I love to repost this message every so often especially around the holiday season. I find it empowering and I hope you will too!
You all know the “drill” about Cuisinicity: It is all about Love of gathering around a festive table; love of good food, and good health; love of our planet; it is about loving food that loves you back!
….of course those are not marching orders, it is just an invitation!
YOU are the boss! But for that to be true, you need to have choices. You need to be able to decide what dietary pattern best works for you and for your family.
The good news in that regard is that there isn’t just one specific narrow diet that is known to be best for health, as my husband writes about all the time (here is an article he wrote in the Annual Reviews of Public Health, and here is another one he co-authored with Dr Frank Hu from the Harvard School of Public Health). Rather, there is a broad theme of optimal eating that is clearly best for health and best for the planet, but there are lots of different variations on that theme, so there are plenty of choices to accommodate everyone’s taste, preferences and heritage.
The common theme among all diets, be they vegan, vegetarian, paleo, pescatarian or omnivorous is very clear: Lots of vegetables, fruits, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds and wholegrains. Ask anyone from the True Health Initiative–physicians, scientists, nutritionists, culinary chefs alike, from vegan to paleo: They all agree!
The beauty of it is that, as long as these wholesome foods are a staple within your preferred diet–the theme– you are indeed the one to decide on the variation within that theme: if you prefer a healthy Mediterranean diet, or prefer a healthy vegetarian or vegan diet, or a healthy American style diet, or any particular cuisine of any particular culture, you can pick and choose!
In our family, and therefore here at Cuisinicity, we have of course embraced that theme. In our case, it is more along the lines of Mediterranean cuisine because that is how I was brought up. That is part of who I am and my culture, and therefore what I love and prefer!

The love of Mediterranean cuisine was passed along to me by my Mom and my Aunt. Here I am, along side my beloved Aunt, Tatie DanDan, cooking a feast together in my kitchen!
But there is no dogmatic focus on any one specific approach. Cuisinicity represents over 25 years of our lives and therefore it has evolved. Over the years, we have certainly shifted more to plant-based dishes because of concerns about the environment, so of course it is reflected in my more recent recipes.
There are so many choices within the theme of healthy eating, so much room for one’s personal preference, and that’s a beautiful thing!
So, in this post, I thought I’d showcase that diversity and reissue the invitation for you to love the food that loves you back by reassembling a portfolio of wholesome dishes that you choose, just the way you love–be they vegan, or vegetarian, or gluten-free, with or without dairy or eggs, or with poultry, or with seafood, or with fish (you won’t find red meat because we just don’t eat it in our family), they all have that common theme of healthy eating: Lots of vegetables, fruits, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds and wholegrains.
The rest is up to you because…you’re the boss, and as they say in my part of the world….Vive la différence!
Bon appétit!
Catherine,
Thank you for the reminder and your balance towards a healthy life. I love your posts, blogs and recipes. I also love the links to your husbands articles. I read them all.
Thank you, Catherine, for creating Cuisinicity and all your inspiring healthy recipes.
It is delightful to watch your videos with your dynamic personality, uplifting and fun.
Both You and Your Husband are crusaders for health, and we are blessed to be on the receiving end of your expertise.
We all understand where your heart is and are so grateful for what you do.
The propaganda that is on social media and in print is misleading and disheartening, we just have to consider the source.
We must always “love the food that loves us back” plain and simple and be the Boss.
Respectfully,
Catherine L
Thank you so much Catherine for your beautiful words and support, it means so much to David and me! 🙂
Dear Catherine,
Catherine L. said it very well!! I concur!! :)))
Thanks for all you do,
Caroline???
Inspiring, as always. Thank you for Cuisinicity, and the occasional reminders in the form of beautiful pictures and mouth watering descriptions. Makes me wish I had a Nona.
Hahah Thank you Sue!!! Your kind words went right to my heart! 🙂
Thank you for your thoughtful comments about loving the food that loves us. My husband and I are moving to a more plant based diet but we are also the products of our upbringing. With that said we have moved to raising our own meat which includes chicken, turkey, and grass-fed beef and having at least 2 vegetables ( not including his beloved potatoes) at lunch and supper. We are also trying to eat fish at least once a week although it is hard to come by good fresh seafood in Northern Vermont. Thanks for the inspiration, we are trying small steps in the hopes that we can maintain the change.
Dear Arlene, That is wonderful! That’s absolutely what counts! Any incremental step toward a healthy diet is a giant step, so good for you and your husband!!! 🙂 🙂