Given that many of us are spending more time at home these days, I thought I would share my favorite cookbooks and a few recipes. I think home cooking is good for the soul. It is also good financially, and generally much healthier. I know it comes easier to some than others, but as you are forced to cook at home, it’s a great opportunity to learn and experiment. 

I rarely cook from a recipe, but when I do, I learn new techniques that I can incorporate when I am working off the cuff, and it helps me get out of my ruts. 

Here are some recipes I created for clients. Let me know if you try them and what you think.

Awesome Salads

Smoothie Recipe

Pork Tenderloin with roasted vegetables

My favorite cookbooks:

1. All of the cookbooks by the Junior League of Denver, such as the Colorado Collage. These cookbooks are a family tradition. We inherited my grandmother in-law’s copy of Colorado Collage, with all of her cooking notes and my husband and I working through our own copy to make every recipe with our own notes. Clearly these have sentimental value to us, but I think they are good solid cookbooks and I do not hesitate recommending them to you. 
2. Run Fast, Eat Slow by Sharlene Flanagan and Elyse Kopecky & The Feed Zone Cookbook by Thomas Biju and Lim Allen. I am lumping these in together because they are both marketed to athletes. However, don’t be intimidated if you do not consider yourself an ‘athlete’. First, that’s just a mental construct. Second, both cookbooks offer tasty recipes made with mostly nutritious ingredients. I think they are both really good at teaching people new techniques to make meals with real, whole-food ingredients. (And if you are already a fan of Run Fast, Eat Slow, the authors came out with a new version called Run Fast, Cook Fast, Eat Slow. I haven’t tried it yet).
3. Salt Fat Acid Heat by Samin Nosrat. I first fell in love with Samin Nosrat on this podcast. She is just a hoot! I have only used her cookbook twice – both times to braise meat. The first time I read a general section to create my own stew with her guidance. The second time I followed a recipe. Both turned out excellent. I am excited to try more, but feel confident in recommending this even though it is fairly new to me. She knows what she is talking about, and I like how she educates readers on technique along with providing tasty recipes. She also has a Netflix series by the same name as the book. I have not watched it, but have heard great things. 
4. How to Grill by Steven Raichlen. This was gifted by my father-in-law and it’s excellent. To be transparent, my husband does all the grilling in our household. He has made a number of recipes from this book and they have been amazing. My favorites are Garlic Halibut on page 298 and Bourbon-Brined Pork Chops on page 129.
5. Flourless by Nicole Spiridakis. There are some great recipes in this cookbook for gluten-free sweet treats that will delight the gluten-free eaters along with gluten lovers. I bake with low to no sugar, but some recipes (such as Banana-Coconut Cookies on page 95) do not have any added-sugar. Others are easily modified by removing or reducing the sugar that recipes call for.

I hope this will inspire some new ideas. Let me know if you try these and what you think, and what your favorite cookbooks and recipes are!