As a professional family manager, I'm always looking for inexpensive tools to make my life easier. Thanks to Chef Debra Whiting at Red Newt Bistro, I'm trying something new with meal planning and recipe management.Living Cookbook is an electronic software tool that allows you to add your recipes via download, copying from the web, or manual entry. You can then drag-and-drop recipes into a menu plan and print grocery lists. The software will calculate nutrition information per serving, which is important if you are tracking calories, fat, protein, fiber, and vitamin intake. You can print recipes onto recipe cards, index cards, or regular sheets of paper; you can also email recipes to others and create your own cookbooks. If you use a paper planner system, you can easily print out your menus and add them to your planner.
The software has a very simple user-interface, much like Microsoft Office (but much easier). The program comes with an extensive recipe database; however, I like to keep things applicable to my life, so I've already erased their database and have begun entering my own recipes. I'm very controlling that way!
Living Cookbook offers a free thirty-day trial download; if the software is something you like, you can purchase it for $34.95. I'm still using the trial version, but so far I like it so much I'll probably end up purchasing it.
Speaking of always looking for new tools...one of my daughters and I took a cooking class with Debra Whiting. She printed the recipes of all the foods she demonstrated. At the bottom of the page was the link to Living Cookbook. I was curious as to what this professional chef used in her kitchen, so when I got home I typed in the web address and found the software. This wasn't one of the topics at the class, and I didn't think this was something I'd come away with from the class. It just goes to show that you never know when and what you're going to learn in life!
DISCLAIMER: I am in no way associated with Living Cookbook. I have not been asked to give any endorsement or promote Living Cookbook or any other person. I am only passing on the resource. I hope it is helpful!
