There are many, many ideas out there about what it means to “eat healthy.” It’s easy to go down the rabbit hole and end up totally confounded — believe me, I know from personal experience!

These days, food and I have a much less fraught relationship. While no foods are off-limits, I have a clear sense of what I consider healthy and aim for that. I also support sustainable and ethical agribusiness practices when time and budget permit. Below are five of the books that have helped me figure out my own personal definition of healthy eating.

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Sarah’s Rental Kitchen Makeover

It’s fall, and I’m suddenly inspired to clean out my sink cabinet and reorganize my spices. It’s the time of year when many of us feel reinvigorated to change and improve things, after summer’s long, warm laziness. So I’m curious: what’s the very best thing you ever did for your kitchen? Big to small — from a new dish soap dispenser to a full renovation to a $50 makeover.

What kitchen improvement made life happier for you? Tell us all about it! We’ll round up your answers (send us pictures too, if you’d like!).

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After the autumn equinox comes the rush of recipes with spices and autumn produce. If you’re looking for something quick and fall-inspired this weekend, try the cheater skillet pizza or the pasta with cauliflower and sausage. If you feel like baking, don’t miss out on the chai sweet potato cupcakes (oh boy) and apple fritters. And make delicious leftovers for the week with the help of this easy kale potato gratin.

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This colorful kitchen counter combines three of our very favorite things: IKEA, Legos, and creativity.

The counter was created by two Parisian designers Simon Pillard and Philippe Rosetti in their own kitchen. It took them almost a full week to complete the colorful creation.

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Who needs a rooster? The chicken, or the egg? Neither. Just in case you would like a little brush-up on chicken reproductive systems, here’s a lovely poster that explains just where eggs come from.

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Who cooks and eats here: Allen Coin and me, Lisa Pepin!
See the kitchen: What It’s Like to Search for an Apartment (and a Good Kitchen) in Hanoi, Vietnam
Where: Hanoi, Vietnam
Rent or Own? Rent

By now, you’ve gotten to know my narrow Hanoi kitchen and how it’s proven to be great for day-to-day cooking. A couple weeks ago, Allen and I put it to the test by inviting our friends from Vietnam, England, Germany, and France over to cook three different dishes together. We made fresh egg and pineapple spring rolls with homemade dipping sauce, Thai red curry, and pancakes with fresh fruit and ice cream for dessert. It was delicious! Here’s a peek at the party.

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A good cup of coffee is an essential part of my morning, and there are many ways to achieve this necessity. Drip coffee makers, single-cup brewers, the French press. But if I had to choose just one way to make coffee, one that delivered good taste and convenience without much expense, I would have to go with the AeroPress — a strange-looking little gadget that produces a superb cup of coffee.

The AeroPress is inexpensive and so, so fast. Here’s how to use one!

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