4 gift-worthy cookbooks for friends & family

Applying creativity to cooking transforms a chore into a delicious healthy habit. Engaging, sensual, and satisfying— Yes to that, every flipping day.

Maintaining a steady diet of outside inspiration while messing around with new skills is key to consistency. A few books can help here.

I piled through an absurd number of cookbooks as I developed The One & Done Cookbook. I found shelves of repeats masked in their corresponding decade trends (ie the dark ages of low-fat dieting or the endless blobby illustrations of late). Per the request of my mini SF apartment, I’m only allowed a few keepers.

These are the books I continue to reference and the ones I gift to new and seasoned home cooks alike.

Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat.

Samin Nosrat translated the inner workings of a food savant into practical principles that make for successful cooking experimentation. In the words of tech-bros everywhere, “10X your cooking bro!”

The Vegetarian Flavor Bible

Eternal gratitude to Karen Page for delivering the universe flavor combinations to mere mortals. Take any ingredient and open up to the accompanying page of hundreds (not joking) of success-guaranteed combinations. This book is not a starting place. Consider it a great way to mix up familiar food.

Cook Without A Book

A seasoned chef and recipe developer, Pam Anderson shared her expertise to master a few foundational dishes. Disclaimer, this book is comprehensive to the point of decision fatigue, so perhaps consider it a weekend read. However, if you want to hop off the crutch of measuring every last ingredient, give this book a whirl.

The One & Done Cookbook

Nearly-shameless plug, I do use my own cookbook a few times a week. Honestly, I wrote these recipes for myself. Each recipe has variation ideas that make creative cooking fun and fail-safe. If I’m too tired to riff, I know the baseline version will be easy and delicious.

I feel regularly creative in the kitchen when I’m confident and relaxed. This will be good, this will be healthy. I can do this.

Baked Sweet Potato Enchiladas

This recipe combines spicy sauce with gooey baked sweet potatoes to recreate the familiar enchilada experience.

Prep to table: 60 to 75 minutes I Serves: 4

4 medium sweet potatoes
1 (15-ounce) can red enchilada sauce
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 to 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese, plus more if needed

Serving suggestion

2 limes, cut into wedges
Sour cream
4 green onions, thinly sliced
Fresh cilantro, chopped
2 avocados, sliced
Enchilada sauce

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Pierce each sweet potato a few times with a fork and place on a sheet pan. Roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until soft when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven.

This photo was contributed by Stacie and Toby Webb, who live in Maine. It’s among their favorite recipes from The One & Done Cookbook.

Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise. Holding each sweet potato half by its tip, gently mash the insides with a fork.

Top each sweet potato half with enchilada sauce, a scoop of black beans, and a sprinkle of cheese, and roast for another 15 to 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Serve with the toppings in individual bowls.

Easy ingredient swaps