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My Personal “Must-Have” Cookbooks

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I’m not much of a cook myself, but I like to experiment in the kitchen. Personally, I like to look for new recipes and ideas in cookbooks. If you don’t have the time or energy to cook from scratch every day, cooking from a cookbook can be an easy solution. If you’re short on inspiration and guidance, picking up a favorite old cookbook or two can make all the difference. This may help you learn to observe and adjust your eating habits to suit your needs. You’ll most likely enjoy what you’re making (and eat it), while those new skills become incorporated into your cooking repertoire.

Books are my first love . There are so many of them, and it’s not possible to own all of them, but no matter how many books you have, there is always room for one more.

I wanted to cut my list down to just 10 cookbooks, but I couldn’t decide which ones to include.

Here are some great cookbooks that cover a variety of cooking styles and skill levels to give you an idea of what’s out there. I hope you like these titles as well and that they help inspire your own cooking.

Disclaimer : *Please note that all prices are approximations

1. Unbelievably Vegan: 100+ Life-Changing, Plant-Based Recipes

Vegetarian (or vegan) cooking isn’t just a pursuit for hippies anymore. Chefs like Charity Morgan are proving that meat-free food can be as delicious as anything on the menu at your favourite restaurant.

Her latest cookbook, will teach you how to swap out meat for mushrooms in your favourite chicken dishes, and even give your veggie stir-fry a smoky barbecue flavour!

Author : Charity Morgan 
Price   : $29.99

2.Nom Nom Paleo: Let's Go! (Volume 3)

This cookbook is full of step-by-step images, fun cartoons, and helpful guides that’ll make you feel like you can cook, even if you’re a novice. With recipes for bacon cheeseburger casserole, balsamic beef stew, cream puffs, Cantonese Pipa duck, and chicken karaage, this book has something to please everyone and all sorts of occasions.

There are even recipes that fit special diets like keto, Whole30

Author :  Michelle Tam, Henry Fong
Price   : $35

3.The Keto Bible: More Than A Keto Cookbook

If you’re new to the keto diet, this cookbook is a great place to start! This cookbook has recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, etc. There are lots of delicious beef, lamb, pork, seafood and salad recipes in this cookbook.

You won’t believe that some of these recipes can be made keto-friendly (like cakes and ice cream!). Also included is a four week ketogenic lifestyle plan with a crash course on exactly how to get started.

Author :  Marilyn J. Payson
Price   : $27.99 

4. Mediterranean Diet Cookbook For Beginners

 Debby Hayes is a registered dietician and her book provides over 100 recipes to lower your cholesterol level, prevent heart disease, and lose weight while treating your stomach right. The recipes are divided into chapters on breakfasts, soups and stews, salads, vegetarian dishes, poultry and seafood, beef dishes, and desserts.

Try her Greek-style chicken couscous recipe or the glaze of cinnamon on halibut fillets recipe.

The recipes are so tasty and bonus they are health too

Author :  Debby Hayes
Price   : $19.99 

5.The Savory Baker: 150 Creative Recipes, from Classic to Modern

Whip up your favorite savory recipes with this cookbook. From everyday biscuits to gourmet bread, this collection has a show-stopping collection of baking recipes.

Smoked salmon and leek tart, pão de quejo, kimchi pancake…the cookbook has it all.

Author :  America’s Test Kitchen
Price   : $35.00

6. Crazy for Cookies, Brownies, and Bars

Cookie master Dorothy Kern, who blogs at crazyforthecrust.com, has published a cookbook with recipes for trail mix oatmeal cookies, cookie fruit tarts, and cookie truffle bites. It will also usher you into the patisserie of brownies, blondies, shortbreads, shortcakes, and bars—delicious!

This book is a great way to kick-start your patisserie of brownies, blondies, shortbreads, shortcakes, bars.

Author :  Dorothy Kern
Price   : $27.99 

7. The Carnivore Code Cookbook

 Animal-based diets are high in protein and packed with nutrients.

