Simple Healthy Cookbooks: my favorites for food on the table in record time

If you’re like me, you want three things. One, to feed your family healthy and delicious meals. Two, to not spend all day slaving over a hot stove. And three… self-cleaning kitchens. I can’t help you with the third thing! But I can recommend my favorite simple healthy cookbooks to help you with the first two!

Simple Healthy Cookbooks: 3 favorites to help you get delicious, healthy food on the table, fast

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For families with food allergies, chronic illness (or just busy or tired mamas!)

It’s called Glorious One-Pot Meals: A Revolutionary New Quick and Healthy Approach to Dutch-Oven Cooking, by Elizabeth Yarnell.

The book has an interesting backstory. The author, Elizabeth, has multiple sclerosis. After her diagnosis, she realized that she needed to eat a healthy, anti-inflammatory diet to support her condition. She also needed to make it easier for herself with a one-pot cooking method that would make meal prep and cleanup a snap.

Why it’s awesome:

The GOPM method is patented. Yarnell developed her revolutionary “infusion-cooking” technique because she didn’t like how slow-cookers turn things to mush. GOPM retains the crisp-tender quality of vegetables, keeping their bright color, but also thoroughly cooks whole grains and meats. All at the same time.

Everything, from protein to grain to vegetables, goes into ONE pot and is a complete meal. You don’t even have to cook a side dish or make a salad. It’s nutritious and easy. And only one dish to clean (and a knife, if you want to get technical)! 

Who needs it most:

Anyone who suffers from a chronic illness would benefit incredibly, but honestly? Any mom who wants to feed her family well without spending much time. Anyone who is tired or busy.

You can get the entire meal in the pot in 20 minutes (even when using frozen meats), and 45 minutes later it emerges, perfectly cooked, from the oven. And once you learn the stacking method explained in the book, you can apply it to your own recipes. So simple!

*Glorious One-Pot Meals is especially useful to gluten and dairy-free families, as nearly all of the recipes avoid these allergens.

For moms with a new baby

I’ll never forget how this cookbook came into my life. It was shortly after the birth of my third baby. I was crying on the phone to my sister about how messy my house was. And I didn’t know how I was going to be able to get dinner on the table ever again. I had reached kid critical mass!

Enter The One-Armed Cook: Quick and Easy Recipes, Smart Meal Plans, and Savvy Advice for New (and Not-So-New) Moms.

I don’t know how my big sis found out about this cookbook, but it rocked my socks for years! Without it, my family would have gone hungry or spent way too much on takeout.

Why it’s awesome:

Literally every recipe in this book can be prepared… wait for it… with a baby on the hip. Meaning you can make it all without chopping anything. With one hand (hence the title!). And the recipes are amazing! That third baby is now 20, and I’m still cooking from this book!

Who needs it most:

New moms! This is an awesome baby shower gift, and one that will actually get USED for years. I’ve already worn through two copies. The Blender Coconut Pie is not to be missed. (Yes kids, you throw everything in the blender, pour into a pan, and out comes a pie. No lie.)  I still make the Simple Black Bean Soup, Lentil-Rice Casserole, and many other recipes from this cookbook regularly.

What’s more, the recipes are healthy and delicious. Even a bit fancy, something you wouldn’t mind taking to a party or showing off to your mother-in-law. But still easily put together while you wear baby in a sling.

The One-Armed Cook includes breakfast/brunch, dinner, side dishes and desserts. And it even tells you how to entertain and throw parties with a new baby. So fun! It also has meal plans for the recipes – perfect for those sleep-deprived postpartum weeks when you’re too tired to think.

*Many of the recipes contain gluten and dairy, so not the best pick for allergic families

Budget Bytes: for budget friendly, everyday meals 

Budget Bytes: Over 100 Easy, Delicious Recipes to Slash Your Grocery Bill in Half was written by one of my all-time favorite food bloggers, Beth Moncel.

I’d been a subscriber to her email newsletter for ages before I realized she had a paper cookbook. I bought it and it’s been a favorite since.

Why it’s awesome:

The recipes are basic but not boring, and they emphasize foods that are budget friendly. The recipes are simple and great for everyday family fare.

Who needs it most:

Anyone who wants to save money in the kitchen without becoming Caroline Ingalls.

So there you have it! Three of my favorite simple healthy cookbooks that have made family dinner possible in my house for many years. Since cooking and eating at home is a major part of how I save money while feeding a large family, I’m grateful for them!

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