My Life

Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.

— Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

This book is a little of what I know about growing, preparing, sharing, eating, and enjoying homemade, delectable, and memorable meals that are actually good for you and good for the soul. I will help you not only prepare food but also know why you are eating it, besides the obvious, and give you some pointers on the spices, oils, and techniques that make the dish.

I believe in mindfulness and that mindful eating is conscious eating, an even better experience. Think about your body and all the parts that will flourish and be well nourished with everything it needs and what you give it.

Yes, I use shortcuts in some recipes, but if you learn the art of preparing a meal, you will find many ways to eat well and know your way around the grocery stores and farm markets as well as the kitchen. I will share some of my travel experiences in this book as well, as they always bring me back to the wonderful food that new places and tastes bring, to help elevate even the most sophisticated palate.

Of course, I admit to being a full-blooded and full-bodied Sicilian woman who believes health and food go together like Italian pane and vino. I was born and raised in the country on a fruit and horse farm and learned very early that having a garden of fresh vegetables and eating fruit off the tree, as well as knowing how to prepare these nutritional foods, was essential to my life. By the end of this book, you will realize that whatever you put in your mouth to eat affects your health. Unfortunately, there are many other influences in our lives that contribute negatively to our health, but this is the one thing we alone can control.

Growing up in the country, my family had many businesses, one of which was our country market. I spent many a summer, weekend, and holiday there, working and learning. I watched my parents explaining the simple ways of preparing the beautiful fresh goods, as well as growing the lovely herbs and plants we had in our greenhouse, and I felt very fortunate.

Spring opened up the market with Mother's Day and Easter plants in our beautiful greenhouse. In the summer, we would have a pick-ur-own strawberry patch and all the freshest of fruits and vegetables. Flowers covered the front of the market.

However, my favorite time of year was autumn: apple-picking time, a chill in the air, fresh raw cider, winter squash, pumpkins, and beautiful winter chrysanthemums lining the walkways. It was a busy time, as we were in two places at once. Thanksgiving was a joyous and grateful time, as harvest was over and Christmas on its way. My mother would always have a cornucopia on the table with fresh fruit and flowers of the season. Our horn of plenty was duly noted at our table.

At the end of the year, my father would reopen the market for a few short weeks to sell some of our beautiful Christmas trees, which was our customers' last visit for the year.

My first interest after high school was in health care. I worked in a hospital for a few years after college and then decided to start my own small business. I had many years working in the family businesses, dealing with the public and learning a lot, and decided to open a jean shop. What a great experience that was for my twenties! My 1957 Wurlitzer jukebox with all the flashing lights played endless rock 'n' roll for my customers. That was a great addition to their experience of shopping for funky blue jeans and their favorite rock band T-shirts.

After that, I moved to Florida and realized my passion was to help others in health care, and I learned much more working in the medical field. I ultimately broadened my career in the legal forum, using my medical knowledge as a successful tool. After many years of living and eating healthier, my interest in holistic medicine was evident. I finally received my bachelor's in holistic nutrition, became certified as a life coach, and realized at that time I had a lot of information that I needed to share. I found that many people avoid natural medicine and eating healthier for the simple reason they have not been exposed to or educated to understand it.

I will try to give you a healthy foundation, as well as some of my personal experiences, for the overall picture that I wish to paint for your complete experience of the Farmer's Daughter's book.

Buon appetito e la dolce vita!

The Pyramid

Our lives are not in the lap of the Gods, but in the lap of our cooks.

— Lin Yutang

If you are reading this book, by now you should have some idea of the different food groups to eat daily. This basically includes proteins, vegetables/fruits, dairy, grains, and fats.

I believe the largest part of the diet should be fresh food, mostly vegetarian based and colorful, and the least part animal protein and fats. First of all, processed foods have a limited use in my kitchen. Once you learn how to prepare these easy recipes, you will no longer want to put preservative-laden foods such as boxed potatoes and canned pastas into your body.

The food pyramid has changed over the years, and I believe for the better. A basic outline suggested is as follows: at the top, fats, oils, and sweets. Try to consume less than 30 percent or fifty grams per day of these. No matter what anyone says, you do need fats in your diet. But the problem is that not everyone knows the difference between good and bad fats. Everyone needs to tailor their fat consumption to their individual needs, so remember this is just a guideline.

Next on the list are dairy, yogurt, and cheese. This is a tough group for me, as I love mozzarella, ricotta, and feta. But two to three servings of dairy per day can't hurt. Yogurt can help your gut, for instance. Some people are lactose intolerant, but there are many items today that help with that.

Meat, fish, eggs, beans, and nuts are your proteins. You need them for muscle mass. You want to be strong and able to carry your bones around. Eat at least two to three servings a day and stay on the leaner side of animal protein. I prefer fish and find that I can get good fats and protein in salmon.

Vegetables and fruits are so important. I can eat every kind I know, and I love to mix them up with pasta, of course. I could drizzle delicious olive oil over any vegetable on earth. Eat at least three to five servings of vegetables per day, and you will feel so good.

Fruits do have sugar, so some people may eat fewer than two to four servings per day....