Umm. Hello. This is the most exciting day of my life. The end.
…
Okay fine, I'll tell you more!
Over a year ago, I began a project. A project that challenged me, stretched me, frustrated me, and excited me. After hours, and hours, and hours, tears, heartache, steep learning curves, and a few swear words, it's finally here. In print. Or in PDF. And I couldn't be more thrilled! And exhausted. But mostly thrilled.
This afternoon, my very first cookbook, my dearest, most radical, most specialist cookbook was delivered via a UPS man that had no idea what he was in for. I ran down the gravel driveway, practically biting at his heels like an untamed puppy. He didn't know the joy he was delivering in that small, brown little package!
I unwrapped it, fingers shaking. Heart pounding.
And there she was, in all her self-published glory. From Scratch. My close companion for the past year. We've spent countless hours together on the computer. Formatting, editing, writing, photographing. She's been a cruel mistress – often pushing me past my comfort zone. Truly, I can hardly remember a project that has challenged me in such an extreme way.
But all of that pain is now forgotten. It's PARTY TIME!
This project is a culmination of almost every recipe featured on the blog in it's past three years of life, PLUS MORE!
It includes:
– Information on what a ‘whole foods' kitchen promotes
– Information on what food items to keep stocked in your fridge, freezer, pantry, and cupboards
– Lists of what kitchen tasks to do and when
– Information on where to source the best quality food from
– Breakfast recipes
– Breadish recipes
– Soup and Salad recipes
– Main Dishes recipes
– Side Dishes recipes
– Sweets recipes
– Beverages, Ferments, and Condiment recipes
All the recipes are photographed, in an easy to follow step-by-step format, and in color. The book itself boasts over 220 pages.
Yep. That's a lot of formatting.
My prayer is that this cookbook will help to encourage others who are looking to begin a whole-foods journey, but aren't sure where to begin. I also hope it encourages those already-whole-foodies who just need a few new good recipes in their repertoire.
Truly, the words to describe it all escape me. Seeing it in print, touching it with my fingers, scanning through it's pages… it's just beautiful.
I can't tell you how much I appreciated your love, support, excitement, and encouragement as I finished this project. If you didn't read, I wouldn't write. And if you didn't request this cookbook, I never would have undertaken such an overwhelming task. It's because of YOU, dear reader, that this cookbook is sitting next to me on the desk as I type this. It's because of YOU that I was able to push through those painfully long sessions at the computer. And it's because of YOU that this blog, and this project, has been such a success.
What I'm trying to say is….
I love ya. Truly.
Eh, what the heck. Let's do a giveaway! The winner can choose either a print copy or a PDF copy. It is a party, after all!
Cassandra Lawson
Califlower crust pizza is my right now favorite dish to cook at home.
Lynn C.
Me, me, me! Sorry, I got just a wee over zealous there 🙂
I am entering my name as a hopeful winner of your beautiful new cookbook. I shall endeavor to remain calm and keep composure…..but I would love to win it! Really, really, really!
Lynn C.
Hmmmmm….favorite dish to cook would have to be my lettuce wars ~ so fresh and tummy or my favorite tacos with warm corn shells! Oh and it’s summer so you won’t see anything roasting in the oven right now! I live in the South!
bobbi
My favorite thing to cook from scratch are soups. Any kind. 🙂 Thanks
Kimberly Rickards
My favorite dish from scratch….raviolis, cheese, spinach and mushrooms…YUMM! I would love this book!
Tracy
Hard to pick a favorite. Spaghetti sauce and mac n cheese are my top two favorite things to make from scratch.
Bethani
Rigatoni is my favorite to cook from scratch. It’s my grandmas recipe and I love to make it for my family!
M C Mast
Currently my favourite dish to cook from scratch is chicken salad….several chicken breasts, a small onion, chopped grapes and a dab of mayo!
kimber
I would love a copy of this
Melinda M.
