Is the weather getting colder where you are? Are you inspired to curl up inside, perhaps in a “snuggle pile” with loved ones? I know our family is! Just today as we were running errands the sun began to set and cooler temperatures set in. My oldest of 3 sons politely asked, “Mom, can we go get peppermint hot chocolate – PLEASE?!” I hesitated, mostly because I like to spoil the boys and often end up making allowances for treats when they're well behaved and polite. But knowing how dairy and sugar affects the boys' health and behavior, we have worked hard to recreate almost every food that they love in a more healthful way with nourishing ingredients. I was thrilled when I was able to respond with, “Actually, why don't we make that at home ourselves? That recipe is in Real Life Paleo, remember? You can help me make it!” I loved his approving grin and knowing I'd avoided an evening with a sugar-crashing-banchee.

Our upcoming cookbook, Real Life Paleo, is a guidebook for individuals and families who seek to adopt a paleo lifestyle but don't find that the going-all-in-at-once (30 day challenge) approach doesn't work for them. Real Life Paleo details the method that our family used to take back our health, including getting our children off medication, improving their behavior, and losing a collective 200 lbs between the adults. The 3 Phased Approach in Real Life Paleo has been used by thousands of families through our blog, PaleoParents, who have found great success using the methods, tips, and tricks outlined in Real Life Paleo. What makes it special? Here's a post with an in depth look at what the book has to offer.

Real Life Paleo offers several indexes, including an overall visual index, an allergen index, and chapter indexes which help readers find exactly what they're looking for. For example, if you were looking for a drink that took under 30 minutes, had 5 ingredients or less, could be made in one pot and was ideal for celebrations, you'd be able to identify that our Peppermint Hot Chocolate would be a great choice!

That's right, our Peppermint Hot Chocolate is not only amazingly delicious, it's also simple! We strive to make all of our recipes in Real Life Paleo simple (save for a few special occasion dishes) because it's a cookbook intended for people who live real, busy lives – like us!

We like to serve our Peppermint Hot Chocolate with homemade collagen-rich Marshmallows. You can find our recipe in Real Life Paleo or we also recommend Danielle's Peppermint Marshmallow Cookies or Whipped Coconut Cream as alternative toppings.

Real Life Paleo is available with book sellers on November 4, 2014. You can pre-order it on Amazon for delivery on release date, or find it at your local book store!

Stacy Toth and Matthew McCarry are the couple behind the popular blog PaleoParents.com. Well known for their award-winning recipes and their successes with the Paleo diet, they have been featured in national publications, live speaking events, on radio shows and videos, and television news programs. Their success story of drastically improving the health of the whole family and losing over 200 pounds as a couple is a testament to the power of this lifestyle. You can also find them on their top rated podcasts, The Paleo View and Strong Woman Radio.

Focusing on an accessible, sustainable, and delicious recreations of “regular” food, Matt and Stacy have authored 3 family-friendly cookbooks: Eat Like a Dinosaur, Recipe & Guidebook for Gluten-free Kids; Beyond Bacon, Paleo Recipes that Respect the Whole Hog; and, Real Life Paleo, 175 Gluten-free Recipes, Meal Ideas, and an Easy 3-Phased Approach to Lose Weight & Gain Health. The entire family loves to recreate old standard favorites in inventive and more healthful ways!

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