Hi, I’m Elizabeth Nyland. Growing up on Vancouver Island (on the wet West Coast of British Columbia) led to a love of nature and all things in it. The child of an avid hunter and gardener, lean years in my family were filled with plenty of wild caught protein and home grown produce, giving me a true appreciation for local food.
Through adolescence and young adulthood, I kept busy as a professional cook in catering outfits and restaurants alike all up and down Vancouver Island. After a stint in college led to an office job outside of the food world, I continued to cook for myself, my family and my friends. Soon after buying a house and a dog, marrying my best friend Adrian (who occasionally writes an article or two), and having our first son, food became even more important. Learning all about the local food movement while trying to make my child’s first foods more “sustainable” was what brought my passion for food back to the forefront. Writing about my passions just came naturally and in the summer of 2009, Guilty Kitchen was born.
We’re now enjoying life with our second child (a girl!), and our life is being busily filled with love for local food, family, gardening, urban farming, writing, health, nutrition, fitness, photography, endless laundry and diapers.
The biggest thing I strive for is to always be seasonal. Baked goods aside, all of the recipes on this site will be posted at the time of year (most) of the ingredients should be available fresh and local. One of my biggest vices is out of season food. I shop as much locally produced food as I can, hit up the farmer’s markets and produce stands and make sure I’m on top of what’s in season now. Don’t be afraid to visit your community’s food stands. They’re out there, you just have to look.
Why “Guilty Kitchen”? Because, as a young mother, it’s important to me to be a healthy role model to my children. I try to eat healthy, but gawd….do I love food. Good food. Food that has butter, and cream, and sugar, and fat and loads of calories. Yes, that food. It makes me feel guilty. So on this blog you’ll find a vibrant mix of healthy dinners which are usually followed by totally unhealthy and calorie loaded desserts. I’m guilty…
e-mail me at elizabeth@guiltykitchen.com
