In Part 2 of our End of Year “Must Haves", the Nutrition Mechanic Team shares favorite cookbooks and recipe resources.
From Kristin:
I love to cook and you’ll know from our last blog that I’m a (recovering) foodie. Baking and making meals with friends and family is my happy place. I’m also a science junkie who loves learning and experimenting. I’m fascinated by the whys and hows of things.
One of my favorite cookbooks is called The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science by J. Kenji López-Alt. This amazing cookbook-cum-textbook is winner of the James Beard Award for general cooking, a New York Times bestseller, and was named Book of the Year by the International Association of Culinary Professionals. I’ve never made a dish from a recipe that wasn’t fantastic!
My other go-to source for recipes and kitchen creativity is the New York Times Cooking app. Subscriptions include access to over 19,000 recipes categorized and arranged for easy inspiration, videos, photos, techniques, and a recipe box that saves and organizes your favorites. As a working Mom and athlete, I think it’s worth the annual $40 subscription.
From Maggie:
I have a number of favorite cookbooks, but the first one that came to mind this season is Jamie Oliver’s Ultimate Veg cookbook. It was an absolute savior for me during the pandemic. I worked my way through his recipes in order to revamp staple vegetarian meals, all while the world was on lockdown. Another reason I love it is because the whole purpose of the book is to bring more vegetables into delicious dishes, which most of us could work on!
There are so many delectable recipes (and you must say them in a British accent!), but one in particular is the Easy Thai-Style Noodle Salad (below). It is rich in flavors and takes less than 30 minutes to prepare! Other great recipes in the cookbook include Super Spinach Pancakes, Pea & Spinach Samosas and Sweet & Sour Stir Fry. Happy cooking, Nutrition Mechanic Community!
From Dina:
Received as a gift from a dear friend, the Run Fast, Eat Slow cookbook has been a staple in Chez Mechanic Griffin. While it seems like it’s only geared towards runners, all athletes can reap the benefits and food enjoyment of the recipes contained within this resource. Oh and I know, I know… this cookbook is actually from 2018 and there’s a new cookbook from the same authors hot off the press, but sometimes the oldies-but-goodies never need to disappear from your I can count on this bookshelf.
From the muffins that have a secret ingredient to the beautifully simple salads, to my favorite ever tempeh ratatouille (SO GOOOOOD), to the nourishing soups and easy batch entrees, this recipe collection is one of my top recommendations.
The bonus is that you don’t need a ton of time and 5-star culinary skills to get through these recipes. That is a big Win in my book o’ life right now and I bet some of you can high five me on that.
Got a favorite cookbook these days? Or online resource? Please do tell !
Your Nutrition Mechanics,
Kristin, Maggie, & Dina