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