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5 Things You Will Love About the Fit Bottomed Girls Anti-Diet

May 7, 2014

Have you ever picked up a book and after reading the first couple of paragraphs you were suddenly in a better mood? A smile slowly starts to spread on your face, the wheels in your brain kick into gear and a voice somewhere inside starts chanting – you can do this!

That’s how I felt the moment I cracked open Jennipher Walters and Erin Whitehead’s new book The Fit Bottomed Girl Anti-Diet.

I think most people assume that if you work in health promotion in any way, or if your persona is all about eating vegetables and staying active, that a healthy lifestyle comes super easy for you. That choosing kale over French fries requires no internal debate and that every evening you lace up your shoes ecstatic over the four miles you have get to run.

Untrue.

I have my ups and downs. Times when I gain weight and lose weight. Times when kale tastes good and when it tastes awful. Times when I bust through an eight mile long run and when I have to walk after just one mile.

I have to admit I was experiencing a down when I got this book. It launched me right out of it!

If you are a blogger, you remember those blogs you associated with at the very beginning when you first started out. Fit Bottomed Girls is one of those for me; one I connected with. I can still remember Jenn’s motivating comments on some of my original posts here at Fake Food Free. She and the Fit Bottomed Girls crew continue to motivate me. I’ve been thrilled to be featured a Fit Blogger We Love on the site and share a few guest posts on Fit Bottomed Eats over the past few months.

Their new book truly encompasses what is great about their site. These are five things I loved about it, and you will, too.

It’s about ditching the diet mentality and getting back in touch with eating because you’re hungry, because it tastes good and because it nourishes you.
It’s loaded with tips for quick exercise sessions that encourage movement, not punishment. It even gave me a few new ideas.
It focuses on the positive and being grateful. Too few healthy lifestyle books emphasize gratefulness. Being grateful for what you have, for the simple fact that you can walk or run, changes your attitude.
It emphasizes balance. I know there are people who feel that balance is not an achievable reality, but I completely disagree. It’s one of those journey, not a destination type of things and this book highlights that.
When you read scenarios in the book like the dreaded weigh-in you will laugh out loud while saying – holy crap, that is exactly me.

Intrigued? Good news, the book was released yesterday! Get yourself a copy and as they say – drop the diet drama.

If you are already a fan of the FBG website, then I’m sure you are also familiar with the Big-Ass Salad. It always makes me giggle a bit when I read the term, but I love it when Jenn shares her ideas for healthy lunches.

There are some quick and healthy recipes in the book that you’ll love, but I decided to share one of my salads with you in celebration of a healthy eating attitude.

Roasted Cherry and Nectarine Salad with Honey-Walnut Dressing | Fake Food Free

It felt like such a long wait, but cherries, nectarines and peaches are beginning to show themselves at the farmers market here. Since they come at a time when we go back and forth between cool and warm temps (well, that’s pretty much always the case in the Bay Area), I struggle to decide between a cold salad or a hot lunch. This recipe combines the two. Perfect solution.

Congrats to Jenn and Erin on the book!

Roasted Cherry and Nectarine Salad with Honey-Walnut Dressing

Servings: 2 to 3

Dressing

4 tbsp walnut oil

2 tbsp chopped walnuts

1 tbsp honey

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Pinch of salt

3 yellow nectarines, pitted and sliced

1 cup cherries, pitted

4 cups mixed greens

3 oz. crumbled cheese (Blue cheese or feta works well. I used goat milk feta.)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with olive oil or coconut oil.

In a small food processor, add 2 tablespoons of the walnut oil, walnuts and honey. Puree until the walnuts are finely chopped and a paste forms. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of walnut oil and puree for about 30 seconds. You will be left with a thick walnut paste and a sweet milky liquid. Transfer to a bowl.

Whisk in the vinegar and salt. This will take a little time, but trust me, it will turn into a thick dressing. Keep whisking. Set aside.

Place the nectarine slices and cherries in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, until softened and the juices begin to bubble.

Place the greens in a bowl, add the warm fruit and cheese. Pour in the dressing and toss well to coat. (You can also serve the dressing on the side as pictured, but because the dressing is thick, it really works better to toss the salad in it.) Serve right away.

Disclosure: The book in this post was sent to me for review purposes. I was not required to write about it and received no compensation for doing so.

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.

Apple Peanut Butter Protein Shake Recipe

January 14, 2014

This peanut butter protein shake is filling and full of flavor! It uses both peanut butter and peanut flour.