Aloo Keema. Yum!
Stacie
I love to make any sort of breakfast dish! And I’d absolutely
Love love love to win this cookbook!!!!!!!! It looks soooo amazing!
Ashley
My favorite dish from scratch is macaroni and cheese! Nothing like it! 🙂
Wendy
Soups are my favorite to cook from scratch!
Abby
Bone broth is my favorite to cook from scratch. I feel so very accomplished when it is done!
Sandy F,
I love making chicken pot pie from scratch with whole ingredients!
cmseibel
My favorite scratch dish is my husbands favorite breakfast snack, scones.
Amanda Bass
I love making all kinds of baked goods!
Nicole R
The kids’ birthday cakes are definitely my favorite thing to cook from scratch. 🙂
Kailyn
My favorite thing to cook from scratch is bread
Brooke
My favorite is homemade pudding!
Lauren Bolland
I’m not sure I make anything from scratch, the idea of making most things without any shortcuts kind of freaks me out, as I’m not known for being great in the kitchen! Which is why I need this cookbook!!!!!
AmyJ
I love baking from scratch, as well as making biscuits and gravy!
Monica W.
My favorite dish to cook from scratch is Italian sausage and tortellini soup. It makes the house smell fantastic.
Michelle
My favorite homemade dish is broccoli soup. 🙂
Nicola
My family love it when I make chicken casserole
Brie
my favorite thing to make from scratch is bread! There’s just something about the smell of fresh homemade bread in the oven….mmmmm. Warms my soul! Btw…I LOVE your blog and I especially like that we are related. Did you know that? Ok, so distantly by marriage. My husband, Nathan Hopkins is Stuart’s Cousin. I feel pretty special being related to such a cool person 🙂
Vickie
I can’t wait to get your beautiful cookbook! Congrats on this new endeavor! You rock!!!
Sarah
I love to make soup!
Holly
I love making cakes and frosting from scratch
robyn lotz
I dont know how to make much from scratch, please help 🙂 I live in South Africa so PDF would be sooo good
Darla
I love how our family is so much healthier since I made the decision to cooking from scratch, I enjoy knowing what I am feeding my family and the taste is so much better too..maybe it’s because you get to add pinch of love with every dish, every meal that you prepare .
Emily Waits
If we don’t win it we’ll buy it for sure! Right now, favorite food to make from scratch it pot roast!
debbie
love to make shepherds pie from scratch – family favorite and i make it once a week!
Colleen Gorman
I pretty much cook everything from scratch. Roast chicken is a current fave. oh and chocolate cake!
Amy R.
Will have to save up for it, (Dang Dave would be proud!!) but would love to win a copy!!! I love to cook Hibachi Chicken at home now….I know what’s in it, and it still tastes good!!!!
Darlene Taylor
I love to make Dahl and chapatis from scratch. I’d also love this book to help me learn to cook more!
Susanne M.
Hi, I think I entered without leaving my favorite dish??? Not sure about that but here it is
Grüne Sosse (green sauce) is my favorite. It´s a herb sauce thats eaten together with boiled potatoes or even poured over cooked beef
kind regards
Susanne
Rachel
I’m learning to make bread from scratch! A friend taught me an awesomely easy recipe … Now to learn how to grind my own wheat berries! 🙂
katie
I love to make homemade wild rice bread, my mama’s recipe of course!
Tabitha
I’m a baker at heart, so I love to make sourdough bread, cakes, pies, cookies… the list goes on 😉
Michelle
gluten free chocolate chip cookies!
JessicaW
My favorite from scratch recipe right now is roast chicken and gravy with mashed cauliflower and sautéed greens. I could eat it every day. Congrats on the beautiful new book! Can’t wait to see it!
Emily
My favorite dish to cook from scratch, if I had to pick one, is any kind of sauce. The flavors do this kind of magic when they blend together, and when you take a fingerful right out of the pan, it’s so rewarding!
