Roots

How Foodie Meets Dietitian

I asked myself “how did I really become a foodie?” The answer to that is... I don’t really know. I asked myself the same question about how I became a registered dietitian and the answer is similar. The road seemed to be a long one, with a couple of detours, but I wouldn’t change a thing about how I got to where I am. From four years at Iowa State --> one year as a consultant for Tri Delta --> two years of graduate school/dietetic internship in Springfield, MO --> back to North Iowa as the outpatient dietitian at MercyOne Forest Park Family Medicine. I know there are many more years of fun to come.

My passion for nutrition all started when I was a sophomore in high school discovering how an apple with peanut butter could provide me with more sustainable energy than a slice of Casey’s pizza (not hating on their pizza, it’s one of a kind) before a basketball game. I realized very quickly how my body felt so different if I fueled it with foods that loved me as much as I loved them. Not to say I didn’t hesitate to have that walking taco after a game, but you get the point.

Describing my discovery of my passion for food is less clear. I truly just think that over time I realized the happiness and creativity I felt when I challenged myself to a new recipe and the explosion of flavor that came from it, that is when it turned out right. Yes, I too have had many kitchen failures. The one that specifically comes to mind is when I was about 10 years old and thought bread could be made from flour, water, and salt in the microwave oven. Boy, were my mom and dad troopers.

I absolutely love whole, fresh, local food and get pure joy out of fueling my body with quality ingredients. Ingredients and products that I can read, understand, pronounce, and know what their purpose is. Being healthy to me is not about not eating Mac & Cheese, it’s about taking the time to make wholesome noodles with simple ingredients, adding in different variety of locally sources cheeses, cream, and seasonings that are true food.

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