Much-loved Australian chef Pete Evans shows that the paleo way of eating and living doesn't have to be time-consuming or costly, with over 100 no-fuss meals for busy people. Fast Food for Busy Families is packed full of delicious and nourishing recipes – most of which can be made in around 30 minutes.

Pete also proves that saving time doesn't mean cutting down on flavour – he shows you how to make the most of spices, herbs and good fats to bring flavour to even the simplest of dishes. Chapters include breakfasts, kids' lunches, salads, main meals, sides and basics, and there are heaps of quick ideas for snacks, salad dressings, entertaining and lots more.

All of the recipes are full of fresh veg, ethically farmed meats, sustainable seafood, nuts and seeds, and completely free from grains, dairy, refined sugar and legumes. It's never been so easy to eat well, and look and feel amazing

SAMPLE RECIPES

Pistachio-crusted chicken with spicy aioli
800 g chicken breast fillets, cut lengthways into 2.5 cm strips and patted dry with paper towel
150 g (1 cup) pistachio nuts
100 g (1 cup) almond meal
2 tablespoons finely chopped fl at-leaf parsley leaves
1½ teaspoons chilli flakes (optional)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 eggs
2 tablespoons coconut cream or almond milk
100 g (²⁄³ cup) tapioca flour coconut oil or other good-quality fat, for frying lemon halves, to serve

Spicy aioli
150 g Aioli (page 242)
½ teaspoon harissa paste, or to taste
½ teaspoon fi nely chopped preserved lemon zest

To make the spicy aioli, mix together the aioli, harissa and preserved lemon. Set aside until needed.

Blitz the pistachios to a fine crumb in a food processor. Transfer to a shallow bowl, add the almond meal, parsley, chilli flakes (if using), garlic powder, onion powder, a pinch each of salt and pepper and mix well.

Place the eggs and coconut cream or almond milk in a shallow bowl and whisk well. Place the tapioca flour in another shallow bowl.

One by one dust the chicken strips in the tapioca flour, shake off any excess flour, dip in the egg mixture and then coat in the nut crumb mixture, making sure you cover the entire chicken strip thoroughly. If there are areas that are not entirely coated, simply dab a little more egg mixture onto the dry spot and coat again with the nut crumbs.

Heat the oil or fat in a large frying pan over medium–high heat. Add the crumbed chicken strips, in batches, and cook for 2 ½–3 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through. Drain on paper towel. Allow to cool slightly before serving. Season with salt, if needed.

Serve the pistachio-crusted chicken with the spicy aioli and some lemon cheeks on the side.
Serves 4

Apple and berry crumble
4 apples (about 750 g in total), peeled, cored and chopped into 2 cm pieces
85 g (scant ¼ cup) honey
1 tablespoon coconut oil finely grated zest of 1 orange
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon vanilla powder or 1 vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped
320 g fresh or frozen mixed berries (such as blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries) coconut yoghurt, to serve

Crumble topping
100 g (1 cup) almond or hazelnut meal
65 g (½ cup) activated macadamia nuts, finely chopped
60 g (½ cup) activated pistachio nuts, finely chopped
40 g (²⁄³ cup) shredded coconut 4 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
85 g (scant ¼ cup) honey
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon pinch of sea salt
Preheat the oven to 160°C.

To make the filling, combine the apple, honey, coconut oil, orange zest, cinnamon, vanilla pod and seeds or powder and 3 tablespoons of water in a saucepan. Cover and cook over medium–low heat, stirring occasionally, until the apple softens, about 5 minutes. Add the berries, cover and cook for 3–4 minutes until the berries start to burst. Remove the vanilla pod (if using).

Meanwhile, to make the crumble topping, place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

Spoon the filling evenly into a 1.5 litre baking dish. Sprinkle on the crumble topping to cover. Bake for 15–18 minutes until the crumble is golden brown, checking from 10 minutes onwards to make sure it doesn’t burn. Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 2–3 minutes before serving. Serve with coconut yoghurt.
Serves 6

Author Biography: Evans is an award-winning chef, restaurateur, author, television presenter, health coach, adventure seeker and father. He's one of Australia's leading authorities on healthy cooking and is dedicated to improving people's lives through education about nutritional food and wellness. Pete is host of his own television program, The Paleo Way, and co-host of Channel 7's hugely successful show My Kitchen Rules.