A Bit About Me…
Hi, I’m Natalie! I focus on creating healthy recipes using seasonal, real foods. I’ve loved cooking ever since I can remember. My mom is from Greece (if you know a Greek than you know how food-obsessed we tend to be) and I’m pretty sure to blame for my cooking obsession. My dad was a health and adventure nut fascinated with Mexican culture… we spent much of my childhood exploring little Mexican villages together. Needless to say, my cooking influences stem from all sides of the world. Growing up, my mom cooked homemade meals every night of the week, each night a different cuisine. One night it’d be Indian, then Thai, Greek, and so on. It was always super healthy and delicious. Despite her many cookbooks, I never saw her use one once; she threw in whatever sounded good with whatever else was in the pan and ended up with a platter of amazingness every time. This is how I learned to cook. Thanks to my parents’ health-conscious eating and worldly ways, I now enjoy spending my free time learning about nutrition and getting creative in the kitchen.
A Bit About the Blog…
You’ll find all sorts of recipes on here. I think people should eat however makes them feel best… for me, I’ve dabbled in gluten-free, Paleo, and did a low FODMAP diet for a few months to help with digestive issues. I have found what works best for my body… these days, I tend to eat a lot of veggies, minimal grains and dairy (which is a big shift for me), and proteins mixed in throughout the day. But I’m not huge on extremes… I enjoy all things in moderation. You’ll see there are many Paleo recipes on here, lots of gluten-free, and then some that don’t fit any category whatsoever, other than simply being real food. No matter how I’m eating, I always eat real food. That’s what you’ll find on here… real food recipes of all kinds.
Please feel free to comment, add ideas, or ask questions about recipes any time! For more on my food philosophies and approach to cooking and wellness, see the “philosophy” tab on my home page above. 
My Other Life…
When I’m not in my teeny little kitchen (oh how I dream to one day have a beautiful kitchen to play in), I’m working with kiddos. I went from being an elementary school teacher to a middle school counselor and now am a K-12 education specialist who works with students doing independent study/homeschool. I seem to be magnetized towards to worked of education. Outside of work, I love traveling, the outdoors, and spending time with good company. I’m a sucker for farmer’s markets and local foodie events… street fairs, food trucks, wine, and live music make me smile. I also love camping, playing on rivers, and being near the ocean… I grew up in two beautiful places- Montana and California- so mountains and beaches make my heart go boom.
My Favorite Foods…
Oh boy, where to begin?! I love Southern Asian cuisine, I love Mexican food- mole, I’m pretty convinced, is heaven on a plate- and naturally, I love Greek food. I could live on spanakopita and Greek salads possibly forever. I am slightly, no very, obsessed with pickles- and since I discovered deep-fried pickles, my life simply hasn’t been the same. My main food weakness has definitely got to be chips and salsa. Any kind of salsa, I’ll pretty much just eat it out of a bowl with a spoon if you let me. It’s true. :/ I also have a major weakness for cheese… any cheese, all cheese, I don’t discriminate. Oh and how could I forget… I’m literally crazy for caprese- anything caprese!! Okay, I could go on forever… better stop now
Update Spring 2014: Now that I am trying to eat less dairy and grains, my go-to snacks have changed! I now love meatballs (grass-fed beef, bison, turkey, whatever) stuffed with avocado (recipe on the blog), avocado-tomato salads, and eggs… poached, hard-boiled, however. I’m also a sucker for anything
BBQ’ed. Okay, now I’ll stop.
