We’re celebrating our Fifth Annual African Heritage & Health Week by giving an exclusive insider’s look at our A Taste of African Heritage cooking curriculum, which introduces participants to a healthy African Heritage Diet through six weekly classes. Enjoy these snapshots of our African Heritage program, and explore our extensive recipe collection, to kick off Black History Month. Learn more about A Taste of African Heritage classes and how you can bring them to your community here.

DAY 1: HERBS & SPICES

 

AHHWeekMON Spices.jpg

 

Spice up your diet with traditional African heritage herbs and spices like ginger, cardamom, allspice, chiles, cumin, thyme, harissa, cayenne, and many more. If you want to ‪#‎EatAfricanHeritage365‬ you have to start with a fully stocked kitchen.

PREP YOUR KITCHEN FOR A HEALTHY AFRICAN HERITAGE DIET (this list originally appeared here):

In the Pantry:

  • Beans (low-sodium canned or dried): Black eyed peas, kidney beans, pigeon peas, fava or broad beans, butter beans, black beans, chickpeas and lentils
  • Whole Grains & Flour: Barley, millet, oats, sorghum, brown rice, wild rice, cornmeal, teff and whole-grain flours
  • Breads: Flatbreads and other breads (mostly whole grain)
  • Light Coconut Milk (canned)
  • Canned Seafood: Dried shrimp, saltfish, anchovies, clams, salmon, sardines, tuna
  • Cereals: Oatmeal, plus other hot or cold cereals using rice, Kamut®, corn, and other whole grains. The best choices list the first ingredient as “whole grain”
  • Preserves & Pickles: Jams and pickled fruits (like mango), and pickled vegetables
  • Garlic & Onions: Keep a garlic bulb or two within easy reach. Red, yellow & Vidalia onions keep best in a cool, dark pantry.
  • Coffee & Tea (for iced or hot)
  • Herbs & Spices: Berbere, cayenne, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, crushed red pepper, cumin, curry powder, dill, garlic powder, ginger, harissa, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, sage, thyme, turmeric, dried peppers, or blends like Caribbean seasonings
  • Low-Sodium Soups & Stocks: Lentil, vegetable, tomato, potato and leek, red bean and rice
  • Nuts: Peanuts, cashews, pecans, brazil nuts, almonds
  • Honey, Molasses, &/or Brown Sugar
  • Oil: Coconut oil, extra-virgin olive oil, sesame oil, peanut oil, or red palm oil
  • Pastas: Whole wheat couscous and pastas; rice, quinoa and corn pastas and macaroni are also available
  • Tubers & Plantains: Sweet potatoes, yams, yucca, cassava, breadfruit, potatoes
  • Seeds: Sesame, pumpkin, sunflower seeds
  • Tomatoes: Canned, paste, sauce

On the Counter or Table

  • Fresh Fruit: Select favorites from the African Heritage fruit list, including: avocados, apricots, cherries, grapefruit, lemons, limes, oranges, melons, bananas, mangos, apples, peaches, or papayas. These fruits keep best at room temperature
  • Squashes & Tomatoes: Squashes are healthy and filling, and best stored at room temperature too (like butternut squash and pumpkin), as are tomatoes

In the Refrigerator

  • Certain Fruits (berries, watermelon)
  • Hot Sauces and Salsa
  • Hummus
  • Pickles
  • Eggs
  • Vegetables
  • Cooking Greens and Salad Greens
  • Fresh Herbs
  • Dried Herbs and Spices
  • Natural Peanut or Almond Butter
  • Fresh Seafood
  • Yogurt
  • Milk
 (soy, rice or lactose-free milk are available alternatives)
  • Water and Sparkling Water 

  • Leftovers!

In the Freezer

  • Frozen Fruit
  • Frozen Poultry
  • Frozen Seafood
  • Frozen Beans & Peas
  • Frozen Vegetables

Ready for DAY 2? Head to the next page »>

DAY 2: GREENS

 

AHHWeekTUES Greens.gif

 

People of African heritage have been cooking with greens for centuries. In West Africa alone there are more than 150 kinds of edible greens, and the word “efo” is used to refer to all the different kinds of leafy greens. No matter what kind of greens you prefer — salty greens like beet greens and spinach, hardy greens like collards and kale, bitter greens like watercress and arugula, or peppery greens like dandelion or mustard greens — here are creative ways to make sure you eat leafy greens as part of a healthy heritage diet.

