Cast Iron Canteen has just launched!

I’m so excited to announce that my website Cast Iron Canteen is finally here! I look forward to sharing recipes that taste like the comfort of home but are still good for your health, building a positive community of readers and offering stories and lessons based on my own food journey.

Why I’m starting this blog?

I grew up in the country, eating wholesome foods. My mother is an amazing cook, and my father a hunter and fisherman. I worked in a kitchen throughout college, I love food. I’ve always loved food.

As an adult I moved to the city.  Unaccustomed to cooking for myself (and unable to find the time and effort to do it), I ate nearly every meal outside the home. I have so many favourites. For three years my fridge remained empty 90% of the time and I purchased meals on the go.

Finally, at the end of 2013 I hit a low point. Or rather a high point. My weight had reached its highest point ever. I’ve struggled with maintaining a healthy weight most of my life, but I was finally forced to take a hard look at my eating habits.  A few things stuck out at me.

1. All of the meals outside the home were costing me a fortune, and my health was really starting to deteriorate. I felt sluggish after meals. I had heartburn 90% of the time. My knees hurt walking up or down stairs.  I felt sad looking in the mirror. And I was always hungry.
2. Despite making reasonably healthy choices outside the home, my weight seemed out of control.  I was not snacking yet the scale was telling me otherwise.
3. My fridge at home remained empty. Keeping an empty fridge was my way of controlling the urge to snack.  It also represented my cluelessness about the depth of my problem with food.

But I’ve made changes and am already reaping the benefits.

It’s been said that we learn best when we learn the hard way.  I snapped out of denial.  I put myself on the scale and held myself accountable.  The truth was hard to face–food is so integral to our individual human journeys.  For me, food has been a constant source of comfort in good times, bad times.

Cast Iron Canteen represents my personal journey to discover the best way of balancing a busy lifestyle and preparing meals at home without sacrificing time, budget or taste. I grew up with country cooking, and now live a fast-paced urban life.  I want the taste of home with the sophistication of a modern lifestyle. I want the best of both worlds. Cast Iron Canteen also recognizes the power food has in our lives to shape transformation, and at all times, you will find a tone that is positive, encouraging and accepting.

The best part? This is just the beginning!

Use the links at the right to sign up for updates or follow me on social media.  As I get things off the ground and rolling, I expect to update twice per week, more often as time allows. Leave a comment and let me know your relationship with food, as well as your favorite ingredients!

Bottom line: you’ve got to eat well to live well.