Once upon a time, we were asked by some dear friends to write a cookbook. Looking back now, it seems impossible to fathom the impact that moment has had on our lives together. Even more difficult is recounting all the people who have inspired and supported us up to this point in our lives. Who knew that evening with friends, food and fellowship would bring us to this place? Isaac Newton has been quoted as saying, “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” Here is a brief tribute to some of those giants who have allowed us to see further than we could have ever seen ourselves.

Robb, Nicki and Zoe, Paleo Comfort Foods and Quick & Easy Paleo Comfort Foods exist because of you all and that fateful weekend in Jacksonville. Who would have guessed how much would have come out of that “cert”? We consider you part of our family and love you dearly. Thank you for your continued support and all you bring to our lives. Here’s to many more laughs together, along with conch salad and cracked coconuts.

Jeff, Melissa and Gemma, it has been an amazing ride thus far and we look forward to many more years of playtime with the kids, dogs and us. We have you all to thank for our love of fitness, community and tasty vittles. Thank you for inspiring us and being a part of our journey.

Chrissy, Shawn, Kayden and Rylee, you’re a part of that extended family, too, and it’s because of you that we have no doubt that we’ll be able to raise our son Paleo(ish), just like Kayden and Rylee. Thank you for inspiring us.

Mark Adams, our cookbooks would not be possible without your talented eye and creativity with the lens. You have brought the world into our kitchen twice now with your uncompromising attention to detail and your willingness to put your mouth where our food is. Thanks for the incredible photos and for volunteering to sample every dish that has graced the pages of the Paleo Comfort Foods family of books. And to Lacey Holsenbeck, thank you for the countless hours of working with pesky crackers and troublesome sauces to make it all look right!

Our Local Three and Muss & Turner’s family of amazing artists, how could we have done this without your help? Todd, Ryan and Chris, you have all stirred our imagination and demonstrated a passion for good food that is unequaled in Atlanta. Our palates and kitchen will never be the same thanks to your input and openness. We wish you continued success in health, fitness and inspiring the food patrons of our fair city.

A huge thanks to Sally Ekus and The Lisa Ekus Group for seeing talent in our passion and for believing in us. We have been overwhelmed by your support and guidance throughout this journey. Let’s hope that we can keep you busy for many years to come.

Sarah and the rest of the team at Harlequin, we are so blessed to have your support and energy behind this book. What a journey this has been. Thank you for your patience and understanding during a most inspiring and challenging time in our lives. Your actions have shown us how much you care and trust our work.

We owe much of our success to the amazing Paleo and fitness communities, with which we’re so grateful to be involved. Special thanks go to John and Kate Welbourn, Mat Lalonde, Sarah Johnson, Melissa Joulwan, Kyle Maynard, Michelle Tam and Henry Fong, Amy Kubal, Dallas and Melissa Hartwig, Patty and Ron Strilaeff and so many others: you all add so much to this community and inspire us to want to do more. Thank you for that. To the many readers, bloggers and supporters of the Paleo community and movement, there simply are no words to describe how much we love and appreciate you. Without your support, feedback and commitment to eating real food, this book would simply not be possible. There is still much work to be done. Showing the world that real food can be delicious, nourishing and fun is going to take a continued team effort. We promise to continue to do our best to bring tasty creations to your kitchen, and we hope that you all continue to share your incredible stories with anyone and everyone who will listen.

To our family, especially our parents, thank you for the love, support and willingness to listen when we needed an ear. To all the siblings, cousins, nieces and nephews who tried our recipes and put up with our constant advice on better eating, your enthusiasm has been a big help and motivator. Dylan, thanks for asking the tough questions and setting the example for making good choices when ordering food. You all have shaped us into the people we are today and we are forever grateful.

To our newborn son, Scott, we love you so very much. You inspire us to eat well, live well and make the world a better place. Your arrival in the midst of working on this book gave us a perspective we could have never known before now. Just so you know, you are a Paleo baby...so you’re welcome! We look forward to many more years of sharing the joy of cooking with you.