8 Cookbooks for Healthy and Delicious Meals

Making easy, healthy and delicious meals is not something I was always into. The thought of being in the kitchen and whipping something up stressed me out and I avoided making meals at all costs. If I made anything at all it was either a frozen meal, eggs or avocado toast.

I always thought healthy food had to be simple, boring and bland. To me that meant bland chicken, boring brown rice and a simple sauté of a vegetable. I had no idea how to pair ingredients, how to elevate a dish or what how delicious a healthy meal could actually be.

i started to dig through food blogs and Pinterest to see what was out there….a lot! I started following my favorite healthier for you food bloggers on Instagram determined to try out their recipes.

I was extremely slow at first and had no idea how to manage cook time. Something that was took take 30 minutes took me 2-hours, but I kept going. I was determined to set my kitchen overwhelm and fear aside and make it into something I enjoyed.

I am lucky that my husband loves to cook and has a huge interest in learning about new foods and techniques. He encouraged me to keep going and also became into making healthier, better for you meals together.

After awhile, I started recognizing what ingredients were consistently paired together, what spices married well together and what ingredients took longer to cook. I also started to realize which food bloggers recipe’s I liked and whose I did not.

I started investing and was also gifted a lot of health focused cookbooks that celebrate everyday life. I enjoy cooking now and making healthy and delicious meals for our family.

It truly is a reminder that food is not a burden but so nourishing for the mind, body and soul!

Here are 8 cookbook recommendation for healthy and delicious meals, that celebrate the everyday!

Healthier Together: I have been a follower of Liz for awhile as I really relate and connect with her own health story. She too struggled with diets and not looking at food as a positive but such a negative. I was so excited when she released her cookbook. It is a celebration of how nourishing food is for the body and soul, the everyday life and I love that she was inspired to create these recipes with her significant other (so similar to my story with my husband). The recipes are fantastic and so easy to make!

What’s Gaby Cooking: Eat What You Want: I stumbled upon Gaby this summer and fell in love with her California laid back vibes. Her food embraces the essence of California - fresh, light, rustic - and her recipes are delicious. Her watermelon salad was on repeat in my house this past summer and so were her sweet potato tacos.

Half Baked Harvest: Tieghan’s account is straight food porn. I have no other way to describe it. The pictures she posts of her recipes will make your mouth water. She does a mix of healthier recipes mixed with comfort foods, but her recipes live up to her food photography - so yummy! This recipe book is great if you need nourishment of the soul. Just delicious, comforting recipes with a modern twist.

True Roots: Kristin is all about a clean and toxin free diet but she keeps it easy. All her recipes are gluten free dairy free, no refined sugar and more. She has recipes for all occasions and seriously, they are really good. I have always been a fan of Kristin and really enjoyed this cookbook. I am so excited to try True Comfort too.

It’s All Good: I might be in the minority here, but I love Gwyneth Paltrow, her clean, non-toxic lifestyle and Goop. I think she really is a champion of owning your health, wellness and womanhood. I received this cookbook for Christmas one year. Like True Roots, this cookbook focuses on a clean diet, but the recipes are easy and also delicious. So if you are looking to keep things not just balanced but a littler cleaner, this is a great cookbook option too.

Well+Good : 100 Healthy Recipes + Expert Advice for Better Living: I just stumbled upon this cookbook while out shopping a few weeks ago. An avid reader of Well + Good I knew I had to get it. I am really excited to dig into this cookbook and try a few recipes because if they are anything like what is on their site, I am in good hands.

Against All Grain Celebrations: i bought this cookbook for my sister a few years ago for Christmas. After sitting with her and looking at the recipes I went out and bought it myself. The recipes are all gluten free, dairy free and grain free and focus on holiday and special occasion recipes. This is a great go-to if you are asked to bring a dish for the holiday’s but looking to bring something a little healthier!

The Defined Dish: Another blogger I follow actually shared this recipe book on her account. The recipe she had made looked really great so I bought this cookbook. This cookbook is based on healthy and whole foods and keeps things super simple and delicious. This is truly as easy at it gets if you are look for a healthier weekday meal options!

Enjoy :)

What are your favorite cookbooks for health and delicious meals? Comment below!