Densmore - The paleo cupboard cookbook : real food, real flavor

First Published in 2015 by Victory Belt Publishing Inc.

Copyright 2015 Amy Densmore

All rights reserved

No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without prior written permission from the publisher.

ISBN-13: 978-1-628600-84-1

This book is for entertainment purposes. The publisher and author of this cookbook are not responsible in any manner whatsoever for any adverse effects arising directly or indirectly as a result of the information provided in this book.

Photography: Amy Densmore

Front Cover Photography by Hayley and Bill Staley

Design: Yordan Terziev and Boryana Yordanova

Personal/Lifestyle Portraits: Patty Brutlag, petulapea.com

Printed in the U.S.A.

RRD 0115

recipes

Growing up watching my grandmother cook was an experience I will treasure forever. I dont think the word cook even does it justice, because she showed me that creating a meal involves so much more than just combining ingredients. She put thought and care into every aspect of it, from thinking up recipes that her family and friends would enjoy to picking out the freshest ingredients she could afford to making sure everyone was sitting, eating, and laughing before she served herself. She put so much love, attention, and care into each meal, and that shone through in everything she made. My mother followed in her footsteps, and no matter where we were living or what ups and downs we were going through, dinner was a mandatory family event. It wasnt fancy or pretentious; it was just a chance to take a few moments out of the day and show appreciation for each other and what we had.

Its because of my mother and grandmother that I have the appreciation for cooking that I do today. Im not going to pretend that theres some fairy tale going on in my house and theres a fresh-from-the-oven casserole on the table every evening at six p.m. sharp. Sometimes meals are just reheated leftovers or bits and pieces of whatever is in the refrigerator. And every now and then Mommy wishes that instead of making dinner she could just have a glassor bottleof wine and go to bed. But there is something so rewarding and therapeutic for me about pausing for a few moments in the kitchen, taking a pile of fresh ingredients, and using my hands to create something that not only tastes amazing but also will nourish me and whomever I might have the pleasure of cooking for. Even though theres usually a kid hanging on my leg, a dog barking, a phone ringing, and all sorts of other chaos going on, I still feel in my element when I am cooking.

When I stumbled upon the Paleo lifestyle, I had started feeling run-down and tired almost every day. I was nauseous a lot of the time after eating and was getting horrible headaches. And at the time, I thought I was doing everything healthy: I was following a low-fat diet and counting every calorie I put in my body, I led an active lifestyle, and I took a daily multivitamin. With a full-time corporate job and two energetic girls, not feeling well every single day just wasnt an option, and I knew I had to make some big changes. I removed anything from my diet that I thought was not natural for a human to eat. That meant eliminating grains, refined sugars, dairy, and processed foods. I decided I would try it for one month and see how I felt. I figured I could withstand anything for one month.

Within a week I felt amazing. I had so much energy that I was bouncing off the walls, and in less than three weeks I had lost ten pounds. I had been feeling bad for so long that it had become normal for me. I thought stomach pain after a meal was just part of eating and that restless sleep was just something I had to accept. I had forgotten what healthy really felt like. The drastic difference I felt in such a short amount of time made me curious, and after doing some research I discovered that the eating plan I was following was almost identical to the Paleo diet. The more I read, the more I realized that many people had the exact same experience as me, and I decided to adopt Paleo as a lifestyle going forward.

I never intended to have a blog. I didnt even know what a blog was. But when friends and family noticed the changes in my health and appearance and wanted to know what I was eating and how to make it, I needed a way for everyone to find my recipes in one central place. So I stumbled along, picked the first domain name I thought of that was available, and started plugging away creating Paleo Cupboard.

Very quickly I noticed that other people were visiting my blog, following me on social media, and reaching out to me with their stories. Over time, Paleo Cupboard grew to become a big part of my life, and my readers have turned into a wonderful and supportive virtual family. My neighbors may think I am a bit crazy when they pass by my front window and see me standing on my dining room table taking pictures of food, and my kids think its silly that I have to rush a plate into whichever room has the best lighting before we can all eat, but it is all part of the fun. Im not going to lie, it takes a lot of time and energy to run a food blog, but hearing stories from those who have found better health and healing through a real-food lifestyle makes every minute spent on it worthwhile.

Just as running a blog was something I never set out to do, I never in my wildest dreams thought I would be writing a cookbook. And when I was fortunate enough to have the right opportunity presented to me, I instantly went into a state of panic. Not because of the amount of work involved, but because I knew that creating a cookbook that would appeal to everyone was impossible. I have done some slightly scary and weird things in my life, like jumping off a mountain in Austria strapped to a man wearing lederhosen and a parachute, but this situation was far more strange and terrifying. How would I be able to help everyone if I couldnt make a book that appealed to everyone?! Some people want to cook very creative recipes with unique ingredients, while others want recipes that are classic and simple. Some people love to cook and enjoy spending time in the kitchen, while others want to get in and out of the kitchen as quickly as possible. Taking all that into account is enough to almost drive a person crazy, so in the end I decided to stay true to what I know and showcase recipes that I grew up cooking and that my family still enjoys eating to this day. Some may be familiar to you, and some may be more creative and might inspire you to try something new. Some are quick and easy, and others let you spend a little bit more time in the kitchen experimenting.

I am honored to be able to share my stories, tips, thoughts, and recipes with you. I truly believe that good food and humor are the best medicines, and Ive tried to fill the pages of this book with as much of both as I could. These are recipes that my family has been cooking for years or that I learned to make on the many journeys and adventures I have had so far in my life. Some I have had to adapt to fit a Paleo diet, and some were already Paleo without my having to change a thing. These recipes are here for you to experiment with and enjoy, and my wish is that they bring you as much health and happiness as they have me and my family.