I know, I know. Who needs another smoothie recipe? January hit and food blogs erupted with smoothies and juices. But bear with me. This one wasn’t planned. I threw it together the other day and it was so good that I felt required to share.

Three things about me and smoothies.

First, I should admit that I can’t stand the word smoothie. I do not know why. It has something to do with the way it rolls off the tongue. So you will find me calling them shakes. And for most that I make, protein shakes. This is because I’m always throwing things in that help naturally boost the protein content, like nut butters and nut flours.

Second, I go through phases with shakes. I either crave them or I can’t stand the thought of them. Each phase usually lasts about a month. Yet another thing that I have no explanation for.

Third, I’ve found that a pinch of salt makes all the difference. I’ve put together shake combos that turned out to be so disappointing, but a dash of salt, even in a sweet shake, is all it needed to bring out the flavors.

The past week or so I can feel myself entering the crave phase. (It might have something to do with the smoothie eruption I mentioned earlier.) So I’ve been trying to come up with some combinations that are outside the yogurt and banana box. I’ve also been trying to find more ways to incorporate peanut flour because I love the stuff.

The result? This protein shake. Feel free to jump on the bandwagon with me and give it a try.

Apple Peanut Butter Protein Shake

Makes: 1 serving

1 cup milk (Any variety. I used almond, and if you make it yourself that’s even better.)
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tbsp light roasted peanut flour
1 tbsp natural, unsweetened peanut butter
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1 to 1 ½ cups of ice

Combine all ingredients in the blender, except for the ice. Puree until smooth.

Add the ice a little at a time and blend well, until it reaches your desired thickness.

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish recipes and images without written permission. Feel free to Pin images and share links to my posts, but please do not copy and paste recipes or photos and share them on other sites. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution.

8 Best Cocktails for New Year’s Eve

December 30, 2013

After two weeks of travel to visit New York City, explore the Christmas markets in Vienna and Krakow, and spend time with family in Indiana and Kentucky, I’m back at my computer.

2013 has been so amazing I can hardly put it into words. I’m sure I’ll miss some things, but here are a few highlights.

Aside from how wonderful it is to now be a California resident, I also live by the water with access to fresh seafood and salty air. Something I’ve always wanted to do.

I ran my first marathon. (And I ran it across this.)

My husband and I celebrated 10 years of marriage.

I landed my first magazine column. (You can find it at Hobby Farm Home.)

I’ve finally (successfully) transitioned into a full-time freelancer. Writing about food, developing recipes and taking food photos is now my job.

I got to gaze in awe at Lake Tahoe for my 35^thbirthday.

I was able to show my family around the Bay Area on their first visit to California.

I saw New York City at Christmas time.

I explored the Christmas markets of Vienna and Krakow.

What a year! I have no idea how 2014 is going to top it, but I’m convinced that it will.

A great year deserves a special toast. So here are 8 of my favorite cocktails to help you close out 2013 and ring in the New Year. Some are here on Fake Food Free, and others are from the work I’ve done for the blog the Daily Squeeze.

(Just click on the drink name to get to the recipe.)

Grapefruit Moon Beer Cocktail

The Spicy Citrus

Cherry Margarita

Red Wine and Navel Orange Sangria

Spiced Old Fashioned

Coconut Lime Dessert Martini

Orange Bourbon Apple Cider

Orange Cosmo on the Rocks

What will you be toasting to on Tuesday night? Any favorite memories from 2013?

Happy New Year!!

13 Best Tomato Recipes

August 1, 2013

I did it again.

Every year when the end of May rolls around, I forget. Unlike other bloggers who spend weeks building up to the big day, planning giveaways and making special recipes, it passes me by, and few weeks later I think – oops, I forgot again.

I’m talking about my food blogging anniversary. Fake Food Free has been alive and well for over 5 years. It’s overwhelming to think where this blog has taken me since I began typing my first words in our apartment in Southern Brazil.

Things have evolved through my travel, adventures in food culture and gardening. My photos are a bit better than those dark point-and-shoot images I started with, and I’d like to think my recipe writing has improved as well. I’ve met amazing people, and now I’m at a place where health, food and recipe writing, and taking food photos are my work. As you’ll hear me say often – Life is good.

And it all started with this blog.

While things have changed a bit here, and I don’t get to post as much as I used to, this is certainly not a farewell post. It’s a big Cheers, Prost and Saúde to another 5 and beyond!

