The Nourished Kitchen: Farm-to-Table Recipes for the Traditional Foods Lifestyle

by Jennifer McGruther

A cookbook from the author of the popular website Nourished Kitchen, featuring 175 recipes based on the "traditional foods" philosophy of eating, which emphasizes whole grains, dairy, red meat, organ meats, and fermented foods.       The traditional foods movement is a fad-free approach to cooking and eating that emphasizes nutrient-dense, real food, and values quality, environment, and community over the convenience of processed, additive-laden products that are the norm on grocery store shelves.      Based on the research of Weston A. Price, who studied the diets of indigenous peoples to understand the relationship between nutrition and health, a traditional foods diet avoids processed ingredients, but allows meat, animal fat, and grains. It embraces cultured dairy, such as kefir and yogurt, that contain beneficial bacteria; fermented foods, such as sauerkraut  and kombucha, that are rich in probiotics; and organ meats that are packed with vitamins and minerals. It also celebrates locally grown foods. By choosing ingredients from nearby sources, you create a stronger connection to your food, and have a better understanding what you’re eating and how it was produced.      In The Nourished Kitchen, Jennifer McGruther guides you through her traditional foods kitchen and offers more than 160 recipes inspired by  the seasons, land, and waters around her. In the morning, fuel up with Eggs Poached in Fiery Tomato Sauce. On a hot summer day, Cucumber Salad with Dill and Kefir is a cooling side dish, and on a chilly fall evening, Barley in Broth with Bacon and Kale offers comfort and warmth. Old-Fashioned Meat Loaf with Gravy makes a hearty family meal, while Chicken in Riesling with Peas can be the centerpiece of an elegant supper. Satisfy your sweet tooth with Maple-Roasted Pears, and quench your thirst with naturally fermented Vanilla Mint Soda. With the benefit of Jennifer’s experience, you can craft a loaf of Whole Wheat and Spelt Sourdough Bread and stock your kitchen with Spiced Sour Pickles with Garlic.     The Nourished Kitchen not only teaches how to prepare wholesome, nourishing foods,  but also encourages a mindful approach cooking and a celebration of old-world culinary traditions that have sustained healthy people for millennia. Whether you’re already a practitioner of the traditional foods lifestyle or simply trying to incorporate more natural, highly nutritious foods into your routine, you will find plenty to savor in The Nourished Kitchen.

Genres: Cookbooks, Food, Cooking, Nonfiction, Health, Reference, Nutrition

322 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Shelby *trains flying monkeys* · Rating 4 out of 5]

This cookbook is flipping beautiful. Jennifer McGruther does a wonderful job of making simple foods look wonderful. She practices a traditional food lifestyle and I've followed her blog for awhile now. Traditional foods take time to make so don't expect completely simple here.
The taste and the way you feel completely make up for it.

I admit that I've slipped some from eating this way so when I saw her cookbook up on blogging for books I grabbed it. Hoping it would kickstart my bottom into getting back to what I know works.



Now I'm craving homemade sauerkraut. *Goes to look for my crock*



The only thing about traditional foods that I don't care for is kombucha. I just can't get into that taste. (Pickled vinegar piss)

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from blogging for books.

[Mardel Fehrenbach · Rating 4 out of 5]

I spent a good part of one day perusing The Nourished Kitchen by Jennifer McGruther who writes a blog of the same name. Both the blog and the book are based on the traditional foods movement and the research of the Weston A. Price foundation. As such, the book, some sections more than others, will not appeal to everyone. I've been eating primarily locally raised pastured poultry and meat for quite some time, I buy a significant amount of what I eat at farmer's markets, and don't really worry about the other stuff. Although I haven't cooked anything from the book, a good proportion of the recipes are for the kinds of food I already love and I am looking forward to trying them out, but there are also many things that are new to me, including a section on fermenting vegetables. I do keep a small selection of fermented foods, and think it would be fun to try my hand at making my own. At any rate, the book is filled with good information and was a lovely read, the photographs are gorgeous, and it left me hoping that I can get back to my kitchen soon. I'm thinking that the recipes for Blistered Radishes with Parsley and Buttered Spinach might be a good start, that is if I can keep myself from eating all the new spring radishes raw.

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a gorgeous book. We started eating a traditional foods diet a few years ago after I read Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon. That book is at once eye-opening, inspiring, and terrifying. It also has no pictures of the recipes, which I really want to see when I'm making something I've never made, eaten, or even heard of.

