After more than a year of thinking about this little project, I am doing it! Thank you for popping by. I really hope that Kitchen Below Canal becomes one of your regular stops.
So what is Kitchen Below Canal, anyway?
First and foremost, it’s whole foods, big flavors! It’s a shame that the two don’t coexist more often. I also hope that this site is a nice place to hang out for those of you who love to cook. Think of the vibe you have when a bunch of your friends are gathered around the kitchen. I want you to find some of that here.
What is your food philosophy?
I don’t adhere to a specific school of thought on food and there isn’t much that I absolutely won’t eat. I’ve never been much of a “rules” girl so expect Kitchen Below Canal to be a bit of a mash up.
I eat a plant heavy diet but I will probably never be a vegan. There are too many committed omnivores in our home and I happen to like to cook for them. (Plus, bidding a permanent farewell to Louisiana seafood might send me into a bit of a tailspin.) But I hope that my vegan friends feel welcome here. If you click on the recipe link above, you will notice that there is a vegan tab just for you. Paleo recipes will be marked, too, so if that’s your jam, I’ll try to have your back.
Diets aside, I believe in actually enjoying food. This may be a healthful food website but that will never be code for “let’s starve ourselves”. Starving is uncool. You deserve better! We all do. As a mom, I am keenly aware that my children are influenced by the way I eat. I want them to have a healthy relationship with food. I do believe in splurging sometimes. I will probably share some of my splurges from time to time because they’re part of my real life.
Physical nourishment is obviously a huge factor in the way I cook. But beyond that, I see food as a way to connect. It’s a way to connect with others. It’s a way to connect with yourself. Some of my happiest times are preparing a meal for the people I love and seeing them enjoy the food I make. I also like making a meal just for me on the very rare occasions that I have the apartment to myself. But I don’t cook every single night. Some days we have too much going on in our household and some nights, I am just tired!
Cooking is not a contest. If you are the mom who has all that you can handle and you just ordered takeout for the tenth night in a row, please know that I really do get it. I have 100% been there. (It’s easy to take a picture of pretty food but that never shows the mess in the background, does it?) If you have the picky eater, you might take comfort in the fact that I have one, too. He’s not touching my quinoa. It’s fine. I’m not painting a perfect picture here. Real life is complicated.
At the end of the day, we are all just doing the best we can. Let’s let that be enough. We are on the same team.
With all of that said, welcome to Kitchen Below Canal! I hope you like the recipes!
—
Dawn
