KELLY GIBNEY, BEATNIK PUBLISHING, $60

Amid the clamour of cookbooks out there promoting celebrity chefs, chasing the latest fads, or revealing another ‘undiscovered’ cuisine, sometimes we overlook the most obvious: those records of simple, homemade food, the food we cook and eat everyday. Most of us are guilty of trotting out our tried-and-true recipes week after week and hey, there’s nothing wrong with slapping the label of ‘classic’ on your spag bol if it gets a tasty dinner on the table on a busy night and you know everyone will eat it. So here is a glimpse into someone else’s tried-and-trues which might give your repertoire a boost. Here you have quite simply good, healthy food that reflects the way we live today: kimchi noodles one day, smash burgers the next, fish tacos, nachos, soups and salads packed with grains, pulses and veges. But look a little deeper and you’ll find the nachos are vegan with tofu and lentils, the cheese scones use spelt flour and pack in the spinach, the tacos come with a top-notch pickle and caper mayo. Though pastry is my nemesis, the tart shell made with tapioca, buckwheat and brown rice flour has not failed me (yet), and with a filling of cheesy greens it will be on rotation on my family table from now on. TRACY WHITMEY