Natalie’s Cookbook—and A Giveaway! by PW Food & Friends

It’s no secret how much we love all our Food & Friends contributors. We’re incredibly proud of their talent, creativity, and accomplishments. You already know Natalie, and we’re so grateful to have her—and her scrumptious food—here. (We still haven’t gotten over our energy bite obsession. Thanks, Natalie.)

Natalie recently launched her first cookbook, The Big Book of Paleo Slow Cooking, and we’ve been dying to tell you more about it!

 
 

First, a little something about that word you’ve likely already been seeing everywhere: paleo. As Natalie explains, a paleo (or paleolithic) lifestyle is based on that of hunter-gatherers, and the few tribes left on earth don’t suffer from the chronic diseases and cancers that are so prevalent in Western society. Eating bugs and strange animals wouldn’t go over well, so the diet is adapted to fit our modern society and consists of well-sourced animal products, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, healthy fats, and (depending on who you ask) some natural sweeteners. It’s also a very anti-inflammatory and nutrient-dense diet, and a lot of people have seen improvements in their health by eating this way.

When Natalie’s husband was in chiropractic school, they started researching nutrition and (very) gradually moved toward a paleo-ish diet. They found that the closer they leaned in that direction, the better they felt. For the first time in her life, Natalie realized that feeling tired and heavy after dinner wasn’t a normal thing and that most of the fluffiness around her midsection was actually due to eating grains. (The rest, she says, she can thank her children for.) So they try to stay about 80% paleo at home and then splurge some during the holidays and at social gatherings. To be precise, this is not just another diet as far as their family is concerned: it’s a new way of eating.

 
 

Why slow cooking recipes? Because cooking carefree is a big help when you’re already making the effort to be keenly mindful of the food you choose. As Natalie mentions in her book, this is not a collection of traditional “dump, stir, and walk away” recipes that usually call for seasoning packets and processed, prepackaged items. Her recipes use healthy, natural ingredients and whole foods, which will require a little bit of effort to prep. But the delicious results are so worth it! And once the minimal prep has been done, you still retain the advantages of slow cooking: no babysitting a pot on the stove, you can run an errand while it simmers away, and more often than not, timing is thankfully forgiving so dinner can wait for you instead of the other way around.

 
 

The cookbook is loaded with 200 recipes, ranging from appetizers, snacks, soups, sides, entrees categorized by the type of protein, pantry basics, and even desserts. (Fudgy chocolate brownies! In a slow cooker!) The recipes feature flavors from cuisines around the world: Thai, Chinese, Mediterranean, Indian, Mexican, Greek, Caribbean, Italian, and of course, good ol’ American comfort food.

Wanna peak inside? Let’s go take a look!

 
 

When she describes shredded chicken for tacos as “easy,” she means it. These call for a grand total of 4 ingredients and take only 5 minutes of prep. And Natalie suggests additional uses for the chicken—in egg dishes, salads, and soups. So don’t be afraid to make a big batch!

 
 

Jambalaya with Roasted Cauliflower Rice. Andouille sausages and shrimp cooked in a rich Cajun tomato sauce. Make it as spicy as you can handle it!

 
 

How’s this for an easy side? Spaghetti Squash with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette. Bacon drippings play the role of oil in an easy vinaigrette. Mind. Blown. This dish is perfect served alongside grilled or roasted meat.

 
 

Tender Indian-Style Shredded Beef, with the warm, earthy flavors of cumin, coriander, turmeric, cardamom, ginger and cloves. The complex spices are softened by the addition of a little bit of coconut milk. Sounds so, so good, we can almost taste it!

 
 

Creamy Avocado Soup with Jalapeño Garlic Shrimp. Or, as Natalie calls it, guacamole in soup form. Enough said.

 
 

Caramelized Onion Dip, just in time for the World Series and foooootball! Because a healthier dip means you can have more beer, yes?

 
 

As for desserts, we’re talking lusciousness like Pumpkin Spice Cake with Chocolate Pecan Streusel. In a slow cooker? You betcha! You know what that also means? No more preheating an oven. (Natalie says, “You’re welcome.”)

 
 

Thai Pulled-Pork Tacos with Creamy Chili Slaw. This is Natalie’s favorite recipe in the book, and she isn’t even a big fan of pork. But once you try it, you’ll understand why. The pork is flavored with ginger, garlic, lemongrass and Thai spices, and the slaw is oh-so-simple but bursting with flavor.

 
 

Natalie is a bit of a statistics nerd, and in case you love numbers as well, here are a few tidbits about the 200 recipes in her cookbook:

• 139 recipes are Whole30 compliant or very easily adapted to be so.
• 176 recipes are nut-free or easily adaptable.
• 167 recipes are egg-free.
• 36 recipes are AIP-compliant (Auto-Immune Paleo) or easily adaptable.

And pssst … are you one of the millions hooked on the Instant Pot these days? If so, you’ll be happy to know that Natalie is working on a free conversion chart to adapt these recipes to use in your Instant Pot. Woot woot!

 
 

Congratulations on a most excellent cookbook debut, Natalie! We’ve already added some of the recipes to our weekly menu, and can’t wait to cook through the collection.

 
 

We want you, our dear readers, to have a chance to cook through the collection, too! So we’re giving away a signed copy of Natalie’s book and one of Ree’s new slow cookers to four (4) winners. You’ll be able to dive right in and start making these recipes! Yes, we’re aware that, in some areas, one or more of the slow cooker designs might be a bit difficult to find right now. But don’t worry, we know someone with connections. We’ve got you covered.

 
TO ENTER

To enter this giveaway, just answer the following question in the Comments section:

What is your favorite kitchen appliance?

Just leave your answer below and you’ll be entered to win!

 
THE RULES

One entry per person, please. Contest ends Saturday at 9AM PST.

The winners will be chosen randomly and announced this weekend.

 
Giveaway sponsored by The Pioneer Woman.