10 PLACES TO FIT YOUR GREENS:

  1. Use mild-tasting greens for salads. Chop spinach, arugula, chard, lettuce, or any other green into small, bite-size pieces as the base for a salad.
  2. Add greens to your pasta or noodles for the last 4 to 5 minutes of boiling. This one-pot cooking technique shortens your cooking and cleanup time.
  3. Add greens to your sandwiches. Add a layer of raw spinach, dandelion greens, or arugula to sandwiches. Or soften kale, collard greens, or mustard greens with a 4-minute boil, then add a squeeze of lemon juice for a zesty bed of greens in the middle of your sandwich or on the side.
  4. Scramble greens in your eggs. Softer greens can be added directly to the eggs as you cook them (spinach, chard, beet greens, and arugula); for heartier greens like collards and kale, sauté in oil with onions for 3 to 4 minutes, then add eggs.
  5. Toss greens into your take-out. No time to cook tonight? When you grab pizza or take-out, add a big salad or a bowl of quick-cooked greens at home. You can steam greens by microwaving them for 1 to 2 minutes in a little water.
  6. Mix greens into your family’s smoothies. Putting greens in a smoothie is a wonderful way to get more greens into ourselves—and into our kids’ tummies. Add a handful of baby spinach along with flavorful fruits like frozen raspberries, oranges, or mango. Spinach won’t change the smoothie’s color or taste.
  7. Add greens to homemade and canned soups. Whether it’s a homemade gumbo or a can of split-pea soup, adding frozen or fresh greens will make it healthier.
  8. Make “green chips” in the oven. Tear your greens into extra-large bite-size pieces, coat with olive oil, lemon, and salt, and cook on a baking sheet at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes for a delicious, crispy bowl of green chips.
  9. Use collard greens like a burrito wrap. Steam whole collard leaves in a steamer or over a small amount of water until they are soft and flexible but not breaking up. Use them as you would tortillas to roll up your dinner (beans and rice, macaroni, potatoes, or vegetables) into a burrito. Add more flavor with salsas or hot sauce.
  10. Use the pot likker. Save the healthy liquid from the next batch of boiled greens you make. Use it for any recipe calling for water, like the base of a soup or the liquid for cooking grains, for extra nutrition.

Ready for DAY 3? Head to the next page »>

DAY 3: WHOLE GRAINS

 

AHHWed WholeGrains.gif

 

While standard American meals are typically based on meat, whole grains and vegetables were the common centerpieces for African heritage meals. Whole grains go way back in African agriculture, and the continent even has its own species of rice, millet, sorghum, teff, and dozens of other cereals. To learn more about whole grains, check out our Whole Grains Council.

MAKE A MEAN SOUTHERN RICE PILAF

Back in December, we checked in with food culturalist Nicole Taylor, who most recently wrote and published her very first cookbook in homage to her Southern roots: The Up South Cook Book. “Food storytelling connects one to their roots,” Taylor said during our conversation. “The journey back to my cultural foods instilled a sense of pride like no other.” Read our full Q&A with Taylor here, and celebrate whole grains with this recipe from The Up South Cook Book.

NF UPSOUTH 13-2.jpg
Ingredients

1 1⁄2 cups wild rice

2 cups water

21⁄4 cups vegetable stock

1⁄2 tablespoon unsalted butter

2⁄3 cup chopped pecans

3⁄4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced (about 1 teaspoon)

1 cup dried cherries

2–3 tablespoons Chili Oil

1 teaspoon coarse salt

Large pinch ground black pepper 

Instructions

Rinse the wild rice until the water runs clear, using a colander.

Combine the rice, water, stock, and butter in a heavy medium saucepan. Bring to a boil at medium-high heat. Turn the heat down to low and simmer. After 20 minutes, uncover and stir. Let cool another 20 minutes without uncovering.

Remove pan from heat. Uncover rice and let rest 5 minutes.

The rice should maintain a slightly firm texture. Drain off excess water.

Toss pecans into a 12-inch skillet, over medium heat. Shake skillet a bit to move nuts around. Toast for 10 minutes. Set aside.

Place parsley and garlic in a large mixing bowl. Add the dried cherries and chopped pecans.

In the cooled rice stir in 1 tablespoon chili oil. Taste, and if too spicy, stick with just the 1 tablespoon (heat will vary based on chilies used).

Sprinkle with salt and black pepper. 

