Nourishing Traditions and a Nourishing Dinner
If you are like me, you know the joys of reading cookbooks cover to cover like a novel. Looking at the photos, skimming the recipes, planning future meals and letting the creativity flow is one of my favorite pastimes. I have an entire bookshelf full of cookbooks in my kitchen. I have made at least one or two recipes out of all of them, but I like to keep things interesting, and generally I use cookbooks as inspiration for my cooking, rather than a step-by-step guide. Now with all the wonderful food blogs I have at my fingertips, I find myself using them as creative fodder more often, so in the spirit of conservation I have really tried to limit my cookbook purchases.
However, sometimes, a cookbook will really speak to me and when I purchase it, it will get a place of honor on my counter-top cookbook stand. Generally that spot is reserved for Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day but now it has a roommate Nourishing Traditions
by Sally Fallon. Several people over a short time period told me that I should check this book out. I remember several patients we had at the holistic healthcare office I used to work at talking about Weston Price and fermented and cultured foods, but I never really explored it back then. However, based on all these recommendations, I decided to buy the book. I spent several days reading the introduction which discusses at length the similarities of food preparation (not necessarily ingredients) from traditional cultures all over the world. It also discusses at length the major food groups and gives a lot of information to think about. Now I know some people might read this and be converted right away. I am a skeptical animal by nature, and so a firm believer in moderation as opposed to dogma of any kind. But I have found a lot of useful information in this book, as well as confirmation of a lot of clues and messages I have gotten from my own body when I choose various foods to eat. So for me, much of this book rings true. Then there are the recipes – all of which I want to eat! Well maybe not the organ meat section, I have had quite enough of that to last me a lifetime. But the emphasis here is on real, whole, traditional foods – not new fangled, or processed foods -and some of the foods that fall into that category might be surprising to people – yet it does ring true. It really explores some of the information we, as consumers accept as reality, but may not be the truth of the matter.
For the past 2 months I have been exploring a gluten free diet. But I am not convinced yet that gluten is my culprit. I think my culprit is grains in general and Nourishing Traditions gives lots of information for why that theory may be true. It also gives a lot of suggestions for fermenting grains (and legumes) or soaking them in vinegar, buttermilk, yogurt or kefir as our ancestors did. There are examples from all over the world in this book to support this claim. The soaking allows enzymes and other friendly organisms to break down the phytic acid, an organic acid found in all grains (and legumes) that may make the digestion of grains (and legumes) harder for some people. This sounded like an experiment I wanted to try – not only because I wanted to find a way to digest grains better, but because I really like kefir, yogurt, vinegar and buttermilk, and thought the flavor might actually enhance the grain dishes. I have to say I had a lot of success in the past few weeks with bulgur, lentils and even oatmeal – something I have been trying to learn to like for years. After learning to soak lentils in warm water and apple cider vinegar, they have become so much easier to digest and are becoming a mainstay of our diet. This book has given Roberto and I the opportunity to actually enjoy foods that were previously not on the tummy friendly list. So just for that I am loving this book.
My favorite grain on the planet is buckwheat also known as kasha (which is not actually a wheat – but a grass). So I started the soaking experiment with buckwheat and lentils for dinner one night – serving them together as a pilaf. I served it with a modified version of Nourishing Traditions’ Moroccan Style Chicken (see my recipe after the cut) and roasted sweet potatoes. It was such a delicious meal – so filling and satisfying…and well, a breeze in the digestion department! I was feeling so inspired that night I starting soaking some Irish oats for breakfast the next day, and it was my best experience with oatmeal ever. I am not a convert yet, but I can see myself eating it more often. With all these successes, and so many other delicious recipes to try, I will most likely be featuring more and more of the recipes and ideas from this book.
Yesterday I ordered a bunch of cultures and cheese making supplies from New England Cheesemaking Supply Company so that I can begin making my own kefir, yogurt, buttermilk as well as some soft cheeses. Also, for more Nourishing Food ideas, I have found a great blog – The Nourished Kitchen authored by Jenny who is really a wealth of knowledge on this way of eating. I came across her blog a few months ago when she was doing a giveaway for a Kimchi and Sauerkraut (some of my favorite foods) Maker! I never wanted to win something so bad. I didn’t win, but that maker is certainly on my wish list, along with the CIA version of the Vitamix! In fact, I think I may to buy that maker today…it is under $30 and the only pickles I can find at the store now without corn syrup and dyes are $8 a jar – and I eat A LOT of pickles! Anyway, as you can see I am really excited about all these new discoveries. So likely this will be a topic of discussion in the future.
