Recipe Books

This time last year, I had begun trying to cook one new recipe per week. But it had to be a new recipe from one of the many cookbooks I have on hand, in hopes of actually using all these books enough to figure out which ones should really get donated to the library before our big move. Well, that didn't work out as I had hoped. I just don't really cook using recipes much, and doing so really slows me down, costs more money, and requires more planning than the way I currently operate. So I still am no closer to knowing which books are really worthy of moving with us.

Ironically, I have begun this year with a search on amazon for a new cookbook full of bean recipes. Regularly eating beans would help us with two goals: 1) living as cheaply as possible and 2) eating more healthfully. Instead of paying for a new cookbook that I might not use, I borrowed a copy of Vegetarian Times Complete Cookbook from a friend, and I'm pretty excited! There are so many good recipes in there! And not just bean recipes but all kinds of recipes to get us out of our rut. Now it will just be a matter of finding ones that don't require too much planning, too much time, or too much money. The book's owner said she lived on its recipes during her most money-crunched life period (because you don't have to buy meat), so I guess it's possible to live cheaply on these recipes.

Coming up: Fruity Bran Muffins