Do you love to eat and cook healthy meal made from real and whole food ingredients? Do you love the feel of a physical cookbook on your kitchen counter? We have collected some of the best Clean Eating Cookbooks to add to your collection and for daily use.
Jump to:
- What is Clean Eating?
- Downshiftology Healthy Meal Prep: 100+ Make-Ahead Recipes and Quick-Assembly Meals by Lisa Bryan
- The Fresh and Healthy Instant Pot Cookbook by Megan Gilmore
- The Oh She Glows Cookbook: Over 100 Vegan Recipes to Glow from the Inside Out by Angela Liddon
- The Art Of Eating Well - Hemsley and Hemsley
- The Healthy Sheet Pan Cookbook by Ruthy Kirwan
- Against All Grain: Delectable Paleo Recipes to Eat Well & Feel Great by Danielle Walker
- Help Yourself: A Guide to Gut Health for People Who Love Delicious Food by Lindsay Maitland Hunt
- Clean Cakes by Henrietta Inman
- The Mediterranean Dish by Suzy Karadsheh
- Random Questions
Before we look at the cookbooks, let's get clear on some terminology.
What is Clean Eating?
You may have wondered, what is a clean diet? Don't we all wash our produce to ensure we don't actually consume dirt or impurities? Of course we do!
In this context, clean eating is simply a term to categorize healthy eating. Since healthy food can mean so many different things to different people - for some it's vegan or plant-based, for others keto, low carb, or paleo.
Clean eating is none of the above. Instead, clean eating encourages an overall healthy lifestyle and consuming mostly whole, unprocessed foods. Some also call this "real food". Before the advent of commercially engineered food products, clean food would have been simply food.
Clean eaters avoid additives like sugar, preservatives, and skip foods that were made in a lab. By replacing processed food with nutrient dense, wholesome food, clean eating is a recipe for looking and feeling your best.
Clean eating generally focuses on:
- Whole fruits and vegetables
- Nuts
- High quality eggs
- Unprocessed meat
- Unrefined grains
- Legumes
- Hormone free dairy
- Oils
Vegetarian and vegan clean eaters can skip the animal products of course, and paleo clean eaters might opt out of grains, dairy, and legumes.
Whether you’re new to clean eating and want to get started, or are a veteran in search of new dishes and inspiration, these cookbooks will make every clean meal something to look forward to.
From delicious recipes for any time of day to meal plans, the following healthy cookbooks focus on nutrition over calories, healthy recipes full of flavor, veggies, and creativity. Some of them are focused on dairy-free plant-based recipes, the Mediterranean diet, or gut health, while others hone in on meal prep, Instant Pot cooking, or easy recipes that are oven baked on a sheet pan.
I am certain there will be a best healthy cookbook here for every taste, cooking mode, and dietary restriction.
Downshiftology Healthy Meal Prep: 100+ Make-Ahead Recipes and Quick-Assembly Meals by Lisa Bryan
Lisa Bryan's meal prep strategy focuses on individual ingredients to create a variety of meals and snacks without getting bored. By prepping a few healthy ingredients at the beginning of the week, Lisa found she could control what she ate with more clarity and easily eliminate processed foods and gluten.
Her debut cookbook offers over 100 big-batch recipes that can be repurposed into different meals, all free of refined sugar and many naturally anti-inflammatory. Lisa's approachable method for healthy eating will inspire home cooks to prepare meals with ease and without fuss.
The Fresh and Healthy Instant Pot Cookbook by Megan Gilmore
The Fresh and Healthy Instant Pot Cookbook offers 75 easy-to-make recipes using whole-food ingredients for nutritious and satisfying meals, all cooked quickly in your electric pressure cooker. Written by certified nutritionist and cookbook author Megan Gilmore, each recipe includes gluten-free options and is free of refined sugar and common allergens.
With dishes like Korean Chicken Bowls and Flourless Banana Oat Bread, you can follow a healthy diet without sacrificing flavor. Every recipe includes nutritional information and detailed timing, and is accompanied by a photograph.
The Oh She Glows Cookbook: Over 100 Vegan Recipes to Glow from the Inside Out by Angela Liddon
Oh She Glows started as Angela Liddon’s massively popular vegan recipe blog.
Liddon is a long time chef and food photographer who discovered the life changing impact of clean, vegan eating on her health and appearance.
In 2013, Liddon released a cookbook full of 100 of her most delicious, wholesome, and beautiful recipes. Vegans and non-vegans alike will love this book. Try the Crowd Pleasing Tex Mex Casserole.
The Art Of Eating Well - Hemsley and Hemsley
Jasmine and Melissa Hemsley are two sisters who share more than a last name and parents—they are both passionate about eating clean.
A clean eating classic, this book features 165 recipes that are all free from grain, gluten, and refined sugar. Their recipes are easy enough for busy professionals, and sophisticated enough to impress dinner guests. Try the delicious Chicken Tinola recipe.