As I told Hank Cardello, author of Stuffed Nation during a very enjoyable phone conversation yesterday, I am still on the road of discovery about what “healthy eating” means to me. I don’t have all the answers yet, but the learning process sure has been fun, tasty and eye opening so far, and I am already about 8 years into the discovery process with so much more to learn. Speaking of Mr. Cardello and Stuffed Nation, keep your eye out for an intriguing giveaway we will be doing together in September to help spread the message about food policy and the fight against obesity in the US.
*Update: I am really happy to see the responses and comments on this article. If definitely answers my question as to whether these kinds of posts are valuable/interesting to my readers! Your comments always help me to decide which kinds of articles to write, and although I get great responses to my recipes, it seems that I always get very thought provoking comments on these posts I do on food quality. So I am moved to do more of these in the future. For more articles on this topic, check out my “Health and Wellness” category (categories can be found on the left hand side bar). Thank you all for comments!
My version of Nourishing Traditions Moroccan Style Chicken
INGREDIENTS:
5 organic chicken drumsticks
½ cup of white wine
2 TBS honey
juice of 2 lemons
grated rind of 2 lemons
2 cloves of roasted garlic, mashed
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp of each: dried oregano, thyme, ans crushed peppercorns
salt to taste
3 TBS extra virgin olive oil
8 dried apricot halves, coarsely chopped
METHOD:
Mix all ingredients (besides chicken) thoroughly in a large bowl or ziplock bag. Add the chicken and marinate in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight.
Preheat a cast iron skillet with 2 TBS olive oil. Remove the pieces, reserving the marinade. Pat the chicken dry and lay the legs skin side down on the skillet. Brown the chicken over medium – high heat on all sides and then add the marinade. Bring liquid to a boil and then reduce temperature to low. Cover the pan and let cook for about 20-25 minutes. Remove lid and reduce sauce by half – about another 5 minutes. Then serve the chicken with the sauce.
Buckwheat (Kasha)-Lentil Pilaf
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup pure roasted buckwheat (I couldn’t find un-roasted…)
1 ½ cups water
2 TBS whey or kefir
½ cup dry lentils
warm water
2 TBS apple cider vinegar
3 cups veggie broth
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
salt and pepper to taste
plain yogurt for garnish
METHOD:
The night before or the morning of you will need to soak your buckwheat and lentils. In a large bowl, place your toasted buckwheat with water and whey or kefir and let soak at room temperature for at least 8 hours. In another large bowl place lentils, warm water (to cover) and apple cider vinegar together, and let this soak at room temperature for at least 8 hours.
When it is time to cook the pilaf, heat up a large cast iron pot. Drain lentils and rinse. Add to the pot lentils, veggie broth, and all the spices. Bring to a light boil for 10 minutes. Then add buckwheat (kasha) , cover pot and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until lentils and kasha are tender. Serve with a nice dollop of plain yogurt.
Maria - August 5, 2009 at 12:51 pm
I have to check this book out! Thanks!
City Girl - August 5, 2009 at 1:12 pm
Hi Jenn – I too have been having troubles with certain foods – because of that, along with other health problems, i went to a naturopath and i am currently on a no-dairy, no-wheat diet – I wrote about it on my blog the last few weekends as several readers were curious to hear about it (but it’s not really the main focus o f my blog so I kept those posts to weekend days). I have been debating buying nourishing traditions and your review is just adding to my interest in the book. ALso – I did go completely gluten free for the first 4 weeks of my restricted regimen and have added back a bit of gluten (mainly in the form of things like oatmeal or a bit of spelt bread) and find i am tolerating it so much better. Feel free to email me if you want to chat more about this 🙂
Rosa - August 5, 2009 at 1:25 pm
An interesting article! That dish sure looks and sounds very good!
Cheers,
Rosa
Wandering Coyote - August 5, 2009 at 1:49 pm
I read Nourishing Traditions a few years ago and thought it was really fascinating. I haven’t got my copy anymore, but some of what I remember reading was truly mind-blowing for me. I think it’s a really important food book that everyone should read.