Grass-fed animals and organs, berries and vegetables to avoid, historical information you won’t find on Wikipedia, tips on how to cook carnivore recipes, mouth-watering pictures… it’s all in Dr. Paul Saladino’s book, The Carnivore Code Cookbook

Author :  Paul Saladino
Price   : $24.99 

8 .Healthier Southern Cooking: 60 Homestyle Recipes

 Shanna and Eric Jones will turn you into a healthier cook without sacrificing Southern charm.

Their cookbook teaches you to tweak recipes of peach cobbler and bourbon apple crisp to appease your health-freak mother without losing the comforting, homey taste.

Author :  Eric Jones  & Shanna Jones
Price   : $21.99 

9 . Salad Freak: Recipes to Feed a Healthy Obsession

Have you ever felt sick of eating salad over and over again?

If so, then you should check out Jess Damuck’s Salad for Dinner Cookbook.

It offers you delicious recipes for tastier and healthy meals that are all based on fresh things grown from the ground.

You’ll never get bored with the book’s variety of recipes.

 

Author :  Jess Damuck
Price   : $29.99

10. How to Make Anything Gluten Free

If you’re sick of gluten but don’t want to give up on fresh bread and sweet treats, Becky Excell’s inventive and accessible guide to creating great gluten-free dishes is a gastronomic revelation.

From proper chicken chow mein to pad thai, doughnuts to lemon drizzle cake, cheesecake to profiteroles, French baguettes to pizza, plus dairy-free, vegan, veggie and low FODMAP options, Becky gives you all the recipes you’ll ever need with tips and advice on how to make absolutely anything gluten-free.

Author :  Becky Excell
Price   : $29.99 

11. Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Shelf Love

Noor Murad and Yotam Ottolenghi team up to create recipes that can feed a dinner party.

The authors give their classic, Middle Eastern-style recipes a chef’s touch-and provide the ingredients you need to complete each dish.

They also include seasonal salads and sides to ensure a group of people leaves feeling satisfied by the meal.

 

Author :  Yotam Ottolenghi
Price   : $32.00

12. "Bad Manners: The Official Cookbook: Eat Like You Give a F*ck"

Bad Manners is a fun and easy-to-read vegan cookbook that contains recipes for even the discerning palate.

The book offers innovative recipes for meals, beverages, and treats. THE recipes that are both unique and inventive.

 

Author : Michelle Davis and Matt Holloway
Price   : $26.99

13. How to Cook Everything Vegetarian: Simple Meatless Recipes for Great Food"

Written by bestselling author Mark Bittman, “How to Cook Everything Vegetarian” is the meatless version of his popular “How to Cook Everything” cookbook.

The book is filled with more than 2,000 creative recipes for vegetarian or those looking for delicious plant-based alternatives.

With easy-to-follow recipes, meals that can be made in 30 minutes or less, and fully vegan dishes, this cookbook is an accessible guide for any veggie-loving cook.

Author : Mark Bittman
Price   : $35.00 

14. Cravings: Recipes for All the Food You Want to Eat

Chrissy Teigen’s cookbook, “Cravings,” brings you her favorite recipes from around the world.

Teigen—who boasts that food and love go hand-in-hand in her life—will teach you to make her favorite dishes for every occasion, from family dinners to weekend breakfasts.For years, she has been collecting, cooking, and Instagramming her favorite recipes, and here they are: from breakfast all day to John’s famous fried chicken with spicy honey butter to her mom’s Thai classics.

 

Author : Chrissy Teigen
Price   : $29.99

15. Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book

I love a good cookbook, and I am sure that you do, too!

This comprehensive cookbook includes 1,200 recipes for your favorite dishes to make at home, ranging from breakfasts to desserts.

There are also helpful cooking tips and guides on food safety.

I think this would make a great addition to any kitchen! If there is one book you need to buy first it should be this one !

Author : Better Homes and Gardens
Price   : $29.99 

16. Jerusalem: A Cookbook

Jerusalem-born chefs Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi were born less than a mile from each other and came together in London, where they pooled their knowledge of their homeland as well as the international cuisines they experienced during their adult travels.

