I’m A Published Recipe Writer! + GIVEAWAY!!!

Several years ago my husband had some significant health issues.  He was in constant pain, and after a litany of tests the doctors diagnosed him with a chronic condition that would require a lifetime of daily prescription medication.  We left the hospital feeling totally defeated.  As a Captain in the Army and avid Cross-Fitter, Chris was an active and health-minded guy, so the thought of a lifelong sickness overwhelmed and frustrated us.

Before filling the prescriptions, we spent some time thinking about the diagnosis and how the doctors came to their conclusion.  Not once did anyone ask my husband about his eating habits.  No doctor questioned if the food going in might have contributed to his distress. Chris decided to make some lifestyle changes before starting the medication.

After a bit of research, Chris found the now popular Paleo diet.  Within days of dropping pasta, heavy carbs and sugars in place of tons of veggies and clean protein, he felt better.  Healed, in fact!  But, as the primary cook in our household I was reluctant to make the switch to Paleo because I enjoy trying new recipes and techniques.  Much to my surprise, it really hasn’t been too difficult. Many people think a Paleo diet is very restrictive, but I’ve found it to be quite the opposite. I am always coming up with new recipes for vegetables, and we cut out a lot of foods that didn’t make us feel very good anyway (like pasta and heavy bread dishes). Of course we splurge every now and then (Chicago has some great pizza places we just can’t resist, and I love baking), but Paleo has taught us about moderation and the importance of paying attention to our body’s cues.

I know the Paleo diet isn’t for everyone, but I also know that every body is different.  What works for some will not work for others.

We’ve been cooking (mostly) Paleo meals for several years, and I am always thinking of ways to turn familiar foods into something new and healthy.  So, I was honored when my recipe for one of our favorite Paleo-friendly desserts was chosen for publication in Paleo Magazine‘s latest cookbook!  The cookbook is full of inspiring stories and healthful recipes, and I can’t wait to start incorporating some of these dishes into our regular meal rotation.

The editors at Paleo Magazine have generously offered to participate in a *GIVEAWAY* for Homemade Mothering readers!  Two lucky winners will receive a copy of the cookbook, a great prize regardless of personal diet.

To enter, follow the Rafflecopter prompts below:

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117 Comments for this entry

  1. Rachel Sepe says:

    The food that always makes me feel better is roasted vegetables. Something about the simple flavors is satisfying. I also can’t get enough cucumber water!

  2. Jessica says:

    Water….I know…technically not a food but I drink a lot of water and when I don’t I can feel the effects right away. A nice big glass of cold water….yum!
    Second…roasted veggies. We just started the Paleo lifestyle (my husband was told his blood sugars were too high so we did some research as well before going on meds) and I’m really liking all the roasted veggie dishes we have been making.
    Thanks!

  3. Emily says:

    A large salad always makes me feel better.

  4. Debbie says:

    Fresh fruit ! Love it but I am so busy I forget to eat and take care of my self! Congrats on the book !

  5. Katie says:

    Kale! I just can’t get enough of it. Craved it throughout my pregnancy and never slowed down after my daughter was born. i add it to everything.

  6. Jennifer Ismael says:

    Fresh veggies always make me feel better. Even my kids can’t get enough these days.

  7. Hannah says:

    It amazes me that doctors seldom inquire about diet or lifestyle before making diagnoses!

  8. Amber says:

    Fresh fruit for me. It’s the best snack I can think of 🙂

  9. Nikki says:

    Fresh veggies, my kiddos will even pass up french fries and candy for em!

  10. Meghan says:

    Steel cut oats w/almond milk, red grapes, walnuts and agave syrup

  11. Samantha says:

    At the moment since going Paleo…chicken soup or broth makes me feel like home. I love to sip on it when it’s cold.

  12. Lisa Czlonka says:

    Congratulations on your recipe being published. I know some friends who would love to win this, if I don’t:)

  13. Liz o. says:

    A big salad loaded with a variety of ingredients makes me feel great.

  14. Sarah says:

    Chicken Broth makes me feel better.

  15. Lina says:

    Roasted vegetables are my favorite! I suffer from migraines and Paleo recipes help with that so this book would be a great staple for me and my family!

  16. Katie says:

    Water! We live in FL, and drinking tons of water is a necessity!

  17. Dena Davis says:

    Cherries in the summertime always make me feel better!

  18. Leslie says:

    Grilled wild salmon & mixed greens salad is a favourite meal. Replace grains with greens!

  19. Jessica says:

    I’ve gotten half a dozen people at work plus my entire family to eat Paleo over the past two years. It’s literally saved my underweight handicapped sister’s life.

