Tired of nuggets and mac ‘n’ cheese? Stuck in a slow cooker rut? Simply want your kids to eat something … anything? Maybe a new cookbook is all you need. These offer different angles on cooking — from Paleo to prison food (no joke) — and are packed with family-friendly recipes. Order them and see if they’re your tyke’s ticket to the clean plate club.
Easy Gourmet: Awesome Recipes Anyone Can Cook
You don’t need to wear a toque and speak with a French accent to whip up a gourmet meal. Non, non. This cookbook is proof. Foodie and writer Stephanie Le put her favorite recipes together from those she showcases on her popular blog, I am a Food Blog. Her goal: to show that making a delicious meal doesn’t have to be complicated, difficult, or time-consuming. Families will have everything from breakfast to dinner to snacks covered. Of particular note are the recipes for Peaches and Cream French Toast, Chicken & Waffles, and Pea & Bacon Risotto. The beautiful photography will inspire you to keep this one out on the kitchen counter. $13.90 at amazon.com.
The Frugal Paleo Cookbook
Paleo diets can be cost prohibitive (they commonly rely on grass-fed meat and naturally-raised whole-food ingredients). That’s what makes this book a gem. Blogger Ciarra Hannah, creator of PopularPaleo.com, has created 100 easy, wallet-friendly Paleo recipes that will feed the entire family. Hannah makes a point to keep it simple, focus on sides and avoid costly premium products. Page through and you’ll find breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack recipes, ranging from Cauliflower Lasagna to Vegetable Beef Curry to Blueberry Peach Popovers. If you haven’t tried the Paleo life, this might just make you a convert. $13.49 at amazon.com.
A Year of Cookies! Simple and Delicious Plant-Based Recipes for Every Month
Chicago health and wellness personality Jessica Murnane adapted a plant-based diet a few years ago, and it changed her life for the better. Now she helps friends, families and people across the world make good eating (and living!) decisions — and, naturally, cookies are part of that equation. Her debut book (available digitally) offers easy cookie recipes that are plant based and gluten free, and come from cooking stars like Food Network’s Cakegirls and Laura Wright of The First Mess. We bet your kids will be insta-fans of the Boukie Butters, which are mounds of sweetness made from rice cereal, almond butter, dark chocolate and more. $9.99 (e-book only) at jessicamurnane.com.
Orange is the New Black presents The Cookbook
While prison inmate food might be fitting for the child who just took permanent market to your living room wall, this book is a winner for one and all. The 65 recipes therein are far more tasteful than the slop served on the Netflix series. And fans of the show will be especially tickled by the fact that it was written with producers from the show in the voices of the characters, and you pick up a bit more plot backstory. The little eaters in your family will love Crazy Eyes’ strawberry pie and Red’s chicken kiev. $16.09 at amazon.com.
What is your go-to cookbook? Shout about it in the Comments!
— Kelly Aiglon