This cookbook brings 120 recipes to life that demonstrate the cross-cultural cuisine these chefs experienced when they returned to Jerusalem as adults.

I first discovered Yotam Ottolenghi when I received his cookbook as a gift, and I have been a fan ever since.

Author : Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi
Price   : $35.00 

17. Plenty

 This is the third book of Yotam Ottolenghi’s that I’ve mentioned—I’m a real fan.

In this cookbook, Ottolenghi show to us how to make vegetables exciting, and this stunning collection of vegetarian recipes gives these brilliant ingredients the love and attention they deserve.

With dishes that are impressive yet accessible, and innovative yet suitable for every day of the week.
Plenty is a must-have for meat-eaters and vegetarians alike.

Author : Yotam Ottolenghi
Price   : $35.00 

18. The Quick Fix Kitchen

Ok this one I bought it because I was a fan of Sister Sister (series of the 1990’s) and that is how I ended buying her book and I never regretted that decision.

In her book The Quick Fix Kitchen, actress Tia Mowry describes how to make family-friendly recipes that are good for you, easy and convenient.

Between beautiful photographs, she offers playful advice, such as how to get kids involved in the kitchen and the best ways to create a pantry. She also includes her definition of balanced eating, breaks down the labels on meats and produce, and provides a meal plan that accounts for busy schedules, different budgets and room for fun.

Her book includes lightened-up pastas and 30-minute dinners as well as a chocolate chip cookie for one.

Author : Tia Mowry
Price   : $27.99 

19. Jòia

Hélène Darroze introduces us to more than 60 original recipes created especially for her restaurant Jòia.

As always, she refuses to forget her childhood in the Southwest of France, which plays a large part in her style of cooking.

Iconic dishes such as Mama Lena’s ravioli with osso buco sauce and Angus beef short ribs will delight fans of Darroze’s cuisine, while the infusion of Manuka honey, matcha tea matcha mille-crêpes , lemon and olive oil madeleines will delight those looking for something a little different.

Author : Hélène Darroze
Price   : $32

20. Un Chef dans ma Cuisine, Marmiton invite Michel Sarran

The two-starred Michelin chef from Toulouse, Michel Sarran, has created a cookbook With Marmiton that is both warm and accessible.

The book reinterprets classic dishes like crème brûlée, adding fragrant violets.

French home cooking and fine dining are suddenly one and the same, as accessible as a friendly hand on your shoulder.

Author : Michel Sarran & Marmiton
Price   : $32

21. Régalades

Gourmet foodie Victoire Loup has collected together 500 products that every epicurean must try at least once in their life. From pasta to jams and spices, she’s tried everything to provide the tastiest treats money can buy. Between the classic Bordier butter and Patrick Roger’s chocolates, we discover a few surprising finds such as lobster oil or Anana salt.

Author : Victoire Loup
Price   : $43

22. En 2h je cuisine veggie pour toute la semaine

Time-saving cookbook guru Caroline Pessin’s cookbooks have become the secret weapon in the kitchens of time-challenged home cooks everywhere. Her easygoing, healthy cooking philosophy is based on getting a jump on meal prep during the weekend, so that you can enjoy your evenings guilt-free and stress-free. With Caroline’s help, you’ll be ready to greet the week with delicious and wholesome home cooked meals every night of the work/school week. This book includes 80 recipes for vegetarian dishes that are fast and family friendly, with a zero waste approach.

Author : Victoire Loup
Price   : $55

23. À la fin de ce livre vous aimerez les légumes

Amandine Bernardi is a French food writer. In her new book, she’ll prove to you that vegetables are sexy! She’ll teach you how to cook 35 different kinds of vegetables in over 100 recipes. All you have to do is open the book and you’ll be able to see how simple and delicious veggies can be, such as ravioli or fritters. And the best part? These recipes are for everyone: you, your husband and kids will all enjoy them!

