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This Sydney Life

~ Mostly Recipes & Musings on Health

This Sydney Life

Category Archives: Book Review

‘He Won’t Know It’s Paleo’ – a Review

28 Tuesday Apr 2015

Posted by Joanna in Book Review, Food

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

AIP, Autoimmune Protocol, Book Review, Cookbook, Cookbook Review, Elimination Diet, He Won't Know it's Paleo, Paleo

He Won't Know Its Paleo

Bre’anna Emmitt, of He Won’t Know it’s Paleo fame, makes you feel like you’re in on a joke. Not a nasty joke, mind you. Rather, one with the very best of intentions. A joke with a small ‘j’…

You see, Bre’anna started to feed her husband a ‘Paleo-style’ diet – reducing sugar, cutting out processed frankenfoods, removing grains (gluten) and trans fats, and increasing vegetables – in an effort to encourage him (and their family) to be more health conscious.

Only – small omission –  she didn’t actually tell her husband about her grand plan.

But here’s the thing:

The food Bre’anna cooked was so good, he didn’t even notice!

Fast forward six months of Chris (Mr Bre’anna) unknowingly eating this way, and he is feeling so fit and fabulous, she feels it’s time to come clean on her sneaky healthy eating regime.

When she confides in him, he’s so impressed, he encourages her to start sharing her recipes. How cool is that?

The ‘He Won’t Know it’s Paleo’ blog is born.

HWKIP Scalloped Sweet Potatoes

He Won’t Know it’s Paleo Scalloped Sweet Potatoes
LM calls this ‘Kumara Bake’. You say tomato…
(Image by LM for TSL)

Bre’anna starts to share her recipes with a fast-growing and appreciative audience. About this time, she also starts experimenting with the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) in an effort to mitigate some of her digestive issues.

And – fast forward to present day – we come to Bre’anna’s inaugural ‘He Won’t Know it’s Paleo’ cookbook – over 100 AIP healthy and tasty recipes at your fingertips.

I love this growth in autoimmune protocol-friendly cookbooks as more and more of us experience significant health improvements through adopting the principles of AIP.

‘He Won’t Know it’s Paleo’ is chock-full of great AIP-compliant recipes. But, it’s more than that. There’s a great section on stocking your pantry and a few of the basics – things like making gelatine eggs are well covered.

Do yourself a favour and check out Bre’anna’s book. It’s so very worth it!

The Scalloped Sweet Potatoes recipe is dinner-party worthy (especially, unlike me, if you cut your sweet potatoes with a mandolin!) and a fantastic alternative to regular potatoes…

Scalloped Sweet Potatoes

  • Servings: 8
  • Time: 55 minutes
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

HWKIP Scalloped Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:

2 pounds/900g sweet potatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick (about 3 medium potatoes)
1 medium yellow onion, sliced 1/8-inch thick 1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary (I used fresh!)

Method:

1. Heat the oven to 180°C/350°F.

2. Layer the sweet potatoes and onion in an ungreased 3-quart (just under 3 litres metric!) pan.

3. Whisk the remaining ingredients together and pour over the sweet potatoes and onions.

4. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes. If desired, finish by turning the broiler on for the last 3 to 5 minutes, until the top is browned.

E N J O Y !

The Alternative Autoimmune Cookbook: A Review

28 Wednesday Jan 2015

Posted by Joanna in Book Review, Food, Health

≈ 14 Comments

Tags

AIP, Angie Alt, Autoimmune Disease, Autoimmune Protocol, Diet, Elimination Diet, Health, Mickey Trescott, Sarah Ballantyne, The Paleo Approach

TSL Angie ALt

A picture I stole from Angie’s website – along with my favourite quote from her fabulous book
(Image from here)

Disclaimer: Before I begin this post, I should advise that Angie Alt and Mickey Trescott of Autoimmune Paleo are ‘shining lights’ in my Autoimmune Protocol world. They are two pioneers of kicking autoimmune issues into remission through adopting dietary and lifestyle changes. I am lucky enough to now be able to call them both blogging friends – perhaps with a small ‘f’, at this stage… 

I wish Angie had published her book two years ago. 

