The Healthy Epicurean 2023: Setting The Table With Nourishing, Craveable Food

Step into the vibrant world of culinary creativity with Julie Andrews, the passionate registered dietitian and chef behind The Healthy Epicurean. From the comfort of her Midwest kitchen, Julie is a one-woman powerhouse, taking charge of every aspect of her culinary ventures. With her unwavering commitment to health-conscious eating and her insatiable love for all things delicious, Julie brings to life a symphony of flavors that captivate the senses and nourish the body. As a registered dietitian, Julie seamlessly weaves her deep understanding of nutrition into her recipe creations, ensuring that every dish not only tantalizes taste buds but also fuels the body with wholesome goodness.So, whether you seek a wholesome meal that nourishes both body and soul or an indulgent treat that satisfies every craving, Julie Andrews, the visionary behind The Healthy Epicurean, invites you to step into her Midwest kitchen and savor the magic she creates with each dish. Prepare to embark, with Delivery Rank, on a culinary adventure like no other, where health and flavor merge in a harmonious symphony that will leave you craving more.

How did your background as a registered dietitian influence your approach to cooking and creating recipes for The Healthy Epicurean?

I believe that cooking (mostly) for yourself and having a healthy relationship with food are the core of being the healthiest version of yourself. My passion is inspiring and educating others to cook simple, nutritious meals for themselves and their families. I love to help people gain confidence in the kitchen, and I feel the content I create helps do that; I also love to see families gathered around the table with my recipes and meals as the thing that brings them

together.

Can you share a favorite recipe from The Healthy Epicurean that showcases how you balance flavor and health-conscious ingredients? What makes it special?

My tagline is “Setting the table with nourishing, craveable food” and I truly believe I embrace that with each and every recipe and meal I create. Each of my recipes is uniquely crafted to be simple AND delicious, meaning each step in the recipe process is as simple as possible (minimizing dish use, no unnecessary steps, uses ingredients that can be easily sourced for the majority of the population, etc.) while also building and layering flavors (sauteing spices in oil to release more flavor, seasoning appropriately, using fresh, canned and frozen ingredients where suitable, etc.). I am very mindful of overall satisfaction when creating recipes.

One of my favorite family recipes is my Cheesy Taco Pasta. It checks all of the boxes – it uses just one pan, so there are minimal dishes involved plus it comes together in less than 30 minutes; it is a family favorite-style recipe, meaning even picky eaters will love it; it utilizes nutrient-rich canned ingredients (diced tomatoes, black beans, whole grain pasta; it’s protein-rich from the lean taco meat used; it’s loaded with flavor from the spices; there are several ways to change up the recipe to meet taste preferences and nutrition needs/desires; it makes great leftovers; there are multiple ways to have the kids help out with recipe prep (pouring ingredients into the pot, chopping/tearing herbs, adding spices to the meat, choosing their toppings, etc.). It really is a home run of a recipe!

https://thehealthyepicurean.com/cheesy-taco-pasta/

Are there any particular dietary restrictions or health conditions that you frequently encounter among your clients?

My recipes are mostly those that can easily be altered to meet the nutrition needs of my audience. I generally find that people just want to eat a little bit better, so I cater to that, but I provide suggestions in each recipe post on how to make the recipe gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian/vegan, nut free and egg free, as well as lower sugar and sodium. I truly hope the majority of people can relate to the way I cook and can easily make substitutions as needed.

In your opinion, what are some common misconceptions or myths about healthy eating that you often encounter, and how do you debunk them through your work?

There is so much information out there about nutrition, I truly think it’s confusing and overwhelming for a lot of people. Nutrition is a complicated science and each individual has unique needs when it comes to nutrition, but in general I try to make healthy eating less complicated by threading more nutritious ingredients into each recipe I make as well as removing barriers such as time, budget, overwhelm (too much conflicting nutrition information out there) and lack of confidence in the kitchen. I want people to feel confident in the kitchen and I think that starts with making healthier eating accessible, simple and practical.

Can you share an inspiring success story from one of your clients who experienced significant positive changes in their health and well-being after adopting the principles and recipes from The Healthy Epicurean?

Most of my audience are busy families who are looking to eat a bit better, while still enjoying what they eat. One of my favorite stories is actually about a friend of mine. She is a 30-something who is a busy professional and always felt overwhelmed with all of the conflicting advice regarding nutrition and healthy eating. She wanted simple and practical recipes that she could use to plan while working around her hectic work schedule. She didn’t want to have to think about counting calories or if she could find the ingredients to cook with at her local grocery store. She bought all 3 of my cookbooks and used the recipes on my website to plan, along with some of my cooking videos, to meal plan and increase her confidence in the kitchen. Several years later, she is still cooking my recipes and using the skills she has learned and feels more confident in the kitchen, has more energy to fuel her busy lifestyle and intense exercise

regimen, and her overall health and well-being has improved. I call that a big win!

If you would like to find out more about The Healthy Epicurean, visit https://thehealthyepicurean.com/