Cookbooks I LOVE!
Feed Your Family Well
Cookbooks That Make Traditional, Nourishing Food Delicious
When I first read Nutrition and Physical Degeneration by Dr. Weston A. Price, something inside me shifted.
For years I had focused on all the foods I shouldn't eat. Gluten. Processed foods. Artificial ingredients. Sugar. Seed oils. The list seemed endless, and healthy eating often felt like a life of constant deprivation.
Then I discovered another way to think.
Instead of asking...
"What can't I eat?"
I began asking...
"How can I fill my home with foods that truly nourish?"
That simple change transformed my kitchen.
Traditional foods aren't about restriction—they're about abundance. Rich homemade broths simmering on the stove. Colorful vegetables. Fresh herbs. Pasture-raised eggs. Fermented foods. Homemade soups. Slow-cooked meats. Real butter (if you tolerate dairy). Naturally fermented sourdough. Fresh fruit. Healthy fats. Foods that generations before us recognized as normal everyday meals.
One of the greatest gifts I've found is that there are wonderful cookbooks that make this lifestyle practical—and delicious.
Start here
Nourishing Traditions — Sally Fallon Morell
If you buy only one cookbook, this would be my recommendation.
It's much more than recipes. It explains why traditional cultures prepared foods the way they did and teaches techniques like:
soaking grains
fermenting vegetables
making bone broth
culturing dairy
preparing healthy fats
using organ meats
nourishing soups and stews
Whether or not you follow every recommendation, it's one of the most influential cookbooks ever written on traditional nutrition.
Nourishing Traditions Book of Baby & Child Care
A wonderful companion for families wanting to nourish children with whole foods from the very beginning.
The Nourishing Traditions Cookbook for Children
Simple recipes designed to help children enjoy cooking and eating real food.
Beautiful cookbooks that complement Nourishing Traditions
The Grassfed Gourmet Cookbook
Wonderful recipes centered around pasture-raised meats and whole foods.
Wonderful recipes centered around pasture-raised meats and whole foods.
The Heal Your Gut Cookbook
A favorite for those recovering from digestive issues, emphasizing bone broths, soups, fermented foods, and nourishing meals.
A favorite for those recovering from digestive issues, emphasizing bone broths, soups, fermented foods, and nourishing meals.
The Homemade Pantry
Teaches how to replace processed convenience foods with homemade versions using simple ingredients.
Teaches how to replace processed convenience foods with homemade versions using simple ingredients.
The Art of Fermentation
A deeper exploration of fermentation for those who fall in love with traditional food preparation.
A deeper exploration of fermentation for those who fall in love with traditional food preparation.
Broth and Stock from the Nourished Kitchen
Because nearly every traditional culture valued rich homemade broths.
Because nearly every traditional culture valued rich homemade broths.
The Nourished Kitchen
Beautiful recipes centered around seasonal produce, healthy fats, fermentation, and traditional cooking methods.
Beautiful recipes centered around seasonal produce, healthy fats, fermentation, and traditional cooking methods.
Naturally gluten-free?
One question I hear often is,
"Can I eat this way if I have celiac disease?"
Absolutely.
While some traditional food books include properly prepared wheat or sourdough recipes, the heart of traditional eating has never depended on wheat.
My own kitchen focuses on foods that naturally fit my body:
Traditional eating is about nourishing your body—not forcing it to eat foods that harm it.
Fill your plate—not your list of restrictions
One of the biggest lessons I've learned is this:
Healthy eating becomes much easier when you stop staring at the foods you're leaving behind and start filling your plate with foods that bring life.
Instead of counting what you're giving up...
The healthiest kitchens I've ever visited weren't built on fear. They were built on abundance.
That, I believe, is one of the greatest lessons Dr. Weston Price left us.
One question I hear often is,
"Can I eat this way if I have celiac disease?"
Absolutely.
While some traditional food books include properly prepared wheat or sourdough recipes, the heart of traditional eating has never depended on wheat.
My own kitchen focuses on foods that naturally fit my body:
- homemade soups
- colorful vegetables
- pasture-raised meats
- fresh herbs
- fermented vegetables
- healthy fats
- eggs
- wild fish
- seasonal fruit
- naturally gluten-free grains like rice, millet, buckwheat, quinoa, and certified gluten-free oats
Traditional eating is about nourishing your body—not forcing it to eat foods that harm it.
Fill your plate—not your list of restrictions
One of the biggest lessons I've learned is this:
Healthy eating becomes much easier when you stop staring at the foods you're leaving behind and start filling your plate with foods that bring life.
Instead of counting what you're giving up...
- Count the colors on your plate.
- Count the vegetables.
- Count the herbs.
- Count the nourishing soups.
- Count the meals shared around your table.
The healthiest kitchens I've ever visited weren't built on fear. They were built on abundance.
That, I believe, is one of the greatest lessons Dr. Weston Price left us.
With much love,
Steffanie
This post reflects my personal experience and educational interests in traditional foods and nutrition. It is not medical advice. If you have celiac disease, food allergies, or other health conditions, work with your healthcare professional to determine which foods are appropriate for you.
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