Our Mission

Our Mission:
As mothers, Dr. Kaycie and Chef Lilly understand the importance of keeping our families happy and healthy.  Feeding our families nourishing food is one of the primary ways to achieve this.  We are dedicated to combining the science of nutrition and the love of creating and eating wonderful food to help build the foundation for a healthy, fun family life.

Far more than a seasonal or family-oriented cooking guide, Health from the Hearth teaches parents how to keep ourselves and our families healthy throughout the year.  Going beyond the notion that nutrition is a static set of rules that apply to everyone, Health from the Hearth introduces the concept that our nutritional needs change as we move through the seasons and throughout life.

Why Eat Seasonally?
Eating seasonally makes sense for some easily apparent reasons:  the food will be fresher, and therefore have more nutritional value, and locally produced food will require less transport reducing the need for chemicals to increase shelf life as well as energy consumed in shipping.  In addition to this, Health from the Hearth brings together the concepts of seasonal eating and family health in a way that is new to the American reader by introducing the concept that our bodies need different types of food in different seasons.

Just as our nutritional needs change throughout life, our needs also change from season to season.  Eating seasonally helps provide optimal nutrition as we move through the year.  Health from the Hearth will help you learn how to utilize specific foods to nourish the organs and body processes that need support at different times of the year:

• • Springtime—Sprouting.  Assisting the body in awakening to warm weather and spring cleansing by supporting the liver and large intestine.  For more on the specifics of spring, see Dr Rosen Grigel’s article on Nourishing Ourselves in Springtime
  • Summer—Growth.  Helping the body to participate in vigorous outdoor activity by supporting the cardiovascular system.
  • Fall—Gathering.  Focus on bringing ourselves back indoors and to our work or school activities and supporting the immune system.
  • Winter—Conserving.  Keeping our reserves filled by supporting our centers of energy production in the adrenals and endocrine system. For more on the specifics of winter, see Dr Rosen Grigel’s article on Conserving

Why Health from the Hearth
Keeping all the members of the family healthy starts in the kitchen.  Health from the Hearth is designed for people who want to:

• • keep their families healthy
  • eat delicious food
  • cook creative, straightforward recipes
  • meet the nutritional needs of each individual member of the family, including those with food sensitivities
  • develop a better understanding of how our food affects our health

Health from the Hearth gives the eco and health conscious parent an approach to family health that is easy to understand and applies to everyday life.  It presents basic concepts of how the body’s needs change with each season and then gives straightforward advice on how to apply this to everyday food choices.  Each recipe includes information about how the ingredients support the appropriate systems for the season.  Each recipe also includes options for customizing the dish to meet each family member’s individual needs.

Health from the Hearth will be useful for families who want to garden, subscribe to a CSA (community supported agriculture) or regularly visit their farmers markets.  Also, if you only have access to your local supermarket, this book will open up healthy possibilities. You will learn how to use what is available in your store to create beautiful seasonal dishes while becoming empowered to seek out and support local food in your community.