Meet Chef Abby
I love food! I wake up thinking about bell peppers, I daydream about smoked paprika, and I fall asleep thinking about muffins. Ask me what I plan to make for dinner next Tuesday, and I can probably tell you. And good luck finding space in my pantry or fridge, much to my husband’s annoyance! I love food.
Sadly, though, much of the food I used to eat didn’t love me back. I was constantly in GI distress and bloated, and continuously tired. I didn’t immediately correlate my overall malaise to the food, though. I assumed if I “cheated” and had dairy every few days, knowing my body couldn’t process dairy, that I would only pay for it for a few hours after eating, then everything in my body would settle back to normal. But I was feeling worse and worse, and nothing was helping, so I started experimenting with my diet. I paid attention to which foods my body tolerated well and fueled me to feel my best versus which my body clearly could not handle. These insights led to a new way of cooking and eating for my family and me. As our approach to eating changed, we noticed other changes in our lives too. Because we felt better, we had more energy and were more motivated to make daily movement a part of our lives – walking, biking, yoga, etc. Our moods improved, and our home was a much happier place to be. However, I battle with a chronic health condition, and whenever I experienced a flare-up, cooking was the last thing I wanted to do. Sometimes just getting dressed took all my energy for the day. So, selecting a healthy recipe, going to the store to source the ingredients, prepping everything, and then cooking and cleaning up were entirely out of the question. Instead, I would resort to quick-fix meals full of processed ingredients or takeout. After eating this way for even a day or two, my husband and I would note that our energy had flagged, our moods got gloomy, and even the dog didn’t seem to want to go for walks!
At this point, there was no denying our diets affected our daily lives more than we ever thought. So, I quit my job in corporate America and enrolled concurrently in culinary school thru Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts and the Institute for Integrative Nutrition’s health coaching program. Through these programs, I learned a holistic approach to wellness AND how to mince, dice, sauté, and braise like a professional! Throughout culinary school, a French-based program, I would make multiple iterations of each assignment – one being the school-assigned meat, butter, heavy cream-riddled French classic and one plant-based and gluten-free version. Holy moly, what an education! I found so many flavorful new ingredients I never knew I loved. Even my husband, who was a firm believer in wheat and meat, loved most of my plant-based, gluten-free recipes. I graduated from the programs with a virtual recipe box full of delicious, nutritious, classically French-influenced meals and an entirely new understanding of health.
And so, All Ways Nourished was born. I started All Ways Nourished to spread the knowledge I gained. All Ways Nourished’s mission is to feed and nourish the mind, belly, and spirit of our community with personalized, fresh, nutritious, homemade meals that delight the senses. I am delighted that you found us!
