It all started with a 'Big Dog' who had to eat, his coining of the term Food Dance (which apparently I do subconsciously every time I eat) and his insistence that I should really do something in Nutrition. . . 13yrs later, after doing just about everything else I am heeding the call to create fooddance.org.

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I did not come from a food rich background, rather my passion stems from the longing for the times in my first few years where we still had home cooked meals gathered around the table, the summer where we tried our hand at gardening, the fresh oranges and walnuts Nanny would bring by, picking cherry tomatoes on the playground in Montessori and visits to a schoolmates family farm at Halloween.

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My family changed pretty quickly after the 5th child, the addition of cable TV, my parents separation and a few other life events.  By my 4th grade year we were being raised predominantly on fast and processed foods, typically eating in front of the TV or in the car; what little home cooking we had was often made by us kids with a pretty limited cooking skillset.  My mom also struggled for many years with her weight, trying every weight loss and exercise plan that came out, but would always gain it back and then some.

 

Somehow in spite of all that, I have managed to maintain a pretty healthy relationship with food. 

I obtained my BS in Biology from UCSD, and a few years later when considering nursing, I did additional study in nutrition and health.  Within that window, I had also been diagnosed with Celiac disease which at that time there was very little public information on, so I started doing my own research.  Finding out I had Celiac was actually a blessing in disguise, it really forced me to focus on what I was eating and changed my attitude about and relationship with food and reignited my early childhood food love.

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Fast forward a few years and I have created this platform to share knowledge, skills, passion for food and the environment, so that we can all feel empowered to live healthier more mindful and sustainable lives.