Cooks&Books&Recipes

Hot-off-the-Press Cookbooks, Straight-from-the-Oven Recipes. All Things Cookbooks, Recipes, & Cooks! Posts by Dee.

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1/3. The Recipe: Chipotle Chicken and Avocado Bowls

I’ve been a bit mystified by all the recipe “bowls” everywhere. When did bowls start to take over, and why, and why are they everywhere? So I did some quick research and discovered that we can thank the Chipotle restaurant chain for their modern-day popularity. In 2003, the company introduced its burrito bowl for people who wanted a burrito without the tortilla. Then the trend took off with social media over the next 15 years, and here we are. Bowls and more bowls.

I still wasn’t understanding their appeal. Even if you don’t want the bread, why not just put everything on a plate? And then I read about the “vertical layering” concept. Eating from a bowl, with the ingredients layered, means that every bite gets the perfect combination of all the tastes at once. (If you’re one of those eaters who don’t like to mix your food, you’re out of luck with a bowl.)

Similarly, when I first saw Rachael DeVaux's recipe for “Chipotle Chicken and Avocado Bowls,” it didn’t seem especially unique judging from the title. The recipe is from her cookbook “The High-Protein Plate: 100 Satisfying Everyday Recipes” (Simon Element, Simon & Schuster, March 2026). But then I looked more closely and realized the magic. First is the ideal mixture of chipotle spices and flavors: lime juice, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic, and chipotle chili powder. Second is the idea of cooking jasmine rice (one of my favorites) in bone broth! What? That’s brilliant. The protein quotient just multiplied. I have no idea why I haven’t been cooking rice in bone broth, but I certainly am now. And third, as needed for any proper bowl, Rachael suggests numerous optional toppings so that everyone can customize their meal.

Yeah, I know “get” the appeal of bowls – and of these Chipotle Chicken and Avocado Bowls.

Photo credit: Eva Kolenko.

See comments for a link to the recipe.

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@_brian_johnson Thanks for the validation!

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2/3. The Cookbook: “The High-Protein Plate: 100 Satisfying Everyday Recipes,” Rachael DeVaux

I’m tired of tracking my macros. There. I said it. In fact, I’ve stopped counting my daily grams of protein, carbs, and fat. But … I haven’t quit trying to increase my protein. Because I know I tend not to eat enough of it, and I know I need even more protein as I age (while the years keep sliding on by).

So I was intrigued when I learned about “The High-Protein Plate: 100 Satisfying Everyday Recipes” (Simon Element, Simon & Schuster, March 2026). DeVaux shares 100 high-protein recipes for breakfast (e.g., Honey Blackberry Overnight Oats) through dessert (e.g., Magic Shell Yogurt Bowls), with macro tracking for each one—meaning that the gram-counting work is done for me, yay! She also shares guidance on how much protein you really need and gives meal prep tips. I’m particularly excited about her 28-day high-protein meal plan—which helps you target 40g at breakfast, 30–35g at lunch, 30–40g at dinner, and 10–12g via snacks.

Since I’m a lazy cook, I flipped first to her chapter “30 Minutes or Less Mains.” One of the entries here is “Chipotle Chicken and Avocado Bowls,” for which you can find the recipe link in my previous post. I also want to try “Mexican Meatballs in Creamy Enchilada Sauce.” That one falls into the why-didn’t-I-think-of-that-combo category.

In her Introduction, DeVaux states: “[Cooking and eating] should be something you look forward to, not a chore or something dragged down by restriction.” OK, yeah. Thanks to this cookbook, I’m looking forward to counting those grams again. Or at least my protein grams.

Photo credit: Eva Kolenko

[Cooks&Books&Recipes @Cooks_Books]

Get the cookbook (affiliate link): https://t.co/WR87cnXjzI

[Cooks&Books&Recipes @Cooks_Books]

Get the recipe: https://t.co/EVHfygIFnk

[Cooks&Books&Recipes @Cooks_Books]

1/3. The Recipe: Chipotle Chicken and Avocado Bowls

I’ve been a bit mystified by all the recipe “bowls” everywhere. When did bowls start to take over, and why, and why are they everywhere? So I did some quick research and discovered that we can thank the Chipotle restaurant chain for their modern-day popularity. In 2003, the company introduced its burrito bowl for people who wanted a burrito without the tortilla. Then the trend took off with social media over the next 15 years, and here we are. Bowls and more bowls.