And, not because of the great recipes. Don’t get me wrong, they are great recipes (and there are more than 55 of them)…

Here are a few that particularly caught my eye and are currently bookmarked here at Casa TSL:

Pork and Sprouts Breakfast Skillet. Otherwise known as a fry up in this neck of the woods

“Cheesy” Chicken Bites with Pesto. And yet, not a hint of dairy anywhere in the recipe.

Bacon-Burger Mega Meatballs Cinnamon Meatball and Sweet Potato Soup. MEGA meatball. Need I say any more?

Turmeric and Ginger Roasted Cauli Steaks. Magic anti-inflammatory spices with my favourite vegetable.

Orange Blossom and Honey Parfait. AND – it’s 100% AIP compliant!

Rosemary Tea Time Biscuit. It’s a biscuit. On AIP. Yippee!

Alt-Auto-Cover-Collage

But, I really wish Angie had published her book two years ago because then I would have felt I had someone to hold my hand at the beginning of this wacky AIP caper that I’ve been on for the past year or so.

Autoimmune disease can be isolating and deeply private. It is also frighteningly common AND on the rise – 1 in 20 people in Australasia. Scary.

Within this growing community of autoimmune sufferers who are dramatically and positively affecting their health through making changes to their diet and lifestyle, Angie has a reputation for being one of the warmest and most responsive peeps around.

And, her book reflects this. It’s a personal insight into how she has successfully used Sarah Ballantyne’s Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) to mitigate her Multiple Autoimmune Syndrome.*

Choosing to adopt AIP is literally a revolutionary act. You are making a choice for your health that is the antithesis of our culture right now. (Angie Alt)

The Autoimmune Protocol is hard work. And one of the most difficult parts of the process is the lack of understanding from others who don’t get how just changing your diet and making a few alterations to your lifestyle can materially affect your life.

But it can. I know it can. It has changed mine.

And, Angie shares how it has changed her life. But also, provides practical ways to implement the strict elimination diet that makes up the initial phase of the protocol, as well helpful pointers around how to start reintroducing foods.

She gives useful charts that break the protocol down into manageable chunks.

In addition, she offers insights into denial, anger, fear, grief and acceptance – all things she experienced as part of her autoimmune experience.

Angie wrote this book with her sister, Jenifer Beehler. For me, it makes the Autoimmune Protocol far more approachable.

When people ask me what books I would recommend to help in understanding how their autoimmune illness might be put into remission, I always suggest Sarah Ballantyne’s, ‘The Paleo Approach’ coupled with Mickey Trescott’s, ‘The Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook’. They have been invaluable for me. Now there’s a third book on my list. Angie Alt’s, ‘The Alternative Autoimmune Cookbook’.

*about 1/4 of all autoimmune sufferers will develop 3 or more autoimmune disorders

Arianna Huffington in Conversation with Annabel Crabb

11 Thursday Sep 2014

Posted by Joanna in Book Review, Culture

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Annabel Crabb, Anxiety, Arianna Huffington, Mindfulness, Sleep, Stress, Sydney Opera House, Thrive, Worry

Arianna Huffington Quote

(Image by TSL)

On Wednesday night, LM and I went to see Annabel Crabb interview Arianna Huffington as part of the 2014 season of Ideas at the House (Only it was not held at the Sydney Opera House; rather it was at Carriageworks, which is not even close!).

Of course, Arianna Huffington was the star attraction. But I’m quite partial to a dose of the endearingly quirky and intelligent political journalist, Annabel, too.

And, I do think the calibre of the interviewer matters a lot in talks such as this.

Ideas at the House

Ideas at the House that are not really at the House. 
(image by TSL)

Don’t really know who Arianna Huffington is…?

Her abbreviated bio from the Ideas at the House site reads: “Born in Greece, Huffington moved to the US by way of Cambridge University in England, becoming a renowned broadcaster and nationally syndicated columnist. In May of 2005, she launched the Huffington Post, which quickly became one of the most widely read and -cited online media brands. Huffington was soon named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People, and is currently the chair, president, and editor-in-chief of the Huffington Post Media Group. Her latest book, Thrive, which debuted at #1 on the New York Times Bestseller list reflects on her stunning success as well as her passionate and personal mission to redefine its meaning.”

