Amazing recipes! This cookbook is wonderful, and the recipes have all been delicious. Most are very simple, with ingredients I have in my pantry already. It also includes tips on meal prep, cooking for the entire family, and healthy lifestyle tips. I’m obsessed! I love it!

Sadly, I was unable to download this book in time before it was archived and this I was not able to either read or review it. My apologies.

So, I am old enough to have lived through quite a few fad-diet-eras and food trends in general (in the 90s, my mother bought Betty Crocker's Slim Ways with Pasta cookbook! Pasta!), and I try to be balanced. I do better on a lower-carb diet personally, but the idea of eating like a caveman (who died at age 25?) or to induce ketosis seems unsustainable for most people. And the whole idea of "clean" eating, while positive in theory, seems like a gateway to disordered eating.

I REALLY didn't like the author's dodgy medical claims: "Today, I am no longer struggling with my PCOS symptoms and we were able to conceive a second child with no problems at all .Living Paleo cured what medication couldn’t and healed and transformed my body and mind." Who let that through? The author evidently has no culinary, nutritional, or medical training: she lists herself as a "recipe creator" and "CEO/owner" of her blog. So I would recommend skimming the texts and just focusing on the recipes.

There is a good variety of recipes here, from the more labor-intensive (like the fritters that did not turn out for me), to the ones requiring special equipment like an air fryer, to easy ones, like smoothies and flavored mixed nuts. Many of the sauces are mayo-based. Photos are of pretty finished dishes only.

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for a digital ARC for the purpose of an unbiased review.

Clean Paleo Family Cookbook is a tutorial and recipe collection for paleo and keto compliant food. Released 21st April 2020 by Quarto on their Fair Winds Press imprint, it's 192 pages and available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

The introduction includes a very good overview over the paleo diet, what it includes (and doesn't) and some theory behind the food selections. There's also an introduction to basic cooking equipment and ingredients.

The recipes are grouped by category: sauces & appetizers, breakfasts, salads, sides, mains, electric pressure cooker (Instant Pot) and slow cooker recipes, kid-approved recipes, sweet treats & drinks.

The recipes have their ingredients listed bullet style in a sidebar. Measurements are given in US standard with metric measures in parentheses (yay!). Special tools and ingredients are also listed, along with yields and cooking directions. Most of the ingredients are easily sourced at any moderately well stocked grocery store. Nutritional information is not included. Tips and variations on each recipe are included in a text box at the end. Special dietary comments (squeaky clean paleo, keto paleo, traditional paleo, etc) are included in the headers.

The book also includes a short heartfelt and interesting author bio, and a general ingredients index.

The recipes are attractively and very well photographed. I really liked being able to see finished dishes and serving suggestions. It is also a very well written book for anyone who needs a good introduction to paleo eating and lifestyle. I liked that the author seems very reasonable and that the book lacks that tinge of fanaticism present in a lot of keto/paleo lifestyle and cooking books. (Admit it, you know what I'm talking about).

Four and a half stars. This would make a superlative selection for busy family cooks wanting a simplified way to test the paleo diet and make a real effort to give it a genuine try in an accessible and logical manner.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

As soon as I saw this book I new I had to read it. As someone who has recently embraced the Paleo lifestyle due to medical reasons I was looking for a way to get my whole family on board. I enjoyed the recipes in this book especially the kid approved section. I have an autistic son and even he enjoyed a few of them!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

I would like to thank Quarto Publishing Group – Fair Winds Press for providing me with a free – temporary – electronic ARC of this book, via Netgalley. Although I’m auto-approved with them, the decision to read this book is my choice and any reviews given are obligation free.

For those of you keep track of when I read something, vs when I post the review – I’ve just finished reading this book today!

I’m going to start out with some honesty… I’m not exactly a fan of the whole paleo diet craze. I do try and avoid reading and reviewing books of this ilk because of it and I’m honestly wondering how it ended up in my TBR pile. But, as it did, I felt I best give it a go.

There is nothing, I feel, actually WRONG with ‘Clean Paleo Family Cookbook’… it’s just it really wasn’t the book for me. But, those who follow my reviews know that cook books can really be hit and miss for me due to all my dull, boring, and extensive food intolerances and allergies. I feel this is one of the reasons Paleo isn’t my thing… as it often contains a lot of foods I just can’t eat. I mean, it’s great that it is also grain and dairy free (which I also can’t eat) but I really do find “paleo” can be so hit and miss as to good whole food eating vs fanatical foodism belief… it’s hard to find a good paleo cook book that I could cook from.

