Nourishing Traditions/Traditional Foods cooking?

[Stayseeliz]

Where do I start with this if I am not a passionate cook? I am excited about this way of cooking/eating but it's overwhelming. I need baby steps. I'm going to buy pastured meat today and I know kinda what to look for at the store but I need SIMPLE recipes to start out with. Thanks for any help!

[momma2three]

I really like the philosophy behind that cookbook, and think it's probably mostly correct. That said, I'm really lazy and love my junk food... AND I'm a vegetarian. LOL. So we obviously do not live by it.

 

I guess I would just start phasing things in where it fits. Their breakfast porridge is by far the easiest and best tasting oatmeal I've ever made, and we make it almost every morning in the summer. Their veggie side dishes are usually pretty simple, really good, and not too weird ;). Try cooking with more organ meats. Avoid processed grains and soy and sugars as much as possible.

 

I know that there are lots of people who live it as a lifestyle, but I don't think I could ever do that: I like baking too much! But I do like it as a cookbook and have found some really great recipes in there.

[astrid]

Don't want to hijack, but is there a website for this philosophy? I've long been intrigued by the book (dont' own it though) and would love an online resource.

 

astrid

[Stayseeliz]

I think there is. Do a google search and there are a lot of blogs that pop up and I have heard of a website but I haven't looked at it yet.

[KS_]

Where do I start with this if I am not a passionate cook? I am excited about this way of cooking/eating but it's overwhelming. I need baby steps. I'm going to buy pastured meat today and I know kinda what to look for at the store but I need SIMPLE recipes to start out with. Thanks for any help!

 

Just find one thing that you can do for now that doesn't feel overwhelming and work on incorporating that into your diet (if it's grass fed beef or pastured chickens, start there). Once that becomes more of a habit, add something else.

 

One thing that I think isn't too difficult, is to start making bone broth and using it in your recipes. Here's directions on getting multiple batches of broth out of the same beef bones:

http://www.traditional-foods.com/recipes/beef-broth/

[Susan C.]

I read the book recently. Then our life got busy. And, I can't get a lot of what is in the book to cook. I did get some of the items and kicked our diet up a notch. I ordered the beef gelatin and put it in store bought broth (I read labels and found a few brands w/o a lot of additives). I tried cooking with wine, but some family members didn't like the strong flavor. I marinated beef w/raw buttermilk, then dd's milk allergy stopped that in its tracks.

 

I cook roast (boil it in a dutch oven) w/beef broth and the gelatin and add veggies. I get hormone free beef (that is the best I can get). I cook whole chicken in my convection oven (either organic or hormone free), rub olive oil, fresh ground garlic, salt, and pepper, and cook w/potatoes. I steam veggies (we especially like asparagus and yellow squash). We eat a lot of salad.

 

For breakfast, I soak steel cut oats, make muesli out of it, then serve w/Fage 2% greek yogurt. I make a large batch at a time. My family switches between that and eating eggs (over easy) and preservative free sausage for breakfast.

 

For snacks, we eat almonds, apples, and chocolate chips (60% cacao) from the bag. We do cheat and bake, but try to use organic butter and good quality ingredients. I use regular sugar since we don't eat a lot of sugar.

[Momof3littles]

Just find one thing that you can do for now that doesn't feel overwhelming and work on incorporating that into your diet (if it's grass fed beef or pastured chickens, start there). Once that becomes more of a habit, add something else.

 

One thing that I think isn't too difficult, is to start making bone broth and using it in your recipes. Here's directions on getting multiple batches of broth out of the same beef bones:

http://www.traditional-foods.com/recipes/beef-broth/

:iagree: That's what we did, essentially. I don't follow NT to the tee by any means, but we incorporate a lot of the ideas into our WOE. I can't eat grains, soaked or not, because I'm too insulin resistant.

 

We have brewed kombucha in the past and done a few ferments. I don't really get to those now but do buy the bottled kombucha pretty often. We embrace natural fats and do some raw dairy.

[Happy2BaMom]

I have used info at Cooking Traditional Foods. The owner/writer, Kerry Ann, has a small business based on menu mailers. She also did a phone seminar on beginning a traditional foods diet that was really helpful. I don't see it posted there now though. I'll e-mail her and see what happened to it.

 

Also, this site has interesting-looking online courses (you gain access by joining; it can be monthly - I think it's $10/mo - or for longer periods of time). I haven't joined yet, but plan to next month.

 

Side note: I follow a number of the TF/NF diet steps pretty closely, but I do think they are over the top with the amount of meat & fat they tend to push. Also, a number of the adherents are like religious zealots....be prepared to protect yourself if you disagree with them (Kerry Ann is not like this).

[Liz CA]

Also, the "Nourishing Gourmet" (google her blog) by Kim Harris uses principles from Nourishing Traditions.

[Stayseeliz]

Thanks for the suggestions! I have pastured meat in my freezer and raw milk in the fridge. I feel so "crunchy"! :) We went to Trader Joe's tonight and I read labels carefully and scored a few things. Full fat yogurt, organic produce, coconut oil, etc. I'm excited. I'm looking at blogs and recipes now. I'm hoping I can make this switch easily. I don't know if I'll go as "hard core" as she is in NT but I want to head that direction!

[Rbsmrter]

Check out Kitchen Stewardship. When I first heard about Nourishing Traditions it completely overwhelmed me. She has a few posts about great places to start if you're not sure where to begin.

[besroma]

I think my first recipe from NT was the spaghetti sauce with the chicken livers in it. It was easy and the whole family liked it. I bought organic livers from WFM.

[Lucy in Australia]

Astrid, the philosophy behind this book comes from Weston A. Price. It's a huge website with tons of info (don't say I didn't warn you :))

Edited March 27, 2012 by Lucy in Australia
spelling

[Stayseeliz]

Thanks guys!! I am really enjoying eating and cooking this way!

[LaxMom]

(ironic) Spam reported.