by Public Service Associate Juliana
I’ve had some luck with cookbooks lately, so I figured I’d do a little round-up and share my discoveries. By “luck with cookbooks” I mean I actually went back to pages I marked with post-its and actually made the recipes and they actually turned out! It’s amazing how reinvigorated I feel in the kitchen now. After trying some new recipes, I found a few that are definitely keepers for the repeat folder. They are recipes that I’m happy to make in bulk and eat for several days in a row even.
This is a big deal because I’ve been feeling pretty dull in the kitchen. Pre-pandemic, I did a lot of the cooking in my household but feel like I have amnesia about that time period. What was I making? What did we survive on? Chili in the crockpot is the only thing I can remember. That and an oddly delicious chicken soup with Chinese five spice and star anise that I made frequently.
But during the pandemic my husband got really into cooking and basically took over chef duties. He’s a huge fan of Anthony Bourdain’s Appetites (the nori cauliflower!) and The Peached Tortilla by Eric Silverstein (there are stains and post-its on almost every page!).
I think Dan has been pleasantly surprised by my foray back into the kitchen. It’s been good for my self-esteem to share the responsibility again and to take agency in helping nourish my family. Fixing dinner every night can start to feel burdensome. Sometimes you just need a little inspiration to dissipate the dread, and the following cookbooks really do the trick!
- Sesame: Global Recipes & Stories of an Ancient Seed by Rachel Simons
Two summers ago, while visiting a friend in Seattle, I was introduced to sesame lattes. Nutty and more savory than sweet, I have had cravings for that flavor profile ever since. I borrowed Sesame hoping for a dreamy tahini/sesame latte recipe, which this book does not include, but I came away with something even better. Tahini Caesar dressing. Omg it instantly became a fridge staple. Simons uses the dressing for a radicchio Caesar which she calls “The Ultimate Date Night Salad,” and I am obsessed.
See also a recipe for DIY everything bagel seasoning which I basically am addicted to and put on everything (salads, toast, eggs, roasted vegetables, etc.).
I will probably keep this one out from the library the longest, as it’s my favorite of the three. She offers excellent tips for navigating nutrition, meal planning, and building balanced plates. Additionally, what I LOVE about this cookbook is that I already have many of the pantry items on hand, which can make all the difference when cooking from a cookbook. It makes the recipes feel within reach. Items such as quinoa, spinach wraps, canned beans, eggs, reduced sodium soy sauce, sriracha, and gochujang are all easy to keep on hand and pop up in a number of her recipes.
My favorite so far that I happened to have all the ingredients for was the Tahini Sweet Potato and Chickpea Bowl. I enjoy the tahini turmeric lemon dressing from this recipe almost as much as I do the above-mentioned tahini Caesar. It’s bright and uplifting and “adds a burst of flavor as well as healthy fats, protein, and essential minerals like calcium and iron.” It’s so easy, so good!
- Love to Eat: 75 Easy, Craveworthy Recipes for Healthy, Intuitive Eating by Nicole Keshishian Modic
In terms of taste preferences, over the past decade I’ve turned into a strictly-mostly-pretty-much-primarily savory person, so from the 75 recipes in this book, there are many sweet ones I could and did quickly skim past. But of the ones I slowed down for, the Mediterranean-inspired crustless veggie quiche is my favorite.
The coolest thing about trying new cookbooks in this day and age is that many cookbook authors also have a strong online presence. After testing some things from Modic’s book, I decided to subscribe to her newsletter. From newsletter links, I have found several recipes where I leave the tabs open on my phone because I make them so often.
Dan and I loved the honey glazed salmon bowl so much I think we could easily eat it every week. We also tried the copycat Sweetgreen chicken caprese salad which might honestly be the BEST thing I have ever made.
If not for the physical cookbook, I’d have not discovered much of what makes up my current meal-planning menu.
This feels like a wonderful positive note to end on. Now go reserve a fun cookbook and find something new to reinvigorate your time in the kitchen. 🙂