Still struggling to find the perfect gift for the outdoorsperson who has it all? Thesecookbooks canprovide a constant source of kitcheninspiration and healthy dish ideas for anyonein a culinary rut.Here’s a selection ofthis year’s most giftable cookbooks, whether your loved one’sskill level is Top Chefǰ Kitchen Nightmares.
‘Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow’by ShalaneFlanagan and Elyse Kopecky
Thiscookbook was written .New York Marathon winnerShalane Flanaganand her coauthor, Elyse Kopecky,incorporate meal planningand training tips with recipes for prerun smoothies and recovery dinners. The approachable dishesare great for a beginner cook and athlete looking to take their training and nutrition up a notch. There’s a whole section on bowls, including a savory coconut curry and a cashew-quinoa bowl. The authors also include straight-talk chapters about eating disordersamong athletes and why they personally don’t count calories.
‘The Campout Cookbook’by Marnie Hanel and Jen Stevenson
Hardcore backpackers mightroll their eyes at some of the recipes and suggestions in this book, includinga Bloody Mary with a pine-cone skewer. But is good for first-time car campers, families,urbanites(there’s even a stargazing-for-city-slickersguide), and backcountry regularslooking for a break from freeze-dried meals. The suggested breakfast spreads—one calling for three different pastries, two jams, butter, a baguette, yogurt, fresh fruit, and café au lait—are a bit ridiculousbut definitely droolworthy.
‘Saladish’ by Ilene Rosen with Donna Gelb
Yes, it’s a . But if you can’t stomach one more kale Caesar, this is a refreshing look at everything you can do with greens and grains. It includes interesting and healthytakeson salads, like a recipe for cucumbers with black sesame seeds and sweet-lime vinegar. Many cooking how-tosare scattered throughout, like a step-by-step guide toandbreaking down a cauliflower head.
‘The Noma Guide to Fermentation’ by Rene Redzepi and David Zilber
For the foodie who’s ready tomake their own fermented goodies, such askombucha, vinegar, and miso, breaks down theexact chemical processes that turn tea into probiotic gold. There’sa massive primer on the main players, like bacteria, fungi, and enzymes (whichmight give you flashbacks to high school biology), and an in-depth explanation of what separates fermentation from rot. A word to the wise: many of these recipesrequiresome dedication—enough to trick out a cooler or a rack for an in-house “fermentation chamber”—but your hard work willresult in a pantry stocked with unique vinegar, sweet fermented veggies, andseven different kinds of kombucha.
‘Healthyish’ by Lindsay Maitland Hunt
Promising “good-for-you (but nottoogood-for-you) recipes,” is a solid choice for athletes looking to spice up their dietwithout compromising nutrition. Each recipe was tested and tweaked by home cooksto help minimize time, ingredients, and the after-cooking mess. This is a great choice for quick, healthy weekend dinners (like turkey and chickpea burgers with dill Havarti) and travel-friendly lunches (banh mi rice bowls with spicy pork). It also offers eight different variations onthe ever reliable morning grain bowl.
‘Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables’ by Joshua McFadden with Martha Holmberg
If you’ve ever come home from the farmers’market wondering what to do with kohlrabi—or what kohlrabi evenis—. It’s divided into six chapters based on the time of yearand providesprimers and recipes for a smorgasbord of seasonal veggies and legumes. Plus, there’s a good roundup of recipes for staples like croutons, salsa verde, vinaigrette, and eight different kinds of butter. Best of all, the recipes are easy to follow and packed with insider tips from Chef McFadden, whether you’re making a braised celery and radicchio salad or a Swiss chard crostata.
‘Chloe Flavor’ by Chloe Coscarelli
Even meat eaters can use to find plant-based takes on classics like goldfish crackers, matzobrei, and any kind of pasta dish you can think of. Coscarelli creatively uses tofu, beans, beets,and nuts—so many nuts—to add protein, heft, and creaminess toveggie dishes, with a promise that “carnivores won’t miss the meat one bit.” Plus, many of the recipes can easily be made gluten free.
‘Jerky: The Fatted Calf’s Guide’by Taylor Boetticher and Toponia Miller
On the opposite end of the spectrum is this keto-approved . Many of the recipes call for anat-home dehydrator, though there’s aguide to other, less equipment-intensive drying methods as well. The intro includes nifty tips like proper cutting techniquesand the pros and cons of various cuts and types of meat. Recipes for jerky and the many dishes that can be made with it come from all over the globe, including a tamarind and lime-spiced Indonesiandendengbaladoand a Brazilianfeijoada.
‘The Ultimate Instant Pot Cookbook’ by Coco Morante
tells you everything you needto know about cooking with this year’sfavorite kitchen appliance. With recipes for yogurt, hummus, broths, pasta sauce, jelly, applesauce, and more, it’s a great pick for athletes looking to fill theirpantry with grocery-store staples withoutadditives or extra sugar. Morante also includes recipes for mindless meat cooking and large-batch meal prep. Pro tip: despite the useof “instant” in the title, you might run into trouble if you’relooking to whip up something in 30 minutes or less. Be sure to add an extra 20 minutes to any recipe for the pot to pressurize and depressurize.
‘Eat A Little Better’ by Sam Kass
Kass, the former senior food-policy adviser to former president Obama and first lady Michelle Obama, starts with advice on how to reevaluate yourdiet from the farm up. He explains how to read nutrition labels, walks throughstrategiesto reduce food waste, and details what, exactly, the term naturalmeans. Kass encourages a stripped-down, commonsense approach to eating with a sustainable bent: eatlots of vegetables, grains, seafood, and chicken, and limit your intake of beef and pork. Try grilled clams with shishito peppers or one of the many vegetable side dishes, like balsamic-roasted eggplant with basil.