Foreword

      by SEAN BROCK

      “I

      don’t know how she does it,” I think as I shake my head from side to side. This is the reaction I have every time I’m lucky enough to

      eat something that Laura Lea puts in front of me. From baked goods, to hearty breakfasts and snacks, and creative lunch and dinner entrées, Laura Lea has achieved delicious, executable, and nutritious recipes.

      She painstakingly tests these recipes over and over, seeks feedback from lucky friends and family, and perfects them through trial and error. Even in the restaurant world, I don’t know many chefs who work as diligently and prolifically to develop reliable recipes quite like Laura Lea. One of the things that I admire about her is that she is always “working on it,” determined to make the most delicious recipes she can with the home cook in mind. I love making her recipes. In general, I never, ever follow recipes, but Laura Lea’s are different. I follow them because I’ve tasted the results and wouldn’t even know where to start to create the things that she does. She takes the time to understand every little nuance of an ingredient, what it is made up of, what its capabilities are, and how to make it sing.

      Her food is designed to make you feel good. As we know, “healthy” food hasn’t historically been thought of as the most delicious. But the level of deliciousness she achieves with food that is good for both your body and soul takes tremendous drive and skill. I find myself craving her food. A lot. Laura Lea’s cooking is not simply for sustenance—it makes you feel something. It also directly reflects her sunny, nurturing, and enthusiastic personality. You can taste the love and passion she has for her craft. In Simply Laura Lea, she shows us that we can take better care of ourselves while still enjoying the pleasure of something very delicious and satisfying. In our house, we refer her food as “Laura Lea treats.” I am so excited for you to try these recipes and witness for yourself why I am such a huge fan.

      — Sean Brock has won James Beard Awards for

       Best Chef: Southeast, for American Cooking, and

       for his first book, Heritage. His latest book is South.

      Introduction

      When I my began my first cookbook, The

      Laura Lea Balanced Cookbook, I sought out

      the opinions and advice of everyone I knew who’d

       written a book. While I received a variety of stories,

       cautions, and encouragements, there was one shared

       sentiment: you’ll never do it again, or you’ll fall in

       love—you’ll fall deeply, feverishly in love with the

       blood, sweat, tears, and triumphs that make up this

       wild journey. And you’ll know you want to write

       books as long as you can cobble words together and

       find just one person to read them.

      I fit effortlessly in the latter camp. Writing my

       cookbook was the most exhilarating and exhausting

      experience of my life, and I adored every moment of it.

       While I am incredibly grateful that my book was well-

       received, I know in my bones that I would have written

       a second cookbook regardless. Just as I know that I’ll

       write a third and a fourth and, Lord willing, more.

      Not only does the process itself light me up—the

       creating, testing, photographing, typing, deleting,

       and typing again—but there’s always so much left

       to share. More has changed in the three years since

       I wrote my first book than I could possibly begin to

       describe. In the birds-eye view picture of my life, yes,

       just about everything is different. More importantly,

       though, my knowledge of ingredients has expanded,

      The LL BALANCED APPROACH to FOOD

      1

      Focus on whole, fresh foods that make you feel great.

      2

      Ditch any preconceived idea of what you should eat,

      and listen to your body; it is your best wellness guru.

      3

      Indulge in moderation and, occasionally, not in moderation!

      4

      Have fun and don’t take yourself or your food too seriously.

      Enjoy food in a relaxed atmosphere and in the company of dear ones.

      5

      Above all, practice self-love and patience in the kitchen.

      It will translate to the rest of your life.

      my techniques have streamlined, new research has

       come out (and comes out daily), and earlier studies

       have been discredited. My own body has healed and

       aged and become more flexible and less yielding

       in myriad ways. I feel like I have thirty-four years

       of new information and experience that

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