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Make It Easy: A Healthy Meal Prep and Menu Planning Guide—A Cookbook
A super-flexible meal prep cookbook featuring 125 healthy gluten-free, grain-free, and paleo recipes plus 16 weeks of menu plans, detailed meal prepping advice, grocery lists, and more—from the New York Times bestselling author of the Against All Grain series.In this practical, time-saving guide to meal prepping and menu planning, beloved author Danielle Walker removes all the guess work from your daily effort to get food on the table. Make It Easy presents sixteen weeks of menus, along with prep-ahead and make-ahead tips, shopping lists organized by grocery store departments, and proven methods for getting it all done quickly and effortlessly.Because we all prep in different ways depending on the size of our families and the busyness of our lives, Danielle has identified six "prepper personas" and developed recipes for each type. Recipes such as Greek Lemon Chicken with Artichokes or Teriyaki Meatballs can be made in large quantities and frozen for later, while Fried Pineapple and Pork Rice or Meatballs Marsala with Mashed Roots use store-bought ingredients for no-fuss, quick meals. And Steak and Eggs Breakfast Tacos or Veggie and Shrimp Bowls are designed so components can be made ahead and then repurposed for other meals the same week.Meal plans can be followed in any order and nearly every recipe is photographed. And with additional recipes for breakfasts, snacks, sides, and back-pocket dinners (dishes using pantry ingredients you already have!), this deliciously healthy cookbook provides everything you need to meal plan right.
304 pages, Hardcover
Published September 10, 2024
122 people are currently reading
133 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
September 11, 2024
I have every one of Danielle’s cookbooks, and I was lucky enough to win an early copy of Make It Easy. I’m currently eating leftovers of Cajun salmon with coconut lime cauliflower rice with pineapple salsa, which is in the new book. It’s delicious. And it sounds complicated, but I swear it was so easy!!! This book is what the paleo/gluten free community has been waiting for. Any cookbook I’ve ever read that has really easy recipes typically involve lots of processed food and ingredients that I can’t eat. This one does not. Not only are the recipes simple, Danielle even gives you a ton of short cuts for every single recipe! This is a fantastic resource, and I know I’m going to be making these recipes all. the. time.
September 10, 2024
Make It Easy is the latest cookbook by Danielle Walker. True to its title, the author has done a fantastic job in providing delicious, nutritious, easy recipes. This book differs from her previous books in that it focuses on meal prep and planning. A reader's first step would be to read about the six different types of meal prepping and select the type that best fits. I fell into the semi-homemade and pantry types. Once I identified my type, I was steered towards recipes that utilized some ready made items and items from my pantry. There are a total of fifteen meal plans. Each plan consists of four recipes, a back pocket meal, and a grocery list. Every plan and recipe offers suggestions as to what can be prepped or made ahead and includes notes, shortcuts, and approximate active time involved. Most meals have an active time of about twenty to thirty minutes with several under twenty and very few over forty. Every main recipe is accompanied by a photo and there is a great index in the back with small photos of every recipe making it very easy to locate what you seek. All recipes are paleo but one could easily use dairy or gluten if one wanted. Nothing is fancy and meals consist of familiar entrees that would be recognizable and enjoyable to everyone. My favorite dishes were the enchilada stuffed sweet potato and the buffalo chicken sheet pan pasta. The book finishes with a small selection of
recipes for make ahead breakfasts, snacks, sides, and desserts. In all, the only thing easier would be if the author came to your home to cook the recipes herself. Ten Speed Press provided me with a free copy of this book; the opinions are my own.
recipes for make ahead breakfasts, snacks, sides, and desserts. In all, the only thing easier would be if the author came to your home to cook the recipes herself. Ten Speed Press provided me with a free copy of this book; the opinions are my own.
September 11, 2024
Danielle Walker never lets you down with her cookbooks and this one is no exception.
I loved the layout of this book. Much easier to follow through all the different things that she offers in the cookbook.
