Introducing Chef Lois Ellen Frank, Ph.D. We had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Frank about her work, food, and Native American cuisine. Read and enjoy her delicious pinto bean and spinach taco recipe.
Please tell us a little about yourself and your work.
My name is Lois Ellen Frank. He works with Chef Walter Whitewater at Red Mesa Cuisine LLC, a small catering company based in Santa Fe, New Mexico that specializes in Native American cuisine. We work to revive ancestral Native American cuisines with an emphasis on Indigenous cuisine and cultural education. We offer dishes with a contemporary twist and ingredients focused on health and wellness. We have been working with communities across the Southwest for over 30 years. Our newest cookbook, Seed to Plate, Soil to Sky: Modern Plant Based Recipes using Native American Investigations, will be released in fall 2023 and focuses on The Magic Eight, eight plants that indigenous peoples shared with the world. We are also working with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) on the Power to Cure Diabetes: Food for Life in Indian Country program. This program harnesses the ancestral Native American diet to indigenize, revitalize, and reintroduce healthy ancestral foods into the diet for the health and wellness of Native American communities across the United States. Masu. (For more information, visit www.nativepowerplate.org.)
Can you talk about the food re-indigenization movement in Native American communities? How can this promote better health?
Use healthy ancestral foods including the Magic Eight (corn, beans, pumpkin, chili, tomatoes, potatoes, vanilla, cocoa) and the amount of plant-based foods in the current Standard American Diet (SAD) The Native American food movement is committed to reclaiming ancestral foods for health. Reviving traditional cooking techniques and related recipes. Educate and teach children, teens, college students, and adults about the importance of traditional foods and the role they play in health and wellness. We develop comprehensive culinary professionals in both cooking theory and technique. Develop specialized workshops tailored to individual and group needs including, but not limited to, health, nutrition, team building, youth development, technical skill development, and other social and professional development. Increase awareness of traditional and modern Native American food practices and techniques, including concepts of sustainable agriculture, health, and nutrition. and highlights how the health benefits of ancestral plant-based diets can improve health and connect local populations to healthy ancestral foods.
Please tell me about Magic Eight. What are these foods and what is their history?
The Magic Eight are eight plants given to the world by indigenous peoples. Corn, beans, pumpkin, chili, tomatoes, potatoes, vanilla, and cacao. Before 1492, these plants existed only in the Americas. When these plants were introduced to cultures around the world outside the Americas, their cuisines changed forever. And these eight plants, which are now used in nearly every cuisine around the world, are Native American in nature, are an important part of our cuisine, and are part of the dishes we prepare at Red Mesa Cuisine. It is the basis. Think about this. Italians didn’t have tomatoes until after 1492. The Irish didn’t have potatoes. In England we had fish, but no chips. The Russians did not have potatoes, nor did they have distilled spirits made from potatoes. Chili was not present in East Indian cuisine, including curry, and chili was completely absent from Asian cuisine. In fact, chile was not introduced to South Asia until the 1500s, and by the 16th century it came to dominate the world spice trade. Vanilla and cacao were not used in any confectionery dishes before 1492. The world’s cuisine as we know it today was completely different.
How were these Magic 8 foods used historically in Native American cuisine and modern cuisine?
These ingredients were used for various purposes. Corn, beans, and squash were often (and still are) served together. Chef Walter considers them like family. We grow together and eat together. Chili, tomatoes, and potatoes were often used together in the past as well as today because their flavors go well together and they are members of the nightshade family. Vanilla and cocoa are considered sweet sisters and are often combined. In our cookbook, Seed to Plate, Soil to Sky, we share some very traditional heirloom recipes featuring these eight wonderful plants, and eat them in both savory and sweet dishes. I’ve introduced some new and creative methods.
Is there a way to better support local food systems so we can grow and access more plants?
We are so blessed in New Mexico. In northern New Mexico, where I live, there are many farmers who grow many different types of corn, beans, squash, chiles, tomatoes, and potatoes, so the people who live here grow these plants. It is easy to purchase in large quantities and incorporate into agriculture. their diet. Here it is easy to grow your own garden even in a small space. Buying from your local Santa Fe Farmers Market supports farmers and helps perpetuate the cultivation of these important crops. And more and more Native American communities are creating gardens for their community members, growing traditional varieties of these amazing plants, and making these foods available at affordable prices to the people who really need them. I’m trying to make it possible. Programs like WIC, SNAP-Ed, and FDPIR include New Mexico-grown produce as part of their distribution programs, and Chef Walter and I are helping people learn how to use those plants in delicious, nutritious dishes. I am passionate about teaching.
Are there any other lesser-known plants used in Native American cooking that you would like to highlight?
Native American cuisine is regional, so plants common to communities in one region of the United States may not be common in another region. It also depends on what grows in each region. For example, wild rice grows in lake areas and is a very important and sacred food for the communities living there. Where I live, wild plant foods are an important part of the diet. I love eating wild lettuce, spinach, wild purslane, and edible flowers. This region is rich in herbs, both wild and cultivated, that play an important role in this cuisine. I think the more plants, the better. I love plants, so Chef Walter and I respect them and try to eat what is in season when plants are available. Edible ash is also used in some corn dishes to increase nutrients and minerals.
What does Native American Heritage Month mean to you?
That’s a difficult question. Food is medicine for me. I try to be grateful for the blessings of food and plants in my life, not just one month a year, but every day. But it makes me happy when people can appreciate the plants that Native Americans shared with the world and respect their contribution to the food we eat every day. Many people don’t realize that indigenous peoples contribute to the foods we eat every day, including corn, beans, squash, chiles, tomatoes, potatoes, vanilla, and cocoa. When these foods are prepared in a healthy way and the Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) surrounding these plants is activated, everything associated with them is activated as well. And when people grow up eating these foods, they respect this ancestral knowledge and its importance.
Delicious pinto bean and spinach tacos
This seed-to-plate, earth-to-sky recipe is a wonderful combination of fresh spinach sautéed with cooked beans. Easy to make, healthy and nutritious meals. I now use organic spinach, which is easily available. If you don’t want to cook a whole pot of fresh beans, use organic canned pinto beans that you can buy at the grocery store.
2 teaspoons roasted garlic (about 8 cloves) 3 medium Roma tomatoes (about 1 cup) 1/2 large white onion, diced (about 2/3 cup) 3 cups coarsely chopped fresh spinach, cooked 1 1/2 cups pinto beans, or 1 15.5 oz can Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
Heat a small cast iron skillet over high heat.
Prepare the roasted garlic.
Heat a medium-large cast iron pot over medium-high heat, add the roasted garlic, tomatoes, and onions and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Add spinach and cook for another 2 minutes. Then add the pinto beans and a pinch of black pepper and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly to avoid burning.
Serve in your favorite corn or flour tortillas. (I like to serve this dish with corn tortillas or gordita-sized flour tortillas.)
If desired, top with freshly made pico de gallo salsa or homemade guacamole. Serve immediately.
Makes 6 tacos.
Chef Lois Ellen Frank can be found here.
