Let's start with this-
What you won't find here:
Low-cal, low-carb, low-sodium (because me. need. salt.), low-this, fat-free-that recipes.
What you WILL find here:
Wholesome, preservative-free, additive-free, balanced, nutritious, REAL, natural, make-your-taste-buds-smile, things-we-crave recipes with an honest---sometimes too-blunt-for-my-own-good---voice. Oh, and the BEST RECIPES! I mean what I say.
So welcome to Honest & Tasty! My name is Bita and live on the West Coast with my little family.
Beyond family, I have two true passions that really form the bones of my blog and my YouTube channel:
1) The BEST foods I can get my taste buds on
and
2) Scientific Research---and specifically, research that dispels health & food myths that have unfortunately taken over generations in search of answers as to what health truly means and how to get it. People have forgotten how to eat well and without fear of ingredients we really benefit from, like butter & salt! And the reality is that we're sicker than ever for it.
The way I eat, the ingredients I use, the recipes I make are all framed by research as well as my cravings for damn good food.
A bit more about my personal background---
Science has always been an integral part of my life. And when I was diagnosed with two autoimmune diseases (first Rheumatoid Arthritis and then Sjogren's), I completely consumed myself in research because the truth was that no doctor could tell me what caused my autoimmunity or how to cure it. The answers just weren't in the doctors' offices.
My body was fighting me to the point of being bed-ridden and coming pretty close to having to leave college due to being so weak and in so much pain. So I took it upon myself to delve into the research and find my own answers, instead of relying on doctors that were doing nothing for me but pushing risky medications that I just didn't feel comfortable with.
Cut to 15 years after my diagnoses, I have my PhD in the intersecting field of Immunology and Pathology (specifically, inflammation) AND my autoimmune diseases are completely under control without the help of any medications. My food was, and continues to be, my medicine and it is for everybody.
Studying science pushed me deeper into the food realm. Here's the thing---the more I learned about the science side of things, the more I realized how much the food aspect shouldn't be neglected---without a doubt, no question about it. There are foods that make us healthy and there are foods that make us sick. The more knowledge we have about ingredients and what they do for our health, the better off we are.
So I try to find the BEST ingredients that are free of harmful, commonly-used additives, preservatives, or pesticides/herbicides so that I can make the TASTIEST, most nutritious dishes.
I'm giving you recipes for the BEST FOOD and it's all REAL FOOD.
There are so many misconceptions surrounding food and health, about what's good for you and what's not, and in my honest opinion (I mean, that's why I'm here, right?), a lot of the dogma out there is complete crap.
Hopefully I can shed a bit of light on nutrition in addition to sharing my favorite recipes, but just as a general rule of thumb, if in doubt, look to our grandparents' generation, or even their parents' generation. Food was simpler, better quality, untampered, and fat and salt were not the enemies. Most importantly, we were all healthier. And frankly, not as hungry.
So please, come along with me and let’s cook, eat, and be happy & healthy!!