Page 77 - Summer2015

All Thumbs Book Reviews

The Nourishing Traditions on the right foot. They are helpful for parents and
Cookbook for Children children alike.
Suzanne Gross and Sally Fallon Morell In the introduction, the authors address the
Illustrated by Angela Eisenbart importance of teaching children to cook and ap-
NewTrends Publishing preciate healthy traditional foods, while warning
parents and teachers to be prepared up front for
The Nourishing Traditions Cookbook for the mess that cooking with children brings. She
Children is a beautifully illustrated picture book, says the mess and extra time spent is worth the
healthy recipe cookbook and traditional food investment so we can raise radiantly healthy
adventure guide all in one. Parents and teachers children who know how to cook healthy foods
who have been frustrated working around the themselves. Wise words.
canned foods, microwaves, nutritionally poor The introduction’s “Tips for Cooking with
recipes, and sugar-laden treats in other kids’ Children” is especially valuable, as the authors
cookbooks will be thrilled to use this book in- share common sense advice around re-organiz-
stead. ing your kitchen with your children in mind. (I
Why teach children traditional cooking? The particularly enjoyed reading this because my
authors state in the introduction, “Children are co-teacher Jami Delgado and I say the same thing
more likely to eat food they’ve helped prepare. … to parents in our online Real Food Kids class at
Knowing how to cook is just as valuable (in life) Traditional Cooking School.) Other recommen-
as knowing how to read or write. Food is one of dations cover routines, how to include baby in
our basic needs. And the quality of our food has a the cooking, and a fun way to do meal planning
profound impact on our health and ultimately, the with pictures.
quality of our life. If we don’t teach our children The kitchen tools chapter is the first place Parents and
how to cook nourishing foods, who will?” you (and your children) will really benefit from
Keep her words in mind as we take a tour Angela Eisenbart’s lovely illustrations. As the teachers who
through the lie-flat-on-the-counter, spiral-bound, authors list and explain the simple tools needed to have been
full-color, charmingly illustrated book. prepare the traditional food recipes in the cook- frustrated
First stop: the table of contents. Simple book, Eisenbart adds the drawings that bring
enough, it fits on one page yet boasts the most in- them to life. And I’m very glad the authors tell working
teresting and nutritionally balanced chapter titles us we won’t be needing a microwave to prepare around the
your children may ever see in a cookbook — In- anything in this book! canned foods,
credible Eggs!, Mighty Milk!, Butter is Better, Our last stop before getting into the food
The Secret’s in the Soup (ooh, a treasure hunt!), chapters is the measuring guide section. Know- microwaves,
Friendly Ferments, and Meet Your Meat are just ing how to measure food is an important skill. nutritionally
a few samples. Also note that instead of naming The book explains the differences between vol- poor recipes,
the cooking chapters as most recipe books do ume, weight and number with clear terms and
with types of dishes such as main dishes, side examples that I’m sure kids will pick right up and sugar-
dishes, breads, etc., the authors opted instead to as parents read these pages with them. Eisen- laden treats
name most after food groups such as eggs, milk, bart adds illustrations for every equivalent, as in other kids’
butter or vegetables. I believe this move will help well as every principle, such as the importance
our children bond more deeply with the real food of evaluating measured liquids at eye level for cookbooks
they cook and serve; I applaud this choice. accuracy. The latter is depicted by a young girl will be thrilled
Before we talk about the cooking chapters, eyeing a glass measuring cup. to use this
let’s review the introduction, kitchen tools and Shall we dive into a cooking chapter now?
measuring guide sections that start the book off Let’s choose “Incredible Eggs!” by way of ex- book instead.
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