There’s a place for high-falutin’ conceptual titles, but it’s not in my kitchen. I want cookbooks that either show me something new or give me the definitive, can’t-fail version of something I want all the time. This season there are stacks of both (the plan is to eat more meat-free dishes, and to master Asian cuisine).

Rosie Birkett is a young food writer I admire. She has bags of energy and good ideas, but I hadn’t properly appreciated her recipe skills until I picked up her book, A Lot On Her Plate (Hardie Grant, £25). It’s packed full of accessible ideas from quick suppers for one to feasts for friends (she’s a fixture on the London scene and knows everybody), and more than that, both the design and tone of the book are friendly. As you’d expect from someone who interviews chefs and restaurateurs all the time, she references them openly and shares their tips. Lovely.

The big trend in cookbooks this season is vegetarian, but the first of those I grabbed is V for Vegan, by Kerstin Rodgers (Quadrille, £20). I’ve met Kerstin too, also known as Ms Marmite Lover, and she’s the primary force in supperclubs. She’s strident and saucy and that comes across in clever recipes that even the most committed carnivore could love.

50 best foods for healthy living Show all 50 1 /50 50 best foods for healthy living 50 best foods for healthy living Digestion Live yoghurt - Many with digestive issues avoid dairy, but live yoghurt may be worth a shot, as it is full of gut-friendly bacteria. Because the lactose in live yoghurt is effectively broken down, it is gentler on the system than milk. Rex 50 best foods for healthy living Digestion Chia seeds - Just two tablespoons of chia seeds provide a third of your recommended daily intake of fibre. notahipster, Flickr 50 best foods for healthy living Digestion Sauerkraut - Fermented foods like sauerkraut (fermented cabbage) is packed with probiotics, aiding digestion. Qwerty Binary 50 best foods for healthy living Digestion Lentils - High in insoluble fibre, lentils are great for digestion, as well as being regarded as beneficial in alleviating irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulosis. Rex Features 50 best foods for healthy living Digestion Buckwheat - Despite the name, buckwheat is completely wheat and gluten free and a great, high fibre alternative to anyone with a wheat intolerance. Getty Images 50 best foods for healthy living Immune system Oranges - Citrus fruits such as oranges are high in Vitamin C, which helps to prevent colds and infection. Getty Images 50 best foods for healthy living Immune system Mushrooms - Shiitake mushrooms have been shown in studies to boost the production of white blood cells, thus improving the body’s ability to fight infection. powerplantop, Flickr 50 best foods for healthy living Immune system Clams - Contain zinc and selenium, which helps to slow the body’s immune response and control inflammation. 50 best foods for healthy living Immune system Garlic - Packed with antioxidants, garlic was used to fight gangrene in World War I, but more practically can help to keep colds at bay. It is also quite anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal, and used to treat everything from psoriasis to athlete’s foot. 50 best foods for healthy living Immune system Broccoli - One cup of broccoli provides you with almost 100% of your RDA of vitamin C, which is thought to stave off colds and other illnesses. It is also rich in vitamin A, K, folate and potassium. Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli contain a sulphurous compound that studies show can lower the risk of cancer. Getty 50 best foods for healthy living Skin, hair and nails Avocado - The good fats in avocado hydrate the skin, while omega 9 can help reduce redness. Avocado is also rich in vitamin E, which helps guard against sun damage and vitamin C, which helps produce elastin and collagen for skin firmness. Getty 50 best foods for healthy living Skin, hair and nails Sunflower seeds - a handful contains more than a third of your daily vitamin E needs. F Ceragioli via Wikimedia Commons 50 best foods for healthy living Skin, hair and nails Pumpkin - One of the richest sourcs of Vitamin A, which is essential for the formation of connective tissue, i.e. skin. Getty Images 50 best foods for healthy living Skin, hair and nails Olive oil - The monounsaturated fatty acids in olive oil plump the skin for a more youthful look, plus antioxidant polyphenols may curb ageing free-radicals. SAIF DAHLAH/AFP/Getty Images 50 best foods for healthy living Skin, hair and nails Green tea - Polyphenols in green tea could help to offset sun damage. Getty Images 50 best foods for healthy living Weight loss Cinnamon - This spice is a great additive for breakfasts and bakes if you are trying to cut sugar and sweeteners, and it is also thought to help balance blood sugar. Getty Images 50 best foods for healthy living Weight loss Apples - Apples are high in pectin, a soluble fibre that helps to keep you feeling fuller for longer. Getty Images 50 best foods for healthy living Weight loss Eggs - One of the best sources of protein, eggs help to keep you energised and prevent unhealthy snacking, while providing a host of vitamins and minerals for general good health. Getty Images 50 best foods for healthy living Weight loss Tuna- High in protein, low in saturated fat and rich in omega 3, tuna is a fantastic option for maintained weight loss. The omega 3 in oily fish improves the body’s response to insulin, lowering metabolism and helping to prevent the dreaded sugar spikes. Getty 50 best foods for healthy living Weight loss Oats - High in fibre for slow-release energy, oats also are thought to lower cholesterol. Getty Images 50 best foods for healthy living Heart health Beetroot - This is a good source of iron and folic acid. It is also rich in nitrates, which help to reduce blood pressure. Raimond Spekking 50 best foods for healthy living Heart health Garlic - High in manganese, selenium and antioxidants, garlic is thought to help lower blood pressure and reduce cholesterol. Getty Images 50 best foods for healthy living Heart health Asparagus - Rich in the amino acid asparagine, which serves as a natural diuretic and helps rid the body of excess salts. This is beneficial for people have high blood pressure or other heart-related diseases. Getty Images 50 best foods for healthy living Heart health Salmon - Studies have found