Carolyn Boyd
No favorite meal to cook from scratch – but I absolutely love that I know what is in every meal and what I am actually feeding my family!
Kelsey
Homemade Chocolate bars! Well more like small pieces otherwise I’d eat them way too fast ; )
Glendeen
Cookies and cupcakes : )
Linda R
I love to make homemade sweet potato and sausage soup!
Devon H
I love to make jam and bread from scratch! Thanks for the giveaway 🙂
with eager hands
Shaye’s bread, shaye’s biscuits, shaye’s english muffins…and chicken broth. 🙂
Karen Robins
This is silly, but my favorite thing to make from scratch is mashed potatoes. 🙂 And if I don’t win, I am buying this book! So exciting!
Rachel
I love making pancakes and waffles from scratch using my sourdough starter!
Stephanie
either breads or frostings!!
Ali Mygrants
I am interested in the homemade Jam. My daughter loves Jam and to make it at home would be fantastic!!
Jill
hmm, I like to make everything from scratch, hard to pick a favorite. How about something with chocolate? Yea, that’s always a winner.
Kristen Bylenga
My favorite from scratch food is bread – I make about 5 loaves weekly.
Keely Titus Murdoch
Favorite to make from scratch?? geez, everything. Who wants processed? Well I guess I can think a few in my family that would. Let see, bone broth, sourdough, yummy home cooked meals…..
Karrie
My favorite from scratch food is greek yogurt, mmmm!
Maria Williams
Hmmm…. My husbands favorite is my egg noodles. My fav would have to be crockpot chicken & broth, so simple, flavorful and nutritious.
Mary Gilbert
Making anything! LOVE any kind of whole food…but…breads take the cake for me 🙂
Rebekah
My favorite dish may be your meat loaf, because my hands get to get all squishy. 🙂
Iva N
My favorite recipe from scratch is sourdough bread!
Kimberly Mackey Jacobson
Hands down, favorite dish would be macaroni and cheese…or anything with cheese, really. 😉
Adrianne
meatloaf!
Erin
Bread!
Shanena
Meatloaf! It’s my only dish that is consistently delicious!
Justine Luetschwager
Thanks for the giveaway! I love making pie from scratch! No canned pie filling! 🙂
Stacy Ann
My favorite thing to make from scratch is cake!
Tamara
I pretty much make everything from scratch! Love to cook and your cookbook looks wonderful! Thanks for the giveaway chance!
Donika Engstrom
I love to make sourdough English muffins from scratch…I’ve got a batch rising right now!
Kathy
I like to make jam with fruit that I picked myself… it’s what summer is all about!
Michelle
I struggle cooking from scratch which is why I love your recipes 🙂 my favorite is probably the easy stuff – chicken stock and eggs – love the fritatta recipe.
Valera Childers
I make just about everything from scratch, but my favorite is all kinds of cheeses!
Tina Pagel Kehl
I like to make baked goods from scratch.
Amanda
Anything baked, I don’t like all the extra stuff that is put in store bought baked goods. Also, Ice cream, to go with all of the yummy baked goodies! YUM!
Rachel
I love roasting a chicken, then making delicious broth in my crockpot from the bones and a little apple cider vinegar! Lately I’ve been loving on my sourdough starter, and making bread and banana bread! I want to try crackers next!
Audria Clarke
I love making soaked granola!
Shveta
My mom’s chana masala! Yum. 😀
laura
Home made Hummus! So easy so good!, Can’t wait to have my hands on your cookbook, it is beautiful!
Krista Cattier
right now, it’s beef, tomatoes, and cabbage over rice, like a deconstructed cabbage roll. SO good!
Julie Ross
Making things from scratch is always more satisfying but lately I’ve been especially pleased by making my own pancakes. Sounds so funny, they’re so simple, but there it is. 🙂
Aejin
cake
Karen Frey
Actually the best things I make from scratch are the things that I create as I go!! The cookbook looks wonderful and congrats on all of your hard work 🙂
Karen
Jaclyn
Congratulations!! This is a-mah-zingg!!
