Jessica Murnane | jessicamurnane.com | December 2, 2015
I went to a Catholic grade school. Which meant when second grade rolled around I donned a fancy white dress and did the First Communion thing. To celebrate the occasion, my dad said I could get ANYTHING I wanted. We weren’t balling out, but this was a big event and he told me to really think about something special. But the choice for me was easy and either I was really naive about what “ANYTHING” meant or I was a complete nerd…because I chose a book. A SINGLE book. A The Babysitter’s Club book to be exact. Two years later when my younger sister celebrated her first communion and got the same offer. She asked for a hot air balloon ride. And got it.
Even today my favorite present to give/get is a really great book. A healthy cookbook for someone trying to change their diet. A self-helpy one for someone that needs a little boost. Or just a straight-up pretty book that will make someone feel cooler displaying it on their coffee table.
This year for my holiday roundup I decided to share my picks for what I know best…all things books. None are very pricey, but all are really special…so they’d be great for your office Secret Santa or someone very, very special. Buy one and wrap it up pretty or choose a theme and bundle a whole bunch of them together. And don’t forget to write a little something on the inside cover.
Oh, and Dad if you’re reading this and I get a do-over on the gift thing …I’ve got my eye on this and this. I mean, you did say ANYTHING.
COOKBOOKS [v=vegetarian, vg = vegan, gf= gluten-free]
Eat Clean Live Well by Terry Walters (v, gf)
The latest installment by my favorite plant-based author.
My Kitchen Year: 136 Recipes That Saved My Life by Ruth Reichl
I love this book for 136 reasons and it’s not just for the recipes.
The Year Of Cozy by Adrianna Adarme
This book makes you want to do, live, and love more.
Two Moms In The Raw by Shari Koolik Leidich (gf)
An inspiring story + full of recipes to prove how good food can heal.
Crossroads by Tal Ronnen (vg)
Advanced plant-based cooking at it’s finest.
Not new this year, but you can’t go wrong with…
Clean Food by Terry Walters (vg, gf)
Isa Does It by Isa Chandra Moskowitz (vg)
Afro-Vegan by Bryant Terry (vg)
YumUniverse by Heather Crosby (vg, gf)