I LOVE cooking food just about as much as I love eating it and I get asked all the time what my favourite cookbooks are so today I’m going to share my top picks with you!
But, I will admit that much like many of you, since omitting 90% of the animal products from our life, I am REALLY struggling to get creative in the kitchen again. I started stocking up on cookbooks and LOVE pouring and glass of vino and perusing and coming up with new ideas.
Of course the Oh She Glows cookbooks and The Love and Lemons cookbook are staples in this household! We also really like It All Begins with Food by Love Child Organics (I’ve talked about this one lots before and people always ask which book it is!!), the reason why I love this book is that it’s filled with recipes and advice on how to feed your babes delicious and wholesome food.
If you’re a cheeky cooker (like me lol) and a enjoy a few dropped “F Bombs” then you HAVE to get your hands on the Thug Kitchen cookbook, it’s f*ckin hilarious! Sorry I had to toss one in there for you to get you prepared for this cookbook! LOL! I also think it makes the perfect gift for that foodie with a good sense of humor in your life!! Keep that one in mind for upcoming birthdays and this Christmas!! LOL!
If you’re into juicing you’ll want to pick up The Juice Truck’s new book! It’s a guide to juicing, smoothies, cleansing and living a plant-based lifestyle! Alright, let’s get to the list of my fave cookbooks, each one is amazing and I would totally recommend them! If you want to learn more about a particular cookbook just click on the link and it’ll bring you to it’s description!!
In no particular order, my current top cookbooks are:
- Thug Kitchen: The Official Cookbook: Eat Like You Give a F*ck
- Julie Morris’s Superfood Kitchen: Cooking With Nature?s Most Amazing Foods
- KEEP IT VEGAN
- Vegan Cheese: Simple, Delicious, Plant-based Cheese Recipes
- Eating Clean: The 21-day Plan To Detox, Fight Inflammation, And Reset Your Body
- The Juice Truck: A Guide To Juicing, Smoothies, Cleanses And Living A Plant-based Lifestyle
- A Modern Way To Eat: Over 200 Satisfying, Everyday Vegetarian Recipes (That Will Make You Feel Amazing)
- Naturally Nourished: Healthy, Delicious Meals Made With Everyday Ingredients
- The Greenhouse Cookbook: Plant-based Eating And Diy Juicing
- Vegan For Everybody: Foolproof Plant-based Recipes For Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, And In-between
- The Oh She Glows Cookbook: Vegan Recipes To Glow From The Inside Out
- Oh She Glows Every Day: Quick And Simply Satisfying Plant-based Recipes
- My New Roots: Inspired Plant-based Recipes For Every Season
- It All Begins With Food: From Baby’s First Foods To Wholesome Family Meals: Over 120 Delicious Recipes for Clean Eating and Healthy Living
- The Love and Lemons Cookbook: An Apple-to-Zucchini Celebration of Impromptu Cooking
What are some of YOUR favourite cookbooks?! Make sure to share them with us below in the comments section! Oh! If you already have some of the cookbooks mentioned above, make sure to share your favourite recipes out of them below as well!!
Bon Appétit!!
xo
Jilly
I love the Minimalist Baker cookbook. She also has a website by the same name. It’s all vegan and all either under 30 minutes prep, less than 10 ingredients or able to cook in one bowl. The recipes are all so good and mostly really easy to make with easily available ingredients. It’s the only cookbook we have that we regularly cook out of (the others are for special occasions / weekends only).
This one is amazing!
Isa Does It by Isa Chandra Moskowitz ?
I have used my Quinoa 365 The Everyday Superfood, immensely from breakfasts to dinners and every recipe I have tried has been enjoyed with no disappointment!! I recommend this cookbook to everyone. I have given it as gifts with a supply of quinoa to convert non Quinoa eaters, and have had great results!!
Just bought the Thug Kitchen: Fast as F*ck book. What a great series of books! Love their no bulls&$t, unapologetic attitude! Can’t wait to test drive some of the recipes!
Oh She Glows is my go to cookbook, I don’t think there is a recipe in those books that I haven’t loved! The Green Monster smoothie is the best for breakfast. The First Mess is a great cookbook and the author is Canadian! The Minimalist Baker is also a great cookbook, and both have gorgeous instagram feeds for inspiration. I also turn to Canadian Living’s website or cookbooks for everything you could possible think of to make!!
I second The First Mess! Laura is absolutely brilliant and her cookbook reflects that. Her breakfast cookies are a staple in my home. She’s also Canadian! ??
The first mess! Give a try- you won’t regret it!!!
Super off topic but I love those glasses!!! Can you share where they’re from?!
They are from Coastal.com http://rstyle.me/n/crum2tzb96
You should do a blog on your favourite cooking blog sites too!