Natashya - August 5, 2009 at 2:20 pm
I really enjoyed this book too. I took some information from it and left some behind. The fermented foods idea is intriguing and makes sense. My daughter has some food culprit too and I have suggested to her to try experimenting with removing wheat from her diet, as well as the dairy which she has trouble with.
Your meal sounds delicious and healthy, looking forward to more!
Jenn - August 5, 2009 at 2:47 pm
The chicken looks mighty fab. Don’t know if i’ve had buckwheat before, but the pilaf is really piquing my interest in trying it.
Bob - August 5, 2009 at 3:33 pm
I haven’t read the book, but it sounds interesting. Love the recipe, my girlfriend has been after me to make something with buckwheat for years.
lk (helathy delicious) - August 5, 2009 at 3:46 pm
I can’t wait to hear about the cheesemaking! I’ve been eyeing supplied myself, but have yet to make the leap.
Natasha - 5 Star Foodie - August 5, 2009 at 4:36 pm
The chicken looks delicious and I love the idea of combining lentils with buckwheat. My mom got me so much buckwheat from the Russian store and this would be a great new way to use it (we always just make a simple kasha with butter).
dawn - August 5, 2009 at 5:25 pm
you know I get that way with any type of white flour food. I cannot eat white flour cookies or breads without some sort of punishment later. and sourdough bread is my bff!! wahhh.
I can’t wait to see what you do with the whole cheese making thing. if it takes off you should call it “pepino’s cheese company”. seriously! good name, right? LOL
Peter G - August 5, 2009 at 5:55 pm
A very interesting and educational post Jenn. I find as I get older certain ingredients can be hard to “stomach”. The soaking method has me quite intrigued and I think you are following a great philosophy of listening to your body. I look forward to seeing your further experiments with this. Whenever I make oatmeal I always soak it in Greek yogurt and then add fruit…it’s the best! Cheers and thanks again for sharing this information!
Sue - August 5, 2009 at 7:02 pm
So interesting. I’m so lucky. I find that just throwing out the soaking water, vinegar or no vinegar, helps the digestibility of legumes. Tell us about your future experiments.
That chicken sounds goooood!
Karine - August 5, 2009 at 8:11 pm
I love these 2 recipes! They look yummy and healthy 🙂
nina - August 5, 2009 at 11:20 pm
THis is very interesting, because I too have a gluten problem, but rye bread for instance also affects me!!! I want to try this technique today still!!
DebinHawaii - August 6, 2009 at 2:05 am
I bought the book a while back and really liked reading it. I need to start cooking from it and putting more of it into practice. Your dinner looks amazing!
Adam - August 6, 2009 at 8:15 am
This is gem of a post Jenn. I love how you’re learning to read your body, and realize that grains may in fact be a culprit. To many people that have aches and pains, we stress an “anti-inflammatory diet”, which elimates all grains. Grain are in fact inflammatory because of the acid you mentioned… and acid needs to be buffered in the body. So, is pretty awesome that you read up on that and made the right changes.
I’m a huge kasha fan too… I guess it goes back to the Eastern Europe Heritage we have 🙂
High five buddy!
Teresa - August 6, 2009 at 12:54 pm
Your Moroccan Style Chicken recipe is mouthwatering. Healthy – delectble eating at it’s finest.
Lifeway Anna - August 6, 2009 at 1:56 pm
Nourishing Traditions is a great book, no question about it. This sounds like a great recipe. Would you consider submitting it to our site? http://lifeway.net/HealthWellness/Recipes.aspx
The Duo Dishes - August 6, 2009 at 4:01 pm
Oh that chicken, oh that chicken!
pam - August 6, 2009 at 4:17 pm
I am going through the same thought process and phase with grains and eating as you. I love her blog, and it sounds like I need to get that cookbook! And I just saved a 28 ounce can and it’s lids to use as a cheese press!
Jen of a2eatwrite - August 6, 2009 at 4:46 pm
I am so getting this book. It sounds absolutely wonderful and like something that might be extremely useful for me. Thanks for the truly thoughtful post. I saw your FB thing about how long it took you to write – well, no wonder – this is a true article!
elly - August 6, 2009 at 7:05 pm
The buckwheat and lentils look great. I’ve actually never cooked with buckwheat, though I do enjoy it. I’ll have to look into that book!
