There are so many good herbal cookbooks out there that help get inspiration flowing and I have discovered a handful that I find extremely helpful and thought I would share in case any one else is on the same quest to discover how to cook with medicinal herbs. Check out some of these books at your local library to discover which ones you like best so you can buy the ones that truly vibe with you. I am always referencing my herbal books everyday for one thing or another. I highly recommend investing in a few to get started on your herbal journey.
There are so many wild and medicinal plants that we are taught nothing about. We go outside and barely look at the friends that grow all around us. When you slowing start to gain this knowledge you quickly discover how empowering it is. If there ever comes a time where I have to rely on myself for food, I know I wont starve because I know of the abundance of food and medicine that is growing around me. Now that I know more about plants I want to start to get to know them a little better especially how to cook with them.
1. The Kosmic Kitchen
One of the first herbal cookbooks I have bought. Authors Sarah and Summer put together a great herbal cook book for beginners. They go over the basics of eating seasonally, using herbs in food, daily herbal rituals, and introduce you to the art and science of Ayurveda. The book is beautifully put together, with stunning photography and a colorful layout that is easy to flip through. I always like to go back to it every season to see which new recipe I want try. I also highly recommend checking out what Sarah has to offer on the Kosmic Kitchen website and Instagram.
2. The Everyday Ayurvedic Cookbook
This cook book is a new favorite. It goes more in depth with the science of Ayurveda with a very thorough guide on how to make really simple meals that are nourishing and healing depending on your body’s constitution. The author Kate stumbled upon ayurvedic cooking when she was visiting India. Where she first encountered ways of eating food that healed digestion and helped her feel more vibrant and alive. Better connecting herself to how she felt based off the food she was eating and the lifestyle she is living. She shares all of her amazing insights in this book.
3. Foraged Flavor
Tama Wong and Daniel Boulud are the authers of Foraged Flavor. Daniel is a famous french chef that has many restaurants all over the world. Tama Wong is a forager, weeder, and meadow doctor. Together they share wild foods in decadent recipes. In this herbal cookbook they showcase wild flavors in dishes that you would find at a five star restaurant. But it has great foraging insights. I especially like using this book for referencing how and when to harvest certain herbs and which herbs to use each season.
4. The New Wildcrafted Cuisine: Exploring the Exotic Gastronomy of Local Terroir
I have been following Pascal Baudar for a few years now and I love what he willingly shares with the world. Pascal is a master forager, wildcrafter and fermenter. He is one person that initially peaked my interested and lead me down the herbalism path. I loved seeing him so engaged with all the plants around him. It was amazing how much he knew and I wanted to know more about everything he was talking about. I highly recommend all of Pascal’s books. They are one of a kind. His New Wildcrafted Cuisine book encourages us to eat on the wild side by inventing our own flavors with the plants we have growing in our environment. Pascal goes from talking about making wild cheeses, fermented sodas, preserving, dehydrating, and cooking with natures tools. This book goes way beyond making herbal pestos. It will inspire you in new ways you have never thought of before.
5. The Healing Kitchen
The Healing Kitchen is by Holly Bellebuono is a small book packed with lots of good herbal recipes. Her recipes are designed to support and prevent health by cooking with herbs more often instead of relying on herbal tinctures regularly. Taking self care to the next level. Every thing you make in the kitchen can be a opportunity to turn your food into medicine that nourishes, protects, and revitalizes. What I love most about this book is that each recipe is categorized based on how the recipe will support your health. Whether it is for the immune system stress support, digestive support, memory support or more. I also feel like her recipes are the most approachable. Especially if you are a gardener that likes to grow your own herbs and food.
Let me know if you have any other herbal cookbooks that you recommend. And check out my herbal creations here.