The Best Cookbooks for A Clean Eating Lifestyle
Okay, everyone...we officially have roughly 1 week until the end of the DECADE...or year, I guess if you are not as dramatic as me! And I don’t know about you all but one of the biggest lifestyle changes I have made over the past couple of years is eating healthier. As I get older I have realized that a happy life truly starts at what you are fueling your body with. Now, I am not saying I cut out the fun stuff entirely (cake is just too good NOT to eat) but it was just the matter of making healthier choices. The word “diet” can sometimes be a little overwhelming and you don’t even know where to start. I totally understand that. So I have compiled a list of my recent favorite cookbooks that I promise will deliver not only super healthy meal options that are easy to adjust to your lifestyle/intentions but most importantly, THEY TASTE GOOD!
Have you ever traveled to certain countries and looked at the beautiful, happy, youthful people around you and thought “Okay, I need to know what THEY are eating...because WOW!”? Well, Dan Buettner had those same thoughts and dove into decades-long research to find out exactly what those people are eating by traveling to the happiest communities all over the world. Every dish uses ingredients and cooking methods proven to increase to increase longevity, wellness, and mental health. With dishes ranging from Okinawan Sweet Potatoes to Costa Rican Hearts of Palm Ceviche you are sure to find something that will please your palate.
Of course, I had to include the queen of health herself, Gwyneth Paltrow. Pretty much anytime Gwyneth provides wise words of health I follow what she says religiously. Her recipes always focus on clean ingredients and exciting flavors that are very flexible and easy to adjust to your lifestyle. Beyond the amazing recipes, The Clean Plate offers meal plans and cleanses supported by Gwyneth’s team of nutritional experts and doctors. So whether you are looking for a total detox or just some easy weeknight recipes, you will find it in this book!
I have been a long time fan of Juli Bauer and her blog, Paleomg. If you haven’t checked her out, you need to! She is absolutely hilarious and completely relatable. Everything about her is extremely approachable, including her recipes. My copy of this cookbook is covered in stains and has been through the wringer and for a good reason...her recipes are SO GOOD!!! It is quite simple, she focuses on whole delicious foods that are still exciting and won’t make you miss the junk at all. This cookbook is perfect if you are a picky eater or if you aren’t too sure about making the switch to gluten-free. Because trust me, after you have tried a bite of her buffalo chicken casserole or layered flourless chocolate cake, you won’t even notice that they are sans gluten.
“Food should make you feel sexy,” say Danielle Duboise and Whitney Tingle, founders of the popular organic nutritional program, Sakara Life. And if that isn’t the truth then I don’t know what is! In their debut cookbook, this duo delivers nourishing delicious recipes along with rituals to achieve nutritional harmony in your life. Because why should you ever dread eating a meal and the feelings that come after it? Danielle and Whitney teach us how to create a healthy dialogue with both our bodies and our plates that will empower us to become our own chef and ultimate healer by using food as medicine.
Options. Sometimes that is all we need! It is easy to get hung up on what and what not to eat. When honestly, we just need to be asking ourselves simple things like “What vegetables are in season?” or “What am I in the mood for?”, The Goodful Cookbook has all of the answers you are looking for. With over 150 recipes there is something for every season, mood, and diet! This cookbook makes being mindful of what you are nourishing your body with extremely easy and creating a healthy lifestyle totally attainable.
By guest editor,
Alicia (IG: @thebookishpuff)
About the guest editor:
Alicia is currently the resident blogger over at The Bookish Puff and aspiring author. Raised under the southern sun she is a true eternal optimist with a deep love of history, stories, and a shameless addiction to caffeine. When she’s not on the internet writing about books, you can find her baking up a storm in her kitchen, watching true crime documentaries, sipping on coffee while chatting with friends, or getting lost in nature. She currently lives with her boyfriend and two crazy cats in Charleston, South Carolina in the United States.