Paleo recipe frustration

MrsAbles
MrsAbles Posts: 117 Member
It seems like everything I cook lately has sucked. My non-paleo family is complaining behind my back, and even I don't think recipes are tasting good. I've tried the Foodee Project as a source for recipes, but it seems every paleoite with a blog posts recipes that aren't exactly tried and true. I'm very frustrated and discouraged.

Replies

  • ali_b83
    ali_b83 Posts: 324 Member
    What are the complaints? Flavor, texture, not interesting enough? The right spices can make a huge difference. What have you cooked and what was wrong with it?
  • Flowers4Julia
    Flowers4Julia Posts: 521 Member
    Hi :flowerforyou:

    Well, my heart goes out to you! It is certainly no fun when we as the cook are all i"into" it, but then the family gives it the ole thumbs down. :noway:

    I've begun making many more dishes in the crock pot....meat, vegetables, etc. More traditional flavorings....my people don't seem to afraid of it and I know it is paleo. So, we are happy.

    What never worked for me and my family was trying to "bake" paleo foods, they never turned out....bacon and eggs - no one complains.

    Keep it simple as they say and see if they come around? Don't give up, Paleo/Primal foods are good eating :happy:
  • praxisproject
    praxisproject Posts: 154 Member
    If the blog recipes are failing you, try a cookbook with great reviews. I'm in Australia and find a lot of online recipes are pretty dodgy at measurements and even ingredients. A "stick" of butter in Australia is a vastly different size, a "jar of salsa" is pointless to try and mimic. People who write cookbooks tend to make recipes clearer for everyone to follow.
  • skwidlund
    skwidlund Posts: 117 Member
    It's been my experience that a lot of paleo recipes are seriously under-seasoned and spiced, but I also tend to think that a lot of paleo recipes that are blogged are ones that have only been made once before being posted. Sometimes you need a little tweaking before sharing it publicly and to make sure you get all of the steps and ingredients down properly. I also try to stick with blogs that were cooking blogs before they became paleo cooking blogs - it seems like their recipes turn out a little better and are more family friendly to me.
  • ElleBee66
    ElleBee66 Posts: 128 Member
    I made the Lamb Rogan Josh from this website recently and it was excellent.

    http://thedomesticman.com/
  • mensasu
    mensasu Posts: 355 Member
    I guess it depends on what your family likes. I never go wrong with meat and veggies. What type of recipes are you looking for? Crock/pot, casserole, deserts, baking????

    For a "one dish" I make an eggplant/ground beef chili - hot. We decided we really don't like stirfrys - for us they did not have enough flavour thats why we mostly go with meat and veggies (raw or cooked). I make pulled pork that we have over mashed cauliflower. I am planning on making some lamb curry soon. We love our occasional yam fries in duck fat. I never follow recipes to the letter (not since I first started cooking!). I tend to go with my own sense of what I like and substitute spices as I see fit. Luckily I only have my spouse to feed and he likes what I do.
  • LPCoder
    LPCoder Posts: 404 Member
    I have been cooking from the following cookbooks and everything has been great so far!

    The Everyday Paleo Family Cookbook
    The Primal Blueprint Cookbook
  • ricestephanie11
    ricestephanie11 Posts: 25 Member
    Well Fed cookbook and paleomg.com. I have almost never made a recipe that wasn't amazing from either of those two sources.
  • Fairysoul
    Fairysoul Posts: 1,361 Member
    Everydaypaleo.com had been great not one failed recipe!!
  • LPCoder
    LPCoder Posts: 404 Member
    I made and blogged about this recipe! It was delicious

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/LPCoder
  • caribougal
    caribougal Posts: 865 Member
    And, I would add nomnompaleo.com

    I have loved everything of hers that I made, and trust her recipes. Whenever I want to cook something, I search her site and her iPad app first.
  • Don't know if this helps, but my cookbooks have proven *much* better than websites: Paleo Comfort Foods, Everyday Paleo and Paleo Slow Cooking (thank you Costco).

    Also, a lot of my own recipes are easily made Paleo (bean less chili is tonight's plan) and I just remove the noodles from my chicken bok choy soup. Baked fish with *something* is also usually good, but we're heavy on the herbs and spices, and are prolific onion, garlic, shallot and leek buyers.

    Realistically though, right now, I'm not in much of an experimental phase (thanks to stress), so most of what I cook is what I've always cooked, just with a few slight modifications.
  • GnaBean
    GnaBean Posts: 112 Member
    Maybe instead of cooking exotic paleo recipes, try looking for familiar recipes with a paleo adjustment? Google and pinterest are my best friends there.
  • Shadowknight137
    Shadowknight137 Posts: 1,243 Member
    The trick is to keep it simple. Don't try something complex at first.

