
Kelly
Liked on FB! My favorite fall and winter foods are stews and chili. I’m particular my favorite chili recipe is from Well Fed: chocolate chili! It’s a family favorite
I’ve been a huge fan of Melissa since January when I discovered Wed Fed in an ebook bundle. Her cookbook was the only reason I survived three months of an allergy diet. My favourite fall or winter food is sweet potato, especially if it’s Melissa’s Paleo Sweet Potato Soup: http://www.theclothesmakethegirl.com/2013/01/02/paleo-sweet-potato-soup/.
By far my favorite fall & winter food is acorn squash (stuffed w/seasoned ground meat, onion, pepper & wilted spinach). So yummy! I just did my first Whole30 with my DH & almost 13 yo DD. A huge success for us all so I’d LOVE to have Well Fed 2 to add to our meal options!
My favorite fall/winter foods are anything pumpkin and stews with lots of veggies!
My favorite cool weather is soup. So many varieties!
I love soups and stews in the Fall, and I’d love to win this book! Thanks!
Gravenstein Apples, persimmons, and Kumquats. Oh, and the Yule Log! Thanks.
I make “piggy soup”. Its cabbage, crushed tomatoes, and ground meat (I am lucky enough to have a hunting husband so I use ground venison) salt pepper and some cider vinegar. Simmer all day…..yummy!!
I liked her page. I love any kind of soup.
I more-than-like WellFed on FB! I love a slow-cooked brisket in the fall with lots of roast veggies, especially brussel sprouts!
My favorite new recipe for fall is some crazy wonderful butternut squash soup that is roasted with bacon and maple syrup, then thrown in a blender with some fat free half-and-half… totally amazing. That is, once I figured out how to peel a butternut squash without cutting my fingers off. Those things are challenging. I’m sure there is a better way, but it was my first encounter. Hoping to look more “chef-like” when I make it again this weekend. 😀 So worth all the effort though…
I love butternut squash — especially in soup form with crumbled bacon.
Soup, all kinds – I hadn’t thought of bourbon, but yes!
Favorite fall/winter foods include pumpkin pie, soups and stews.
I love slow cooker nice and spicy goulash, especially during those slightly colder days here in FL. Liked Mel’s FB page.
I love butternut squash and anything with sage or cinnamon in the fall, makes everything seem cozier!
Also liked on FB.
Butternut Squash Soup is a fall failsafe, as well as chicken broth. I also love roasting Japanese sweet potatoes. Reminds me of eating them fresh out of the coals from the street vendors in Japan…mmm.
I love beef stew with butternut squash, onions, parsnips. I also love Melissa’s Italian Sausage layer cassserole and her Mongolian meatballs. Perfect for fall/winter!
anything with pumpkin!!!
I have liked your Facebook page for sometime now!!!!
My favorite Fall foods without a doubt have to be Creamy Soups,and Chilli -they warm me from the inside out!
LIked on FB. My favorite is probably butternut squash soup. Mmmm just had some for lunch.
Liked on FB – I love roasted acorn squash and any kind of soup during the colder months 🙂
Cold months are hearty stews and lots of root vegetables!
I love all types of squash dishes, roasted and brown buttered.
I liked her on FB. My favorite fall foods are soups.
pumpkin pie! and stuffing…
I love pumpkin pie! And I love Melissa’s recipes : )
My fav…
Melissa’s best paleo chili recipe! We loooove chili in the winter and I just made it yesterday for the cold weather kiting Oklahoma this weekend. We will never make another chili recipe again!
My favorite winter foods are soup and winter squash. YUM!
I love making soups in the fall… roasted vegetable is a favourite!
I like anything hearty and stew-like in the fall and winter. It feels cozy.
I’ve been a fan on FB for awhile. Right now I’m craving, soups, stews, and almond flour pumpkin bread.
Already liked on FB. I love chili and soup. I’m not picky about what kind!
For me, it’s soups and stews. Especially the ones with Guinness. Oh, and as Clayton Froing mentioned, bourbon.
Liked her on FB long ago! 🙂
Favorite fall foods are soups and of course anything pumpkin!
Anything Pumpkin Spiced and Chicken Curry!
I’ve already liked Melissa’s page on FB. I love starches in the winter… butternut squash, potatoes, plantains. mmmmm
My favorite seasonal winter food is kabocha!!
I love chili and all variations is squash, in the fall, nuts and apples, too. Two nights ago, I make the Chocolate Chili from the first Well Fed cookbook. Amazing! Flavorful and so rich, I definitely have to follow the suggestion to serve over spaghetti squash, next time. Yum!
Anything that has pumpkin in it!! Along with Soups and stews!
Mel’s chocolate chilli from Well Fed 1!!
already a FB fan. I love roasts in winter, any type, beef, pork, lamb. Thank you for the giveaway
My favorite fall foods are stews and soups! But anything pumpkin flavored is delish! =)
My favorite winter food is her Mole Chili, a magnificent combination of flavors that will sustain life. Grownups, kids, the elderly, we all eat at the same table, and this is one thing that is a universal favorite!
I love eating my husband’s beef stew when it’s chilly outside. Thanks for the giveaway!
I’m in the mood for anything pork and anything winter squash 🙂
My favorite winter food is: Acorn Squash
Favorite fall foods, oh my gosh where to begin. PUMPKIN PIE. my birthday is in November and I ask for this to be my birthday cake every year.. This years will be paleo 🙂 Caramel apples, Sweet dumpling squashes, soups… I could go on forever.
