I think my husband and I have a small addiction to cook books. Remember my healthy cook book roundup? Every time we enter a book store or thrift store or go to a yard sale we head right over to the books and search for new cook books. My husband will no doubt gravitate towards ethnic cuisine and dessert books. I like cook books for vegetarians, crock pot enthusiasts, and of course … those who like more traditional and nourishing foods. Two new books that found their way into our homes (via their respective publishers) and now have a permanent spot on our shelves are highlighted below.
The Real Food Diet – This book is not like your traditional “diet” books that are out there on the market. Instead of asking you to count calories it implores you to count nutrients and do the “food math”. In the info chapters at the beginning you will find information about real versus fake food, a list of the top 30 nutrient dense foods, and what frankenfoods to avoid… aka the white stuff, pasteurized dairy, conventional meats and eggs, artificial sweeteners, etc. I have really enjoyed this cookbook because it REALLY meshes with my own ideas about food. It is part nourishing foods and part raw foods and although it does have meaty recipes it also has plenty without. I LOVE the fact that it highlights nutrient dense plant foods because frankly some nourishing foods enthusiasts harp on liver, liver, liver all the time. That is just nasty if you ask me.
This book also gives us a ton of recipes that don’t use grains. The Grainless Granola? Yum! The gluten free Pumpkin Blueberry Pancakes? Yum! Each recipe has little symbols next it that symbolize the value in each recipe… aka Quick Recipes, Raw Food Recipes, Kids Favorites, Feeling Sick Foods, Low Energy Foods, Post Workout, and Inflammation. All the recipes I have made thus far were quite good and this book covers all the basics of a REAL food diet. It is one darn excellent cookbook. The only criticism I have is cosmetic and more about how the book was published rather than written. I LOVE the spiral bound pages because you lay the book open flat but the pages in this particular book stuck to each other… a LOT.
The Homesteader’s Kitchen – This book is also very much about real foods/nourishing foods but it has a distinct homestead and local foods movement feel to it. It concentrates on comfort foods made with local ingredients – from farm to table. I am hugely into the local foods movement so I really enjoyed this book as well. It has plenty of the basic recipes like Vegetable Soup but also some more exotic ideas like the Samurai Breakfast.. which I thought was awesome. This book also has meat recipes but they are not in the majority, which is nice for me and the book has a specific section for vegetarians. Another bonus is that is has instructions for making basic foods like your own yogurt, cheese, creme fraiche, sourdough starter, tortillas, and the like. It is an all around great book for the basics of local foods eating and farm fresh goodness with a very modern twist. It is in part something your grandmother would have had on her bookshelf and in part something brand new. It is mesh of old and new ideas and cooking and definitely a keeper.
Many thanks for the review – I’m always on the lookout for new cookbooks to nurse my similar addiction!
Would love this book! Sounds fantastic!
oooooh..fantastic! going to have to check out the other one to buy too!
These cookbooks sound great. We are always looking for new ideas and recipes and I hate getting the ones that are difficult to follow.
These look great and I love new cookbooks!
I was just on Freecycle the other day requesting raw.vegan/veg cookbooks – to no avail. :(
Both of these cookbooks sound like they are right up my alley! I really hope I win! (Is that selfish?)
Thanks for hosting this – I just got my book, btw! I can’t wait to start reading it. THANK YOU, Tiffany! :)
Those look perfect for what me and my family are striving for. Looks like I’ll be adding to my christmas list :)
I’m so with you — always on the lookout for new cookbooks! I’d love a copy of this one! :) I’ve had my eye on it and am glad to hear a positive review.
I am also addicted to cookbooks. I would love this one. I will put the other one on my request list at the library!
II would love this cookbook.
Thanks for the chance to win! I love your blog!
Oh! Both of those books look wonderful!!
I would LOVE this book. I’m constantly looking for new healthy cookbooks.
BTW, I LOVE your blog. It’s a breath of fresh air from a “real” mom. :-)
Wow – this cookbook seems like it is right up my alley!
I would love to try both cookbooks.
These look like beautiful cookbooks. I’d love to share with my dad as he’s on a big whole food kick! Thanks for the info!
These cookbooks look fantastic!
YUMMINESS! How can anyone have too many cookbooks?
The random number generator says #17! Congrats!