Author : Amandine Bernardi
Price   : $15

24. Simplissime : Barbecue entre amis

100 recipes for barbecuing that will liven up your outdoor parties and grilling gatherings. Your friends will enjoy original recipes that can showcase the diversity of flavors of grilled meats, fish, and veggies. All recipes are quick to prepare, requiring little or no table service, making entertaining a breeze!

Author : Jean-François Mallet
Price   : $11

25. Fait Maison

Food TV star and cookbook author Cyril Lignac is back with a new collection of sweet and savory recipes. Delicious and simple, we’re betting that you’ll love them! Here he is again with 45 new ideas for homemade food, from breakfast to dinner: shepherd’s pie, leek vinaigrette, vanilla cake, or chocolate fondant. All you need is a good apron and your appetite!

Author : Cyril Lignac
Price   : $20

26. Mieux manger toute l’année

Laurent Mariotte has created a recipe book to help you fix a tasty and healthy meal. The motto? To please yourself and others, but be careful… not in any way! In addition to offering recipes that can be made in less than 30 minutes, the culinary columnist invites readers to dare to use local and seasonal products. With recipes for both weeknight meals and more elaborate dishes that can be enjoyed all year round, “Manger toute l’année” is the must-have cookbook for everyone who has made the resolution to eat well this year!

Author : Laurent Mariotte
Price   :  $20

27. Cuisinez bien accompagné avec ma méthode mentor

 Do you want to cook delicious meals for yourself and your family without spending a lot of time in the kitchen? You can with Philippe Etchebest’s new method! The celebrity chef, not always known for being convenient, has developed an easy to follow formula for cooking meals that are quick, tasty, and healthy. With his carefully designed recipes, you will be able to make classic French dishes that will delight all the senses: from cheese soufflé and tomato stuffed with rice, to beef bourguignon, risotto, dauphinois potatoes, and even French toast!

Author : Philippe Etchebest
Price   : $52

28. Mes recettes healthy: BIM ! Prends toi en main avec mes recettes

Champion athlete and fitness star Thibault Geoffray shares his personal recipes in this cookbook, “Mes recettes healthy”. The goal of this book is to eat more, eat better while training less. The book explains the tasty way to eat “with all the nutrients needed to build muscle and burn fat,” according to author Thibault Geoffray. Thanks to the advice of this sports coach, you will forget about restrictive diets and get back to enjoying food again – all without dieting. Let your body do the talking.

Author : Thibault Geoffray
Price   : $22

29. Marion kitchen

Marion Grasby is one of my favorite chefs, I have followed her for years now, and have found her recipes to be of great inspiration whenever I want to impress my friends. Her latest cookbook, Always Delicious, offers recipes, tips, and techniques to help us find happiness and beauty in the food we cook every day. I wholeheartedly recommend this book.

Author : Marion kitchen
Price   : $48.00 

30. Maud

In 2021, Maud won the French version of The Great British Bake Off. She was not even 16 years old! Maud’s biggest talent is surely baking: She is truly a creative baker who created many innovative and delicious recipes. In her first cookbook, you will find refined pastries (such as cinnamon buns and orange blossom tiramisu) and also many new recipes for all skill level. Pistachio cherry financiers… Each recipe is very easy to follow: With tips, tricks and precise explanations, you will no doubt become a great baker just like Maud!

Author : M6 Editions
Price   : $18

I hope that this article will help to provide you with some ideas of how to create a less harmful and more eco-friendly vacation.

For many people, taking care of the planet is an extremely important issue.

Though it may not be as fun as your regular vacations, green tourism can help you discover new ways to enjoy leisure time in a manner that protects both yourself and the environment around you.

And if you’re already an expert in green travel, please feel free to share your tips with me in the comments section at the bottom of the page.

As always, I’d love to hear from you.

See you for the next buzz 🐝

DISCLOSURE: Restless Bee is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Read our affiliate link policy for more details.

 

 

Credit for the photos of this article: Brett Jordan

 

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