In the Kitchen with Black Walnuts: America’s Indigenous Baking Nut

Published on October 14, 2020 | in Baking, Healthy By Home Baking Association |

"Black walnuts, are a superfood native to the U.S. and one of the very few wild harvested foods commercially available today. For centuries #NativeAmericans used the nut meats as a food source and the husks for medicine and dyes. Even today nothing is wasted! The shells are ground into an eco-friendly abrasive."

Learn more:
https://www.homebaking.org/in-the-kitchen-with-black-walnuts-americas-indigenous-baking-nut/

#SolarPunkSunday #BlackWalnuts #WalnutTrees #IndigenousFoods

How #Indigenous #FoodSovereignty can improve #FoodSecurity

Sustainable Bites: Food and Our Future What can we do to help make our food systems more sustainable? UBC researchers share small steps that can make a big collective impact. 

March 24, 2025

"Indigenous households experience food insecurity at rates two to three times higher than non-Indigenous households in Canada. #Agroecologist Dr. #JenniferGrenz, an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Forestry and Faculty of Land and Food Systems, studies Indigenous food sovereignty and food systems, and how to revitalize them.

Did you know?

#Kwetlal, or #camas, a lily-like plant with a starchy bulb, was an important staple for #IndigenousPeoples along the #SalishSea.
Kwetlal was cultivated in Garry oak #ecosystems by #W̱SÁNEĆ and Quw’utsun Peoples, until #colonization nearly destroyed these unique food systems.

What does Indigenous food sovereignty mean?

" 'Indigenous food sovereignty is the reclamation and revitalization of our food systems,' says Dr. Grenz, who is Nlaka’pamux of mixed ancestry, whose family comes from the #Lytton First Nation. She grew up and lives on the coast of BC.

"The lands across #BritishColumbia, Dr. Grenz explains, were purposefully shaped since time immemorial for foods, medicines and technologies by the Indigenous Peoples who lived there until colonial settlers dispossessed them of their lands, culture and traditions.

" 'Indigenous food sovereignty is also about #CulturalResurgence: being able to access those foods and medicines again and find new ones as we face a changing climate,' said Dr. Grenz. 'Heal the people, heal the land. Heal the land, heal the people. I think that’s really what food sovereignty is about.'

"Revitalizing Indigenous food systems can help diversify and localize food systems in ways that could buffer against #FoodInsecurity in a changing climate.

"Dr. Grenz’s research team is working alongside Indigenous communities impacted by the 2021 heat dome and wildfires to understand the effects on culturally important plants.

" 'If you think of land as just vegetation and an aesthetic notion of what belongs, you’re going to have very different approaches and different outcomes to recovery than if you see that land as a food system, not just for humans, but for our animal, bird, fish and insect relations,' says Dr. Grenz. 'We’re working alongside communities to develop those Indigenized processes around wildfire recovery that honour Indigenous food systems, sustainability and resiliency.”'

How can #Settlers support the revitalization of Indigenous food systems?

"Learn about the histories of the lands you live on and what the traditional food systems were, what they are now and what they could be, says Dr. Grenz.

"Incorporating reciprocity into your relationship with the land is also important. 'Learn about the plants of those lands and find a way to invite them into your life. How can you take care of them, nurture them and steward them?' asks Dr. Grenz.

"One way might be to Indigenize your own back yard or community garden. Or learn about Indigenous food system protocols and the concept of '#HonourableHarvest.'

How can land-based learning support Indigenous food sovereignty?

"Land-based learning is an opportunity to get students and people out on the land—and start taking steps to give back while they are learning.

"At #UBCFarm, Dr. Grenz and students are starting two different Indigenous food systems to work as part of the agrarian food system that exists there — 'essentially bridging two food systems, #decolonizing and #Indigenizing our understandings of what foods are and how those two systems work together to benefit both.'

"In one, they are establishing a Garry oak ecosystem and growing camas, which is a traditional food system of the W̱SÁNEĆ  and Quw’utsun Peoples. Another type of #ForestGarden, similar to other Coast #Salish, #Tsimshian or #Haida food systems, will see the forest shaped by different plants like beaked #hazelnut, #elderberry, #salmonberry and #thimbleberry.

