By admin
On their journeys to discovering what it means to eat healthy, registered dietitians often rely on healthy cookbooks to help light their way. Of course, R.D.s will be the first ones to tell you that healthy eating doesn’t have a clean or simple definition, and neither do so-called healthy cookbooks. Healthy eating can mean so many different things to so many different people, and R.D.s use healthy cookbooks the same way we all do: as a way to learn and be inspired to incorporate healthy eating practices into our lives.
That’s why we asked some of our favorite R.D.s to share with us the cookbooks they turn to again and again. These 25 healthy cookbooks perfectly capture some of the many different ways people eat healthy, and the fact that there’s no one right way to do it in the first place. From the plant-based to the budget focused, they’ll show you that, more often than not, it’s not about the “diet”—and that, in some cases, the healthiest thing about eating is the joy it brings you. There’s a cookbook for you in this list below.
All products featured on SELF are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
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Amazon1 Budget Bytes, by Beth Moncel
“Beth from Budget Bytes shows us that cutting back on food costs doesn’t have to mean compromising flavor. She has over 100 simple, healthy, and flavorful recipes. In her book, she breaks down preparation and provides great visuals to make cooking more approachable and easy to do.” —Wendy Lopez, M.S., R.D., C.D.E.
Buy it: $9, amazon.com
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Amazon2 Ottolenghi Simple, by Yotam Ottolenghi
“This cookbook is designed for busy cooks and uses the SIMPLE acronym to tell you the level of intricacy needed for each recipe: S for short on time, I for ten ingredients or fewer, M for make ahead, P for pantry-led, L for lazy-day dishes, E for easier than you think. The idea is to remove the guesswork so the home cook can choose a dish, dive in, and make it.
“One of my favorite recipes is the scrambled harissa tofu from the brunch section. It can be made quickly and is bursting with flavor. I also love the grilled beefsteak tomatoes with chili, garlic, and ginger. The combination of sweetness from the tomato and spicy from the chili, garlic, and ginger is a perfect pairing for so many dishes.” —Maya Feller, M.S., R.D., C.D.N. of Brooklyn-based Maya Feller Nutrition
Buy it: $25, amazon.com
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Amazon3 Good and Cheap: Eat Well on $4 a Day, by Leanne Brown
“I love that this book doesn’t have any information about calories, special diets, or weight loss. The author explicitly says, ‘This is not a diet book!’ The recipes are full of colorful vegetables and fruits and other nutrient-rich foods at an affordable price. This is the kind of book that hits my sweet spot of including inherently healthy eating patterns as opposed to calorie counts and food rules.
“The introduction is a useful combination of the author’s food philosophy and approach for plant-forward recipes on $4 a day, including tips for eating and shopping well and pantry ‘basics.’ Then recipes are organized by meals and snacks, including a creative category, ‘handheld foods.’ The book also has tips on what to do with leftovers, cooking seasonally, and a kitchen equipment review.” — Rebecca Scritchfield, R.D.N., author of Body Kindness
Buy it: $15, amazon.com
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Amazon4 Washoku: Recipes From the Japanese Home Kitchen, by Elizabeth Andoh
“Because I was born and raised in Japan, I often cook Japanese food at home for comfort. This book does a beautiful job of detailing typical ingredients used in Japanese cuisine as well as different cooking methods. The dishes you’ll find in this book may be not the ‘typical’ food you’d find in the restaurants in the U.S., but it has classic Japanese recipes that are well balanced and healthy.
“Personally, I enjoy cooking quick and easy to make vegetable side dishes from the book to add some nutrition to my meals. I often cook kinpira gobo—stir-fried shredded gobo (burdock root) with carrots. Burdock root is my favorite vegetable. It’s widely used in Asian culture, and often used in Chinese traditional medicine as well, and you usually find it most Asian supermarkets. It’s abundant in dietary fiber and a great source of trace minerals. [I also cook with] other common ingredients from the book, like hijiki, a type of seaweed that’s rich in fiber.” —Miho Hatanaka, R.D.N
Buy it: $40, amazon.com
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Amazon5 The Pescatarian Cookbook: The Essential Kitchen Companion, by Cara Harbstreet
“I’ve been trying to learn more about cooking with fish, so this is one of the newest additions to my cookbook collection! Written by a dietitian, all the recipes are well balanced, affordable, and easy to prepare. [Harbstreet] includes shopping lists, three weeks of meal plan ideas, blank meal plan and shopping list templates, as well as meal prep tips and suggestions on how to stock your kitchen. There is also a guide to picking out the best seafood and how to prep and store it. It’s a great introduction to eating a pescatarian diet and including more fish, even if you are (like me!) also eating other animal proteins.” —Alissa Rumsey, M.S., R.D, nutrition therapist and owner of Alissa Rumsey Nutrition and Wellness
Buy it: $10, amazon.com
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Amazon6 The Southern Comfort Food Diabetes Book, by Maya Feller, M.S., R.D.
