Simply Laura Lea. Laura Lea
example is my use of avocado
oil. When I wrote my first book, I’d never heard of
avocado oil, and I didn’t have a great substitute to
offer for inflammatory vegetable oils. Now avocado
oil is one of my most-prized pantry possessions,
and I use it multiple times per day (more on page 17 for why it’s so great). A less concrete but equally impactful example is my deeper understanding of bio-individuality—the concept that because of our uniqueness, we cannot appropriate another person’s diet and assume it will work for us. This understanding led me to rekindle a romance with dairy, because I realized that it actually works for me (more on this on page 21). At least for now!
Writing these books also affords me the
opportunity to answer your requests directly. You
told me you wanted more vegetarian recipes, so I
doubled the vegan and vegetarian entrées section.
You were befuddled by your Instant Pots (leaving
many still in their boxes), so I created recipes that
will make your purchase worthwhile and save you
time. (P.S. I implore you to tell me what else you want
to see in future books, even as you are getting to
know and using this one.)
I’ll tell you a little secret. Despite my intense
cookbook-writing love affair, I almost put the kibosh
on this one. Last year, I went through one of the most
difficult periods of my life, and I could barely eat or
sleep for weeks on end let alone birth a book-baby. I
even considered throwing together a twenty-recipe
paperback to give you something while keeping my
workload light. But the idea of nothing or something
“less than” sat more heavily in my gut than the
emotional pain I was in. So here we are.
And you know what? Creating this book healed
me. It healed my aching gut and glued my heart back
together and softened the muscles in my braced
shoulders and put the good kind of butterflies in
my belly. It affirmed the incomparable therapeutic
power of a well-loved and well-used kitchen. It
ignited a confidence in my—our—ability to grow
alongside and in spite of pain. And I’ve never been
happier.
Over the last thirteen months, I’ve been asked
almost weekly “What’s the theme of your new book?”
While it would have been easy to be able to say
“Laura Lea Holiday” or “Laura Lea Keto,” the truth is
that there is no ostensible theme. More accurately,
the themes that course through the veins of this book
are the same as the first: ingredients and recipes
that are approachable, family-friendly, familiar
with a twist, comfort-food inspired, and which
offer something for everyone, at any meal, for any
occasion. My goal with this book wasn’t to reinvent
the wheel, but to provide more of what you’ve told me
adds value to your life.
I cannot wait to hear how you (hopefully) enjoy
these dishes, make them your own, and come up
with ways I can do it better the next time.
SPECIAL RECIPE SYMBOLS + LABELS
Vegetarian
Vegan
Dairy-Free
Keto-Friendly
Gluten-Free
Paleo
1 hour or less
Soaking required
Chilling required
Marinating
required
Secondary recipe
Instant Pot
& Crock-Pot
Chapter 1
The LL BALANCED
APPROACH to FOOD
I have allowed myself more indulgences over the past year and a half than I did in the previous six. And yet, I have felt more vibrant and comfortable in my skin, have slept better, and have experienced less anxiety than in those previous years. Don’t get me wrong; I’ve eaten all of the nourishing food in this cookbook and enjoyed every healthful bite, but I’ve also been more flexible.
What does this mean? To me, it is a reminder that more important than the tangible food “stuff” is the mindset with which we approach food and ourselves. We must come from a place of self-compassion, from the understanding that there is no “right,” “wrong,” “good,” or “bad” when it comes to food. There are foods that make us feel better and foods that make us feel less so, and that varies from moment to moment. When we make space for what seems like imperfection and trust that our bodies, brains, and hearts know what we need, we cannot go wrong. As you progress through this book, I invite you to approach each recipe with playfulness and curiosity. My hope is that the experience of doing so will echo into every other aspect of your life, because you deserve it.
The THREE STEPS to ACHIEVING the
LL BALANCED APPROACH to FOOD:
1
Fill your pantry with nutrient-dense, whole foods.
2
Properly supply yourself with the basic kitchen equipment
and ingredient staples.
3
Create a relaxed and happy eating environment.
1
Fill your pantry with nutrient-dense, whole foods—
including these awesome new ingredients.
I had so much fun coming up with a list of new,
fabulous, and unique ingredients to include in this
cookbook. (For a quick review of the ingredients
in my first book, see Stocking Your Pantry, page 348.) While I want y’all to have the vast majority of ingredients already in your pantry, I feel that it’s my responsibility and privilege to introduce new, healthy foods and flavors to you. In my first book, you learned about gooey, caramel-y medjool dates; crunchy, fiber-filled chia seeds; utterly versatile almond flour; and so much more. I have loved seeing y’all incorporate those gems into your weekly cooking