Practical Paleo Review and Giveaway

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**This giveaway is now closed**

Perhaps you have heard of Practical Paleo, but perhaps not. Allow me to introduce you!

Practical Paleo by Diane Sanfilippo is a 400+-page giant of a book which has spent seven weeks on the New York Times bestseller list (as of November 28, 2012) and has everything you might want to know about digestive health, achieving optimal wellness, and, of course, the Paleo diet and lifestyle. But it is much more than that!

Diane offers kitchen preparation tips, easy-to-follow recipes with mouth-watering pictures, and beautiful tear-out guides that highlight such topics as the Paleo pantry, how to avoid gluten, acceptable sweeteners, and cooking fats! This is real, whole food nutrition, presented in an understandable and practical way. Even if you aren’t “Paleo,” even if you have no interest in the Paleo diet, you will benefit from Diane’s balanced approach to eating well. 

Recipe for Pumpkin Pancakes–a favorite in this house!

A couple of the tear-out guides

One of 11 customized meal plans–this one is for fat loss

I should mention that I have been following Diane Sanfilippo of Balanced Bites for a couple of years now, and I have learned a lot from her work. Her blog posts are informative and well-researched, and I appreciate her balance of science-based reasoning with practicality. Her podcasts with Liz Wolfe are also fantastic! Last January, B and I did Diane’s 21-Day Sugar Detox and a few months later I became one of the Facebook moderators for that program. I also attended one of her Practical Paleo workshops.

When Practical Paleo was released in August 2012, I preordered a copy knowing that it would be a wonderful resource for nutritional health, recipes, as well as meal plans for people wanting help with specific conditions such as blood sugar regulation, autoimmune conditions, cancer recovery, and athletic performance. And boy, was I right! When I first started following Diane and reading her blog, I had never heard of “Paleo.” However, I could see from what she wrote in her blog posts and the recipes she posted that she was more interested in helping people achieve optimal health and wellness than subscribing to a particular diet. That doesn’t mean that she thinks that gluten is an acceptable indulgence, or that including legumes or pasteurized, homogenized dairy is going to benefit anyone. But it does mean that she is a reasonable person who understands that we are human and that food not only nourishes us, but it is also (and most certainly should be) delicious. Let’s enjoy it!

So you might be wondering if I eat “Paleo.” The answer is…kind of. The short answer is that I still eat some grains (mainly rice) and legumes, and some dairy, but I also eat lots of quality animal products (meat, poultry, fish, eggs, animal fats, bone broth), vegetables, some fruit, and nuts and seeds. I’m learning as I go, making small changes that are sustainable for me and my family and that work within the half-Indian world I inhabit.

Back to Practical PaleoSince I have an extra copy of this amazing book (generously given to me by Diane as a thank you for moderating her 21DSD Facebook page), I’d like to pass it on to one of my readers so that you can enjoy it and learn from it as I have. Here’s what you have to do:

  1. If you haven’t done so already, like my Facebook page. If you have already done this, share my page or blog with a friend.
  2. Leave a comment below or on my Facebook page telling me why you’d like this book.
The winner will be chosen using random.org on Friday, December 14. Then I’ll ship it off so it arrives by Christmas!
And before I forget, I announced the winner of my Thanksgiving giveaway on Facebook last week. Congratulations to DJ Fiero, who will receive a half-Indian pantry starter very soon! Keep sharing this blog and my Facebook page with others…I’ll give away another half-Indian pantry starter when I reach 200 Facebook likes!

A half-Indian pantry starter, complete with spice tin, spices, and some cooking fats!

This post is linked to Tasty TraditionsMonday Mania, and Real Food Wednesday.
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42 Comments
  1. This book is on my ever expanding list of things to read! Would love to delve into this and learn more about the Paleo diet and Diane’s approach. Sounds like you’ve had some great success using this as a resource for you and your family :-)

  2. I would LOVE to have a copy of this book to further help me on my paleo journey! I have type 1 diabetes and since I have started eating Paleo my lofe has been changed!

  3. I seriously JUST recommended this book and its tear out guides to 2 people in the last 10 minutes. I would LOVE to have a copy to actually GIVE them (without having to loan MINE out!). Thank you!

  4. I would love to have this book, I borrowed it from the library and I loved so many of the recipes that it would be great to own!!!!!!

  5. Would love to read a copy of this. I’ve been Paleo for 1.5 years, but I’ve been doing it for a family of 6 – including 4 little Paleo-ettes. No easy feat in this mainstream world! I’m always eager for tips and tricks to make our lifestyle a little easier and have heard such great things about it! Thanks!

  6. I liked your page on Facebook. :)
    I’ve recently started eating Paleo after multiple food intolerances diagnosis. This book has been so highly reviewed I think it would be a fantastic inspiration and fun to cook out of. Thank you!

  7. I learned about the paleo lifestyle in March of 2012. It was the first time in my quest for health that I found a plan that was more than just to get me down to a certain size. It was an eye opener and a tool to learn about my body and how it works. I would love to add this book to my arsenal of health literature. Knowledge is power, right?

  8. This book has been on my wish-list for a while! I’ve been holding myself back from purchasing if in hopes I get it for Christmas. Winning it works too! Thanks so much!

  9. I would LOVE this book! I am fairly new to Paleo and have been able to inspire others to jump on board and the results we have all achieved are incredible. I would love to be able to understand Paleo more and share with more people. :)

  10. I would love to receive a copy of this book! Just like you, I ordered the book as soon as it was released and it was an instant fave. Shortly after, I was speaking to a close friend that is recovering from breast cancer. I was explaining paleo to her and Diane’s book, and she was instantly interested (especially in the Recovering from Cancer section!). Since I knew how much she would benefit from Balanced Bites, I very willingly gave her my copy. But now I miss it so much!!!