What better way to celebrate than with tomatoes! Well, okay, a cocktail might be better, but right now we’re in the heart of summer and all I can think about are beautiful heirlooms, sweet cherries and plump Romas.

After 5 years of blogging, I’ve created and adapted my fair share of recipes using my favorite part of this season.

Here are 13 that you must make before the 2013 tomato season passes us by! (Click on the name and it will take you to the post with the recipe.)

Roasted Garlic, Tomato and Black Bean Soup

Grilled Marinara Pasta

Honey Peach and Tomato Black Rice Salad

Hearty Tomato, Kale and Mushroom Sauce

Roasted Tomato, Black Bean and Arugula Salad

Smoky Tomato Jam

Beer Cheese Tomato Soup

Honey-Pecan Tomato Tarts with Blue Cheese

BLT Spinach Salad with Fresh Garlic Dill Dressing

Heirloom Tomatoes and Cantaloupe

Stuffed Poblano Peppers with Tomato Chile Sauce

Poblano Cilantro Salsa

Sweet and Simple Tomato Pepper Salad

Come See Me at the Dinner Bell in Hobby Farm Home!

December 7, 2012

Happy Friday!

Fridays have been full of all kinds of good news lately. Last week, the announcement of our moving to Oakland, CA. This week, my first food column is in print!

I’m thrilled to say that the January/ February 2013 issue of Hobby Farm Home magazine is now on newsstands. You can find my article, recipes and photos in the column, Dinner Bell. I can’t express how humbled and excited I am to be a part of one of my favorite magazines.

My content aside, this magazine is excellent for anyone who loves cooking, gardening, hobby farming and homesteading. Add a subscription to your gift list.

I’m co-hosting a cookie exchange this weekend. Have you ever hosted or participated in one? I decided to overlook my 20 favorite holiday cookie recipes, and I’m trying something new. I’ll be back with the recipe next week!

Country Living Blue Ribbon Blogger Awards

August 31, 2012

Every month I hope that my issue of Country Living arrives on a day that coincides with an eventless evening so I can sit down and dig in. First, I turn right to the Letters section to see the Reader Pet Profile. This month it was Sir William the sheep who’s favorite snack happens to be raw pumpkin. I like mine cooked, but Sir William and I have a lot in common.

After a good laugh, I start the search for rustic, homey decorating ideas, and then on to the recipes. By the time I’m through, the corner of almost every page is neatly folded over.

From there, it’s straight to my laptop where I start searching the Country Living site for all those favorites in the magazine so I can put them on Pinterest. It’s my way of sharing these favorite things with others, and bookmarking them for myself.

I like this magazine…a lot.

Considering how much I look forward to receiving Country Living each month, you can imagine my excitement when I learned that Fake Food Free has been selected as a finalist in the cooking category for the 2012 Country Living Blue Ribbon Blogger Awards!

As a finalist, the blog is also in the running for the Reader’s Choice award, where you, the reader, get to pick your favorite blog. Voting opened August 31st and you can vote every day until September 17.

Click on the link below to vote! There is no account registration, or log in necessary to vote. You can simply click, check your favorite blog (I hope it’s Fake Food Free!), and submit. I appreciate each and every vote you might send my way.

Cast your vote here!

Pure Beef: Tamarind Beef Satay

May 24, 2012

I first made this delicious beef satay recipe back in 2012. Every summer it continues to be a great go-to meal or snack when we fire up the grill for some outdoor cooking.

Grilled Tamarind Beef Satay Recipe | Fake Food Free

The email subject read, “As far from fake beef as one can get.”

That was enough to spark my curiosity.

Before I opened it I wasn’t aware of the cookbook that awaited me, of the story that would later have me nodding my head, or the fact that it would be so educational that my husband would hijack it for a day and read the first 70 pages.

Pure Beef: An Essential Guide to Artisan Meat with Recipes for Every Cut

The title says a lot, but it does not say it all. I’ve found this cookbook to serve as a novel as I have read through Lynne Curry’s story. Lynne is a former vegetarian who now finds herself in Oregon’s Wallowa Valley enjoying what I can only imagine is one of the most beautiful places on earth with some of the best food.

I live in central Kentucky and it’s pretty beautiful here, too. As I write this I just happen to have a chorus of cows singing from the farm behind our house, but I’ve been to Oregon and I love it. This can be considered – how I related to this book #1.

