Just as I crossed the Canadian/US border back in 2014 to collect Mickey Trescott's first cookbook, The Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook, I found myself doing the same for her latest book that launched this week. If you have yet to get your hands on The Nutrient-Dense Kitchen, expect great things because it's truly beautiful.
I must admit I'm a highly visual person and always like to eat with my eyes before I dive in with the fork. This book earns a big tick on that front!
Next up is the fact I'm a busy person with a growing business and growing family. As a result I don't have much time to spend in the kitchen - much like you, I'm sure. That's another tick for the book. Also is the fact that Mickey's recipes are very much in line with those that I like to create and eat. I wasn't brought up on fast food and don't eat them now. My preference is "real food" and that's exactly what you're offered here in spades. You probably know that I'm always on the look out for packing in the nutrients, and this makes The Nutrient Dense Kitchen a big YES in my opinion.
What else is good and deserves some ticks?
- 125 AIP elimination compliant recipes
- teachings about nutrient density, along with handy nutrient tables and charts
- guide to the AIP, including foods to include, avoid and reintroduction
- recipes to suit low FODMAP, keto, low-carb, and coconut free diets
- recipes that take 45 minutes (or under) to prepare, can be made in one pot or an Instant Pot
- 5 meal plan/shopping list combinations, including budget and two-person options
I asked Mickey to answer a few informal questions that sprang to my mind as I leafed through her latest "baby", and here's what she had to say -
I love that your photographs were taken outside, using tree stumps, old stones and tall grasses as props and backdrops. You must have had some amazing picnics. Can you tell us a bit more about the inspiration for that?
The inspiration to shoot the photos outside was driven by the quest for natural light, as well as wanting to do something a little bit different for my third cookbook. Charlotte Dupont, the amazing photographer for The Nutrient-Dense Kitchen prefers freehand shots in natural light, so she had the idea to take the food outside and play with the garden and textures like stumps, rocks, and grasses. I loved the look of the first photos, so we went for it as a theme for the whole book!
I have to ask, which are your top three favourite recipes, and why?
I find it so hard to pick favorites! The recipes I can’t stop making over and over are the Bacon-Beef Liver Paté (I feel amazing when I eat it and I find the taste of this recipe perfect), the Kale Salad with Green Goddess Dressing (only takes minutes to put together and is incredibly vibrant and flavorful), and the Cabbage and Kraut Soup (makes a ton for batch cooking and incorporates those ferments!).
I know you’re such a busy person, so what’s your secret to fitting in book writing as well as running a home and business, together with a nutrient-dense kitchen. Especially since I know you live in a fairly rural area?
I have had a lot of help! My husband Noah was there every step of the way, from helping to develop recipes, shopping for ingredients, and cleaning up after every photo shoot. I also hired a professional assistant, Amy to help me with recipe testing and development.
If you were to cook family and friends a three course meal and beverage from your book, what would the menu look like?
I would make the Ginger-Thyme Soda, the Kale Salad w/ Green Goddess Dressing, the Spatchcocked Chicken with Ginger Farm Carrots, and the Peaches and Cream. All of these recipes are easy to put together but delicious, which would leave me the most amount of time to chat and hang out with those I love.
You must have eaten incredibly well during the time that you were recipe creating, testing and photographing. But what does a stand-by meal look like for you, on those days when you’re too busy, too tired or just don’t fancy making an effort?
I love having any type of soup or stew in the refrigerator to quickly re-heat and eat with a scoop of fermented vegetables (ginger carrots are my current favorite) and some avocado and herbs for garnish. This morning I had a variation of the Cabbage and Kraut Soup with a spoonful of Green Curry leftover in the fridge. Sometimes remixing leftovers can be really fun (and handy!).
Finally, please can I have an invitation to your nutrient-dense kitchen? Lol.
Of course, come visit the farm and we will cook up a storm! 😉
And that, my friends, is how you get yourself an invitation into Mickey's nutrient-dense kitchen!! 😂
>>>>>BUY YOUR COPY OF THE NUTRIENT-DENSE KITCHEN HERE <<<<<
Recipe and Image taken from The Nutrient-Dense Kitchen ©Mickey Trescott
Broccolini Scallops
Taken (with permission) from The Nutrient-Dense Kitchen
Serves 2
For the Vegetables
2 tbsp solid cooking fat, divided
2 large shallots, thinly sliced
1 bunch broccolini, stems and florets chopped (about 3 cups)
1 cup chopped mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp minced fresh ginger (or 1/2 tsp ground ginger)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup chopped basil, chopped
1+1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
For the Scallops
1 tsp solid cooking fat
1/2 lb sea scallops (about 8 large)
1/4 tsp sea salt
Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil
Heat 1 tbsp of the solid cooking fat in the bottom of a non-stick skillet on medium heat. When the fat has melted and the pan is hot, add the shallots, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the broccolini and cook for 5 minutes, until some edges are beginning to get crispy
Add the rest of the cooking fat to the pan along with the mushrooms, garlic, ginger and salt to the pan and cook, stirring, for another 2 minutes.
Take off the heat and stir in the basil and lemon juice. Remove from the pan and set aside while you make the scallops.
To make the scallops, heat the cooking fat in the same skillet you used for the vegetables on medium heat. Pat the scallops dry with a paper towel and sprinkle them with the sea salt. When the fat has melted and the pan is hot, add the scallops to the pan and cook for 60-90 seconds per side, flipping once, until browned on the outside and opaque. Remove them immediately from the pan and serve over a plate of the vegetables, drizzled with olive oil.
NOTE: Scallops don't keep well as leftovers, so this recipe is meant to be eaten immediately. If you are just cooking for yourself, I recommend keeping frozen scallops on hand and thawing and cooking them as needed. If you are feeding more than two people, this recipe easily doubles using one skillet.
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