  20. Cheryl says:

    homemade chicken veggie soup always makes me feel better

  21. Laura says:

    In the summer, when it gets really hot, I love homemade watermelon pops or frozen grapes. Yum. However, since this has been a very bitter cold winter, I love homemade soup.

  22. Katy says:

    I always feel better when I cut out carbs for a day and start the morning with a green smoothie!

  23. Carolyn says:

    Not food, but a cup of green tea always makes me feel better.

  24. Brent Esenberg says:

    Sauerkraut is fantastic.

  25. Dana says:

    Fresh fruit, especially melon, always makes me feel better!

  26. Debra Garner says:

    Congrats on being published!!! Hope I win..

  27. Veronica says:

    Would Love To Learn How To Cook This Way!

  28. Nicole says:

    Fresh Fruit and water always makes me feel better. I love apples with a little almond butter.

  29. Kara says:

    avocados!

  30. Deanna says:

    Awesome giveaway!

  31. Melinda says:

    Spaghetti Squash! I love it, more than regular pasta now. You can do almost anything with it and it taste so good!

  32. Emilie says:

    All natural paleo breakfast shake! Just berries, a little almond butter, coconut or almond milk, a drop of vanilla extract and some Chia seeds. 🙂 You get protein, healthy fats, calcium and fruit!

  33. Kim Angstadt says:

    The Food that always makes me feel better is Dark Chocolate <3 It soothes the Heart & Soul 🙂
    Thank you for giving such awesome information, I am a subscriber to the Paleo Magazine new to it and I love it!

  34. Robyn says:

    Water. I can always tell when I haven’t had enough

  35. Ofelia says:

    Green smoothies! Nothing like starting out the day with this powerhouse.

  36. Allison says:

    Chicken parm! Comfort food to the max!~!

  37. Stephne says:

    I’m going to say water too, I always feel great and energized when I’ve been drinking it all day. 🙂

  38. Samara Ernst says:

    Wholefoods are the business! I always feel satisfied & nourished after eating whole, real foods.

  39. Renee Bertola says:

    Warm water with lemon and honey.spinach salad with eggs and bacon…yum!

  40. SANDIE says:

    Salad

  41. Heather says:

    Ok, So I make a paleo-fied carob mug cake that I just love… but bacon and steak always make me feel great too!

  42. Breanna says:

    I know it isnt paleo but sushi is my comfort food… Guacamole is too 🙂

  43. Lauren S. says:

    apples and almond butter

  44. Laura says:

    Meat makes everything better.

  45. Erica says:

    Apples

  46. Kathryn says:

    A nice steak can make me feel better.

  47. Jodi Healy says:

    I always feel better after having a bowl of soup! My favorite comfort food

  48. Ashley Johnson says:

    I love to eat everything, salads and chicken are my favorite. I am unable to eat beef due to my stomach issues. They both are so versatile, you can do so much with them when it come to preparing a meal. I struggle with finding good recipes that taste good. Every little bit helps and an awesome cook book without fail gets you in the mood to cook.

  49. Gloria says:

    Avocados!

  50. Lauren L. says:

    I feel better after eating some Theo Chocolate, BUT that’s all emotional. Physically, I feel better after eating some protein. My favs are hard boiled eggs, steak and sausages.

  51. Susan Collins White says:

    chocolate…. I am being honest.

  52. Mari u says:

    Kale salad with shaved roasted brussels…

  53. Stephanie says:

    Veggies that make me feel better are Broc, Cauliflower, celery and green beans

  54. Orlane says:

    If it has bacon in it I will give it a try

  55. Christina R. says:

    CHILI! I love chili. ^_^

  56. Nina says:

    I make a paleo apple crisp. My favorite thing to eat that’s paleo!! So much better than all those other sugary treats.

  57. Bill A says:

    Just starting Paleo and would love a great cookbook

  58. Rachel says:

    Hearty homemade chicken vegetable soup with homemade broth- it’s a lot of work, but it always makes me feel great. I also love a salad, packed with goodies, with plenty of strong balsamic vinegar on top.

  59. Chuck P. says:

    Almond butter is my go to comfort food. It always has a way of satisfying any craving that I have.

  60. Sarah says:

    Fresh fruit with some homemade almond butter =)

  61. Marcey H says:

    Fresh fruit and water always make me feel great! Although chocolate and paleo coconut cake. Yum!

  62. Suzanne says:

    Soup. Pretty much any kind of soup, though I’m partial to a big bowl of homemade chicken vegetable.

  63. Kendra says:

    I love eating veggies of all types! Add some coconut oil or ghee with some salt and pepper. Best ever 🙂

  64. Katherine says:

    Bakes sweet potato topped with a dab of coconut oil and crumbled bacon always makes me feel good.