Number 2, is the story of how a vegetarian came to enjoy the flavor of grassfed beef, culturally, nutritionally, and ethically. To paraphrase roughly, the moment was during her international travels in Guatemala when she was graciously offered grassfed beef as a gesture of hospitality.

Tamarind Beef Satay recipe from the Cookbook Pure Beef

While I have never been a vegetarian, I fully believe that culture and respect for the people of that culture should override what we will and will not eat. I’ve tried many things, and maybe one day I will be put in a position where I just can’t stomach it, but as of now this is my view. It was a view that I felt I shared with the author as I read, making this book even more meaningful.

I was never all that crazy about beef until I enjoyed the local grassfed beef of the Bluegrass. This opportunity occurred only about 2 years ago when we returned to the States. Now it is the only beef I will buy. There are many reasons for this, and I will let you read through these when you get your copy of Pure Beef. Considering my background, nutrition is one reason.

As I moved past the why of the book, I got to the how. How to cut beef, how to buy it, how to cook it. I still have a lot more to read, but this is as much a resource for my library as a cookbook.

Then you get to the recipes. There truly is a recipe for every cut, and an endless amount of tips on how to cook it all. Coffee Bean-Chile Rubbed Sirloin Roast, Boneless Oxtail and Buckwehat Crepe Purses, and Baked Argentinian Empanadas to name a few.

There are side dishes and condiments galore as well, with and without beef, such as Roasted Corn Salsa, Butternut Squash Bread Pudding, and Lemony Chard Bundles. There are also variations on recipes such as the gluten-free meat loaf.

There were too many great recipes to choose from, so I had to use a bit of a spin-the-bottle approach to select one. I landed on Tamarind Beef Satay.

We picked up a tri tip from our local grassfed beef source, Marksbury Farm Market. It worked beautifully and all the credit has to go to my husband. One tip he picked up from the book was to freeze the meat for about 20 minutes before slicing it thinly for the beef satay. He sliced, I mixed the marinade.

This recipe is simple and the beef satay cooked up on the grill quickly. The sweet and tart flavors of the tamarind, honey and fish sauce go so well together. Next time I’ll probably add just a little more chile sauce because we are spicy food fans. We served up the satay with grilled corn and a green salad. Easy and delicious!

Tamarind Beef Satay

Recipe reprinted with permission from Pure Beef © 2012 by Lynne Curry, Running
Press, a member of the Perseus Book Group.

From the book:

Tamarind is an intoxicating sour and sweet fruit from Indonesia where satay is the go-to snack on a stick. It is incredible with beef, so I created a tamarind marinade that lacquers thin beef strips to grill or broil. Satay makes a wonderful appetizer; to fill it out for a main dish, I accompany it with another Indonesian favorite, a fruit salad called Rujak, which has as many renditions as pasta salad does in this country. My version is a beautiful chopped salad of cucumbers, jicama, pineapple, and mango that’s crunchy, juicy, sweet, and tart. Served along with Sticky Rice or steamed rice, it turns satay into a tantalizing meal, just the thing to wake up your taste buds in the middle of winter.

Makes 4 servings as a main dish; 8 as an appetizer

3 tablespoons tamarind paste*
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon fish sauce

1/2 teaspoon chile sauce, such as sambal oelek
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted dry roasted peanuts
1 to 1 1/2 pounds top sirloin steak, sliced into 1/4-inch thick strips

Mix the tamarind paste, honey, fish sauce, chile sauce, and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Pound the peanuts in a mortar and pestle or in a heavy-duty plastic bag with a rolling pin to the texture of fine breadcrumbs and stir into the tamarind sauce. Put the beef strips in the bowl, toss to coat, and marinate for about 15 minutes at room temperature.

Preheat a charcoal or gas grill for high heat (425°F to 475°F), scraping the grate clean and oiling it lightly, or preheat the broiler. Thread the slices onto wooden or metal skewers, stitching the beef on and then stretching it along the skewer so that it looks like a miniature banner. Thread any short strips onto the same skewer.

Grill or broil the skewers for 1 to 2 minutes per side and serve the satay warm or at room temperature.

*Note: Tamarind is available from Asian grocery markets in several different forms. Tamarind paste is the easiest form that can be used straight from the jar. If your tamarind is labeled concentrate, use only 1 tablespoon and mix it with 2 tablespoons water. If you have a block of tamarind, chop about 1/2 cup of it, use a fork to mash it with 6 tablespoons of boiling water, and let it soften for about 5 minutes. Use a fine-meshed strainer to extract 3 tablespoons of pulp, pressing on the mixture firmly with a spoon.

