Here’s a list of my favorite books that have helped me on my journey and that I think can help you. If you heard me mention a book in a lecture, consult or interview, it’s probably here.

Choosing a cookbook

First of all, when I choose a cookbook I look for these qualifications:

  • Reader friendly, meaning that the layout needs to be appealing to me.
  • The ingredients listed in the recipes include the types of food I like to cook with …. I was going to list a few but decided I”ll point you to my shopping list page (I’ll post it soon).
  • Unique-ness factor needs to be high, whether it’s the ingredients used, or the extra-curricular information that the chef/author shares.

What I do when I get a new book is read through the intro pages to get a sense of the chef’s philosophy and approach. Usually, after looking through their recipes I come up with variations of my own. (This is something I can teach you how to do.)

Vegetarian, Macrobiotic books

  • The Gluten-Free Vegan; Susan O’Brien
  • The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook; Joanne Stepaniak
  • The Garden of Eating, a Produce-dominated Diet and Cookbook; Rachel Albert-Matesz and Don Matesz
  • Uprisings, The Whole Grain Bakers’ Book; The Cooperative Whole Grain Educational Association
  • The Splendid Grain; Rebbecca Wood
  • The Self-Healing Cookbook, A Macrobiotic Primer for Healing Body, Mind and Moods with Whole, Natural Foods; Kristina Turner
  • The Changing Seasons Macrobiotic Cookbook; Aveline Kushi and Wendy Esko
  • Complete Vegetarian Kitchen, Where Good Flavors and Good Health Meet; Lorna Sass
  • The Higher Taste, A Guide to Gourmet Vegetarian Cooking and a Karma-Free Diet; International Society for Krishna Consciousness
  • The New Laurel’s Kitchen; Laurel Robertson, Carol Flinders and Brian Ruppenthal
  • Amazing Grains, Creating Vegetarian Main Dishes with Whole Grains; Joanne Saltzman

Raw Food cookbooks and reference books

  • I am Grateful, Recipes and Lifestyle of Café Gratitude; Terces Engelhart with Orchid
  • Confessions of a Body Builder, Rejuvenating the Body with Spirulina, Chlorella, Raw Foods
  • Rainbow Green Live-Food Cuisine; Gabriel Cousens, MD
  • Raw, The Uncook Book, New Vegetarian Food for Life; Juliano with Erika Lenkert
  • Raw Food, Real World; Matthew Kenney and Sarma Melngailis
  • Raw Food for Busy People; Jordan Maerin
  • Raw in Ten Minutes; Bryan Au
  • Raw Power, Building Strength and Muscle Naturally; Stephan Arlin

Other great cookbooks

  • Cooking with Sea Vegetables; Peter and Montse Bradford
  • One Bite at a Time, Nourishing Recipes for Cancer Survivors and Their Friends; Rebbecca Katz with Marsha Tomassi and Mat Edelson
  • Nourishing Traditions; Sally Fallon
  • The Transfat Free Kitchen; Ronni Litz Julien, MS, RD, LDN
  • The Improvisational Cook; Sally Schneider
  • Wait a Minute … I’ll Get You My Recipe; Carol Brandon Bergeron
  • Yogi in the Kitchen, More Than 100 Enlightened, Delicious, Healthful Recipes for Body and Soul; Elaine Gavalas, MA, MS
  • Cook Right For Your Type; Dr. Peter J. D’Adamo