Errata Sheet, Or Oops! I Made a Few Typos

This may make me sound kinda dumb, but until December 10 when Dave said the fateful words, I’d never heard the term “errata sheet.” I was holding a proof copy of Well Fed in my hands. We’d already enjoyed the joyous flip through its pages with my parents, and I was up to my elbows in chopped spinach because I was making Meat & Spinach Muffins for our book release party. You cannot imagine the horror I felt as I read the instructions for the Muffins on page 105 and realized that, although the headnotes show the baking time, I’d neglected to include the words “Bake for 40 minutes” in the instructions. I was disheartened, but Dave shrugged and said, “It’s OK. We’ll do an errata sheet later. It happens all the time with technical books. It’s OK.”

And that’s when the words “errata” and “sheet” became two of my least favorite words because they represent the physical proof of my human-ness. Grrrr!

Our review team for Well Fed included two copyeditors, a professional proofreader, and three amateur copyeditors/reviewers/proofers, and we all missed a few things in the text. I’m so pleased that none of them were showstoppers — the recipes still work — but in the interest of giving you the best cookbook I can, a list of the errors/confusing things I’ve found in Well Fed is below. I’ve also made a cute PDF you can download to print out and put into your book — download it now!

Thank you to Well Fed readers who kindly let me know they were confused by some of the recipes. I appreciate your feedback and your gentleness.

Well Fed Corrections

Page 19 – The Weekly Cookup
Under the heading 6. Prep Your Vegetables, there’s a typo that could totally deny you your fair share of vegetables. The paragraph that begins, “Based on the idea…” should read:

Based on the idea that each of your meals will include at least two different vegetables and that your snacks will also include about one or two cups of veggies each, you need about eight cups of veggies per person per day.


Page 22 – Other Pantry Essentials

The description of coconut oil, should recommend organic, UNrefined coconut oil for optimal health benefits.


Page 73 – Chocolate Chili

In the instructions, I neglected to specify that the chili should simmer UNcovered for at least 2 hours.


Page 91 – Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork)

The instructions told you to remove the foil twice. Here’s what it should say:

Remove the pork from the marinade and place on the rack, then cover the entire pan with aluminum foil, crimping the edges to form a seal. Roast the pork for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and roast an additional 40-45 minutes ­– watch for the edges to begin to turn a lovely brown.

Increase the oven temperature to 500 F and roast for 8-12 minutes more, until it’s evenly browned. Carefully remove the pork from the oven and brush the tops and sides of the pieces with half the sauce. You want complete coverage with a thin layer so the sauce forms a glaze in the oven. As my dad would say, “Put it on like you’re taking it off.”


Page 99 – Bora Bora Fireballs

Here’s a better description of how to deal with the canned pineapple:

Drain the can of pineapple in a sieve placed over a bowl to catch the juice. You’re going to use the juice later, so save it! Press the pineapple pulp against the sieve with a wooden spoon to extract the excess moisture. Place 1 cup of the drained pineapple in a large mixing bowl. (Save any leftover pineapple for dessert later.)

Also: When adding the seasonings to the pineapple in step 3, add the 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper listed in the ingredients, too.

Page 105 – Meat & Spinach Muffins
The headnotes include the baking time, but the instructions do not. Dang it! The last step of the instructions should read:

Place muffin papers in a 12-count muffin pan; they prevent sticking. Pack the batter into a 1/2-cup measurer, then transfer it to the muffin pan, using your hands to pack the spinach tightly into the muffin paper. It should be slightly mounded on top – the muffins puff a bit when they bake, then slightly deflate when cool. Bake for 40 minutes until the tops are lightly browned. Remove the muffins from the pan, cool, and store covered, in the refrigerator.


Page 117 – Greek Broccoli

The ingredients list tomato paste, but the tomato paste is missing from the instructions. Try this!

Dry the pan and heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, tomatoes, parsley, and oregano. Sauté until the onions are translucent and the tomatoes begin to pop. Add the broccoli, tomato paste, paprika, salt, and pepper; stir well to combine. Simmer 5-7 minutes until heated through. Taste and adjust seasonings.


