Traditional Holiday Foods
Happy Thanksgivng! As we prepare for the holidays one cannot help but think about tradition. Pilgrim food was grown and prepared differently. Look at the delicious array of fruits and veggies in the cornucopia! What did the turkey eat and what pesticides were used on the farm? Questions are important in providing our families with tradition. Today we go to the produce section of the supermarket and are blessed with a multitude of choices. But the harvest for Thanksgiving dinner was different for Pilgrims than it is today. The turkey was raised outdoors in a pasture. The only environment available before it reached the table. Today, we have the opportunity for many more choices in the supermarket. Pasture raised meats contain more moisture and flavor than similar conventional meats we eat today. Celebrating with traditional holiday foods allows us to take a step back and think about from where we once came. In November 1621 Pilgrim families canned and fermented their own veggies. Wheat was not yet hybridized or sprayed with glycogen and there were fewer allergies. In 2017 our lifestyle indulges us in much more choice availability. We’ve added more sugar, chemicals and processed foods to our diet. Without the benefit of foresight, these changes in our food supply have worsened our health. What can we do today all year round to get healthier? We can eat more tasty healthy foods like:
Organic less processed whole foods,
Local fruits and veggies with fewer chemicals,
Fermented foods which improve gut heath,
Anti-inflammatory foods like ginger, turmeric, garlic, cruciferous veggies, and
Sustainably raised grass fed meats.
Eating more tasty healthy food can provide us with more energy, better sleep and reduced chronic inflammation. This will undoubtedly allow us to live a happier healthier lives. Just as pilgrims had their traditions, so does the traditional Jewish community. On Sunday, December 3 from 1:40pm - 2:40pm, I will be teaching a new workshop at Limmud Boston: Temple Reyim, 1860 Washington St., Newton, MA. Traditional Jewish Food in a Healthy New Way. In this new workshop we will discuss the question: Is Organic the New Kosher? We will talk about food that comes from the ground, trees, and ocean. And how you can provide your family with more nutrients and flavor by adding healthy traditional ingredients. Learn how to live in a healthier new way without compromising tradition. Joining me at this workshop will be Justin Cherman and Dan Tavan from True Taste Kitchen. We will discuss how key healthy delicious sustainable ingredients, found in restaurants can be used in your kitchen. Healthy and tasty is the way to go!
