Best cookbooks for weeknight dinners: Cravings by Chrissy Teigen, It’s All Good by Gwyneth Paltrow, and Food52: A New Way to Dinner
My good friend Catherine from My Power Pose cooks a home cooked dinner every single night and packs herself a healthy lunch every day. I’m not exaggerating. She also works out every morning, finds time to blog regularly, and has a full-time 9 to 5 job like the rest of us. Ever since I met her I’ve been convinced that she has assistants that she hides from her Instagram stories. To help those of us that congratulate ourselves when we make dinner like, once a week, I asked her to share her favorite cookbooks for weeknight dinners and her favorite recipes from them. I trust Catherine’s recommendations when it comes to food and cookbooks (even if it’s a cookbook by a supermodel) and I’ve already bought one of them based on her endorsement. Thanks Catherine! – Jenny
I love to cook. I think about and plan meals far in advance. One of my favorite parts of the week comes on Sunday when I sit down with CG, look at the week ahead and plan what we will eat. For me, planning a week of great meals brings the same sort of deep good feeling that hitting a week of great outfits does. Nourishing my body by cooking great foods gives me that same sort of spring in my step and peace of mind so I’m able to put my best self forward. The connection to family and friends through the shared act of cooking and eating is something I hold dear, so I was thrilled when Jenny asked me to share my favorite cookbooks. Here they are, in no particular order. They are ones that rotate throughout the months and that I have read cover to cover, multiple times.
We are in a clean eating phase, so this book is in heavy rotation! It’s one that I’ve loved since it was published a few years ago, for clean eating or not – it is just good. When CG learned that it was one of my favorite cookbooks but not in rotation at his house, he was completely taken aback. : ) Favorite recipes include (but are not limited to!):
– Sweet Potato and Five Spice Muffins
– Thai chicken burgers
(I’ve made the thai chicken burgers and they’re a hit – Jenny)
– Turkey Meatballs
– Steamed Fish with Soy + Spicy Sesame Oil
– Almond Butter Cookies with Maldon Salt
Like many, I was skeptical of a supermodel cookbook called Cravings. Of course she has cravings – isn’t she starving ALL the time?! But once I ordered, read and cooked from the book, I was totally hooked. Chrissy embraces bold flavors and whole foods in a refreshing and inspiring way. I’ve yet to make anything that didn’t taste fantastic and I’ve made over half of the recipes in the book. Her Artichoke, Spinach and Buffalo Chicken Dip has been our go-to crowd pleaser for festivities from November through January. Her recipes are regulars in my Instagram story feed. It’s hard to choose my favorite recipes, but here are a few:
– Artichoke, Spinach and Buffalo Chicken Dip
– Pork Stuffed Cucumber Soup (yes – hot cucumbers. So good)
– Sweet Chili Mustard Glazed Salmon
– (Actual) Drunken Noodles
– Dutch Baby
This is truly such a beautiful book and a fantastic concept. Basically it lays out the week for you – including dinner, lunches, the shopping list and the game-plan for prep in advance. It is total genius. Recipes have been on repeat since I got the book – right when it came out – around October. It’s broken down by season as well, so I’m still cooking my way through the Fall and Winter sections. There are many recipes i’m looking forward to trying in the warmer months, but here are a few early favorites that have been on repeat:
– Overnight Roast Pork Butt
– Rosy Chicken
– Creamed Kale and Broccoli Rabe
– Oven Roasted Applesauce
– Farro Salad with Caramelized Onions, Persimmon and Sheep’s Cheese
Have you tried any of these books? What are your go-to cookbooks? I’d love to hear!
XO,
Catherine