Hi, friends! I hope you’re enjoying your weekend! I went to CrossFit this morning (my first WOD at the new box!) and then ran a bunch of errands, which included a trip to the grocery store. I’m actually really excited about this week’s dinners because I received two new cookbooks to inspire my meal planning:
Both authors sent me their cookbooks to check out, so I’ll be sure to review them on CNC once I’ve had a chance to read through them more and try some of the recipes.
There also may or may not be some giveaways in the near future to win a copy of your own! 
Here’s this week’s meal plan:
- Sunday: Ropa Vieja from The Paleo Slow Cooker
- Monday: Sweet Potato Enchiladas from More Peas, Thank You
- Tuesday: Teriyaki-Glazed Salmon and Brussels sprouts
- Wednesday: Slow Cooker Philly Cheesesteaks
- Thursday: Leftovers
- Friday: Out-of-town
- Saturday: Out-of-town
And here’s this week’s grocery shopping:
Produce.
Meat and dairy.
Canned and boxed goods, bakery, and nuts/nut butter.
Questions of the Day
What’s your favorite new cookbook?
What’s your favorite old/go-to cookbook?
{ 56 comments… read them below or add one }
I recently got “Hungry Girl: To the Max” cookbook and I love it! My go-to cookbook are any of the vegetarian cookbooks I have in my cupboard. I cannot wait to see the recipe for sweet potato enchiladas (if you share it)! That’s what caught my eye on your meal plan this week
I’m currently in love with all the recipes on Pinterest! I just made a Chicken Burrito Bowl that is AWESOME!!! (paleo friendly too!)
I really like Paleo Comfort Foods by Julie and Charles Mayfield. I don’t fully subscribe to the paleo diet (my love for Nutella and ice cream is far too strong), but this book is full of awesome recipes that taste like hearty, down home cooking.
I need some more healthy cookbooks! The majority of mine are desserts, lol. A good, tasty healthy book would be so fun! I don’t have a set cookbook, I just kinda “experiment”.
Ah! You just reminded me I need to do my own meal plan this week!
I don’t have a favorite cookbook… yet. I’ve been finding all my recipes online! I need to save some pennies up and invest on some good ones soon
My favourite current cookbook is The Little Paris Kitchen. My favourite all time is a Weight Watchers Mediterranean cookbook. I’m Paleo now but that cookbook gave me and my friends and family some great meals!
One of my favorite cookbooks is Hungry Girl: To the Max or 200 under 200. I don’t make all the recipes because some have processed foods.. but Lisa Lillien has some fantastic ideas in there!
slow cooker philly cheesesteaks?! sounds yummy and easy! can you post the recipe?!
-AJ
FitTravelerAJ.blogspot.com
@AJ: Will do!
Do you ever find that you break out at all when you eat a lot of dairy and/or nuts? I am curious because I have been struggling with hormonal breakouts and started eating vegan. I always veer towards eating nuts/nut butters but have also read they can cause issues.
I cannot wait to see how the sweet potato enchiladas turn out!
My favorite cookbooks (old and new) are all three of the Happy Herbivore cookbooks. They are AMAZING!!!
old school betty crocker was the first cookbook I ever got. it was from my mom and it was the first one she ever got too! Holds a special place.
Even though we aren’t following the Paleo diet, I love the recipes in the Practical Paleo book.
The sweet potato enchiladas sound interesting!
I want the paleo slow cooker book!
@Sara @ fitcupcaker: It’s great so far!
I have a couple America’s Test Kitchen cookbooks that I really like.
Do you have any tips on how to stick to your meal plan throughout the week? I always try to map out my week’s meals, but as unexpected things come up during the week or I’m exhausted when I come home, I find it hard to stick to the plan (i.e. too tired to cook). Thus, food may go bad or I end up eating poorly. Any thoughts or previous posts on the matter?
@Kristina @Run and Assimilate: I do a lot of prep on the weekends (roasting veggies, cooking meat, etc.), which helps me stick to my meal plan when things get busy. I also try to prep things mid-week, like preparing extra rice, so part of my meals are already set to go when I go to cook them. Maybe I’ll write a post on this topic soon!
I love the Clean Food recipe book. It is divided into seasons which makes it great when i’m in a funk and not sure what to cook! The summer recipes are insanely delicious! I also use my Healthy College Cooking cookbook when i’m looking for a fast, easy, healthy meal!
My all-time favorite cookbook is the original Hungry Girl cookbook. Her recipes are super simple and I usually have the right ingredients already in my pantry.
My favorite new/fancier cookbooks are the Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook and Tangy, Tart, Hot and Sweet by Padma Lakshmi. I love anything and everything spicy
I love bethanny frankels cook books!
xoxo
Mags
http://www.magsmind22.blogspot.com
My new favorite cookbook is Karma Chow. I completed Beachbody 21 Ultimate Reset in January and have tried to maintain a similar lifestyle. I’m not completely vegan but have remained vegetarian. I’ll check out the 2 you posted.
