Juli Bauer is one of our favorite people. She’s hilarious, has a great attitude about life and embodies living in the moment. So, when she announced that she was working on her 3rd cookbook, and a big solo project at that, we were stoked! She had said early on that she wanted her voice to shine throughout the book, and with the help of Bill & Hayley of Primal Palate doing the photography, she has accomplished that and more!
Seriously. Reading through this cookbook is like have a little Juli along for the ride with you while you make one of her delicious paleo creations. If you’re a fan of her blog, PaleOMG, you know might already feel like you know her – well, this book, Juli Bauer’s Paleo Cookbook, is full of her wit and goofiness that we all love. I was reading through it and actually laughed out loud more multiple times! I never would’ve thought I would laugh this much whilst reading a cookbook.
During a few skype sessions with B&H while Juli was there in Pittsburgh, we got a few sneak peeks at some of the photos, and woah Nelly, they are just gorgeous! Full of fresh flowers accenting the mouth-watering dishes make the recipes come to life. And will make your stomach growl in anticipation.
There’s really something in this book for every taste. Breakfast time? Chunky Monkey Breakfast Shake. Brunchy Brunch? Mini Cinnamon Pancake Bake. Need to warm up? Rich & Hearty Bacon Beef Stew. Want to make something that seems fancy pants but isn’t? White Wine Butter Scallops. Dessert time? Oh, she’s got you covered. I’ll just say Carrot Cake Layered ‘Cheesecake’. Oh man…I’m already hungry. And that’s really just the tip of the iceberg…so many more recipes! She’s packed over 100 paleo recipes into this business.
On the recipe pages themselves she’s added a few little touches – making suggestions as to other recipes to check out if you like that one, dishes that pair well with the one you’re making or just general tips for the recipe. Really helpful if you need a little extra guidance in creating a menu or trying new things.
When we got the book Sean was in town visiting, and we decided to make her Chicken Carbonara Casserole. If you’ve made one of her recipes from the blog, I’m betting it’s the Almost 5 Ingredient Pizza Spaghetti Pie. (If you don’t know what I’m talking about, stop right here and go make it and then come back!) I’ve been known to make this multiple times a week so I knew another one of her casseroles would be amazing.
Well, considering there was barely any left after dinner I would say it went over well with my whole (non-paleo) family! Juli nailed it yet again. AND she’s been kind enough to let us share it with all of you! And be sure to head over to our Instagram page for your chance to win a copy of the book!
Juli Bauer’s Paleo Cookbook is on shelves now! Go get yourself a copy today!
- 1 medium spaghetti squash (about 2½ lbs)
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil, coconut oil or butter, for greasing the pan
- ¾ lb bacon, cut into lardons
- ½ medium yellow onion, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, chopped
- 1 pound cooked chicken, finely chopped (Juli used rotisserie chicken & so did we)
- 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 large eggs, whisked
- chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Place the squash cut side down on a baking sheet and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the skin gives when you press your finger on it. Remove the squash from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.
- Grease a Dutch oven or an 8-inch square glass baking dish with olive oil.
- Let the squash cool for 5 minutes, remove the seeds, then use a fork to remove the threads and place them in the greased baking dish.
- In a large saute pan over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy, about 10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside on a paper towel.
- Remove some of the bacon fat, leaving ¼ cup in the pan. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent. Then add the artichoke hearts, chicken, spinach, garlic powder, nutmeg, salt, pepper and mix well. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until well combined.
- Add the chicken mixture and bacon to the baking dish and mix well with the spaghetti squash threads. Add the whisked eggs and mix everything together until you can no longer see the eggs.
- Bake for 1 hour or until the top forms a slight crust that doesn't give when you press it in the middle. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley.
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