Hello! I’m back, 6 years later (almost to the day). I’ve been doing a lot of creative cooking recently. At the request of those enjoying the meals, I’m now writing down some recipes.

A lot has changed in the past 6 years – I started a cidery, got married, bought a house, lived through a pandemic – and notably for this blog, learned a lot more about my body and dietary needs.

After many years of learning and experimentation, I have a pretty clear list of what foods are good and bad for my body. I eat a primarily grain-free and plant-based diet. To go into more detail:

• Avoid grains (absolutely no gluten)
• Avoid dairy
  • Goat’s milk dairy on occasional has been okay!
• Limit animal protein
  • Avoid red meat and poultry
  • Limit fish (1-2x per week)
  • Limit eggs
• Limit sugar
  • Go for in-season fruit, coconut sugar, local honey, and maple syrup
• Limit lectins (read more about lectins in Plant Paradox – overall it sounds a little out there, but eating low-lectin worked well for my body)
  • Avoid soy, peanuts, cashews
  • In season fruit and vegetables, avoid skin and seeds
  • Legumes pressure cooked or fermented only

So what do I eat? A lot of resistant starches (sweet potatoes, plantains, cassava), almond-based foods (almond butter, almond-milk yogurt), healthy fats, and fermented foods. You’ll see me building meals around tempeh, jackfruit, and hearty veggies often. And there’s a lot of great grain-free and almond focused brands that I love, including Kite Hill, Simple Mills, Siete, Mikey’s, and Soozy’s.

However, my approach to diet has always been that it’s personal. There is no one size fits all. While my recipes accommodate my needs, I will always recommend substitutions or alternative options so you can make them your own.

I never thought I would start a blog. I thought I didn’t enjoy writing. Turns out, I wasn’t writing about the right things. There’s a difference between interests and passions, something I’ve come to understand better recently. The idea is that if you pursue your passions – in writing, in work, in life – things are easier and more enjoyable. Well, it’s true.

I’m writing to help create and contribute to the community of creative recipe modifiers, green smoothie proponents, farmer’s market devotees, and fermentation enthusiasts. I want to cultivate open-mindedness and understanding of seemingly odd health habits. I want to make a healthier lifestyle attainable and enjoyable for anyone who’s intrigued. I want to share my thoughts and experiences with those who are listening, learning, and sharing their own.

A little background about myself – I grew up a rather typical American kid. Sandwiches, pizza, ice cream – I wasn’t a picky eater and I never had to give much thought to what I ate. Just before my 19th birthday, my health took a dramatic turn for the worse and then I couldn’t eat anything without experiencing intense pain and discomfort. I saw many local doctors, but my condition worsened until I was all but bedridden. I became a patient at the Mayo Clinic, and was able to improve to point where I could return to school and normal activities. But unfortunately, after this initial improvement, my progress stopped. Although my symptoms were more manageable, I did not have a single day or meal that wasn’t accompanied with pain.

At this time, I put a sharp focus on what I was eating. In the process, I learned a tremendous amount about nutrition – my eyes had been opened. I hadn’t found a cure-all, but had been convinced that the right diet and lifestyle changes will help you feel better physically, mentally, short-term and long-term. Healthy eating is particularly addicting. The more you do, the more you want to learn, and the more you learn, the more motivated you become.

This past year has been a major turning point for me. I’m feeling the best I have since my symptoms began six years ago. With the help of a truly insightful doctor, I’ve discovered I have allergies to dairy and gluten, as well as high levels of lead. For me, eliminating both gluten and dairy has been the trick, only one or the other, and I’m still a mess. It’s worth it – the transformation has been remarkable. I’ve got double the energy I used to, and I’m off prescriptions that before I could not bear a day without.

But that’s just my story. While gluten and dairy are common triggers, there are still plenty of people who can eat eat yogurt and drink beer every day and feel just fine (I live with one!). People should adopt the healthy habits that work best for their body and their life, the answer is not the same for everyone. I’m always going to be exploring and experimenting with ways to eat and live well. Sharing my experiences, I hope to inspire others, help them feel their best, and have a damn good time doing it. After all, it is my passion.