Jenny - August 6, 2009 at 10:41 pm
I LOVED Nourishing Traditions – it really helped me to change the way I thought about food. Real Food by Nina Planck and Full Moon Feast by Jessica Prentice are also not to be missed. There’s such pleasure to be had in real food and the meals can be so satisfying. For me it just feels right, you know? I’ll have to try your recipe. It looks yummy.
Joan Nova - August 7, 2009 at 8:57 am
Like your other readers, I found this post very interesting and thank you. I’m intrigued by the soaking food in cider vinegar and warm water because I have been reading up a lot on the benefits of cider vinegar. In fact, I started taking cider vinegar tablets which I bought in GNC about a month ago.
kat - August 7, 2009 at 9:40 am
It so good that you may have found something that works for you to make grains digestible! We too have been on a big pickle making frenzy. We can’t stand looking at what is in so much of things at the stores
Lisa - August 7, 2009 at 4:18 pm
Jenn, I can’t tell you how delighted I am to see you review Ms. Fallon’s treasured cookbook. I’ve owned this book for years and it’s been a huge inspiration, as has the man who introduced me to it. I’ve been soaking grains for years and though I have other bad habits, my diet is generally quite good. Enjoy and happy and healthy eating!
Joan Nova - August 8, 2009 at 10:10 am
Hey Jenn, I’m still thinking about this article and had to come back again to ask a question: did you use organic cider vinegar (with the ‘mother’)? The articles I read said the distilled version that we’re most accustomed to was not effective.
The Leftover Queen - August 8, 2009 at 11:53 am
Hi Joan! Yes, I use Bragg’s Organic. It is the best tasting vinegar! I would suggest getting a bottle of that and using it in place of the pills you got once they are gone – way more tasty! 😉
I am really happy to see the responses and comments on this article. If definitely answers my question as to whether these kinds of posts are valuable/interesting to my readers! Your comments always help me to decide which kinds of articles to write, and although I get great responses to my recipes, it seems that I always get very thought provoking comments on these posts I do on food quality. For more articles on this topic, check out my “Health and Wellness” category (categories can be found on the left hand side bar)
Michelle - August 8, 2009 at 5:54 pm
I love all the info you provided here! As you know, I’m not much in the kitchen and I’m just starting out on my journey of food knowledge and stuff like this is great to get me on my way. I will add this book to my wish list and appreciate the new ways to eat grains! Thanks.
Molly Chester - August 13, 2009 at 2:11 am
I love Nourishing Traditions, and I love experimenting with fermenting grains as well! I wanted to pass on a recipe that I have created for a cookie we call Chester Cookies that ferments the oats in Kefir overnight before turning them into a yummy cookie in the morning.
Here is the link to the recipe on my blog. Hope you enjoy!
http://organicspark.blogspot.com/2009/03/guilt-free-granola-bites.html
The Leftover Queen - August 13, 2009 at 9:57 am
Thanks so much for the recipe, Molly, I will be sure and check those out – they sound wonderful! Glad you stopped by!
Amber - August 18, 2009 at 7:44 pm
i just saw the kasha in publix today and was wondering what it was…and then i come to your blog and find out – even with a recipe! 🙂 my son has a prob with wheat, yeast and gluten but i have a major prob with getting him to eat right( he’s 8 and P-I-C-K-Y!)i’ll be checking this book out from the library! thanks for the info!
Johanna - August 23, 2009 at 3:13 am
a lovely post – such a beautiful description of your love of cookbooks at the start – I would love to try kasha as I have been loving using buckwheat flour lately
mari @ Secrets of a Kitchen Wizard - January 15, 2010 at 4:27 pm
I love kasha! Haven’t had it for a while… need to get some, and try your recipe. : )
Cam - August 8, 2010 at 2:46 pm
Has anyone tried using whey for soaking? I make my own yogurt and cheese for a large group, with the resultant whey usually getting poured down the drain (sadly). Reading about the yogurt-grain combination here turned on a light–has anyone done this who can share their experience with it? Plus, any recipes where that I can “hide” whey in? Thanks so much!
The Leftover Queen - August 12, 2010 at 10:58 am
Hi Cam,
Thanks for your comment! Yes, I do use whey for soaking, and I have found it really useful!
I use whey also to lacto-ferment pickles (a recent blog post), as well as to lacto-ferment ketchup, salsas etc. There are a lot of recipes for those on the internet, and I may be posting some soon as well!