Look on any online bookstore and you’ll find hundreds of cookbooks available – in one renowned shop in their food and drink section, there’s over 45,000 to choose from. So how do you know what the best one is to get? It’s so disappointing to be lured in by the promise on the cover, for you to realise that in actual fact, you’re not going to use your new book much and you might as well have spent the money on a fitness class. So we reached out to our writers and friends to ask for their tried & tested healthy cookbook recommendations – specifically ones which they return to time and time again.
Take a look at our list of best healthy cookbooks! Considering I’ve got over thirty cookbooks at home, I’m surprised I don’t already have any of these recommendations. I’m going to have to go shopping…
Do you have a cookbook that you refer to time and time again? Share it in the comments below!
My Paleo Patisserie, Jenni Hulet
The perfect book for those looking to recreate traditional treats in a natural way with wholesome ingredients. Unlike a lot of ‘free-from’ foods, these recipes have been carefully tried and tested to make sure the result is no less indulgent than the real thing, but without all the nasties!
Caitlin runs the popular blog and Instagram account, The Clean Diary, where she loves nothing more than to take traditional unhealthy dishes and make them healthy. Creativity is key for Caitlin, which expresses itself in her work as a fashion buyer, artist and recipe creator.
Modern Vegetarian, Maria Elia
It’s an oldie but a goodie but Maria Elia’s Modern Vegetarian was one of the first truly innovative modern European vegetarian books that I discovered. I loved that she utilised a variety of seasonal ingredients and flavours from around the globe to create a range of really beautiful dishes.
In the spirit of Veganuary, one of my summer go to recipes is the chilled tomato, peach and ginger soup. Packed with flavour and as it’s chilled, something you can make ahead of time for the perfect summer starter. The Watermelon Gazpacho is another summer show stopper. (You can tell that I’m craving the summer already!)
The other recipes from the book that have become firm staples in my kitchen are the butternut squash barley risotto, sumac spiced aubergine schnitzel with tabbouleh and Asian vegetable stock. Admittedly I’ve continually tweaked the recipes but at the time, they inspired me to many new creations.
Toral Shah, aka The Urban Kitchen, is a breast-cancer survivor who uses her Cordon Bleu training and knowledge in nutritional medicine to run healthy eating workshops, hold educational talks about diet and cancer and is currently writing a book.
Nanban, Tim Anderson
I love Tim’s writing and his brave approach to showing how really authentic Japanese food is made. His knowledge is incredibly in-depth and he writes with such authenticity. It would be hard to pick a favourite dish, but I simply love his green tea matcha whippy ice-cream – they remind me of hot summers exploring Tokyo, when miso was still a great mystery to me.
Bonnie, food blogger and pioneering chef, is a giant fan of the Japanese superfood, miso, and within only a few years, has not only sourced and developed miso direct from Japan, but also bought chef-quality miso to the masses (find it in all the best independent health shops, Sainsbury’s, Selfridges, Harvey Nichols and Whole Foods Markets) through her company Miso Tasty.
Cook. Nourish. Glow, Amelia Freer
I purchased Amelia Freer’s book, ‘Eat. Nourish. Glow.’ last year. It was a great read, but the lack of recipes was a little disappointing. However, she has now released a book made up of 120 recipes which don’t require a long list of obscure ingredients and seem simple to make. I always have a pot of fresh pesto in my fridge and loved the added kale in this recipe (I’m intolerant to garlic so left it out, but it still tastes great!) My must-try recipe? The kale and almond pesto.
Ashlie is a writer for Healthy Living London and is a former dancer who has found a new love in running. She’s currently training for the Paris marathon and balances long runs with yoga.
Superfoods: The Flexible Approach to Eating More Superfoods, Julie Montagu
I first found out about Superfoods through nutritionist Zoe Stirling, during one of her dinner parties where she baked black bean brownies using the Superfoods recipe. They were so delicious that the boys were wolfing them down without a second thought! I thought they were amazing. So the next day, I got myself my own copy. Unlike many other ‘healthy’ cookbooks, the proportions of ingredients aren’t bonkers and it tastes good – it doesn’t rely on cups and cups of natural sugars like maple syrup for taste. My must try recipe is, without a doubt, the black bean brownies!
Amy is a writer for Healthy Living London and is preparing for her wedding so is up to her eyeballs in HIIT sessions, boxing and eating well. She loves trying new foods and has no time for food that’s healthy but tasteless.
Easy Vegetarian One Pot, Various
This was a gift from my sister and I love it. The Pad Thai recipe is great and so easy to make – it has saved me money on the once regular takeaway order, plus, you know what’s actually going into your dish!
Hannah, a writer for Healthy Living London, is a vegan-dabbling vegetarian who can’t resist any fitness class that has music she can dance to. Having a carnivorous boyfriend, Hannah loves recipes that can be adapted to suit him also.
And my personal favourite…
A Modern Way to Cook, Anna Jones
Toral from The Urban Kitchen recommended this book to me. “Read this,” she said and showed me her copy. The next day I bought my own. Packed with delicious vegetarian and vegan dishes, Anna has categorised these into how long each meal takes which is perfect for the impatient cook. Everything I’ve tried so far has been excellent but the tomato and miso soup recipe is a firm favourite and just so easy.
Eliza, editor of Healthy Living London, recently got a Vitamix so has been happily blending away at anything and everything. Short of time, she really enjoys cooking things that don’t require too much fuss and can be made within thirty minutes.
DISCLAIMER: We’ve used Amazon Affiliate links on this page so that if you’d like to show your support for Healthy Living London (we don’t accept any money for our reviews so that we can keep our integrity and write what we like, how we like. Products and services are often given for free, but we still pride ourselves on honest reviews) please click through the cookbook titles to buy. Thank you x
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