Introduction

Growing up in a First nations Cree Family, one of the first words you learn in the Cree language is mitchiso, which when translated means “eat.” My grandpa told us living off the land was the healthiest way to live. He always made sure there was more than enough wild meat, freshwater fish, root vegetables, and bannock (a simple and delicious round bread made by indigenous peoples) to go around. He lived off the land as a hunter and trapper. In the fall, he would go away to his trapline (taking his German shepherd, Sparky, to serve as a loyal companion), and after several months he would return with pelts to sell at auction and wild meat, fresh fish, and wild tea to feed his family. Any extra was always shared among community members. It wasn’t until years later I realized my grandpa lived a very traditional hunter-gatherer lifestyle—a similar approach I would adopt that would heal my body from the inside out, and change my life.

I was raised in The Pas, Manitoba, a town of about 5000 people approximately 600 kilometers northwest of the province’s capital. The small town sits on the Canadian Shield. One half is farmland, and the other half is limestone rock with beautiful lakes and forest. Even though the growing season was short, my mom made sure to plant a garden. Every year we would sit in the garden eating the dirt covered cucumbers, shocked at how different they tasted from store-bought. They were perfectly crunchy and sweet—just how they are supposed to taste. I still look forward to the taste of garden cucumbers after a long Canadian winter.

Despite my fond memories of growing up and the love and care my parents gave me, I had some traumatic experiences in day care and at school, and to deal with the crippling anxiety, I turned to food as an emotional crutch. I started binge eating at a very early age, and I was good at hiding it. I didn’t even recognize this behavior as a disorder until I was older, and I didn’t understand the effects binge eating would have on my body over time. When I graduated high school, I was extremely over-weight and completely lacked self-confidence. Worst of all, I hated myself for what I did to my body.

I didn’t learn how to cook for myself until after high school graduation. There I was, living in a new city, alone, barely scraping by. As a housewarming gift, my mom bought me a “beginners guide to cooking” type of cookbook. I cooked my way through that book over the year and loved all of the different foods I got to try. This is when I realized I really loved going through the motions of cooking and preparing a nice meal. It was therapeutic for me after a long day.

Mostly the dishes I was preparing were cheap comfort food. I almost never bought fresh produce because I thought it was too expensive, and I did not have money. I was also still using food as a crutch to dealing with what was going on inside. Feeling anxious? Eat. Had a bad day? Eat. Bad date? Eat. Just because I left my hometown didn’t mean everything changed. Disordered eating had become my normal. That’s how it was for so long and it’s how I coped. After a year away from home, I was at my heaviest weight physically—around 245 pounds—and mentally, I was completely drained. Every day was a pity party, and I was the only guest. I was so ashamed of who I was and lacked all motivation to make any big changes. I was very much a hermit during this time, going to work and then returning straight home. I felt as though I was just existing.

I struggled for years, jumping on and off the diet culture/fitness lifestyle bus. Book after book, diet after diet, excessive exercise, and restriction got me down 80 pounds. My focus was solely on losing weight as opposed to focusing on optimal health and making an overall lifestyle change. Nothing I was doing was sustainable for the long term, causing a yo-yo effect on my weight. I was constantly looking for the next best diet plan to try. It took years to find stability and fix my relationship with food from my starting point. Ten years exactly. Ten years of learning to be an adult, trying new diets, and living in new places.

I was working as a hairstylist. I loved the creativity that the profession allowed me but found myself less passionate about the industry—I had developed contact dermatitis from the heavy chemical use and still suffered from the eczema I’d had on and off since I was a toddler. I was burned out and tired of my weight fluctuating and feeling badly much of the time. I decided to adopt a mostly-paleo lifestyle, eating far fewer grains, legumes, dairy, and processed sugar, all while educating myself on all things related to holistic health. One day I stumbled on the Whole30 book. The Whole30 wasn’t just an- other diet. It set me on the path to gaining control of my health and gave me something sustainable to live by. The program changed my life in the best way possible, and it’s the reason I am doing what I do now. During the program, I was cooking every day and getting more creative with my meal ideas. I noticed that when I ate less dairy and sugar, my eczema was under control. I found ways to make the lifestyle work for my budget. I started a social media outlet to keep myself accountable, and I’ve never looked back. In a very short time, with the support of those who believed in me, I was able to create a space where I could share my personal thoughts, ideas, and my recipes. In March 2016, I published my blog to share my story and recipes and to connect with others, and began to get involved with the Whole30 community.

I quickly decided to make a career change and to make a commitment to holistic health. I quit my job, sold my home, and moved across the country to study at the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition. The program focused on whole foods and explained that everyone is different and that certain foods may work for one person but not another. I had been keeping certain foods out of my diet only because I felt I should, not because they didn’t actually work for me. After some experimentation, I found that I could add more whole foods like gluten-free grains and legumes to my diet, so throughout this book, you will find some recipes with gluten-free grains and legumes.

My goal is simple—to create simple, approachable recipes that require only basic kitchen tools to prepare. I want to show others that eating healthy can be affordable and sustainable, no matter where you live. If a recipe is too complicated, or ingredients are hard to source, I won’t make it. This is why all of the ingredients in my recipes can be purchased at any grocery store, can be homemade, or can be found seasonally at the farmers market. A lot of these recipes are inspired by the food my parents and grandparents made while I was growing up, just healthier versions. There are recipes that take minutes to put together, and others with longer cooking times. The book is separated into five easy-to-navigate chapters: Basics, for versatile homemade staples like tahini, coconut butter, and ghee. Breakfast, for new morning favorites like Vanilla Cardamom Chia Pudding, Apricot Parfait, and classics such as Eggs Benedict. On-The-Go, for Fruit & Nut Trail Mix and delicious smoothies. Summer, for fresh vibrant summer favorites. And Winter, for everything warm and comforting.

No matter where you live, or where you’re at in your health journey, I guarantee you will find the recipes in this book tasty and easy to make any day of the week, in any season of the year. I hope I can inspire you to cook, try different flavors, and most of all, live your healthiest life.