Welcome!
On the beautiful grounds of Mt View Orchards in Mt Hood, Oregon
Oh I’m so happy you’re here. Welcome welcome to my little food blog. This is where I combine my enduring love of comfort food with my daily goal of eating well. I hope you find something (lots of things!) you want to make and eat.
So who am I? My name's Amanda. I grew up in Pennsylvania and moved to Portland, Oregon in 2007, where I felt so at home for 9 lovely years. I think it was the gray skies, amazing food and ever present focus on creative living. Such a good fit.
In early 2016 my husband was offered a job in Northern California, beginning this adventure of creating home in the sweet little city of Winters. We've been so pleased to find friendly people, beautiful land and yes, lots more good food.
My degree is in human development, so for about 10 years I worked with kiddos, in and out of the classroom. As much as I've loved that, it feels really good to have shifted gears as I learn about food, nutrition and healthy living. Which makes this blog feel like the natural next step, as I share what I'm learning with you.
Things I do not love
- Dusting
- Spiders
- High heels
- Scary things
- Loud noises
- Anything soggy
- The word "soggy"
Things I love
- All things Thad
- Playing games
- Sniffing all the scented candles in the store
- Yoga
- Salvaging things
- Sensible footwear
- Wearing pj's whenever I can
- Exploring the Pacific Northwest
Where I’m coming from...
This website is not primarily about weight-loss, but that’s where this story starts. Within the last several years, as I've moved through my 20's and settled into my 30's, I've watched my weight slowly creep up, pound by pound. So slowly that it was almost easy to overlook. Almost.
Running through the birds (Cannon Beach, OR)
Thad and I got engaged on New Year's Eve 2012, and as our wedding approached early 2013, I made a huge [unpleasant] effort to lose that weight. And I succeeded. Well, "succeeded" in the sense that most of the weight came off in time for the ceremony. But then, as the following year and a half brought wedded happies and marriage adventures, it also brought back every single pound. Plus 5 more. Super.
I realized that if I didn’t change something soon, eventually I'd have to climb out of a much bigger hole than I was already in. The rub? I didn’t know what I was doing wrong. It was so frustrating. I thought I ate well. Was I just experiencing the inevitable slowing metabolism of someone getting older? Maybe. (Gah!) It made me feel so out of control. Every time I tried counting and restricting calories I’d lose a couple pounds, get frustrated and gain it back. Plus a few more. (GAH!) And even if calorie counting worked long-term, I hated it. HATED it.
So what happened late 2014 that made a difference? I started learning about how sugar affects the body, and what "low-glycemic" means. I was SO ready for a change that as soon as I found something that made sense to me, I dove in and started down a very different dietary road.
What a revelation it was. Yes, the pounds came off (YAY!). But more amazingly, I learned what it means to be satisfied by my food. No more over-eating just to feel full, and then getting hungry an hour later. No more feeling gross after eating food my body didn't want in the first place. No more sugar highs and weak, shaky crashes. It was awesome.
Don't get me wrong, figuring out how to sustainably manage my weight still feels like a miracle. But this is about more than that. It's about learning to nourish my body with real food. So I’ve created this website full of recipes and information that have helped me on my way, with the hope that they're helpful to you too. Whether you're already eating well, or making a shift toward eating better. I’m just happy to share what I know, because it’s made my life better.
And the hugest THANK YOU!
I can't allow this site to be, without acknowledging all the fantastic people who've helped me create it. Happily, my fingerprints are not the only ones all over it. Recipe testers, proof readers, idea-bouncers, farmers and my husband, Thad (my biggest cheerleader, favorite food taster and constant encourager).
So, the hugest thank you to everyone who has helped me do this. I really couldn't have undertaken such a giant project without your willingness to be a part of it. So much love to you, friends.