There's lots of information on how to prep via what might be your best style for prepping as well as how do prepping which is one of the main reasons I bought this cookbook. She provides a lot of information to read through which I greatly appreciate!
One of the downsides of this cookbook for me was it uses a lot of shades which for some people with autoimmune disorders that's a no-no and she doesn't give options to change out the night shades.
Hopefully she will do that in future publications.
One of the positives in this book is that her recipes, while family size, can be split in half and frozen so that a single person can eat them later since one recipe really becomes "meal prepping" for a single person.
In the future, if possible, I would like the ability have these "family size meals" with a full recipe as well as a half recipe because sometimes simply splitting her recipes in half doesn't always work exactly right. 🤔
Having said, that there were a lot of recipes that I could utilize and there were several fish recipes which I've been looking for and some new soup recipes which I am really excited about.
Again, Danielle chose to use the hard book cover which I appreciate because her first book I have owned 3 to 4 copies of that book because it did not have the hard book cover. Not that I minded repurchasing that book multiple times! 😝
Beautifully done and chock full of recipes and information that a single person to a family person can utilize.
I loved the layout of this book. Much easier to follow through all the different things that she offers in the cookbook.
There's lots of information on how to prep via what might be your best style for prepping as well as how do prepping which is one of the main reasons I bought this cookbook. She provides a lot of information to read through which I greatly appreciate!
One of the downsides of this cookbook for me was it uses a lot of shades which for some people with autoimmune disorders that's a no-no and she doesn't give options to change out the night shades.
Hopefully she will do that in future publications.
One of the positives in this book is that her recipes, while family size, can be split in half and frozen so that a single person can eat them later since one recipe really becomes "meal prepping" for a single person.
In the future, if possible, I would like the ability have these "family size meals" with a full recipe as well as a half recipe because sometimes simply splitting her recipes in half doesn't always work exactly right. 🤔
Having said, that there were a lot of recipes that I could utilize and there were several fish recipes which I've been looking for and some new soup recipes which I am really excited about.
Again, Danielle chose to use the hard book cover which I appreciate because her first book I have owned 3 to 4 copies of that book because it did not have the hard book cover. Not that I minded repurchasing that book multiple times! 😝
Beautifully done and chock full of recipes and information that a single person to a family person can utilize.
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May 6, 2025 There is a saying about the best laid plans of mice and men. Well this is a book about planning, but they involve food and meal planning. Danielle Walker has written many best selling books about food and making the best recipes.
This book follows that path, but with added incentives on planning to get the best possible results. She cites the fact not everyone preps for their meal the same. There are variables that often revolve around the size of one’s family, or the foods you are most apt to use for your recipes.
Among the types are: the batch cooker, the component prepper, the freezer prepper, the pantry prepper, the semi-homemade prepper, and others. From the freezer to heating up the dishes, Walker offers solid advice to once more get the best possible results.
The book is filled with 125 gluten-free, grain-free, and dairy-free recipes. They are easy to make and follows from week 1 to week 15. There is so much variety here that all the recipes are must-trys.
Some of the ones noted are: no-boil baked pesto and vegetable penne, Italian cottage pie, coconut-curry shrimp and sweet potatoes, green goddess cobb salad with crispy chicken skin croutons, Thai-style chicken stew, and lots more.
Meal making truly just got easier thanks to this book, and will no longer cause stress and second-guessing about what you can eat. You’ve got your own menus laid out for you, making life that much simpler.
This book follows that path, but with added incentives on planning to get the best possible results. She cites the fact not everyone preps for their meal the same. There are variables that often revolve around the size of one’s family, or the foods you are most apt to use for your recipes.
Among the types are: the batch cooker, the component prepper, the freezer prepper, the pantry prepper, the semi-homemade prepper, and others. From the freezer to heating up the dishes, Walker offers solid advice to once more get the best possible results.
The book is filled with 125 gluten-free, grain-free, and dairy-free recipes. They are easy to make and follows from week 1 to week 15. There is so much variety here that all the recipes are must-trys.
