5 Great Cookbooks That Also Make Great Gifts

Everyday Super Food

Jamie Oliver

I have always liked Jamie Oliver and the work he has been doing recently is just awesome. Not too long ago, he gave a fantastic Ted Talk where Jamie suggested that we Teach Every Child About Food and I could not agree more. If you haven’t watched this video, definitely set aside 20 minutes and watch it!

– “My philosophy in this book is to help you get it right on the food front, most of the time,” states Jamie “Naked Chef” Oliver in the introduction of his new book.

Mission accomplished.

The recipes are broken down into breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. With most recipes, he’s done an impressive job of assembling a few, basic ingredients in culinary goodness. Oliver rounds out the book with a series of essays on lifestyle and clean living, making this a fine gateway book for the foodie looking to give clean eating a try.

I Want This

The Fresh 20

Melissa Lanz

How often have you or a family member asked; “What’s for dinner?” This is a constant struggle for the Coburn family. Some weeks we are really good about planning meals out and others…not so much.

About 2 years ago, I stumbled upon a concept that intrigued me, buy 20 ingredients, prep for roughly 1 hour/week and have 5 unique and healthy dinners for the week. This is the idea behind a website and book called; “The Fresh 20”. I actually purchased the cookbook from Amazon.com and while we haven’t followed it exactly as it is laid out, we have accumulated several tasty recipes that are pretty simple to make and the entire family enjoys!

Aside from the stand-alone cookbook, you can also purchase a “subscription” to the website’s menu planning service, which offers a new menu each week delivered to your email inbox. The menu includes a grocery list as well as the recipes planned for the week. At $65/year, it’s pretty good option if you are in need of something new each and every week/month. There are other plans available as well and you can even sign-up for a free sample plan at the Fresh 20 website here: The Fresh 20

I Want This

100 Days of Real Food

Lisa Leake

While eating real food is a simple concept, it can be overwhelming learning about all the crazy things to avoid in packaged foods and what even constitutes real food these days.

Lisa makes it so much easier and is always the first blog I recommend to people interested in adapting a clean-eating lifestyle. I LOVE to see people becoming more knowledgeable and excited about healthy living. One of my favorite aspects of Lisa’s blog, recipes, and now the cookbook is that it is made for REAL people…People with bills and budgets. People with crazy busy lives. People with picky kids who love the typical kid food. People just like you and me.

The recipes are very family friendly, so you don’t have to be a short-order cook for the kids. The cookbook also has a section devoted to real food lunches to pack for kids. With 4 kids of my own, this is one of my favorite features of the cookbook.

I Want This

Thug Kitchen: The Official Cookbook: Eat Like You Give a F*ck

Thug Kitchen

Besides having an awesome title…this cookbook really is awesome!

I might suggest that you visit thugkitchen.com before you purchase this book. It is hilarious and awesome! It will give you a great overview of what you can expect from this cookbook–from the type of recipes to their sense of humor and use of language. Its a great collection of recipes using real food that tastes great and leaves you satisfied. Say goodbye to that “vegan” taste newcomers usually experience. This is the real deal, real food, and its really good for you! And really at the core of it, the language doesn’t matter to me because the recipes are so fantastic. The recipes range from easy to normal to more creative but still keeps it “simple” so anyone can try these.

I made the Sweet Corn and Black-eyed Pea Dip, what a great alternative to just my normal salsa, hummus, or guacamole recipes. It is freaking delicious and so easy to put together! If you like Sriracha, try the Roasted Sriracha Cauliflower Bites with Peanut Dipping Sauce.

I also want to say what a great read this book is if you can, again, not take the language so seriously. Some of the “Dropping Knowledge” bits can be little gems, even if its information we already know from cooking regularly. It’s highlighted in lime green boxes so you can’t miss or avoid it, like “use acids, not salt” when your dish tastes flat, or a reminder that “sugar is in *beeping* everything!” so pay attention to what you’re eating. They keep it real, and keep you strong!

Thug kitchen is definitely more than their shtick and I will continue to update my review as I try more recipes.

I Want This

Fixate

Autumn Calabrese

21 Day Fix creator, Autumn Calabrese, takes her simple color-coded container system for measuring perfect portions and applies it to 101 of her favorite family recipes to give you Fixate, a delicious approach to healthy weight loss. So you’re not just eating tasty, healthy foods-you’re eating just the right amount. Each Fixate recipe lists color-coded container equivalents and nutrition facts, so you can use Autumn’s system for measuring portions and make sure your nutrition is on track when you begin 21 Day Fix, 21 Fix EXTREME, or any other fitness program.

If you’re a 21 Day Fix-o-phile, you’ve probably reaped the benefits of using those magic colored containers to plan your diet and learn a thing or two about healthy eating. But if you’re a cook, sometimes figuring out if your masterpieces are Red, Purple, Blue, or all three can be a challenge.

This cookbook is divided into meals, as well as a few other must-haves such as desserts, sides, and (lucky you) skinny cocktails, Fixate offers a diverse collection of recipes that fit nicely into your containers. You can download and try out 5 different recipes from the Fixate cookbook here: Fixate Sample Recipes

It also offers plenty of vegan, vegetarian, Paleo-friendly, and gluten-free options.

I Want This

Need a Coach?

If you need to find someone that will hold you accountable, answer your questions, help you, and PUSH YOU for the entire duration of your workout! Luckily for you, that’s what me and my team are here for. If you don’t have a coach yet and want one, I’d love to be your coach and help you through a fitness program. I am available to help you reach your goals!

Join The Team Now!