I’ve mentioned before about how I like to think of myself as First Generation organic , thanks to my health-loving dad. I used to fight his healthy ways when I was a kid (and only wanted fast food, soda, and white bread), but I’m so glad to finally be coming around to what I’ve always known better, thanks to him. This makes going home extra fun because now I can pick his brain for nutrition advice and what not.
My dad has been into healthy living for many years now. He reads books on nutrition, frequents farmers markets, and has long subscribed (on and off again) to Organic Gardening. In past houses, we’ve even had gardens of all sizes. He took me and my sister to pick vegetables from local farms when we were kids to show us where are food came from. He tried to teach us to make healthier choices when it came to food. My mom has always welcomed the healthy habits, too, and currently maintains a lovely herb garden with a blueberry bush that gives them enough berries to make an occasional blueberry pancake breakfast.
My dad has some really interesting literature on health, nutrition, and organic foods/gardening. I love checking out the literature he has at home.
This weekend, I found an old-school copy of The New York Times Natural Foods Cookbook by Jean Hewitt. The book is apparently no longer being printed, which is too bad because it seems like a real gem.
This book looks to have been printed in 1972.
Inside was a plethora of interesting recipes that I wanted to try. I took photos of a few because they seemed so interesting:
There were tons of ingredients in the cookbook that are commonly found today, like the soybeans called for in this recipe – “Marinated Soybean Salad“. As I flipped through the book, I remarked out loud, “I didn’t realize people ate soybeans 30+ years ago.” My parents said people did – the hippies! haha I guess that makes them hippies then…that and the younger pictures of them in bell-bottoms. 🙂
“Quick Health Bread” – I want to try this one soon! Not sure I’ll be able to find kelp, but I’ll check the health food stores.
“Parker House Rolls” – calls for soymilk! Who knew they had soymilk 30+ years ago?
“Macrobiotic Super Soup with Buckwheat Dumplings” – And here I thought macrobiotics were a new trend in nutrition. Guess it’s not so new if they were in this 30+ year old book!
My dad had some other good reads, but more on those some other time. I was sad to learn he had donated his original copy of Julia Child’s cookbook and his Adelle Davis book. Doh!
Luckily, dad let me bring this copy of The New York Times Natural Foods Cookbook by Jean Hewitt. I can’t wait to try out some of these recipes!!
Who or what inspired you to live your healthy lifestyle?
Wow that is awesome that your dad promotes healthy living… I try so hard to get my dad to eat healthy….. my friend Kelli inspired me 🙂 Just seeing how healthy, happy and the GLOW she has in her skin has definitely inspired me…
I too would have had no idea that soy milk was so readily available back in 1971.
A few years ago I wound up writing a thank you note to my mum in her mother's day card because it dawned on me how her food choices helped me grow and also contributed to the way I eat (and think of food) to this day.
Good luck finding the kelp! It's v. flavorful.
I like this… My dad's one of my best friends 🙂
Both of my parents inspire me to be healthier- my mom's a yogi and she quit meeting her friends for dinner years ago in favor of walks… my dad's in his 50s and weighs the same as he did in college… looks the same too (a healthy weight) 🙂
your parents had a healthy mind, you should be lucky.