Cookie and Kate just came out with her first cookbook this year. She has her own blog and that is how I got started on her recipes. She uses good down to earth ingredients that you would have in your kitchen and she is vegetarian/whole foods. I haven’t dug into her cookbook yet but she is definitely worth a try.
Oh, by the way, the cookbook by Cookie and Kate is called “Love Real Food”.
You’re totally missing out on Made With Love by Kelly Childs and Erin Weatherbie. They co-founded the most amazing gluten free vegan bakery in Burlington, Ontario alongside their vegan restaurant Lettuce Love Café. It’s a fantastic cookbook that I’ve found super accessible and super delicious – even for someone who isn’t fully vegan. 🙂 Regardless, I love this post. Super useful 😀
My favourite pasta has to be Spelt.
As I eat quite a bit of pasta (usually late night craving) yikes, I like to opt for a healthier version other than white or whole wheat.
Mostly, I just use garlic, olive oil, curry powder (often) and basil, throw in a few cherry tomatoes and… top it off with smoked salt. Mmmm….
I rarely use tomato sauce but when the craving strikes, add red wine ! Goes a long way, since Im drinking it anyway. Lol
Or, for pescatarians like myself, once in awhile throw in a can of sockeye salmon…then, more wine!
9 Spelt Flour Benefits
Aids Circulation. The copper and iron present in spelt flour allows this grain to aid blood circulation. …
Builds Strong Bones. …
Boosts Immune System. …
Aids Digestive Function. …
Decreases Cholesterol. …
Reduces High Blood Pressure. …
Lowers Blood Sugar Levels. …
High Source of Manganese.
Hi! Is Jason also a vegan? If he isn’t, then how do you juggle meals for him, you and Leo? I really want to try transitioning to this type of eating, but I know my husband will not be as receptive. I also have a picky 6 year old boy. Any advice or suggestions would be most appreciated!
I love Oh She Glows and Thug Kitchen – super easy recipes to follow (great for beginners) !! Another great resource is the website Vanilla and Bean ( https://vanillaandbean.com/ ).
I cannot wait for your cookbook with Tori ( hopefully your book tour will make its way to Toronto?) 😉
Thanks for sharing, Jill! XO
Plenty and Plenty More are 2 of my favorites. Not officially vegan books but they put veggies and grains at the heart of the recipes
Hubby and I made the decision to cut the meat and try vegan. Discovered Thug Kitchen -eat like you give a f*** 2 weeks ago. I have been cooking from it only. Love it! Great recipes! Very flavourful!
Minimalist Baker has some great recipes – so many vegan options! She has a blog too 🙂
JL Fields’ “Vegan Air Fryer” and “Vegan Pressure Cooking” 🙂 They rock! (Of course, then you need an InstantPot and an air fryer…but they’re great kitchen staples too!)
Umm I pretty much fainted when I saw this post, hah. I’m such a huge fan of you Jillian, and incredibly honoured to have my books on your shelf! (And that rainbow shelf organization, though!)
I have a lot of those same books too…so great. Some other ones I love are: The Vegetarian Flavor Bible (NOT a cookbook, but it tells you about all kinds of ingredients and the flavours they pair best with…it’s total dream if you love to create recipes which I know you do), Plenty (so creative and inspiring), Love Real Food, The First Mess, Minimalist Baker, Super Fresh, and sooo many others.
Really excited to hear more about your upcoming cookbook!
OMG!!! LOL!! I’m a huge fan of YOURS!!! Thank you so much for your brilliance in the kitchen, your recipes are AMAZING!!!!!!! Thank you so much for your recommendations!!! XOXOXO
Jillian – you should look into Kathryne Taylor’s book Love Real Food – both vegetarian, and vegan recipes. Her website “CookieandKate” was my first introduction, and her book has not disappointed.
Haha I love this!!
JL Fields’ “Vegan Pressure Cooking” and “The Vegan Air Fryer” – they rock! (Of course, you’ll need a pressure cooker and an air fryer…but they’re great to have too!)
We just discovered the Oh She Glows books (and app). I use the Thrive Energy Cookbook on occasion as well and the Pioneer Woman cookbooks – and just vegantarize the lol.
Great list :). You should check out the Whitewater Cooks cookbooks from Nelson, BC! There are four of them now and they include vegetarian, as well as meat and some vegan recipes using local ingredients!
All of the Whitewater cookbooks. I have all four and a fifth ones on the way.
One of my favorites is Health Happy Vegan Kitchen by Kathy Patalsky – I make her sweet potato chili, cashew pot pie, and chocolate chip cookies pretty much constantly. I just bought Eat Smart by Niomi Smart and that looks like it could be a contender for a new favorite (soooo many healthy snack and dessert recipes)!
White Water cookbooks are amazing for one of a kind, blow your mind flavors. I grew up in Nelson and my sister is friends with Shelly. Jillian, if you ever want an amazing little ‘get away’ I would recommend going to Nelson…it is pretty ‘magical’ and picturesque in any season. I would think a creative person like yourself would really appreciate all of the natural beauty. I’d love to see pictures if you ever go. It’s only 5 hours away.