Page 133 – Zucchini Noodles Aglio Et Olio

I forgot to mention you need a julienne peeler to make the noodles. I recommend the OXO.


Page 149 – Berries and Whipped Coconut Cream

I’ve got some additional advice for making the coconut whipped cream. Here are more detailed instructions.

When the coconut milk is cold, flip it upside down and open the bottom with a can opener. Pour off any liquid that’s separated and scoop the thickened coconut milk into the chilled mixing bowl; add the almond extract. Whip on your mixer’s highest setting until the milk is fluffy and has taken on the texture of whipped cream, about 5-7 minutes. Marvel at the creaminess!


Page 151 – Peach Almond Crisp

This is the one recipe that is not approved for enjoyment during a Whole30. Although the ingredients are all Whole30 compliant, this dessert isn’t in keeping with the sugar-demon-slaying spirit of the Whole30 – but it’s a delicious treat after your 30 days.

Well Fed Weeknights Presale Now Open!

Sometimes I felt like this day would never arrive. After a few years of collecting recipe ideas, the summer of 2015 spent recipe testing, months of writing,...

Read More
My Czech Interview

Remember when Dave and I went to Prague in November for the release of the Czech version of Well Fed — a.k.a., Dobře živeni? The book has...

Read More

Comments

  • J.Marshall says:

    Wow. I am absolutely impressed. I don’t know many authors who would go to this length to help out their readers. 🙂 Thank you.

  • Dana Zia says:

    I printed them out an put them in the book. Thank you. I write a food column for a small newspaper and one time I forgot to put in a major ingredient in the pumpkin flans. I was aghast! What if I ruined all my readers Thanksgiving desserts?? As it turned out, it was a happy mistake and they were even better without the cream. whew.

  • Janis Haug says:

    Thanks!! I made your spinach & meat muffins last week. This week I am pairing your czech meatballs with your ethiopian cabbage recipe. Your recipes are to die for!!

  • Tonja Pizzo says:

    Love the errata sheet! Such a cute and clever way to make corrections. Thank you!

  • Tom R. says:

    Okay. CrossFit yesterday and fixing typos today. You are re-hooking this CrossFitting, fine-print reading corporate attorney.

  • AmyR says:

    Just wanted to say, that I bought your cookbook recently and LOVE it. The chocolate chili was ah-mazing. Thank you so much for putting it together. I am currently on a 40 day Paleo challenge at my crossfit gym and I love that your recipes are so flavorful and delicious. It is the one and only cookbook I use. My family (who are now on a forced Paelo diet thanks to my gym) have loved everything I’ve made so far (and that includes 3 children who are picky eaters!). So thanks again!

    • Mel says:

      Congratulations on tackling 40 days of clean eating… that’s awesome! So glad to know Well Fed is helping you and your family with the transition. Best wishes to you for an awesome experience!

  • Morten G says:

    Question: The Italian sausage seasoning: Am I not supposed to grind the fennel seeds?
    Also, what’s in your Herbes de Provence? I thought it was always the same but then I bought some here in the UK and was really disappointed (“What no lavender? What is this, the dark ages?”)

    PS Sorry for the double colon in the above text.

  • Marianne P says:

    Will the corrected PDFs be available anytime soon? Thanks.

  • Melissa Hemphill says:

    Thanks for this! I’m especially excited to try the coconut whipped cream again 🙂 And don’t worry about mistakes. True character is not in the mistake, but how you deal with it. And you handled it with grace. Keep your head up! Your cookbook still kicks ass.

  • MarthaJanes says:

    Thank you! We are making the Char Siu today, and I had my husband read the recipe twice with me to see if I was missing something! And, as others have said, true to who you are, you published the corrections just yesterday. Wonderful. Can’t wait to “remove the foil only once!” and enjoy. All the dishes we have tried from Well Fed have been superb…and the weekly cook-off has been a God-send for me! Thank you!

  • Mimi says:

    Funny, I read the recipe for the zucchini noodles and didn’t think anything was amiss. Not being much of a cook, I did wonder how to julienne the zucchini but I was just going google it.