The students will be able to practice how to care for plants ordinarily thought of as forest plants, and 'learn how to reclaim traditional #LandStewardship practices to actually increase the production of those berries.' "

Source [includes video links]:
https://beyond.ubc.ca/how-indigenous-food-sovereignty-can-improve-food-security/

#SolarPunkSunday #FirstNations #Quwutsun #ClimateChange #Resilience #DecolonizeYourDiet #HonorIndigenousFoodSystems #LandBasedLearning #IndigenousFoodSovereignty #IndigenousFoods #BuildingCommunity #CommunityGardens #FoodForests

If you're up in #Namgis territory/ #AlertBay - you'll want to try & get some yummy bannock eats from #DuchessBannockAndDesserts. The hours are irregular, like most small businesses on #CormorantIsland. If you luck out - you'll find the Duchess of #Bannock & she will fill your belly while engaging in lively conversations!
I found out on my 2023 trip there, that she's an Auntie/relative to some of my Indigenous friends 💗

She gifted me a book, a magic hat bunny plushie & gave us free cheese bannock bites to eat on the ferry. We bought 3 different bannock goodies from her.

#NamgisNation #SupportSmallBusiness #IndigenousFoods #NativeSmallBiz #CoastSalish #BCIndigenousSmallBiz #NativeFoods #CoastalBC #IndigenousOwned #ExploreBC #BCBusiness #PacificNorthwest #Cascadia #PNW #POCwomen #CulturalConnections #CulturalDiversity

Psíŋ na Čhaŋnákpa na Úma Čheúŋpapi na Watȟónkeča T’áǧa

#WildRice Pilaf with Wild Mushrooms, Roasted Chestnuts, and Dried Cranberries

Serves 4 to 6

Wild rice is a flavorful and remarkably satisfying food. The mushrooms add a dark, meaty flavor and texture, while the chestnuts are creamy (and high in protein). This meatless dish will appeal to omnivore and vegetarian alike. Cooked wild rice will keep several weeks in the refrigerator and for at least a year when frozen in a plastic freezer bag.

2 tablespoons sunflower or walnut oil
1 pound assorted mushrooms, cleaned
1 tablespoon chopped sage
½ cup chopped wild onion or shallots
1/2cup Corn Stock, or vegetable stock
2 cups cooked wild rice
½ cup dried cranberries
1 cup roasted, peeled, chopped chestnuts
1 tablespoon maple syrup to taste
½ to 1 teaspoon smoked salt to taste

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat and add the mushrooms, sage, and onion. Cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are nicely browned and the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the stock, wild rice, and cranberries and cook until the liquid is nearly evaporated. Stir in the roasted chestnuts. Season with maple syrup and smoked salt to taste.

Source: #TheSiouxChef’s Indigenous Kitchen, by #SeanSherman with Beth Dooley.

#SolarPunkSunday #Vegan #IndigenousFoods #IndigenousCookbooks #NativeAmericanFoods #VeganRecipes #WildRiceRecipes #VegetarianRecipes

Wagmú Čhaŋháŋpi Tikiča Akáštaŋpi

Griddled Maple Squash

Serves 4-6

This simple technique for cooking squash is quick and easy. Serve the slices on salads, float them on top of soup, or stack them on corn, bean, and wild rice cakes.

1 medium winter squash such as butternut or acorn, about 2 pounds
2 to 3 tablespoons sunflower oil
Coarse salt
Pinch sumac
2 to 3 tablespoons maple syrup
6 fried sage leaves
Toasted squash, pumpkin, or sunflower seeds for garnish

Cut the squash in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds and cut top to bottom into thin slices about ¼ inch thick. Brush the slices with a little of the oil and sprinkle with salt and sumac.

Heat a griddle or heavy skillet and lightly grease with the remaining oil. Griddle the squash slices until nicely browned, about 5 to 10 minutes per side. Brush with the maple syrup. Sprinkle with the coarse salt, garnish with the fried sage leaves and toasted seeds. Then serve as
- A snack right off the griddle
- A base for bean cakes
- A garnish for soups and stews
- A garnish for salads

Source: #TheSiouxChef’s Indigenous Kitchen, by #SeanSherman with Beth Dooley.

#SolarPunkSunday #Vegan #IndigenousFoods #IndigenousCookbooks #NativeAmericanFoods #NativePlants #VeganRecipes #SquashRecipes #SiouxChef #IndigenousKitchen

I highly suggest #bookmarking this incredibly in-depth, amazing #Educational #resource for #IndigenousFoods of #Canada 👇
Important educational project that's still in progress & continually updated!

