Looking for new recipes to start off the New Year on the right foot? Transamerica Institute, a nonprofit foundation with an educational mission, has released its latest cookbook in the Healthier Traditions Cookbook series, Around the World, developed by UC Berkeley School of Public Health alumna and registered dietitian nutritionist Christina Badaracco. It comes at an especially good time if you’ve been cooking from home more since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic and have become rather tired of eating the same types and flavors of foods.
The 20 “globally inspired” recipes in the cookbook are healthier takes on traditional cuisines from 19 countries spanning six continents (all but Antarctica)—from Australia, Brazil, China, Cuba, and Fiji to India, Romania, Spain, and the U.K. But common to them all is that they pack in nutrient-dense foods like vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. The recipes—each accompanied by nutrition information—substitute healthier ingredients for some traditional ones to reduce sugar, unhealthy sources of fat, and sodium and to increase vitamins, minerals, and fiber. For instance, the Chickpea Tagine from Morocco uses whole-wheat couscous instead of the more common couscous made from refined flour. The Shiro Wot, a vegetarian stew from Ethiopia, uses olive oil in place of clarified butter.
Each recipe also includes tips for modifications for dietary needs or preferences (such as using millet, quinoa, or a whole-grain rice blend if you are gluten-free, or tofu or chickpeas if you are vegetarian), as well as some interesting tidbits. Did you know, for instance, that the word tagine refers to both the two-piece clay vessel used in North African cooking as well as the stew-like dish itself that is made in the vessel?
Some of these recipes rely on ingredients that are commonly used in certain cultures and other parts of the world but may not be readily available in American supermarkets. Home cooks can easily substitute another grain, nut, or similar spice, or make other swaps to make the dish just as nutritious and enjoyable.
Around the World and other cookbooks in the series are available for free at the Transamerica Institute website. To learn more, you can read the press release and listen to the podcast about the cookbook.