  • kim says:

    I read about a newspaper that got sued because they misprinted a recipe for churros. Apparently the temp. in the recipe was too high and the oil exploded when people put the churros in. :/ Hopefully your typos aren’t the injury iducing kind. 😉 Here’s a link: http://www.foodista.com/blog/2011/12/27/newspaper-loses-lawsuit-over-crappy-recipe#

    • Mel says:

      No injuries, here. Just a little confusion.

      I remember when that story hit. So terrible! For the record, I tested all of my recipes at least three times 🙂

  • Wendy says:

    I just got your cookbook on Wednesday (it was an amazon recommendation for me) and found the blog from there. The cookbook is so inspiring and beautifully photographed…that Dave knows what he’s doing :). I have a couple of Paleo cookbooks but always felt so overwhelmed by all the chopping, cooking, repeating so THANK YOU for the weekly cook-off idea. Had my ipod blasting, husband and daughter as sous chefs, and made chili with chocolate, roasted chicken thighs, roasted a squash, chopped a canteloupe, boiled eggs AND made olive oil mayo all in 2 hours. I feel so prepared for the week now. And everyone loved the chili…even my 4 year old. Did I mention I actually made my own mayo???

    • Mel says:

      So glad you found me! Thank you for the compliments on the photography — Dave really did a great job, didn’t he?!

      Good to know that the weekly cookup is helping you, and how lucky that you have extra hands in the kitchen!

      Congrats on the mayo! Hope you have many more happy kitchen adventures.

  • lauren says:

    Re: daily veggies. Is that 8 cups cooked or raw veggies a day? Thanks!

    • Mel says:

      You can never eat too many veggies 🙂

      That 8 cups is just a guideline, but generally, one cup of cooked equals 1 1/2 to 2 cups raw… That guideline is just that — a guideline — but it’s referencing cooked.

  • aseafish says:

    Wow! Thanks. The only one that had given me pause was the refined coconut oil. I just figured you had your reasons.

  • Dania R. says:

    Thanks for the updates! My husband and I have been living out of your cookbook for our Whole30 and have been enjoying every minute. Umm… your carnitas? Amazing. Addictive. And didn’t last in the house nearly as long as they should have. “Crack-nitas” is dead on accurate! I’m taking my copy of Well Fed in this week to have all the pages spiral bound – this little sheet will be going with. Thanks again!

    • Mel says:

      Oh, yay! Glad to know Well Fed is helping with your Whole30. Try that carnitas technique on other meats, too — works great on beef chuck and lamb shoulder, too.

      Enjoy!

  • Kate says:

    I love your book! Thanks for taking the time to make these notes.
    Your weekly cook-up has changed my life. I feel such a sense of accomplishment that I have a fridge full of great food for me and the man for the whole week!
    The zucchini noodles are his (and mine) new favorite food!

  • Sara says:

    Another weekly cookup convert, here. I have two school-aged kids, a three-month-old baby, a husband who travels for work, and have just returned to my full-time job. Coming home after work and knowing that I have 10 minutes, tops, until a yummy, healthy dinner is on the table is like getting an amazing little gift every day.

    If that dinner includes the carnitas, it’s an amazing little gift WITH CRISPY NOM-LICIOUS PORK.

  • Becky says:

    I bought three Well Feds … two for Christmas gifts and one for me. Have printed three of the sheets to put in the books and will send one to each of the recipients. Being a technical editor by trade, I have enormous empathy for … um … you know … the “e” word. We’re just not perfect people, you know? To put it in perspective for you, a manager I worked with once accidentally sent to the WHOLE DEPARTMENT an e-mail listing the ranking of each employee for the upcoming layoff. Naturally, Upper Management sent out an e-mail telling us all not to open his e-mail. 🙂

  • aseafish says:

    Sorry for the goofy question…is the amount of salt in the chocolate chili supposed to be one teaspoon? Not trying to second guess you here, but I was not totally sure.

    • Mel says:

      Yep. 1 teaspoon of salt is correct.

      Why?

