What do you think?
Rate this book
Well Fed Weeknights: Complete Paleo Meals in 45 Minutes or Less
Bursting with vibrant flavors and foolproof recipes, the third installment in the best-selling Well Fed cookbook series puts more than 125 complete—and crazy-delicious—paleo meals on your table in 45 minutes or less. With Well Fed Weeknights, author and mouthy paleo cook Melissa Joulwan brings her love for food and spirit of adventure to a knockout collection of weeknight recipes inspired by takeout classics, food trucks, and cuisines from around the world—all totally free of grains, dairy, legumes, and soy. You won’t mind skipping the drive-through or delivery when you can quickly cook meals like... • Bacon-Jalapeño Burger Balls • Thai Yummy Salad • Dirty Rice • Fried Chicken Meatballs • Pizza Noodles • Sticky Orange Sunflower Chicken • Italian Hoagie Salad • Street Fries ... and so many more. Every meal is thoroughly tested and easy to make, with affordable ingredients you’ll find at your neighborhood grocery store. And all of the recipes include the popular “You Know How You Could Do That?” variations, as well as Cookup Tips to help shorten meal prep time. You'll want to dog-ear the Mini Cookup page where you’ll find step-by-step instructions for cooking six paleo kitchen staples in under an hour. Cook once, and fancy-up your meals all week long with cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles, homemade mayo, and more. Debuting in Well Fed Weeknights are fun and flexible Food Court detailed blueprints of your favorite dinner themes, like Meat & Potatoes, Burger Night, Velvet Stir-Fry, The Ultimate Salad Bar, and more, all offering basic techniques and creative variations to satisfy your personal cravings. Well Fed Weeknights is also packed with useful tips and how-to info • How to eat in restaurants without abandoning good habits • How to cook quickly and eat slowly • Essential pantry foods for weeknight cooking • The best kitchen tools for fast cooking • Dozens of sample menus • A mobile shopping list for every recipe With fresh ingredients, flavorful spices and herbs, luscious sauces, and simple prep, Well Fed Weeknights is sure to become a splattered-and-bookmarked kitchen companion.
610 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 1, 2016
251 people are currently reading
269 people want to read
About the author
Melissa Joulwan
14 books516 followersMelissa Joulwan is the co-founder of Strong Sense of Place, a web site and podcast dedicated to literary travel and books with vivid settings.
She's also the author of the best-selling Well Fed cookbook series and the blog www.MelJoulwan.com, where she writes about her triumphs and failures in the gym, in the kitchen, and in life. Her most recent cookbook is Well Fed Weeknights: Complete Paleo Meals in 45 Minutes Or Less (November 1, 2016).
Well Fed 2 was named one of the best books of 2013 by Amazon.com and was a Washington Post best seller. Her first cookbook Well Fed appeared on the Wall Street Journal and USA Todaybest sellers lists..
In April 2017, she moved to Prague with her husband Dave, her cat, Smudge, her laptop, and one enormous suitcase.
She's also the author of the best-selling Well Fed cookbook series and the blog www.MelJoulwan.com, where she writes about her triumphs and failures in the gym, in the kitchen, and in life. Her most recent cookbook is Well Fed Weeknights: Complete Paleo Meals in 45 Minutes Or Less (November 1, 2016).
Well Fed 2 was named one of the best books of 2013 by Amazon.com and was a Washington Post best seller. Her first cookbook Well Fed appeared on the Wall Street Journal and USA Todaybest sellers lists..
In April 2017, she moved to Prague with her husband Dave, her cat, Smudge, her laptop, and one enormous suitcase.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
July 21, 2021
I'm a huge fan of Melissa Joulwan and this cookbook did not disappoint me
This is one of the easiest to access and plan for something quick to eat. It has complete Paleo meals in less than 45 minutes.
Helpful hints on kitchen tools, spices, everything. One of my favorites is :
''You Know How You Could Do That?'' variations, as well as Cookup Tips to help condense cooking time with make-ahead items.
A couple of my favorites are :
Sticky Orange Sunflower Chicken with Sesame Broccoli
Bacon Jalapeño Balls
This is one of the easiest to access and plan for something quick to eat. It has complete Paleo meals in less than 45 minutes.
Helpful hints on kitchen tools, spices, everything. One of my favorites is :
''You Know How You Could Do That?'' variations, as well as Cookup Tips to help condense cooking time with make-ahead items.