“Maya does an excellent job sharing the cultural history of some traditional recipes and providing new recipes and flavorful substitutions throughout. The recipes are creative, delicious, and fun! Her Gullah rice recipe is so full of flavor, and I love that it’s a one-pot dish! The cauliflower hushpuppies are so creative, and her North Carolina fish stew takes me back to my days growing up in the South. I love making all of these.
“This cookbook shows off the healthfulness of traditional foods of the South. Though diabetes is in the title, it’s perfect for anyone wanting healthy recipes. It also includes a backgrounder on living and eating with diabetes and lists of naturally healthy Southern ingredients and pantry essentials so that readers have all they need to get started cooking.” —Marisa Moore, M.B.A., R.D.N., L.D. in Atlanta
Buy it: $13, amazon.com
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Amazon7 28 Day Plant-Powered Health Reboot, by Jessica Jones and Wendy Lopez
“This is a great book to introduce you to or get back to a majority plant-based eating lifestyle. The authors start by describing what it means to be plant-based and go on to teach you about macronutrients and important vitamins and minerals your body needs, and offer tips on how to grocery shop and meal plan.
“The recipe section is organized by meals, making it easy to find a recipe based on what meal you’re cooking, and each recipe is designed for one to two servings and includes macronutrient information. You’ll find recipes from all sorts of cuisines!” —Maxine C. Yeung, M.S., R.D., C.P.T., and creator of The Wellness Whisk
Buy it: $9, amazon.com
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Amazon8 Peace, Love, and Fibre, by Mairlyn Smith
“It’s hard to say which recipe is my favorite in this fiber-rich cookbook. Lentil and wheatberry salad with strawberries and mint, pumpkin griddle cakes, and potato and asparagus salad with basil and arugula pesto are a few. The book contains essential information such as why fiber is so important, fiber requirements for different age groups, portable ’emergency’ fiber snacks, and a handy grain cooking chart. I love this book for its recipes, but also for Mairlyn’s sense of humor (she was a Second City comedian!) and the incredibly beautiful photos.” —Abby Langer, R.D.
Buy it: $18, amazon.com
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Amazon9 The Essential Vegetable Cookbook, by Sammi Haber Brondo
“For anyone who isn’t sure how to make vegetables taste good, this book is for you. Anytime I have veggies in the fridge that I’m not sure what to do with, I default to this book. One year and countless recipes later, it has never steered me wrong.” —Jessica Jones, M.S., R.D., C.D.E.
Buy it: $15, amazon.com
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Amazon10 Soul: A Chef’s Culinary Evolution in 150 Recipes, by Todd Richards
“This cookbook speaks to me. I have always said that food is like religion. As Richards says, ‘Today I know a certain truth: Food is a religion of its own. Different regions have produced great preachers of cuisine.’ Richards masterfully takes us through his experience with soul food with entire chapters dedicated to collards, onion, berries, tomato, seafood, and so on.
“One of my favorite recipes is his grilled peach toast with pimiento cheese. It’s truly a perfect blend of savory and sweet as well a crunchy and jammy—a symphony! Seafood is my favorite food and his oysters and cucumber mignonette do not disappoint. This refreshing dish is perfection as it brings together the brine of the ocean and crunch of the fields.” —Maya Feller
Buy it: $27, amazon.com
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Amazon11 Eat More Plants, by Desiree Nielsen
“Desiree’s plant-based cookbook is full of gut-healthy, anti-inflammatory recipes, along with great information on meal prep, nutrition, and setting up your pantry. Every recipe in this book is winner. My favorites are lentil and walnut tacos and the chocolate cupcakes with salted caramel frosting. I love Desiree’s fun narrative and easy-to-understand nutrition information. I also love that she makes plant-based eating accessible without it being a hard sell.” —Abby Langer
Buy it: $17, amazon.com
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Amazon12 How to Cook Everything, by Mark Bittman
“This is a cookbook I often recommend to clients who are just learning how to cook. It is packed with over 1,000 recipes, which could feel overwhelming, but what I love about it is that many of the recipes show you how to adapt them with different flavors, proteins, or vegetables. Being flexible in the kitchen is a really important aspect of healthy eating, and I think this cookbook highlights that aspect perfectly.
