Cooking is something that I’ve grown to love over the last few years and with that, so did my collection of cookbooks. When we first got married, I was nervous to cook for someone else, as it had always been this thing that was just for me and so if something was a major flop, it didn’t matter. Lucky for me, Johnny is the most easy going person when it comes to food. He literally would eat plain chicken and rice every meal if he weren’t living with someone who craved more variation so he was a pretty easy person to please when it came to my culinary endeavors.
For the last couple of years, I’ve been collecting cookbooks. One of my favourite weekend rituals is sitting down with a stack of cookbooks, a cup of coffee and a notebook. I flip through and write down 4-5 recipes that stand out and then from there, write out my grocery list for the week. There is just something so much more inspiring about flipping through an actual book rather than scrolling the web looking for ideas.
I rounded up my most used/most loved cookbooks for you and would encourage you to start your collection with any (or all!) of these.
- Three Times a Day by Marilou. This is one of the first cookbooks I purchased and it is one of my top picks. There are a handful of recipes in this book that I’ve revisited over and over again. I think that’s the sign of a really good cookbook, if you find yourself remaking the recipes time and time again.
- Half Baked Harvest: Super Simple by Teighan Gerard. Both this cookbook and the next one by Gerard are solid staples. Half Baked Harvest is usually the first spot I look when I’m feeling uninspired in the kitchen. Between her website, her Instagram and her beautiful cookbooks, I’m guaranteed to find something that hits the spot.
- Half Baked Harvest by Teighan Gerard. Like I said above, you can’t go wrong with either of the HBH books. 10/10.
- Nothing Fancy by Alison Roman. This book is probably my favourite aesthetically. I love the images through-out, they make me want to fill my kitchen with good food and good friends. There are also a ton of tips throughout this book on how to cook for others, which I really appreciated – suggestions on which dish to make first, which should be pulled out of the oven right before the meal and which can sit for a bit while you prep other components. I love those types of tips because that is something I’ve always struggled with a bit in the kitchen. And then the recipes are jam-packed in here. This book covers so much ground and has recipes that feel fancy, but actually aren’t too complicated. If you want to impress others with your kitchen prowess, I’d recommend this book.
- True Comfort by Kristin Cavallari. This is one of my newest cookbooks and I love it. Cavallari has honestly perfected healthy comfort food and that’s not an easy feat. I have sticky notes all throughout this book and there are so many recipes I have yet to try but am so excited to keep diving in.
- Love & Lemons Every Day by Jeanine Donofrio. I would say this is the healthiest option of the list. One of my goals this year is to get more creative in cooking vegetables. We all know we should be eating lots of veggies but to be honest, I sometimes get bored with cooking them. Love & Lemons brings it with the flavourful veggie options. Whether you want to go full veg or you just want to incorporate more vegetables into meals, this is your book. From main dishes, to breakfast dishes, to side dishes. This one has it all!
- Fraiche Food, Full Hearts by Jillian Harris & Tori Wesszler. This one is filled with vegetarian/vegan takes on many classic recipes. I love that they’ve taken so many recipes and created healthier alternatives that are veggie loaded. This week, the veggie stew & dumplings recipe is on my meal plan and I can’t wait to dig in. They also have a whole guide on putting together menus for different occasions, which I really appreciated! If this is something you want to be more intentional about, I’d recommend this one!
- Magnolia Table by Joanna Gaines. I’ve found these recipes a bit heavier than some of the other books but if you’re wanting good ol southern comfort good, this is the book for you!
- Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat. This book feels like a culinary class. In the first half, Nosrat walks you through the different elements of cooking – salt, fat, acid, heat. And I think it was this section of the book that inspired me to really begin to learn and understand the art of cooking. If you want to better understand flavours, how to use the elements and how to substitute in recipes, this is your book. The second half is actual recipes too so you get a lot of bang for your buck with this one!
- French Cooking at Home by Marianne Magnier-Moreno. If you’re craving travel (I know I am), this book is a little taste of French cuisine. This book is the prettiest cookbook I own, each recipe is photographed step-by-step (which is also so helpful when you don’t know what you’re doing!) and it is so fun to flip through this one. I actually leave this book on my coffee table because of how beautiful it is and because that’s where my favourite books get displayed. I recommend this one if you have the travel itch and want to experiment a bit in the kitchen.