  65. Debbie Kidd says:

    Bacon and roasted veggies.

  66. rebeccs says:

    A salad liaded with my favorite veggies.

  67. Kat says:

    Brilliant Idea!!

  68. Mindy says:

    Sweet potatoes or a good soup never fail

  69. Katherine says:

    Fresh food makes me feel good!! Fruit, veggies, meat, anything that’s not loaded with chemicals and preservatives!

  70. Gretchen says:

    Whata great idea! You must be very proud!

  71. Lisa P says:

    Dark chocolate always makes me feel better!

  72. denise says:

    Anything with meat.

  73. Sylvie Daigle says:

    Berries! I love them all, they are delicious!

  74. Haley says:

    Fresh fruit & veggies

  75. Amy says:

    Homemade Bone Broth

  76. jennifer olson says:

    Spaghetti squash spaghetti is my comfort food

  77. Rebecca Hilleque says:

    Roasted carrots!

  78. Anna K says:

    Sweet potato fries!

  79. renata says:

    sweet potatoes always makes me feel better 🙂

  80. Daniel says:

    Bacon And Roasted Brussels Sprouts!!

  81. Michelle Cantwell says:

    I love Sleepytime herbal tea with honey! Comforting and helps stave off illness.

  82. Lorraine says:

    Kale and spinach always makes me feel better.
    Love green tea too.
    I love food and since trying paleo 2 years ago (thanks to my pt) I’ve never looked back. I enjoy my meals they have awesome flavours and textures and educated
    My children along the way.

  83. Meghan Goering says:

    I love Paleo Magazine! They always have great articles and recipes.

  84. Daniel Orban says:

    fresh coconut milk always makes me better

  85. Karen D says:

    pan roasted / caramelized parsnips

  86. Sarah says:

    I”m looking fwd to getting to look around your site! I have never seen it before and I was pretty excited to see it come up on the paleo mag page. I love finding new, fun pages!

  87. brett says:

    Steak and eggs solves everything!!!!

  88. Angela says:

    So many choices… I love sweet potatoes! You can never go wrong with steak or bacon. Cabbage is so versatile – I cook with it a lot! Just to name a few!

  89. Cathy K says:

    Green apple and Almond butter! Yum.

  90. Janella says:

    Avocados

  91. Tabitha says:

    I would have to say grilled steak and chicken with veggies always makes me feel better. 🙂

  92. Jocelyn says:

    So glad I found you! I’ve been wanting to go Paleo for about a year and am finally taking the plunge. One week in so far and honestly, I’m not sure what I was so scared of!

  93. Candy says:

    Bacon and Chocolate

  94. The food that always makes me feel better is raw vegan chocolate.

  95. Melissa says:

    I always feel better when I have bone broth!!

  96. Niki says:

    The food that always makes me feel better is a fresh watermelon right off the vine.

  97. Alissa King says:

    chocolate, of course. Yum !

  98. Erin says:

    A yummy green smoothie for me!

  99. Jamie Ellis says:

    I would love to learn more about this diet. Sounds great!

  100. Marye says:

    The food that always makes me feel better is green veggies~any variety. If I don’t have some type of green veggie every day I just feel “off”.

  101. Lori says:

    Bacon and avocado and a fat grass fed burger

  102. Andrea Smith says:

    If being honest I’d say ice cream. But if I’m being on my best behavior, I’d say almond butter and apples! Or a BLT lettuce wrap!

  103. Leslye O'Shaughnessy says:

    A really good steak always is huge treat and comfort food!

  104. Kristin Troska says:

    Lean Protein

  105. Beth says:

    Colombian chicken soup. It’s a recipe I found years ago that is just so comforting!

  106. Jen says:

    Paleo has been such a blessing for me. I was a vegetarian for nearly a decade, and it was the sickest I had ever been. I know it isn’t a lifestyle that works for everyone, but it has literally saved my life.

  107. Lauralee L. says:

    It depends on how I am feeling. If I am sick, chicken soup… But as a general will always make me feel better? chocolate or something with bacon in it ( just not the 2 together). lol

  108. Kathy K says:

    A good tossed salad with olive oil dressing

  109. Jennifer says:

    fresh fruit in the summer!!

  110. Jamie Underwood says:

    The food that always makes me feel better are beets. Juiced, roasted, shredded on a salad. Always makes me feel better. 🙂

  111. Marlene Crespo says:

    The food that makes me feel better is avocados, eggs or dark chocolate. Or if feeling under the weather a Panamanian Sancocho (chicken soup with Latin root vegetables).

  112. april says:

    Fresh fruit always makes me feel better…especially the summer berries and melons.

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