that eating oily fish such as salmon can lower blood pressure and reduce cholesterol. Rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, Getty Images 50 best foods for healthy living Heart health Pomegranate - Rich in vitamins A, C and E, and high in fibre, pomegranates are thought to help protect against heart disease. A 2004 study showed evidence that daily consumption helped to alleviate narrowed arteries and reduce cholesterol. Getty Images 50 best foods for healthy living Brain health Mackerel - Oily fish including mackerel is rich in Omega 3, which studies have suggested is linked to a reduced risk of dementia, schizophrenia and depression, as well as enhanced memory. Getty Images 50 best foods for healthy living Brain health Hazelnuts - HIgh in Vitamin E, which studies say can help to prevent cognitive decline in older people. Getty Images 50 best foods for healthy living Brain health Blueberries - low in calories and high in antioxidants, blueberries are regarded as a nutritional powerhouse. Some studies have found a link between blueberry consumption and improved spatial learning and memory. Getty Images 50 best foods for healthy living Brain health Cacao - Contains phenylethylamine, which acts as a mild mood enhancer, and a 2009 study shows signs that it can help to reduce stress. However, adding sugar and milk to cacao to make your favourite chocolatey treat offsets any health benefits - try to keep it as close to its natural state as possible. Keith Welle via Wikimedia Commons 50 best foods for healthy living Brain health Pumpkin seeds - Just a handful of pumpkin seeds a day provide your total RDA of zinc, which is important for enhancing your memory. 50 best foods for healthy living Energy Sweet potatoes - Starchy veg like sweet potatoes are a great source of low-GI carbohydrates for slow-burn, long-lasting energy. Sweet potatoes are also rich in soluble fibre and vitamins A, C and B6. Getty Images 50 best foods for healthy living Energy Beef - Low energy levels are often a sign of iron deficiency or anaemia. Lean cuts of beef are a good source of iron, as well as being a protein powerhouse to aid muscle development and stamina. Getty Images 50 best foods for healthy living Energy Brown Rice - Complex carbohydrates like brown rice break down into energy-boosting sugars more slowly than white rice, meaning more energy for longer, and more balanced blood sugar levels - i.e. no nasty sugar crash within hours of eating. Arria Belli, Flickr 50 best foods for healthy living Energy Bananas - A great source of energy that keep sugar levels balanced, plus the sweet taste will help to satisfy cravings. Getty Images 50 best foods for healthy living Energy Quinoa - This supergrain contains more protein than rice or any other grain, ideal for building muscle, along with being a nutrient-rich source of carbohydrates. AFP/ Getty Images 50 best foods for healthy living Bone health Sardines - Sunshine is the best source of bone-building Vitamin D, but if a British summer doesn’t allow for that, sardines are a surprising source, as well as being rich in calcium. Getty Images 50 best foods for healthy living Bone health Brussel sprouts - Just three-quarters of a cup of this divisive winter vegetable provides your RDA of vitamin K, which is essential in helping the absorption of calcium for healthy bones. Getty Images 50 best foods for healthy living Bone health Chickpeas - High in protein and fibre, chickpeas are also packed with iron, phosphate, calcium, magnesium, manganese, zinc and vitamin K, which contribute to building and maintaining strong bones. Scott Teresi, Flickr 50 best foods for healthy living Bone health Spinach - If dairy isn’t your thing, spinach could be your saviour - a cup of cooked spinach contains a quarter of your calcium needs. Getty Images 50 best foods for healthy living Bone health Almonds - Rich in potassium, which prevents the excretion of calcium in urine, as well as being rich in protein and other nutrients for maintaining bone health. M.Verkerk/J.J.G.Claessens/Creative Commons 50 best foods for healthy living Men’s Health Prawns - Rich in zinc, which is essential for sperm quality and fertility. Getty Images 50 best foods for healthy living Men’s Health Tomatoes - high in lycopene, an antioxidant which, according to the World Cancer Research Fund, can help reduce the risk of prostate cancer. Strangely, cooked and tinned tomatoes are recommended, as the lycopene is more readily absorbed. PIERRE ANDRIEU/AFP/Getty Images 50 best foods for healthy living Men’s Health Brazil nuts - High in selenium, which boosts the immune system and strengthens the thyroid gland. Quadell 50 best foods for healthy living Men’s Health Cauliflower - Rich in vitamin C, potassium and boron, which is said to aid in increasing testosterone levels and muscle-building. Getty Images 50 best foods for healthy living Men’s Health Turkey - With obesity an escalating problem for men, turkey is a great swap for your morning bacon. HIgh in lean protein, it is full of B vitamins, which can aid in lowering cholesterol. Getty Images 50 best foods for healthy living Women’s Health Walnuts - These nuts contain antioxidants and phytosterols that may help reduce the risk of breast cancer. Getty Images 50 best foods for healthy living Women’s Health Green beans - Low in fat, bean are a great source of protein and fibre and can also help to guard against breast cancer and heart disease. Isoflavones in beans, chickpeas and lentils help with the regulation of hormones, easing PMS and menopause symptoms. Getty Images 50 best foods for healthy living Women’s Health Flax - One of the oldest sources of fibre in the world, flaxseed can ease digestion as well as providing omega 3 fatty acids. It is also thought to be of help with menopause, but some experts say it should be avoided if pregnant. Sanjay Acharya via Wikimedia Commons 50 best foods for healthy living Women’s Health Cranberries - Rich in anthocyans, red berries such as cranberries help to play a role in cell repair and are thus thought to reduce cancer risk. Also high in vitamin C and folic acid, essential for women of childbearing age, and cranberry juice is a fantastic way to get rid of cystitis. Getty Images 50 best foods for healthy living Women’s Health Tofu - A great source of phytoestrogens, which can help with the symptoms of menopause and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Getty Images