The #StudentEncyclopedia of Indigenous Foods of Canada is an initiative by agriculture #students at the University of Guelph (Canada) under the supervision of Prof. Manish N. Raizada (Editor) and talented graduate students including from the #FirstNations and #Metis communities. The mission of the Encyclopedia is to share the rich food and agriculture history of the First Nations, Metis and #Inuit peoples of Canada. The #Encyclopedia is written in plain language and targeted at primary and high school students as well as the general public. Editing of the Encyclopedia remains in progress; however, the site has been published to allow early access.

https://firstnationsfoods.org/index.php?title=Main_Page

#Decolonization #NativeCanada #FirstPeoples #CulturalFood #TraditionalFood #TurtleIsland #DecolonizeYourMind #LearnMore #KnowledgeIsPower #EducationIsKey #ExpandYourMind #LifelongLearning #FirstNationsFoods #Agroecology #agriculture

#SilentSunday

#Beach gooseneck #barnacles find.
There's 3 different types of barnacles found in BC waters/on beaches - acorn, gooseneck & whale - the latter grows on whales' bodies. Barnacles are a longtime, year-round staple #seafood for coastal #Indigenous #FirstNations. In particular, the #Haida & #Kwakwakawakw & #Pacheedaht #FirstPeoples have several documented stories involving barnacles, including food prep recorded histories.

Barnacles are #ancient and can be dated to the middle of Cambrian period of Paleozoic because of Burgess Shale deposits in #BritishColumbia. They're #hermaphroditic #MarineAnimals.

#beachcombing #ectoparasites #MarineBiology #epibiotic #LookAndLearn #TraditionalFood #CoastSalish #shellfish #PortRenfrew #Kwakwakawakw #Haida #IndigenousFoods #VancouverIsland #VanIsle #PacificNorthwest #Cascadia #PNW #WestCoast #Canada #photography #WorldInMyEyes #Educational #CoastalBC #marine

Hmm... No #Eel recipes in #SiouxChef book. I wonder if #SeanSherman covers that in the #TurtleIslandCookbook? Just put that in my wishlist!

https://seansherman.com/sean-sherman-new-book-turtle-island-foods-and-traditions-of-the-indigenous-peoples-of-north-america/

#DecolonizeYourDiet #IndigenousFoods #IndigenousCooking #IndigenousCookbooks

The #SiouxChef is Reclaiming North America’s #Indigenous Cuisine

Sean Sherman, co-author of a new cookbook and co-founder of The Sioux Chef, explains why original North American foods and #NativeFoodways are vital to creating a healthy and #SustainableFuture

Sean Sherman
October 18, 2017

Excerpt: "Although hamburgers, pizza, and Coca-Cola are among the foods most often identified as 'American' cuisine, the truth is that over-sugared, over-salted, and fat-laden processed fare does not represent the true American diet. The original American cuisine arose from the vibrant and diverse indigenous cultures that thrived across the North American continent for thousands of years before #colonization.

"My grandparents were among the first generation to be systematically assimilated to 'American”' culture—I heard stories of children kidnapped and sent to boarding schools, their hair cut, their language forbidden. How I wish I had been taught more than the handful of recipes I learned as a child — #wasna (dried meat and berries), #taniga (tripe soup), #bapa (#bison jerky), and #wojape (#chokecherry sauce).

"When I was 13 years old, I began my working in professional kitchens, and by my early 20s, I had become an executive chef. I mastered the art of Italian, French, and Spanish cuisines until, at the height of my career, I knew I wanted to understand why there were so few #NativeAmerican restaurants across the U.S.

"As part of The Sioux Chef, I work with my partner #DanaThompson and a team of 10 chefs, plus a number of indigenous culinary partners across Indian country. Our vision is to create more than a restaurant—it will be a place where we can share our skills, knowledge, and passion, with the goal of spreading our work across the whole of North America. To help us achieve these ends, our new #NāTIFS non-profit will focus primarily on indigenous food education and access. Through NāTIFS, we have created a research-and-development team called the '#IndigenousFoodLab' to further our own research, document our work, and help us become better educators.

"We are also building a replicable model that will place an #IndigenousFoodHub in larger urban areas. The hubs will house a regionally unique indigenous restaurant that will not only make the indigenous foods available to the public, but also serve as a training center to educate students in the preparation, cooking, and preservation of #IndigenousFoods. They will also house education centers that offer classes based on the many curriculums we have been developing to help people identify, understand, and apply the knowledge of indigenous food systems."

