The Laura Lea Balanced Cookbook. Laura Lea

you are measuring ⅓ cup minced shallot. A

       rounded cup means a few pieces of what you

       are measuring (often fruit) will stick up above

       the measuring line.

      Basic recipes. Many cookbooks have a section

       on how to make healthy “basic” recipes, like

       properly cooking beans, making homemade

       nut milk, or making homemade stock. I do not

       have this, because the reality is: I don’t make

       beans from scratch, I rarely make my own

       nut milk, and the few times I’ve made my own

       stock, it stunk up the kitchen for a whole day.

       Instead, I look for BPA-free organic canned

       beans and full-fat coconut milk, as well as low-

       sodium, free-range organic chicken broth. If

       you are interested in more of these DIY basics,

       there are ample book resources out there, if

       you do some noodling.

      Preparing bananas for smoothies. My favorite

       smoothie foundation is the magical banana.

       A ripe frozen banana turns any smoothie

       into something creamy and decadent, even

       when it’s packed with veggies. I always have

       a bunch of bananas ripening on the counter.

       When they are dotted with brown spots, I peel

       and slice them into 1-inch pieces. I then add

       them to a plastic food storage bag and lay the

       bag flat, horizontally in my freezer. They’ll

       freeze in a layer that’s easy to break apart.

      Approximately 6 banana pieces equals

       1 medium-sized banana.

      Eggs. I always use large eggs, and eggs should be

       room temperature when used in baking recipes.

      Canned coconut milk. If canned coconut milk

       feels a little heavy to you, try this: add 1 can

       coconut milk to a blender with 2 cups water.

       Blend until smooth and store to use as milk

       throughout the week. You can also use light

      canned coconut milk or unsweetened almond

       milk. However, almond milk will create a

       product that is less rich and creamy, and I

       cannot vouch for the results.

      Dates. In this book, I use medjool dates that

       come with the pit in. If you can only find

       pitted dates, you may need to soak them in

       hot water for 10 to 12 minutes, then drain

       thoroughly to make them juicy.

      Nut/seed butters. Ideally, I try to use newer/

       runnier nut and seed butters, because they

       add moisture and are easier to blend. If that’s

       not an option, then you can use this trick:

       Scoop out a few tablespoons less than the

       recipe calls for and add to a mixing bowl with

       the missing amount of tablespoons of very hot

       water. Stir to combine, then allow the mixture

       to sit 10 minutes. Then stir everything together

       thoroughly and measure out for the recipe.

       Also, assume nut butters are unsweetened

       and unsalted and peanut butter is organic.

      Canned beans and butter. I always choose

       unsalted and unflavored options for these

       ingredients.

      Extracts and caffeine. Technically, extracts

       like vanilla and maple are not considered

       strict paleo. Feel free to remove from recipes,

       noting that it will alter the flavor slightly.

       Or, you can order vanilla powder (look for

       Terrasoul brand online), which is pure ground

       vanilla beans. Sub ½ teaspoon vanilla powder

       for 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Add powder

       with dry ingredients in baking. Technically,

       also caffeine is not considered paleo.

      Oven rack position. I always use the middle

       rack. If I’m baking two things at once, I use the

       middle and bottom third rack, and switch the

       trays halfway through.

      Cleaning salad greens. Though I don’t

       specifically call for cleaning salad greens with

       a spinner in the recipes, you can assume that

       greens must be either cleaned or labeled as

       pre-rinsed before consuming.

      Oat flour. To make oat flour, pulse rolled oats

       in a food processor or high-powered blender.

       It is important to pulse or blend until you have

       a very fine consistency. It should only be a

       little more granulated than all-purpose flour.

       It can be substituted 1:1 for all-purpose, whole-

       wheat, spelt, or gluten-free all-purpose flour.

      Make ahead. All casseroles can be assembled

       the night before and baked the next day, but

       they will need another 5 to 10 minutes baking

       time because of the chill.

      Leftovers. All estimated lengths of time for

       keeping leftovers with meat assume the meat

       was fresh when the item was prepared.

      1

      The LL BALANCED

       APPROACH to FOOD

      Cooking isn’t a rote set of steps to follow. It is a daily

       adventure; one that doesn’t require airfare or jet lag. The

       temperature, time of day, age of your spices, seasonality of your

       ingredients — each time you cook, all of these factors and more

       come into play. And I do mean play. We live in an age of instant

       gratification, of science and technology and fact, and we’ve

       come to expect that in every aspect of our lives. But any true

       home cook will tell you that cooking often defies rules and logic,

       requiring