    I agree with GnaBean. Why not make something like almond crusted salmon or chicken burgers with portobello mushrooms with sweet potato fries and a side of homemade salsa? Can't beat it. Srsly.
  • twinmom01
    twinmom01 Posts: 854 Member
    I usually keep it simple...a protien and a veggie

    Last night it was sliced sausage fried up in some coconut oil and some cabbage slaw (http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2012/03/recipe-for-thai-style-spicy-cabbage.html - I used double the amount of fish sauce and lime in the marinade and used chopped raw almonds instead of peanuts)

    Tonight is salmon (going to throw it in the oven with some spices on top) with roasted broccilli

    Spices are a big thing for me - I have a ton and love to use things like Trader Joes Everyday Seasonins or 21 seasoning salute - throwing that in with some frozen veggies for a stir fry makes a big difference
  • Frankenbarbie01
    Frankenbarbie01 Posts: 432 Member
    Well Fed cookbook and paleomg.com. I have almost never made a recipe that wasn't amazing from either of those two sources.
    I second this!!
    EVERY recipie I have made from Well Fed has been awesome!!! she also has a blog clothesmakethegirl.com
  • happyheathen927
    happyheathen927 Posts: 167 Member
    Well Fed cookbook and paleomg.com. I have almost never made a recipe that wasn't amazing from either of those two sources.
    I second this!!
    EVERY recipie I have made from Well Fed has been awesome!!! she also has a blog clothesmakethegirl.com

    This. So excited she's working on Well Fed 2. :D
  • primalperson1
    primalperson1 Posts: 21 Member
    I made a Paleo meatloaf from a recipe at Spark People and it was great! I made it with 1/2 ground pork and 1/2 ground beef. It was amazing! Now I'm going to add more vegetables and some bacon.....
  • MrsAbles
    MrsAbles Posts: 117 Member
    Thank you all for your comments and suggestions. And thanks for letting me vent. I am doing better this week by keeping dinner simple and looking at cookbooks instead of blogs.
  • ricestephanie11
    ricestephanie11 Posts: 25 Member
    Well Fed cookbook and paleomg.com. I have almost never made a recipe that wasn't amazing from either of those two sources.
    I second this!!
    EVERY recipie I have made from Well Fed has been awesome!!! she also has a blog clothesmakethegirl.com

    This. So excited she's working on Well Fed 2. :D

    Melicious groupies for the win! *highfive*
  • jennaworksout
    jennaworksout Posts: 1,739 Member
    I heard the Practical Paleo cookbook is supposed to be really good, I am on the hunt for it now :)
    I have also used nomnompaleo website, and threedietsonedinner website :)
  • ricestephanie11
    ricestephanie11 Posts: 25 Member
    I thought a little bit about this the other day. So many people I talk to talk about how they just put meat and veggies in a pan and cook them and that's what they eat every meal. I really couldn't do that. I LOVE making recipes, casseroles, basically INTERESTING food. I just love it. i don't think paleo would be sustainable for me without really interesting food.

    $0.02
  • girliegrrrl
    girliegrrrl Posts: 10 Member
    I have had some great successes and some spectacular failures in trying out new Paleo recipes. I've always had an adventurous side with cooking though and regularly have "Experimental Food Night" where I try out new recipes or completely new foods.
    That, and for me, a recipe is more like a guideline rather than a set of rules...I always change something up or add something in. I just try to make a note of it for next time.

    If anyone is interested, I have a PAF (Paleo as f*&$) tag on my Pinterest boards....I collect recipes and have tried almost all of them that are on there with that tag. I also have a board for cooking ahead Paleo style (I will cook big batches of things and freeze them.)

    I highly agree with the Paleo Comfort Foods cookbook recommendation. It's wonderful!!
  • jennaworksout
    jennaworksout Posts: 1,739 Member
    I thought a little bit about this the other day. So many people I talk to talk about how they just put meat and veggies in a pan and cook them and that's what they eat every meal. I really couldn't do that. I LOVE making recipes, casseroles, basically INTERESTING food. I just love it. i don't think paleo would be sustainable for me without really interesting food.

    $0.02

    its good in a pinch ...but it does get boring for sure!!! My fav right now is cauliflower pizza crust with organic homemade sauce and whatever meat I have on hand, so yummy!!! I love trying new recipes , some are flops, but some are great!!
  • GalaxyDuck
    GalaxyDuck Posts: 406 Member
    I'm pretty picky about what recipes I will try off of a blog as like someone mentioned, they are often recipes that have only been made once and perhaps fit that person's tastes, but not necessarily someone else. I do use theclothesmakethegirl.com/Well Fed and nomnompaleo and have never had something bad from there.

    My general rule of thumb when it comes to blog recipes is....are there comments where someone else actually tried the recipe and reviewed it? Or are they just "this looks yummy!' comments. If there's no reviews of the recipe from someone, chances are I won't try it. That's why I like recipe sites like allrecipes.com. Lots of reviews and people comment about what tips they used to make it better!