One thing I really love is our local library, East Renfrewshire. My husband and I both love reading, and I have a habit of adding books to my Amazon wishlist, then transferring them into library reservations. I particularly love doing this for cookbooks as it is such a good way to preview it before committing to buy. We already have so many cookbooks that I really try to stop from buying them on impulse (there isn’t room in the cupboard for any more either!).

Recently I borrowed two books: Clean & Lean by James Duigan (after seeing it in Waitrose) and Gwyneth’s Notes from My Kitchen Table.

So, what is Clean & Lean? I have omitted the reference in the title to it being a “diet” as I think that is an awful and negative word – I instead think of it as a way of eating. Not dissimilar to previous posts we’ve done (see October Unprocessed and New ways of eating in 2012), it is basically cutting out C.R.A.P. (caffine, refined sugar, alcohol, processed foods). It’s really easy to learn the “rules” or guidelines and pretty easy to work out what you should and shouldn’t eat. If you can avoid the supermarket aisles when you do your shopping and just stick to fresh meat, seafood, vegetables and fruit, that’s pretty much eat.  My biggest problem is breakfast – and this book has introduced my to my saviour, Clean & Lean Oat Pancakes.

Clean and Lean Oat Pancakes with berries

Clean & Lean Oat Pancakes

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

100g rolled oats
200g fat-free cottage cheese
4 eggs
1 tsp cinnamon

Simply put all the above in a blender, whizz, then cook as you would normal pancakes.

Now I have read a lot about fat-free, low fat food over the last few months so I happily substitute full fat cottage cheese in the recipe. They are so easy to make and I have never had a failure either. I have them with berries (I buy a large bag of frozen mixed berries and simply microwave a large handful for 1 minute while I’m cooking). This to me is the perfect breakfast as it’s filling, easy and super tasty. I sometimes squeeze over some honey – maybe less than a tsp though.

Now, onto Gwyneth. I was so surprised by her book – it is actually really brilliant! Because of her well-publicised dietary habits, I expected it to be a bit odd and left-field. Instead it is filled with delicious recipes and ideas. She doesn’t eat red meat so that isn’t catered for, but there are really good breakfast and dinner ideas. I would never have purchased this book but for the fact I borrowed it on a whim, so thanks to my local library for having such an amazing supply of books!

Do you borrow cookbooks from the library? If so, which ones have you discovered?