I still wasn’t understanding their appeal. Even if you don’t want the bread, why not just put everything on a plate? And then I read about the “vertical layering” concept. Eating from a bowl, with the ingredients layered, means that every bite gets the perfect combination of all the tastes at once. (If you’re one of those eaters who don’t like to mix your food, you’re out of luck with a bowl.)

Similarly, when I first saw Rachael DeVaux's recipe for “Chipotle Chicken and Avocado Bowls,” it didn’t seem especially unique judging from the title. The recipe is from her cookbook “The High-Protein Plate: 100 Satisfying Everyday Recipes” (Simon Element, Simon & Schuster, March 2026). But then I looked more closely and realized the magic. First is the ideal mixture of chipotle spices and flavors: lime juice, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic, and chipotle chili powder. Second is the idea of cooking jasmine rice (one of my favorites) in bone broth! What? That’s brilliant. The protein quotient just multiplied. I have no idea why I haven’t been cooking rice in bone broth, but I certainly am now. And third, as needed for any proper bowl, Rachael suggests numerous optional toppings so that everyone can customize their meal.

Yeah, I know “get” the appeal of bowls – and of these Chipotle Chicken and Avocado Bowls.

Photo credit: Eva Kolenko.

See comments for a link to the recipe.

[Cooks&Books&Recipes @Cooks_Books]

#5. Nicola Lamb, "Sift: The Elements of Great Baking" [Kindle] (Clarkson Potter, November 2024)

[Cooks&Books&Recipes @Cooks_Books]

5 Best-Selling Cookbooks on Amazon
(Kindle & Audiobook, May 29, 2026)

#1. Claudia Lucero, "One-Hour Cheese: Ricotta, Mozzarella, Chèvre, Paneer - Even Burrata. Fresh and Simple Cheeses You Can Make in an Hour or Less!" [Kindle] (Workman Publishing, May 2014)

[Cooks&Books&Recipes @Cooks_Books]

#4. Ina Garten, "Be Ready When the Luck Happens: A Memoir" [audiobook] (Random House, October 2024)

[Cooks&Books&Recipes @Cooks_Books]

#5. Samin Nosrat, "Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking" (Simon & Schuster, April 2017)

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Best-Selling Cookbooks on Amazon
(Hardcover & Paperback, May 29, 2026)

#1. Erin O'Brien, "Dig In! Over 100 Easy, Delicious, and Stress-Free Recipes to Make on Repeat" (Simon Element, S&S, May 2026)

[Cooks&Books&Recipes @Cooks_Books]

#4. America’s Test Kitchen Kids, "The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs: 100+ Recipes that You'll Love to Cook and Eat" (Sourcebooks Explore, October 2018)

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https://t.co/pTcQpTMtsx

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Meet the Cook: Erin O’Brien

How do you not immediately relate to a cook who names her Substack account “WTF to Make for Dinner”? Because I don’t know anyone who doesn’t ask themselves that question at least once a week. As I noted in my previous post, this is also the title of one of the chapters in Erin O’Brien’s new (and first) cookbook: “Dig In!” (Simon Element, Simon & Schuster, May 2026).

Here are just a few of O’Brien’s answers to that question: Mom’s Classic Chilaquiles Verdes (since this is my favorite dish whenever I brunch, I’m going to have to try the recipe, for dinner!), Famous Brown Butter Lemon Chicken, Italian Smash Burger, or Sheet Pan Miso Butter Salmon with Shrooms and Broccolini.

What qualifies O’Brien as the source of these recipes? For starters, she grew up cooking with her mother and grandmother, who owned a Mexican restaurant in La Jolla, California. She created a lifestyle blog (see link in the comments), and like many of us, began spending more time in the kitchen during 2020. You can also find out for yourself from her cookbook or by following her on Substack, Instagram, or TikTok.

Photo credit: Erin O’Brien

[Cooks&Books&Recipes @Cooks_Books]

Get the cookbook: https://t.co/jnnRPpqju0

[Cooks&Books&Recipes @Cooks_Books]

https://t.co/iDk5QOpxKV