There’s a pretty new appliance in town that’s all the rage. You’ve probably heard of it. Like me, you may have one sitting in your kitchen right now. You probably do the simple things–French fries, pirogues, maybe you even get creative and make some kale chips or even gyouza (a Japanese take on Chinese dumplings). But personally, I doubt you’ve unlocked the full potential of your air fryer. I know that I haven’t. After all, with so many different uses it would take an awful long time to test them all out. Aren’t you glad we have cookbooks as our guide?
“The Essential Air Fryer Cookbook for Beginners: Easy, Foolproof Recipes for Your Air Fryer” by Laurie Fleming will get you started on your journey to healthier, tastier frying with quintessential recipes for fried chicken, sweet potato fries, and if you’re feeling a little adventurous even pumpkin fritters and garlic asparagus tips. Also very helpful is the ‘Air Fryer 101’ section which explains how your air fryer works and what all it can do, including things like grilling, baking, roasting, steaming, and frying, of course. Fleming explains the benefits of air frying, including how much of a time saver it can be, saying, “I began using an air fryer because my family’s hectic schedule made preparing meals with long cooking times difficult.”
When you’re ready to try out a few more things, Urvashi Pitre has you covered with “Air Fryer Revolution: 100 Crispy, Healthy, Fast & Fresh Recipes.”
As you’re aware by now, air frying is pretty healthy in general and especially if you follow the right recipe. So, it comes as no surprise that there are ways to make it even healthier to suit the needs of whichever diet or lifestyle you’re living.
If you need gluten free recipes, Michelle Fagone has the book for you with “The ‘I Love My Air Fryer’ Gluten-Free Recipe Book: From Lemon Blueberry Muffins to Mediterranean Short Ribs, 175 Easy and Delicious Gluten-Free Recipes.”
Fagone also wrote a book in the same series for those following a low carb diet: “The ‘I Love My Air Fryer’ Low-Carb Recipe Book: From Carne Asada with Salsa Verde to Key Lime Cheesecake, 175 Easy and Delicious Low-Carb Recipes.”
Of course, no modern cookbook collection would be complete without something for the popular keto diet. Ella Sanders fulfills this need with “Keto Kitchen: Air Fryer Cookbook: Over 100 Healthy Fried Recipes for the Ketogenic Diet.”
Finally, for those with diabetes there is Kathy Moore and Wyss’s “The Easy Air Fryer Cookbook: Healthy, Everyday Recipes for People with Diabetes.”
If you’d prefer digital items, don’t forget you can checkout free e-magazines through RBDigital, including titles such as Good Housekeeping, Food Network, Country Living, and Taste of Home through the County’s website at www.highlandsfl.gov. Click on Departments, then Libraries, and finally, “Access Your Library’s Online Resources.” You’ll need a one-time access code if you haven’t set up your account already. Simply call your local library and we would be happy to help.
Whatever your specific diet or interest, I encourage you to give one of these cookbooks a try if you have an air fryer at home. They are all available in Highlands County libraries and you can request them through your library’s catalog at www.myhlc.org. We will contact you when your items are available for you. If you want to come in and browse Highlands Library shelves for items, you can do from 8:30 am – 5:30 pm on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. If you’d rather use your library’s curb-side or walk-up services, those are available on Fridays from 8:30 am – 5:30 pm.