If this makes any sense, I feel closer to the Creator when I do thing from scratch….with tender, loving care, I plant the garden, gather the harvest, cook the meals, make the soap, heal the kiddo, and feel pride well up inside as I know He is pleased with hard work and dedication.
As a fellow author, publishing that first book is one of the greatest days! Bar-none!
May I ask, did you self publish? No need to answer if it’s too personal, just curious 🙂
Sarai Wilson
Soup, soup, and more soup! homemade chicken stock is the best part of homestead life, baby!
Amber Knight
EEEEK! So excited for you and I hope to win a copy…you know a thing or too about budgets,and this med school budget does not play fair 🙂 I love to make cauliflower pizza crust! A family favorite for sure!
Kristi Haley
Bread! Just bought your book, soooo excited!
April
Your cookbook is so inspirational!! What a wonderful accomplishment! Thanks for the giveaway opportunity. 🙂 I think my favorite thing to make would be soup, there are so many wonderful combinations to try, fun for being creative and amazing for getting lots of veggies fed to family! 🙂
Eva
Whole Wheat pizza…easy and so, so good!
Raelene
Split Pea Soup! Would love to have your cookbook!
Jesse M
Hard to choose just one, depends on what is in season and the weather, and my mood… LOL! I love making sweets and yummy desserts, like fresh berry dishes, Ambrosia salads…. fresh breads…. etc…
Peggy Grimins
My favorite made from scratch recipe is a potato and cheese soup.
Diane Var
My favorite dish to cook from scratch is Mac and cheese.
Jevena
I love making bread. Even though I have the Kitchenaid mixer that will mix it all up, I love to get my hands in it to knead. Just touching it makes me feel like I put some real love into it!
Terri
I just love to cook in general, but I think my favorite thing to make is Bread. Or Stroganoff, or French Spaghetti. I’ll go back to the I just like to cook part.
Jennifer Farrugia
Homemade sourdough is my favorite thing to make from scratch!
Brianne S.
I love baking chocolate chip cookies from scratch. It’s one thing i know I can’t do wrong! 8)
Kim A.
My favorite from scratch recipes are bread, seafood scampi and ratatouille!
Colleen Keller Liszkiewicz
I love bread from scratch….I have gluten issues so I am working with different flours now and loving every minute of it
Susan
Yeast rolls but they’re not whole foodish hence the reason I need your cookbook! 😉 lol
Kristyn Kenney
Cakes from Scratch – Hawaiian Wedding cake for sure!
Lyda
This is so exciting Shaye! I’m a big fan of your recipe for Hearty Shepard’s Pie lately! But I moved into an apartment without an oven so I’m a little frustrated I won’t be able to bake for a while. Looking into getting a large toaster oven so I can at least do SOMETHING!
Kim
My favorite thing to make from scratch for my family is this amazing tom kha gai recipe that I have perfected! It has replaced homemade chicken soup in my house!!! Lovely cookbook and I am a huge fan of your blog! Being a fellow Washingtonian (grew up on the eastside- now live on the westside) I am excited to see where you go next! God bless!
Jessica
I love making my own pasta sauce. 🙂
Abby Vanhoutan
I’m soooo happy for you! I cook with a lot of your recipes already can’t wait to get the pretty cook book too! I know your hard work Daniel and I have been working on our documentary and its a lot of HARD work. Sending blessings your way! I love making your hot cocoa recipes too, even when it’s 102 outside 😉
Kristi
Macaroni and cheese!
Rebecca C.
I like to cook paleo lasagna from scratch. MMMM…
Jolene
I make everything from scratch…. so today it is Salad…. yes, I know– not technally from scratch, but I am really into salad these days!
Sarah M.