She’s a pretty impressive woman. Obviously very bright, articulate and savvy, not to mention connected. But, she also has a great sense of humour and the ability to laugh at herself. I wonder if she’d like to be my mentor?

Annabel Crabb interviews Arianna Huffington

Annabel & Arianna
Taken on my trusty iPhone – please excuse the picture quality
(Image by TSL)

Bill Clinton said the biggest mistakes he made while President were when he was tired. He just forgot to acknowledge which mistakes these were. (Arianna Huffington)

I actually bought Arianna’s latest book, ‘Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder‘ (bit of a mouthful) when it was first published.

And, given the health caper I’ve been on over the last wee while, you may be unsurprised to learn that I kind of agree with many of the sentiments expressed in the book…

Arianna Huffington's 12 Steps

12 steps sourced from here
(Image by TSL)

The two areas that have really resonated for me are around sleep and worry. Let’s call them numbers 1, 4 and 9 from the 12 tips listed above. I never knew just how much I worried. Or, just how important getting enough sleep was. Until I didn’t worry as much. And, until I started regularly getting more sleep.

Which is all good. But, it’s not quite that easy to just start sleeping more and worrying less. It actually takes some work. Hard work. And, I suspect people are different in terms of how they can best achieve results.

And, then there’s a little cynical version of TSL sitting on my shoulder. The ‘negative version of me’. The one who makes excuses. And, she’s saying “64-year old Arianna Huffington (who looks 20 years younger), you made US$315 million from the sale of the Huffington Post to AOL in 2011. And NOW you practise ‘mindfulness’.” 

Where does a normal person find the time…?

The truth is, something’s got to give. Arianna is quite right when she says we are becoming slaves to technology. Well, I think she is.

And, she’s also right when she says we are mis-guided in our belief that multitasking is the answer to productivity. Juggling too many balls just means you achieve less. This is certainly true for me. It is impossible to be all things to everyone in your life. Work out your priorities. Then, focus on those. Humph!

There were many terrible things in my life and most of them never happened. (Michel de Montaigne)

Arianna suggests we shouldn’t hold grudges. We should aim to be permeable – let the grudge go into us and then out again. Through us, if you will. We should look to little children as role models for this. They get upset, throw a tantrum and move on quickly. I remember my little sister being a master of this as a child. Me, not so much. Perhaps there’s a lesson in there…

Arianna Huffington

Arianna
(Image by TSL)

It was worth it – seeing Annabel interview Arianna. But, I do feel as though I have a long, long way to go until I’m really ‘thriving’…

Ideas at the House is Sydney Opera House’s annual Talks & Ideas program. It brings big ideas, extraordinary people and the best of contemporary culture to the stage, and to online audiences. Next up, Yotam Ottolenghi is having a conversation with Joanna Savill on 29 October…

The Zenbelly Cookbook – a Review + a Sublime Recipe for Roasted Jerusalem Artichokes with Rosemary Salt

28 Thursday Aug 2014

Posted by Joanna in Book Review, Food

≈ 9 Comments

Tags

AIP, Autoimmune Protocol, Cookbook Review, Jerusalem Artichokes, Paleo, Roast Chicken, Simone Miller, Sunchokes, Zen Belly

(Image by TSL)

(Image by TSL)

You know those crazy people who line up outside Apple stores to be one of the first to get their paws on the latest iPhone or iPad, even though they know if they wait 48 hours they’d be able to buy without the queues?

I’m the early adopter version of those people in cookbook world.

I have discovered a happy truth. If you preorder a cookbook through Amazon (and are prepared to pay for expedited delivery!), it arrives all the way down here in Sydney-town the day after it is released in the States. How cool is that?

I have long been a fan of Simone Miller of Zenbelly blog fame.

Her philosophy of eating ‘gluten free and mostly Paleo’ appeals to me – both because of the ‘mostly‘ bit (absolutes are so last year, don’t you know!) and because it coincides with how I’d like to be able to eat once I finish with this AIP-caper that I’m on. Here’s hoping!

