Whether you’re someone who is looking to reverse autoimmune disorder, wanting to lose weight, or wanting to see what the latest trend is in nutrition/diet, the Paleo diet is what people are following.

From all the different articles, blogs, and books I’ve perused, “Paleo” simply means eating unprocessed foods – no refined sugars, no dairy, no refined starches.  Instead, you eat animal proteins…and lots of them…vegetables, unrefined fats like olive oil and coconut oil (extra virgin coconut oil is a beautiful thing IMHO) and — in moderation — nuts and fruits.

I’m not a medical professional, so don’t take these reviews as promoting a lifestyle. Of course, even among the experts there seems to be disagreement.

Because I want to lose about 10 pounds and because I like meat — I’m so happy that grilling season is once again here! — I thought I’d give this way of eating a try. Turns out that it’s really agreeing with me. I was a sweet-tea-aholic, but so far I don’t feel deprived while keeping a 90% paleo diet (I like a certain brand of Mexican chocolate that contains sugar – I figure one triangle per day is okay).

The following two books have been great in providing meals that are delicious and keep you sated for hours. The bone broth (considered a superfood for its gut-healing abilities) in both books was great. Other than that recipe, the books are fairly different. One is geared more towards kid-friendly, the other is more exotic in its flavorings.

 Practical Paleo: a Customized Approach to Health and a Whole-Foods Lifestyle is great because it gives alternatives if you need to stay away from nightshade items or FODMAP foods and also has pull-out sheets to take along to the grocery store. Diane Sanfillippo (BS, NC) provides a plethora of great information about healthy foods, what gluten really “is”, supportive nutrients for a variety of conditions, and she has made it easier to know what exactly to eat by crafting several different 30-day meal plans depending on your goal: Weight Loss, Heart Health,  Digestive Health, Neurological Health, etc. The Bone Broth was yummy, my homemade Probiotic Cabbage and Ginger Sauerkraut is lacto-fermenting as I type, and the Lemony Lamb Dolmas and Asian Orange Pan-Seared Scallops are on my “must-try” list. Diane’s website: http://balancedbites.com/

Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans, by Michelle Tam and Henry Fong, is wonderful in providing an Asian flavor profile to paleo foods. The Walnut Prawns are fantastic, as are the Quick-Pickled Carrot Strings, and I look forward to trying the Fiona’s Green Chicken, redolent with cilantro, mint, basil, and lime. I will admit that my husband liked the almond scones much more than I did, but no cookbook is ever going to hit 100%. The author gives a great prologue about her switch to Paleo (she decided to do so on a cruise – all that food!) and gives a great list of foundation recipes…and her cartoons are really cute. Michelle’s website — more great recipes: http://nomnompaleo.com/