A couple of my favorites are :
Sticky Orange Sunflower Chicken with Sesame Broccoli
Bacon Jalapeño Balls
December 22, 2019
I am CRAZY excited for this book!!! Mel Joulwan is my ALL time favorite cook.... I make more recipes from her than from any other chef - and they are all crazy-amazing. In fact, there has not been a single dud recipe from all of the recipes of hers that I've tried. She's my go-to gal.
I can't recommend her previous two cookbooks highly enough!!
I can't recommend her previous two cookbooks highly enough!!
January 4, 2017
Thank you Mel Joulwan for being amazing! I love this cookbook - the idea (fast paleo meals? Yes, please!), the design (bigger fonts, beautiful photos, "you know how you could do that?"), and the clever writing (Mel, can we be besties?). This was an early Christmas present to myself - along with an immersion blender! - and armed with these two weapons, I'm about to become a kitchen ninja. I'll update as I cook my way through, but honestly, Ms. Joulwan's recipes have never, ever failed me.
What I've made so far:
Mini Cookup: a blast through the kitchen to prep/cook paleo basics! One hour of time to cook/prep chicken, potatoes, zucchini noodles, cauliflower rice, mayonnaise, and salad dressing. This worked. And it made my life easier. Win. And win.
Meat & Potatoes : I made the Sausage & Peppers, Beef Burrito, Harvest, Suya, Gyro, and Buffalo Chicken variations, and these were quick and delicious. Easy to double, which I've made a habit of doing and then I freeze half for another day.
Velvet Stir-Fry: Mel wasn't kidding when she said these would rival the stir-fry at your favorite restaurant. I think they're better! Made Hoisin Pork and Cashew Chicken, great with rice or paleo rice.
Super Salad Combos: Salads don't seem that tough but it's all about the combinations and layers of flavor. And salad dressing, of course! I've made Country Chicken, Winter Salad and Cobb Salad, and every time I bring one to work, people tell how good it looks and they ask to either smell or try the dressing. It's the magic sauce. This cookbook is worth it alone just for the dressing recipes - twenty!
What I've made so far:
Mini Cookup: a blast through the kitchen to prep/cook paleo basics! One hour of time to cook/prep chicken, potatoes, zucchini noodles, cauliflower rice, mayonnaise, and salad dressing. This worked. And it made my life easier. Win. And win.
Meat & Potatoes : I made the Sausage & Peppers, Beef Burrito, Harvest, Suya, Gyro, and Buffalo Chicken variations, and these were quick and delicious. Easy to double, which I've made a habit of doing and then I freeze half for another day.
Velvet Stir-Fry: Mel wasn't kidding when she said these would rival the stir-fry at your favorite restaurant. I think they're better! Made Hoisin Pork and Cashew Chicken, great with rice or paleo rice.
Super Salad Combos: Salads don't seem that tough but it's all about the combinations and layers of flavor. And salad dressing, of course! I've made Country Chicken, Winter Salad and Cobb Salad, and every time I bring one to work, people tell how good it looks and they ask to either smell or try the dressing. It's the magic sauce. This cookbook is worth it alone just for the dressing recipes - twenty!
April 25, 2017
I was very excited about this book as I need to be eating Paleo. However, she uses way too much spice for me and also tomato. I am allergic to tomato. I did enjoy reading it as I almost never read cookbooks.
March 1, 2018
I don't follow a paleo lifestyle, but I'm always interested in discovering new recipes that emphasize protein and veggies while minimizing processed foods. I've followed Joulwan's site for years (her rogan josh and carnitas are staples) and love her creative, accessible ideas. Beyond that, Joulwan seems like an excellent, fun, and authentic person—all aspects that come through in her writing.
Her goal is getting "a full meal—protein, veggies, and fat—onto the table (and into your mouth) in under 45 minutes" (2). From what recipes I've tried (mostly variations of tacos and potato toppings), I think she's succeeded! She assumes "that you've done no preparatory cooking—all of your ingredients are raw and, maybe, you're ready to eat right now. This approach is great for people who like to buy fresh veggies or a beautiful cut of meat that catch their eye at the market" (18).