One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating. (Luciano Pavarotti)

So, when Simone announced that she was creating a Zenbelly cookbook, I knew it was one that I really wanted on my cookbook shelf. I preordered through Amazon and a couple of weeks ago it landed on my doorstep. Yippee!

I’ve never actually met Simone, but her lovely cookbook reflects how I imagine her to be: organised with an irreverent yet pragmatic and accessible style and lots of clean, clever recipes that are achievable for the home cook. To say I like this cookbook is an understatement.

Some things I especially like about The Zenbelly Cookbook

How to Cut Up a Whole Chicken

‘How to: Cut Up a Whole Chicken’ Like a Pro Instructions in the Zenbelly Cookbook
(Image by TSL)

  • There’s a handy-dandy section on basic techniques that show you ‘how to cook like a pro’. Inspired!
  • Each recipe has a photograph of all the ingredients used. I’m a visual person. This really works for me.
  • Every recipe has a photograph of the finished dish. Did I mention I’m a visual person? It always disappoints me when I can’t see what the recipe is supposed to look like in a cookbook.
  • The oysters Rockefeller recipe makes me want to experiment with oysters. Badly… Ditto the Steak Tartare (after I have successfully reintroduced egg yolks, of course!)… And, then there’s the Spaghetti Squash Carbonara. SO many great looking recipes.
  • Maple-bourbon bacon jam. Do I really need to say any more than that?
  • There’s a section on crackers, wraps and breads. Even after all this time, I still miss bread. I’ve made Simone’s biscuits before. A W E S O M E !

I made Simone’s Perfect Roast Chicken last night. And it was crispy on the outside and juicy and succulent on the inside. AND – just about the easiest way to roast a chicken IN THE WORLD!

There were lots of lovely juices in the bottom of the pan for a good gravy, too (I’m a massive fan of roast chicken gravy!)

2 Ingredient Zenbelly Perfect Roast Chook (Before)

The Zenbelly Cookbook 2 Ingredient Perfect Roast Chook (Before)
(Image by TSL)

You could probably get through life without knowing how to roast a chicken, but the question is, would you want to? (Nigella Lawson)

2 Ingredient Zenbelly Perfect Roast Chook (After)

The Zenbelly Cookbook 2 Ingredient Perfect Roast Chook (After)
(Image by TSL)

We all eat, and it would be a sad waste of opportunity to eat badly. (Anna Thomas)

But, my absolute favourit-ist recipe in the cookbook – so far, anyway! – is the Roasted Jerusalem Artichokes with Rosemary Salt. (Those in the U.S. may know these beauties as sunchokes?)

It was the weirdest thing. You might even say it was serendipity… The weekend before the book arrived, I had picked up a rather enormous bag of Jerusalem artichokes at the farmers market without having a clue what I was going to do with them. I had never cooked with them before but I was on one of my ‘time to try a new ingredient’ kicks.

And then, just like magic, when leafing through my new Zenbelly cookbook I spied this recipe. So I tried it. And, it was so good. ESPECIALLY when potatoes are off the menu.

LM and I devoured the first batch while watching this year’s first Bledisloe Cup test.

And then, because we loved them so much, I made them for the second test, too…

And now, I have made another batch so you can see what they look like (it had nothing to do with me wanting more of these scrummy wee beasties!)

The lovely Simone has kindly given me permission to reprint her recipe. If you’re in Australia or New Zealand and you hurry, you might be able to find some Jerusalem artichokes before the season ends.

Trust me. It’s worth it.

Zenbelly's Roasted Jerusalem Artichokes with Rosemary Salt

  • Servings: 4
  • Time: 35 minutes
  • Difficulty: easy-peasey
  • Print

Roasted Jerusalem Artichokes with Rosemary Salt

Reprinted from the Zenbelly Belly Cookbook with the author’s permission

Ingredients:

500 g Jerusalem artichokes (sunchokes), cut into large dice, peel on
2 x Tablespoons unsalted butter, duck fat, or fat of choice, melted
1/4 x teaspoon finely ground sea salt
2 x teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
1/4 x teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/8 x teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (optional, leave out if on the autoimmune protocol)

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 250°C/475°F.

