Nutrient Dense Kitchen 101
The Importance of Eating Sustainable Real Food
Eating healthy - seemingly how to eat and be healthy changes from day to day depending on diet trends and popular opinion. How about we ditch all the “healthy” trends and instead get back to basics of preparing nutrient dense real foods to nourish ourselves from within? To form connections with our food, the people who grow it and to give back to our communities in the process.
Sustainable agriculture is an integrated system of crop farming and animal production that seeks to protect our environment and natural resources, provide fair wages to farm workers, make farmers profitable, and treat animals humanely which all results in a higher quality food product for the consumer. Food that is grown sustainably offers us more essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals, plus it just tastes so much better! Sounds like a great idea, but seems expensive and time consuming right? Well, it doesn't have to be - read on for tips to make your kitchen a nutrient dense oasis.
“THE INTENSE FOCUS ON FOOD AND DIETS IN THE WORLD TODAY IS
EVIDENCE THAT WE RECOGNIZE FOOD IS A KEY ELEMENT OF HEALTH—BUT THE FIXATION ON ITS
IMPACT ON BODILY APPEARANCE SHOWS WE HAVE FAILED TO UNDERSTAND FOOD’S TRUE VALUE
AS A PRIMARY SOURCE OF NOURISHMENT FOR THE BODY, MIND, AND SOUL.”
Tips for buying real food on a budget
Get to know your farmer! Visit your local farms and farmers' markets - Not only is this a fun trip but you can find great sources of fruits and vegetables and even pick your own. Eating locally and seasonally ensures the most nutrient dense and freshest produce. Find out what crops are in season in your area and even consider a share in a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). This will give you great variety and great value.
Get the highest quality meat, poultry and fish you can afford. For beef grass fed or grass finished is optimal and poultry/pigs should be organic and pasture raised. Animals fed a diet of corn, soy and fillers with no access to the outdoors do not provide a healthy protein source. Fish should be wild caught and preferably lower on the food chain like salmon, shrimp or scallops to avoid heavy metal content. Avoid processed meats with nitrates like lunch meat and pepperoni.
Shop online You can find high quality meats delivered to your door with services like Butcher Box or Farm Foods. ImperfectFoods.com is a wonderful way to get affordable produce and organic products shipped to you.
Shop in bulk Grab a friend and get to you local wholesale shopping club where you can find great deals on bulk items. They often have organic chicken and grass fed beef varieties. You can divide the bulk amount up into smaller portions and freeze. I also love their wild caught frozen salmon - individually wrapped already. Wholesale clubs can have a large variety of organic nuts, seeds and oats - some even sprouted!
Frozen fruits can be a great option Buy in bulk and have on hand for smoothies. You can freeze ripe bananas, berries and other fresh fruits so they don’t spoil and use them for smoothies too.
REMINDER! It is more important to be aware of where your food is coming from and trying to make changes that are beneficial but also within your budget, Focus on what foods you eat the most. Progress not perfection!
Does everything have to be organic?
Organically grown fruits and vegetables are higher in antioxidants and nutrients and do not contain harmful pesticide and fertilizer residues. For produce make sure to buy organic for anything on the dirty dozen list (updated annually at EWG.org), but for other produce it is not always necessary as long as you thoroughly wash your fruits and veggies before eating.
For milk and eggs it is important to try and buy organic pasture raised varieties, especially if you tend to eat these items daily. "Eggs from hens raised on pasture are higher in vitamins A and E, beta carotene and omega-3 fatty acids than those of hens raised in confinement. The milk of cows raised exclusively on pasture offers a healthier fatty acid profile and higher vitamin content than the milk produced from cows confined to barns." (NTA, 2020),
Simple food prep tips
Batch cook for the week!
Properly prepared legumes like beans and whole grains can be very affordable meal additions. Prep your grains ahead of time and then get creative and make some fun bowls adding whatever seasonal veggies and protein source you have on hand!
