Food Heroes & Perfect One-Dish Dinners

It’s been awhile since I shared some of my favorite “Healthy Discoveries” a.k.a. books, people, places, products and events.

I recently stumbled across two great cookbooks.  Not only are they great books but the author’s personal stories are a lot of fun as well.  For me, the positive stories behind the products (or books) influence my selection when deeming something a “Healthy Discovery.”  I love down-to-earth-people who are doing interesting things and making significant contributions.

Without further ado and with that criteria in mind, here are two of my latest “Healthy Discoveries”:

1.  Food Heroes

Georgia Pellegrini says “I hunt and gather myself, and hone my pioneer skills. I seek ingredients that are anchored to the seasons and a definite place. It is the kind of food once served in simple restaurants and in homes by housewives, by grandmothers, by families for generations, and today by people – culinary artisans – choosing to do the hard work required to live off the best their hands can produce.”

Goodness, it sounds like Georgia is speaking my language.

She grew up surrounded by chickens and honey bees on the same land that her great-grandfather owned and worked.  After attending Harvard and working a short stint on Wall Street she left to attend the French Culinary Institute of New York.

She then worked at some farm to table restaurants in France and the US where she found that she was most interested in the foragers and fig collectors and salami makers that arrived to the restaurants with their goods.  She soon befriended them and went on journeys with them, through the woods, into curing rooms, and over the rolling hills of olive oil vineyards.

Her fabulous book, Food Heroes, tells the story of the culinary artisans across the world who are fighting to preserve their food traditions.  You can also follow all her adventures and recipes on her blog, Georgia Pellegrini.com.

2.  Perfect One-Dish Dinners

First of all, I love the concept and title, Perfect One-Dish Dinners.

As I’ve mentioned before, if I can cook something that tastes good with only 4-7 fresh ingredients and very little prep time, I’m a happy girl!

Pam Anderson is the former executive editor of Cook’s Illustrated magazine and a monthly food columnist for numerous publications.  She has authored many books including How To Cook Without A Book, Perfect Recipes For Having People Over and The Perfect Recipe For Losing Weight and Eating Great.  You can also follow her and find more recipes on her blog, Three Many Cooks.com

But her story becomes interesting to me when she realized her life balance needed to be reworked and she left the corporate world.  She lost 40 pounds and started a new chapter in her life.  I love this video with Pam and her daughters.

They sum it up well at the 2:37 mark:

“Being in the kitchen and being able to cook with my family and friends is an incredibly empowering thing.  You’re able to build relationships between people because that’s really what happens at the dinner table.”

YES!

When a meal is prepared by you or a loved one with an upbeat, positive mood, the nourishment you gain from that meal will be that much more enhanced.  While this may sound a bit esoteric I believe it to be true.

“Breaking bread” with loved ones, preparing home cooked meals for those near and dear to you and participating in nourishing conversations at the kitchen table is just as important as what you’re actually eating. Nutritionists love to carry on (and rightfully so) about highly-processed-low-nutrient-value-food.  Yet I believe educating people about physical nourishment is only one piece of the equation, we must remember the emotional nourishment that can be gained or lost at meal times as well!

Just like our grandparents and generations before; sit down, eat slowly, choose your dining companions carefully and try some new recipes during this winter season – it’s good for your overall health and well-being.