This book has beautiful pictures and offers a nice, brief overview of the basic tenets of a traditional diet along with recipes. However, the recipes are not super useful since a lot of them call for hard-to-find ingredients and I felt like the author makes traditional eating seem really inaccessible. She takes an extreme approach, giving the impression that she sources perfectly clean, local food 100% of the time... it's exhausting just thinking about it. I personally prefer a more baby-steps approach to diet change since it can be so overwhelming. Overall, this is a beautiful book to browse through and inspires the reader to think more about how our food is raised.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, I read a cook book cover to cover. . .every. single. scrumptious. word! I read all the explanatory material and each recipe in its entirety. I may, or may not, have drooled a little on a few of them as I read; you'll have examine the pages of my book yourself to discern the truth. I have followed Jennifer's blog for a few years, especially appreciating it since I live in Durango, CO and experience similar (short!) growing seasons and climates and food culture and I have always appreciated her "elevated" literary style in the blog posts. Her skill with language in this book surpassed my expectation. This cookbook is nothing short of lovely; a pure pleasure to READ. Her descriptions are sensuous and luscious. Now, imagine how much my daughter and I enjoy the actual FOOD. Pure delight. I cannot enthuse enough. Five shimmering, glowing stars!

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jennifer McGruther is one of the growing number of bloggers dedicated to eating foods in their natural and traditional state. Setting aside any kind of industrial processing, McGruther has developed an array of recipes for all kinds of foods, from breads to meat and game to fish, vegetables, and ferments.

Writing in a deliberate, yet casual style, she offers many tips and insights into the traditional and artisan food movements. I enjoyed reading not only the captions, but the recipes as well.

Recommended for those who want to return to cooking and eating as our grandparents and great-grandparents did. Not recommended for those who enjoy the SAD.

[Kendra · Rating 1 out of 5]

Made me want to eat Doritos.

[Kerstin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a lovely addition to traditional foods cooking.
All edibles from broths and marrow bones to ferments and sourdoughs. Meats from livestock that feed on pastures and vegetables and herbs grown in your own gardens or by the farmer down the road, and much, much more. The lay-out is beautiful and the recipes easy to follow. This cookbook is for anyone who loves the delectable flavors of real food grown and prepared with the wisdom of ancestral food ways.

[DelAnne Frazee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: The Nourished Kitchen - Farm To Table Recipes For The Traditional Foods Lifestyle
Author: Jennifer McGruther
Publisher: Ten Speed Press
Published: 4-25-2014
ISBN: 9781607744689
E-Book: B00F8FA8D6
Pages: 320
Genre: Food & Wine
Tags: Cooking, Traditions
Overall Rating: Great
Reviewed For: NetGalley
Reviewer: DelAnne


If we are lucky we have someone in our past that has taken the time to tell us of our family's history of a simpler time and teach us the recipes that have been passed down through the generations. The Nourished Kitchen - Farm To Table Recipes For The Traditional Foods Lifestyle goes a step further and tells how traditions for raising, storing and processing food from our gardens to feed our families. Back before refined and processed foods the health of those who ate food prepared the traditional ways was healthier than those who embraced the new refined sugars and prepacked foods with preservatives.


The Nourished Kitchen - Farm To Table Recipes For The Traditional Foods Lifestyle takes us on a journey back to the traditions of our ancestors. It shows us how to grow, save and serve the food we grow ourselves or purchase from organically grown farms. It also includes information on animals raised on organic feeds or raised in the wild. As one who enjoys growing vegetables for my families use and with hunters in my extended family I have had access to foods untouched by the passing of times changes in food processing.


I found The Nourished Kitchen - Farm To Table Recipes For The Traditional Foods Lifestyle an informative book full of important information. My family at large has many food allergies and health issues that have made me look to new ways, healthier ways, to feed them. I look forward to implementing a few new techniques and recipes offered in The Nourished Kitchen - Farm To Table Recipes For The Traditional Foods Lifestyle. Although I will have to find a place to purchase organically raised meat as I can not picture myself going so far as to raise and butcher my own livestock. I do love my chicken and melt at a good steak and baked potato.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Nourished Kitchen is based on the Farm to Table approach and Traditional Foods Lifestyle. Traditional foods are described as "...the foods of gardens and of farms. They represent a system of balance, emphasizing the value of meat and milk, grain and bean, vegetables and fruits." The Nourished Kitchen works with the "philosophy that combines sustainability, balance, tradition and community involvement." This cookbook won't work for everyone, especially if you are on a restrictive diet; but if you want to get back to basics and cook nutritiously and conscientiously, this book is for you. Since I enjoy cooking from my garden and using locally harvested meats, I enjoyed this book. However, I do disagree with using raw milk, which is discussed in more detail within the book.

The book is organized into sections depending on where the ingredients come from, so there is From The Garden, Pasture, Range, Waters, Fields, Wild, Orchard, and Larder. Since I have a large garden, enjoy foraging and have some fruit trees, I got the most use out of the Garden, Wild and Orchard sections. I tried a few recipes from the Garden section with ingredients that I had handy. The Blistered Radishes with Parsley turned out well and I'm glad that I have another use for them other than garnish. I love anything with maple syrup, so the Maple Glazed Root Vegetables with Orange and Thyme was a winner for me. I'll be saving the Cider-Braised Kale with Apples and Sweet Cherries for the fall, it looks delicious. Every recipe in From the Orchard looked delicious, I'll be trying the Maple Roasted Pears when my tree fruits.

I did not get as much use out of other sections, such as From the Pasture since I am not up to making my own butter, cheeses or yogurts yet. However, if you want to try, the directions seem simple and straightforward enough.

Overall, I am glad that this book exists and that we are getting back to basics with the real food movement.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley.
This is a wonderful cookbook and reference book for anyone who wants to eat a healthier, wholesome and more traditional diet. The book begins with a lengthy explanation of what they mean by a "nourished kitchen" and they explain what types of foods to buy and also where to buy them. I was happy to see an description of CSA (Community Shared Agriculture) which are becoming more popular.

The book is also full of recipes that use unique foods that many people shy away from, such as liver, chicken feet (broth), kombucha and raw dairy. I was really thrilled with the in depth explanation of raw dairy because I have been consuming raw milk for years and people always think this is strange and that I will get sick from it. The authors explain the health benefits from raw milk and how the pasteurization process actually kills many of the healthy bacteria and nutrients in milk. I will definitely refer people to this resource now.

The other aspect of the book that also impressed me was the fact that the authors gave a wide variety of recipes for cooking seasonally with fruits and vegetables. Each recipe begins with a description of the main ingredient and how to obtain the freshest and most flavorful type of the ingredient. And in order to have vegetables that are not in season they also have a section on canning and preserving.

There is a section entitled "From the Field" which explains grains and uses ingredients such as whole wheat, spelt and rye. So if you are primal or paleo or avoiding grains for dietary reasons this is the one section that will not be useful. But overall this is an excellent reference guide that is packed with information on healthy and natural cooking.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a friend got me interested in Weston A. Price I've loved studying his studies and learning more ways to cook this way.

The Nourished Kitchen; Farm-to-Table Recipes for the Traditional Foods Lifestyle by Jennifer McGruther caught my eye. "A traditional foods diet avoids processed ingredients, but allows meat, animal fat, and grains. It embraces cultured dairy, such as kefir and yogurt, that contain beneficial bacteria; fermented foods, such as sauerkraut and kombucha, that are rich in probiotics; and organ meats that are packed with vitamins and minerals. It also celebrates locally grown foods."

This is a beautiful book. The pictures are stunning and the layout of the recipe book is perfect.

I was a bit disappointed with the majority of the recipes. Even though the ingredients themselves are fairly simple the recipes seem too dramatic, too time consuming, not very child friendly. In a word - just too fancy. There must be a simpler approach to traditional foods (I know there is as the cookbook Nourishing Traditions is one).

Though I may not use this book for the recipes, I will be keeping it on my shelves for the reference aspect of the book. Jennifer gives a lot of information about a traditional diet and how to incorporate whole foods and healthy fats into your cooking. Fermenting, whole grains, etc. are all covered in this cookbook so it is a wealth of information. For this alone I recommend the book. There are a few recipes that I do want to try out that may turn into staples in our home. :)

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another library book that I’m considering for my “to buy” list. The author follows many of the same principles as Sally Fallon does in Nourishing Traditions. While Fallon’s book feels a little heavier and more dated, the recipes she includes seem simpler. This book is more attractive, full of pictures, and has a more modern feel, but the recipes seem more complex. Fallon’s book is often overwhelming, as it includes a lot of information, and this one is less textbook and more cookbook. I’ve started following Jennifer McGruther’s blog, and I do anticipate trying some of her recipes.

[Hillary Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This cookbook is awesome. It has everything you need if you want to support the local farmers market, making meals from scratch. It has how to make kefir, sourdough, kombucha, how to cook wild game, organ meat, and what herbs to add where. Different kinds of dressings, orange syrup for pancakes. Using fruit to make these decadent treats, while not adding tons of junk. It covers a wide range and doesn’t identify with a specific diet but identifies more with a place and time where folks lived off the land and used what they had to work with. This is a great book!

[Angela Boord · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. It's a gorgeous cookbook with good information, and the recipes that I have tried have been great. The problem I have is that so many of the recipes seem needlessly complicated. I was hoping for a traditional foods cookbook that would help me cook food for my family in everyday life, but this only partially fits the bill.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want stunning photography, recipes that read like poetry, and a wealth of inspiring information to make ancestral eating a part of your every day life, this is the cookbook for you!

ONE WORD: BEAUTIFUL.

[Maggie]

While I really liked the concept of this book, and thought the photography was beautiful, I wasn't drawn to many of the recipes. I do plan to try the "slow-baked cannelloni beans with preserved lemon, rosemary, and smoked paprika" though - someday when it's cool enough to turn the oven on!

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book! I actually read this cookbook cover to cover. The stories are wonderful, recipes are fantastic, and pictures are beautiful. I've already made several recipes and have loved every single one of them.

[Traci · Rating 3 out of 5]

First, I love this author. I have followed her blog for many years. I will likely buy any other book she publishes.
Second, this book appeals to people who are looking for a traditional food lifestyle. It isn’t filled with recipes to throw together on a Wednesday with food from Target or WalMart. It’s directed at those of us who are trying to move away from the American diet. It isn’t a fermenting book. Or a casserole book or crockpot book.
It is very well written. The pictures are gorgeous and it’s clear that a lot of love and effort went into this book. I adore how the chapters are laid out.
I have personally made of her recipes both from the blog and this book. My family loves them.

Why three stars and not 5 you ask?

Some of these recipes ( 5 or 6) are on her blog for free so I was a bit disappointed to buy a book that had recipes I had already made. If you have a dairy allergy this book is not for you. Traditional diets were heavily based in dairy, but in this day and age it’s a tough sell.
Last, I gave it 3 stars because, while I love to try new even strange recipes, this book has so many recipes that I’ll never make because I’ll never be able to find the ingredients.

[Emsy Van Wyck · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written and engaging cookbook - to treasure for a lifetime.

It's the rare cookbook that reads like a life's journey, but The Nourished Kitchen by Jennifer McGruther reflects the farm-to-table approach to cooking that many of us adhere to.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I requested this book for review. Would the recipes be ones I'd read, reflect on, try, and adopt or would this be more of a fad-type cookbook. I was thrown, frankly, by the fact that it was a best-seller in the Raw Food category. Yes, I was a vegetarian for many years, a vegan for some of those, and did try out a raw food diet, but found those strictures not as health as I had anticipated. So, I opened this gorgeous cover with a bit of trepidation, but my reservations were washed away by Jennifer McGruther's beautiful introduction and explanation of the philosophy behind the Nourished Kitchen - the traditional foods movement.

I'll admit, the thought of cooking with lard is not one that fills me with joy. I'm probably going to skip that, but already cook with butter, extra virgin olive oil, and bacon drippings. (Ever since my high school chemistry teacher explained and demonstrated that if you heat margarine up to a certain degree it turns into plastic, that's been off my shopping list.) Am I slightly hypocritical to avoid lard? Probably. But finding a reliable source at a cost I can afford is slightly impossible.

Some of these recipes would be easier if it was not only a movement in the kitchen, but also in life. But I'll admit that when I kept chickens, I could never bring myself to cull one for the stewpot. Instead, they were pets and provided fabulous eggs. It would be useless for me to consider adding pigs, cows, lambs, goats, and fowl to this homestead of I were to consider slaughtering them. But, excepting the pigs, the others might be useful additions for milk, cheese, eggs, and wool. However, I do think my neighbors might raise an eyebrow or two.

As I journey toward the goal of truly respecting the environment and the wonders around us, I continue to search out foods that McGruther recommends. However, I'll need to be honest. Some of these will be selected from the grocery store or local farm market. Not all will be sourced from the immediate surroundings. I wish they could. Many of them will be. But just as she recommends moderation in diet, I'll need to adopt moderation in adapting her recipes to what makes sense in the here and now.

It's a rare cookbook that I'll look through and say to myself, I'll make that, that, and that. Usually there are recipes that I'll look over and think, no, too complicated, too many steps, sounds delicious, but... The Nourished Kitchen is the opposite of that observation. It's the rare recipe here that I won't be trying. In fact, I'm already plotting her autumn equinox Cider-braised kale with apples and sweet cherries (though I may be trading out the sweet cherries for cranberries).

The other recipe that I can't wait to try is the one for Slow-baked cannelloni beans with preserved lemon (pictured on the cover), rosemary, and smoked paprika. This bean dish sounds absolutely delicious and I can't wait to try it. She calls this a "humble" dish and I suppose it is. But there is nothing as satisfying, to me, as a pot of slow-cooked beans flavored with herbs. She includes a wonderful tip about soaking the beans that I'm really grateful for. I'll probably play with the recipe a bit. Perhaps substituting sage for rosemary or a bit of each. Perhaps fresh lemon instead of preserved. But that's the joy in a cookbook like this, as McGruther provides the basis for each of us to make these recipes our own.

The book is beautifully illustrated with photos by the author. However if you're looking for each dish to be illustrated, they're not. However, I don't think you need to do that. Especially with these recipes that are as much about the ingredients and preparation as they are about the presentation.

One of the basics of any cook's kitchen are the broths that are on hand. McGruther's recipes for beef and chicken bone broth are ideal (however I can't bring myself to make the chicken foot broth, I can't). I'll admit to making a broth frequently, but have never roasted the bones. I'm going to try this as I think it will add significantly to both the taste as well as the nutritional component. The great thing about broth is that you can freeze the excess. I've done this both in an ice cube tray (for when you just want a bit of broth in your dish) or in two cup increments. Wonderful to have on hand and super easy to make too.

The dessert section (From the Orchard) is just amazing. I've been collection fruit recipes all summer and pinning them to my Pinterest board, but here is a collection that just is ideal. I can't wait to gather my quince from the bush near the house to try the Quince, Apple, and Pear Gallette. Right now, I'm about to cut some basil for the roasted peaches with basil and yogurt. (I may wait a day or two and see how my homemade yogurt turns out, following the recipe here.)

Truly, this is a cookbook that I predict that I'll be referring to constantly. Each section has something to offer and with over 160 recipes there are plenty to choose from. The seasonal quality is enticing and while I don't want to rush into fall and winter, these recipes make the prospect something to look forward to.

If you have friends who appreciate cooking, healthful eating, and a searching for a more beneficial lifestyle - this cookbook is the perfect gift. In fact, I'd suggest that this would be one of those books that people would treasure - for years - if given on the occasion of their first apartment, marriage, or other celebrations.

If you follow this cookbook and the traditional foods lifestyle, I have a feeling that not only will you feel healthier, but you'll feel better about yourself. Why? Because you'll be reconnecting in a significant way with the natural process of the seasons and the land around you.

(I received this book from Blogging for Books and NetGalley for this review.)

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simple, minimal dishes that emphasize Whole Foods. The recipes cover the gamut from beef tongue to braised beets, from home rendered lard to pan seared halibut. The beans chapter was the one i found most accessible with lentils sausage and greens that is simple but familiar and a pea and ham soup that is basically peas, ham and aromatics. The dessert chapter, not surprisingly, is dressed up fruit.

[Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Beautiful book. I took off half a star because there are a few ingredients I cannot find anywhere, and the book does not lay flat when open. Otherwise, it is excellent: easy recipes and a lot of information I’ve never seen anywhere else.

[Mskychick · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s a fantastic concept that I’m completely on board with - using all the food scraps and unusual foods around you to decrease food waste. The recipes simply didn’t appeal to me or my spouse when we individually read this book (other than the grains chapter, Chapter 5, for me)

[Michele Hayes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nothing too out of the ordinary in the food recipes but I love that all the traditional building block recipes are in one place and easy to follow. Kefir, kombucha, preserved lemons, sauerkraut, etc are all basic recipes that I will return to as needed. [[3.5 stars rounded up]]

[Jenny Preston · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful photography but a lot of the recipes weren't things my family would eat.

[Adrienne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful pisctures, lovely sounding recipes. Didn't make anything from it, but I wish I could.

[Brianna Sowinski · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this one, one of those how I want to eat inspirationals.

[laurenpie]

eh, not my thing

[Mary Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful cookbook. She touches on things that aren’t in typical cookbooks and gives them her own unique touch.

[Jane E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Traditional foods. Good recipes. Probably find a better sourdough recipe and method online though.

[Katie]

While I wanted to love this, it just wouldn’t work for my current season of life. It was informative, but working full time with littles does not lend itself to many of the recipes.