He Won’t Know It’s Paleo Cookbook Review / Crab Bisque Recipe

Disclaimer:  I received a copy of the e-book directly from the author and did not receive any monetary compensation for the review.  My opinions are entirely personal.  This post contains affiliate links.

He Won’t Know it’s Paleo is the first self-published endeavour by Bre’anna Emmitt, author of the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) recipe site with the same title.  An ever-expanding resource of Paleo AIP-friendly American recipes, Bre’anna’s site has become a firm favourite go-to spot on the Internet for new and veteran Paleo AIP-ers looking for creative ways to cook within the protocol’s framework.  With her new cookbook, she has contributed a potential classic to the growing collection of AIP cookbooks in the market, as awareness of the healing benefits of the AIP gains momentum throughout the United States and other countries.

The copy I received is a pdf e-book version for review purposes.  At first glance, one can see that it is a labour of love and pride, especially dedicated to Bre’anna’s husband, Chris.  The first part of the book focuses on Bre’anna’s AIP story and covers the fundamentals of Paleo AIP, comparing the differences between the classic Paleo diet and the AIP diet.  It also includes concise information on ingredients commonly featured in AIP recipes and their resources.

The book is 150 pages long and features beautifully captured photos of her food and family.  The typography and colourful design throughout the book reveal a feminine touch.  Every recipe is accompanied by an appetizing photo of the featured dish, and the single-page recipes with short introductory snippets are laid out with clear directions and occasional tips, making it convenient for reference while cooking.  Basic information such as prep time, cook time and serving quantity are included.  Though calorie-counters and food biohackers may question the absence of nutritional information, this does not bother me personally and can be easily obtained using various nutritional apps out there.   Being a wife and mother of 3 (soon to be 4, congratulations Bre’anna!), her recipe portions are mainly geared towards feeding a family with 4 to 6 servings.  Storage information is not included with the recipes apart from those for condiments and such, so for individuals or folks keen on batch cooking and freezing dishes, some experimentation will have to be in order.

The 100+ recipes are broken down into separate chapters covering:

Majority of the recipes are new and never before published content, and some recipes included in the cookbook are favourites featured on Bre’anna’s site.  Ingredients called for are relatively mainstream for the well-stocked Paleo AIP American home kitchen, equipped with a food processor, blender, slow cooker, oven and grill.  For those new to Paleo AIP, do bear in mind that this is a strictly recipe-based cookbook and hence no meal plans are included.  Two staples in Bre’anna’s kitchen start off the recipes section of the cookbook, namely Gelatin Egg Substitute and Bone Broth.

The Grape Bruschetta stood out to me in the Appetizers chapter (I can foresee my eldest son going crazy over this one!) along with the Mexican Green Sauce recipe.  Featuring mainly dip-based appetizers, this small chapter with 9 recipes provides enough variety in terms of flavours to liven up pre-meal gatherings or work as tasty snacks.

The Condiments, Dressings, and Seasonings chapter is much welcomed, as it covers AIP-friendly takes on classic and beloved American condiments normally taken for granted for people not on the protocol, such as Creamy Egg-Free Mayo, No-Nightshade Ketchup, and Seed-Free Mustard.  It makes the transition from the Standard American Diet (SAD) to the Paleo AIP easier.  For those missing baked goods while on the AIP, you would be glad to know that the bread and muffins chapter is substantial for an AIP cookbook with 10 familiar baked goods such as Mini Cornbread Muffins or Biscuits, perfect for creating an occasional nostalgic treat.  My husband made the Banana Blueberry Muffins over the weekend, substituting raspberries for blueberries and they made a great portable snack on the go.

The Breakfast chapter is a delight, with more than 10 varied and quick recipes designed to get you nourished and ready to start your day with minimal fuss.  I particularly like the Tropical Green Smoothie and Bacon Maple Salmon recipe in this chapter.  I made the Breakfast Sausage recipe and doubled it, making it a convenient and quick protein option for the day.

For the Soups, Salads and Sides chapter,  Bre’anna provides a good variety of recipes for warming soups, especially the crab bisque with its bright appealing colour which is certainly delightful.  A shellfish substitution note is included for allergen-free options.  A handful of crisp salad recipes are available, some of which are substantial enough to constitute a light meal.  The Italian Pastaless Salad is particularly intriguing.

Dishes in the Entrées chapter mainly feature chicken and red meat, with some seafood and pork recipes included for variety.  I love creative recipes including the use of fruits or complex flavours in savoury cooking, so the recipes for Peach-Braised Short Ribs and Balsamic Pork Chops certainly attracted me.  Most entrées are either fast to cook or require minimal effort with the use of a slow cooker, making the recipes practical especially for weekday dinners.

The Desserts and Beverages chapter appeals to the child in most of us (and I’m certain to Bre’anna’s children too!) with over 20 recipes for cupcakes, layer cakes, pies, bars, ice cream, and cookies, plus 3 easy beverage recipes.  The Yellow Cake with Chocolate Mousse Frosting will certainly make a great treat for celebrations and I am happy to see that it is an option without palm shortening, an ingredient unavailable where I live.

For those sensitive to coconut, do note that the recipes, especially in the Breads and Muffins chapter as well as the Dessert chapter, heavily feature coconut-based ingredients such as coconut flour or milk.  Slightly over 50 recipes require coconut-based ingredients (excluding recipes calling for coconut oil, commonly more easily tolerated than other coconut products), which are otherwise not easily substituted.  I think that AIP-friendly alternatives such as tiger nut milk could possibly stand in for recipes calling for coconut milk, but the same results are not guaranteed.  Substitute at your own discretion for the adventurous cook.  You will still get a bang for your buck with this cookbook even if you are sensitive to coconut, provided if you do not mind skipping these two chapters, focusing more on the savoury foods recipes in the rest of the cookbook.  For AIP folks perfectly fine with coconut, this is a gem of a cookbook and will likely prove to be a favourite source of reliable go-to recipes, putting at ease the classic question “What’s for dinner tonight?” that seems to pop up now and then.  If you are looking for AIP-friendly comfort food recipes, this is the book for you.

I feel that He Won’t Know it’s Paleo will be a very useful addition to one’s Paleo AIP cookbook collection.  Speaking from a relatively experienced cook’s point of view, most of the recipes are sufficiently detailed for the average home cook to follow and produce delicious results.  A novice cook or one struggling with many debilitating autoimmune disease symptoms may benefit from a simpler cookbook, but for a person with well-controlled symptoms and an established rhythm of prepping meals from scratch will certainly find the variety offered in Bre’anna’s cookbook inspiring.  While the dessert chapter is certainly meant for an occasional treat, the recipes are ‘mainstream’ enough to grace the tables at non-AIP gatherings or parties, allowing one on an elimination diet (especially for children) the opportunity to partake in enjoying treats like cakes and other sweets without feeling left out.   This is one cookbook featuring dishes I can confidently cook for company without worrying if it will not appeal to taste buds used to a mainstream western diet.  As with the book title, they won’t know it’s Paleo!

A sample recipe of this cookbook, here is the Crab Bisque recipe generously shared by Bre’anna: