This is a post about you, not me. Along those lines, I have some questions, I want to get to know you better. To find out what you like, and also what you need.
Why? I’m thinking of writing another cookbook. For the past ten years, I’ve had cookbook writing on the brain. And in the past four years I’ve created two of them. Now, I’m entertaining the idea of writing a third book. If I do, I’d like it to be of benefit to my readers. So here are my questions:
- What, if any, are your dietary restrictions?
- Are there foods you are not allergic to that you avoid?
- Which type of recipe (i.e., bread, salad, entrees, sides, desserts, etc.) do you find most useful?
- Of the cookbooks you own, which sections do you find yourself using most frequently?
- What is your definition of “healthy food”
- If you could ask for one thing in a cookbook, what would it be?
Feel free to answer all of the questions above, or just a couple. I’m really looking forward to hearing from you, and getting to know you a little bit better.
I will (as always) read each and every comment left below and while there may be competing requests and wishes, I will do my best to incorporate them into my future projects.
Terri Green says
Hi Elana,
My favourite cookbooks are the ones with oodles of pictures. I’m a very visual learner and I feel most inspired by food when I have a visual destination.
Hope this helps!
Terri <3
Taffy Benson says
Pure Paleo….ideas to replace bread, like wraps, tortilla chips, vehicles for dips, sandwiches, etc. Not a dessert family. I appreciate all you have done and are doing on the Paleo front. I am a strong believer in that as a healthy way to eat.
ss says
1. What, if any, are your dietary restrictions?
1A. Dairy, wheat, nuts, shellfish
2. Are there foods you are not allergic to that you avoid?
2A. Beef, pork, sugar
3. Which type of recipe (i.e., bread, salad, entrees, sides, desserts, etc.) do you find most useful?
3A. Actual meals. I feel like I make a lot of random small items & have a hard time accomplishing meals.
4. Of the cookbooks you own, which sections do you find yourself using most frequently?
4A. Index–I love cookbooks with useful indices.
5. What is your definition of “healthy food”
5A. Food that doesn’t make me sick.
6. If you could ask for one thing in a cookbook, what would it be?
6A. Clarity. I love well organized cookbooks.
Natasha says
I would love a cook book with salads and soups! Vegan and gluten free.
Thank you for your wonderful books and website, Elana!
Nancy says
1. No Soy, it gives me a terrible headache. I have been doing the Whole 30 for the last 20 days, but some of those are limited restrictions.
2. I live with my son, who is an adult and will always need to live with someone. We don’t eat gluten, we read Wheat Belly and have been wheat free since Jan of this year. My son is autistic and while I do not believe food is the cause, eliminating wheat and gluten has made a noticeable difference for him (he is 41). We normally try to keep sugar down (he loves sweets), no refined sugar or fake sugar, I use raw coconut crystals and sometimes agave. We avoid simple carbohydrates (rice, white potatoes, stuff like that) it tends to act like a drug and put both my son and I to sleep, immediately.
3. I love your bread and muffin recipes (love your entire site). The family across the street is gluten (a health issue for them). Your pumpkin muffins don’t last a day because I like to share with them. Easy and simple and I can invite the 3 yr. old across the street to help make them. A wide variety of foods is good. I get so tired of the same breakfast / lunch or dinner. And I get tired of cooking every day. I feel having in-house healthy treats will keep my son from buying stuff that is just not good for him. I also have two adult daughters who live on their own, one has chosen to eat vegetarian, and it’s a challenge finding something for her that is not just a salad or steamed veggies. So I find a good vegetable section very helpful.
4. I always turn to the bread or dessert section first, but I use the entree and one pot meal sections the most (soups, casseroles). Quick dinners are a challenge (I work full time). I like fixing something we can have more than one meal off of. I love bread recipes, desserts, entrees, thick winter soups, and could use some down and dirty ideas for breakfast (green smoothies for example) Pictures are always appreciated. I think something we have never had, that has a picture encourages me to try a recipe.
5. Healthy food to me is organic, unprocessed / pre packaged food. Stressing homemade or made from a source that is local. I do use dairy grass fed beef, lamb, veal, free range chicken, pork, wild caught (NW) fish (which no one can afford the year!). I buy local in the summer at the farmers market, and in season fruit and vegetables. We look for organic, but also do buy from local farmers that may not be certified organic, but don’t spray. We do not do soda of any kind. Guilty pleasures include once a week latte and maybe twice a month I get a whole smoked chicken from a local BBQ place.
I am an artist, so am a visual person, what I’d like is pictures. I the shots you have here on your site are great, and inspiring.
Thank you for asking for our opinions. There is a lot of information posted here. Putting together a book of any kind is a huge challenge (I am part of a team that puts out a 400 page manual every two years-I know the stress of doing this), and I’m sure this community will support you whole heartily on this.
NB
Claire says
I know you have a lot of comments on here already, but I thought I might as well add my two cents.
I would love a cookbook that was dairy-free, gluten-free, but also coconut-free. I am intolerant to coconut (severe pain when I ingest it- crazy, I know!), and many gluten and dairy-free recipes these days call for coconut. It’s hard!
My favorite sections of cookbooks have always been the desserts, but I would always welcome good lunch and dinner ideas too- preferably vegetable ones! I am having trouble finding good, hearty vegetable dishes that do not include the things I can’t eat.
You’re the best Elana. Thank you for taking the time to take each one of us into account. I would be happy for ANY cookbook you would write! (Just please not a coconut-flour one! :) )
Elaine Locke says
1.Gluten and Diary
2.foods high in Sugar
3.Smoothie, salads, sides and snacks – especially anything kid friendly
4.I use them all – though maybe not all in the same cookbook
5.Whole foods – more veggies/fruite and less meat
6.My struggle is feeding a family that is not interested in eatting healthy. I would love a cookbook with healthy recipes that wouldn’t frighten the kids/husband.
Johanna says
I would like for you to write a lifestyle cookbook. I want to know the recipes for your daily living, your daily diet, your supplements, your exercises, your activities, your interests. I love your posts – you are my inspiration!
Erica S. says
1. gluten free
2. trying to cut back and eventually eliminate dairy. also avoiding chocolate since i have problems digesting it.
3. entrees that are one dish meals.
4. veggie and entree catagories are my go to cookbook categories.
5. plenty of fresh veggies, fruits and protien sources. no processed food. eating close to the earth so to speak.
6. love seeing cookbooks filled with photos of most if not all recipes. always looking for more variations on cooking veggies and making them palatable and husband pleasing.
Amy says
Wow. As someone who has never tested for food allergies (and thus has no formal proof of what foods my body doesn’t like) but yet avoids eating most grains, refined sugar and dairy due to the fact I feel and operate better without them, I must say, this is very eye opening. I know this website is a bastion for all with food allergies, but I failed to realize how much more of a real issue than the latest food fad eating grain, dairy, soy, sugar, etc free is. Keep up the good work of keeping your bodies healthy people!
That being said, as for for cookbooks, i own your first and love it Elana. I’ve trended to more coconut flour baked goods than almond flour lately, so I’d love to see more coconut flour recipes from you. I’d also love to see a more daily meal cookbook from you. Your last two books focused so heavily on the baking (and they both are awesome) but now that you are practically Paleo, what are you *cooking* these days? I think a down to earth, non smug (oh the groks rub me the wrong way with their attitudes), book on simple ‘whole’ foods would be great. Food that you can eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Food your teenagers will eat for the same. Foods you get from your garden and make into something delicious…..I’m rambling, but really, there’s tons of sweet recipes out there (and some of the best are yours) but I’d like to see some entree ideas. Good simple fare for dialy meals. Stuff I could pack and take to work. Some sort of meat and a salad gets real boring after a while, and thin brothed soups NEVER fill me up.