The autoimmune paleo cookbook

by Mickey Trescott

"Mickey's authentic journey with her autoimmune disease flavours her recipes from beginning to end. Anyone on an AI wellness 'trek' knows that simplicity, earthiness and a gentle, nourishing approach to food (and beyond) is absolutely key. This book should be part of every traveller's kit! -Sarah Wilson, New York Times Best-selling author of I Quit Sugar

In her mid-twenties, struggling with low energy and fatigue that had plagued her for years, Mickey Trescott received two autoimmune diagnoses: Hashimoto's disease (which affects the thyroid gland) and Coeliac disease (gluten intolerance which affects the small intestine). She tried a plant-based diet, supplements, eating raw and cleanses, but nothing helped with her fatigue, hair loss and other symptoms. As a last resort, she switched to a paleo diet, cutting out grains and beans and adding grass-fed meats, bone broth, eggs and wild-caught fish. And it worked. Mickey began feeling better immediately and felt like herself again in a matter of months. The first part of this book describes the Autoimmune Protocol that Mickey follows. It includes advice and information on which foods to eliminate and which foods to include; it also discusses which foods promote healing, and why. The second part of the book shares 115 of Mickey's delicious recipes for alleviating the symptoms of autoimmune disease. There are also two 4-week meal planners and tips for shopping, batching and preparing ahead that make following the plan as easy as possible

Genres: Cookbooks, Health, Cooking, Nonfiction, Food, Nutrition, Reference

312 pages, Paperback

First published March 31, 2014

Reviews

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good background and the recipes, so far, have been very easy to follow. The only dings is there's not anything on beverages, side dish suggestions for each meal, nor any online references to ask about allowed vs disallowed items. For example, the first breakfast is beef & herb patties (delicious), but two of those patties alone do not make a breakfast. From reading her one page on "breakfast" I thought to add fresh fruit and sauteed kale. Since I'm new to this, a complete menu for each day (not just the main course) would be appreciated at least for the first week.

Now, there is a chapter on beverages I can make - like smoothies and power drinks. But, what I'm looking for is what I can drink every day. Water, I'm guessing is fine, but what about iced tea? Hot tea? Coconut water? It mentions "tea" as an allowable "spice", so I'm guessing I can have tea... but a brief section on allowed beverages would be great. There is a section on what's not allowed (alcohol and coffee).


A web group or forum (like on facebook or a website) where I could ask such questions would be very helpful. There is a short list of what you're allowed or not allowed to eat, but it's not exhaustive. As I don't fully understand how it was generated (other than the grains & night shades), I want to ask questions like: are green beans allowed at first? Snap peas are, and they seem similar to me...

Still, I'm hoping to see some positive health changes and I like the systematic approach to reintroducing foods and the tons of easy recipes to get started.

[Nat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, yes, there's a lot of ridiculous, but they also offer a ton of good recipes that won't make my body want to die, so deal with it - FOUR STARS.

[Mischenko · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this cookbook, but it took me awhile to get used to the taste of many of the recipes. The soups are my favorite. A few recipes I'll probably never make, but overall good to have on your shelf.

[Ellen · Rating 2 out of 5]

To be honest, I quit reading it and didn't feel like finishing it.

[Rachel B · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved that there were so many photos of the recipes in this book! That's very important in a cookbook.

I tried a couple of the recipes in this book and wasn't blown away. Several of the recipes (or variations of them) are also available on the Autoimmune Paleo website.

I didn't like how so many of the recipes called for coconut products; in particular, another recipe in her book for "coconut concentrate" is a staple in many of her recipes. While I understand the need to have a few staple products when doing a diet like the Autoimmune Protocol, it would have been nice to just have items I could purchase, rather than to have a 2- or 3-step process that I have to start a week ahead of time (e.g. make recipe 1, which is used in recipe 2, which I need for recipe 3, the actual meal I want to eat).

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the author's backstory, which is kind of weird to say for a cookbook. I like that they were a devoted vegan for so long, because I think it makes them seem more balanced about paleo. I'm not paleo or vegan, or any other catch phrase. The author's experience is one I've heard often from vegans with thyroid related illness. Obviously not always, we're all so different. It was interesting to see my experience and views reflected in the authors experience. I may not have Hoshimoto's, but close enough. Plus, since they were vegan they are not eager to eat the 'gross' things some hard core carnivores are (I say this knowing they are only gross because of modern over sensitivity to reality of food production). I was VERY happy for an alternative to mayo and no soy in sight.

[Josianne Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent primer for cooks new to the autoimmune paleo protocol. Almost all of the recipes are delicious and straightforward. I appreciate the short list of ingredients for each recipe and the simple instructions. The photography and food styling is beautiful, using mostly the same wood table as background but underlining how the same good quality ingredients can produce great results even though they might seem few in number. This AIP cookbook brings the protocol down to my beginner level. I've already started to feel better and am hoping my health issues will improve even more as I continue with it.

[Orenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well organized and easy to follow. This made my transition to Paleo easier and I found some go-to recipes. There are a few recipes that did not really work (i.e. ranch dressing) but I'm still happy I purchased this book.

[Sally B · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has become my go-to cookbook since being diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. I love all the pictures. I have cooked my way through it for the most part and some of the recipes are mainstays. Even my husband- who doesn't need to eat AIP enjoys all of the recipes.

[Sinclair · Rating 4 out of 5]

AIP and Mickey Trescott have significantly helped my health. Highly recommend this for anyone struggling with autoimmune, gut health, "wtf is wrong with me" questions. The handbook is probably even better, but this cookbook combined with their podcast is great.

[Cheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a cookbook to help om the AIP journey, I love this one. Meal plans, grocery lists, recipes, how to reintroduce foods and the timeline for doing so. So very helpful and everything I tried was good.

