Three Cookbooks I’m Loving Right Now!

Ok y’all.  I have an admission to make.  I’m kind of an addict. I’m totally helpless in the face of beautiful, healthful cookbooks!  My kitchen shelving is o.ver.flowing.  But honestly one of my favorite things is flipping through their colorful pages for inspiration.  I feel like the aromas waft off the page and I can take that moment to inhale deeply and appreciate the true beauty of food.  So, for now, I’m just going to own my obsession and pass a few of my faves onto you!

First, a little disclaimer.  All of these particular shares are vegan.  But that doesn’t mean they aren’t a fabulous addition to every kind of kitchen.  After all, the one thing all nutrition protocols agree on is the power and importance of more, more and more plants.  So you can use these books simply as guides for upping the veg-factor, adding nutritious, plant-based sides to meals, and/or experimenting with making a greater percentage of your meals fully plant-based!  No matter what kind of chef you are, these books will inspire.  So with that, here are some of my go-tos!

1.  Power Plates

This book is my number one, for sure.  I use it multiple times a week.  It’s just one of those gems where you want to make every recipe.  It’s broken down into breakfasts, salads, soups, bowls, skillets and stovetop, and bakes.  So while it doesn’t offer any dessert recipes, it takes many classic favorites (french toast, waffles, penne primavera bake, sweet potato nachos, and black bean enchiladas) and health-ifies them.  It’s also full of unique recipes representing many different world cuisines.  One of my (and my kiddos’) favorite recipes is the Mulligatawny, which is an Indian stew that typically contains chicken, but in this recipe is made with yellow lentils, sweetened with apples, and packed with antioxidant powerhouse spices and herbs, like turmeric, curry and ginger.  Stews and soups in general are a fantastic way to pack in the plants! 

Maybe my favorite recipe overall is the Coconut Kale and Lentil Bowl.  It features delicata squash, which is, in my opinion, a totally underrated squash! With just a simple sprinkle of salt and pepper and a little roasting, it tastes like little rings of candy.  This recipe also introduced me to the amazing flavor of coconut oil, which I’ve since learned is quite the controversy in the health community.  Experts agree it’s primarily composed of saturated fat (over 80%), which is undeniably bad for you in excess.  But coconut oil contains high levels of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), which studies have shown boost HDL (the “good” cholesterol), and are also known to aid with satiety.  There are myriad claims about the health implications of coconut oil (check out a summary of claims, counterclaims and links to relevant studies in this Medical News Today article).  But I think, as with most things, if we’re using it moderately (like one or two tablespoons in an entire recipe that serves the whole family), coconut oil can be a great way to pack a major flavor punch and deliver a healthy dose of MCTs! 

2.  Eat Clean, Play Dirty: Recipes for a Body and Life You Love

Ok. First of all, digging this title.  And the title is definitely not where the awesomeness ends.  Not trying to sound too dramatic, but the Taco Salad with Walnut “Chorizo” may change your life.  This salad, with homemade pico de gallo, pumpkin seeds, and all the fixings of your favorite taco salad, is bursting with flavor.  The walnut chorizo not only delivers a huge helping of walnut goodness (omega 3s! antioxidants! anti-inflammatory!), but also contains the perfect mix of spices and wildflower honey, and really brings the “meat” to this hearty salad.  It’s a must try, along with so many others, like the Roasted Peach Chana Masala + Coconut Quinoa and Mint Chutney (wow!) and the Sexy Cinnamon Rolls (sweetened with vitamin-rich dates and coconut palm sugar).  Overall, the recipes on offer in this book are slightly “fancier” and more involved than those in Power Plates, with some unique ingredients you may not already have in your pantry.  But they’re gorgeous, packed to the brim with healthy goodness, and well worth the effort when you have a little extra time to fully unfurl your inner gourmet chef.

3.  Plant over Processed

This is my newest addition, but has quickly nabbed a top spot.  Very unlike Eat Clean, Play Dirty, these recipes are totally accessible and easy.  And they. are. delish.  In particular, I love the focus on smoothies and smoothie bowls.  Who doesn’t need to shake up their breakfast routine!?  Over the weekend we tried the “Chai Chai Shake,” which is a delicious blend of bananas, plant milk, dates, ginger, cacao powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, and vanilla extract – it is as delicious as it sounds, and the unique addition of cardamom gives it just the right kick.  And if you want the perfect, super easy weeknight dinner, you can try the Spaghetti (whole wheat or brown rice, not plain white!) with Simple Garlic Basil Tomato Sauce and Macadamia Parmesan.  I don’t know about you, but I’d never shaved macadamia nuts over my homemade pasta sauce before. And it’s awesome.  Ultimately, I guarantee you will love these beautiful recipes with their unique twists. And with its focus on the beauty of Hawaiian life, you may find yourself wanting to pack up and move the fam to the Paradise of the Pacific.  Aloha!

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Maybe you don’t love cooking.  I totally get that.  I know, for me, these books give me the inspiration and excitement I need on a daily basis to make healthy and tasty meals for myself and my family.  Can you go online to find any recipe you want? Sure! I do that a lot too.  But to me there’s no replacement for these tangible pages of inspiration and beauty.  And I love that all of these books are focused on healthy, balanced, plant-powered meals packed with spices.  If you let them inspire you, you will find yourself eating the rainbow with ease.

So go make some room on that shelf!