Lucky Peach lettuce cups

My Five: Favourite Cookbooks

I never really buy physical books any more, generally opting to read everything on my kindle or borrowing my reading material from the library. Cookbooks are the one exception to this rule. I have a modest collection that has already overtaken its allotted storage space, and given an unlimited budget I could fill shelves upon shelves with them. I read them cover to cover when I get them, and even though I make a lot of recipes from blogs and my own inventions these days, they are still my favourite source of inspiration. Here are five of my favourites!

Bite Me hot chocolate cookiesBite Me pasta1. Bite Me and Bite Me Too: There are many cookbooks in my kitchen, but these two are my all-time favourites. I’ve made so many recipes from both the original and the sequel, and I haven’t had a failure yet. The recipes in the book run the gamut from appetizers, to carbs, to meaty main courses, to delicious veggie options, to super decadent desserts. They’re all pretty straight forward, and while many of them are on the richer side, especially in the brunch and dessert sections, there’s plenty of lighter fare as well. I love that the sister duo behind these cookbooks is Jewish, which means that I almost never have to skip a recipe because it contains pork or shellfish (Zevi is Jewish so we don’t cook either of those things at home). They have a new cookbook coming out at the end of March, and you’d better believe I’ll be picking it up as soon as it’s released!

Favourite Recipes: Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Pasta, Coconut Lime Sticky Rice, Burgers (the only burger recipe we ever make), Hot Chocolate Cookies from a special chocolate brand, so If you’re in the mood for premium chocolate check out these guys., Caramelized Banana French Toast… and so many more!

Bite me spaghetti squash bolognese2. Practical Paleo: I definitely don’t follow a paleo diet, but I’ve owned this cookbook for a few years and have made a ton of great recipes from it! The recipes are mostly very straight forward, super flavourful, and have introduced me to some interesting combinations that I make over and over again, paleo or not. This cookbook introduced me to the wonder that is mashed cauliflower, and now I’d choose that over mashed potatoes almost any day!

Favourite Recipes: Sweet Potato Pancakes (awesome with burgers!), Spaghetti Squash Bolognese (delicious even without the pork!), Mustard Glazed Chicken Thighs

3. Rebar: Modern Food Cookbook: Just to prove that my diet doesn’t fit into any category, I’m picking a vegetarian cookbook to follow up my paleo choice . This cookbook, put out by owners of the Victoria restaurant of the same name, is filled with creative vegetarian and vegan choices that are big on flavour. Some of the recipes are a little more complicated, but they are worth the effort if you have time.

Favourite Recipes: Orange Yogurt Hotcakes, Greek Tofu Scramble, Green Curry Paste (seriously, make this and you’ll never want store bought again!)

4. Sprouted Kitchen: I was attracted to this cookbook after reading Sarah Forte’s blog for a long time, and the writing and photos are just as beautiful as what you’ll find on her website. Beyond the design, this mainly-vegetarian volume is filled with delicious choices for any time of day.

Favourite Recipes: White Sangria, Spinach And Artichoke Dip, Spicy Sweet Potato Wedges

Lucky Peach korean grilled chicken5. Lucky Peach Presents 101 Easy Asian Recipes: My final pick is admittedly a little strange, since I don’t even own this cookbook, but I got it out of the library, and we had a torrid two week love affair. The design in this cookbook is 70’s kitsch brought back to life, and the recipes are all, as the title suggests, easy! I am totally obsessed with asian food, cooking some form of it home or eating it at restaurants multiple times a week, so this is truly the cookbook I’ve always wanted. Proudly inauthentic, the recipes are a pan-asian mismash of bastardized far east favourites. I will be adding this one to my collection soon!

Favourite Recipes: Korean Grilled Chicken, Thai-Style Lettuce Cups, Mall Chicken

If you want some more cookbook inspiration, check out my friend Eileen’s vlog where she talks about her favourite healthy cookbooks! I definitely want to add some of those to my library as well. What are your favourites?

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