Simply Laura Lea: Balanced Recipes for Everyday Living

Chef Lea presents over 130 healthy, flavorful recipes made of “nutrient-dense, whole foods” in this thorough cookbook. Understanding that “we cannot appropriate another person’s diet and assume it will work for us,” she encourages readers to “listen to your body” by following a balanced approach to food, and labels each dish by diet (e.g., vegetarian, keto-friendly, paleo, gluten-free). For instance, some of her dishes, such as chive and goat cheese fluffy baked eggs and hot honey cheddar-stuffed sweet potato skins, call for dairy products, but other rich dishes, such as creamy corn and chive farro (made with coconut milk and tahini) and Cajun cauliflower potato soup are vegan. Other flavor-packed recipes include chicken pineapple paprika (paleo and gluten-free); baked goods like maple bourbon baked pears (vegetarian and paleo); and such beverages as a coconut milk and lime macadamia smoothie (vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free). Throughout, Lea shares instructions for beginners, among them tips for using an Instant Pot (“Don’t use the Instant Pot directly under shelves or cabinets”) and mastering cooking techniques (“When a liquid simmers, you will see very small bubbles around the edges, but not in the middle”), to ensure success in the home kitchen. This excellent volume is perfect for beginning cooks looking for healthy options. (Apr.)