The Best Cookbooks In My Kitchen I Use All The Time

When it comes to cooking and the best cookbooks in my kitchen, I am a creature of habit. I am happy to eat something multiple times in a row and then totally forget about it for a couple of weeks. I believe there was a study a few years back that showed that we eat the same 20 meals in rotation, sounds about right to me. And while I like to wing it from time to time and try out new recipes regularly, I have my favorites that I cook over and over again in my kitchen. So today I spill the beans about the best cookbooks I use all the time…

Buck Naked Kitchen by Kirsten Buck

I gifted myself this book last year after following Kirsten online. I love her easy approach to meals consisting of fresh, seasonal, and regional ingredients. She usually cooks for one which was right up my alley at that time plus the recipes are easy to multiply if you’re cooking for two or more. To me, Kirsten is the queen of broth and simple savory breakfasts. It’s one of the best cookbooks in my arsenal for cooking basics, like a personal step-by-step cooking class (and would make a great gift!)

My tip: page 62 – Spring Vegetable Quiche and page 238 Loaded Mashed Potatoes!

The Green Roasting Tin by Rukmini Iyer

I am very picky when it comes to eating my greens. I hate cooked vegetables and generally prefer them raw in salads. For the colder seasons of the year, I needed inspiration on what to do with vegetables in the oven and found this gem of a book that’s versatile beyond what I believed was possible and is now a staple in my kitchen. The recipes work as one-dish dinners but can be easily used as sides or in combination with a protein of your choice.

My tip: page 64 – Aubergine with Tomatoes, Harissa and Almonds (also great with pasta!) and page 146 Fajita Spiced Mushrooms!

Nom Nom Paleo by Michelle Tam + Henry Fong

Years ago I went on a Whole 30 Reset and Michelle’s recipes saved me when batch-cooking on Sundays. These days I am not on a restrictive diet but I feel best eating gluten-free whole foods which is why I pick up this cookbook over and over again. The step-by-step instructions with photos are foolproof and are easy to do even if you miss an ingredient or have to switch out something. It’s the cookbook in my arsenal I probably cooked most of in the last few years. The recipes are flavorful and great for cooking in advance and never get boring (which is very important to this foodie!).

My tip: page 136 – Chinese Egg Foo Young (I make them all the time!) and page 240 – Maple Sausage Patties, plus all her dressings and spice mixes are amazing!

Sunshine kitchen by Marita Karlson

A few years ago I was on a huge health kick and decided to make my own nut milks and smoothies, but I have learned since then that this is not the way to go for me. If I crave a smoothie though this is the book I still turn to, especially when the days are dull and dreary and I crave sunlight. Marita is an ex-pat Swede living in California and her book is part recipes, part restaurant recommendations, and part diary. I love non-traditional cookbooks and browsing through this one feels like a mini vacation.

My tip: page 47 – Sunshine Smoothie and page 127 – Chaga Latte.

Read more about my picks and follow along on Goodreads here!

What are The Best Cookbooks in your kitchen?