About

What you’ll find here: healthy omnivorous recipes with an occasional  decadent twist. I’m bound to stick in some nutrition stuff and probably some food travelogueing (is that even a word?), but the blog is mainly recipe chat and amateurish photos of what I’m cooking for family, friends and work.

What you won’t find here: super niche ingredients (although I do love pomegranate molasses), recipes involving boxed cake mix or tinned soup, fancy or fiddly stuff. No offence if you like verjuice, green bean casserole or caviar-stuffed quail’s eggs but you probably won’t find those here (never say never though).

Who am I ? (semi-short version): I’m Kellie, a food-obsessed Floridian living in the beautiful city of Edinburgh for more years than I care to admit. I am blessed with a gorgeous family who willingly eat almost everything that I make, although they aren’t too keen on starving as I faff with my camera and moan about the lighting (our northerly latitude is a new pet hate). Growing up I loved eating Cuban and Florida-style foods – plenty of grouper sandwiches, hushpuppies and my mother’s piccadillo.  My earliest food memory is of a slightly crispy grilled cheese sandwich with a side of dill pickles. Mmm. Today I still love these types of foods but have expanded my repertoire a bit. You’re more likely now to find me hovering over a steaming bowl of roasted butternut squash soup, possibly owing to the massive temperature difference…

Who am I? (TMI version): Unsurprisingly, I love food – reading about it, shopping for it, cooking and eating it (cleaning up after it – meh). Food is a big part of my life. I’m lucky enough to work with food too, as a health educationist and nutrition adviser with the estimable Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres. Shorthanded as Maggies, the 11 centres (and growing) are charitably run havens of exquisite architectural beauty and tranquillity that provide information, psychological support and practical help to patients and their families. All are sited alongside major cancer centres. Over the past seven years I have been privileged in providing nutrition workshops and individual sessions for those needing a bit of a boost to their energy and immunity during cancer treatment and recovery. I also see people who, although their cancer is not curable, want to live life to the full. I know it sounds cliche but working in this environment is incredibly inspiring and humbling. Hand on heart, I learn something new at each session.

As part of the course I put together a nutritious and – I hope – tasty, mainly vegan lunch bringing to life many of the things that we talk about in the sessions. In discussions emphasis is on plant foods for their taste and potential cancer-fighting properties, but I fully embrace meatier, fishier options too. Just not in vast quantities. Or coated in artery-clogging sauces.

Just so we’re clear, I am not a vegetarian and this isn’t a veggie blog. Healthy omnivore with an occasional decadent twist is the aim. As a mission statement, food to glow will strive to post the yummiest, most enticing plant-based recipes this side of a fairly decent cafe in a small town with no real competition. Nothing like aiming high! Meat, fish, dairy and sweet things will have a look in but it’s really about the plants – their colours, tastes and versatility. Some recipes will be originals (or at least I haven’t come across them), while most will be healthy (-ier) riffs on old favourites or tweaks on cookbook and blog finds. Although not considered humane I do test out all recipes on my long-suffering (but very healthy) family and friends. Tempeh has not been a huge hit but I’m working on it…

Favourites: This list will undoubtedly expand, but for now…my favourite Cuban sandwich shop in Tampa is the West Tampa Sandwich Shop (great cafe con leche too). Who needs a trendy panini when you can have 4 kinds of meat, several cheeses, mayo and pickle lovingly hot-pressed between two butter-topped slices of chewy Cuban bread. I also love the salads at Nordstrom’s department store (gotta balance out the Cuban sandwich). My favourite special occasion restaurant, just across the bridge from Edinburgh, is the fabulously bijou Wee Restaurant, while for a hit of spice and heat we train it over to Glasgow for Malaysian food at Rumours Kopitiam (dodgy name, great food).  The casual French bistro, Cafe Marlayne, in Edinburgh’s picturesque New Town is our go-to place for family celebrations, although we’ve yet to have room for one of their delicious looking desserts. The best cheese board in the Universe is located at the Isle of Eriska Hotel, Scottish Highlands (yummy E’Spa spa too). Favourite hotel has got to be Gleneagles, Perthshire Scotland – golf heaven, view heaven, breakfast buffet heaven (four kinds of smoked salmon!). My favourite kitchen gadget is my husband. My favourite thing to cook is birthday cake, for my daughter.

Disclaimer: All posts and information provided within this blog is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not to be construed as medical advice or instruction. No action should be taken solely on the contents of this website. Please consult your doctor or a qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health and well being, or on any opinions expressed within this website. The advice of your doctor/health professional supersedes that of this website. The information provided in foodtoglow is believed to be accurate based on the best judgment of the author. However, you as the reader must be responsible for consulting with your own health professional on matters raised within. I , the author of foodtoglow, will not accept responsibility for the actions or consequent results of any action taken by any reader. Unless, of course the advice makes you feel great or learn to love vegetables!