Food

Cookbooks to help master your skills

By BaxterStorey 12 Jun 2023

And eat good while you do it.

With the right recipes to inspire you, your meals can turn from dining disasters into master-level meals. That's why you need to find a cookbook that's perfect for your needs and we've got a few amazing recommendations you can choose from.

If you struggling to work with what you've got (and don't plan on nipping to the shop for extras) then there are many useful apps to make a meal out of the ingredients you already have. These apps can help you cut down on waste, save you money and of course, help create a meal you would've never thought of!

For Easy Eats - The Quick Roasting Tin by Rukmini Iyer

If you want hassle-free, delicious meals with minimal effort then this one is for you. There are 75 all-in-one tin recipes, with each meal only requiring 10 minutes to prep and no longer than 30 minutes in the oven. They're even designed to limit the amount of washing up you have to do in the end! All that time you'll have saved can be utilised elsewhere in your busy student schedule.

For Staying Sustainable - One: Pot, Pan, Planet by Anna Jones

Cooking sustainably doesn't have to be boring (and doesn't always have to be meat-free). This cookbook focuses more on providing a variety of flavourful guilt-free recipes - some simple, some fancy but all are designed to limit the negative effects you have on the planet. You'll be able to impress your housemates with at least one of the 200 recipes that are included in this cookbook.

For Creative Cooking - Eat What You Watch by Andrew Rea

Andrew Rea aka Binging with Babish, is famous for taking all those delicious meals you see in your favourite films and turning them into a reality. Ever wondered what the ratatouille from Ratatouille tastes like? Well, now you can find out. He's released a few cookbooks but Eat What You Watch has some real creative highlights that are not only fun to cook, but more importantly fun to eat! You'll also find loads more crazy recipes on his Youtube channel that you can give a go (just be prepared to source some unique ingredients).

For Beginner Binges - How to Dice an Onion by Anna Sheasby

We've all got to start somewhere and if you're just dipping your toes into cooking now then we'd recommend more of a cooking guide than a cooking book. How to Dice an Onion is a no-mess guide that teaches you all the tips and tricks you need to cook like a pro. You could combine this with another cookbook on this list or another good option is SIMPLE by Yotam Ottolenghi for lots of beginner-level recipes that stick with a 30-minute or less methodology.

For Vegan Victories - Happy Food by Bettina Campolucci Bordi

Being a vegan can sometimes feel like you're missing out on tasty photo-worthy meals but with the right recipe, you can 'veganify' anything on the menu. Happy Food make sure taste isn't a compromise while making sure all of the plant-based recipes can fit into your busy lifestyle. If you're looking for more vegan recreations, you can find a lot of TikTok chefs taking on the challenge and cooking up some really tasty vegan-friendly delights that you can copy from. Check out more of Bettina's cookbooks here.

For New Favourite Flavours - Vietnamese Made Easy by Thuy Diem Pham

Known for incredible balances of flavours, Vietnamese cuisine can seem like a challenge but it doesn't need to be as complicated as you think...and nobody knows it better than Chef Thuy. A guest chef that has been in our very own canteens, in this book she shows just how easy and delicious Vietnamese food can be.

So what recipe are you going to follow first? Each cookbook contains a bunch so you won't run short of ideas for a while! But when you're not in the mood to cook, you can always rely on @ualcatering for even more delicious seasonal food.

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