Welcome to KitchenLove Stories.
I’m a wife, step-mom and business owner who enjoys creating fresh and healthy plant-based edibles. Regaining my health was a long journey for me and I love sharing what I’ve learned and have been inspired to create over the years. This site is a hobby and educational food adventure for me.
I was raised on a less than optimum diet that included lots of processed foods with enormous amounts of refined white sugar and caffeine. I still recall a comment by a school mate who once said that I ate more sugar than anyone he had ever seen. And I enjoyed every bite. I loved my junk food. I admit it. But I was paying a big price for it. I was riddled with so many health issues I could barely function. Some of these issues included severe hypoglycemia, insomnia, migraines, anemia, depression, chronic bladder infections, ongoing flus and infections, not to mention I was very underweight and emaciated looking. I was also hooked on sleeping pills off and on (seconals were the drug of choice for me) due to my chronic insomnia. As I later learned, these “conditions” were due to severe deficiencies which impacted every area of my body and life. Many of my dreams had already been shattered due to my poor health. One day I decided to do something about it.
I started looking for answers which led me down the road of nutrition. I began to reduce my sugar intake and added more whole foods into my diet. I felt better instantly. Wanting to learn all I could, I read every health book I could get my hands on and attended every natural healing seminar I could. It became on obsession culminating in my working with alternative cancer therapy clinics and several health-oriented and animal welfare organizations. I became very passionate about improving my health and the health of others. I’ve experimented a lot with different whole food diets during those early years and I can honestly say I’ve tried just about everything. My journey ultimately led me to a mostly raw plant-based diet where I’ve been happily camped for a long time now (in fact almost 18 years!). It just works for me on so many levels. I might veer off course occasionally but I pretty stay true to this way of life because it works for me.
My personal journey was long and convoluted and I often learned things the hard way but it was my journey and no one else could make it for me. And you’ll have your own unique journey as well. My advice to you if you’re just beginning to explore the often confusing world of health foods is eat whole unrefined fresh foods (especially veggies and plant items) as much as possible, avoid strict labels and dogma, and listen to your body (it really does help guide you). Along the ever-changing path you’re going to discover a lot about yourself and what your body needs. This may take you down different roads at different times, and it’s very important to keep an open mind and allow for those changes to occur naturally. The most important thing is to always keep moving forward and never lose sight of your health goals. And please enjoy yourself along the way. The entire purpose of getting well is to enjoy life more fully, and ultimately inspire others with your own gifts.
The recipes on this website are my own creations. I’m always learning and experimenting in the kitchen and enjoy my time there. I try to use the best ingredients possible because I believe that whole natural organic foods are what we were designed to mainly eat. They taste better and are better for you, the environment, and the planet as a whole. See if you don’t feel better after just one week of increasing your fresh food intake.
Most of the recipes here are raw and plant-based with the occasional cooked recipe added for variety. Some of the cooked recipes can be made raw as well as noted in the instructions. I eat mostly raw foods but I also regularly include small amounts of cooked foods. Again do what works best for you. These recipes are here simply to inspire you to make your own creations. Most of the recipes are paleo and primal-friendly while others can be modified to suit most any diet. I am always tweaking and fine-tuning my recipes to make them as accessible as possible without compromising the flavor and health aspects. I usually include numerous substitutions and alternatives for your convenience.
All of the images on this website are my own. Making food is such a large part of my life and I love sharing what I make visually too.
I hope that you find the recipes and information presented on these pages inspiring and helpful, and the website easy to maneuver around. It was created to help both you and myself gain a better understanding of how our bodies work while enjoying delicious healthy foods.
This website is a continual work in progress so please check back often. Feel free to send me questions, comments and suggestions at the Contact Page.
Thank you again for checking out this website and for supporting my efforts.
Lovingly to Your Good Health,
Carmen