One of the most common questions I’m asked by prospective clients when they inquire about my services is to see a sample menu. I’m always stumped. The reason I decided to name my business the Custom Kitchen was because I intended on customizing each client’s menus to fit their needs and them alone. My private client’s dietary needs vary from Gluten Free to Vegan or wanting meat for every meal. From no sugar or oil to extra cheese please! Of course, there are a few staple dishes that I love to highlight; typically, they’re my favourite ones to not only cook but to eat however, each week, each client’s menu changes completely. Now, you might be wondering how I could possibly keep up with changing 20 + recipes a week? I get by with a little help from my friends. Stacked in piles or shoved on shelves between my kitchen and my office, are cookbooks galore. Currently I have one plant-based client with a fair number of additional restrictions due to an elimination diet, a meat-eating family that loves carbs and a young family that is Gluten Free, Dairy Free and Sugar Free. I won’t lie, it’s no small feat to plan out three different menus a week while ensuring that no dietary restriction gets missed but I draw a lot of inspiration from cookbooks and other blogs. These are currently the top 5 books whose bindings are being cracked the most.
1) True Comfort – Kristin Cavallari. You may know her as a realty tv drama queen but she’s actually tried her hand at writing cookbooks and climbed her way up the bestseller lists a time or two. This book specifically focuses on comfort food recipes that are gluten and refined sugar free. The number one used recipe from this book is the Burrito Bowls with Lime Rice. I tweak them to fit the additional dietary but this one is a fan favourite whether with chicken or just beans for my veggie buddies!
2) Fraiche Foods Full Hearts – Jillian Harris and Tori Wesszer. This is my go-to book for family recipes. Clients love their salads (hello, Harvest Kale Slaw!) and the roasted root veggie soup but their sides are so easy to pair up with your favourite protein recipes! Most notably, this book has variations for gluten free, dairy free, nut free AND vegan! Perfect for dietary hurdles. Try your hand at the rainbow salad rolls with crispy tofu for a flavour and protein packed meal prep lunch option!
3) Meals in Minutes – Jamie Oliver. There are more than five Jamie Oliver books in this house. I love his recipes for scratch made curry pastes and family style spreads. Not only are the recipes comforting, they’re usually created with a budget and ease in mind. Less popular cuts of meat, condiments in the back of the cabinet and the weeknight dinner rush all play a role in delivering healthy meals your family can come around together. Try the Green Curry with Crispy Chicken and Rice Noodles!
4) British Columbia from Scratch – Denise Marchessault and Caroline West. This cookbook is not only perfect as a stunning photography book but it is the one book I turn to for seasonal inspiration. Broken down into seasons with sections of sweet and savoury for each one, this book reminds me of what’s coming into season and simple, refreshing ways to prepare some stellar ingredients. Some are a bit more time consuming, like the Root Vegetable Terrine but anything from this book is a show stopper, every time. It also houses some super helpful tips and tricks, including perfect cooking time for eggs, recipes for chicken and beef stock and quick pickles for different veggies. This is the one I like to spend my Saturday morning coffee time with. There’s a recipe for any day of the year.
5) Greens 24/7 – Jessica Nadal. Recently I took on a plant-based client and I can safely say I’d probably tried my hand at cooking tofu maybe twice before how much I do these days. Tofu is good, by the way. It’s a like flavour sponge. I tend to lean more towards the firm or extra firm to avoid the mushy texture but it’s great in a scramble and I’m currently loving the Asian spin on it in the Rainbow Salad Rolls (see Fraiche Foods Full Hearts). From this book try the Kale and Herb Cornbread Muffins for a great chili side and all of the salads to get away from your mixed greens rut. I’m looking forward to trying her “Secret Ingredient Brownies” for a sweet treat soon!
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