Disclosure: A copy of this cookbook was sent to me for review purposes. I was not required to post about it and received no compensation for doing so.

Autumn Recipes

September 23, 2011

It’s the first day of autumn and I couldn’t be more thrilled! It is my absolute favorite season. When we were living in Brazil it was the thing I missed most. I learned to cherish the 2-3 weeks in June (winter there) when it was cool and rainy, so much like fall in Indiana and Kentucky.

It was a great summer, but I am so happy to leap into apples, pumpkins, sweaters and boots as if it were a pile of autumn leaves. My kitchen time has been scarce and what I have been making has been old standards and not very exciting, but I’m hoping that is soon to change and just in time for fall food!

We closed out summer with grilling some pastured chicken. The grill certainly won’t be put away for the winter, but I thought it an appropriate gesture.

To prepare for the season I’ve had my sights set on pumpkins and other winter squashes. I love this little pie pumpkin I got this week. Doesn’t it look like a butternut squash in a pumpkin body? I can’t wait to cook with it. My shopping trip today filled my kitchen with kale and Brussels sprouts, my two favorite fall veggies.

This weekend will be filled with seasonal activities. A trail run in the morning followed by tailgating and football. So I thought I’d take this opportunity to share some of my favorite fall-inspired foods from the archives.

Happy Autumn!

Bourbon Sweet Potato Waffles with Maple Cinnamon Butter

Honey Pecan Baked Brie

Wild Mushroom Mac and Cheese

Gingered Pear Quinoa with Walnuts

Bacon and Brussels Sprouts Pasta with Parmesan

Spiced Sweet Potato Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Baking with Coconut Oil: Gooseberry Pie

July 12, 2011

Gooseberries are one of those fruits that we always had growing in our backyard, but that no one else outside our family seemed to know anything about it. To me it seemed that gooseberries to others were like currants to me. They knew of them, but had never had the opportunity to experience them.

It didn’t really hit me how unpopular gooseberries were in our area until I came across them in Brazil. Not the fruit, though, the flavor. We started seeing groselha flavored popsicles and juices. There was even a groselha beer, also a bit of a girlie beer, where they put a shot of groselha syrup in the mug.

Thanks to my trusty translating book I quickly learned that groselha was gooseberry and it was something I’d known most of my life.

My parent’s gooseberry bushes are the red variety and when I was visiting recently I brought a small container back with me. A gooseberry is difficult to describe. Its flavor isn’t very distinct to me, just sweet. The skin and flesh are like that of a commercial grape, but the seeds inside are more like a blueberry. They are very difficult to pick due to the large thorns, but with gloves we managed to get a container full. Taking my mom’s advice we mixed both the purple/red and the ones that were still a little green.

Having the gooseberries to use up gave me an opportunity to try out a new pie crust. I’d wanted to try to make one with only virgin coconut oil for a while. Given the season and that my oil is in the fridge right now to prevent it from being a liquid, using it for the pie was quite the task.

I set the jar in warm water until it softened just a bit and then I had to do some serious digging to get it out and at the right texture. I wanted it to be firm enough to cut, but somewhat soft like butter. After a lot of work, I finely got it the way I wanted it and got working on my pie.

I had planned to make the pie all gooseberry, but I had just a few blackberries and raspberries that were threatening to go bad so I threw those in as well. I knew the berries would be good so the real test was the pie crust.

I’m going to go ahead and claim success. We really liked it. It was nice and flakey with that mild sweetness you get from coconut oil. Any combination of flours would work. I just happened to have white whole wheat and buckwheat around so I gave them a try. This crust is a nice break from an all butter version. It makes for a hearty, whole grain pie.

Gooseberry Pie with a Coconut Oil Crust

Crust: (enough for a 9-inch, two-crust pie)

2 cups white whole wheat flour
½ cup buckwheat flour
1 tsp salt
1 cup virgin coconut oil, cubed (about the texture of cold butter)
½ cup cold water

Filling:

3 ½ cups gooseberries (or any mixture of berries)
¼ cup raw sugar
1 ½ tbsp white whole wheat flour
1 tsp vanilla

In a bowl, mix the flours and salt. Add the semi-solid coconut oil and blend with a pastry blender until the oil is incorporated with pea-sized pieces.