Joulwan organizes each recipe by explaining how many servings it makes (usually 2–4, with the expectation that each serving is 4–6 ounces of protein with at least 1 cup of veggies), timing instructions to maximize your limited time in the kitchen (no mise en place, but rather instructions on what to do, say, when you're waiting for water to boil or having veggies roast in the oven), what special tools (if any) are needed, the ingredients in order of use, detailed directions, variations, and tips if you do a Weekly Cookup or prepare ingredients in advance.
A good chunk of the book was devoted to meal templates/formulas: a great framework for mixing and matching ideas without having to eat the same thing over and over. Joulwan includes a variety of:
* Meat + potatoes (either baked, oven fries, or home fries), like sausage and peppers, pork and apples, buffalo chicken, steak and mushroom, tacos/fajitas, chicken shawarma, and Nigerian beef
* Stir fries and the importance of velveting your protein: stir together 2 TBSP coconut aminos (or soy sauce for the non-paleo among us), 1 TBSP arrowroot powder (or 2 TBSP cornstarch if you're not paleo), 1 tsp plain rice vinegar, and ¾ tsp salt; then add 1 ½ lb protein to coat. Let rest while you prep the veggies, then cook the protein (remove from pan), then the veggies (remove from pan), then the aromatics, add in the protein and veggies, and toss with the sauce to finish cooking.
* Loads of salads, many of which reminded me of sweetgreen (just without the hefty price tag!)
* Burgers with many interesting (strange?) combinations, like apple and pecan, and bacon/sunflower seed butter/cornichons/red onion
* Tacos, which Joulwan serves as bowls or over roasted plantains. She also includes a recipe for paleo tortillas.
* Hot dog toppings, such as banh mi, Thai-style with sunshine sauce and a cabbage/pepper/red onion/cilantro garnish, bacon/jalapeno/guacamole, and Reuben-style
* Toppings for chicken paillard, like tapenade, cucumber-pineapple salsa, and mushroom and pancetta jam
* Tuna salad variations: cranberry/pecan, curry, Italian-style, cashew, and Vietnamese-style
The minor quibbles I had with this book were: (1) how many recipes called for a mayo-based sauce, and (2) there didn't seem to be as many veggies, especially green veggies, as I would have thought. I know how important (homemade, soybean-free) mayo is to paleo cooking since it's a good source of healthy fat, but all the mayo-based sauces felt a little monotonous to me. And the veggie issue can be solved easily with substitutions and/or additions—I was just surprised at how many recipes were simply protein + some form of potato, with minimal other veggies. (Also, and this has nothing to do with the book's content, the book's binding was coming loose and pages were starting to fall out. Perhaps mistreated by a previous library patron, perhaps due to the book's unusual dimensions of ~8.5" square?)
Recipes to Try:
* Beef milanesa with peach salsa and spinach
* Pork medallions with blackberry compote and cauliflower puree
* Chinese BBQ meatballs with snap peas
* Fried chicken meatballs with collard greens
* Shrimp patties with sesame snow peas
If you're curious, Joulwan has a sample of the cookbook on her site. Check it out!
Her goal is getting "a full meal—protein, veggies, and fat—onto the table (and into your mouth) in under 45 minutes" (2). From what recipes I've tried (mostly variations of tacos and potato toppings), I think she's succeeded! She assumes "that you've done no preparatory cooking—all of your ingredients are raw and, maybe, you're ready to eat right now. This approach is great for people who like to buy fresh veggies or a beautiful cut of meat that catch their eye at the market" (18).
Joulwan organizes each recipe by explaining how many servings it makes (usually 2–4, with the expectation that each serving is 4–6 ounces of protein with at least 1 cup of veggies), timing instructions to maximize your limited time in the kitchen (no mise en place, but rather instructions on what to do, say, when you're waiting for water to boil or having veggies roast in the oven), what special tools (if any) are needed, the ingredients in order of use, detailed directions, variations, and tips if you do a Weekly Cookup or prepare ingredients in advance.
A good chunk of the book was devoted to meal templates/formulas: a great framework for mixing and matching ideas without having to eat the same thing over and over. Joulwan includes a variety of:
* Meat + potatoes (either baked, oven fries, or home fries), like sausage and peppers, pork and apples, buffalo chicken, steak and mushroom, tacos/fajitas, chicken shawarma, and Nigerian beef
* Stir fries and the importance of velveting your protein: stir together 2 TBSP coconut aminos (or soy sauce for the non-paleo among us), 1 TBSP arrowroot powder (or 2 TBSP cornstarch if you're not paleo), 1 tsp plain rice vinegar, and ¾ tsp salt; then add 1 ½ lb protein to coat. Let rest while you prep the veggies, then cook the protein (remove from pan), then the veggies (remove from pan), then the aromatics, add in the protein and veggies, and toss with the sauce to finish cooking.
