We’ve listed our favourite books that focus on wholesome, nutritious food – ideal if you're looking for a last-minute Christmas gift or a treat for yourself to enjoy after the festivities.
1. Eat Yourself Healthy: An Easy-to-digest Guide to Health and Happiness from the Inside Out by Dr Megan Rossi (Penguin Life, Hardback/Ebook/Audiobook, September 2019)
Many of us complain of digestive issues and this book takes a practical and scientific approach to gut health. Dr Megan Rossi, known as The Gut Health Doctor, is a registered dietitian and nutritionist with an award-winning PhD in gut health. She explains how what you eat can affect your gut, brain, and energy. A leading Research Fellow at King's College London, Dr Rossi is currently investigating nutrition-based therapies in gut health, as well as leading The Gut Health Clinic.
2. Pinch of Nom Quick & Easy: 100 Delicious, Slimming Recipes by Kate Allinson and Kay Featherstone (Bluebird, Hardback/Ebook, 10 December 2020)
Just published, this is the perfect Christmas gift for friends and family (or yourself!). This is the third recipe book in the Pinch of Nom series and does exactly what it says on the cover: 100 delicious, no NOM-sense meals that are minimum fuss with maximum flavour!
3. Real Fast Food: 350 Recipes Ready to Eat in 30 minutes by Nigel Slater (Michael Joseph, Hardback/Ebook/Audiobook, October 2013)
During lockdown, many of us have been working from home which has encouraged us to cook more often. Cooking can sometimes feel like a chore, but this classic book from the prolific Nigel Slater comes to the rescue. This was Nigel’s first book and was conceived as a book of ideas to make something nice to eat when you come in from work. It has sold over a million copies and has been in print ever since it was first published in 1983. The recipes focus on fresh ingredients and meals that can be made in 30 minutes or less. The writing is clear and straightforward and includes lots of easy recipes to please many a household.
4. A Modern Way to Eat by Anna Jones (Fourth Estate, Hardback/Ebook, June 2014)
Anna writes from the premise that food should be delicious, healthy, local, fast, cheap and good for the planet. If this resonates with you, then Anna’s simple, seasonal and vegetarian recipes will inspire you. Hailed as groundbreaking when it was first published, Anna has gone on to write two more books and also writes for the Guardian.
5. How To Build A Healthy Brain: Reduce Stress, Anxiety and Depression and Future-Proof Your Brain by Kimberley Wilson (Yellow Kite, Hardback/Ebook/Audiobook, March 2020)
Kimberley's philosophy of ‘Whole Body Mental Health’ is a comprehensive approach to mental health care, integrating evidence-based nutrition and lifestyle factors with psychological therapy. As a nutrition-trained Chartered Psychologist, Kimberley has a big following on Instagram as @foodandpsych and through her Stronger Minds podcast.
6. The Quick Roasting Tin: 30 Minute One Dish Dinners by Rukmini Iyer (Square Peg, Hardcover/Ebook, May 2019)
Cooking from scratch is the only way to go if you want to eat healthily. This can be tricky when you’re short on time. In this clever book, Rukmini shows that cooking can be quick, easy and delicious with this traybake recipe book. The book has 75 recipes that take no longer than 10 minutes to prepare and a maximum of 30 minutes in the oven. These can be easily to adapted depending on what you have in the fridge and cupboard, so no long ingredient lists to shop for either. Perfect stuff for midweek cooking.