“I often make his halibut simmered and soy broth, which takes no time at all, and his recipe for pasta with cauliflower, anchovies, and hot red pepper, which I love to add toasted walnuts, golden raisins, and capers to.” —Rachael Hartley, R.D., L.D., certified intuitive eating counselor
Buy it: $31, amazon.com
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Amazon13 Whole in One: Complete, Healthy Meals in a Single Pot, Sheet Pan, or Skillet, by Ellie Krieger
“Ellie strikes the perfect balance between flavor and nutrition. In her Whole in One cookbook, she puts home-cooked meals within reach by minimizing the workload on both ends of the dinner process—cooking and cleanup—with 125 one-pot meals (plus desserts) that check every box. She uses minimal steps, easy ingredients, and my favorite part: quick post-cooking cleanup.” —Wendy Lopez
Buy it: $13, amazon.com
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Amazon14 Afro-Vegan: Farm-Fresh African, Caribbean & Southern Flavors Remixed, by Bryant Terry
“One of my favorite parts of this book is the “Permission to Speak” foreword written by Dr. Jessica B. Harris. In it, Dr. Harris eloquently writes of Bryant Terry’s recipes, ‘May his work continue to move us all closer, make us all healthier, and connect us all to the plate.’ In fact, it does just that. It’s an incredible mix of flavors from across the diaspora. Each recipe is paired with a soundtrack and a few reading suggestions. The headnotes tell a story that invites you into the dish in an intimate way.
“The book is divided into categories such as spices, sauces, and heat, as well as street food, snacks, and small bites. I love both the grilled corn on the cob and its raw alternative, possibly because it reminds me of driving up to Toco in Trinidad when I was a kid and stopping for roadside corn. A weeknight favorite that I’ve made a number of times is smashed potatoes, peas, and corn with chile-garlic oil. It’s quite simple to recreate while bursting with flavor.” —Maya Feller
Buy it: $23, amazon.com
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Amazon15 Pure and Simple: Homemade Indian Vegetarian Cuisine, by Vidhu Mittal
“Personally, I’ve always found it difficult to get into Indian cuisine, but this book makes it so easy. Vidhu Mittal tells you what you need to know about each spice with pictures, and every recipe features a photo so you know what the final product should look like. And the end of the book includes step-by-step instructions on basic, Indian cooking techniques, like tempering spices and making ghee at home.
“I always encourage my clients to explore different cuisines because it’s a great way to increase the variety of foods you eat. Cooking Indian food has given me a lot of different perspectives on how vegetables can be prepared, for example. Experimenting with new spices is both fun and healthy, as Indian food uses a lot of options that can be beneficial to your health—turmeric, coriander, and cumin, to name a few.” —Miho Hatanaka
Buy it: $19, amazon.com
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Amazon16 The Mediterranean DASH Diet Cookbook, by Abbie Gellman, M.S., R.D., C.D.N.
“As a non-diet dietitian, I typically don’t recommend rigid or strict eating patterns, but this approach allows for recipe modification to fit personal taste preferences, budget, and overall lifestyle. Both the Mediterranean diet and DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) consistently rank at the top of most recommended lists for healthy eating. They each emphasize more fruits and veggies, increased fiber intake, and a variety of foods to provide the essential nutrients our bodies need.
“There are 100 recipes in this cookbook, neatly organized into seven categories ranging from breakfast and snacks to hearty vegetarian mains and entrées. The majority of recipes have a short ingredient list, and the way the instructions are written feels approachable, not intimidating. The author, a trained chef, also includes tips for stocking your kitchen, so a reader can always be prepared to whip up a meal without a long shopping list. A full nutrition analysis of each recipe is also included.” —Cara Harbstreet, M.S., R.D., L.D. of Street Smart Nutrition
Buy it: $11, amazon.com
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Amazon17 Taco! Taco! Taco! Over 100 Recipes for Everybody, by Sara Haas
“I love this cookbook—it’s super fun, approachable, and has so many creative taco recipes. Sara includes a lot of helpful tips about stocking your kitchen, the best way to follow recipes, food prep suggestions, and cooking tips like how to use a knife properly. What I love about this cookbook is that it’s not in your face that these are ‘healthy’ recipes, but instead Sara uses a variety of ingredients to teach people how to prepare nourishing meals (that also happen to have a lot of nutrients).” —Alissa Rumsey
Buy it: $16, amazon.com
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Amazon18 Pescan: A Feel Good Cookbook, by Abbie Cornish and Jacqueline King Schiller
“Pescan is a pescatarian-lifestyle cookbook, with a majority of plant-based recipes. The authors do a great job of explaining why having a pescan lifestyle is valuable to them without pushing it on anybody.
