An Ode to the Flavors of Home

Coconut Sweet Bread. | Photo: Courtesy of Althea Brown

Chef and Whole30 Certified Coach, Althea Brown, grew up in Guyana before relocating to the United States at age 18. She and her husband, also from Guyana, grew up loving the traditional recipes made by their mothers, aunts, and grandmothers. When they got married and moved to Denver, there wasn’t anybody around who could make their favorite comfort foods from home.

Jerk Chicken Under a Brick. | Photo: Courtesy of Althea Brown

An enthusiastic cook since childhood, Brown learned to make those dishes herself. Some dietary restrictions involved adapting the recipes to conform to the Paleo diet she consumes to maintain her health. Thus, the Caribbean Paleo Cookbook was developed featuring recipes that incorporate ingredients with anti-inflammatory properties. “There are four ingredients that are known to contribute to inflammation,” Brown says. “Grains, legumes, dairy, and processed sugar are eliminated in a Paleo diet. This still leaves a wealth of delicious things to eat.”

Photo: Courtesy of Althea Brown

While some of the recipes in the cookbook needed to be tweaked, she found that many traditional recipes already met Paleo requirements. Using her mother’s recipes as a blueprint for the Indo-Guyanese cooking she knows and loves, Brown began experimenting with recipes that are gluten-free, contain no dairy, and are free of refined sugars. She found there were easy adjustments she could make that didn’t compromise the flavors or quality of the dishes and remained authentic to the traditions and culture.

Plantain Beef Patties. | Photo: Courtesy of Althea Brown

She points out that, “For people with allergies or chronic inflammatory conditions, the recipes work by providing the option to substitute ingredients that are better tolerated.” Knowing that a tailored diet can make people with food sensitivities feel like “their best selves,” Brown encourages experimentation to discover what works best. Brown says her most popular Paleo recipe is one for Boneless Brown Stew Chicken.

Red Stew Chicken. | Photo: Courtesy of Althea Brown

Metemgee is a popular, hearty soup made with root vegetables in a coconut broth that she calls, “happiness in a bowl.” The cookbook is filled with savory recipes that observe Whole30, gluten-free, or vegan criteria. Her website features a section for dishes easily prepared in an InstaPot. Brown is fresh off an appearance on the Food Network and her Caribbean Paleo Cookbook is available locally at The Tattered Cover and Barnes & Noble. It can also be found online wherever books are sold.

To learn more about the book and her recipes, please visit Althea Brown’s website.