eatin’ la vida loca

Growing up in a Cuban family in Miami meant my Standard American Diet (SAD) was punctuated by all sorts of sugary, creamy concoctions (Compulsive Dessert Disorder). In our house, love was a bowl of natilla – a traditional custard loaded with egg yolks; or a mug of chocolate caliente – a typical hot chocolate that’s anything but with butter and three types of milk: evaporated, condensed and whole.

There was a lot of love in our house, and it was usually preceded by picadillo, palomilla or another variety of fried beef. Sadly, there was also plenty of unhealthy weight gain and, ultimately, unnecessary disease. I watched my family fade away at the unforgiving hands of cancer, stroke, heart disease and Alzheimer’s.

from detox to detour

As a graduate journalism student in New York, I started reading stacks of nutrition books and tried just about every health-promoting diet: low GI, fasting, food combining, Mediterranean, vegetarian. But my sweet tooth kept getting in the way, and I indulged it by training as a pastry chef at Le Cordon Bleu London. A series of food articles followed for The Times and Men’s Health, amongst others.

Years later, after reading Kathy Freston’s Quantum Wellness, I decided to give up animal-based foods for 21 days, figuring I would return to my “normal” diet right away. But what started off as a detox ended up a detour, and a deliciously delightful one; I discovered a new joy of eating and a sense of wellbeing I’d never experienced before. Not to mention finally setting myself free from the sugar habit that kept me locked in a vicious cycle of indulgence and guilt.

Today, I eat more than I ever have and never have to worry about my weight or the environmental impact of my food.

sharing the love, one meal at a time

I’m not a doctor or a dietician; I’m a real woman with an insatiable appetite for good food and green living. I now use the techniques I picked up in culinary school to make healthy food that’s also a treat every time, and yet I find that the ultimate recipe is no recipe at all: the best dishes are uncomplicated and respect the inherent genius in nature rather than try to improve upon it.

I still can’t learn enough about health and am currently completing a certificate in plant-based nutrition with the T. Colin Campbell Foundation, information I am eager to share with you.

And yes, my car really is a bike.