I am an enthusiastic home cook and former professional baker living in Boulder, Colorado. I’ve been baking and cooking since I was very young, including several years baking in professional kitchens. Today, I choose to channel my culinary creative energy into feeding my family and entertaining our friends. I feel very comfortable in the kitchen, and a day spent cooking is a good day, in my book. (For a detailed history of my life with food, click here.)
Over the last few years, I’ve shifted my emphasis more towards healthy cooking, and somewhat away from the decadent indulgences of my early years. Nonetheless, I believe food is a primal sensual pleasure, and is to be enjoyed. I love the fact that food is imbued with power and symbolism in every culture, and I never want to be reduced to literally counting beans in order to live a healthy life. I reject the notion that food is a drug to be carefully measured and meted out. Food is love and solace, tradition and art form, sustenance and celebration. Because I’m sure that guilt, shame and fear have no part in a healthy diet, I focus on all the wonderful, flavorful food that I can enjoy in abundance, and enjoy the richer indulgences in moderation. Julia Child herself said, “Life itself is the proper binge.” I agree with her that, “in spite of food fads, fitness programs, and health concerns, we must never lose sight of a beautifully conceived meal.”
At the same time, I recognize that it’s easy, in our country, to fall out of balance with food and eat excessive quantities of what Michael Pollen calls “edible food-like substances” for all the wrong reasons. I recognize that there are eating disorders and addictive behaviors that distort our relationship to food and our bodies. And I believe that it is a daunting challenge to our genetic hard-wiring to live amidst this plethora of food and drink without overindulging and making ourselves and our planet sick.
Hence, my new goal is to live a life of “healthy abundance,” one where we can bask in the pleasure of a meal shared, revel in the colors and textures and tastes of good food, all the while nourishing our bodies and being good stewards of the earth.
Oh, how I want to bask in the pleasure of a meal shared with this blogger!!! I just read all the recipes and posted and now I am faced with the decision of which one to try first. Probably the lemon cheescake or maybe Aunt Hilde’s brownies. Ok, I really should go for Southwestern (Ohio) Soup as I will call it here in my hometown.
I really get the notion of Healthy Abundance! What a relief to think of food as a non-guilty pleasure and joy!
This is wonderful, Janet! Thank you for sending me the link. I am going to try out some of these recipes and look forward to you posting more. And, we are eating a lot more vegetarian as well.
Healthy abundance is such a wonderful aim to enjoy senual aspects of food as fuel love for the body!
Janet I have been thoroughly enjoying your blog. Thanks so much for (finally!) doing it. 🙂
I am in total agreement with the healthy abundance attitude. Thanks for putting it into words and recipes that we can all relate to.
I have found my inner 5-year old and cook with color as the main ingredient. Its like finger painting.
Best of luck and best wishes to you, Larry and Morgan!
Hi Janet,
Your recipes look great! I’m looking for good low cholesterol recipes at the moment – do you reckon any of yours could be adapted to use cholesterol lowering spreads instead of butter or something like that?
Thanks,
Sarah