I love food. I love thinking, reading and talking about it. And of course, I love eating it. The French (my culinary kindred spirits) have a word for someone like me: gourmand. A gourmand is someone who takes great pleasure in food. I am also a firm believer that good health — physical, mental, emotional and spiritual — is directly related to healthy eating.
So what kind of food do I eat? I have been vegetarian for more than 25 years. My diet mainly consists of whole foods and fresh produce. I also limit my intake of dairy and gluten. For my family, I cook a more traditional fare, including meat dishes, creamy sauces and sweet treats, making healthier substitutions when possible. (I’ll pay extra for the ketchup without high-fructose corn syrup but I’ve been known to buy a bag of Oreos.)
I feel that cooking and eating good food together with friends and family is essential to building lasting bonds. I have my mother to thank for that. She and I have spent countless, memorable hours cooking together since my teenage years. Now that I am a mother with my own family, gathering around the dinner table each night is a priority.