Cooking Inspired Hardcover – November 4, 2013

I bought this book on pre-order because I have all of Estee's other books and they are absolute favorites. This one takes cookbooks to a whole new level. it's beautiful, practical, and inspiring as well. I actually liked it so much that I sent one to each of my sisters-in-law, no birthday, no special reason, just 'I'm thinking of you'. They were so touched!If you get this book, you absolutely must check out the gluten free brownie recipe called 'you'll never know brownies'. i doubled it (in five minutes or less) it was gone (in about an hour or less) and no one would believe its actually healthy!

I was totally blown away by this book. It is so professionally created- from the organization of the recipes, to the gorgeous photos and, of course, the recipes themselves! It's visually STUNNING. I love the way it has different, unexpected graphics and layouts as you keep turning the pages. Also, there's a really nice introduction and themed section breakers, both of which make it feel like you're reading a magazine that has been thoughtfully prepared for your enjoyment. The recipes are interesting and contemporary, and, from what I can tell, seem pretty easy and straightforward. Makes a great gift!

Although this cookbook is well-done and pictures of the finished products beautifully displayed, I was disappointed, mostly because I am a a very "simple" chef and found some of the recipes rather exotic! I enjoy the author's Kosher Scoop newsletter and thought that the cookbook would be along the same vein. This is not to say that it would be a worthwhile purchase for those who are more adventuresome than I am! I would still highly recommend this to others.

I bought this book a few weeks ago and it is already one of my favorites. The recipes I've tried have been big hits with my family. The chocolate cake and apple bundt cake recipes are worth the cost of the book.

This book has lots of tempting recipes with wonderful and equally tempting photos. The only problem is deciding which recipe to try first.

I love my job as a food writer! One of the great perks is receiving wonderful new cookbooks to devour. I was recently sent a copy of Estee Kafra's latest, titled Cooking Inspired - Bringing Creativity and Passion Back Into the Kitchen and I was wowed by the taste tempting recipes. Estee is an accomplished food photographer, cookbook author and magazine editor. After a couple of stints as a food editor for print magazines, one of which, Kosher Inspired, morphed into an online magazine KosherScoop.com. Estee serves as the site’s editor and contributes recipes and photographs on a regular basis. Believe it or not, Estee never uses cookbooks. Her love of new things ensures that she is always original and creative in the kitchen. Estee lives in Toronto with her family.As I read through this fabulous cookbook I felt as though I got to know Estee, her friends and family. Many of these family members and friends inspired or contributed recipes to her book Cooking Inspired. I also realized that though I do not keep kosher myself, the recipes are really for anyone who enjoys good food. Using the best quality ingredients you can afford means that you don't have to play around with them too much to make a delicious dish. And being a creative cook means that you can use her recipes as guides, as all recipes should be used, to prepare the dish your way. If you don't keep kosher it really doesn't matter. I was having friends for dinner and making an Italian inspired meal so I tweaked Estee's fabulous mushroom lasagna recipe and added spicy Italian sausage. Since neither our guests nor Steve and I keep kosher it was perfectly all right. And was it ever good!!!“Creative cooking does not have to be time-consuming cooking", states Estee. "You may think that trying new ingredients or cooking with the seasons must mean more work, but on the contrary—when using fresh and seasonal ingredients, it takes less time to make your food sing. Inspiration can come from every day, simple things. Usually, a few simple ingredients and some basic techniques are enough to do the trick—and when you’ve done it long enough, this sort of cooking becomes second nature.”“Food is one of our most primal needs, and for most of us, cooking is a basic, everyday chore. But food represents much more than the way in which we satisfy our cravings and keep ourselves alive. It is the way we nurture both ourselves and the people around us,” Estee says. “I believe we can take this everyday act and elevate it into an experience of creativity, mindfulness, and meaning. In order to make the most of the world we live in, we need to open our hearts and minds to the inspiration all around us, to the myriad experiences and items that can shape our everyday lives. That’s Cooking Inspired.”I highly recommend that you purchase a copy of this wonderful cookbook. I am totally confident that Jews and non-Jews alike will enjoy cooking her recipes and learn to become very inspired cooks!

I was given this book as a holiday gift and I could not be happier. This is truly a great cookbook for someone who enjoys creative and delicious meals. The variety is what I enjoyed the most about this particular book. Some chefs focus on one style of cooking or gear their books towards one particular genre which can sometimes be boring or even frustrating because you want variety in your daily cooking. There were dishes from all different categories and that is important when someone cooks as often as I do. I appreciated the author/chef's heart warming description of where the dish comes from and who in her family inspired her for each dish. Cooking brings family together and the concept of her book shows the reader that she is a warm, loving and family oriented person that understands how to get kids and adults to enjoy the same meals. Some dishes are made easier then others but I enjoyed that since it provided a fair amount of challenge to the frequent cook. The author also allows for the individual to use their preference for substitutions which is important for some people who have diet restrictions. I would definitely recommend this book to friends and family and look forward to her next book or even cooking show!

Beautifully written and presented and the recipes are user friendly. I have earmarked several recipes and have not yet finished.