Pretty much any dessert made from scratch makes me happy!
Paula
Red beans ‘n’ Rice.
Tia
I love to make bread from scratch. It tastes so much better!
Sabrina Noela Puckett
Lasagna, my family recipe with my own gourmet twist!
Cyndi
spaghetti sauce!
Kristen
I love making chicken pot pie from scratch!
Kimberly Schotz
Nothing like homemade Macaroni and Cheese
Heather
English Toasting Bread!!
Lucinda
Bread! 🙂 best feeling ever to make your own bread.
Lesa W
I like to make pizza from scratch.
mamahen
Cakes! Congratulations! This looks wonderful!
cindy
Not a dish but my favorite homemade food it Sourdough bread…yum…
Tracy Nault
Kombucha and bread!
Laila
My favorite cook from scratch item is a toss up~ either beef stew or (it’s not cooked) coconut snack balls.
taylor98
My favorite from scratch item is home made spaghetti sauce!
Kimberly
My favorite dish to cook from scratch? Ice cream! 🙂
happigyrl25
I like to make pizza from scratch.
Emily Moothart
I love making lemon herb chicken in a cast iron skillet – so quick and easy, only whole foods, and incredibly yummy!
Also, congratulations! It looks like an absolutely lovely book!
Heidi
I love baking anything from scratch. Cake, crackers, cookies, bread etc ..
Leana Buhler
Hummus
Jaimie
EVERYTHING. But probably tortillas…so much better than store-bought. And so easy. And so good. And did I say delicious?!?
Dona
Anything from stretch…….this spring it was Rhubarb Crunch!!!
Dona
I meant to say……”Anything from scratch………this summer the best was Rhubarb Crunch!
Kelly A
I love making soups from scratch! There isn’t anything better than a homemade soup!
Debbie Lund
Love making yummy soup. Cookbook looks fantastic! Congrats!
TJ
Chicken in pesto sauce. My toddler loves it!
Martha
My favorite homemade recipe is actually not my own. I got it from my dad’s heart-healthy cookbook years ago, and I’ve been making it for 20+ years. It’s mayonnaise! I use eggs from my backyard chickens and lemon juice from our own tree. It’s the best!
Kris Tutte
Hmm, pizza or tacos, or chicken tortellini soup. The cookbook looks lovely.
N. M.
Desserts, generally!
Cassidy H.
I just bought the cookbook! I’m so excited to get it.
Jessica
My favorite dish to make is my grandmother’s cabbage rolls.
KaliP
My favorite thing to make from scratch is soups and muffins to go with them.
Cinya L.
My (current) favorite thing to cook from scratch is Japanese pudding. Also known to the rest of us as flan! 🙂
Nourishing Herbalist
Perhaps a better question is what DON’T I like to make from scratch? 🙂 Given that it’s time for breakfast apricot scones are on my mind at the moment. I love a good homemade scone!
Shelle
I love to make apple pie from scratch.
happigyrl25
I love to make pizza from scratch.
beth m.
brownies 🙂
Sarah O'Neal Macri
Love to bake bread!
krayzid0rk
Soup!
Hilary Reynolds
All things Breakfast.
Devon H
Soup, pizza, and jam. Indian food too! I love cooking from scratch. 🙂
Emily
Bread!
Tessa Zundel
From scratch – kefir raised cinnamon rolls with succanat maple frosting. Dang, now I’m hungry!
heidimhunter
Bread, breakfast & alfredo sauce
Salome Honeycutt
My favorite thing to make from scratch is pound cake!
Amanda Johnson
I love to make cookies!!!
Terri Seibech
Pies and breads!
sharmista
Baked goods – quick bread, brownies, cookies, muffins
Donika Engstrom
I love to make breads and other baked goods…there is just something about how wonderful the house smells when something yummy is in the oven!
Lori N.
Brownies and pizza
Ronda RS
Pizza on the grill!