“The cookbook starts with an overview of a pescan diet, how to healthfully stock your fridge and pantry, and the basics of cooking and even batch cooking, which comes in handy for many of their recipes. Scattered throughout are little cheat sheets and reminders for how to cook various items. Each recipe has an introduction from one of the authors that may explain what nutritional benefits you may get from the recipe, how it can help with your metabolism and energy levels, and what to pair with the recipe to have a balanced meal. There’s recipes for all meals, including sections just on eggs, soups and salads, and desserts.” —Maxine C. Yeung
Buy it: $17, amazon.com
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Amazon19 Fast, Fresh, and Green, by Susie Middleton
“What I appreciate most about Fast, Fresh, and Green is that it highlights cooking vegetables for flavor and not how to make vegetables in the ‘healthiest’ way possible. It teaches you how to cook vegetables by dividing chapters into preparation methods, like sautéing or roasting. And the author doesn’t skimp on olive oil, butter, or cheese.” —Rachael Hartley
Buy it: $9, amazon.com
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Amazon20 Meals That Heal, by Carolyn Williams, Ph.D., R.D.
“I love this cookbook because the author incorporates science-based nutrition information while sharing delicious and easy recipes. She covers issues that result from inflammation in a very approachable way and delivers recipes that I trust work every single time. It’s nice that on most pages you’ll not only get a recipe but a research snippet or tip on why the food is a good choice.” —Marisa Moore
Buy it: $15, amazon.com
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Amazon21 The Create-Your-Plate Diabetes Cookbook, by Toby Amidor, M.S., R.D., C.D.N.
“If you have diabetes or diabetes concerns, learning how to eat to work with the body’s blood sugar levels can be overwhelming. Many people get ‘stuck’ with diet advice like following keto or intermittent fasting or a combination. I use the balanced-plate method with clients and this book has become a go-to resource for recipes. While I don’t recommend the calorie counts listed, I understand why offering information on carbohydrates is medically relevant.
“The first chapter introduces readers to the plate method step-by-step with helpful descriptions of foods and visuals for building a balanced plate. The second chapter teaches about heart healthy eating, which is helpful for the link between diabetes and heart disease risk. And the third chapter is dedicated to sample menus for balanced plates for a week.” —Rebecca Scritchfield
Buy it: $18, amazon.com
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Amazon22 Vegan Under Pressure, by Jill Nussinow
“I love this book because it focuses solely on pressure cooker recipes. I’m all about cooking being as quick (and economical as possible), and this book is the best of both worlds. I like to make at least one pressure cooker meal per week that I can enjoy as needed throughout the week.” —Jessica Jones
Buy it: $12, amazon.com
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Amazon23 Instant Pot Cookbook for Dummies, by Wendy Jo Peterson and Elizabeth Shaw
“The book has a stand out start with troubleshooting and tricks to the Instant Pot that are really broken down for the reader. It gives the reader the confidence to get the Instant Pot out of the box and onto the counter for good!
“Written by two dietitians with healthy eating in their hearts, so many of the recipes are loaded with vegetables, along with tips for rounding out the meals or making substitutions when needed. In addition, the recipes are categorized for vegetarian, Mediterranean, and gluten-free diets, and fit various meal-planning needs. There is also a ‘modified keto’ chapter that I wish was not included. If you’re working on not restricting foods, which I recommend you do, breeze on by these recipes or add carbs!” —Rebecca Scritchfield
Buy it: $17, amazon.com
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Amazon24 The Mindful Glow Cookbook: Radiant Recipes for Being the Healthiest, Happiest You, by Abbey Sharp
“Abbey’s book offers nourishing recipes for everyone—some gluten-free, some vegan, some meat-based, plus lots of desserts. I love her balanced, nonjudgemental approach, which I share. She talks about mindful eating, food shaming, and treating your body well. Always great messages! It also has common-sense tips on how to stop dieting and improve your relationship with food, which I think is important for all of us. The photos are beautiful, and Abbey is, well, Abbey—honest, and above all else, a great cook.” —Abby Langer
Buy it: $25, amazon.com
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Amazon25 A Kitchen in France, by Mimi Thorisson
“Pleasure is an important component of a healthy diet, however it’s something that we often overlook in the United States. What I love about French cooking is that pleasure is right at the forefront—their foods taste amazing and are nutritious (not one or the other).
“They also make mealtimes a pleasurable experience from start to finish, setting the table, lighting candles, sitting down with the people they love, and enjoying the meal. This comes through in the beautiful writing and photographs in Mimi’s book, as she encourages people to cook and eat with their loved ones.
“I also love how the book is broken up into seasons, as it really emphasizes eating in-season foods. I grew up cooking crepes for my family, so I love crepe recipes, especially her Crepes with Salted-Butter Caramel. My other favorite is the roast chicken with crème fraîche.” —Alissa Rumsey
Buy it: $29, amazon.com