  11. I’d love this book because although I’m primal/paleo, I struggle with and auto-immune and would love to dial my diet in a bit more to help my body better cope with the disease. I’ve heard great things about the book and I firmly believe diet is the base for any healthy body!

  12. I would LOVE a copy of this book. I have already been preaching about Dianne through her podcasts and what Paleo has done for me and my friends, like lowering blood pressure, curing Hashimoto’s, and just the side benefit of weight loss. I still have a long way to go to cure my gut, but work on it daily through the teachings of the Paleo community.

  13. I am constantly looking for new paleo recipes and cookbooks. I like how this cookbook has not only recipes, but information on health and benefits of the paleo lifestyle!

  14. I too, have been following Diane and her blogs and this book is on my wish list – I want it so very badly but just don’t have the extra cash to purchase it…. hoping maybe I’ll get some Christmas money to buy it! The previews I’ve seen show that it’s full of beautiful photos and tons of helpful resources. I can’t wait to get my own copy! I’m trying to make the gradual change to mostly paleo and feel this would be an enormously helpful resource as I make the necessary changes. I shared your blog post on my fbook page and liked your fbook page. :)

  15. I would love to have this book so I can pass it on to my best friend as a holiday gift. I would like her to have access to the wonderful recipes in the book so she can begin a Paleo lifestyle.

  16. I’d love to win a copy of Diane’s book. Her website is great and I’d love to be able to have everything I’ve learned on the web about paleo all in one convenient place. I really want to be 100% paleo, but I need more guidance and want to understand the “why” of some of the things we are told.

  17. I have had this book on my wish list since it came out! Love her blog recipes, so I know I’ll love these!

  18. I have been following Diane for about a year now as well. I originally found her through the 21 DSD. I also already have PP, but I am buying them as gifts for this Christmas and this would seriously help me with my Christmas budget. I love the book and finding Diane has changed my life.

  19. We’ve been working towards a whole foods diet over this past year, and this book looks like it would be a wonderful resource. I’ve read so many positive reviews. I would love to own this book!

  20. I LOVE this book! It quickly became my top paleo book. I have been following one of the 30 day meal plans and so far, 6 days in, not one meal has been bad! Actually, I get rave reviews from my family! That in itself is a huge success, with a husband and 3 kids I can rarely please half of them with new recipes! There is so much helpful information even for some who has done paleo for almost 2 years. I have learned more about foods, what will help me and what I’ve been doing wrong, like eating too much of certain foods for my goals. Having someone plan my menus is amazing! I love it! Takes all the guess work out of it. Hardest thing for me, due to where I live, I can’t find some of the items so I am having to get creative, but at least I have a blue print! Thanks for making my life a little easier with the meal plans!

  21. Dont have this paleo book and heard it’s great – would love to win!

  22. I would LOVE to have this book! I’ve been following the Paleo diet for several months now, but I know I need to get more creative with my cooking and really learn to experience more flavors with this eating lifestyle!

  23. My Paleo friend recommended that I read this book. It’s on my wish list for Christmas! I just started Paleo in October!

  24. I would love this book since we are starting to follow paleo.

  25. The more recipes I can obtain from the Paleo “gurus” the better “cook” I will be. I have been doing Paleo for almost 2 years now and would love this cookbook on my shelf!

  26. I would love to have this book! I’m trying to make the transition to Paleo for my health, and need help with structure, planning, recipes, ideas.

  27. I love this book! I checked a copy out at library, and the info is really great, it would be great to share with others!

  28. I’ve liked your Facebook page. Practical Paleo is on my book wish list. I’m not 100% paleo but I like a lot of what I see/read about it. I’d like to learn more.

  29. I have just started the 21 day sugar detox and my eyes have been opened! I am on day 3 and I already see improvements in how i feel overall. I am so excited to read more and learn more about paleo. I would love to read your book!!

  30. I have had this book on my wish list for a couple of months. I had an opportunity to peruse it because a coworker had a copy. I have issues with allergies, really bad hives when I eat anything with Gluten This book would make a big difference for me and my family.

  31. I read this book through in 3 days earlier this month and love the understanding that I’ve gained into the why’s of eating this way. Trying to get the family on board slowly. I want to gift this book to my sister-in-law…as well as other family members.

  32. I would love this book. Have been trying to go paleo for the last few months and having an awesome practical book in my kitchen will help me stay strong!

  33. I would love to have this book because im super interested in the meal plans and of course Dianes awesome recipes. I already have paleo comfort foods, well fed and the food lovers primal palate, practical paleo would be a great addition to my collection. :-)

  34. I’ve wanted this book since I first saw it!

  35. Being a college student, I am always looking for ways to get the most out of my meals. Practical paleo will help me prepare delicious and nutritionally dense foods in my hectice lifestyle!

  36. I have been dealing with multiple food allergies and this book – with the menu plans – would help me out so much! I have only been following the Paleo diet for a couple of months, so any and all help would be great!

  37. I started eating paleo a couple of months ago and can honestly say I have never felt better. My digestive issues are gone, my skin is clear, and I have boundless energy. I’d love to get my family to eat more paleo foods also and believe this book could help me do that.

  38. I would love to win a copy of Practical Paleo to deepen my cooking and preparation for a Paleo lifestyle. Going paleo has been a real journey for me. I am learning so much from cooking great dishes to enjoying the health of it all.

    Thanks!

  39. This book has been on my wish list – would love it!

  40. Dave and I are desperately trying to eat better. I think this book could be a great reference on how to do that and with great recipes to start with.

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