YASSSSssss! Thank you!
Also: Any tips on “coming out” to your fam/friends/boyfriend as a vegan???
How did Justin handle it?
I’ve been Vegan for approx. 2 months now and that seems to be the hard part lol
Bon appetit
xxoo
Did you ever make your cookbook?
It’s still in the works 🙂 xoxo
Ani’s Raw Food Essentials: Recipes and Techniques for Mastering the Art of Raw Food Cooking by Ani Phyo is one of my favorites. It’s a great book to get you started using a dehydrator to make raw vegan foods. She is very inspiring and offers snacks, breakfast, lunches and dinners, desserts and nut milks. Definitely worth checking out!
I just recently converted to a whole food plant based diet and my go to cookbook is Forks Over Knives.
Where’s the winner of the vegan burger contest?!?! I can’t wait those pictures had me drooooling!
How the heck is Minimalist Baker not on here?!
I can’t wait for your cookbook! A few of my other favourites that you haven’t listed are Minimalist Baker and Plenty.
I will say that sometimes vegan recipes can include ALOT of obscure / expensive ingredients.
Living in Northern Ontario on a student budget made me realize just how hard (and costly) it can be to find z’atar or sorghum, for example.
I don’t believe that healthy eating should be a luxury, but rather, it’s a necessity that we all should be able to take part in, and so it would be really great if your cookbook could be just as down to earth as you seem to be and offer recipes that don’t require 24 obscure ingredients and 4 hours of meal prep on a Wednesday!
Keep it real!
Erin
Hi there! I am surprised no one mentioned in the comments any of the Isa Chandra-Moskowitz cookbooks! In my opinion, she really started the talk on “being vegan is cool” again and her cookbooks are some of the originals in the vegan world! She has a whole series including books focused on baking! I’ve had a hard time finding vegan baking cookbooks that produced fluffy and tasty results. Her “Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World” recipe book is my go to for when company comes over. Check it out!
Hey there! I watched your Instastory today and it breaks my heart that as parents we have to make these decisions on behalf of our children. I just wanted to let u know as a mother of 4 lovely, strong, healthy kids whatever you choose will b best! I have a son who is anaphylactic to all forms of animal milk (not my breast milk though). He has been living off of soy, cashew, almond milks for 5 years now and he is very happy and healthy. Now we are not vegetarian let alone vegan so he obtains all his required nutrients daily in his varied diet which includes red meats (he’s also anaphylactic to nuts and legumes and bean, chicken, fish, and eggs so finding all required nutrients would b all but impossible without red meat). Anyway I just wanted to let u know that between you and a qualified dietitian u should b able to come up with a plan that satisfies your desires for a cruelty free home and Leo’s nutritional needs. Take care and keep up the good work momma!
Thanks for this post, as one who is continually trying to eat more veggies it is nice to have some recommendations about great cookbooks. I just received one from my mother called this Cheese is Nuts, I attached the link. Amazing cheeses you can make at home that are relatively simple, ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen, although some do require some special equipment. Such a great book, you should consider making it part of your library.
https://www.amazon.ca/This-Cheese-Nuts-Delicious-Vegan/dp/0735213798/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1502728589&sr=8-1&keywords=this+cheese+is+nuts
Love this post Jillian! I just bought Love and Lemons and can’t wait to test out some recipes this weekend!
Thank you so much for posting about “it all begins with food” cookbook. I just received it today in the mail and am obsessed. I feel like every corner is folded over with things I want to try for my Two littles. Thanks so much and thank you for posting on insta and blogging and being so real. I love it! You’re an inspiration to so many woman. XO
My two fav cookbooks are by Angela from Oh She Glows! Also a shout out to Kelly Childs and her daughter Erinn Weatherbie. “Made with Love” is their cookbook and it is also sitting on my shelf. Jillian….next time you are in the Toronto area you need to visit their vegan restaurants in Burlington. Kelly’s Bake Shoppe and Lettuce Love…..AMAZING!! Both are Vegan! What is also amazing….is that Angela is from Oakville, Ontario. Yah for Ontario Canada!! WooHOOOOO!! 🙂
Great post!!
I’m considering switching to vegetarianism/veganism and am looking for cookbooks that focus on main entrees. For the most part, I’ll have no problem with breakfast and lunch but when it comes to dinner I have a hard time thinking of recipes where meat isn’t involved and the veggies aren’t just sides. I love cooking and am not scared to get creative but I also am not going to be cooking a 5-course meal every night. Any specific suggestions?
Hey Jillian – ? everything…..just wondering where i can purchase the green storage jars you have in your pantry …thx Erin
I found these at HomeSense but there are similar ones on Wayfair!! XO