The Healthy Sheet Pan Cookbook by Ruthy Kirwan
The Healthy Sheet Pan Cookbook offers one-and-done recipes for simple, healthy meals that can be made quickly and easily in a single pan. With 60 recipes for breakfast, dinner, vegetarian meals, and more, the cookbook simplifies healthy eating with handy recipe labels and fool-proof formulas for perfectly cooked meals.
From Mango Coconut Granola for breakfast to Spanish Chicken "Paella" and Rice for dinner, this cookbook has it all.
The cookbook also includes sheet pan basics, pantry must-haves, and recipe shortcuts to get you started, as well as labels for 5-Ingredient, Dairy-Free, Family-Friendly, Gluten-Free, Great for Leftovers, Quick Prep, or Vegan recipes, making it easy to quickly choose what's on the menu.
Against All Grain: Delectable Paleo Recipes to Eat Well & Feel Great by Danielle Walker
Danielle Walker had been battling an auto-immune disease for years before she wondered if by changing her eating habits, she could improve her health. Through paleo eating, her health improved, and so did her cooking skills.
You’ll reap the benefits of Danielle’s culinary knowledge—for gluten-free, dairy free, and sugar-free recipes, this is one of the best cookbooks around. Her apple sandwiches make a great treat for the kids.
Help Yourself: A Guide to Gut Health for People Who Love Delicious Food by Lindsay Maitland Hunt
More than 125 gut-friendly recipes that promote good health throughout the body. The recipes emphasize whole food ingredients, fermented foods, and reducing added sugar and processed foods. Lindsay Maitland Hunt provides science-backed advice for wellness in body and mind, explaining what you need to know about your gut microbiota and offering strategies to help navigate real life.
The approach of Help Yourself is a common-sense approach to food that is backed by science. It provides a pathway to wellness via the gut and can be tailored to your own lifestyle, whether you’re vegan, gluten-free, or just love to eat.
Clean Cakes by Henrietta Inman
This is the quintessential book for those who love dessert and clean eating. With delicious cakes, clean breads, energizing muffins, and incredible raw desserts, this book will make sure your sweet tooth never goes unsatisfied again.
Inman chooses ingredients that are unrefined, unprocessed, natural, and seasonal and local where possible. Try the courgette, basil, lime and pistachio layer cake.
Sugar and processed food may taste good, but have a terrible impact on your health, your waistline, and even your mood. With so many delicious clean recipes at your disposal, there’s no reason not to put the refined sugar down and give clean eating a try.
The Mediterranean Dish by Suzy Karadsheh
Suzy Karadsheh's debut cookbook features over 120 recipes inspired by the Mediterranean diet. Suzy, the creator of The Mediterranean Dish website, has made her cross-cultural and modern cooking accessible to American home kitchens using simple-to-find ingredients and easy-to-follow recipes that have been tested to perfection.
The cookbook includes practical and weeknight-easy recipes such as Spanakopita Egg Muffins, Chicken Shawarma Bowls, and Roasted Asparagus Salad with Cherry Tomatoes and Basil.
Suzy's recipes reflect the rich and complex traditions of the Mediterranean and Middle East, as well as inspiration from her new Southern roots. The book also includes charming authentic stories and stunning photography, making it a great addition to any cookbook collection. Approachable instructions, reliable recipes, and an emphasis on healthier food bursting with flavor and spice make this cookbook a must-read for anyone interested in Mediterranean cuisine.
Which one of these will you get? Do you have a favorite clean eating cookbook I didn't mention above? I'd love to hear about it!
If cookbooks aren't your thing, you might prefer these 3 clean eating recipes from my blog. You can easily print them out for your own collection:
Random Questions
You can make your meals healthier by focusing on whole, unprocessed foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, and unrefined grains. Avoiding additives like sugar and preservatives can also contribute to a healthier diet.
Cooking more healthily involves using fresh, nutrient-dense ingredients and avoiding processed foods. Opt for cooking methods like grilling, steaming, or baking instead of frying. Experiment with herbs and spices to enhance flavors without relying on excessive salt or sugar.
Yes, cookbooks can be incredibly useful resources for discovering new recipes, learning cooking techniques, and exploring different cuisines. They can provide inspiration and guidance for creating delicious and healthy meals at home.
A good cookbook should offer a variety of healthy and flavorful recipes that are easy to follow. It should provide helpful tips, cooking techniques, and nutritional information. Clear instructions and appealing visuals can make a cookbook more engaging and user-friendly.
Cookbooks offer a wealth of culinary knowledge, including diverse recipes, cooking methods, and ingredient information. They can inspire creativity in the kitchen and help individuals develop healthier eating habits by promoting the use of wholesome ingredients.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. This means that if you make a purchase after clicking on one of these links, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. This does not reflect my opinion of any clean eating cookbook listed here. Thank you for your support in making Leelalicious possible. I really appreciate it!
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