      • aseafish says:

        Most of your recipes that I’ve tried so far were fairly spicy, not hot but spicy. When I made the chili, it seemed a bit bland. (I hope that doesn’t sound awful.) I’m not saying it wasn’t good; I just wondered if two pounds of meat and two cups of onions might have needed a bit more. Sorry if this wording is awkward. I am mortified at the prospect of sounding critical of such wonderful recipes.
        pamela

  • Heidi says:

    Mel, if I got thru just one single day without a glitch it would be nothing short of a miracle!!! You had going on at the time!! it’s a freaking amazeballs-size accomplishment you and your close-knit team did such a kick-butt job. (I used to work in magazine publishing, super small team doing everything except the actual printing… so I totally get where you’re coming from. Magazines aren’t cheap to advertise in, so I had to absolutely and TOTALLY make sure our ad team had zero errors. Yeah, um, sometimes… *sigh*, LOL)

    Keep rocking the casbah sugar 🙂

  • Heidi says:

    HAH!! see what I mean? I totally proofread too late and realized I … wait for it… made a typo!!

    **You had SO MUCH going on at the time**

    {cue sound of hand slapping forehead}

  • Rachel says:

    I have a quick question. I have made the Bora Bora Fireballs a couple of times (RAVE reviews!!) and can’t figure out the cayenne pepper situation. The ingredient list calls for 3/4 tsp plus 1 tsp. I see that you use the 3/4 tsp to season the coconut but I cannot for the life of me figure out where the other 1 tsp should be used! Am I missing something? Thanks for fielding questions! 🙂

    • Mel says:

      Oh! Thank you, Eagle Eyes! You’re right! The 1 teaspoon cayenne should be added to the pineapple, along with the other seasonings, to make the meatballs. I’m updating the errata sheet with that now. GREAT CATCH! Thank you so much!

  • Roberta says:

    Melissa, I absolutely love this book. I downloaded the PDF version to my iPad, but like it so much I’m also going to buy the print version for the aesthetic experience.

    I am a little confused about one thing, though, and that’s the Weekly Cookup. Do you really prepare food, including meats, for 5 days of meals and then refrigerate them? I thought that meats shouldn’t be kept for more than 2 or 3 days. And cooked vegetables don’t seem to keep for more than a couple of days, either. Or am I missing something?

    • Mel says:

      So glad you’re enjoying Well Fed; thank you!

      Yes, I really follow the guidelines in my book. This is my personal experience, so if you have any concerns about it, do two weekly cookups with smaller quantities. I’ve been cooking this way for almost three years and have never had a problem, but again, it’s a personal choice.

      The key with the veggies is to only PARTIALLY cook them. They are just barely tender — then I cook them a second time in fat before eating.

      Hope this clears up any confusion.

      • Roberta says:

        Thanks for that clarification. The info here: http://www.foodsafety.gov/blog/meatinrefrig.html says 3-4 days for cooked meat, so I guess I can always freeze meats for the end of the week if I continue to be squeamish about it. A mid-week cookup is not very feasible for me, unfortunately.

        I’ll give the partly cooked veggies a try.

        Thanks again!

  • Chris says:

    Typos happen. I was preparing a dish last fall from another paleo cookbook and the directions called for three cups of basal for stuffed bell peppers. Really? That’s a lot of basal for 6 peppers. So keep your chin up. Everything I’ve tried has been amazing so far!

  • Kathy O'Hare says:

    I just got Well Fed, my quandary is deciding what to cook first! Thanks for the clarifications on the typos…not that I had noticed; but honey, this cookbook reads like a wet dream.

  • GILLIAN says:

    Just received your cookbook and wondered what i had paid $30 for and then i opened to the first page and i was hooked. i have already made two fabulous meals…loving everything about it and so is my family – the recipes, how approachable the book is, the recipe variations, etc. etc.

