At the end of 2014, I set off on a journey to cook at least 5 recipes from every cookbook in my collection. To keep the mission even more focused, I tried to avoid buying new cookbooks until the task was complete. Although I wasn’t 100% strict about the shopping part, I have been diligently cooking through my collection for the past 2+ years, and am finally pleased to report a mission accomplished.

One thing I learned is that I am not a huge fan of baking. Ever the cliché dietitian, I am constantly tempted to forgo most of the butter and sugar, and then I get frustrated when nothing turns out right.

However, I also learned that I am a huge fan of plant-based recipes, as the ingredients are refreshingly affordable (no expensive meat or cheese!), and yet completely full of flavor. In fact, my favorite, most-cooked-from cookbook was Food52 Vegan, by Gena Hemshaw. This cookbook is from the folks behind the popular recipe and food website, Food52, so it’s no surprise that nearly every recipe from this book was a hit. However, it is surprising that a vegan cookbook stole the heart of this grilled chicken and Greek yogurt loving girl.

Food52 Vegan gets top billing, not only because I made more recipes from this book than any other (9 and counting), but because nearly every dish was so crave-worthy that I kept scooping them up into my regular rotation. Below are some of my favorites:

• French Lentil and Arugula Salad with Herbed Cashew Cheese, from Food52 Vegan
• Orecchiette with Creamy Leeks and Broccoli Rabe, from Food52 Vegan
• Roasted Cauliflower and Freekeh Salad, from Food52 Vegan
• Roasted Ratatouille, from Food 52 Vegan (I like to toss this with whole wheat pasta)
• Zucchini Quinoa Cakes, from Food52 Vegan (I served mine atop kale tossed with avocado)
  

Honorable Mentions (cookbooks that I had lots of success with and highly recommend)

• Everyday Whole Grains, by Ann Taylor Pittman
• Good and Cheap, by Leanne Brown (available as a free PDF online)
• Kitchen Express, by Mark Bittman
• Simply Ancient Grains, by Maria Speck

If you purchase or borrow any of the books above, the recipes listed below are a great place to start. All the following recipes are ones I have tested and would highly recommend! 

• Avocado, Citrus, and Radicchio Salad, Kitchen Express
• Basic Hummus, Good and Cheap
• Black Bean Soup, Kitchen Express
• Broiled Eggplant Salad, Good and Cheap
• Chicken Curry with Raisins, Kitchen Express
• Chicken and Vegetable Biryani, Everyday Whole Grains
• Creamy Bulgur with Honey and Tahini, Simply Ancient Grains (this also tastes dreamy with millet instead of bulgur)
• Curried Chicken Salad Sandwich, Kitchen Express
• Minted Summer Couscous with Watermelon and Feta, Simply Ancient Grains (I use often bulgur instead of couscous)
• Peanut Butter and Jelly Thumbprint Cookies, Everyday Whole Grains
• Roasted Portobello Mushrooms with Hazelnut Buckwheat Stuffing, Simply Ancient Grains
• Super-Fudgy Teff Brownies, Everyday Whole Grains

Other Favorites

Part of the reason this journey took more than two years is that I was often tempted to revisit recipes, rather than constantly trying something new. Below are a few other recipes I fell in love with while working through my collection.

Breakfast

• Family Favorite Granola, from You Have it Made, by Ellie Krieger

Mains – Fish

• Garlic Basil Shrimp, from So Easy, by Ellie Krieger
• Mussels Provencal, from So Easy, by Ellie Krieger
• Salmon Cakes with Lemon-Caper Yogurt Sauce, from Weeknights with Giada, by Giada de Laurentiis

Mains – Chicken

• Black Rice Chicken Congee, from The Grain Bowl, by Nik Williamson
• Chicken-Farro Salad, from True Food, by Andrew Weil

Mains – Vegetarian

• Curried Red Quinoa and Peach Salad, from The Oldways 4-Week Vegetarian and Vegan Menu Plan
• Orzo with Roasted Vegetables, from Barefoot Contessa Parties, by Ina Garten
• Thick Crusted Greens, Onion, and Feta Pie, by Aglaia Kremezi, from The Oldways Table (I sub whole wheat flour for the AP flour)

Soups & Sides

• Butternut Squash and Apple Soup, from Barefoot Contessa Parties, by Ina Garten
• Honey Roasted Carrots with Tahini Yogurt, from Plenty More, by Yotam Ottolenghi
• Stewed Lentils & Tomatoes, from Barefoot Contessa at Home, by Ina Garten
• Swedish Pea Soup, from Plant-Powered for Life, by Sharon Palmer

Dips & Dressings

• Tofu Green Goddess Dressing, The I Hate Tofu Cookbook, by Tucker Shaw
• Warm Spinach and Artichoke Dip, from The Food You Crave, by Ellie Krieger (I replace the sour cream & mayo with nonfat plain Greek yogurt)

Dessert

• Baked Fruit with Ricotta, from Giada’s Feel Good Food, by Giada de Laurentiis
• Cardamom Currant Snickerdoodles, from Food52 Baking
• Summer Fruit Crostata, from Barefoot Contessa at Home, by Ina Garten (I sub whole wheat flour for the AP flour, and cut the sugar from the fruit filling)

What next?

Now that I have given my existing cookbooks sufficient attention, I’m allowing myself to browse the food section of Brookline Booksmith and Amazon to add to my collection. Here are some cookbooks that are at the top of my shopping list:

• Batch, by Joel MacCharles and Dana Harrison: I’d love to get more comfortable canning and preserving, especially since I’ll be gardening again this summer.
• Dishing Up the Dirt, by Andrea Bemis. If I had to choose a favorite recipe blog, I think I’d go with Dishing Up the Dirt. Her recipes are such a great blueprint for eating seasonally, and getting more plants on your plate. The Dishing Up the Dirt cookbook just got released this spring, so I can’t wait to check out all of my favorite farmer’s new recipes.
• The Complete Mediterranean Cookbook, by America’s Test Kitchen: We got a copy of this cookbook at work, and after thumbing through, I flagged dozens of recipes that I want to try. It’s no secret that I’m partial to Mediterranean flavors, so I think I just might need my own copy.
• Minimalist Baker’s Everyday Cooking, by Dana Schulz: Given my somewhat surprising embrace of vegan cooking, another plant-based cookbook is definitely on my wish list. I’ve been trying out some recipes from the Minimalist Baker blog with much success, so I’m eager to see what Dana’s cookbook has to offer.
• Vegetarian Everyday, by David Frenkiel and Luise Vindahl. Another food blog I’ve been loving is Green Kitchen Stories. This is the (US version) of the first cookbook from David & Luise, although they have a number of other beautiful books that I’m interested in as well.

For another sneak peek into my cookbook & coffee table book wishlist, check out my related Pinterest board.

– Kelly