I am a self confessed foodie.
I constantly think about food, look at food (thanks instagram!), get super hangery if I go for a long period without eating something & plan in my mind what I'll be having for dinner even whilst I'm eating breakfast!
Therefore I have accumulated over the years a huge collection of cookbooks to keep me inspired, content & running for the kitchen when I get home from work. So here's the run down of my top six favourite cookbooks that I could not live without-
Save With Jamie: I am a huge Jamie Oliver fan. I think the way that he cooks & the recipes that he brings out are realistic, inspiring & altogether brilliant! Save With Jamie was one of the those books that I brought when I knew that I would be moving out of the family home, when it hit me that suddenly I would have to budget for food shopping instead of sending £60 in Zara & how the hell could I get the maximum use out of all the food brought! This books was like a life raft. Not only is the photography brilliant to show off such amazingly easy recipes, but it also is split into different categories, i.e. Vegetables, Chicken, Fish ect which makes it easy to get inspired depending on what you feel in the mood for that day. It also has some brilliant pointers as to how to be a savvy shopper & what basics you should always have stocked in your cupboards, as well as tips on how to freeze leftovers. If you want to save money & want to get the most out of the food you buy then try this & you will not be disappointed.
Jamie's Comfort Food: Another Jamie book that I am in love with mainly because of the way it looks. The feel of every single page as you turn it is of great quality, but it is the photo's which are a food lovers dream- it almost like you can already smell & taste what is shown in front of you! Like before, its easy to navigate, split into different categories with easy to follow instructions & realistic prep & cooking times. As implied by the title, predominately there are a great deal of recipes that are classic British comfort food (hello Shepard's Pie!) but also has some recipes you perhaps wouldn't consider to be 'comfort food'. For example, to my delight a Chicken Katsu Curry recipe was included which if you know me well, then you would know that we frequent Wagamama's on a weekly basis & always order a Chicken Katsu Curry- needless to say that won Adam over in a heartbeat!
Gino's Italian Escape: I am a carbs girl through & through. I cannot live without bread, potato's or pasta, so its only fitting that I own a book written by an Italian who loves pasta & cooking just a little bit more then me! Gino's Italian Escape is filled with typically authentic Italian food which has minimal ingredients which you will all have to hand, are very filling & are really quick to cook whilst looking like you have spent hours cooking it. So forget what you think goes in a Carbonara because this book will open your eyes & you'll feel so much more Italian then when you started, bellissima!
Leon's Ingredient's & Recipes: I brought this book because I wanted to know more about food & I also wanted some healthier recipes centred around what is in season at the time & that tastes good too. Leon's whole ethos is centred around the use of local & natural ingredients to create boldly favoured food that reflects how your eating habits change as the daylight hours get longer or shorter- perfect for those of you, who like me may not feel as inspired during the winter months & just want to curl up in bed with a large bar of Dairy Milk! I love how the first section of the book goes into great detail surrounding the different ways/times fruit & veg grows & the different cuts of meat each animal has, as well as telling you the different names of the same fruit or veg & telling you what makes each one of them different- for example, did you know that the Sugar Snap is a relatively new pea on the market! The second part of the book uses all the ingredients from the first part to showcase what you can do with them. Healthy & crammed full of quirky photo's it is a handy book to have in your collection.
BBC Good Food: The Collection: I was in WH Smiths close to eight years ago with my Mum rummaging through piles of books that were on sale after Christmas when I came across this one & it has become invaluable to me & my mum (as she purchased one also). I think what makes this book so good is its just so typically British & traditional, that it makes you have faith that whatever you choose to cook it will fill you up & make you feel all warm & fuzzy inside. This book has never let me down, the Chicken, Bacon & Pea Pasta is always a firm winner when I cook it & I used it countless of times during food tech classes at school. Although it is the most simplest in terms of layout & photography, the instructions are easy to follow & the clean layout means you can just whizz through without having to re-read parts that were too 'wordy' or not direct enough. If I could relate it towards anybody it would be Mary Berry- classic, nostalgic but always a crowd pleaser.
Deliciously Ella: I was brought up in a household which taught 'everything in moderation'- I love fruit & veg, enjoy beans & lentils, make my own juices & have a weakness towards Dairy Milk. I am eat healthy. But there was a part of me that wanted to cut out more processed food, explore a more meat free diet & learn some quick, wholesome healthy meals that wouldn't make me feel bloated. This book is the most interesting & inspiring book I have read in a long time- I use it along side my normal diet & have been substituting & modifying recipes, so that they have more of a plant base. I now, thanks to Ella am OBSESSED with Quinoa, Kale, Avocado, Cauliflower, My Trail Seed Mix & Black Beans! This book is perfect if you want to explore a healthier, plant based diet which is still just as yummy!
The Complete Magnolia Bakery Cookbook: Of course my top seven wouldn't be complete without a naughty but oh so yummy baking book & of course my go to for this is my well used & loved Magnolia Bakery Cookbook. If you want an authentic American tasting Red Velvet Cupcake topped with the best bloody vanilla frosting you will ever taste, or have always heard about but never tried a Snickerdoodle Cupcake when this is right up for street! The only annoying thing for me (being British) is that all the measures are in cups & ounces, but of course google quickly sorts that out for me. When I'm missing New York or I need to bake a Birthday Cake this is what I reach for.
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What your your ultimate favourite cookbooks?
Much Love,
Elle
xoxo
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