Benign dictatorship saffron spaghetti is a case in point. “Do not freestyle it,” she says. “I don’t care how poor you are, you can buy a halfway-decent tin of tomatoes.” Her nut roast might win me over, if ever I’m to be persuaded, and the pictures (memorably a wild mushroom forest pie) are delightful. The whole book has a punky design, which is very Kerstin, and not very old-school vegan – so much the better.

Video courtesy of divertimenti.co.uk/events

One of the first restaurants I ever reviewed – in 2009 – was Vanilla Black, in London. Now the purely vegetarian restaurant has an eponymous cookbook (Salt Yard, £25) and it’s every bit as elegant as I remember the place being; this was years before plates of heritage carrots or roasted cauliflower were de rigueur. Andrew Dargue shares an eclectic mix of recipes – from microwave brown sauce to broad bean, spring onion and lemon cheesecake to a toasted marzipan custard that I cannot recommend highly enough. “Don’t make the mistake that, by buying this book, you are buying a compendium of healthy recipes,” says Andrew. It’s true, there are treats galore, but its backbone is a lightness of touch.

A quick detour to say a word about “celebrity” cookbooks. The vegetarian one just published by Mary McCartney (yes, daughter of ...), called At My Table (Chatto & Windus, £20), is perfectly nice but compared to those named above it is – pardon the pun – very vanilla. It’s not one I’d leap to recommend.

Much, much more thrilling is A Girl and Her Greens, by April Bloomfield (Canongate, £25). There’s tons to read even before the recipes as the Birmingham girl turned Manhattan super-chef, covers her childhood and her slow conversion to the joys of vegetables. She’s famous, rightly, for her meat dishes but there is much to learn from her – just don’t expect purity (bacon makes a few appearances).

And so to new-old Asian, the summer’s other big box-office. The very best of these are Maunika Gowardhan’s Indian Kitchen (Hodder, £25) and Lizzie Mabbott’s Chinatown Kitchen (Mitchell Beazley, £20).

Maunika’s book is divided into chapters named Hungry, Lazy, Indulgent and Celebratory; the first packed with lipsmacking quick recipes, including an instant hit with me, chicken tikka with pomegranate molasses. There’s also chilli paneer fry and masses of other familiar and intriguing dishes (all clearly very true to Maunika’s Mumbai upbringing). Later on in the book, rich curries and opulent veggie dishes too, for the hordes. I’ll definitely be using this one regularly.

Hot & Sour Chicken Noodles from Chinatown Kitchen by Lizzie Mabbott (press image from Karen Baker)

Meanwhile, off to China. Lizzie Mabbott’s book goes some way beyond its own geographical remit and includes dishes from other parts of Asia (an unexpected joy; you can tell she grew up in bustling Hong Kong).

So, you’ll find kimchi and rotis as well as classic Chinese dishes here. Her tone is chatty and authoritative – not always easy to pull off – and you’ll want to stretch yourself to the full-on, unfamiliar recipes (still not convinced by century egg salad, sorry Lizzie!).