Reviews & Recommendations

The Paleo Primer “A Jump-Start Guide to Losing Body Fat and Living Primally!”

By Keris Marsden and Matt Whitmore
Primal Blueprint Publishing, 2013

A few weeks ago I was fortunate to receive an advance copy of this new book. It was just in time as I had begun to be bored of my current menu selections. Not like there aren't enough Primal/Paleo Cookbooks on the market, there are plenty. I have many of them. Each has something to offer but many are strikingly similar in the end. There are exceptions of course. With this book in hand I began to see a heretofore untapped vision of new and interesting kitchen adventures. This book has a British bent. Nice! Ethnic-Primal, what a concept. Just in case no one has used that term before, I'm claiming it. 

This is a great little book with simple, no nonsense information on the “why’s and how’s” of the Primal lifestyle. There is just enough “science-y” stuff to leave the reader wanting more without feeling like being back in biochemistry or anthropology class. The stick figure illustrations and coffee cup rings complement the decidedly British humor. This would be a perfect book for those interested in learning the basics of the Primal Lifestyle. Complete the introduction, settle in to the kitchen with some really great new recipes, and soon you will be cooking surprising food with all the old familiar ingredients.  Oh, did I mention, there’s Pizza?

It has been a little over two years since my own Primal adventure began.  It has been at least that long since I've had pizza. Many authors have included pizza recipes in their Primal/Paleo cookbooks. They are all pretty good, but they don’t really have the “real” pizza feel.  This one is well worth the effort and the Cauliflower Crust is genius! I could see it becoming the foundation for other flat meal ideas in the future.

It is always nice to find new and different menu items like those Keris and Matt offer from across the pond.  Some I am anxious to try are Omega Breakfast Bake, Turkey Toast, Liver Dippy Egg, Pockets of Power, Man Maker Pie, Matt’s Mighty Scotch Eggs, and Chili Roasted Macadamia Nuts.  The “Cheat” section is destine to become legend! But, enough obligatory recipe chatter. On to the meat of the subject, the Primal/Paleo Lifestyle stuff.

As an Holistic Nutrition and Wellness Coach with an Ancestral perspective, I spend a good amount of my time listening to podcasts, researching, and reading books by some of the many "Smart Paleo People". Lately there has been much chat, and some bickering, in the Primal/Paleo/Ancestral/NT communities concerning the "definition" of said diet and lifestyle choices. This book may not help clear that up. In fact, it may actually add to the confusion a little. The title is "The Paleo Primer". As many know, Paleo typically does not embrace the consumption of dairy or dairy based products. Those who describe themselves as Primal do. The Paleo Primer has cheese in many of their recipes and includes a discussion on making better dairy related choices. That would be Primal, not Paleo as I understand it. But, the title of the book would not be as catchy and musical if it were "The Primal Primer".

On the upside, I learned some new terms. "Fitter Foods" is one of my favorites. That really does describe the whole food thing in a nutshell. Another new term is the acronym S.M.A.S.H. This stands for Salmon, Mackerel, Anchovies, Sardines, Herring. A great way to remember which are the cold water high Omega fish we need to eat more of. Mackerel and Herring are two I normally don't consume but am interested in trying. May be a challenge finding them in Southern California fresh and wild-caught.

There are several simple charts I have found extremely helpful. My favorite is on page 31 which compares the Micronutrients in one serving of cooked sweet potato with one serving of cooked pasta. I have used this chart with some of my Nutrition clients over the last couple of weeks. It has proven very helpful in explaining why pasta isn't the best choice when it comes to making nutrient dense food choices. My other favorite chart is on page 56 and is entitled "Farty Fruit and Vegetables" (FODMAPS). This is one I have been working to understand better myself. This chart and accompanying explanation helped immensely.

Finally, the Conclusion & Takeaways on page 61 are great. Sometimes I struggle to boil things down into manageable pieces for my clients. I get so caught up in the "why's" I end up adding confusion instead of clarifying what are meant as helpful suggestions. I am inclined to copy and paste this list on the front of every notebook I have until I commit it to memory. I'm sure my clients would appreciate more fact, less yap from me.

Thank you Keris and Matt for your humor, whit, and simple explanations. Now, I'm off to chew on that Ethnic-Paleo idea.......