Rakowski - Bowls of love : paleo soups for the seasons

Copyright 2014 by Ali Rakowski

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from Ali Rakowski.

ISBN: 978-0-9862256-0-4
eISBN: 978-0-9862256-2-8

Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN): 2014919944

Edited by: A.J. Walkley (ajwalkley.com)

Photography: Erica Gannett (ericagannett.com)

Design: Margot Harrington (pitchdesignunion.com)

DEDICATION

For Grandma, whose essence is what this cookbook is all about. A woman who loved more than anyone Ive ever known, and who showed it through the delicacies she made and served in her kitchen. Grandma taught me how to share love with bursting affection, how to feed myself and others, and how to truly cherish every bite. Her spirit was electric and unmatched, akin to the vibrancy of beets, the strongest color in my kitchen. I remain connected to Grandma still, with her energy living on through my hands and my heart as I practice her crafts of cooking and sharing love with all those that matter most.

GRATITUDE

Similar to any successful meal, this cookbook was a communal experience and wouldnt be complete without every person who contributed to it. I am forever grateful and impacted by the outpouring of love and support from my 49 bowl-givers. Your bowls and the recipes that live in them on the following pages are forever imprinted on my heart.

To my personal Board of Directors:

Mom: for eating 75 pounds worth of donuts and ice cream when you were pregnant with me because I was hungry. You have lived your life for me, and I hope this book shows you that I live mine for you.

Dad: for convincing me to love myself as much as you do and to share my authentic self with the world.

Mal: for being the best friend, strategic partner, and irreplaceable other half who taught me what loyalty means.

Sarah: for being my one and only math friend, and the most beautifully well-rounded version of a present-day 1950s housewife.

Laura: for the long walks and even longer talks that fueled my confidence and enthusiasm throughout this process.

Ryan: for falling in love with me even after you saw my bunions. Your patience, support, and faith in me have single-handedly motivated me to reach for my dreams. I am still convinced that the ripple effect of love from this book convinced you to propose to me; either way, my life will be complete when I cook bowls of love for you and our future children around the kitchen island in our future home. I couldnt have dreamt of a better partner, and my heart belongs to you.

CONTENTS

Red Hawk Ranch Chilled Avocado & Cucumber Soup

When I first came up with the idea for Bowls of Love , I knew I wanted to involve as many of my favorite people as possible in some way, shape, or form. For me, cooking has always been a labor of love for the most special people in my life; my first cookbook would be nothing less. The creation of dishes and the eating of them are both communal experiences; if you ask me, food is always meant to be shared. I couldnt think of a better way to share my recipes than in the very bowls used to eat the soups I create.

I reached out to my closest friends and family all over the world, asking them to send me a bowl that had special meaning, that spoke to them, jumped out at them, or intrigued them in some way. Over the course of a few months, I was bowled over (pun intended) at the packages that arrived on my doorstep. There were oval-shaped, circular, and square-shaped bowls; bowls in the form of a pig, decorated with elephants, and a bird perched on top; wooden, ceramic, and even bamboo bowls; bowls with waves, with matching spoons, and bowls that double as mugs. And then there were the colors and patterns from turquoise to white to peach to purple; from paisley to checkers to flowers to cow spots; bowls with chevron stripes, and ones with hearts and diamonds. Each one I opened revealed a little something about the sender, making the bowls as unique as my relationships and history with every single person, not to mention as distinctive as the soups I created for each.

When all of the bowls arent being used, they are stacked on a set of beautiful shelves hung with love by my fianc, Ryan, and his father, David. Seen together on the shelves, I am often overcome by their individuality and the memories every one of them evokes As I sampled all of my recipes out of the eclectic bowls, I was reminded that each dish and bowl in my kitchen is a quiet keeper of the memories of past meals, family events, and the evolution of life. Even when the soups are long gone, the bowls retain the memories of the meal, the company, the traditions surrounding both, and the love passed down from generation to generation.

I have personally crafted every soup recipe in this cookbook for the person who gifted me the bowl associated with it. For me, food always tells a story, and a good story always needs food. We are beyond fortunate to be surrounded by food on a daily basis. It is the fuel that keeps us alive, the medicine that heals, the universal bond that connects, and the most simple and nourishing gift you can give to another person.

I hope you enjoy the Bowls of Love Ive included in this book and will share the soup recipes with your own loved ones for years to come.

The premise for the recipes in this book is the Paleo diet, which is based on the principal of eating only what was available in the pre-agriculture, Paleolithic era. My cooking is inspired by the main principles of the diet, which include eating grass-fed and pasture-raised meats, wild fish, eggs, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and unprocessed oils; excluding grains, dairy, legumes, soy, refined sugar, and processed food.

Never a fan of diets, I was drawn to Paleo for two main reasons:

/ Paleo encourages eating real, clean food food that comes from our Earth and is in its original form.

/ Paleo is an anti-inflammatory diet used by many people to strengthen the immune system and help heal a variety of ailments.

My experiment with Paleo started back in July of 2012. I was feeling rundown emotionally and mentally, and I was in my 25th year of battling unpredictable stomach issues, allergies, and a host of other ailments of the day. I was a seemingly healthy person, but I had multiple health-related frustrations. I started to focus my diet on eating organic, sustainably sourced proteins (beef, chicken, fish, etc.) coupled with plentiful portions of fruits and vegetables from my local farmers market. I started to notice small changes at first weight loss and eczema clearing and in less than one year, my seasonal allergies and stomach concerns that had negatively impacted my life for over two decades were beginning to taper off.

Eighteen months into a strict Paleo diet, I realized that my digestion issues were not completely healed, so I experimented with certain foods in my diet to achieve a perfect balance. I learned that no diet is one size fits all. Customization is key to success. Your own Paleo journey should help you achieve a holistic sense of physical, mental, and emotional wellness, and the soups that make up this book are a great starting point.