Two Cooks in the Kitchen

Who opens a book about feeding your family with the first chapter entitled ‘What fresh hell is this?’

Kathy Buckworth, of course—mother of four and author of several parenting and humour books, including The Blackberry Diaries: Adventures in Modern Motherhood and The Secret Life of Supermom. Her latest literary accomplishment is entitled Shut Up and Eat! Tales of Chicken, Children and Chardonnay. And with it, Kathy hits home again with her straight shooting, no-nonsense, honest humour combined with practical insights and advice on that all-important topic of feeding your family.

We like the chapter on making Sunday dinners, an age-old tradition most of us are familiar with (we’re big advocates of the family dinner, so we were interested immediately). Kathy’s counsel on this topic is to approach the meal as an opportunity to get everyone around the table—not to win any culinary awards. Think beyond the roast beef and focus on the family—good advice, we say.

Kathy does serve up some recipes your family might enjoy (her Peanut Chicken recipe is yummy), but the real take-away (pun intended) is the mom-wisdom and humour she passes on to the rest of us who are living the daily grind of feeding our families 21 complete meals a week. Now armed with Kathy’s ‘Top 15 Rules of the Kitchen’ (including ‘Don’t eat a whole bag of cookies at once’), we can shop, chop and schlep with a smile. 

If you’re in the market for something more seriously nutritional, look no further than your friend in food, Theresa Albert, who just released her second book Ace Your Health, 52 Ways to Stack Your Deck. It’s a plan and a map to guide you through the often conflicting information on the news, in magazines, and on the shelves of the grocery store. Theresa appreciates what a fast-paced life we all lead, and offers her insights on how to make healthier choices every day.

That’s why Ace Your Health is another booked filled with mom-wisdom you can use. It tackles everyday challenges such as ‘what to order when you go out to eat’ and ‘what to order at the drive-thru’ (and which ones to avoid all together). We love the healthy recipes for delectables like Sleep-Nut Cookies (a great nighttime snack that helps you slumber), and the chapter on super fruits with a recipe for Blueberry Dream—the turbo-powered, nutrient-dense dish that kids and adults will love.

Meals aren’t always easy, but with these two new books, you’ll be cookin’.

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