When You Buy Cookbooks and Never Open or Use Them

THIS tip changed the way I use Cookbooks in my own kitchen

Welcome to Roots! A newsletter about plant-based: eating, nutrition, lifestyle, I cover it all. Join me, Lori Osterberg, as I explore good food, great health, and Gorgeous Wellth! New here? Get started.

I was chatting with a woman today. She said something that made me stop for a moment.

“I LOVE cookbooks. I have a shelf full of them. But they sit there collecting dust because they feel too complicated for my lifestyle. I’m busy during the week, so I rely on things I know. When I have time, I never think of picking up a cookbook. But when I do - I really do love to cook.”

OMG! I have sooo felt like that in the past. When I set up my Cookbook Club series a few years ago, I did it to get over the intimidation of having cookbooks I really didn’t use.

And somewhere along the way, I found a “secret” that’s helped me overcome that intimidation.

It isn’t about finding the time to use cookbooks; it’s all about changing your approach. I’ve thought about that a lot, and here’s what I believe:

The most gorgeous cookbooks often sit unused, not because we lack cooking skills, but because we’ve never been taught how to properly befriend them!

They’re like these treasure troves filled with all kinds of goodness, and yet they so often go untapped.

So much lost potential connection simply because you don’t know how to pick it up and start the “conversation” with it!

I used to be that person. (Oh, the cookbook club has changed me so …)

Even long ago, in my pre-plant-based years, my cookbook collection was impressive. And impressively unused. (Seriously, I still have a box of them in my garage that I haven’t peeked into in almost a decade.)

Every time I’d grab one and attempt to use it at 5pm after a long day, I’d quickly close it again. The ingredient list. The prep time and cook time! With low energy and a whole lot of day left in my routine, there was no way I was going to tackle “complicated” recipes.

Not when I had a box of potatoes and a chicken breast I could throw in the oven.

You too? You may be past the potatoes/chicken breast meal. But if you’re here, I know you’ve been in my shoes.

I figured out pretty quickly into my plant-based journey that the only way to eat healthy was to cook myself. And because cookbooks offered so much great advice, I knew they held the key to what I wanted most.

So I dove in and discovered:

The secret to cookbook success is to “speed date” every cookbook you bring into your house.

Remember speed dating? I’ve been married long enough NEVER to have experienced speed dating. But I networked for my businesses and have attended a lot of networking events where we used the “speed dating” concept to meet people to connect with and do business with.

The idea is to dive in quickly, find a handful of connections that seem most appealing, then move forward later with the most intriguing ones.

This is how it works with cookbooks.

It’s time to go on a first date … with your cookbook!

Got 30 minutes? It’s speed dating, cookbook style. Grab a cup of your favorite tea. Find a comfortable spot. Then spend time getting to know your cookbook without pressure.

I suggest moving quickly from beginning to end. Read things that catch your eye - tips that might motivate you or give you new ideas. Otherwise, look at the photos, and see what appeals to you. You can look at each recipe in many ways.

Does it have ingredients you recognize and already enjoy?

Does it use techniques you’re comfortable with?

Does it require special equipment you don’t own?

Does it look like it will realistically fit into your weekly routine?

I recently used this approach with April’s cookbook from my Cookbook Club. As I was paging through it, I found several recipes using nopales. A couple of years ago, I found nopales at my local farmer’s market. I brought it home and cooked with it, and loved it! My local farmer’s market starts up again in four weeks, and I know nopales will show up shortly after that. Now I have several recipes ready and waiting for when I bring them home. 🥰

The Slowing Down Movement … Maybe It Starts In The Kitchen

Recipes will call out to you. In the same way as those nopales recipes called out to me, take note of what looks good AND what looks achievable.

Oh, and here’s another important part of my “secret” tip. When you sit down, be sure to have sticky notes by your side. Then, you can write notes, slap them on a page, and have good ideas waiting for you when it’s time to cook. Write things like:

• Quick weeknight dinner - has ingredients I usually have

• Weekend project - looks worth the effort

• Need only to buy fresh herbs

• Adaptable for plant-based - just use tofu

See how easy that is? Now you’ve got a resource ready and waiting for you whenever you need it!

Now it’s time to move to the “Cookbook Test Kitchen”

If you’re like me, you have a lot more time on the weekends. Sunday is my day for “chores.” Laundry. Vacuuming. Cleaning. Dusting.

And because I’m home, it’s also the day I spend more time in the kitchen.

For me, it’s the day I often break into my “Cookbook Test Kitchen.”

Choose one marked recipe to try. You have a bit more time and energy, so it’s the perfect time to test it out. Don’t do it if you’re having guests over - it’s time for you and your family to give it a “yay” or a “nay.”

When you put it on the table and it’s GOOD, it builds your confidence and familiarity with the cookbook’s style. Spend a minute or two making notes in the margins. It’s your time to make the cookbook uniquely your own.

Still unsure?

Move on to another recipe. It can be the next weekend, or pick a day during the week when you know you’ll have time. You’ll quickly develop a feel for the author’s work, and have a better understanding of their flavor combinations.

Which also helps you rank the cookbooks from “I’ll use these recipes whenever I have guests coming over” to “I’ll use this for quick dinners.” Yep, every cookbook fits neatly into your cooking strategy. Mine doesn’t match yours, and that’s okay.

Alice Waters, founder of Chez Panisse and cookbook author, famously said: "Good cooking is no mystery. You stand before the stove with a head full of ideas and a palate made curious by ingredients." Her wisdom reminds us that cookbooks should inspire us, not intimidate us.

Remember, recipes are suggestions, not commandments. That mindset shift alone can transform cookbook intimidation into creative inspiration.

Can’t find an ingredient? No worries. Simply Google, “I don’t have X, what can I use?” I use this ALL THE TIME - it works so well!

By approaching your cookbooks this way, they transform from sources of guilt to sources of inspiration. You’ll find yourself reaching for them not just for special occasions, but for everyday cooking that brings you joy.

So, I have a question for you. What cookbook has been sitting untouched on your shelf that you might befriend using this method? I’d love to hear which one you’re going to try this with first!

p.s. Did you like this message? It would mean a lot to me if you’d press the ❤️ below if you liked it, left a comment 💬, or shared it with a friend. I’m trying to grow this publication, and I depend on people like you to do so!

And if you’re new here, Welcome! 💐 I’d love to start sharing my message with you if you’re interested in all things plant-powered, proaging, or finding kitchen joy. Subscribe … and then explore my entire archive! Glad to share with you! 🙋🏼‍♀️