* Loads of salads, many of which reminded me of sweetgreen (just without the hefty price tag!)
* Burgers with many interesting (strange?) combinations, like apple and pecan, and bacon/sunflower seed butter/cornichons/red onion
* Tacos, which Joulwan serves as bowls or over roasted plantains. She also includes a recipe for paleo tortillas.
* Hot dog toppings, such as banh mi, Thai-style with sunshine sauce and a cabbage/pepper/red onion/cilantro garnish, bacon/jalapeno/guacamole, and Reuben-style
* Toppings for chicken paillard, like tapenade, cucumber-pineapple salsa, and mushroom and pancetta jam
* Tuna salad variations: cranberry/pecan, curry, Italian-style, cashew, and Vietnamese-style
The minor quibbles I had with this book were: (1) how many recipes called for a mayo-based sauce, and (2) there didn't seem to be as many veggies, especially green veggies, as I would have thought. I know how important (homemade, soybean-free) mayo is to paleo cooking since it's a good source of healthy fat, but all the mayo-based sauces felt a little monotonous to me. And the veggie issue can be solved easily with substitutions and/or additions—I was just surprised at how many recipes were simply protein + some form of potato, with minimal other veggies. (Also, and this has nothing to do with the book's content, the book's binding was coming loose and pages were starting to fall out. Perhaps mistreated by a previous library patron, perhaps due to the book's unusual dimensions of ~8.5" square?)
Recipes to Try:
* Beef milanesa with peach salsa and spinach
* Pork medallions with blackberry compote and cauliflower puree
* Chinese BBQ meatballs with snap peas
* Fried chicken meatballs with collard greens
* Shrimp patties with sesame snow peas
If you're curious, Joulwan has a sample of the cookbook on her site. Check it out!
January 7, 2020
I'm not sure you can ever be done "reading" a recipe book, but Mel gives great advice about what to eat and how to prepare it. Meal planning? yep. What to buy? yep. Delicious meals to prepare? yep. Easy and fast? Most of the time. I don't think she ever microwaves her vegetables, but I do.
March 16, 2017
Totally my jam ... Mel Joulwan makes good food, and she makes me look good when she teaches me how to do it too! This book is great for helping me make things in a time crunch that still taste good (and are, you know ... healthy!) All recipes can be done in 45 mins and don't have any funky ingredients in them. The Chinese BBQ Meatballs are on repeat at home.
December 10, 2016
I expected to love this more. I use my Well Fed and Well Fed 2 cookbooks every single week. I've cooked most things in them, and every single recipe is perfect. This cookbook was supposed to be about getting meals done quickly, and I think I just wasn't in the target audience. My idea of easy and quick is soups, stews, and one pot meals that cook while I am away, and this cookbook doesn't have many. I either want to come home and find something already in the crockpot, or I want to spend lots of time cooking my meals. And this was somewhere in the middle, not really for me. The meals were also things we don't really love that much: lots of stirfrys and sautes. I'm sure I will use it, just not as much as my other Well Fed cookbooks. I suspect this cookbook might be a favorite for people who like to cook less than I do.
April 20, 2017
I've come to expect a lot from the cookbooks I keep in my house. I don't want just any old collection of recipes. I want tips that make me a better cook. I want stories that bring the recipes to life. I want recipes that actually taste great. I want to be inspired. And I want lots of pretty pictures. Every one of the Well Fed cookbooks delivers all of these things and Well Fed Weeknights is no exception.
Read
November 28, 2016Will give a star review when I try more recipes, but so far, the Sloppy Joe "Meat and Potatoes" meal definitely meets the easy and tasty requirements!
February 6, 2017
I've never read a cookbook and wanted to try EVERY SINGLE recipe. Super excited for my next Whole30!
May 10, 2019
This author is seriously improving my life! I love the flavor combinations, the simplicity of the presentation, and the well placed tips. I have three books in this series and look forward to cooking with them practically every day.