I have a cookbook called the Ski House Cookbook. I haven’t made a lot from it, but every recipe I have tried has been a winner!
I also just got the Practical Paleo cookbook, and am excited to try the recipes! So far I’ve only done the roasted sweet potato, the cauliflower hummus, and the tahini-coconut butter balls dessert. All yummy.
Any particular recommendations to try?
@Kim: I LOVE the curried sweet potato coins. The seasoning is amazing in mashed sweet potatoes too!
Can I just say how sad I am that I can not find that Teddie’s anywhere?! I want to try it so bad bcuz I know you love it but I cant find it.
You can buy it on Amazon or OpenSky!
I love new cookbooks…especially those that involve my slow cooker. I was just flipping through my favorite slow cooker book for our week in meal planning. I had no idea that Mama Pea had a new cookbook. Her first cookbook is great and I can’t wait to see those enchiladas, so make sure to share your pictures!
I always seem to use the internet as a cookbook… but the recipes are not always reliable. I also used the Joy of Cooking
My dad’s recipes that he has been handing down to me over the years will one day rest in a cookbook. For now, the giant pile of recipes are my favorite!
Has to be any of Australian “Bill Granger” cookbooks…simple everyday cooking that works using basic ingredients!
My go-to is “Make it Paleo”. I love the photography – the food looks so beautiful – and the recipes are for the most part simple.
Lately I’ve been doing a lot of Pinterest and blog-trolling for recipes. Good for when I have something random I don’t know how to make into a real dish (or realize that I am about to make ground beef for the ninth meal in a row and have exhausted all of my make-ground-beef-exciting options).
@Emily: I need to check out “Make It Paleo!”
I never use a cookbook anymore. I take my iPad into the kitchen and I am at skinnytaste quite often. I love Gina’s recipes!
I have been googling recipes lately, but I do love Veganomicon.
Just received my copy of “Carrots n Cake” in the mail the other day, can’t wait to try out the recipes in there, I’m sure they’ll be great!!
Yay! Hope you love it!
I’ve been loving Aida Mollenkamp’s Keys to the Kitchen and The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook. My friends have been raving about the recipes on the emeals.com site (subscription service).
Can’t wait to check out More Peas and Thank You, so lucky! One of my favorite old books is Ani’s Raw Food Kitchen.
I’m actually a fan of everyday paleo which I found out about here, on your blog! I also use your book, Carrots ‘N’ Cakes, for a lot of my go to easy recipes
I’m also a fan of using online recipe “books” such as skinny taste, dashing dash ,and can you stay for dinner!
@Maureen @ Breaking Free & Finding Me: I love Skinny Taste!
My favorite cookbooks are anything by Alton Brown – after going through those I was able to cook basically anything I find online successfully!
My favorite Go-To cookbook is the “Joy of Cooking.” You can literally look up any ingredient that you have on hand and make a recipe with it. I love it!
I also love any of the Moosewood Cookbooks and “Clean Food.”
@Sarah (The Simple Dietitian): Have you seen Mollie Katzen’s “The Vegetable Dishes I Can’t Live Without”? It’s one of my favs!
I have Sarah’s first cookbook and its great so I can’t wait to check out her new one.
My go-to cookbook is my grandmother’s 40 year old copy of Clarita’s Cocina. It’s packed full of traditional Cuban/Spanish recipes (including an amazing Ropa Vieja!) that I’ve used to teach me how to cook traditional family recipes that have been long gone since my grandmother passed away.
I’m new to your blog…just found it in a google search! I follow a few blogs faithfully and I’m excited to find a blogger in Massachuestts, as that is where I live! As for cookbooks, I actually go to pinterest a lot as well as foodgawker.com.
@Christine: Welcome to CNC!
The is off-topic, but are you still doing the Zooma run in Annapolis? I finally got my butt in gear and signed up last week! Very excited.
@Danielle: I am!!!
I’m really excited for the 2nd book from Sarah, I loved her first one!
we have been studying the Mediterranean Diet.
What do you think of it?
I don’t know all that much about it. Since you’ve been studying it, what do you think about it?
My favorite go-to cookbooks are “Cooks Illustrated Cookbook” and “How to Cook Everything.” Both of these are must-haves in any kitchen! Gotta try the Cooks Illustrated Tortilla Soup! It’s the best Tortilla Soup I’ve ever had by far!
I haven’t invested in any cookbooks, I have learned everything I know about cooking from my mother and grandfather who used to own a restaurant in France! When I need inspiration for new recipes I like to use my all recipes app on my phone it is great for narrowing down what kind of meal you want to make! You can search ingredients or health criteria to help you narrow down what you are looking for.
Strange how my little girl at three just loves peas. I couldn’t stand them as a kid but when she’s a little hungry she’ll actually go to the vegetable bin and pull out some pods, pop them open and eat those peas. I feel a little lucky on this one, but I can’t get her within two yards of a brussel sprout.
My fave is 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer – it literally tells you how to curry ANYTHING and EVERYTHING, with delicious results.
And it gives you great exposure to new spices!
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