If you’re like me and never heard of the Nordic Diet, you might think it consists of meat and potatoes and then wonder, what’s so intriguing about that? However, this diet actually includes may plant-based foods and fish, key staples of healthy eating. The Nordic diet, as the name suggests, is based off of traditional foods eaten in the Scandinavian countries of Finland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, and Iceland.
The Nordic diet is like the Mediterranean diet in many ways, but also differs in some key aspects. Like the Mediterranean diet, the Nordic diet includes many slow-releasing carbohydrates like cereals, breads, and crackers that are made with whole grain oats, rye, and barley. Also, fish plays a major role in the Nordic diet, providing a diet rich in omega-3-acids. These foods, eaten in both the Nordic and Mediterranean diets, provide many antioxidants, minerals, fibers, and vitamins. Below is a photo of Rugbrød, a sourdough bread eaten in Denmark.
Some key differences of the Nordic diet are the incorporation of many berries and the use of canola oil instead of olive oil. Canola oil is also known as rapeseed oil and consists of monosaturated fats, a healthy type of fat. Canola oil includes a plant-based omega-3 fatty acid, which reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases. As for berries, strawberries and blueberries are traditionally eaten frequently in a Nordic diet. These berries, like Canola oil, are known to lower the risk of heart disease and heart attacks.
For this post, I have chosen to write about an alternative healthy Western diet to give people an idea of the variety of diets that exist even within Western cultures. The Nordic diet is definitely a healthier alternative to the American diet, a diet high in fats and processed meats. For those who find canola oil, berries, and rye appealing, the Nordic diet may be a diet worth trying out! Below I have a recipe for modern gravlax, a type of cold-cured salmon commonly eaten in Scandinavia. Some fun facts about gravlax: the name in Finland translates to grave-salmon, which comes from the medieval practice of curing raw fish by burying it in the sand above high tide level. This fish is usually eaten with smørrebrød , a type of open-faced sandwich.
Gravlax Recipe
Ingredients: 3-4 pounds of salmon fillet, 1 cup sugar, 1/2 salt, 1 teaspoon dill seeds, 1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper, 2 bunches of fresh dill
- Obtain salmon. Purchase frozen salmon and thaw before use or wait and freeze completed gravlax at no higher than -10F for 7 days. This will kill any harmful microorganisms in the fish.
- Combine the sugar and salt, then cover both sides of the fillet with half of the mixture.
- wash and chop the bunches of dill. Sprinkle the flesh side of the fillet with half the dill seeds and ground pepper
- place one fillet half, flesh side up, in a dish and place the chopped dill on top of it, then cover with the second half of the fillet, with the second half flesh side down. It should look like a large fish-and-dill sandwich.
- Cover the dish lightly with plastic wrap and marinate at room temperature until the sugar-salt mixture as melted into the fillet (but no more than 6 hours.
- Place a small pan or plate on top of the gravlax and refrigerate the weighted gravlax for at least 2 days and up to a week.
- Every 12 hours, turn the fish “sandwich” over in the brining liquid that has accumulated to make sure both sides are evenly marinated.
- After curing the fish for two days, remove the gravlax from the fridge, remove a lot of the dill and seasonings, and pat the salmon dry
- using a sharp knife, cut the cured gravlax into thin slices
- Serve the gravlax on a piece of rye bread or crispbread. Enjoy!
Links: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/the-nordic-diet-review https://www.nationalgeographic.com/foodfeatures/evolution-of-diet/ https://www.thespruceeats.com/how-to-prepare-gravlax-2952740
Food & Bodies 