Original story:
https://civileats.com/2017/10/18/the-sioux-chef-is-reclaiming-north-americas-indigenous-cuisine/

Archived version:
https://archive.ph/jFFbO

#DecolonizeYourDiet #SolarPunkSunday #TraditionalFoods #TribalFoodSovereignty #NativeAmericanMonth #NativeAmericanHeritageMonth
#NativeAmericanFoodSovereignty #DecolonizeYourDiet #AnimalProducts #BuffaloHarvest #IndigenousFoodSystems

A rainbow of Andean potatoes, each variety a story of resilience and tradition. Grown in the highlands, they hold the flavors of the mountains and the wisdom of generations.
A true taste of the Andes.
Source:https://kenkoadventures.com/
#AndeanPotatoes #Peru #Agriculture #Tradition #Sustainability #IndigenousFoods

Africa: Africa's Superfood Heroes - From Teff to Insects - Deserve More Attention: [The Conversation Africa] Africa is home to a rich variety of incredible indigenous crops and foods - from nutrient-dense grains and legumes to unique fruits and leafy greens. Despite their value, many of these foods are often overlooked, under-celebrated, and under-consumed in favour of imported or commercial… http://newsfeed.facilit8.network/TKCNQk #Superfoods #AfricanCuisine #HealthyEating #IndigenousFoods #NutrientDense

On Pestos and Bioregionalism, amid Tariffs and Trade Wars?

...."A few months ago I attended a meeting that began with a potluck. Being enthusiastic about pestos, I brought along one I made from cashews, carrots, and parsley, hoping it might inspire conversations about food choices. To my delight, the dish drew compliments and elicited a lot of conversation....

https://portaldesignsto.com/blog/?post=on-pestos-and-bioregionalism

#bioregionalism #FoodSecurity #NativePlants #IndigenousFoods #AgroForestry

@oneoveralpha

Flipping the acorn-flour-pancake, I wonder if the wheat we planted will sprout, and if it does what will the pancakes taste like.
#solarpunk #writingprompt #alternativefoods #indigenousfoods

Bought a wonderful plant-based cookbook at one of the Merrie Monarch festival vendors. I'll probably work my way thru this entire book fairly quickly, but I'm starting with sweet potato, chickpea, bbq wraps. 🤤 #cooking #plantbased #eatlocal #indigenousfoods #slowfood #comfortfood

Indigenous cultural revivals-Borneo Gift link
#IndigenousFoods #CulturalRevival
#GiftLink
https://wapo.st/3PzL1wl

The great Salem [New Jersey] tomato trial of 1820. https://www.thevintagenews.com/2019/02/23/tomato/ #foodhistory #Solanaceae #Solanum #tomatoes #EdibleBerry #Mexico #indigenousfoods

The great Salem [New Jersey] tomato trial of 1820. https://www.thevintagenews.com/2019/02/23/tomato/ #foodhistory #Solanaceae #Solanum #tomatoes #EdibleBerry #Mexico #indigenousfoods

‘Handpicked’ podcast

Two episodes from Handpicked, invite us to delve into Indigenous Food Systems and Food Sovereignty: ‘What are Indigenous Foods?’ and ‘Environmental Dispossession.’

Details and links on pages four to five!

#Food #Podcast #PodcastAndChill #IndigenousFoodSystems #IndigenousFoodSovereignty #FoodSystems #FoodSovereignty #Indigenous #IndigenousFoods #EnvironmentalDispossession

https://foodstudies.info/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Fall-2023-Newsletter-CAFS.pdf

Whole breadfruit is often tossed into hot embers or an underground oven (imu) and cooked whole in this way. More modern preparations chop into quarters, core, peel, then steam. I generally cook them whole, whether roasted, baked or steamed, and peel and cut after. Ulu can be precooked and prepped, then used all sorts of ways later, in a variety of dishes. Keeps well, freezes well, can be turned into flour. #slowfood #indigenousfoods #hawaii #cooking

#RedHuckleberries have long been eaten by many #BritishColumbia coastal #FirstNations peoples. Sometimes wooden combs are used to rake the berries off the branches. The berries can be eaten fresh, or mashed, dried, and then made into cakes for winter use. Gargle infusion of leaves and bark are effective to soothe a sore throat. Red huckleberries are a good source of #VitaminC and are considered an anti-aging #food and can be made into a dietary #supplement .

#IndigenousFoods #NativePlants