Over The Counter #256

What books caught my eye this week as they passed over the library counter and under my scanner? Some back to basics cookbooks this week.....

First up is Brown Eggs and Jam Jars: Family Recipes From the Kitchen of Simple Bites by Aimee Wimbush-Bourque.

From the publisher, Penguin Canada:

"Aimée’s rural homestead upbringing, years working as a professional chef and everyday life as a busy mom led to the creation of the hugely popular blog Simple Bites . Raising three young children with husband Danny, Aimée traded her tongs and chef whites for a laptop and camera, married her two passions—mothering and cooking—and has since been creating recipes with an emphasis on whole foods for the family table, sharing stories and tips and inspiring readers to make the family– food connection on the Simple Bites blog.

Brown Eggs and Jam Jars is Aimée’s long-awaited cookbook inspired by her urban homesteading through the seasons and the joyous events they bring. It embraces year-round simple food with fresh flavors. Created for the family-minded home cook, Brown Eggs and Jam Jars shares over 100 recipes that have a touch of nostalgia, feature natural ingredients and boast plenty of love.

Aimée’s heart-warming stories capture everyday life in a busy family. She also shares tips and advice on how to get the whole family involved in cooking from the ground up and enjoying homemade food. Brown Eggs and Jam Jars will inspire you to connect your family and food right where you are in life—from growing your own tomatoes to making a batch of homemade cookies. Enjoy your urban homestead.

Next up is 100 Days of Real Food: How We Did It, What We Learned and 100 Easy, Wholesome Recipes Your Family Will Love by Lisa Leake.

From the publisher, Harper Collins:

"Simple, family-friendly recipes and practical advice to help you ditch processed food and eat better every day! Thanks to Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food, Lisa Leake was given the wake-up call of her life when she realized that many of the foods she was feeding her family were actually "foodlike substances." So she, her husband, and their two young girls completely overhauled their diets by pledging to go 100 days without eating highly processed or refined foods—a challenge she opened to readers on her blog. What she thought would be a short-term experiment turned out to have a huge impact on her personally. After wading through their fair share of challenges, experiencing unexpected improvements in health, and gaining a preference for fresh, wholesome meals, the Leakes happily adopted their commitment to real food as their "new normal."

Now Lisa shares her family's story, offering insights and cost-conscious recipes everyone can use to enjoy wholesome natural food prepared with easily found ingredients such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables, seafood, locally raised meats, whole-milk dairy products, nuts, natural sweeteners, and more.

Meal plans and suggestions for kid-pleasing school lunches, parties, and snacks A 10-day mini-starter program, and much more. 100 Days of Real Food offers all the support, encouragement, and guidance you'll need to make these incredibly important and timely life changes."

(Over the Counter is a regular feature at A Bookworm's World. I've sadly come the realization that I cannot physically read every book that catches my interest as it crosses over my counter at the library. But... I can mention them and maybe one of them will catch your eye as well. See if your local library has them on their shelves!)