5 New Recipes to Celebrate Native American Heritage

There's a Movement to Revitalize Indigenous Cuisines and Knowledge—Here's Why That Matters By Lois Ellen Frank, Ph.D., guest editor It's cloudy today as I write this at my home outside of Santa Fe, New Mexico. There is a very gently misting rain. I can hear the sounds of the numerous birds outside, the crickets are singing, I can hear cicadas, the wind is blowing gently and there is moisture in the air, which I can smell. I am reflecting on the bounty of this land and the original cuisine that has existed here for millennia. I'm visualizing the abundance of wild foods that existed and still exists, and the knowledge surrounding those foods harvested by Native communities all over what is now the United States, Canada, and throughout the rest of the Americas. Native cuisines, like all cuisines, have a story behind them, one that is deep, rich, powerful, provocative–and a story that is often misunderstood and unknown by many. These cuisines are regional, based on ingredients that are sourced by the communities that live there, as they traditionally have been for millennia. We are in a time now where young scholars, activists, chefs and cooks are taking the lead on a Native American foods' movement to revitalize important Indigenous foods for health and wellness. They are going back to the past to understand the historical continuum of what happened to move forward to the future. It has been a true honor to be the guest editor for EatingWell's feature on the re-indigenization of Native American cuisine. Through the celebration of vital Traditional Ecological Knowledge, which has been passed down from generation to generation over the centuries, Native American communities are promoting better health and wellness. Each of these talented and grassroots contributors is a part of the reclaiming, revitalizing and re-indigenization of ancestral Native American foods and foodways. Scholar-activist Melissa Nelson shares a beautiful piece on the re-indigenization of native food systems through the health of the land and how it is connected to Native American culture. Scholar Kaylena Bray talks about the sacred relationship between the Seneca People and the traditional white corn that is a part of farmers, practitioners and activists' efforts to reclaim health in their communities. And chef Walter Whitewater writes a compelling story on the Long Walk of the Navajo (Diné) and the foods they ate to survive. I believe you will enjoy reading their stories and the sharing of the foods they present, which I hope you will prepare and enjoy for your own health and wellness. READ MORE Recipes in This Feature: Three Sisters Stew This Three Sisters Stew recipe is easy to make, nutritious and delicious. The Three Sisters are corn, beans and squash, which have been planted together for centuries by Native peoples and have spiritual significance for some. GET THE RECIPE Salmon with Chokecherry-Citrus Sauce Coho salmon are an integral part of Indigenous communities in the San Francisco Bay Area. This recipe features wild salmon paired with another food native to North America—chokecherries, a shrub belonging to the rose family. The astringent cherries are commonly made into jellies, preserves and syrups, the latter which is used to glaze the salmon. GET THE RECIPE Grilled Cactus Pad Salad with Oranges & Raspberry Vinaigrette This bright, satisfying salad recipe combines pre-Colonial ingredients like cactus pads and piñon (pine) nuts with navel oranges, a common food delivered to Indigenous communities via the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations. GET THE RECIPE Seneca White Corn No-Bake Energy Balls These no-bake energy balls get lots of staying power from a mix of oats and corn flour, peanut butter, coconut, dried fruit and mixed nuts. They're easily customizable by changing up the dried fruit and nuts. GET THE RECIPE Corn Pudding & Apple-Berry Parfaits These striking parfaits are made with two colors of corn pudding and berry compote. Culinary ash, typically made from wood like juniper, is used in Native American communities as a source of nutrients like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc. GET THE RECIPE This Nonprofit is Providing Native American Communities With Access to Nutrient-Dense, Culturally Affirming Foods The Cultural Conservancy supports Native Americans in eating well, indigenous style, by focusing on the protection and revitalization of Indigenous cultures and ancestral lands. READ MORE Follow Us Unsubscribe This email was sent to 2022moneymakers.month1@blogger.com  |  Was this email forwarded to you? Subscribe here Dotdash Meredith, 225 Liberty Street, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10281 ©2022. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy  |  Terms of Service  |  Help Center