Sadly, the binding is less than stellar. I've never actually had a book fall apart before. Hopefully (and likely) by the time all the pages have fallen out I will have memorized all the recipes. Don't let that stop you, though, the content is amazing!
Sadly, the binding is less than stellar. I've never actually had a book fall apart before. Hopefully (and likely) by the time all the pages have fallen out I will have memorized all the recipes. Don't let that stop you, though, the content is amazing!
March 21, 2017
Fantastic. Her books just get better and better. The thing about these is they are not just good looking but extremely useful. Practical and yet gorgeous. So well laid out. This one is the best yet. So many great ideas and NEW ideas.
Many "paleo" cookbooks just rehash the same boring recipes, slightly tweaked and if you are lucky you may find one or two new ideas. The Well Fed books stand alone as they are full of unique delicious recipes that you can and actually will make and enjoy.
So grateful for this latest edition, keep up the good work.
Many "paleo" cookbooks just rehash the same boring recipes, slightly tweaked and if you are lucky you may find one or two new ideas. The Well Fed books stand alone as they are full of unique delicious recipes that you can and actually will make and enjoy.
So grateful for this latest edition, keep up the good work.
August 25, 2017
This is a good cookbook packed with tons of recipes for all styles of foods to give you ideas on how you can eat Paleo friendly with meals that take 45 minutes or less to prepare. It has lots of pictures and the descriptions are detailed with alternative add in ideas to mix it up and personalize it to your tastes. Everything from scratch using fresh ingredients.
June 14, 2019
I love this book and her other two as well. This one is the best by far. The recipes are easy to make and the whole family lives them. The recipes are light feeling after eat even if I over ate. There are ingredients that I learned about and others I substituted with a Google search. I highly recommend this book and her other 2.
September 27, 2019
Time is true, the recipes I've tried have definitely been prepped and cooked, within a short time. I like that, because I don't have the energy to cook major meals every night of the week. These are also seemingly pretty tasty for even the pickiest of eaters at my house. There are a few questionably paleo ingredients depending on viewpoint, but one could omit those or substitute it out.
October 24, 2025
Melissa absolutely hit it out of the park with this one. The meals are delicious and actually on the table in under an hour. Added bonus: no impossible-to-find ingredients needed. If you are following a paleo diet (or even if you’re just looking for some delicious and quick meals), this is a must-read. I’m on my second copy because I used my first so often it literally fell apart.
May 24, 2017
I love every recipe I've tried! There are great time saving techniques, like making salad dressings in a mason jar, why did I never think of that myself? Everything is very flavourful, the spice combinations really are wonderful! It's a great addition to my cookbook collection.
July 13, 2017
I've tried lots of these recipes and they are meals that I can eat with my whole family. The combinations of flavors are amazing and the recipes don't leave you searching the grocery store for ingredients they don't have.
August 6, 2017
This cookbook is awesome. I made three weeks of meals from only this cookbook and was quite pleased. My favorite sections were the stir fry, salad and meat/potatoes. I also loved the shakshuka, Cobb salad and dan dan noodles.
October 26, 2022
I love the Well Fed cookbooks by Melissa Joulwan. In particular, this one, because the recipes are quick and easy to prepare with a busy schedule. These books make cooking under paleo rules easy, fun and very tasty!
May 11, 2017
This is my favorite of the Well Fed titles. Really good and easy recipes.
( I prefer Well Fed 2 over the first Well Fed)
( I prefer Well Fed 2 over the first Well Fed)
June 27, 2017
This book has several weekly menu suggestions and lots of new recipes
July 5, 2017
Kelly gave me this since I am trying the Whole 30. It is for beginners like me because it takes a meal from beginning to end, giving all the details for all the food. Love it!
July 31, 2017
Great cookbook, accessible ingredients, new recipes, and yummy
February 17, 2018
Entertaining read, lovely pictures, detailed instructions. I did pick up a few useful ingredients and techniques from this book, and I'm looking forward to trying a couple of recipes.
June 12, 2018
A nice set of quick recipes.
March 22, 2019
Great recipes and information for a Paleo diet.
April 27, 2019
Enjoyed reading through this, and there are a few recipes I'm looking forward to trying. Fewer than the first book though, but I'll revisit the rating when we've cooked a few...
December 31, 2019
Well written and easy recipes. Love this author.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews