I’m the kind of person who tends to avoid cookbooks at all costs and instead refers to Pinterest for all of my menu planning needs. It’s not that I don’t want to like cookbooks because I do. It’s that I can never find more than one or two recipes in each cookbook that sound even remotely interesting or good to me. And believe me, I’ve tried. All of that changed, though, when I purchased the Friendly Food* cookbook and guide.

Friendly Food* is an absolute game changer when it comes to low salicylate (and low amine/glutamate) cooking. As I was looking through the cookbook, I was amazed at how many recipes I highlighted and was genuinely excited to try. That has honestly NEVER happened to me before, so it was a thrilling experience.

There are tons of new breakfast options, light meals that sound delightful, mains that we’ve been making nightly this week, and even sweet treats so that I don’t feel like I’m missing out even though I’m cutting out a significant amount of food at the moment. The only thing I’m having trouble with is waiting for all of the ingredients I’ve ordered to come in so I can start making more stuff. ?

Everything we’ve made from Friendly Food* so far has been absolutely delicious. All of the recipes in the book are safe for the strict elimination phase of the RPAH Elimination (AKA Failsafe) Diet, with modifications included for those that can tolerate moderate levels of salicylates, amines, and glutamate.

So far, I’ve made the vegetable stock, chicken and leek risotto, Chinese-style chicken noodles, creamy swede (rutabaga) purée, and the pear and bean salad. It’s also encouraged me to embrace things I normally wouldn’t eat like rutabaga, celery, leeks, and cabbage. The best part? The hubs is 1000% on board and delighted with the meals we’ve sampled so far. For someone that doesn’t have to restrict anything but gluten, I consider that a HUGE win. The kiddos have even enjoyed a few of the different options! (SAY WHAT.)

So if you’re on the fence or unsure about whether the Friendly Food* cookbook is worth it, take it from me. It’s an absolute must-have if you’re undertaking the RPAH Elimination Diet (Failsafe Diet) or needing to avoid salicylates.

*This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase the Friendly Foods book through the links in this post, I will earn a small commission at no cost to you.