Joy is a holistic nutritionist, author, and mama!
My blog started in 2009 with a simple idea--I wanted to share my love of food and wellness with the world. I had suffered from my own health challenges for several years and had healed my own body using natural health remedies and lifestyle changes. I knew that if I could do it, perhaps my story would inspire others to do the same. This is why I went back to school to study holistic nutrition to learn more about biochemistry, body metabolism, and why food can be either medicine or poison. Going to school set this passion for wellness I already had on fire! I’ve always loved cooking and baking and my blog was the perfect opportunity to share this with my community.
Both my parents cooked but my mom did the majority of it and she was amazing at both cooking and baking. In the fall, my mom would always make baked apples with cinnamon and raisins and an amazing apple crisp for Sunday night dinners with both my grandmothers. Every birthday, my mom would make whatever my heart desired. Often, that was stuffed Cornish hen and, for dessert, she would bake lemon cake. It was the moistest and fluffiest cake--sooooo delicious!
My dad was great at making homemade pasta sauce, seafood chowder, and chili. I’m getting hungry just thinking about it! If I had to choose one meal, it would probably be spaghetti Bolognese. Whether we were camping or having dinner on a school night, spaghetti Bolognese was always comforting. Every dinner, my mom would make a big salad, which is probably why I’ve always loved salads!
I grocery shop a minimum of twice a week because I always go to the farmer’s market on Mondays or Saturdays and then do one big grocery shop at the supermarket. I always have nuts and seeds, nut butters, quinoa, beans and lentils, seasonal fresh fruits and veggies, fish, organic eggs, dairies such as sheep milk yogurt (my daughter loves it), coconut oil, avocado, sauerkraut, coconut milk, and organic chicken. I also stock my freezer with frozen fruits and veggies. I store all my flours for baking in the freezer, and protein as well. My grocery bill fluctuates a lot week to week because some stuff will last a month (ie. olive oil), while fruits and veggies need to be purchased every week.
Every summer, we visit my father-in-law in Austria, so as I’m sure you can imagine, there are a lot of different foods to discover. The grossest thing I’ve tried is blood sausage. It was pretty unpleasant, but I still love trying new foods!
From a business perspective, my biggest accomplishment has been my first book, Joyous Health. Having a book was a dream come true and having a second book, Joyous Detox, was dream #2 coming to reality. From a personal perspective, I’m most proud of our baby girl Vienna. She’s two in September and she’s the best thing to ever happen to my husband and me as a couple. She’s so much fun!
My dream kitchen is mostly white and very bright, with punches of color and natural finishes like marble and wood. The knick-knacks would be very meaningful but also useful. I would have every single kitchen appliance my heart desires but it would be stored away, not all over the counter. I LOVE pottery and finding unique plates and bowls at garage sales. I love cooking and entertaining so I would want to have a HUGE island that can seat at least 8 people and have tons of counter space to create magic.
Spent with my family, going for a walk in high park and making all our meals at home.
A hug.
A chamomile tea. Sounds weird, but the calmer I am when public speaking, the more confident I feel.
Chocolate.
Seeing into the future, because then I would always be prepared.
Just do it. I know this is the Nike slogan, but I can’t think of anything that tops this. If you’re passionate about nutrition, then make a plan of action to get yourself into the career of your dreams. One thing that really helped me succeed and move forward in the early days was putting on my blinders and not worrying about what other people in my industry were doing. Rather than comparing myself, I just blazed my own trail. A lot of people tell me they feel stuck, they’ve graduated from the school of their dreams, but can’t seem to get going with their business. This is what my new business course is all about--helping people take their passion and turn it into a thriving business.
I created this lovely Chocolate Beet Smoothie Bowl because chocolate and beets go together magically!
When it's getting chilly out, I sip on this turmeric ginger tea. It warms you from the inside out and nourishes your whole being.
This recipe was inspired by the amazing Jamie Oliver's Instagram. My cookies are made with high-quality whole ingredients and they taste way more delicious than anything store-bought. Most importantly, they actually taste like digestive cookies.
