[cookbook wanted] [grams] simple, quick and delicious dinners

yirara
yirara Posts: 9,944 Member
in Recipes
I'm always looking for cookbooks. Yes, I can search through food blogs, but I love to be inspired and don't like surfing for recipes.

What am I looking for? A cookbook consisting mainly of simple, quick, somewhat healthy and delicious dinners. I'm not into lunches, breakfasts and deserts. No slowcooker as my kitchen is too small. I'm more of a volume eater. No food dogmas though. International? Yes! I eat pretty much every cuisine. But rather authentic than put together by a journalist to be sold for £5 at the supermarket checkout. Recipes in grams and not cups.

Books that I love
easy soups from scratch with quick breads to match
On the pulse (only pulses)
Hairy Biker diet books: those tend to be too low calorie, but I can easily add more calories compared to their normal books where it's more difficult to remove calories.
The Dal bookbook

Please share your favourite books that kind of fit the bill <3

Replies

  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,093 Member
    I had typed out a list and then I noticed "in grams not in cups". Unfortunately, in the U.S., it's difficult to find printed books that list ingredients in grams, even for baking. Hopefully lots of non-U.S. MFPers will have recommendations.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,944 Member
    lynn_glenmont wrote: »
    I had typed out a list and then I noticed "in grams not in cups". Unfortunately, in the U.S., it's difficult to find printed books that list ingredients in grams, even for baking. Hopefully lots of non-U.S. MFPers will have recommendations.

    I hope so. Sorry you started typing. I just can't deal with cups and every recipe I ever tried ended up messed up. I do have cups, but mainly for taking a scoop out of my oats to put them into a bowl, which is standing on a scale :D The measurement seems to be different than US cups anyway.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,944 Member
    crazyravr wrote: »
    Jamie Oliver - 5 or less

    I've looked at it a few times. For some reason it's not for me. It's kind of all the same kind of food with some minor variation. I honestly don't like Jamie Oliver, and his books don't work for me. But I'm sure other people do. Thus thanks a lot <3
  • Deviette
    Deviette Posts: 978 Member
    My favourite recipe book has got to be the one I bought when I went to uni. It was aimed at people who could cook not "how to boil an egg" level. Because it assumed you were lazy lazy students almost all the recipes took less than about 30 minutes (often less than 15) I can't remember the name of it (and I don't know if it's even still in print, it's been some time since I bought it), but generally student cookbooks are decent to look at for quick, low number of ingredient recipes. But they can be hit and miss, so I would recommend browsing a bookshop for those ones rather than buying online.

    However, I do love the Just Bento Cookbook. I've fallen off the wagon a little bit using it, but the meals in there are planned to be made in 20 minutes and gives you a timeline for how to actually cook everything so that it fits into the time. And although it's planned to be put in a box for lunch, I've found that some boxes work really well for tea. To see if it's your thing you can go to the justbento website and check out some of the recipes.

    I also like one of the Jamie Oliver ones, but I've seen your comments on that (and I can completely understand). And the Hairy Dieters books are amazing! The tuna & spaghetti dish from their first one has become one of my staples (except swapping tuna for salmon) and I love it!
  • sytchequeen
    sytchequeen Posts: 526 Member
    Tom Kerridge has some really great books, well worth a look if you love to cook, love good food, but want to control your intake. He is a top chef, who had lost so much weight but still eats well.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    edited August 2018
    Since you like volume eating, nothing does volume better than soup. I enjoyed this one:
    https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30364401-savor

    It doesn't list things by gram (or weight for that matter), but soups don't really need to be precise.

    ETA:
    As for a book that lists ingredients in grams, all I can remember for now is
    https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13531504-jerusalem
    https://smile.amazon.com/Joon-Persian-Cooking-Made-Simple-ebook/dp/B015GDF7G2?sa-no-redirect=1
    If I remember anything else or stop being lazy and dig into the pile I have I will let you know.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,962 Member
    River Cafe Cook Book Easy

    Here are some sample recipes from it

    https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2006/jan/14/features.weekend11
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,944 Member
    Thanks all! Jerusalem is on my wishlist! Though Ottolenghi is not really someone for quick and simple recipes :D I'll certainly update my wishlist. <3
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,944 Member
    I'll be cooking this one here tomorrow: https://theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/aug/14/nigel-slater-gnocchi-with-tomatoes-recipe-midweek-supper

    I think a dish like this is just down my alley: 1-2 pots, handful of ingredients and lots of taste (hopefully). I think it needs something else additionally though as you just can't get tasty tomatoes here. Maybe a small handful of barberries for a bit of extra taste, or slices of salami. Need to think about it.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    yirara wrote: »
    Thanks all! Jerusalem is on my wishlist! Though Ottolenghi is not really someone for quick and simple recipes :D I'll certainly update my wishlist. <3

    This particular book does have some quick recipes although some are a bit involved. Some are as quick as dice and mix or slice, pan fry for a couple of minutes, and serve.
  • Bnabum
    Bnabum Posts: 2 Member
    I have to say the new WW Freestyle Cookbook is awesome! Recipes are not complicated and ingredients are what most people have in their pantry. No buying an obscure ingredient that you will use once and then sit in your cupboard. Quick and simple...just what I like. There is a page at the back of book that converts measurements to metric.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    Forkish' books, though limited to bread and pizza, are in grams.

Categories