Amy
Of course cookies from scratch!
Shelah Phillipsen
My favorite thing to make from scratch is bread. I love bread as does my son and the store bought kind is just awful. Sourdough and Rye are our favorites.
meswes
Breads and Pasta~~~~~~
ketelcopia
Does pie count? 😉
Karie Ball
Granola!
tammy l
Spaghetti from scratch!
Christina
Quiche! 🙂
Leah
Pancakes and waffles! 🙂
Bethani
Buttermilk bread
Julie
Made your soaked bread for the first time yesterday. The family LOVED it!
marilyn Norfleet
chicken and dumplings
becky
Currently, it’s salsa!
Iva N
Right now my favorite dish is sourdough bread, yam
Emily Upchurch
Pizza!
Megan
Pizza!
Gail
Everything is better from scratch! But…probably desserts (so I feel less guilty by cutting back on sugar, etc.) or soups. Love my homemade soups with homemade broth (which isn’t fun to make but yields so much good!)
Deana Piper
Breads, Flour Tortilla’s, Pizza, and homemade chips!!!
Danielle L.
Chicken Noodle Soup, with handmade noodles and all!
Emily @ Recipes to Nourish
Hard to choose just one. Right now my favorite thing to make from scratch is watermelon granitas and my husband’s amazing tacos.
Erin
Brownies!
Rachael
Pizza is so fun and easy
Amy Listeman Floyd
whole crockpot chicken and then chicken broth
Diana Penwell
that would have to be chicken and dumplings!
Sheila Daniel
My all time fav made from scratch (prior to discovering real foods) was carrot cake…everyone loved my carrot cake. I’ll need to find a healthier real food version without using white flour, sugar, and vegetable oil. That might be a challenge!
John Crosslin
favorite made from scratch is my mom’s rice pudding
Valera Childers
I love making cheese! Any kind of cheese, but our favorite one that’s really quick to make is goat cheese. Oh, and I love homemade butter. And sour cream. And cream cheese.
Sheesh…all things dairy, how’s that?
Kathy B
Fajitas and salsa!
Sarah O'Neal Macri
Love to cook just about everything, but especially love breakfast foods- biscuits, muffins, pancakes, etc.
Aymee Campbell
I love making oven baked steaks with caramelized onions and mushrooms. Topped with butter and bleu cheese crumbles!!!
Nicola
i love making roast dinners with all the trimmings
Emily
I always feel super accomplished when I make sourdough bread. And it makes the fam super happy 🙂
Cammie Bray
Your cookbook is beautiful. I love making roast chicken and then stock from the carcass. It is such a simple, delicios nourishing thing I can do for my family.
Linda Marie Finn
I love making buscuits from scratch, I know many like mixes but I try to do my own mixes here at home.
Blessings
Linda Finn
[email protected]
busymamaof9
I love making different types of bread from scratch.
Jasmine Ward
Chicken soup, cookies, ice cream. 🙂
Tracy
Today, lasagna, cheese, yogurt and ice cream
Shara
Butter & breads!
Amanda Iden Howell
Chicken and gravy on biscuits or beef stew made from bone stock! 🙂
Courtney Edwards
Spaghetti Sauce!
mary rose
any kind of soup or stew
Christy C
cookies!!
Deanna Martin Owens
everything-homemade always tastes so much better.
Arcelia Castillo
tortillas from scratch are delicious!!
becky
well, I’ve not been much of a cook, but I love to do nobake cookies from scratch… does that count? 😉
Mel
I love cooking biscuits from scratch! There’s just something about knowing exactly what you put into it to make it taste so good, plus, my Granny had a fantastic recipe that never goes wrong 🙂
Kelly A
Love making pot pie from scratch!
Sarah Masloob
I love making Indian dishes from scratch – because that’s what we spend money on eating at restaurants! Butter Chicken (Chicken Makhani), Chicken Tikka Masala, … mmm.