I have been slacking with writing up reviews of my Foodies Reads books. So here are a few that I’ve read recently.
Legendary Frybread Drive-In
by Cynthia Leitich Smith, Kate Hart, Eric Gansworth, Marcella Bell, Darcie Little Badger, Karina Iceberg, Kaua Mahoe Adams, Cheryl Isaacs, Andrea L. Rogers, Christine Hartman Derr, Brian Young, K. A. Cobell, Jen Ferguson, A. J. Eversole, Byron Graves, Angeline Boulley, David A. RobertsonSetting: North America
Genres: Young Adult Fiction / Native American
Published on August 26, 2025
Pages: 352
Format: eBook
Featuring the voices of both new and acclaimed Indigenous writers and edited by bestselling Muscogee author Cynthia Leitich Smith, this collection of interconnected stories serves up laughter, love, Native pride, and the world’s best frybread.
The road to Sandy June's Legendary Frybread Drive-In slips through every rez and alongside every urban Native hangout. The menu offers a rotating feast, including traditional eats and tasty snacks. But Sandy June's serves more than food: it hosts live music, movie nights, unexpected family reunions, love long lost, and love found again.
That big green-and-gold neon sign beckons to teens of every tribal Nation, often when they need it most.
Features stories and poems by: Kaua Mahoe Adams, Marcella Bell, Angeline Boulley, K. A. Cobell, A. J. Eversole, Jen Ferguson, Eric Gansworth, Byron Graves, Kate Hart, Christine Hartman Derr, Karina Iceberg, Cheryl Isaacs, Darcie Little Badger, David A. Robertson, Andrea L. Rogers, Cynthia Leitich Smith, and Brian Young.
In partnership with We Need Diverse Books.
I saw this book at the Cleveland Book Festival. I don’t usually do well with finishing short story anthologies. This one had the advantage of being connected stories that kept me engaged. They also didn’t do that annoying thing of having very vague endings that short stories often do when they are trying to be mysterious.
Sandy June’s is a magical drive-in that is accessible to Indigenous people all across North America. It shows up whenever and wherever you need it. It exists in its own place out of time and space where you can just be yourself without explaining.
The authors did a good job of each incorporating a tiny bit of someone else’s story to make them connect. You may see a part of a previous story taking place in the background of another, for example. You may meet a side character from one story later as a main character. I really enjoyed this book.
Bowl Theory
by Caryn CarruthersGenres: Cooking / Methods / Garnishing & Food Presentation
Published on November 17, 2026
Pages: 256
Format: eARC Source: Netgalley
Bowl Theory is a fresh approach to meal planning that helps you prep once and eat well all week. With allergen-friendly, plant-forward recipes and flexible component-based meals, Caryn Carruthers shows home cooks how to build beautiful, nourishing bowls that adapt to different tastes, diets, and schedules.
Designed for busy households, wellness-minded cooks, and anyone cooking for mixed dietary needs, this cookbook includes nine complete meal plans with shopping lists, versatile foundation recipes, and multiple meal variations. You’ll also find eleven themed gathering menus—from Taco Night to Ramen Party—that turn build-your-own bowls into an easy, interactive way to entertain.
Here’s what makes Bowl Theory a practical and inspiring meal prep cookbook:
• Flexible Bowl-Based Meal Planning:Prep foundation recipes once, then mix and match grains, proteins, vegetables, sauces, and toppings throughout the week.
• Allergen-Friendly Recipes:Recipes are gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free, with options for paleo, vegetarian, and vegan diets.
• Customizable Meals for Every Diner:A modular system makes it easier to feed families, guests, and mixed-diet households without cooking separate meals.
• Built for Entertaining:Eleven themed gatherings offer interactive meal ideas for casual dinners, parties, and build-your-own bowl nights.
• Beautiful Food Styling at Home:With 225 full-color photographs and styling tips, readers learn how to create bowls that look as good as they taste.
Whether you’re looking for healthy bowl recipes, gluten-free meal prep, dairy-free dinner ideas, or a more flexible way to cook for the week, Bowl Theory gives you the tools to create flavorful, customizable meals for everyday life and effortless entertaining.
I didn’t find anything really innovative about the recipes in this book. But I did like the format. The idea was that you would meal prep your base ingredients for the week. Those could be grains or vegetables or another component. Then the author would prepare three dishes that would use those components so you would have variety while minimizing the amount of additional preparation that you need to do.
The recipes weren’t particularly healthy in my opinion. They were fairly high calorie but that is coming from my low calorie, vegan diet perspective. If you generally haven’t been paying attention to nutrition these may be healthier for you.
I’d use this book for ideas for meal prepping.