2. In a large bowl, toss the Jerusalem artichokes with the melted fat (I used happy duck fat) and finely ground sea salt.

3. Transfer to a rimmed baking tray and roast for 20 – 25 minutes, until soft and golden.

4. Meanwhile, combine the rosemary with the coarse sea salt and black pepper in a small bowl. (I gave them a quick bash with my mortar and pestle to release the rosemary oil).

5. Sprinkle the roasted artichokes with the rosemary salt and serve.

E N J O Y !

Sadly, down in this neck of the woods, it doesn’t look like Dymocks is stocking The Zenbelly Cookbook but Kinokuniya will order it in for you and, of course, Amazon will deliver it to your door.

The Nora Gedgaudas Files…

29 Thursday May 2014

Posted by Joanna in Book Review, Health

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Autoimmune Protocol, Autoimmunity, Glutathione, Health, Nora Gedgaudas, Nutrition, Paleo, Pete Evans, Vitamin D, Wellness

Nora Gedgaudas is a Health Hero

(Image from here)

I’m currently on the Autoimmune Protocol, a nutrient-rich elimination diet that removes foods that irritate the gut, cause gut imbalance and activate the immune system. You can read more about the protocol and why I’m doing this here.

Nora Gedgaudas is one of my health heroes.

It’s fair to say that I’m a BIG fan of hers.

It all started with her book, ‘Primal Body, Primal Mind – Beyond the Paleo Diet for Total Health and a Longer Life’. It was one of the first books I read about how my diet and lifestyle choices could so dramatically affect my health. And – whether it was because of Nora’s pragmatic style of writing. Or, her ability to pare down convoluted science so that a ‘complex terminology phobic’ (technically – a Hellenologophobic!) type like me could understand it. Or, simply that the fates were aligned and I was ready to really, really hear the message and change the way I live. Or, a combination of all three of these factors – her book has become something of a bible for me.

I continue to dip into it frequently and it is full of high-lighted passages and tabs.

One-size-fits-all is a size that fits no one. (Brent Pottenger, foreword of ‘Primal Body, Primal Mind – Beyond the Paleo Diet for Total Health and a Longer Life’)

Brent Pottenger, who wrote the book’s foreword, sums up the key message of the book in his second paragraph – we are all different in our physical make up. One size definitely does not fit all. And, nobody cares as much about your health as you do.

Because of Nora, I first started experimenting with removing grains from my diet. She was the first person to open my eyes to the fact that grain consumption has been linked to things like allergies, food sensitivities, autoimmune issues, mineral deficiencies, celiac disease, and chronic skin disorders (to name but a few). And, I suffer from a chronic skin disorder.

And, at first it was hard. I was a carb’ queen. It never occurred to me that my love of bread was the equivalent of a sugar addiction to my body. Soy linseed sourdough from Sonoma bakery was my not-so-secret vice. I loved it!

But when I removed grains (and, most importantly, gluten) from my diet, I found that chronic skin issues I had suffered from for decades began to improve. Rapidly. And, when I tried to reintroduce the odd bit of bread back into my diet my skin complaints returned. Within 12 hours.

I don’t care what the sceptics say about gluten sensitivity – I am a believer.

The Thyroid Sessions with Nora Gedgaudas

The Thyroid Sessions
(Image from here) 

A fortnight or so ago now, I tried to catch a few of the Thyroid Sessions – both because of my Dad’s recent thyroid removal and because our thyroid plays such a big part in the regulation of our hormones. And, of course, Nora’s talk was of particular interest. While her presentation was targeted more towards sufferers of Hashimoto’s (Hypothyroidism), because the disease is autoimmune in nature, much of the information resonated.

Of particular interest to me was Nora’s list of four areas of focus for sufferers of autoimmune complaints. I thought they may be of interest to you, too.

1. Vitamin D (Coupled with Vitamins A and K2)

According to Al Sears, “Vitamin D may be the single most important organic nutrient for your overall health. In fact, if this were a drug, it would be considered the discovery of the century”

Nora reckons our vitamin D levels should sit between 80 to 100 nano-grams per millilitre (ng/ml)* AND that we should also ensure we are getting enough vitamin A (veggies like sweet potato, carrots and spinach) and vitamin K2 (found in grass-fed animal-based products).

