I am a cookbook geek.  Whenever I have a few minutes to myself, one of my favorite things to do is read through a good cookbook.  In the same way most people devour a delicious novel, I pour over every page of a new cookbook hoping to uncover inspiration and new ideas.  It seems like a tempting new cookbook hits the bookshelves every other day, and since I don’t have unlimited funds I have to be quite choosy about what to buy.

Here are a few cookbooks I’m seriously digging these days:

Super Natural Everyday: Well-loved Recipes from My Natural Foods Kitchen by Heidi Swanson

Oh, this book is good.  So, so good.  The photos are gorgeous and the recipes are delightfully pure and simple.  I can’t wait to toss this in my reusable shopping bag every Tuesday as I head out to the farmers market.  Should be a good guide for making use of the freshest ingredients available.

Tart And Sweet: 101 Canning and Pickling Recipes for the Modern Kitchen by Kelly Geary and Jessie Knadler

Last summer I got into canning, and as a result we enjoyed fresh tomato flavors even in the dead of winter.  Now that I have a firm grasp on the basics of this lost domestic art form, I feel ready to branch out a bit with new flavors and ingredients.  This book will be my new best friend all summer as I scour the farmers markets for lovely fruits and vegetables.  And the photos are charming, too!

New Indian Home Cooking by Madhu Gadia

As I’ve written about before, Indian food ranks high on my list of favorite cuisines.  Until recently, I was very intimidated by it; so many new spices and techniques…or so I thought.  I asked my friend Eliza for a good Indian cookbook, and she recommended this as her go-to guide (she is married to an Indian man, so I quickly took her word for it!).  Turns out, Indian food is incredibly easy, economical and forgiving.  And I’ve found that most dishes taste better the next day, so I usually make a big batch to last for two dinners.

A Spoonful of Ginger: Irresistible, Health-Giving Recipes from Asian Kitchens by Nina Simonds

As a rule, I am not a big fan of Chinese food.  It tends to be too greasy and flat for my palette.  I had a sneaking suspicion the problem wasn’t Chinese cuisine, but rather the way it is prepared here in America.  So, I took a leap of faith and purchased this book, and I haven’t regretted it since.  Every recipe has turned out bright and flavorful, and the author’s descriptions of how certain foods can promote well-being and healthfulness really inspire me to cook in a more thoughtful manner.