Welcome to Spiced Nuts & Wild Honey, a blog filled with an array of recipes - from healthy concoctions to fuel an active body, to indulgent dessert creations to satisfy the palette and soothe the soul. This blog is written by me, and cooking and creating new and exciting tastes is my passion. I'm also an athlete, and I put a lot of weight into what my body is running on. If you want to perform and feel your absolute best, what you choose to consume is simple: natural, whole ingredients and a diet that's modest in sugar, sodium and fat. I am not a nutritionist; I am not a career chef. However, I care about my health, and I love to make (and eat!) delicious food. And I don't settle for mere mediocrity in either of these areas.
Why "spiced nuts" and "wild honey?" Nuts and honey are just two examples of ingredients that are whole, hearty and healthy. Wild honey is a natural food - instead of refined sugar, you can use honey to sweeten up your tea or oatmeal. Nuts provide protein, fiber, healthy fat and lots of vitamins and minerals. We can jazz up any nutritious foods with a bit of spice. And spices also provide antioxidants, protecting your body from cancer and disease.
For the past several years, I've made almost every recipe in many of my cookbooks, combed through cooking and health magazines, and looked forward to every grocery store visit with secret anticipation. Ah yes, the grocery store - a place where I can browse through endless brands, flavors and ingredients--some that I've come for and others that I've never heard of, but of course can find a place for.
There's something grand about making a dish from scratch: the selection of fresh ingredients to include, the mixing of those ingredients, the creation of something new, the artistic arrangement of the food on the plate or bowl, and of course, the love and care you put into it - that makes all the difference between a store-bought cake and a homemade one.
The bottom line? I once heard this phrase, which I think sums it up pretty well: "One must eat to live, not live to eat." In other words, take everything in moderation. Nourish yourself with good-for-you food. Take care of your body, and you'll look and feel your best. It's not something you do today and are done with tomorrow. It's a lifestyle attitude.
