The Background

Everyone who knows me knows I love kids, perhaps more than grown-ups … or even a night out in Paris.  In fact, I’ve heard time and time again, “Kids are your thing — you should be a pediatrician!”

That's what brought me to authors Stacy Toth and Matthew McCarry. Founders of PaleoParents.com, their family-based website reflects the two of them and their lifestyles. These Paleo parents have three young children,  run a business, and are always looking for ways to stay on-budget and still not eat crud. They  make it work in a very busy world, offering tips for eating the healthiest foods without grains, legumes, dairy or refined sugar.

I gobbled up their first book, Eat like a Dinosaur, a family-friendly children’s cookbook. My own two kids loved the recipes, so I was totally stoked when I received a copy of their second book, Beyond Bacon.

The Premise

This book shares great information and recipes about pork. Yep, nose-to-tail pork. Right now you’re thinking: “Pork??? An entire book on pork?” Indeed!

First, readers learn a ton about why pork is a healthy addition to the menu. They also learn how to navigate around finding the healthiest cuts and how to save money. In addition, readers discover that local famers and butchers are great resources.  And the best part? More than 100 really awesome recipes (all extremely practical) fill its pages!   

What I Love

• It's a hardbound book. I’m a bit of an old-school book snob and totally dig the cover. The entire book was stunning, actually. The design alone makes it an easy, enjoyable read.
• I have been a practitioner for 21 years, yet I learned a lot about why buying high-quality pork is super important. The book dispels all the myths about pork —  hook, line and sinker. Readers learn about good Omega 3-fats in high-quality pork. As well, they find out that pork is a great source of vitamin D – who knew? This was a biggie for me (most people I test for vitamin D have a severely low level!).
• It’s comprehensive and easy to understand. I could give this to a Paleo newbie and he or she would totally get it and love it. Or I could recommend this to Paleo aficionados and they, too, would gain tremendous value. In fact, anyone who’s passionate about a healthy diet without grains, legumes, dairy or refined sugar will get a lot out of this book. It's a jam-packed resource, so you truly get your money’s worth.
• The recipes  are AMAZING. Check it out … Sweet and Sour Pork, Brownie Sundae and Asian Short Ribs … I had to make them as soon as I cracked the book open! They were right up there with some of my favorite all-time recipes from Eat Like a Dinosaur — Chocolate Chip Cookies, Pumpkin Pucks and Fools Gold Chicken Nuggets, all some of my kids favorites. Beyond Bacon features more than 100 recipes (and each is rated for difficult level)! Alert: The “Sweet Thangs” section is to die for.  

Why You Should Add This Book to Your Collection … in Such a Noisy Paleo-Book World

Quite simply,  there’s more then meets the eye when it comes to pork.  This is a book that undoubtedly keeps readers engaged, —  flipping through the gorgeous pages is a true pleasure.  And again, the recipes are very well done. The authors keep kids top of mind when creating healthy, tasty recipes. Score!

What Didn't Float My Boat

I couldn't lock myself in the kitchen for a week and make every single recipe  …  immediately!  So, reader, meet the humble hog. You may just fall in love.