Some of the ones noted are: no-boil baked pesto and vegetable penne, Italian cottage pie, coconut-curry shrimp and sweet potatoes, green goddess cobb salad with crispy chicken skin croutons, Thai-style chicken stew, and lots more.
Meal making truly just got easier thanks to this book, and will no longer cause stress and second-guessing about what you can eat. You’ve got your own menus laid out for you, making life that much simpler.
January 5, 2025
This book will guide you through the process of menu planning and prepping. It is full of general cooking tips, in addition to easy recipes that are free from grains, gluten, and lactose.
There are three parts. In part 1, Getting Started, discover which meal-prepping persona you are and how to navigate this new world of freezer meals, reheating tips, stocking your pantry, tools and appliances, and basic recipes. In part 2, 15 Weeks of Meal Plans, take advantage of shopping lists, ingredient combinations to reduce waste, and less time and stress in the kitchen. Part 3, More Recipes, offers back-pocket dinners and make-ahead meals.
If you are looking for a guidebook to teach you how to plan your meals to reduce your stress and time in the kitchen while still providing nourishing meals to your family, this book is for you.
There are many practical items, such as the stock your pantry and freezer checklist, shopping list QR codes, meal plan QR codes, notes, shortcuts, and make-ahead options. Her website also offers an updated list of her favorite and trusted brands.
The author mentions that her seasonings are Whole30-approved; the reader may not know what the Whole30 program or approval means. Also, if you are new to this author, she believes in grain-free and gluten-free living but doesn’t explain why.
There are three parts. In part 1, Getting Started, discover which meal-prepping persona you are and how to navigate this new world of freezer meals, reheating tips, stocking your pantry, tools and appliances, and basic recipes. In part 2, 15 Weeks of Meal Plans, take advantage of shopping lists, ingredient combinations to reduce waste, and less time and stress in the kitchen. Part 3, More Recipes, offers back-pocket dinners and make-ahead meals.
If you are looking for a guidebook to teach you how to plan your meals to reduce your stress and time in the kitchen while still providing nourishing meals to your family, this book is for you.
There are many practical items, such as the stock your pantry and freezer checklist, shopping list QR codes, meal plan QR codes, notes, shortcuts, and make-ahead options. Her website also offers an updated list of her favorite and trusted brands.
The author mentions that her seasonings are Whole30-approved; the reader may not know what the Whole30 program or approval means. Also, if you are new to this author, she believes in grain-free and gluten-free living but doesn’t explain why.
December 16, 2024
I am an avid meal prepper as I don't feel like cooking at all during the week, so I take a few hours on Saturday and Sunday to get EVERY meal ready for the week and doled out in serving size portions to pick and choose what we take to work and feel like eating for dinner. This book is set up a lot like ATK's The Ultimate Meal Prep Cookbook, with the meal plan and grocery lists as the intro to that week and then the recipes, with one "pantry" recipe that assumes you'll cook with what you already have. There are lots of subs and shortcuts and tips for prepping ahead and freezing and storing. I like that the recipes are grain-free, dairy-free, and paleo even though I'm not an adherent of any of those things, just because it's nice to ditch the pasta for zoodles or the rice for cauli-rice once in awhile, but I forget to do that if I don't have a cookbook reminding me that what I ate growing up is not the only way to cook the classics. And I don't need cheese on everything, which so many other cookbooks rely on too heavily. It's not Ottolenghi good, but I don't have time for his deliciousness every day.
October 14, 2024
We don't eat paleo, so I would modify some of these. And I thought she devoted a little too much time at the beginning to what kind of prepper you are - I'm kind of a hybrid of 2-3 types, so including all the tips in the recipes, which she does, works best. I don't prep exclusively, but usually for about half the week's dinners, and this is a solid book. Almost every set of plans includes a sheet pan dinner; there is an excellent salads chapter to help with lunches, and leftovers. This is a useful, group-friendly book that's well laid out and easy to use. If you make dinner for a family or group of 4-6 on a regular basis, this is worth checking out. It doesn't include nutrition information, which I don't love for a book that is healthy-ish, but most of these recipes are OK nutritionally, or could be easily modified. This is a good resource, especially if you like to prep your meals in advance.