My favorite fall and winter foods are soups and stews.
I love to cook hearty lamb shanks in the cold months.
Hmmm… bison steak!
favorite fall foods…warm soups/stews/chili, freshly harvested apples and almost anything pumpkin (but not pumpkin beverages…that’s just weird!)
My fave foods for fall… Pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin cookies with icing, butternut squash casserole, pumpkin seeds, and Thanksgiving dinner with all the yummy sides and an awesomely cooked turkey!
My favorite fall foods are winter squashes…..pumpkin, acorn, butternut, spaghetti….they are all so delicious and versatile. Plus they are soooooo good for you, packed full of vitamins. On top of all that, they can be used in gorgeous fall decorating displays.
I’m loving anything with pumpkin but I recently learned how to make apple butter and it’s my new obsession!
I love creamy soups in the fall and winter. They just make the season
liked on fb. i love pumpkin, sweet potatoes (any way), fall comfort food!
I’m on my 12th day of my first whole 30! I love the first book and I really want to see this one.
My favorite fall food has to be pumpkin pie!
Roasted butternut squash, so that it is caramelized and sprinkled with a touch of salt.
whatever is at the farmer’s market or csa box… especially persimmons (oh so brief), squash, and chestnuts
One of my favorite fall/cold weather foods is a butternut squash chili I make. Others are adult mac&cheese (always comforting, no matter the season, and hearty beef stews.
Favorite fall dishes…anything with pumpkin and soups/stews!
My favorite fall foods are chili, beef stew, roast beef, and anything apple.
My fall go-to’s are my traditional slow cooked apple sauce and hot chocolate. Every year without fail.
I already follow Melissa on Facebook. My favorite fall foods are all of the winter squashes. This year I grew spaghetti squash. Next year I plan to add butternut squash to the garden in order to make my delicious apple/butternut squash soup.
My fav for fall is pumpkin pie with whip cream and my fav for winter is hot chocolate with marshmellows or whip cream
Sweet potatoes!
I love all squashes this time of year… butternut, pumpkin, delicata and I’m always trying to incorporate them into dishes. Of course, chili is a household staple when it gets cooler as is beef stew!
I already follow Melissa on Facebook and I would love to win Well Fed 2!
I would say Pumpkin pie with homemade whipped cream topping. For a main meal chili.
I had already liked the page on Facebook and thanks for this giveaway!! My favorite fall foods are absolutely hearty soups!
I love Pumpkin & Sausage Soup!
Macintosh apples! I love the spicy smell and the sweet tart flavor. I look forward to the new fall crop every year.
Fall is also a good time for butternut squash and a return to hearty soups.
My favorite fall food is dungeness crab! Here in San Francisco we wait all year for the first crabs to appear in the market! Huge, so fresh and paleo 🙂
My favs are anything pumpkin, chai and soups galore with a side of bone marrow
Anything pumpkin says “Fall” to me like nothing else!!! Love it!!!
I love Hubbard squash … here in New Mexico seeing the big beauty at the farmer’s market is a sign of fall into winter.
My favorite winter weather foods are soups, and creams, and spicy meats and everything pumpkin!!
Stews, squash and chili!
Favorite fall foods include all things squash–spiced and stuffed, souped, or souffle’d 🙂
I love pumpkin and squash soups and root veggies of all kinds!
My favorite fall food is the chili from well fed.
In the fall and winter my favorites are stews and chili. Warm and comforting.
I love all squashes: carnival, butternut, acorn, etc. They are so yummy in soups. Also pumpkin anything.
I love to make chili or stew in the winter (all 2 weeks of it, here in Austin!) I also love to roast root veggies with a sprinkle of curry on them. Tasty!
I love roasting tomatoes, onions, red peppers and garlic and making soup out of them along with a grilled cheese sandwich. Really I love all kinds of SOUP!
All things pumpkin: soups, bread, pies, and on and on…
My favorite Fall and Winter foods is Pumpkin Pie. Who doesn’t love pumpkin right out from the oven? Feels warm in the taste ^_^
My favorite fall and winter foods are made of seasonal produce. I love pumpkin soup, pumpkin pie, pumpkin cinnamon rolls, pumpkin cupcakes- anything pumpkin. I also love anything apple- apple pie, tarte tatin, apple pancakes- there’s so much you can do with apple and pumpkin!
My favorite fall dessert would be anything pumpkin! I made paleo pumpkin brownies on a whim a while back and ate them all in one night (not exactly out of the ordinary). As for real food though it would be warm cozy soups and cuminy chili powdery veggie chili nom nom nom. 🙂
I liked Melissa’s page and love anything pumpkin in the fall. My second favorite is chili.
My favorite fall recipe is homemade apple pie.
Anything made with pumpkin or soups or stews.
I missed your contest, but just love your site!!!!!
Creamed squash and some pastured pork chops!
Last year I had a pumpkin chorizo posole…. OMG, so yummmmmmmm. – a seasonal dish at a local restaurant. I have been craving it all year and now…. I can’t eat posole, it’s not paleo (I don’t believe).
Or a really good pot of chili with tons of veggies, a little dark chocolate and cinnamon for depth. Mmmm.
Deeeeelish.
My favorite fall/winter foods are squash. All squash all the time. Butternut, acorn, spaghetti. Love it.
Posole is fabulous during the colder weather! Cassoulet is another favorite. 🙂
Buffalo Chicken Chili
I love pumpkin pie and soup! 🙂