Thankfully, I can happily say that ‘Clean Paleo Family Cookbook’ isn’t one of those fanatical foodism religion lifestyle type books. Phew! In fact, it’s just an open and honest mum trying to eat well and raise her family on some good, wholesome, foods that are minimally processed.

For the faithful followers of paleo eating, I do feel this book would be a step in the right direction to helping you eat your chosen way. Even better is the book acknowledges there are different types of “paleo” and tries to cater for the three main types known to the author. So, to me, that shows a good flexible approach to paleo eating. To me food is all about local, in season, whole foods cooked from scratch with minimal fuss, no nasty additives, etc. So I can relate to the paleo food choices made in this book… just a lot of them clash with my sensitive food issues.

Book nerd time, the main reason I marked this book so low was because I really didn’t like the layout and formatting. Those who read my reviews know that formatting and layout – especially in cook books and similar non-fiction pieces – is something very important to me. If your book is trying to teach a new skill to someone, the format and layout needs to be easy to read, follow, look up, etc. And I didn’t find that in this book. The ingredients for a recipe are all bunched up like a header at the top. The recipe steps aren’t much easier to read, and all in all I found it a bit jarring to read. Sorry.

Would I recommend this book to others?

I’m torn… as yes it seems appropriate to those who want to follow a paleo eating lifestyle… but as I’m not a total fan of this style of eating, who is to say I am the best person to be recommending it? The recipes look right to me. They’re whole food, healthy, and versatile. But I’m NOT an expert in the paleo diet, so might not be the best person to say this is a GOOD paleo cook book… if that makes sense?

Also, I don’t know if everyone is going to like the layout and format. It might just be me who found it a little too different to be useful, maybe others will too.

Would I buy this book for myself?

As you can guess, no I wouldn’t. I want to stress that this decision is totally down to me and is not a judgement on the book. I mean, yes I AM being judgy… but I’m really not the best person to have read it. Cook books are hit and miss for me as it is – thank you food intolerances and allergies – and I really don’t know why I would have added it to my reading list. But I did, I’ve done my best to be open and honest about reading it, but do not see it as a book for me. The fault lies totally with me, not the book or the author.

In summary: A paleo cook book that might suit those seeking to eat a healthier, cleaner, whole food diet.

I must confess, I'm automatically a little skeptical of the words "clean" and "paleo" when it comes to cookbooks. Especially when accompanied by gorgeous shots of white, airy kitchens filled with smiling, model-beautiful families cooking together. But the recipes in this cookbook look absolutely delicious, from shrimp fried rice to three versions of chicken marinade, not to mention a whole chapter of kid-friendly meals like pancake and sausage sliders and chicken strips. Even non-paleo, non-clean-eating cooks will find great-looking dishes to try.

Well presented and full of simple, easy to follow recipes. All recipes are ideal for family dinners and lunches and wwithin the Paleo diet. Perfect for anyone starting on a Paleo diet

The author shares a bit of her personal story and how the diet helped her find a healthy relationship with food. She also breaks down the difference between paleo, keto and clean paleo. I loved the pictures. They make me want all of the dishes!

I love browsing healthy cookbooks and this one was beautiful! The recipes are relatively simple and use easy-to-find ingredients. The ingredients used are clean and healthy. There are a variety of recipes in this book - something for everyone, include kid-friendly recipes. Anyone looking to eat healthier and feel better will love this book, even if not following a paleo diet.

Thank you, Fair Winds Press and NetGalley, for a digital ARC!

While I'm not a Paleo person, I can appreciate good food when I see it - great photographs! This book has definitely opened my senses to the possibility of at least trying some paleo recipes. I particularly liked the Avocado Ranch dressing. I'm not sure why grains and legumes are excluded from "eating the way our ancestors did." I'm always suspect of any eating plan that excludes entire food groups. I'm also a little wary of children (or anyone for that matter) eating so many dishes the are heavy with meat. However, I know that's the Paleo way. I don't know if this way of eating is great for everyone, but if this is your thing and you're looking for some tasty recipes...this book won't disappoint.


**Received this temporary digital ARC from the publisher for an honest review.*

If you follow a paleo lifestyle this is a well written cookbook with beautiful photos. this book goes into great detail on the recipe guidelines and acceptable foods on this diet plan. I do not personally follow Paleo but I love cookbooks and always enjoy reviewing recipes for taste and health benefits.