Slowly add the water a little at a time and mix by hand until a dough is formed. Divide into two equal parts, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Remove from the fridge and roll out between two pieces of plastic wrap to the appropriate size for your pie pan.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a bowl, combine the berries and toss with the flour and sugar until all the fruit is well coated. Stir in the vanilla.

Place the bottom crust in your pie pan and prick gently with a fork. Add the berry mixture. Cover with the top crust and cut slits in the top for baking. Sprinkle the top with about a teaspoon of raw sugar if desired.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes. The crust should begin to brown and be firm and the berries should be bubbly. Remove, let sit for about 10 minutes and serve or allow to cool to room temperature. Serves 8.

*************************************************************

This post is a bit of a two-part because I have another fun recipe to share with you. My friend Jada, who is going on 10, developed a newfound interest in all things Abraham Lincoln this past school year. So this summer, Jada did a great presentation all about his life and included Abe Lincoln’s favorite cake. She consulted me, the food blogger, to find out if I thought the recipe was as good as she did. Oh, yes it is.

Jada made the cake with her family this week and her mom brought me some to work. I promised to photograph it and share this beautiful, and mighty tasty, cake with you. So here you go, and if you are interested in the recipe, quite a few bloggers have featured it. Obama Foodorama and Frugal Housekeeping are two of them. Thanks, Jada!

Nutritionist, Food Blogger… Author

February 19, 2011

I try to make it a point to celebrate the small things we encounter daily that make life interesting and enjoyable. Every now and then, though, life brings along a big thing and you don’t have to try all that hard to start the celebrations.

Enter The Everything Guide to Food Remedies by Lori Rice, MS.

Yep, my book has arrived!

I received copies last weekend and it was a huge surprise! I knew the book would be published in March, but I didn’t know when I would see my first copy.

It is an interesting feeling to hold a book in your hand and as you flip through it recognize that these are your words, and in this case, your recipes. There is excitement, pride, humility and gratefulness. I’d also be lying if I said there wasn’t a slight bit of sadness since I’ve put freelancing on hold currently to return to work in my field of study.

With this though is also a huge sense of accomplishment.

Just a few short months after we moved to Brazil I was struggling with what I should do with my time and how to take full advantage of no longer being commented to an employer. If you’ve ever lived in another country or been a so-called expat wife, you can probably relate. I was filled with big ideas, but they had gotten lost in the confusion of learning a new culture.

One night as I sat frustrated, my husband told me that I could do anything I wanted to; I just needed to choose something and do it. Due to his advice I decided I wanted to be a freelance writer.

I spent the following months working from scratch and tackling a major learning curve because I knew absolutely nothing about the art. I read blogs, tips, advice, forums and began applying for jobs. Soon I found myself with gigs for small articles and blogs which then led to an ebook project.

I continued writing when we moved back to the US in 2009 and last spring I finally got what I would consider a pretty good gig – this book.

While I would someday love to have a book that tells my story, perhaps about my experiences abroad or with travel and food, the more I think about it, this book tells my story too.

It represents me leaving a secure job where I was well respected to accomplish a dream of surrounding myself by a new culture. It represents me focusing my energy to accomplish the goal of becoming a writer.

On another note, it represents part of my food journey. Four years ago, I might not have been able to write a book like this because at that time I still believed in mainstream diet foods – low fat, low carb and processed. The changes in my food and health views shown here through Fake Food Free, allowed me to write this book from a perspective that it is truly something I believe in.

The Everything Guide to Food Remedies: An A-Z guide to healing with food (Everything Series)

The Everything Guide to Food Remedies: An A-Z guide to healing with food covers diseases and ailments that plague our society and identifies the whole foods (not pills or isolated nutrients) that help to alleviate those conditions. With each chapter the reader will find five recipes that utilize these nutritious foods.

This blog has been a big part of my food journey and will continue to be for as many years as I keep on blogging. Thank you for reading and sharing it with me!

I have three copies of my book to give away right now and there will likely be more opportunities in the future.

If you’d like one tell me your food philosophy in the comments.
Do you feel that food contains all we need for optimal health?

Thanks in advance for the thoughtful comments. And by the way, please no drive-by comments. Only those who thoughtfully answer my question will be considered.

I’ll select three commenters at random on March 14, 2011!

The book is available via advance order at Amazon and other online bookstores.

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