My Food Motto + A Killer Egg Frittata

Stuffed mushroom poppers with pecan parmesan 

Today I want to share my food motto.  I think it's important to understand and respect how we as individuals choose to eat.  Just as no two people are the same, no two diets are the same.  We all have our dietary norm, eating in a why that both physically and morally agrees with us.  Sharing food is not only a great way to try something new, but also adapt your food philosophy for the better.  I'm also including a recipe for a killer kale, pepper, and scallion frittata.  I shared a photo of this scrumptious creation on my Instagram last week, and have been making it for breakfast ever since.  I just can't get enough!

My diet consists entirely of unprocessed, whole foods.  I personally do not eat any refined sugars or flours as my stomach feels best that way.  There is no one word to describe my diet as I don't follow any of the "popular" ones (vegan, paleo, gluten-free, etc).  Basically, I eat what I want to eat, when I want to eat it.

Two years ago I had severe chronic stomach pain that was getting in the way of my daily life.  I was diagnosed with a dairy allergy and because of that I do not drink cow's milk, and avoid having a lot of cheese/yogurt.  However, I have since realized that eliminating dairy is not completely necessary for my body to function at its best.  Over the past two years, through trial and error, I have learned how to eat to feel my best.  My diet is built on eating a lot of vegetables, and a little bit of everything else. The moral of the story is listen to your body; it will always be more accurate than any doctor or diet article you can find.

From left to right:  one-pot meatballs and homemade sauce, green strawberry banana smoothie,  grain-free blueberry banana pancakes

Even when sticking to whole, unrefined foods I further limit my diet to avoid digestive distress and stay feeling awesome. If you have ever experienced any sort of digestive discomfort, you understand that once you figure out how to eliminate the problem, you basically feel like you've won the lottery! I rarely eat grains like bread and pasta and limit eating beans to once or twice a week.  I also buy pasture-raised, organic meats and fish when possible (not only is this from a health perspective but an ethical one as well.  I do it for the love and respect of animals).  I limit the amount of fruits, starches, and other natural sugars I consume daily, as that's what feels best for me.  I do have a glass of red wine with dinner a few times a week.  Eat and drink what makes you feel good, but also what makes you happy!

Planting the tomato crop in mid-may

Early squash plant buds

So what do I eat on a daily basis?  This changes depending on what's in season.  Eating seasonally means not only consuming the most delicious tasting food available, but also getting the most nutrients out of your food.  Seasonal fruits and veggies are fully loaded with vitamins and minerals, while out of season produce is not as nutritious.  Also, as a gardener, I appreciate the connection to nature that comes with eating seasonally.  If you grow it, you can eat it.  I take the same approach with just about everything I eat; if you make it, you can eat it.  Understanding what it takes to grow a head of lettuce or tomatoes makes you appreciate everything that much more.  And let's face it, if pumpkins were in season year round everyone would be sick of them!  There's magic in that fall to early winter window where pumpkin comes back and adds a little spice to the holiday season.

I also eat vibrantly.  There are so many gorgeous colors that come directly from the ground.  Red cabbage, flesh of an orange, deep green kale, purple sweet potatoes, beets, yellow peppers, tomatoes, the list goes on and on!  We eat with our eyes first, so add some natural beauty to each one of your meals.  See?  Veggies can be fun.

From left to right: chocolate peanut butter blast blizzard, sprouted lentil patties, super seedy hemp protein bars, raw pumpkin pie cheesecake, apple-bacon chicken salad, kale and butternut poutine

A typical day will involve eggs for breakfast, some sort of sandwich on lettuce leaves or swiss chard for lunch, and a grilled protein with awesome sides or stew for dinner.  I throw a chocolate smoothie or raw brownie in there for a snack every now and then.  Otherwise, I snack on nuts (usually nut butters) or leftovers. Like I said before, my motto is if you make it, you can eat it. Otherwise step away from the food! This is how I believe you can achieve optimal health, and it really helps to stop yourself from eating crappy vending machine food, or ordering Chinese every other night.  When cooking most of your food you can easily figure out what works for you and what doesn't, possibly helping you naturally heal any digestive or food related discomfort.

My diet has changed over the past few years, and will continuously change as time goes on. Where you are in life and what you are doing at any given moment will dictate what your body needs. I don't believe in counting calories,  hopping on "trendy" diets and workout plans, or using the scale as a the judge of how healthy you are.  If you feel good, chances are you're just fine.  Trust your body to tell you what it needs, and leave the number on the scale behind.  Just look through my recipe index for some delicious food inspiration that will make both your belly and tastebuds smile! Also, I'd love to hear from you guys about your food motto and diet.  I want to make a space where everyone is welcome and feels comfortable sharing their delicious views on what keeps us going :) Leave a comment and let's get a conversation going!

Seared cajun salmon with roasted beet and goat cheese salad

Whether you lean towards a plant based diet, or love your bacon, take some time to think about your approach to food and why you have chosen that path.  Is it for your health?  Morals?  Because your friends are doing it?  Let's put some thought into why we eat the way we do in order to better understand other people's dietary preferences and share the knowledge as opposed to pressing our beliefs onto others.  We are all individuals with different diets that work for us.  We should all be able to sit down at the same dinner table, despite our differences, and enjoy a meal that offers something for everyone.  I'll drink to that.

Now, let's get down and dirty with this egg frittata.  I literally get dirty to make this breakfast favorite because I have been pulling the scallions from the ground in my garden, and clipping kale leaves and peppers to make it.  Don't worry, the veggies from the store are just fine :)  In less than 10 minutes you can whip up this killer kale, pepper, and scallion frittata that's packed with veggies and protein to jump-start your day!


Killer Kale, Pepper, and Scallion Frittata

2 scallions, white and light green stalk sliced fine
3-4 large dino kale leaves, deveined and sliced small
1/2 small pepper (any sweet variety), diced
2-3 eggs
1/8 tsp turmeric
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp garlic powder
salt, to taste

coconut oil or pasture-raised butter, for cooking

Directions:
1.  Beat the eggs in a bowl.  Add the turmeric, black pepper and garlic powder. Beat well.  Mix in the chopped kale, scallions, and pepper.
2.  Heat the oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat.  Add the egg mixture once the oil is hot, and quickly spread out with the back of a spoon or spatula.  Turn the heat down to medium after a minute, and let cook for around 3 minutes before flipping over.  You can tell when it's ready to be flipped when the edges start to brown.  Season with salt, to taste.