    Anyway, i wanted to point out an error – on pg 103, you list under taste greats with – Turkish Chopped Salad and you have it listed as being at page 151 when, in fact, it is at 141..small detail but i know you want your book to be as perfect as it can be…

  • Liz says:

    I’ve bought at least 6 copies of the cookbook as gifts for family and friends and recommended it to at least a dozen other people. My parents are eating things they have never tried before and loving all of it (as are we)! I have all the paleo cookbooks and while they are all great, yours is the one I use the most. So much in fact that the binding fell apart pretty quickly… I put each page in a sheet protector in a binder and I love using it that way even more. No splatters on the pages and it’s so much easier to just take out the pages you need. (I didn’t want to print the PDF and not use the book…) Very much appreciate the error corrections – once again you go beyond the expected.

    • Mel says:

      Liz, I’m glad the failed binding turned into a positive for you. And thanks for sharing! I feel terrible that some of our bindings are faulty, but there’s nothing I can do about it right now. BOO!

  • Sharon says:

    Hi,
    Love the book, it’s my new favorite paleo cookbook – I’ve made the Cinnamon Beef Stew twice, it’s awesome! Even better on the second and third day, when all the flavors are really melded together.

  • DJDeeJay says:

    I love your cookbook! I’m constantly reading it to figure out what I want to make next. Your Italian Sausage seasoning might have saved my life.

    Quick question: maybe I keep skimming over it, but in the Rogan Josh recipe, if I sear the meat in batches (which I did), when do I add all the meat back to the pan? Before adding the onions? I just took out all the meat when it was done, added the onions, then the spices, then added the meat back in to coat in the spices before adding the liquid. It came out great. I think this recipe would also work great in a slow-cooker.

  • Debra says:

    I just bought your cookbook and I have already read through it from front to back in a single sitting!! Um…I NEVER do that!!! Your recipes, advice and pictures are so alluring, informative and tempting, I just couldn’t put it down! I was far too enthusiastic to notice any…well…oversights. I’ve owned it all of 2 days and have already tried 4 recipes. YUMM!! Every single one so far has just the right amount of balance between simple and flavorful. THANK YOU! 🙂 One happy customer (and my family is pretty happy, too!).

    • Mel says:

      Oh, yay! Thank you for letting me know — it’s delightful to think of nice people like you reading the book like a book. YAY!

      I’m so glad you’re enjoying the recipes. Wishing you many more happy, healthy meals from its pages.

  • Karrie says:

    I absolutely love your cookbook and it’s become our household staple. The work you put into it, and the corrections (love that you did that) really show in the end product – the FOOD! Everything we’ve made is delicious and we stopped dog-earring our favorites because, well, it’s every dang one of ’em!
    My daughter added her own recipe to your spinach and meat muffins: whipped cauliflower topping (piped on in a swirl, just like frosting) and grated carrot “sprinkles.” Fabulous. Like little mini meatloaf delights.

    We now refer to most of our meals and “Mel Meals.”
    -Karrie and family

  • Walker says:

    I just saw this post and it makes me crazy!! ah well, I suppose it’s the striving for perfection that counts not the obtaining of it? Ha!

    This is such a cool thing for you to do Mel, thanks for posting!

  • Stephanie says:

    I have a question. I just bought your amazing cookbook and am reading/figuring it out. All of this food looks so good that I’ll probably burst into flames, but I’m not sure I understand how to cook them, timeframe wise. Should I be cooking a couple of the recipes along with the hotplate materials on my weekly cookup day? Because some look like they’d be best eaten immediately and I’m not sure if I should be reheating them later in the week when I’m ready to eat. Does my question make sense? I hope so, because I’m desperate to get down to eating this fantastic food.

    • Mel says:

      Some of the recipes actually get better as they sit, so yes! I’d recommend making them a few days before you want to eat them: Chocolate Chili, the Eggplant Strata, any of the meatballs, the Cinnamon Beef Stew… basically anything with tomatoes or broth is great if it sits for a few days.

      In my experience, the fried rice, pad thai, sushi, most of the vegetable dishes taste best if you eat them right away — but you can prep the components in advance. Make the sauce, wash and cut the veg, etc. so that when it’s close to eating time, you can just throw the ingredients together.

      Hope this helps!

