The Laura Lea Balanced Cookbook. Laura Lea

such as bloating or constipation,

       and headaches. If you experience any of

       these, I suggest working with a health-care

       professional to cut gluten out of your diet for

      Cruciferous

       vegetables,

       like cabbage,

       kale, Brussels

       sprouts, and

       radishes, are a

       fantastic defense

       against chronic

       inflammation.

      3 to 4 weeks, then reintroduce it slowly. Pay

       attention to how it makes you feel.

      Personally, wheat and gluten don’t bother

       me when I have them in moderation, so I do.

       However, you have to figure out what works for

       you. My recipes are mostly gluten-free, and I

       can guarantee you won’t miss it.

      DAIRY

      I love me some dairy, but it doesn’t agree

       with some people. Many people are allergic

       to dairy, in which case their bodies react

       negatively to the dairy protein casein. Dairy

       intolerance to the milk sugar lactose is also

       common. Dairy allergy and intolerance

       symptoms overlap and usually appear

       somewhat quickly in the form of stomach

       pain, bloating, gas, nausea, or diarrhea (or

       more severe in the case of allergy). Consult

       with your doctor to determine your condition

       if you think you and dairy aren’t a good

       match. You won’t be alone, and the good news

       is—the vast majority of my recipes are dairy-

       free, and almost all can be made dairy-free

       with appropriate substitutions!

      On a different note, most factory-farmed

       dairy is the result of inhumane practices

       that I don’t want to support, and the products

       themselves are poorer quality. Worse yet,

       many of the industrial dairy animals are

       injected with hormones, which compounds

       with the natural hormones found in cows

       already. Throw this on top of our own

       endocrine system, and we have a hormonal

      mess . . . which often shows up as acne and

       oily skin. In addition, “low-fat” yogurts and

       ice creams, as well as skim milk, are higher in

       sugar to make up for the lack of flavor, which

       isn’t doing anyone any favors.

      As with gluten, try eliminating and

       reintroducing dairy with the help of a

       professional to note any ill effects. If you are

       going to consume dairy, it should be full-fat,

       unsweetened, and from grass-fed, pasture-

       raised cows. My life would be a little sadder

       without grass-fed cheddar. I also find that

       people tend to digest goat’s milk and cheese

       better than cow’s, so that can be a good option

       if you have a trusty purveyor. If you can’t find

       pastured and grass-fed, organic is the next

       best thing to look for. In the book, you will see

       a few recipes with cheese, and I certainly don’t

       shy away from grass-fed butter. I use the best

       quality available in moderation, and I suggest

       the same for you.

      CORN, PEANUTS & SOY

      Be picky when it comes to corn, peanuts, and

       soy. These popular crops are mostly grown on

       large-scale industrial farms, where they are

       treated with pesticides and other chemicals,

       and often they are genetically modified. As a

       result, these foods are among the top allergens

       and food irritants, causing mild as well as

       severe immune system reactions and digestive

       upset. I enjoy all three of these foods, but I

       make sure to buy organic, non-GMO versions,

       and I eat them in moderation.

      2 Properly supply yourself with the basic kitchen

       equipment and ingredient staples.

      Much of the stress that people feel around

       cooking comes from not having what they need

       to make a dish. This leads to multiple grocery

       runs, often last-minute, making the idea of a

       pleasant kitchen experience seem impossible.

       However, there’s an easy fix for this major

       cooking roadblock: take the time and invest in

       pantry and kitchen staples. I have purposefully

       streamlined the tools and ingredients I use so

       that I know I have the building blocks of my

       dishes handy. The purpose of this guideline

       is to create the same ease for you.

      Cooking Equipment Staples

      FOOD PREP BASIC EQUIPMENT

      • Chef’s knife: This 8- to 10-inch knife with a

       wide blade and pointed tip is a home cook’s

       best friend, and it is worth springing for

       a high-quality one if you can. I have several

      knife sets, and I rarely use any knife besides

       this and my paring knife. I like Orblue

       and Wüsthof.

      • Paring knife: This is a mini chef’s knife that

       comes in handy when you need to peel or

       chop more delicate and smaller fruits and

       vegetables, such as garlic or strawberries. I

       suggest the same brands as for the chef’s knife.

      • Vegetable peeler

      • Kitchen shears: I use kitchen shears to

       trim fat off meat, snip herbs, and open

       plastic packaging.

      • Can opener

      • Colander: I suggest two large stainless-steel

       colanders, one with micro-perforations for

       smaller grains, and one with slightly larger