OMG that’s PALEO? 100 Recipes that will make you say “OMG”
Juli Bauer (of paleOMG.com)
Scribe Publishing
$24.99 (172 pages)
978-0-9859562-4-0
Paleo enthusiasts and gluten-free eaters who care how food tastes are likely to already be aware of Juli Bauer’s popular blog, paleOMG.com. Thilling news: thirty spanking-new recipes and seventy reader favorites are included in Bauer’s book. Boundless deliciousness and witty asides abide within, same as her blog. Although she makes fun of her photography skills, everything looks fantastic. The pictures are as inspiring as the theme: one can eat a high-protein grain-free diet without the slightest bit of deprivation. Many photos of the author, like those featuring a svelte and muscular Bauer dancing with her food processor and ecstatically enjoying her Paleo treats, emphasize the fun and healthfulness possible with the diet she promotes in her recipes.
For those with a specifically gluten-free interest, several bread alternatives grace the pages. For these, Bauer normally utilizes almond flour and coconut flour. For those who can’t stop craving rice and potatoes, delicious possibilities come in the form of cauliflowers impersonating starches. Spaghetti squash is used any time pasta is desired. Figs and Medjool dates are deliciously adequate sugar analogs. Learning to understand the substitutions and basic formulas opens up the floodgates for readers to be creative on their own. The carb-free main dish recipes are extremely imaginative as well as delicious (i.e., truffle bacon-wrapped filet mignon
over spaghetti squash with mushrooms) and provide a definite starting point for readers seeking to make Paleo a livable dietary choice. Creative sides options such as broccoli fritters closely resemble starchy hash browns, but actually taste better–and would be great at any meal. (* note: This reviewer personally made the broccoli fritters and had a pretty easy time not saying “OMG”…because that was too many syllables. I just said, “Mmmmmm!”)
Importantly, the food is delicious on its own without labeling it as diet food of any kind. A few weeks of eating this way, and one will start craving these amazing recipes. She promises that carrot fries “will change your life”, and she should not be doubted. Most of Bauer’s recipes feature cooked food, but several raw dessert recipes stand out: caramel cheesecake bars, no bake sticky berry bars, and pumpkin freezer fudge, as well as a beautiful apple-jicama salad. There’s also this structure called a “Chocolate Coffee Caramel Bar”, and I have no doubt it’s even more delicious than the picture of it looks. I continue to return to that picture when I wish to feel happiness and hope for the future, and I can’t wait to taste it. Everyone will find something to love. If you cook, buy this book.