  • Ann says:

    I’ve been drooling over the cookbook since March and finally dove in with a cook-up on Sunday. Love the concept and the recipes! It’s time-consuming right now because I’m thinking/re-reading a lot, but I think it will become a great, easy way to cook eventually. I have one suggestion for your revised edition–I dice up an onion whenever I need a bit of onion, and store what I don’t use in a snap-top glass container–this makes for a quick start to many meals–could be part of the weekly cook-up.

  • George says:

    Hi Mel, have the PDF versions and current print versions of the book been updated yet?
    Cheers

    • Mel says:

      The printed book has been updated to correct these errors — and thanks for our new printer, now also has a very handy lay-flat binding for easier use in the kitchen. The PDFs have not yet been updated, but are coming soon.

  • pandora says:

    Thank you for the delicious recipes in Well Fed. With 160 pages of info, it’s no wonder you had a few mistakes. No book is perfect. Thank you for sharing these corrections!

  • Jill says:

    Your cookbook is beautiful! Just arrived today and I LOVE IT! Sorry if you addressed this before, but the Jicama “Potato” Salad recipe refers to “Soak” time, with ‘N/A’ “Cook” time. There is also a Note about pre-soaking. However, the directions say put it in a slow cooker and cook on high for 12-24 hours. Perhaps you could clarify this for me! Thanks, I’d like to try it…

    • Mel says:

      The “soak” time refers to when the jicama is in the slow cooker. To me, that’s not “cooking” 🙂

      A few other notes: the jicama might turn light brown as it soaks in the slow cooker — no worries. When you put it in the potato salad, the mayo makes it look white — and when you make the home fries, they get brown anyway.

  • Shelly says:

    So excited about this book! Just wondering if I am supposed to use the entire batch of Rogan Josh spice mixture at one time or if it is only a couple of tablespoons that I need? Thanks!

  • Yes! For the version in Well Fed, the entire batch of spice blend goes into it.

    • Heather says:

      Are you sure? I just came on here to ask you the same thing…. I need a paleo way of cooling it off. It’s hotter than some Malaysian food. Probably an issue with my paprika – used what I have and guessing it’s not sweet…. My little helper was also measuring out the spices, but I monitored closely… Please help me cool it down so it’s edible. 🙂

      Really loving some of your spice mixtures so far. 🙂

  • Shelly says:

    Having a little problem with the spice rub for the “best chicken” recipe. When the coconut oil cools, the mixture turns crumbly and falls off the chicken. Any idea what I could be doing wrong? Also, what brand chili and curry powder do you use? Many thanks!

  • DJDeeJay says:

    Hi Mel!

    I am going to make your Moroccan Meatballs this weekend but I noticed that the recipe has no binder for the meatball mixture, like an egg. Is this correct?

    Thanks!

    • Mel says:

      That’s correct. Because there’s no bread crumb filler, you don’t really need the egg as a binder — they just hold together. However, if you want to up the protein quotient, go ahead and add an egg or two.

      • DJDeeJay says:

        Thanks so much for your quick reply! The recipe turned out great. I didn’t even realize I had been missing meatballs in tomato sauce until I tried this, and now it will be my breakfast all week (along with roast sweet potatoes and fruit). I will definitely be making it again to have with cauliflower puree or spaghetti squash. Thanks again for another winner.

  • Jen says:

    I’m making the Rogan Josh tonight. Am I supposed to add ALL the spices, or am I supposed to save the spices as a mix to add to other recipes (like the Ras El Hanout)? It seems like an awful lot of spices for just 2 pounds of lamb!

    • Mel says:

      Yep! All of the spice blend goes in… and make sure the spices get coated in the fat so the flavors are released — and don’t skimp on the simmer 😉

  • JF says:

    You include a recipe for green beans, do they not all into the legume category? I’ve read different opinions on that. Also, do you have any recommendations for autoimmune protocol compliant recipes? : )

  • JF says:

    Thank you so much for your reply, it helps a lot. : )

  • Susie says:

    I’ve really been enjoying your recipes, and I love the fact that you encourage experimentation. I do have a question though. I live in New England and don’t use the gas grill in the winter. I’m trying to convert several of the recipes to use the broiler or the oven. Any suggestions for how to convert them?
    (Besides trial and error.) Thanks!

