Food Stories

In our last episode of the season, Barb sits down at the kitchen table with Alberta rancher and manager of Shipwheel Cattle Feeders about regenerative Agriculture and holistic management of the land and the animals. A fascinating episode filled with stories, history, and lessons about regen ag that you may not have considered before.

Barb welcomes Dr. Kris Nichols to her kitchen table this week, and they talk all things regenerative agriculture and soil science. Dr. Kris Nichols is the Lead Soil Scientist with Food Water Wellness Foundation, the Regenerative Alberta Living Lab, and Research Director at MyLand Company Inc. in Phoenix, Arizona. She founded KRIS (Knowledge for Regeneration and Innovation in Soils) Systems and was a Senior Science Advisor with Canadian Organic Growers, the Chief Scientist at Rodale Institute, and a Research (Soil) Microbiologist with the USDA-Agricultural Research Service. Kris was an advisor for the Real Organic Project; Savory Institute’s Ecological Outcome Verification program, McCain’s Farms of the Future; and Health First. She has Bachelor of Science degrees in Plant Biology and Genetics and Cell Biology, a Master’s degree in Environmental Microbiology, and a Ph.D. in Soil Science. Kris has given over 300 invited presentations throughout the world, authored or co-authored more than 30 peer-reviewed publications, been cited or interviewed for more than 100 magazine or newspaper articles and multiple books, numerous videos on-line, and two documentaries.

Barb and Miriam are long-time friends who are used to talking about food together. In this frank conversation about food justice, Food Security expert Miram Bankey highlights the inequity of our food system and some incredible initiatives she is working on to bring dignity and food access to our community. Miriam's CBC articleMiriam's Interview on the CurrentSome food security resources for you: Community Food Centres CanadaBrown Bagging for Calgary's KidsThe State of World Food and Nutrition 2022

In this fabulous episode, Barb shares the Food Stories kitchen table with Metis speculative fiction writer, Lareina Abbott. Lareina pens Métis themed spec fiction, essays and memoir. A year ago, she received a Calgary Arts Development Grant to write a memoir about reconnecting with her Métis family and the story of her aunt who is a Métis elder. She received the 2023 Howard O’Hagan Short Story award for her short story “Ma Soeur Marie” published in the Prairie Witch Anthology, and was a member of the 2023 Audible Indigenous Writers Circle. She originates from a cattle ranch in northern British Columbia but currently lives and writes in Calgary on Métis Local 87 and Treaty 7 territory. You can find Lariena and her incredible work at @boneblackstories Lareina has pointed us toward this valuable resource for Metis recipes. To give proper credit, we have the link here and want to acknowledge the wisdom of generations of cooks who have created these recipes over time. https://www.metismuseum.ca/media/document.php/14522.Traditional%20Metis%20Foods%20revised%20May%202018.pdf

In Episode 3 of Season 2, the beautiful and brilliant Anda Fabrig (She/Her/Siya) joins us at the Food Stories kitchen table for a fascinating chat. Anda is queer Filipina educator and a diversity, equity, and inclusion specialist in Mohkinstsis (Calgary, AB). She holds a BA in Communications and a BEd in inclusive education. Anda works as an anti-oppressive and anti-racist consultant and educator, working alongside adults to create equitable spaces. Anda and I discuss her diverse food background growing up in Filipino/Italian household, the incredible food that surrounded her from both sides of her family, growing up with serious food allergies, and creating empathetic conversations through collective care, food, joy, and activism. Combining her lived intersectional experience with her formal education, she engages in trauma-informed practices to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for learning. Good does more good!Content warning: This episode contains discussion around internal racism.The Conversation, by Robert LivingstonDo Better, by Rachel RicketsThe works of Kai Cheng ThomWalls Down CollectiveShades of HumanityQueer Education FoundationAnda's Mom's Chocolate Rice4 3/4 to 5 cups water1 cup sweet rice2 tbsp cocoa4 tbsp sugar to tasteMethodBoil water and add rice. Keep stirring while cooking. Add cocoa and sugar and cook on low heat til it thickens. Evaporated milk on top to serve. 

In Episode 2 of Season 2 we dive deep into the issues of food security and food dignity with Food Resilience Specialist Syma Habib. Syma works for the Climate Adaptation | Climate & Environment department at The City of Calgary, and has spent her life seeing the connections between food, belonging, and resilience. Check out her thought-provoking Substack newsletter at Whole Systems Healing, and learn more about how she makes connections between the body, the community, and food. Syma and I discuss the book "Inflamed" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Inflamed: Deep Medicine and the Anatomy of Injustice" by Rupa Marya and Raj PatelHere is Syma's recipe for her family's chole. Check out our Instagram page for images of this delicous recipe! CholeBy Syma HabibIngredients1 cup dry chickpeas (washed and picked clean)1 tsp baking soda4 cups waterFor the Masala:75mL ghee or neutral oil1 onion, sliced1 tsp ginger, minced1 tsp garlic, minced1/2 tsp black pepper1 tsp chili powder (I like kashmiri)2 tsp coriander powder (I like to grind mine fresh)1 tsp garam masala1 tsp tamarind chutneySalt to tasteOptional: 1/2 tsp of anardana or amchur - I don't know what they're called in English, but anardana is dried crushed pomegranate and amchur is dry powdered mangoInstructions:Soak chickpeas overnight with water and baking sodaDump the soaked chickpeas with the water you soaked them in a pot. Add a half teaspoon of salt and cook until done. Drain the chickpeas, you'll use them later.Make the masala: brown the onion in the oil until very golden. Add ginger and garlic and soften. Add spices and toast them lightly, then add at least a quarter cup of water, more if needed to create a spice paste. Allow the paste to simmer on the stovetop for 3-4 minutes, then add the chickpeas and more water as needed to create a stew-like consistency (not soup-like!) Simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes, adding more water if needed.Serve garnished with raw ginger sticks and cilantro leaves, with a good naan or kulcha.

In the much-anticipated Season Two Opener, Barb welcomes the founder of the Food Literacy Center, Amber Stott to her kitchen table. Passionate about fruits and veggies, Amber grew up cooking and growing her own food, a joy she wants every child to experience.In 2011, Amber responded to the rising childhood obesity crisis by starting the nonprofit Food Literacy Center to inspire children to eat their vegetables. The nonprofit does this by teaching cooking and nutrition classes to elementary kids in low-income schools, helping them develop healthy habits that will last a lifetime. Amber uniquely understands the audience she’s serving and designed a behavior change model to meet the needs of those at highest risk for diet-related disease. Within just two months of food literacy classes, the nonprofit changes kids’ attitudes towards healthy foods—the first step towards long-term behavior change.Honors for Amber include being named one of Sacramento’s most powerful business leaders by Sacramento Magazine, Food Revolution Hero by Jamie Oliver Food Foundation, one of Food Tank’s 20 Innovators Protecting the Planet and one of their 17 Food Heroes to Inspire Us in 2017, Outstanding Woman Leader by the National Association of Women Business Owners, and a TEDx Sacramento Fellow. View her TEDx Talk here.In this episode, Amber mentions: Omnivore'sDilemma" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael PollanHarvestForHope" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Harvest for Hope by Jane GoodallLonger Tables PodcastHidden Brain PodcastAmber's RecipeSunflower Seed Butter & Seasonal Fruit SandwichKids love peanut butter sandwiches! This recipe shows kids how to begin to add a fruit or veggie to every snack or meal, a routine we encourage them to practice every day. We ask kids to make a small shift in this beloved recipe by adding fruit instead of jelly. Kids might balk at first, because change is scary. But once they follow the recipe to make the whole sandwich, most kids start wiggling in their seats, asking to eat what they’ve just made. Ingredients: 3 cups unroasted, unsalted sunflower seeds1 Tablespoon sugar1/2 teaspoon salt1 Tablespoon olive oilNote: do not use roasted sunflower seeds, because their moisture has been released through the roasting process.Instructions:Add sunflower seeds to food processor with sugar and salt. Process for 8 to 10 minutes, until oils release from the seeds and a smooth butter

In the last episode of season one, we are celebrating the holidays and all things cozy and hygge with our dear friend Olympian, Co-Founder of Send Bars, Whole Foods Chef, and Nutrition Gal Arianne Jones. Arianne and Barb sit down to chat about the pivotal role food played in Arianne's recovery from Lyme disease and a life-altering broken back. They talk Gypsy Kings, lighting all the candles, Ice Cream Cake, and of course, the infinite power of soup. Link to cozy cup warmerArianne's RecipeRaspberry “Cheese” Cake (lovingly donated by Arianne Jones, ariannejones.com)IngredientsCRUST1 cup Dates - pitted1 cup PecansPinch Sea SaltCHEESECAKE FILLING2 cups cashews - soaked and drained* *1⁄2 cup filtered water1⁄2 cup Maple Syrup1⁄2 cup melted coconut oil1⁄2 Tablespoon vanilla extract2 Tablespoons lemon juice2 teaspoons of vanilla bean paste (or vanillaextract)Pinch Sea SaltBERRY SWIRL / SAUCE2 cups of fresh or frozen raspberries1⁄3 Cup Maple SyrupPinch Sea SaltMethodCrust: In a food processor, puree the dates, pecans and sea saltuntil the mixture is sticky but still has texture. Press into thebottom of a 10 inch springform pan and place in the freezer for 15minutes, or until chilled and firmed.Filling: In a high speed blender or food processor, combine soaked(drained) cashews, water, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, vanillaextract, lemon juice, vanilla bean paste and salt. Blend on high for afew minutes until the mixture has a velvety smooth texture.For Raspberry swirl: Add defrosted raspberries, maple syrup andsalt to a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over low heat and cookfor 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the mixture is reducedby half (approximately 3/4 cup).To Assemble: Transfer the “cheesecake” filling into the chilled spring form pan on top of the crust. Once the filling isall added to the pan and level, you can add small dollops of the raspberry puree to the top and use a skewer ortoothpick to swirl a design onto the top. Reserve extra puree to serve alongside the cake. Freeze the spring form pancake for one hour or until firm.To Serve: Remove cheesecake from freezer for 5 minutes before serving. Cut into slices with a sharp knife (warmedin hot water for ease). Top with raspberry puree. Enjoy!Store remaining slices in the freezer until ready to enjoy.*The opinions of this guest on the Food Stories podcast are entirely their

Long-time friends and culinary co-instructors Barb and Christina sit down at Barb's kitchen table to talk about the power of food and connection, the enlightenment that caring for a mom with Alzheimer's has brought to Christina's life, her love of a good burger, and why she wrote her cookbook, Two Little F Words. Christina mentions the work of Dr. Dale Bredesen, Dr. Bruce Lipton, and Christina's Website is honeyandvanilla.com.The opinions of the Food Stories Podcast guests are theirs and theirs alone. The information on this podcast is NOT intended as medical advice, nor is it intended to replace the care of a qualified healthcare professional. This content is not intended to diagnose or treat any diseases. Always consult with your primary care physician or licensed healthcare provider for all diagnoses and treatment of any diseases or conditions, for medications or medical advice as well as before changing your healthcare regimen.Cranberry Orange CakeBy Chef Christina Acevedo, RHNCranberries and oranges go together like rosemary and potatoes!!! When I created this recipe it was my full intent to make scones but as the results kept turning out more like cake than a scone I had to concede that this beautiful baby was a cake by nature. The best part is that it has only 2-3 tablespoons of raw honey in it. When I added up the natural sugar from the fresh orange juice and the natural sugar from the honey it still only came out to 5-7 grams of sugar per slice depending on how many slices you choose to have. Dammmn that’s good!!!! Find me a cake that tastes this good and has a texture like a soft baby bum with this amount of sugar per slice and I’ll think about trying harder.Wet ingredients2 eggs (room temperature)¼ plain yogurt (full fat) or Coconut Mylk yogurt2 teaspoons vanilla extract Zest of two oranges½ cup fresh orange juice2-3 tablespoons raw honeyDry ingredients2 cups almond flour½ cup arrowroot flour or tapioca flour¼ cup +1 tablespoon coconut flour (sifted)1 tablespoons baking powder1 tablespoon poppy seeds½ cup butter (cold, shredded with a cheese grater)¾ cup cranberries (fresh or frozen)3 tablespoons shaved coconutMethodPreheat the oven to 350 degrees FahrenheitGrate the cold butter with a cheese grater and place the butter  into the freezerIn a medium bowl add all of the wet ingredients and whisk togetherIn another bowl add all of the dry ingredients except for the frozen butter, shaved coconut and cranberries. Mix the dry ingredients well with a fork.Add the frozen butter to the dry ingredients and crumble the butter into the dry ingredients with your...

Introducing our next guest, author of the brand-new book TheModernTraumaToolkit" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Modern Trauma Toolkit, Dr. Christy Gibson (she/her). Christy joins me at the kitchen table to discuss the gentle softness of her grandmother's cooking, the connection between food, trauma, flexibility, and its role in healing, and the joy of wild blueberries!&nbsp;Dr. Gibson is a family physician in Calgary, Canada with a background in justice work, medical education, and global health. A skilled facilitator and speaker, she is engaged in building individual and community resilience. Her writing creates the woven narrative between her interests – wellbeing, trauma recovery, and the power of story. She is a skilled trauma therapist who understands that stress lives in human and community bodies, and is the author of the book TheModernTraumaToolkit" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Modern Trauma Toolkit . You can find out more about her on her super popular TikTok/IG channels @tiktoktraumadoc or her website https://www.christinegibson.net/Christy's recipe: West African Ground Nut Stew: Shared with love from Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant, Copyright © 1990 by Moosewood, Inc. Simon and Schuster, publisherIngredients2 cups chopped onions2 tablespoons peanut oil or 2 tablespoons vegetable oil1⁄2 teaspoon cayenne pepper1 teaspoon garlic, pressed2 cups chopped cabbage3 cups cubed sweet potatoes (1-inch cubes)3 cups tomato juice1 cup apple juice or 1 cup apricot juice1 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon grated peeled ginger root, fresh1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, fresh (optional)2 chopped tomatoes1 1⁄2 - 2cups chopped okra1⁄2 cup natural-style peanut butterDirections: Sauté the onions in the oil for about 10 minutes. Stir in the cayenne and garlic and sauté for a couple more minutes. Add the cabbage and sweet potatoes and sauté, covered for a few minutes. Mix in the juices, salt, ginger, cilantro, and tomatoes. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are tender. Add the okra and simmer for 5 minutes more. Stir in the peanut butter, place the pan on a heat diffuser, and simmer gently until ready to serve. Add more juice or water if the stew is too thick.Get Christy's book here: <a...

HIstamine Haven Maven Luka Symons talks to Barb about her ancestors and how they ate, radical ways to see food, and why senses are crucial for maximum food joy. Find out more about Luka at https://www.histaminehaven.com/http://www.lukasymons.com/Luka's Low Histamine Acadian TortiereRecipe by Luka SymonsServes: 8 | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes, most of it spent stewing the meatFreshness Tip: Cooking meat from partially frozen will help reduce the histamine. Using your InstantPot to cook those meats will also help keep your histamine count down!Filling:1200 grams pork shoulder roast, cut into cubes600 grams beef stew cubes (stage 2) or 600 grams lamb stew or additional pork for stage 1Filtered water2 teaspoons sea salt1/2 teaspoon nigella seeds, crushed (optional)4 large onions, peeled and choppedFor the crust, you can use a store-bought crust that you like (regular wheat or gluten-free – yourchoice). Make one big pie instead of small pies as indicated in this recipe.For those who struggle with complex health issues, or need to reduce the gluten and/or grains in theirlife, consider making the cassava crust.Cassava crust:1 cup (140 g) cassava flour1⁄2 cup (100 g) lard, cold1/8 teaspoon Himalayan or sea salt 5-10 tablespoons ice cold water1. To make the filling in the instant pot: add your meat and sea salt, along with 1 cup of filtered waterto your insert. Secure the lid and set your timer for 120 minutes. When the time is up, allow thepressure to release naturally. After 20 minutes, release any remaining pressure. Shred the meat with twoforks. Add in your nigella seeds and sliced onions, securing the lid back on. Cook for another 30minutes. When the time is up, release the pressure. When it’s safe to do so, remove the lid.2. To make the filling on the stovetop: add your meat to a big enough pot, along with your sea salt.Add 2 cups of filtered water. Bring to a simmer on medium heat with the lid on. Reduce your heat tomedium low, stirring often, and cook for 5 hours. Add water if it starts to dry out. Shred with two forks.Now add your nigella seeds and sliced onions, and continue to cook for 1 more hour on medium lowwith the lid on, adding enough water again to keep the mixture moist but not sopping wet. Turn thestove top off.3. While your meat is cooking, make your crust (or defrost if using a prepared crust). Pulse thecassava flour, salt and lard in a food processor until the lard is pea-sized. Add 1 tablespoon of ice wateras you continue to pulse, adding in more ice water one tablespoon at a time until you can press themixture together. It will look very crumbly.4. Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C). Prepare two sheets of parchment paper. Form the dough into aball and press it into a disk on one of the prepared parchment sheet. Place the second sheet ofparchment paper on top of the dough, and roll it out until it is 1/8-1/4” thick. This is to help you roll outthe dough easily, as it will be sticky. Remove the parchment paper.5. Using your big pie plate or the small individual-sized dishes you’ll be baking your pies in, cut outrounds from the dough to fit the shape snuggly. These will be your toppers for your pie. (This is a truedeep dish pie, only a topper.)6. Fill your big pie plate or individual-sized dishes with your prepared meat filling right to the top.Lay your cut dough rounds on top and decorate if you wish, cutting holes to allow the steam to ventduring cooking time.7. Put your pie(s) into the preheated oven, and bake for 45 minutes until the top is golden. Serve...

Founder of Stump Kitchen, Alexis Hillyard (she/her) joins Barb at the kitchen table to talk about joy in the kitchen, removing barriers to cooking, using her stump as a kitchen tool, and her memories of her dad's tomato sauce. Alexis is passionate about speaking with audiences of all ages about the importance of disability representation, accessibility, cooking, and cosplays, and sharing stories that centre her experience as a disabled, queer creator.Here's the recipe for Alexis' Coconut Bacon! Ingredients2 tbsp tamari1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil1 tsp liquid smoke 2 cups large coconut flakes (about 1-2 cm long)MethodPreheat oven to 325 FLine a baking sheet with parchment paper. To a large bowl, add wet ingredients. Whisk together, and then add coconut flakes. Coat well and allow to marinate for a few hours (if you can stand to wait that long). Spread coated flakes on baking sheet and bake in oven at 325 F for 6 minutes. At that point, remove from oven and stir and flip the flakes. Place back in the oven for another 6 minutes. They should be a bit sticky. Remove from oven and allow to cool on sheet. Yummmm!

In episode one, we meet Canadian photographer Josie Chu, who grew up in her family's Chinese Western restaurant in the Alberta prairies, working alongside her multi-generational family, cooking food the locals wanted, but then going home to eat the good stuff. With a penchant for dipping her fingers in spices and listening to NKOTB, Josie's food story was anything but typical!JChu Photography: https://jchuphotography.com/Josie's favorite recipe: Black Bean Sea BassINGREDIENTS&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3-4&nbsp;Chilean sea bass steaks&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3&nbsp;stalks green onions&nbsp;julienned&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1&nbsp;thumb-sized ginger&nbsp;peeled and julienned&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Pinch of Kosher salt&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2&nbsp;tbsp&nbsp;Black Bean Garlic Sauce&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1&nbsp;tbsp&nbsp;soy sauce&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1&nbsp;tsp&nbsp;Veg. oil&nbsp;INSTRUCTIONS&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Rinse steaks, pat dry with paper towels and then sprinkle with salt.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Place the steaks on a heatproof plate that would fit in your steamer. Spread black bean sauce, oil, green onions and ginger over the fish.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Put the plate in the steamer and steam the fish for 15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Gently transfer the cooked fish (minus the accumulated water) on a serving platter.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Add soy sauce.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Serve with a garnish of julienned green onions and ginger and a side of steamed rice.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Enjoy!

Welcome to Food Stories! Food has the remarkable ability to weave narratives that shape who we are. What we cook and eat, and whom we share it with, tells the story of our life. So each Sunday, grab a cup of something cozy and join host Barb Sheldon at her kitchen table as beautiful people tell her the story of their lives, through food. Each guest will share memories and views on food that are comforting, surprising, and maybe even a little subversive! They'll share their top 5 food story songs for you to cook along to, and a delicious recipe from their life that will help to connect you to their story (and maybe even your own) through taste and smell and the very act of cooking. Remember to listen to the Food Stories playlists on Spotify, and download the recipe each week in the show notes. Find out more information at barbsheldonfoodstories.com. We all have a food story to tell. What's yours?