My favorite cookbooks

Cooking is an important part of my life. There is just something about the moment of creativity when a bunch of raw ingredients transforms into a delicious meal, that fills me with joy. I don’t know where I got the love for cooking from; probably it was from my mom as she is the only cook in the house and for as long as I can remember her for, she was always in the kitchen making one of her specialties or experimenting with something new she saw on TV.  Cooking and creating new meals with a variety of ingredients is something I love doing whenever I get the chance; however, as I am fairly new to all this, my imagination is quite limited and therefore I have discovered the beauty of the cookbooks. My obsession resulted in one full bookcase self with all sorts of cookbooks.

This obsession has also been fueled by the change I am going through for the past few months towards a healthier lifestyle. I was never the healthiest person. I always loved food and above all, sweets. I was a full on sugar addict; however with the new year, I decided that a healthier diet would not be another new year’s resolution but something I would actually commit to. Therefore, in order to change my life and body towards the best, I got a bunch of healthy cookbooks which would offer not just recipes but also inspiration and motivation by changing my very food-mentality.  In this post, which is the first one on the lifestyle section, I will mention all my favorite cookbooks (healthy or not), and describe what they are about in a few words. This will not be a full review of the books; reviews might come later if they are requested or I feel like talking about a book in particular.

The first two books I love, they were a birthday present from my boyfriend, and are in the same vibe hence they are mentioned together; they are called Eat Yourself Calm and Eat Yourself Happy. Now these books are all about changing your mentality so you become a happier and less stressed person. In the first, they inform you of certain superfoods in each case, then they have a list of many different yet related problems such as high blood pressure, irritability, headaches, mood swings etc and finally present with a two-week diet plan as an example of what you could create on your own. In the second part, the have recipes divided in categories such as breakfast, snacks, lunch, dinner and desserts. Each recipe addresses specific problems and they are usually not complicated and quite easy to make. I love the psychological approach of those books instead of weight loss targeting.

The next book that holds a special place in my heart is the Chelsea Market Cookbook. This book has all sorts of recipes like drinks, appetizers, soups, seafood, meat, baked goods etc, from the famous NYC Chelsea Market. This is an important book to me as when I was in NYC visiting my boyfriend (he lives there), we discovered this amazing place and fell in love with it, so i have some fond memories tied to this place and book. Located indoors of an old meat factory, there is a small world of many stores and vendors who sell all kinds of food, coffee, tea and sweets. Its something I hadn’t seen before. The book has recipes from many of the stores as well as pictures of the place and little tips from the people who work there (ie. how to choose the right cheese).

I had heard so many good words about the next book and it holds many positive reviews on Amazon so naturally, I had to have it. The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook, is one of those homey books, packed with recipes from this amazing next door cook-turned blogger-turned author woman. Deb Perelman’s cookbook does not promise that you will lose weight following the recipes, or you will lead the healthiest diet, however each recipe is delicious, accompanied with mouth-watering pictures and a little story about its origins, which is a more personal touch.

The last two books are all about healthy eating. Firstly, The Skinnytaste Cookbook, which is by far my favorite. I love everything about it; the way it’s written, the short and sweet recipes and ingredients lists, the little tips in the side and of course the table of calories, fat, carbs etc that is part of each recipe. For someone (like me) who is in the process of losing weight and trying to follow a healthier lifestyle, a book with delicious yet healthy recipes, is necessary. The recipes cover everything from breakfast (I love the homemade granola recipe!!) to fishes, poultry, vegetables and meat. There are even desserts! And all with their calories information. Secondly, my newest addition, the Deliciously Ella. Now this book is quite different from the rest, as it contains vegetarian recipes so no meat included! I am not vegetarian as a person, but I wouldn’t mid at all to cut down on the meat I eat and opt for dishes with more vegetables. It is a simple book with simple and easy recipes, from grains and nuts to vegetables, juices and smoothies. It’s about a lighter, greener diet that doesn’t lack in flavor. I specifically love the little tips on how to make your own almond and rice milk,, your own almond butter and your own superfood bread. It’s a book full with positivity and little notes, that give the impression of a personal notebook or diary than that of a cookbook.

I know this is a long post, but it was so hard to leave some of these books out, as I honestly recommend them all. Each one, for its own reasons is amazing and handy. Either you want to lose weight or simple broaden your cooking knowledge, books are the way to go. Many of these books also combine taste with health which is a win-win situation for me. As I said before, I am a food lover; getting my hands on these books encouraged my love for cooking and turned it into a greater fun and joy. Do you like to cook and if so, what’s your favorite cookbook? Have you ever tried any of the books mentioned? Did you like it? I would love to hear your experiences, so comment down below and let me know!!

Till next time take care dolls xxx

Vicky