  • Rhonda says:

    Yum! I gave the book to myself for Christmas and made your yummy Rogan Josh (I do just want to call it Josh Rogan after reading your post about the other 2 guys LOL)… I did notice in the book after the mix you make you don’t really say how much of it to use (although there is a little comment about how much to use from a commercial blend). I used around half of the total mix blend (we like a lot of spice!) and it was yummy! And I get to keep the rest of the blend for next time! Thanks for the great book Mel!

    • Mel says:

      Hooray! Glad you thought Well Fed was present-worthy 🙂

      The Rogan Josh recipe in the cookbook is designed to use all of the spice blend in the recipe, but as always, you can use less if that’s your preference.

      • Rhonda says:

        Ahhh ok, well it just seemed like a lot of spices but it’s all good… this time I have some left over! Thanks!
        Looking forward to doing a Well-Fed cook day on Monday and/or Tuesday to get everything ready for the Whole30. The thing I like about your ideas is that I get more ideas for what to bring to work (the hardest time to eat well for me). I do best if I make a week’s worth and freeze in little sections so I can just grab and go!

  • Lisa says:

    In recipes calling for coconut milk, is it always the canned coconut milk, or can you use the refrigerated carton interchangably?

    • Mel says:

      For my recipes, it’s ALWAYS the canned type of coconut milk; the kind in the carton can include yucky added ingredients. When buying canned, if you can find it without guar gum, that’s great; if not, guar gum is OK but that should be the ONLY added ingredient.

  • Amy says:

    Hi Mel – I just received your book, ordered through Amazon, and I love it! But one problem, after I turn a page, it comes lose from the binding. So far the first 50 pages are lose. Has this happened to others? I can send a picture if you want to see what I mean.

    • Mel says:

      Sorry to hear that! I think we got a bad batch in this last printing — a few people have been having problems. You can return the book to wherever you bought it for a replacement. If you have any trouble, please EMAIL me directly (mjoulwan@gmail.com), and we’ll sort it out.

      If you bought from Amazon, the return is super easy and they give you free shipping, I think.

  • Qianya says:

    Hi Mel,
    Just got the book and so excited. I went shopping today, came home and made a weekly cook up of chicken thighs, ground chicken, and steamed veg. As your book instructed I popped everything into the fridge right after cooking. My partner nearly had a heart attack, as she has been told (by generations of matriarchs) that you need to let food cool before putting in the fridge or it spoils. Can u help me settle this? As I am cooking for both of us, I want to make sure she is comfy with eating the food.

  • Before using any kind of fracture, with the most simple, effective, and have a greater risk of nerve
    damage and Barre Back Pain Specialist. There are some
    simple things you can do this already early in life as possible.

  • Kelly says:

    Love the book! Have cuddled up with it after the kids were in bed on a couple of occasions. It’s fun to read in addition to the great recipes!
    I’m glad to see this post on updates. I was wondering about the Czech Meatballs on page 89. I thought the seeds in the picture were fennel, but I now realize fennel & caraway are related. I only had black caraway seeds so I used them. I’m wondering how they differ from the other caraway seeds. Would fennel also be good in this recipe?

  • Shelly says:

    Hi! Love your recipes! Just wondering what brand of beef broth you use or do you make your own? The ones in the store here in Canada all contain questionable ingredients, even the “natural” ones. Thanks! Can’t wait for the new book.

    • Mel says:

      We’re really lucky: we have a grocery store brand here in Austin that’s organic, gluten-free, MSF free, and doesn’t include any added ingredients. If you can’t find clean broth, sadly, you need to make your own. Sorry!

  • Emma says:

    Hi, I recently purchased Well Fed and have been really impressed with every recipe I’ve tried so far (5 or 6). I’d like to try the hot plates but am wondering how long the cooked meat/steam sautéed veg will last in the fridge once prepared? Thanks in advance

  • SS says:

    I just purchased a copy of Well Fed 2 and am excited to make the ketchup. Does it matter which type of figs you use (black mission vs calimyrna)? Thank you!