Now, in case you’ve forgotten, I live in Sydney. I try to get out in the sunshine every day. But, I still have trouble getting to the recommended levels of vitamin D. In fact, for some reason, my vitamin D levels were dangerously low at one point, which is likely to have been a contributing factor in the development of my autoimmune issues. And – the only way to know if you are getting enough of the sunshine vitamin? – get yourself tested.

 2. Omega-3 Fatty Acids

In her book, Nora says “Few people are aware that omega-3 fatty acids, which include ALA, EPA and DHA, are easily the most deficient nutrients in the modern Western diet. Insufficient intake of these vital and essential dietary components is linked with virtually every modern disease process, weight problem, affective disorder and learning disability.”  The best sources of natural omega-3 fatty acids are from wild-caught seafood – especially cold water fish – and from exclusively grass-fed meats. It matters that you buy your meat from a butcher that can tell you the provenance of the animal.

Here in Sydney, I buy much of my meat from the team at G.R.U.B. for this very reason.

Glutathione

Apparently, glutathione is the body’s most important autoimmune enzyme. And, I have heard something similar in lectures given by Dr Frank Lipman.

Glutathione allows your body to detoxify itself and helps keep you healthy for the long haul. It’s said to be the ultimate in health-support champions.

The best way to optimise your glutathione levels is to combine a nutrient-dense diet with stress-reduction, exercise and smart supplementation.

Bit like the Autoimmune Protocol, really…

And, along with optimising your glutathione levels, Nora recommends upping your turmeric consumption. Turmeric is a natural anti-inflammatory and super-good for you.

Fat Based Ketogenic Diet

Nora is a huge advocate for a fat based ketonogenic diet (coincidentally, again like the Autoimmune Protocol. Seeing a pattern here?). 

And certainly, as evidenced in ‘Primal Body, Primal Mind’, there are countless studies showing the benefits of avoiding processed foods, avoiding dietary pesticides, avoiding GMO’s, avoiding refined sugar and refined salt, avoiding gluten, consuming naturally grass-fed meats, consuming unprocessed, organic vegetables and greens.

There is also overwhelming evidence for the benefits of a fat-based, ketogenic diet for the treatment of Alzheimer’s, cancer, heart disease, autoimmunity, diabetes, metabolic disorders. 

If nothing else, reviewing Nora’s 4-pronged approach to autoimmunity has reignited my desire to faithfully stick to my autoimmune protocol for another 30 days before reintroducing potential trigger foods…

Nora Gedgaudas is coming to Australia in July. She’ll be sharing the stage with Pete Evans and Luke Hines. If you’d like to know more, check out The Paleo Way through Eventbrite.

I’ll be at the Sydney session with my dog-eared copy of her book… See you there?

*note this is higher than standard recommendations

I’ve Got a Girl-Crush on Sally Fallon-Morell

30 Thursday Jan 2014

Posted by Joanna in Book Review, Food, Nutrition

≈ 12 Comments

Tags

Diet, Healing through Food, Health, Lacto-fermented food, Nourishing Traditions, Nutrition, Sally Fallon-Morell, Traditional Diet, Weston A. Price

Sally Fallon-Morrel

Sally Fallon-Morell
(Image from here)

The diet dictocrats don’t want you to know that…
Your body needs old-fashioned animal fats
New-fangled polyunsaturated oils can be bad for you
Modern whole grain products can cause health problems
Traditional sauces promote digestion and assimilation
Modern food procession denatures our foods, but
Ancient preservation methods actually increase nutrients in fruits, nuts, vegetables, meats and milk products!
(Sally Fallon-Morell, Nourishing Traditions – The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats)

Until I was about 30 years old, I never really cooked. I loved great food, but I just didn’t really connect eating great food with my kitchen. I’m not sure why – my Mum was a very good cook. She still is. So, I had a great role model. Maybe I’m just a slow learner in that particular department.

