Where to Start with Danielle Walker
Danielle Walker is a cookbook author, health advocate, and self-trained chef who turned a debilitating autoimmune diagnosis into a career helping millions cook without grains, gluten, or dairy. Diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at 22, she spent years in and out of hospitals before discovering that changing her diet could help manage her symptoms. She removed grains, lactose, and legumes from her diet, then began developing recipes that tasted as good as the originals. Her blog, Against All Grain, became one of the most popular paleo and gluten-free food sites on the internet. She was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2015. Her first cookbook, Against All Grain (2013), became a New York Times bestseller and established her as a leading voice in the grain-free cooking movement. She has since published six cookbooks, including Meals Made Simple (2014), Celebrations (2016), Eat What You Love (2018), Healthy in a Hurry (2022), and Make It Easy (2024), along with a memoir, Food Saved Me (2021), about her journey to finding health through food.
Start here
Against All Grain
Danielle Walker · 368 pages · 2013 · Moderate
Themes: gluten-free cooking, grain-free meals, paleo cooking, autoimmune-friendly
The cookbook that launched the grain-free cooking movement. Diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at 22, Danielle Walker spent years developing recipes that are both healing and genuinely delicious, and this New York Times bestseller collects over 150 of her best creations spanning every meal of the day.
Why Start Here
This is Walker’s first cookbook, and it remains the most complete introduction to her approach. Rather than simply swapping in gluten-free flour, Walker eliminates all grains, refined sugars, and dairy, building recipes around vegetables, quality proteins, healthy fats, and natural sweeteners. The result is food that is satisfying without feeling like a compromise.
The book covers breakfast, lunch, dinner, sides, sauces, and desserts, giving you a full repertoire from day one. Walker includes a thorough pantry guide that explains unfamiliar ingredients like arrowroot starch, coconut aminos, and ghee, so you can stock your kitchen with confidence. Her later books refine and specialize the approach (meal planning, celebrations, quick cooking), but this is where the foundation is laid.
What to Expect
A substantial 368-page cookbook with full-color photography and over 150 recipes. The difficulty ranges from simple weeknight meals to more involved weekend projects. You will need to invest in some specialty pantry items, but Walker makes the transition manageable with clear sourcing advice. The recipes skew toward American comfort food with some international influences.