January 18, 2025
Solid cookbook, I was pleasantly surprised to see all the recipes were gluten and dairy free. The recipes were not too abstract or used obscure ingredients, which I always appreciate. I love that the weekly meal plan recipes overlap ingredients, helping to reduce food waste. Also, I loved the Recipe Index with pictures in the back of the book.
Some tidbits & recipes I want to remember from this cookbook:
- Freezer Pucks - use a silicone muffin pan to fill with soup, leftover coconut milk & broth, etc and freeze to quickly thaw for quick cooking and less waste
- Spanish Rice with Chorizo, Artichokes, & Lemon Garlic Aioli (p. 56)
- Stuffed Pepper Soup (p. 75)
- Korean-Inspired BBQ Beef Bowls (p. 130)
- DF Cream of Mushroom Soup (p. 173)
- Green Goddess Grilled Chicken w/ Feta and Cilantro (p. 194)
Some tidbits & recipes I want to remember from this cookbook:
- Freezer Pucks - use a silicone muffin pan to fill with soup, leftover coconut milk & broth, etc and freeze to quickly thaw for quick cooking and less waste
- Spanish Rice with Chorizo, Artichokes, & Lemon Garlic Aioli (p. 56)
- Stuffed Pepper Soup (p. 75)
- Korean-Inspired BBQ Beef Bowls (p. 130)
- DF Cream of Mushroom Soup (p. 173)
- Green Goddess Grilled Chicken w/ Feta and Cilantro (p. 194)
September 11, 2024
So much mental energy goes into planning, prepping, & preparing meals! That's amplified when you're choosing to eat healthy (like actually healthy, not fake healthy 😂). Danielle has an amazing ability to craft DELICIOUS meals free from junk!
YOU NEED THIS COOKBOOK IF:
-You want done-for-you meal plans with grocery lists & minimal food waste
-You're struggling with a health issue that could be improved with a better diet
-You're looking for yummy & creative dishes to impress your family & friends
-You're committed to a healthier relationship with food
-You have little time to get dinner on the table
Thank you Danielle for using the gifts God gave you to make a real difference. Your work is truly impacting & changing lives!
YOU NEED THIS COOKBOOK IF:
-You want done-for-you meal plans with grocery lists & minimal food waste
-You're struggling with a health issue that could be improved with a better diet
-You're looking for yummy & creative dishes to impress your family & friends
-You're committed to a healthier relationship with food
-You have little time to get dinner on the table
Thank you Danielle for using the gifts God gave you to make a real difference. Your work is truly impacting & changing lives!
September 22, 2024
I’ve tried several recipes for this cookbook already, and I was heartened with the thought put into meals that could be frozen/prepped ahead/Instant potted/sheet-pan prepped. It provides multiple options for substitutions to even shorten prep.
Every recipe we have tried (baked goods, main meals, soups, salads, sandwiches, snacks) were incredibly full of flavor!
Danielle also planned the recipes to reduce food waste and keep an eye on the budget: all really timely as we look to maximize where our dollar goes.
I’ve also made several of these recipes to give as “food gifts” and every. single. recipient was floored that the recipes were gluten/grain-free, dairy-free and had an eye on nutrient density.
Every recipe we have tried (baked goods, main meals, soups, salads, sandwiches, snacks) were incredibly full of flavor!
Danielle also planned the recipes to reduce food waste and keep an eye on the budget: all really timely as we look to maximize where our dollar goes.
I’ve also made several of these recipes to give as “food gifts” and every. single. recipient was floored that the recipes were gluten/grain-free, dairy-free and had an eye on nutrient density.
November 26, 2025
It wasn't quite what I was expecting, but there were still quite a few useable recipes for me to use. I keep thinking she's paleo when she's not entirely. The ones I couldn't adapt, I just skipped them. The only reason I gave it 4 stars was because the format was a bit weird.
