The short of it

…I’m a Farmer’s Market foodie smitten with traditional cooking practices.

I like my produce to be fresh and organic, my meats and eggs pasture raised, and most of my meals to be homemade.

I generally cook with seasonal ingredients and follow an overall balanced approach. I’m an advocate of eating a cornucopia of veggies and fruits (raw, cooked and fermented), legumes, mushrooms, gluten-free grains, eggs, sparing but diverse/ humanely-raised meats, occassional raw/ pasture-raised dairy, healthy fats and oils, and guiltless sweet treats.

All coming together in a culinary experience that is as nourishing as it is rich with flavor and texture–largely inspired by Mediterranean, Mexican and Eastern European traditions.

That may be a mouthful, but I promise that my recipes are simple and do not require that you forge into the forest seeking your next meal.

I’ll urge you to try the Farmer’s Market, but that’s as exotic as my recommendations will get.

The long of it

…has to do with my Eastern European roots and experimentation with a vast diversity of current dietary trends.

I was born in the Baltic city of Szczecin and lived in Poland for the first five years of my life before moving to the U.S. via a two year stopover in Madrid. Those formative years in Spain might explain my obsession with aioli and smoked paprika! But I owe the majority of my philosophy to my Polish heritage.

In Poland, the practice of eating home made lacto-fermented foods, wild foraged mushrooms & fruits, pasture-raised meats, offal, raw dairy, homemade broths, fermented grains and all that I cherish most about healthful eating was never abandoned or forgotten.

Fully embracing my dietary heritage and these traditional food preparation techniques has been paramount to my recovery: 

• From a lifetime of intestinal damage caused by gluten.
• From a serious eating disorder.
• From the myriad mental conditions cause by both.
• In repairing my metabolism.
• In restoring a healthy gut-flora.
• In promoting nutrient bioavailability to my dangerously depleted system.

Both my great-grandmothers who ate this way…

Worked the fields, took care of great-great-grandchildren, were sound of mind, slender and active until they each passed in their mid 90’s.

My recipes are designed to promote healing without sacrificing taste and pleasure.

With each recipe I take into consideration:

• Which oils or fats are healthiest for the particular application.
• Creating balanced meals that won’t cause blood sugar spikes and cravings.
• Pairing fermented or live foods to aid with digestion.
• Guidance on soaking grains & legumes for optimum absorption.
• Proper cooking & storage times to maximize nutrient values.
• Plating meals with a variety of colors and textures, promote greater nutrient absorption (& taste!).

These are just a few examples of instructions that you’ll receive throughout my recipes, which will altogether have:

A digestion promoting, gut healing and anti-inflammatory effect.

Although inspired by my familial and cultural roots

My approach is also aligned with the ground breaking work of Dr. Robert H. Lustig and his research into the current epidemic of obesity. For the best introduction to his work, watch: Sugar: The Bitter Truth.

I owe much of my understanding of traditional foods practices

To the Weston A. Price Foundation, and Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, author of Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAPS), leading me to the discovery of the link between gluten intolerance and mental disorders such as bulimia, anorexia and alcoholism.

Every body thrives on a unique blend of foods

For some people a plant based approach is most healing and energizing, while others do better with animal protein and fewer grains. I’ve seen for myself that climate and environment can greatly effect what foods suit my body best. When I lived on the east coast I craved meats on a regular basis and now after living in southern California for nearly a year, my cravings for animal protein have reduced to only a couple times per week.

Although learning about the W.A.P.F. philosophy was a formative experience for me, I believe that once you’ve moved to eating whole, natural foods it’s important that you listen to your own body’s particular needs and play with your cravings until you find the right balance.

Other considerations

Follow this link to learn about the other elements that make my food philosophy a success: how to maximize the benefits of a healthy diet >>>

Recovery is a path, not a destination.

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We are not medical doctors; therefore we cannot give medical advice. The information presented herein is not presented with the intention of diagnosing or treating any disease or condition. This information is for educational purposes only. No responsibility is assumed by the author nor anyone connected with this website for the use of this information and no guarantees of any kind are made for the performance or effectiveness of the recommendations provided.