  • Heidi says:

    I’ve made the olive oil mayo twice and failed. I know it’s because I’m using my vitamix and just don’t know what speed to use. The first time I think the speed was too low and the second time too high. Any tips on making the mayo in the vitamix? Thanks!

    • Morten says:

      Try separating yolk and white and use two yolks, use whites for something else. Maybe a teaspoon of Dijon mustard instead of mustard powder (if you have it). I think real mustard is already an emulsion so it might help (most mustard is just sugar though so that doesn’t help).

      • Morten says:

        Oops, yeah, blenders have never worked for me either. They go too fast and just eject everything onto the sides of the blender. I use a food processor, my friends use a whisk.

    • Mel says:

      Vitamix, I think, is too powerful for mayo. You might try a food processor, or an immersion blender… or a really crappy regular blender like mine 😉

  • Emma says:

    I have failed miserably to make mayo in a mixer. However with an immersion blender – wow! I put all ingredients in the jar, hold the blender still in the bottom for 20 seconds (watch it emulsify before your eyes!) then gently lift the blender to mix it all in.

  • Cat says:

    Phew I was starting to panic because I was going to attempt the Char Siu recipe and saw the instructions to remove the foil twice…and I am NO seasoned cook so I always have to follow directions to a tee because improvisation when it comes to cooking is a no-no for me! 😀 Thank you!

  • Fay says:

    Your instructions are much better than my reading of them. Made the Best Chicken You Will Ever Eat and skipped a bit and instead of taking it out of the brine, wrap and refrigerate for 2-3 days, I left it IN the brine for a day. But, boy was it juicy and delicious. Hubby said I can make that mistake any time!

  • Dadi Shroff says:

    Finished reading it starts with food and I’m planning on placing an order for both well fed and well fed 2 via amazon. Quick question: When I go to amazon it says 15 July 2012 to the right of the well fed (1) book title so would I be ordering the old version without the corrections printed or would I be ordering the new version with the corrections ?

    I’m ordering both either way because the recipes seem fantastic but just wondering if you know whether amazon is selling old stock first ? In which case I’ll just use the errata sheet 🙂

  • Lisa Olander says:

    I apologize in advance if I missed this in the book or if this has been addressed in the comments. I admit I did not read all of the above comments, but that is mostly because I wan tot spend my time reading your great book and exploring your blog. I LOVE the book by the way! Thank you!
    My question is about the Chinese Five Spice. I have found it on Amazon, but one of them has soybean oil, red chili, sesame oil, ginger oil and garlic oil. The other one has cinnamon, star anise, fennel, cloves, ginger, licorice, Szechuan peppercorn, and white pepper. Those are two totally differnt Chinese Five Spices. To which are you referring in your book?

  • Robin says:

    LOVING the Recipes! Love the spicy foods!!
    Can’t wait to try Char Siu page 91 but confused about reserving 1/2 C of the marinade to use in the BBQ glaze. The ingredients listed don’t show enough liquids to warrant reserving a whole 1/2 c for the BBQ glaze. Are there some other liquid ingredients not listed in the book?? I have 10th printing Oct 2014. Geesh that’s really new!– I see it was printed in VT where I live!!

    • That recipe is accurate the way it’s printed in the book. The marinade starts with 1/2 cup coconut aminos. When you’ve added apple sauce, too, that gives you 6 ounces of liquid — and then you take out 1/2 cup (4 oz) to use as glaze. You only put about 1/4 cup in the bag with the pork to marinate it. Did you measure the ingredients correctly?

  • Melissa J says:

    I see that the Berries and Whipped Coconut Cream contains almond extract, I thought this was not allowed during the 30 days because of the alcohol?

    • The Whole30 rule excluding extracts is new since I published this recipe; I’ll make the correction now. Thanks for catching that!

      You can make this recipe without the extract, and it stills tastes great!

      • Melissa J says:

        Thanks so much for the quick reply! I’m just starting my first round, and didn’t want to start off doing anything “wrong” to have to restart!

LEAVE A NOTE