Hi everyone! How are you doing? I hope excellent. And if not maybe this will help cheer you up… I am hosting my first giveaway! Are you excited? I hope so because I sure am. Keep reading to find out more!

One of the best parts about being a food blogger is getting the opportunity to review cookbooks. I love cookbooks. I have a cupboard overflowing with them in my kitchen. There is something about leafing through the pages of a cookbook and seeing all the gorgeous food pictures that always excites me. Which is why I am so thrilled to be sharing my review for the newest book in my collection, Nourish: The Paleo Healing Cookbook by Rachael Bryant. 

I am sure that most of you already know Rachael from her blog Meatified where she shares amazing paleo recipes, most of which are Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) friendly. Through her own health struggles with autoimmune thyroid disease she turned to the AIP diet to help her body heal and has seen amazing results. She also realized that the AIP diet can be intimidating for many people, so she created Nourish to help you make easy, yet delicious recipes that don’t require completed ingredients or tools. The focus of the book is on real food and healing ingredients. Simple as that. And the recipes she came up with are incredible. I have ear-marked almost every page in this book.

As you flip through Nourish, one thing becomes quickly apparent: The recipes are all about flavour, not deprivation. Rachael wants people to know that starting the AIP diet doesn’t mean being limited to only eating bland, boring food. Instead, it can be an exciting healing journey where you learn to appreciate the true flavours of real food, in combinations you never would have dreamed of. Rachael also teaches you how to simplify the AIP process through make ahead meals and batch cooking tips to make the transition to this way of eating as simple as possible.

Like most paleo cookbooks there is an introduction that teaches you about the AIP diet and why it works. Rachel highlights which foods and substances tend to cause irritation and damage to the gut, but she also explains that it’s not just about removing things; it’s about understanding nutrient density, picking quality meat and seafood, finding the best produce, using a select group of healthy fats, and using these foods to help your body heal. Rachel truly understands food’s therapeutic qualities and wants to share her knowledge with you.

It was extremely hard for me to pick just one recipe from this book to share with you. But I did. And it’s the Orange Salad with Olive Rosemary Tapenade.  I chose this recipe because the combination of ingredients intrigued me and because it only takes minutes to make. Plus I love olives. Yes love.

There are over 120 recipes in this book so I have no doubt that you would find something that you love. Here is a list of some of the other recipes I can’t wait to make:

• Slow Cooker Bison Chili
• Cuban Style Picadillo
• Glazed and Baked Chicken Wings
• Braised Spring Chicken with Artichokes and Olives
• Chicken Curry with Creamy Spiced Pumpkin
• Baked Chicken with Peach Sauce
• Crispy Orange Vanilla Duck Legs
• Salmon and Avocado Tartare with Crispy “Crackers”
• Peached Cod with Berry Salsa
• Salt Cured Salmon with Orange and Dill
• Orange Salad with Olive Rosemary Tamponade
• Indian Spiced “Rice” with Lemon and Raisins
• Greek “Couscous” Salad with Oregano Dressing
• Balsamic Roasted Strawberry Popsicles
• Mango Sorbet with Mint
• Finishing Salts: Four Ways

Is your mouth watering yet? It should be. Keep reading to find the recipe for the Orange Salad with Olive Rosemary Tapenade. And if you want a chance to win a copy of Nourish please head to my instagram page to find out how you can enter (US residents only please). The contest closes on May 10, 2015 at 7am Mountain Standard Time so head on over and get your entry in early!

And while you’re at it please visit me on my other social media pages Pinterest, Twitter.

Olives are often reviled because of their fat content, but they’re actually a source of healthy saturated fats. Traditionally, tapenade is more like a spreadable paste, but this version is a little more of a coarse finish so that I could almost scatter it over fresh orange slices for a lovely contrast of savory and sweet flavors.

Print

Orange Salad with Olive Rosemary Tapenade

(Paleo, GAPS, SCD)

Ingredients

• 4 large oranges
• 2 tbsp orange zest
• 1 1/2 cups pitted green olives in olive oil, drained
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

Instructions

1. SLICE: Zest 2 of the oranges to get the 2 tablespoons (10 g) of orange zest for the tapenade. Set aside for later. Use a serrated knife to remove the rest of the skin and pith. Slice each orange into 5–6 slices and set aside.

2. BLITZ: Add the orange zest, olives, garlic, lemon juice, parsley and rosemary to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until everything begins to combine but is still chunky. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and slowly add the olive oil until the tapenade is combined.

3. ASSEMBLE: Layer the orange slices onto plates and top with the red onion slices. Spoon over the olive rosemary tapenade. Drizzle with a little more extra-virgin olive oil, if you wish.