Finding Comfort in Whole Foods

By Hannah Thiel

Let real ingredients tantalize your senses as you embark on a truly exquisite culinary voyage. The purpose of this cookbook is to bridge the comfort food we know and love with healthy and whole foods. Let some of the comfort foods you know allow you the security to try simple, fresh, and vibrant whole grains at your own pace. And while you try new recipes with real ingredients, have the peace of mind that for every copy sold, proceeds from this cookbook go to local farmers who will donate a week's worth of fresh fruits and vegetables to a family in need.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hannah Thiel
• Release date: Jun 2, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311507969

Book preview

Preface

Cooking can be magical for all ages. You start with a few simple things and suddenly they're combined into something that tantalizes your basic senses of taste, smell, vision, and texture. Basic ingredients, when fresh and unprocessed, always results in a better outcome. Canned and processed foods historically came along for relief in case of hardship, famine, or winter. We are fortunate that today the majority of us don't have to suffer such trials and have ready access to fresh fruits and vegetables. This cookbook is an effort to bridge a gap between what we're used to eating with what we should be eating.

Healthy kids start with what they eat. This is one of the most stressful feats as a parent to battle. By teaching a child early on how to cook, they begin to take ownership in the things they eat. This provides both parent and child relief. The child takes over some needed or desired independence and the parent can have confidence in the healthy options their child is choosing.

I began cooking with my son when he was about a year old. We found he has a severe peanut allergy that he'll have his entire life. I wanted and still want to make sure he understands what goes into the things he's eating, as many ingredients may have been processed in a facility that also processes peanuts. This helps him in concerns with his allergy as well as learning basic nutrition from the ground up. I can honestly say that he doesn't cook with me every time I step into the kitchen. But by providing enough opportunities for him to cook with me, he has developed a sort of a passion for

it and now at age four, asks to help with dinner, even if it's just putting the broccoli in the pot. That passion is important and can only be developed if cooking is never pushed and patience with beginning imperfection is practiced.

My son has never been a salad-eater. So, we made sure he was getting those nutrients elsewhere. But just tonight, hand-in-hand, he helped me cut the lettuce (it was a big deal for him to use the knife!). He put all the lettuce in the salad spinner and spun it himself. He shredded carrots and distributed all the salad veggies onto plates. He filled his own plate. We ate dinner and made a big deal about how good his salad was and he ate his, on his own, without fighting. He just gobbled it up. I asked him after if he likes lettuce or spinach better and his response was that he likes rolls. So, his preference is still in the land of carbs. The point is that he ate the salad that he made and was proud of himself for making it.

Did you know...

Many people who believe they have a gluten intolerance actually have an intolerance to the chemicals farmers spray on their wheat crops to make the crop yield wheat all at the same time. Talk to your doctor and try eating wheat from an organic farmer that doesn't spray their grain with anything (or are not downstream from someone that does).

Did you know...

If you are a woman and breastfeed, your baby gets a taste of everything you eat. Start munching on those veggies while baby is too young to object and you'll find introducing the real thing is a bit less strenuous. And as they grow, don't give up. Kids' palates change constantly. If you keep offering it, they may eventually figure out they like it.

Did you know...

A family of four can successfully eat organic fruits and veggies for a lot less cash than expected. Eat simple and leave the processed stuff at the store and your grocery budget (and body) will thank you! Research where to shop and try out your local farm stores and farmer's markets. Some grocers also carry organic for the same price as conventionally grown crops.

Did you know...

It's easy to chop up kale, spinach, carrots, and even broccoli and sneak it into various things you're cooking. Whether its a sauce or cookies, you and anyone you cook for most likely won't notice. Give it a try and up your vegetable quota for the day.

The major take-home point to remember when eating whole foods is to keep eating simple. Great ingredients make great food. Let the food speak for itself. This cookbook is an effort to bridge a gap between what we're used to eating with what we should be eating.

Ingredients in this cookbook are not specific to whole grain, organic, raw sugars when baking, or gluten free. Absolutely use whole grains, raw and natural sugars, and gluten free options when cooking. This isn't called out because it can feel overwhelming to jump into everything whole