I am so excited! I can’t wait to get it! Thank You!
These cookbooks look interesting! I’m always looking for new and different ideas for meals since my three kids have food allergies.
Thanks for the chance to win.
Steph
Always looking for another cookbook! Am going to try to get the other one out of the library!
Thank you for posting these cookbooks! I am always looking for cookbooks that use real ingredients (no processed stuff), local, and in season. I find it hard to make a good tasting asparagus fritata in October!
Sounds wonderful! I would love to win a copy of this book! As a family of both meat eaters and non-meat eaters, this sounds like a great mix of healthy options!
Would love to win! This cookbook sounds fantastic!
These books are right up my alley! I was also looking for something similar for my mom who has an extreme form of very debilitating arthritis. Her diet directly affects how she feels and these books would both help immensely! Thanks for the post and the opportunity to win!
I too collect cookbooks:) But really I am struggling to
take off my baby weight. (my daughter is 16 months, so really no more excuses!) But thank you always for your blog. I love everything you have to say.
Oooh, thank you for both reviews. They both sound amazing. I will have to check them out.
Thanks for the review, some cookbooks are such duds so it’s great to hear from someone who’s actually tried them. I appreciate the mix of raw food and meatless as well as meat options because my family members don’t all eat the same way. Love your blog!
I love cookbooks too. These both sound good.
I would love to have these! Everything looks yummy!
These look fabulous! Thanks for the chance to win. Incidentally, we made your pipe cleaner ornaments – huge success. My 4 year old girls loved making the shapes, and they look so pretty with all the crystals! Thank you!
The pictures look great in these cookbooks. I am such a huge fan of cookbooks!
I would love this book! Mmm…nourishing foods for the cold winter.
The cookbooks look great. I’d love to leaf through both of them.
I am just getting started with Real Food and would love to own this cookbook!
great post- I hoard cookbooks too! (and I’d love this one!)
I would love a new cookbook!
Thanks so much,
I’ve been looking at Dr. Axe’s book for a couple days now. I’ve been thinking about buying it, so it would be fun to win it!
I’d never heard of this cookbook until I read your blog, this sounds very interesting!
We need to make some major changes to our diet. Choose me! Choose me!
Would love to win either one! Thanks for the chance!
I would love to have these books!
I’m excited to take a look at these books, especially The Real Food Diet. I hope it’s not too “diet-y” though. I’m losing weight, but kind of in an un-diet phase of my life right now!
Awesome! You can never have enough cookbooks!! I would love to have The Homesteader’s Kitchen!! Thank you
Sounds like an awesome book, I’d love to check it out.
Sounds great. I love that there is a homesteaders recipe book. Its kind of an interesting take on how far we’ve gotten from what eating/cooking/growing/preserving food once was because of necessity.
I am going to buy The Real Food Diet as soon as possible. Thanks for the review.
Sounds like a great book. I’m always looking for new vegetarian recipes. I send my 3 year old to a fabulous Jewish school and no meat or nuts are allowed in his lunch so I’m running out of good ideas!
Awesome! I love Dr. Axe!
i love the sound of homesteaders’ kitchen and directions for making yogurt, etc :)
What great cookbooks. I just subscribed to Organic Gardening in anticipation of Spring. It looks like these recipes incorporate organically grown produce into their recipes.
I am a cookbook addict and am starting to add more traditional/real foods cookbooks to my collection. I will be adding these to my Amazon.com wishlist!
I love just reading cookbooks & have many. These two look really great. I am vegetarian & I am always looking for new dishes. My husband has some gluten intolerance, so these books will be great for our household. Enjoy your writings – you are a “breath of fresh air.” Mary Ann
Both books sound great! I have a similar addiction and am trying to steer myself toward books with healthy and realistic recipes. Though a few “fun” ones still sneak in there somehow. The Real Food one sounds perfect!
Wow! These cookbooks sound wonderful! I am a raw foodie; but I am always looking for new and healthy recipes for my friends and family that aren’t. I can’t wait to try these! Thanks so much for the review. I always look forward to your blog! ; )
Wow! Thanks for the recommendations! I will try to get my hands on both books since I too am always on the lookout for healthy nourishing recipes and my latest craze has been on raw foods as I learn more and more on it’s benefits.
Both of these books look wonderful!