Here is how a leading chef stocks her wellness pantry.
An excerpt from The Wholefood Pantry by Amber Rose, the author of Love Bake Nourish and the co-author of Nourish. A leading food stylist she has cooked for celebrities in their homes including Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Hudson and Kate Moss before becoming a doula and cook for new mothers.
Here is how she stocks her pantry for health, beauty and wellness every day.
Having grown up in New Zealand with an incredible organic garden filled with heritage vegetables and fruits, flowers and herbs, and wild food in abundance, I then moved to one of the biggest cities in the world, London, where it seemed that the only superfoods available were those that lined a health-food store’s shelves. After some time spent paying for expensive seaweeds, berries harvested from remote corners of the world, and pseudo cereals with price tags equivalent to extortion, I moved to the countryside, where I was promptly reminded that superfoods are all around us, local, and sometimes even free to forage.
Look around you and find what is local to you. Not only will it be fresher and more potent, it will generally be cheaper, and probably more suited to what your body needs, as it will be seasonal. If you live in a city, go to farmers’ markets, or research foraging courses that are hosted in nearby countryside. Ignore the way the health industry has started marketing “superfoods” as a way of making big bucks. These are the real superfoods that you should look out for. It’s common sense really—just look at what traditional cultures have been eating for thousands of years: the wisdom is all there.
Here are my top superfoods:
1. Cold-pressed oils Coconut oil, olive oil, fish oil, and seed oil have many benefits. They give us immune benefiting components, antioxidants, have substances that trigger the inflame/anti-inflame healing process and more.
2. Eggs from pastured, organic chickens. Eggs are amongst the most nutritious foods on the planet. They are packed full of healthy fats, protein, and essential vitamins.
3. Organic or wild greens. Dark leafy greens, fresh green herbs, stinging nettles, and wild garlic leaves are a treasure trove of nutrients that act as antioxidants and also alkalise the body. They cleanse and provide important minerals.
4. Bee pollen.Bee pollen is considered to be one of nature’s most complete foods. It’s approximately 40 percent protein, in the form of free amino acids that are ready to be used directly by the body. It can reduce cravings and addictions, extend longevity, reduce allergies, help with infertility, and prevent infectious diseases.
5. Bone broth. Bone broth and gelatine, made from pastured organic animals or wild animals, is a powerful gut healer that deserves a place in your weekly diet.
6. Turmeric. Turmeric contains powerful medicinal properties and has naturally-occurring anti-inflammatory compounds that help reduce inflammation. It also dramatically increases the antioxidant capacity within the body.
7. Grass-fed ghee. Ghee and butter contain vitamin K2, which plays a crucial role in bone, facial, and dental development in growing babies and children. It also helps to heal the gut, reduces the risk of heart disease, and helps with weight loss.
8. Onions and garlic. These alliums contain extremely high amounts of prebiotics, which are what the good guys in our gut, the probiotics, feed on.
9. Soaked and sprouted nuts. Nuts and seeds are full of protein and heart-healthy fats. They also contain plenty of life-enhancing nutrients.
10. Dark berries, ideally wild or foraged. Berries, such as elderberries, blueberries, and blackberries, contain very high amounts of antioxidants, and also help to heal the gut.
11. Fermented vegetables. Fermented vegetables contain huge amounts of probiotics and enzymes that boost immunity, help to heal the gut, and help with digestion.
