Passionate Vegetarian
by Crescent Dragonwagon

Passionate is an understatement! Crescent Dragonwagon puts a fresh twist on healthy food, and her delight in simple ingredients is infectious. Great recipes. Spicy writing!

Mediterranean Grains and Greens
by Paula Wolfert

Wolfert has a way of turning humble ingredients into flavor-packed dishes. Recently, I've been enjoying her recipe for Sautéed Tuscan Kale with Garlicky White Beans — just kale, beans, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper. I add a squirt from a lemon wedge at the end. Heaven.

Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise
by Ruth Reichl

I love Reichl's voice and the generous relationship she strikes with her readers. Tender at the Bone and Comfort Me with Apples, the two earlier books in her series of memoirs, kept me glued to the page. This volume focuses on her years as a restaurant reviewer for the New York Times and how the disguises she wore changed her restaurant experiences (and changed her life). Reichl is now the editor in chief of Gourmet magazine.