My Review of "Paleo French Cuisine"
Paleo French Cuisine was written by Alain Braux, who is a gluten and dairy-free chef and nutritherapist. His background includes working for over 40 years as a pastry chef, baker, and chef. About 15 years ago, he furthered his education in nutrition and began working as a "nutritherapist," which is a term used in Europe for nutritionists who focus on using food for healing, as opposed to nutritionists who also work with supplements, homeopathy, and herbal medicine.
For those of you who have read his previous works, you will not be disappointed! For those of you who may be new to him, Braux's style of writing makes you feel like he is talking directly to you. He will challenge you to take responsibility for your own health, which some of you may view as "tough love," but one can tell he has your best interests at heart. He even encourages you to do your own nutrition research, which I think is great. Just be careful that you don't believe everything you read "on the internet!" Always read with a critical eye, meaning if you read research studies or books, be sure to check who funded it and if that funding may lead to bias in the results or in how the results were presented!
As his previous works, Paleo French Cuisine is really two books in one: a guide explaining the history of the Paleo diet and current concepts, as well as a cookbook.
Braux starts out by introducing the reader to a few different "experts" on the paleo diet, pointing out where their views are similar and where they diverge. Braux also gives his own opinions and beliefs on the best way to implement a Paleo diet. I really appreciate that he emphasizes the need for some carbohydrates and that he emphasized vegetables more than meats! I also appreciate that he frequently points out that the reader should listen to their own body and choose their foods accordingly. This is an important point to remember, because for those who have been eating "clean" and who do not have any digestive problems, they will have more flexibility in including some foods like legumes and certain grains that other who have digestive issues may need to avoid.
He then goes on to instruct the reader on how to implement a Paleo eating plan with a French twist, giving directions shopping and methods of food preparation.
Finally he ends with over 150 recipes for appetizers, soups, salads, entrees, side dishes, and even desserts. The recipes range from the simple and quick to the more involved.
Overall this is a great resource for anyone who wants to implement a Paleo diet. Even if you do not necessarily need or want to eliminate grains and legumes, this book is worth reading for the many good tips he provides on food shopping, cooking methods, oils to choose, etc. I would also highly recommend it to anyone looking for new, healthy recipes.
Find Paleo French Cuisine by Chef Alain Braux. Alain Braux International Publishing, LLC, 2013; 309 pages; $19.95; ISBN 978-0-9842883-3-5 on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Paleo-French-Cuisine-Practical-Recipes/dp/0984288333
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