The author writes a very personal story as someone who has struggled with eating disorders and multiple health issues. She also bravely and openly discusses her self esteem issues stemming from her weight and anxiety. I think it is a brave thing and I applaud her honesty.

I also found many recipes I will eat so despite not following Paleo this book has tasty recipes. I especially like the sauces and pesto recipes. the twice baked taco sweet potatoes are awesome!

The recipes in this cookbook should please most paleo eaters. I referred often to her guidelines and all recipes follow her listed restrictions. However, as stated earlier I am not a Paleo dieter so this statement is based solely on the information provided in this book so it in no way can constitute real personal knowledge of this diet lifestyle.
The color photos are provided of about 1/3 of the recipes and all are tastefully done and make the food prepared look delicious. No nutritional information is provided, which I personally dislike. As a dieter I do track my nutritional intake so I do feel the addition of that information would highly improve the overall success of this cookbook.

One plus about the book is that she defines recipes as either traditional paleo, squeaky clean paleo, and/or keto paleo, since the diet is different for different people. I try to keto so I found that helpful.

Some recipes require an air fryer, an Instant Pot and an immersion blender. She even has a milk frothier listed as an essential kitchen tools so be aware if you don't have those handy you may need to adapt the recipes to a different cooking method. This book also offers tips on how to plan meals into your weekly budget and which meals can be made ahead.

I received this book from NetGalley and Quarto Publishing - Fair Winds Press for an honest review.

If you follow a paleo lifestyle or want to, this is a colorful and well written cookbook that will provide lots of tasty recipes.

The author writes like a woman who struggled with eating disorders (which she said she did, among many other issues) and who isn't quite over it. She talks a lot about how much weight she lost on the Whole30 diet, where she's apparently a paid coach (she doesn't say that, but I looked up the program and she's listed there). It reads in part like an ad at times and she talks really negatively about who she was when she was overweight, which can be a harmful message for others who are struggling with their weight or with eating disorders.

I also really disliked the way she talked about children. She mocked her oldest child for "throwing herself on the floor" and crying when she was told she couldn't have chocolate milk any more, and she seems to have completely broken her and seems quite proud of that, as she quotes the child now (at 5) as advising other children to take all the food that's offered to them with a smile. ("She realized that she didn't have the power over what she was going to eat. I refused to give in, and I won the battle."). As someone who has just shared that she struggled with eating disorders, she might be aware that completely controlling what your children eat isn't setting them up for the best relationships with food. She does say that she gives her daughter choices like carrots or green beans sometimes, but I really cringe to think what the teenage years may be like in their house with one or the other of her daughters with this "I'm boss and you eat what I say" mindset.

All that aside, the recipes are likely to please most paleo eaters. Color photos are provided of about 1/3 to 1/2 of the recipes. No nutritional information is provided, which is a pet peeve of mine.

I also just can't help but roll my eyes when the author writes that paleo is all about eating as our ancestors ate thousands of years ago and then in the very next paragraph recommends erithrytol as a sweeter. Our ancestors ate a lot more grains and a lot less erithrytol, actually, but I'm sure it's probably a fine ingredient.

One plus about the book is that she defines recipes as either traditional paleo, squeaky clean paleo, and/or keto paleo, since the diet is different for different people.

Some recipes require ingredients like an air fryer, an Instant Pot and an immersion blender. She even has a milk frother listed as an essential kitchen ingredient.

I appreciated her recipes for basics like mayo and sauces the most, since her mealtime recipes were a little too restrictive and meat-heavy for our family.

Where McCrary really shines is in her food styling and photography, which is fantastic. She makes every recipe look like a work of art and the photos are Instagram gold. It's easy to see why her blog has such a big following, as she really makes her food look beautiful. Simple, quality ingredients means the food probably tastes good, too.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for the purpose of review.

Lots of delicious-looking recipes, but I wish there were more without nightshades :( If you have kids, there are some good tips in here for how to make kid-friendly paleo meals.

I love Ashley's recipes, and am so glad that there is now a collection in book form! These recipes are approachable and delicious. Anyone from a beginner to a master chef, can find something to enjoy. They may be healthy recipes, but they absolutely do not lack in flavor. This is one of those cookbooks you will most definitely want to share with your friends!