About Me

My Story

I once lived in a part of the country where the culture of innovation thrived.  When it came to restaurant dining, this was the place that brought it all together.   Artful ambiance, a wonderful fusion of flavors, organic ingredients, and a health-conscious mindset.  This amazing place that I love is the San Francisco Bay Area.

Years later, I returned to the Midwest.  During this transition, I knew that the type of food my family and I enjoyed daily would no longer be accessible. I finally had to learn how to cook delicious healthy food on my own.  This felt daunting as I did not have basic cooking skills.  On top of that, I was facing some challenges:

• I was getting confused by the media about what foods were generally considered healthy to eat. 
• It was difficult to make healthy home cooking sustainable while living in a culture where speed and convenience take priority. 

For many of us, cooking is often an exercise of combining premade ingredients rather than starting with raw materials.  I saw how this cooking practice led to chronic illnesses and a shorter lifespan and wanted better health for myself and my family. 

One day, while surfing YouTube, I stumbled across Functional Medicine.  It is a science-based approach that relies upon a healthy diet and lifestyle to prevent or reverse chronic disease.  Feeling inspired, I started doing a lot of research about Functional Medicine and how to eat for optimal health. 

I also decided to pursue formal training in nutrition.  I became a certified nutrition coach through the Food Matters Institute.

After all that, I ran into additional challenges:

• I tried to follow recipes that true health experts developed, but they were too complicated for daily life.  
• If I relied on more convenient mainstream cooking approaches, I would wind up sacrificing nutrition. 
• I had to accommodate some food sensitivities within my family.

Being a problem-solver at heart, I became determined to develop my own ways to make healthy cooking a reality.  This “problem” turned into a passion, as I’ve discovered how much I enjoy creating simple recipes for better health.  

In terms of knowing what is healthy to eat, I’ve managed to cut through the noise by following insights from independent researchers with the sole objective of improving human health. 

While I do not identify with any particular eating approach, I tend to eat more vegetables and less meat.  I also do not eat refined sugar and avoid most grains and dairy products.  This is what works best for my health at this time.  It's perfectly fine to evolve your eating style based on your life stage or situation, and whether you are trying to resolve a chronic health issue.

After a couple years of experimentation, I found easier ways to make healthy food.  While it's not as simple as preparing meals using pre-made or highly processed ingredients, it doesn't have to be overwhelming either. 

I created this blog to inspire beginner and experienced home chefs to learn new ways of cooking that boost nutrition and satisfy the taste buds.  Let's take back our kitchens so we can bypass the unhealthy, processed, artificial ingredients and start making it real!

Thanks for visiting my site.

In good health,

Elcy