Yield: 6-8 Servings

Recipe courtesy of Nicole Taylor, excerpted from her cookbook The Up South Cookbook: Chasing Dixie in a Brooklyn Kitchen. Photography by Noah Fecks. Reprinted with permission from The Up South Cookbook: Chasing Dixie in a Brooklyn Kitchen by Nicole A. Taylor, The Countryman Press 2015

Ready for DAY 4? Head to the next page »>

DAY 4: PULSES

 

AHHTHUR Pulses.gif

 

Beans and rice (or peas and rice in the Caribbean) are found throughout the four African heritage regions, and are also a major part of traditional diets throughout the world. Pulses and rice are a perfect pairing—rich in protein and inexpensive, they fill us up, and they have a wide range of
varieties and flavors. Whether it’s Hoppin’ John or Red Beans and Rice, pulses and rice have been a staple pairing for thousands of years throughout African heritage. In Central America, the beans-and-rice team is sometimes called matrimonio (“the marriage”). And beans and rice are interchangeable with peas and rice in the English-speaking Caribbean because of frequent use of pigeon peas and other field peas there. Always referred to as “rice and peas” (in that order) in Jamaica, the combination makes up the country’s unofficial national dish called “The Coat of Arms.”


FIND PULSES IN EVERY PLATE OF EXPRESSION

To put the African Heritage Diet Pyramid on the plate, we have compiled a group of 12 Plates of Expression with the help of African Heritage culinary scholar Jessica Harris. These dishes are both the culinary expressions of the Pyramid and the cultural expressions of each of the four distinct regions of African Heritage. Take a look at the vibrant dishes representing each region and see how many pulse recipes you can find. See the Plates of Expression here.

And here’s a shot of the Oldways African Heritage & Health Potluck featuring some of our favorite recipes.

IMG 0172.JPG

 

Ready for Day 5? Head to the next page »>

DAY 5: TUBERS & MASHES

 

AHHWeekFRI Tubers%281%29.gif

 

Tubers have been feeding people around the world for millennia. Because they grow underground and can survive harsh weather conditions, they have been an especially important food during famine, drought, and other times of food insecurity. Tubers are the world’s universal comfort food. When prepared healthfully, they offer us a low-fat, high-fiber, complex carbohydrate that is excellent for our energy and health. In rural Africa where rates of chronic disease are extremely low, diets center on starchy staples like yams, cassava, maize, millet, and beans. A number of African heritage tubers are available in the U.S. If you can’t find the more exotic varieties in your regular grocery store, look for them in Latin, Caribbean, and African markets.

TREAT YOURSELF TO THESE YUCA FRIES

Also known as cassava or manioc, yuca root is high in fiber, antioxidants, and many beneficial nutrients. Yuca’s consistency and sweet earthy flavor are perfect for hearty and healthy oven fries. Kids will especially love this recipe! 

Ingredients

2 medium sized yuca roots, peeled
1 tablespoon olive oil
Dried or fresh Thyme
Sea salt
Ground black pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Peel the waxy brown skin from the yuca roots and chop each one in half, widthwise at the middle, to make 4 pieces.

Place yuca in a medium sized pot or saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil with a pinch of sea salt. Cook until you can pierce it with a fork (about 20-25 minutes).

When cooked, drain water and lay the yuca on a paper towel.

When cool enough, pat the yuca dry and chop the pieces into “French fry” sticks. Place the fries on a baking sheet. Lightly drizzle with olive oil, and season with sea salt, pepper, and thyme. Use as much thyme as needed to dust each fry.

Bake the fries in the oven for 20 minutes, until golden, turning once. 

Pair these fries with our Garlicky Dill Mojo Sauce.

Ready for Day 7? Head to the next page »>

DAY 7: FRUITS & VEGGIES

 

AHHWEEKSAT FRuitVeg%281%29.gif


Health professionals and nutrition experts agree that fruits, vegetables, and a healthy lifestyle are major keys to good health and well-being. As we’ve seen, African heritage meals are chock-full of vegetables — used to enhance grains, beans, and stews, and to showcase heritage spices. Lemons enhance flavor in cooking, and other fruits, like tamarinds and limes, play a part in African heritage sauces, dressings, and desserts. In traditional cultures, you’d be hard-pressed to find a meal without vegetables or a day without fruit.

 

GLOSSARY OF AFRICAN DIASPORA FOODS

One of our favorite resources we developed for our African Heritage & Health program is this list of common foods of the African diaspora. Now that we’ve toured all six lessons from our A Taste of African Heritage cooking classes, you might recognize more of the ingredients on the list.

 

THANK YOU FOR CELEBRATING AFRICAN HERITAGE & HEALTH WEEK WITH US! We hope it was as delicious for you as it was for us.

 

Image1.PNG