NOTE: It's best to soak beans overnight and use sprouted whole grains when possible to reduce phytates and improve digestibility.
Get spicy!
Sea salt, fresh pepper, garlic powder, cumin, paprika and oregano are must haves. Cooking with salt enhances the flavor of meals and is a necessity for all cooks (avoid table salt as this is processed and lacks key minerals). Fresh herbs are another wonderful way to add taste and nutrients to your dishes. You can easily plant a little herb garden in small pots on a windowsill - my favorites are basil, thyme, parsley and cilantro.
Use the right fats!
Healthy fats are the key to delicious cooking and to your food not sticking to your pans. Choose organic fats and cooking oils if possible. Coconut oil, clarified butter and extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) are best for high heats, while fats like sesame and peanut oil are better for moderate heat. Avoid vegetable oils since they are high in heat sensitive polyunsaturated fats and can become rancid and release free radicals into your food which cause cell aging and inflammation!
REMEMBER! Check your pantry for packages with ingredients containing hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils or trans fats, food dyes, artificial sweeteners, preservatives, MSG, artificial flavorings or thickening agents. If you can’t pronounce an ingredient THEN IT IS NOT REAL FOOD and best to toss it
Basic Cooking Methods
Baking/Roasting: Perfect for meats, vegetables and breads, easy clean up
Braise/Stew: Great for tough cuts of meat whichare often more affordable, if you are short on time the slow cooker will produce similar results.
Frying/Sauteing: Quick and tasty. Frying covers more of the food in oil and is good for meats while sautéing uses little fat, perfect for meats and vegetables. Pay attention to smoke point of oil!!
Steaming: Easy option for veggies, fish and shellfish. Keeps nutrients in the food and is much tastier than boiling
TIP: Use parchment paper to line baking sheets to ease clean up, help food cook evenly, prevent sticking and extend the life of your baking sheet.
Must Have Kitchen Essentials
A few key kitchen tools will go a long way in properly and safely preparing your foods!
Knives: An 8" chef's knife, a serrated knife, utility and pairing knives are all you need. Invest in knives hand forged from a blade of steel with a “full tang” or blade from tip to handle, not screwed into the handle. As for cutting boards wood is better than plastic. Periodically season the board with coconut oil which is anti microbial and will extend the life and use.
Cookware: A few quality pieces will go a long way: A properly seasoned cast iron pan is affordable and if cared for properly is just as non-stick as coated pans. Avoid teflon coated pans as they are coated with harmful chemicals which leach into food when cooking especially if the pan becomes scratched. A good dutch oven or stockpot (5-6qt) and a sauce pan in either enamel cast iron or stainless steel with at least 18/8 stainless steel to nickel ratio. A light weight ceramic coated skillet for eggs and medium heating, a couple of sheet pans and a 13X9 glass baking dish. Be sure to follow care directions for all your pans to increase their performance and extend the life of the pan.
Appliances: No need to go crazy here - think of your space and choose appliances that can serve more than one purpose. An immersion blender or a bullet blender are must haves. You can make sauces, smoothies and dressings with both. Another useful appliance is the slow cooker or insta pot especially if you work long hours and want to come home to your dinner all ready! Be sure to get a lead free clay pot.
Storage containers: Safe and environmentally friendly storage containers are optimal. Avoid plastic containers or bags. Invest in some glass containers with plastic clip on tops and use natural beeswax paper instead of plastic wrap. Parchment paper is a super for lining backing dishes instead of aluminum foil. Mason jars make great storage containers for leftovers, salads, smoothies, dressings, and even left-over coffee!
Basic kitchen tools and utensils: Home Goods or TJ Maxx are your best bets here! Must haves include a vegetable peeler, a zester, meat thermometer, set of measuring spoons and measuring cups, wooden spoons, kitchen tongs, a metal and silicone spatula, whisk, kitchen shears, a colander and basic kitchen prep bowls and my personal must have a spray bottle for EVOO!
