Fix It with Food: Every Meal Easy: Simple and Delicious Recipes

Book Preface

As many of you might be aware, I suffer from two autoimmune diseases: discoid lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. I learned about these issues when I was in my twenties, but like most young people, I chose to ignore the symptoms and continued to live my life as if nothing had changed. For the most part, I was able to do so, working through the inevitable inflammation, discomfort, and pain that resulted from my poor decisions. But as I got older, the pain increased; either that or my tolerance for it declined. Regardless, something had to change.

That’s when I took a very close look at my diet to see if I couldn’t manage or reduce much of that discomfort simply by avoiding certain foods. On The Chew, I designed a 20-day food plan—what I now call the Reset—to try and zero in on which types of foods caused me inflammation (the source of my pain). The process I devised for myself consisted of a very strict diet that eliminated the most likely sources of discomfort, namely flour, dairy, meat, and sugar. By identifying and avoiding all of these so-called triggers, I found that I was largely able to stop reaching into the medicine cabinet. After sharing on TV what I learned throughout the process, I received a groundswell of positive feedback from viewers. As I was posting these recipes on social media, people were responding enthusiastically about how the Reset was helping them deal with their own triggers. That response is what encouraged me to write Fix It with Food, my first cookbook geared to anti-inflammatory foods and recipes. In that book we created a 10-Day Reset—along with 130 additional amazing recipes—to help people identify and manage inflammation and discomfort issues.

That book proved more successful than I could have hoped or anticipated. Obviously, I was thrilled with the sales numbers and best-seller lists, but more than that, I was delighted that a book I wrote was helping people feel better. That they could do so while preparing and enjoying delicious foods with and for their families made it all the better.

But I also learned, by listening to comments from home cooks who purchased the book, that there were things about Fix It with Food that could be improved upon. One of the most common topics of discussion was the serving size of the recipes. While we assumed that entire families would be embarking on this journey together, that typically wasn’t the case. What we discovered from readers was that recipes built for one or two people made more sense. If you do happen to be cooking for a larger crowd—or simply want to guarantee some delicious leftovers—these recipes are easily doubled or tripled. We have even included a Useful Conversions chart (this page) to help simplify the scaling-up process. I have always found that it’s easier to multiply recipe size than to reduce it.

Another topic that frequently came up was whether the Reset recipes had to be eaten in the order that they appeared in the book, and if favorite recipes can be repeated during the process. The answers are “no” and “yes”: You can enjoy any recipe within the Reset as often as you’d like and in any order you desire. I know that many people appreciate variety, so we provide enough great recipes that you can enjoy a different dish for breakfast, lunch, and dinner throughout the entire 10 days. That said, if you want to eat the same breakfast every single day for all 10 days, have at it!

Also new to this cookbook is a Master Substitution List (this page), a handy reference guide that gives home cooks more flexibility and control when it comes to preparing meals. I know there will be times when you lack a certain ingredient—or simply don’t love one that is called for in a recipe—so I offer a list of suitable replacements. I think it will make mealtime less stressful and more enjoyable.

In this book, along with a whole new 10-Day Reset of 30 recipes, I take the trigger conversation a step further and explain how to reintroduce ingredients—aka the triggers—into your eating routine after the Reset. This step is crucial to determining which foods can safely be enjoyed and which ones need to be avoided to keep inflammation at bay. For example, if you’ve eaten a flour-free, dairy-free, meat-free, sugar-free, and alcohol-free diet for the last ten days, how do you begin to introduce dairy or wheat flour back into your food to figure out if it’s the culprit of your suffering? We wanted to make this process as clear and easy as possible, so I added an entire chapter (this page) devoted to the reintroduction process.

Not surprisingly, one of the most common questions people asked me regarding the process was “What about snacks?!” So throughout this cookbook, we included mindful snacks for those who feel the urge to nosh between meals while still avoiding certain triggers. We also made sure that all the recipes—snacks and otherwise—are quick and easy enough to make so you can get breakfast, lunch, or dinner on the table in no time.

Remember, this isn’t a diet book. The goal isn’t to cut calories, carbs, or fat. The purpose of this cookbook—and the original Fix It with Food—is to give you the tools to identify your personal inflammation triggers and then to provide healthy, delicious recipes that avoid those foods. By doing so, you will likely enjoy a life with less pain. And if you happen to fall off the wagon for a meal, a day, or even two, don’t panic. Everything will be okay. I am human just like everybody else. I slip and eat foods that I know are going to hurt me the next day, especially during the holidays, when it seems like I’m navigating a quagmire of sugar and dairy. (Ice cream, a double whammy in that regard, will always be my kryptonite.) The key is to stay positive and get back on track. So, happy eating! I honestly hope that all of you can achieve the balance and well-being you deserve.