7 Fresh Cookbooks for Spring

Cravings: Recipes for All the Foods You Want to Eat, by Chrissy Teigen
Usually it’s annoying to hear Sports Illustrated swimsuit models talk about all the unhealthy food they loooove to eat (yes, Heidi Klum, we’re sure you house Mickey D’s on the reg), but one gets the feeling Teigen, who has just given birth to her first child (with musician John Legend) and is the owner of an Instagram account as dedicated to food porn as it is to sexy selfies, knows a thing or two about cravings. Because Teigen brings to the page the same irreverent frankness and pop-savvy humor that has gained her 1.39 million Twitter followers, she can get away with it. “Spicy, salty, sticky, crunchy, juicy, oozy”—it’s all here (except dessert because, Chrissy claims, she can’t bake), with a heavy dash of Teigen’s Thai heritage. From French Toast Casserole with Salted Frosted Flakes to Pad Grapow Chicken and jokes about Internet trolls, this book is your new slightly tipsy BFF.

It’s All Easy: Delicious Weekday Recipes for the Super-Busy Home Cook, by Gwyneth Paltrow
No one could doubt Gwyneth Paltrow’s schedule is dizzying, so in this, her third cookbook, the actress, entrepreneur, and mother presents a “self-help book for the chronically busy cook.” The recipes—and photos—are indeed mouthwatering, leaning heavily on Asian and Mediterranean flavors. Anyone who’s tried a Goop-approved cleanse knows Paltrow is all about eating healthy, whole, and mindfully, so while a few recipes dare to include bacon, most are vegan, vegetarian and/or gluten- and dairy-free—and surprisingly delicious anyway.

Eating in the Middle: A Mostly Wholesome Cookbook, by Andie Mitchell
Mitchell is the blogger and bestselling author of beautifully written memoir It Was Me All Along, about a lifelong struggle with food addiction and her spectacular transformation from morbidly obese to half her former size. Now, in 80 recipes, Mitchell shares how she lost 135 pounds by nourishing herself, body and soul, through moderation. In her own words, this book is “mostly wholesome with a sprinkling of decadence.” That means healthy breakfast, lunch, and dinner recipes, like Brown Sugar and Chili-Rubbed Salmon with Avocado Crema or “Bagel” and Lox Salad, paired with indulgent dinner party dishes and sweets, like Peanut Butter Mousse Pie with Marshmallow Whipped Cream, to be savored and shared on special occasions. Baked Banana Bread “Doughnuts” come with an optional Maple-Cinnamon Cream Cheese Glaze just for weekends. Part of Andie’s journey was teaching herself to cook. Luckily, she took notes along the way.

From Junk Food to Joy Food: All the Foods You Love to Eat…Only Better, by Joy Bauer
Some mornings I like to answer my emails with the Today Show in the background. Occasionally I’ll pause for a segment on the refugee crisis or, say, Zac Efron, but when Joy Bauer is on, I stop what I’m doing and turn it up. When it comes to maximizing bang for your flavor-to-calorie buck, this woman is brilliant, like a nutritional MacGyver. In the latest from the prolific cookbook author (and official nutritionist of the New York City Ballet), Bauer translates nearly 120 belly-busting junk foods, like General Tso’s Chicken and Jalapeño Poppers, into significantly lower calorie “joy” foods with simple substitutions. All the recipes are familiar—the inventiveness is in the ingredients and prep rather than the dishes themselves—and the tips range from obvious (like using skim milk instead of cream) to sneaky good, like using avocado instead of mayo in a tuna sandwich or yellow bell peppers and light cream cheese instead of egg yolks, butter, and cream in the Hollandaise for Eggs Benedict. Included are tasty twists and complete nutritional information, as well as a chapter on drinks and cocktails (hello, Cosmopolo-trim).

Deliciously Ella Every Day: Quick and Easy Recipes for Gluten-Free Snacks, Packed Lunches, and Simple Meals, by Ella Woodward
British blogger Ella Woodward has become something of a phenom in the plant-based, gluten-free world. The self-taught chef, who took up the lifestyle when facing a debilitating illness, published her second cookbook, Deliciously Ella Every Day, to encourage the reluctant with warm inspiration, buckwheat, and dates. Though Woodward shares her “ten commandments” of eating, her focus is not on rules and restrictions but on flexibility, creativity, and ease. For that reason, the book is focused around simplicity and portability, with chapters on healthy eating on the go and big-batch cooking. Ella encourages readers new to a plant-based diet to start with one or two dinner recipes a week (Cauliflower Pizza sounds approachable), then throw in a breakfast made the night before (Maple Chia Pot?), and, finally, a packable lunch (salads galore). Once again, “easy” is relative, but Ella takes the guilt out of eating well.

Home Cooked: Essential Recipes for a New Way to Cook, by Anya Fernald and Jessica Battilana
Fernald is cofounder of the world’s largest sustainable meat operation Belcampo Meat Co., including 20,000 acres of farmland in California, a “meat camp,” and seven restaurants and butcher shops across the state. A big name in the Slow Food movement and a disciple of the Italian tradition of cucina povera (literally, “poor kitchen,” or peasant food relying on frugality and resourcefulness), Fernald offers a “new way to cook” that takes “an old-world approach to food and craftsmanship.” The cookbook’s short essays extol forgotten pleasures, like the benefits of cooking in cast iron, and recipes go back to basics, like salt curing fish and canning fruits and vegetables. Words like rustic, earthy, and heritage come to mind when perusing dishes including Veal Meatballs and Bird and Bunny Ragu. Fernald is focused on foundational techniques—slow-simmered sauces and cured meats—so those looking for fast and easy will be frustrated, but anyone hoping to become a better and more intuitive cook should take notice.

Lauren Conrad Celebrate, by Lauren Conrad
So now you’ve got the recipes and no one to test them on? Then you’re ready to throw a party, my friend, and Lauren Conrad is waving her arm in the air, eager to help. The reality star (oh, Laguna, how we miss you) turned fashion designer and lifestyle guru is well positioned to become the next Martha Stewart to a certain generation of J. Crew–clad young women. She’s taught us how to dress, primp, and decorate, and now, of course, she must teach us how to throw down. Part 1 of this party guide is dedicated to all aspects of event prep (concept, invitations, menu, bar, and decor—as well as tips on budgeting and etiquette), while Part 2 illustrates sample bashes (birthday, bachelorette, brunch). Tips on how to assemble an appetizer board or a classic cocktail are foodie-friendly, though you’ll really need to go elsewhere (see above) for recipes. For those who see Conrad as personal inspiration, the photos and inside stories from her own bridal shower, wedding, and housewarming party will be catnip. For those who are itching to celebrate spring with tea sandwiches and a garden party, let the Pinterest-boarding begin.