This is not an ordinary cookbook by any means. This is for people who can't eat "normal" foods because they make us sick. I appreciate people out there willing to make and test recipes for us so that we have something readily available to us!
This is not an ordinary cookbook by any means. This is for people who can't eat "normal" foods because they make us sick. I appreciate people out there willing to make and test recipes for us so that we have something readily available to us!
September 11, 2024
I have all of Danielle's books and love them but she's outdone herself with this one. She thought of everything including grocery lists, make ahead ideas, and shortcuts (and even has an app!). She's also identified six "meal-prepper personas" and developed recipes for each type. This is wonderful and can be used by everyone even though we have different needs and styles of cooking. I have no doubt that you will love this cookbook and it will be a new favorite!
September 12, 2024
Danielle Walker does it again! I have four of her cookbooks and have participated in her meal plan subscription. The recipes are the absolute best. They taste good - and you don’t even know you’re missing gluten or dairy! My husband (non gluten free loves all of them too!)
This cookbook has 15 meal plans along with grocery lists to make life easier. Love!! I’ve made a few recipes already and have tasted even more! Worth every penny!
This cookbook has 15 meal plans along with grocery lists to make life easier. Love!! I’ve made a few recipes already and have tasted even more! Worth every penny!
September 10, 2024
An excellent flavorful menu planning book complete with shopping lists and what to prep ahead of time. 16 weeks of done for you meal planning, all that’s left to do is shop and prep. The produce goes together in the meals so you don’t have anything left forgotten in the fridge. The recipes are gluten-free, grain-free, and dairy-free, and so delicious!! Thank you Danielle!!
October 9, 2024
This is the perfect cookbook for the busy family. The recipes are easy and healthy, but taste complicated and sophisticated. There's something for everyone in this accessible recipe book and meal planner. Ten Speed Press provided me with a complimentary copy of the book, but the opinions are all mine.
October 13, 2024
Excellent format. Lots of healthy recipes, with photos for each. I liked the notes and shortcuts - the options felt like real life and make the recipes approachable. This seems like a doable plan for anyone needing this kind of menu guide. Every Danielle Walker cookbook has been great, and definitely worth a look.
March 31, 2025
If you are a celiac or truly lactose intolerant, this cookbook might be for you. Otherwise, at $35 skip it. It’s full of recipes imitating others. I wish cookbook authors would be more truthful with their ingredients. It’s crumbled cauliflower not rice. It’s almond juice not milk. Nothing replaces cheese. On a positive note, most ingredients should be readily available.
September 21, 2024
Healthy meal prep made easy! 👍👍👍
September 21, 2024
I love Danielle Walker books, and this one did not disappoint. My weekly meal plans are laid out for me with grocery lists and easy things to prep ahead of time!
September 26, 2024
I bought this book a week ago and I have made and loved 12 recipes! Looking forward to trying even more. All her cookbooks have been so helpful when converting to a gluten free lifestyle.
October 17, 2024
You can have healthy recipes that use grain and/or dairy. The exclusion of both makes this harder to use for normal folks.
October 23, 2024
Easy to read and use. Lots of great planning ideas. I forgot she’s really gf and dairy free cooking.
November 30, 2024
Not for me.
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January 10, 2025Want this for my library
January 18, 2025
This a great planning book with simple to follow meal plans.
January 3, 2026
I obviously haven't made all of the recipes, but all of the ones I have made have been good, and more than half of those are ones I will definitely make again.
I knocked a couple of stars off because I was expecting full meals with each of the recipes. Only some of the recipes include a vegetable or other side. For simplicity and to decrease decision fatigue, having the whole meal written would be helpful.
Another nit-picky thing: not all of the pages are numbered. That is just annoying when trying to find a certain recipe!
I knocked a couple of stars off because I was expecting full meals with each of the recipes. Only some of the recipes include a vegetable or other side. For simplicity and to decrease decision fatigue, having the whole meal written would be helpful.
Another nit-picky thing: not all of the pages are numbered. That is just annoying when trying to find a certain recipe!
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews