Going Native
While it's trendy to go green today, the White Earth Indians are the original environmentalists. Imagine a land where native seeds, wild plants, heritage crops, and local animals coexist. We may not recall such a time, but Native Americans surely do. The White Earth Indian Reservation in Minnesota is committed to preserving and restoring traditional indigenous culture.
Winona LaDuke, an Ojibwe tribe member, is leading an environmental movement on this reservation. Nominated by Time magazine as one of America's fifty most promising leaders under forty, LaDuke lives and works on the White Earth Reservation, helping to raise national awareness about the environmental issues Native Americans face.
Check out the Native Harvest Cookbook full of staff favorites and native specialties. This recipe is easy and travels well, so make an extra loaf or two and give as gifts.
Cranberry Cornbread
Although European settlers nicknamed Native American cornbread "johnny cake" or "hoe cake," some credit was allowed the originators in early recipes, which usually referred to corn meal as Indian meal.
1 cup unbleached white flour,
1-1/3 cups yellow cornmeal,
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt,
1/2 cup dried cranberries,
2 large eggs, or egg replacer
1/4 cup honey
1 cup plain soy or nonfat milk
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
Cooking spray
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and lightly spray an 8-inch square baking pan. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Stir in cranberries and set aside.
2. In another bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, honey, and oil. Add to dry ingredients and mix just until blended.
3. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until top is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
If the concept of indigenous cooking seems overwhelming, fear not. The online catalog is loaded with homegrown prepared foods perfect for going native in your own kitchen, as well as helping support the reservation and their environmental work.
Start your day with a healthy meal made from the native seeds, whole grains and crops that have been grown on the reservation for centuries. For a speedy weekday native breakfast, start with a rich, chocolaty cup of Muskrat Coffee paired with a bowl of Northwoods Wild Rice & Multi-Grain Cereal and side of fruit topped with their signature Maple Butter.
Go native, you're going to love it.
(W.E.L.R.P) works to keep lakes free of toxins, to avoid industrialized food systems, and to cultivate homegrown products available for purchase. They're dedicated to defending the culture, tradition, and crafts of their ancestors and the gift of nature. In a world of industrialization and globalization, it's becoming an increasingly difficult task.