, waking up one day to realise your thoughts around what constitutes good food have been radically altered.Well, that's been my journey at least.
Reading Animal Vegetable Miracle convicted me to eat locally grown, organic food.
In Defense of Food helped me discard the notion that processed food can ever have the upper-hand over real food.
Now Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon has given me the tools necessary to prepare these real, locally grown and organic foods in the ways my body can best digest them to use their goodness.
Based on Weston A. Price's research into indigenous diets, Nourishing Traditions explains why our Western diet has lead to massive increases in heart disease, cancer, obesity, tiredness and all around bad health.
Although the change is not easy. I've had the book on loan from the library for two weeks now and not managed to make a single recipe. Many of them call for ingredients I just plain don't have. Things like raw milk, sourdough starters, gelatin, kefir grains and so on.
However, I'm blessed to have just learned my husband's workmate's partner uses the recipes in Nourishing Traditions, so I will be going to her house this week to learn how to make sourdough bread and a myriad of other things.
That won't solve my biggest problem though. Which is Sally Fallon's suggestion to Give. Up. Sugar. And. Chocolate. Completely! I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but I'm addicted to chocolate. The way some people are addicted to drugs. Or alcohol. Or smoking. Or Twilight - oh wait, I'm addicted to Twilight too. I know in my head it's a good idea to give up sugar, but actually doing it is going to take a miraculous intervention of some kind.
I will be sure to keep you posted on how I get on with the whole thing.
In the meantime, here are the websites of some others following the Nourishing Traditions way of cooking:
Keeper of the Home
Modern Alternative Mama
Naturally Knocked Up
Nourishing Gourmet
Kitchen Stewardship
I could never give up chocolate either! But i have tried to reduce my sugar intake in other ways. Like i drink less coffee now because i have a teaspoon of sugar in it, so that cut out heaps! I also check sugar content in a lot of store bought stuff as that food is loaded with sugar! i.e. museli bars and chutney! So we just buy the lowest sugar one and havent noticed any differences. Small changes, but hey at least I can say I am trying!
ReplyDeleteHi Emma,i'm interested in why they say to give up sugar. Is it cos its just not good for your weight? or other health reasons...i'm sure most of what i eat is full of sugar!
ReplyDeleteHi Ruth, thanks for the question. You've inspired me to write more about this, so I'll post the reasonings on Food for thought Fridays. xx
ReplyDeleteHi Em, It is super hard to give up sugar, but I want to encourage you!
ReplyDeleteI've been going for two weeks now (albeit with numerous sugar-related-falling-off-the-wagon setbacks) but its actually not as difficult as I thought! I started by throwing out all the white sugar in the house, so that cut out my need to bake afghans twice a day. Then I found some sugar free biscuit and muffin recipes (which incidentally were really disgusting but lets not talk about that) which I've experimented with. I'm finding my groove and starting to not get cravings so badly now. I think its important not to take everything sweet out of your life in one go though, so I still have fruit and the odd cocoa with brown sugar.
Lets be white-sugar-free buddies!!
Love Nikki
Mmmm chocolate, it is my drug of choice.
ReplyDeleteI definitely need to read this book - have only read a couple of chapters online.
Hi Emma, I am wondering if you've read this book: http://www.koanga.org.nz/shop/books-and-dvds/change-heart apparently it's something like Nourishing Traditions but it's written by a kiwi with kiwi-friendly recipes. I'm trying to find some-one who's read it as it's a bit expensive for our budget and I only want to buy it if I will get heaps of use out of it! I love Nourishing Traditions, but I have given up on trying the recipes as some of them do NOT work at all, like the Banana Bread...I made some adjustments and get a good loaf now, but her recipe is TERRIBLE...unless you like sunken doughy and burnt on the top after an hour in the oven!!
ReplyDeleteHi Ang, yes it's a good book. I got a copy out from the library a while a go and really liked the fact it was NZified. I finally bought a copy for myself but haven't sat down and gone through it again to test recipes. It's on my to-do list though, so now I know you're interested in hearing more about it, I'll try and review it properly sooner rather than later.
ReplyDeleteDoes your local library have a copy? That way you could try before you buy.
Also, can you please send me your banana bread recipe? I would LOVE a good, healthy one.
Thanks so much.
I used the contact form to send you the Banana Bread Recipe...forgot to put at the end, put in two baking paper lined loaf tins. It also makes good muffins. Good idea, will request it at the library.
ReplyDeleteAnd on the subject of cutting out sugar...I have been sugar free now for about 6 weeks and I have totally taken sugar out of all our diets (including hubby and 5 kids!). It was hard at first, but easy now :-)
ReplyDelete