Fast forward a good few years and, not only do I now love to cook, but over the last couple of years I’ve become convinced that my failure to question the source and quality of my food sources in my twenties and thirties has contributed to some of the niggly (and not so niggly) health stuff I have going on today. I’m trying to fix that.

Sally Fallon-Morell’s seminal cookbook on traditional eating, ‘Nourishing Traditions – The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats‘, was the first book that put me on this road to making more conscious decisions about the food I eat.

Nourishing Traditions - by Sally Fallon-Morrel with Mary G. Enig

Nourishing Traditions – by Sally Fallon-Morell with Mary G. Enig
(Image from here)

Over the past couple of days, I’ve been spending all my free time ‘attending’ some of the  sessions on offer at the Future of Nutrition Online Conference. It’s been fascinating listening to some of the leading voices in the field of nutrition today – but, hearing Sally Fallon-Morell’s talk today, I was reminded of why she had become such a big influence on my approach to eating and nutrition.

If you’ve never heard of her, Sally is a disciple of Weston A. Price, a dentist from the late 1800s and early 1900s known primarily for his theories on the relationship between nutrition, dental health, and physical health. Called the “Charles Darwin of Nutrition,” Doctor Price traveled the world over studying healthy primitive populations and their diets. The compelling photographs contained in his book document the naturally beautiful facial structure and superb physiques of isolated groups consuming only whole, natural foods. Price noted that all of these diets contained a source of good quality animal fat, which provided numerous factors necessary for the full expression of our genetic potential and optimum health.

Sally Fallon-Morell applied the principles of this Price research when it came to the feeding of her own children. Essentially, an experiment. And, a successful one. She proved for herself that a diet rich in animal fats, and containing the protective factors in old-fashioned foods like cod liver oil, liver and eggs, make for  happy, healthy children with a high immunity to illness.*

And, she is the founding president of the Weston A. Price Foundation.

What has Sally Fallon-Morell taught me?

  1. I got rid of all the industrialised oils from my diet. That means I cook with coconut oil, butter, lard, tallow. I make my salad dressings from scratch. Always. No exceptions.
  2. I now make bone broth at least once a fortnight. I bung a whole lot of good quality bones in a stock pot with a glug of apple cider vinegar, some veggies and herbs, cover it with water and let it simmer away for a long time. I alternate between beef and chicken (can’t quite bring myself to make fish!) It’s nutrient dense and full of minerals. It has no preservatives.
  3. I try to eat ‘happy’ animal products – that is pasture raised, sustainably fished, free from hormones and other nasties.
  4. Raw dairy is not the same as the milk we buy from the supermarket. Pasteurisation kills everything – good and bad. Regular readers will know that LM can’t consume cow juice. His reaction is violent and almost immediate. But guess what. He can have raw milk. Sadly, it’s illegal in Australia.
  5. We’re eating more lacto-fermented foods. Probably not quite as often as we should, and I’m not quite as good at making my own as I could be. But, here in Australia we’ve found Life In a Jar and Kitsa’s Kitchen. They both make awesome live cultured foods. Hopefully, after I see Sandor Katz in action next month, I’ll become a guru of lacto-fermentation!
  6. Nose to tail eating is important. We still don’t eat as much offal as we should here at Casa TSL. But we eat a lot more than we used to. I am becoming quite proficient at hiding it in my Ragu Bolognese. I’m setting myself a personal goal to cook more organ meat…

So, you see – Sally has had quite a profound effect on both how I cook and how I eat. If you have an interest in nutrition and you have not yet picked up Sally Fallon-Morell’s first book, I can’t recommend it more highly. 

*Thanks for your world-famous-in-New-Zealand chicken liver pate, Mum!

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  • Could You Have Pyrrole Disorder?
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  • The GREAT Sydney AIP Resource Page

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Top Posts & Pages from TSL

  • Luke Mangan's SERIOUSLY GOOD Osso Bucco
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  • Louise Saxton Embroiders Birds
  • Sugar-free Cinnamon and Coconut Fat Bombs (AIP Compliant)
  • I Have a Wee Crush on John Derian
  • Suzanne Jongmans Reinterprets 16th and 17th Century Portraiture
  • Terry Border Bends Objects...

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