[Amy K · Rating 5 out of 5]

A game changer- this is the book I have been waiting for! I can't wait to make every single recipe.

[Natalie Levie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Got this as an ebook before a published copy was even an option! So helpful for starting AIP, and tons of the recipes have stayed in our regular rotation as they're just plain delicious.

[Lisa Zahn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is fantastic. Beautifully presented, easy to understand, and with plans and recipes to make following this healing plan about as easy as it could be with all the cooking involved. I have learned that cooking 3 meals a day and avoiding certain foods while adding in other very nutritious foods makes me feel so much better, and while I'm not on the AIP elimination diet currently, I am considering it for gut healing since the Whole30 helped me SO much but I'm not quite 100% better. Yes, cooking so much and eating only whole, real foods seems extreme in our current American culture, but our ancestors of less than 100 years ago knew nothing different and we humans seem to have a very narrow view of what "normal" is. This book is wonderful for anyone starting out on an Autoimmune Paleo path, but we all need to remember it's not a life plan. It's an elimination diet meant to be temporary, allowing for healing and also noticing which foods cause the most problems so they can be avoided for a longer period. I want to thank the author for making such a beautifully photographed, easy to follow cookbook.

[Madison Low · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having Rheumatoid arthritis since 16, I’ve struggled with chronic pain. But until recently it was manageable with basic pain meds on bad days. Then it got a whole lot worse, and it was steroid or trying something a little more “grass-roots”. Enter this protocol! I’ve been on this regime for about a month now, and I’m loving it. There’s no question it is a lot of cooking, and it was a lot to wrap my head around at first. However, because of the way that this book is laid out, it was easier to understand and follow. I found the lists of what is OK to eat and what to avoid, as well as the two full months of food planning, to be extremely helpful. And when I first started, the grocery lists have been amazing, so I don’t have to compile ingredient list of things I need… It’s done for me! On the other side of things…I have noticed a huge improvement in my pain levels and fatigue. I’m feeling more alert and I have substantially less swelling in my joints.

[Jaclyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have basically been using this book as my food bible/weekly meal plan for the past several months. The meals are delicious, the photos are beautiful, and most importantly, Mickey Trescott makes eating AIP both easy and delicious. She lays out a typical weekly menu for 4 weeks, provides complete shopping lists, meal pairing ideas, and throws in some bonus recipes for those who want more. We have found some new family staples in this book that will be in my cooking rotation for years to come. Even my husband, who is very picky, does not eat AIP, and things most healthy foods are either boring or gross, has enjoyed several of the meals I have made from this book. This is a great place to start if you are just beginning your AIP journey. It's also a great go-to for those already on the journey and looking to find some yummy new meal ideas, or ideas for food they can serve to others who are not on AIP.

[Karin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this very practical book! AIP is hard. His book makes it a lot easier. Trescott uses (mostly) normal ingredients, simple recipes and meal plans for two months! There are even quick cheat sheets, and shopping lists. I managed to snag it when Amazon was having a sale and I'm glad I did. I was really in need of some menu planning since that was where I got totally stuck and menu planning is already a big part of how we roll at our house. Between this and one other ebook, I think I will be all set up for a long time. The meals are (relatively) easy to make, batch cooking is considered, and the flavors are great. I only took off one star because I am cranky I have the need for this book. But it really is worth it. So is their website.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book arrived around 4pm today; I had time to run some already-planned errands and still be eating one of the tasty recipes (coconut crusted cod, although I skipped the mango salsa and just served it on a bed of watercress instead) before 6pm. For me, one of the best features of this book appears to be the two sets of four-week meal plans with shopping lists and tips on batch cooking. Less relevant: it's a beautiful book and for some reason the copy I got smells like linseed oil, filling me with nostalgia for Mrs. Francoeur's oil painting lessons... :-)

[Johanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal book with stunning photos! After following a modified version of AIP for 28 days, I felt really good but had to stop ultimately because I was losing too much weight. However, after taking a break, I'm definitely ready to give it a go again (with a few more allowances this time for calories), and this book provides more than enough inspiration for delicious meal ideas- I can't wait to give them a try! A very well done book, highly recommended!

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are some great recipes in this book! I have tried the Curried chicken/vegetable soup.....yummy~
I am planning on making the Shrimp and Green Bean stir fry this weekend! I thought the background information given on Autoimmune Paleo was very informative!

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some good recipes and good info, but not as easy for me to use or enticing as whole 30 cookbook. it was really good for me to learn about nightshades and to have some recipes without them though. this book was recommended to me by my physician.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting read and loads of good recipes that can be used for Keto. The difference between Paleo and Keto, is Dairy, nuts and seeds, and nightshades. But some can be added later if you find they do not affect you.

[Rachel]

This cookbook is teaching me how to cook AIP meals. So far, I have found quite a few meals my family enjoys. I love the meal plans and shopping lists! It gave me confidence that I could try the AIP diet to help heal my thyroid.

[Eileen Sauer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm Hashimoto's for life (and more) but this cookbook was absolutely vital to my learning how to live on a restricted AIP (autoimmune paleo) diet.

[Tamaron Loger · Rating 3 out of 5]

It wasn't as great as I was expecting. There are some decent recipes but I found it underwhelming overall.

[Sandra Jackson - Alawine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not very appetizing.

[Kristin Herrmann · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not quite what I needed but some very good recipes.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many delicious recipes.My fav cookbook.

[Joanne Poyourow · Rating 3 out of 5]

recipes very plain, definitely felt like "on a strict diet". photography gorgeous.

[Rachel Teferet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic cookbook. Though a bit limiting, even for Paleo, it had tons of delicious and simple healing recipes. I borrowed this from the library, but I may have to get a copy for myself!