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 chef 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 dreamy husband Adrian, and having our first son Cohen, 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 passions for food back to the forefront. Having not returned to work to stay home with the little tornado, blogging about my passions just came naturally.
We’re now expecting enjoying life with our second child (a girl!) Isla, and our life is being busily filled with love for local food, family, gardening, writing, photography, endless laundry and diapers.
When I’m making my recipes for the week and creating my shopping list, the one thing I strive to be is 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
Wow Elisabeth, nice blog!
Say,you wouldn’t happen to have any interesting BBQ type recipes would you?
Call me Festus.
Hey…I must have left myself logged in at your house…don’t change anything now…
Hi Liz,
We are really enjoying your site, I am interested in the recipe for the Djon Salmom…..looks YUMMY!!. I could not find on your site.
Hi Louise! Glad youlike it. The recipe for the Dijon marinade is down at the very bottom of the “Lazy Bastards” post. Hope you’ll try it.
I just discovered your blog thanks to Foodie Blogroll. It’s just beautiful. You’ll definitely make it to my favorites list. My husband and I are looking forward to traveling to your beautiful city of Victoria in Sept. One of my favorite places.
Oh thanks! I love Victoria! A great spot for Foodies to travel, for sure…
I followed your blog from the foodieblogroll,and I love what you have here.Your photos are amazing and I really had to laugh at some of your posts.
Why thank you Alisa! I really appreciate that. I do love making people laugh, and my new found photography skills are growing everyday!
Congrats on your number 1 on Food buzz. Beautiful pics! By the way I have been to Victoria and it is a gorgeous place! Looking forward trying your recipes!
First (?) fan from Denmark signing in…..
Since I also love food and am curious about you and your family I will check this site often!!
My compliments, great job, in fact it should be paid!!!
Greetings, Renske
I don’t know who you are, and I really hate to cook… And yet somehow you’ve invigorated me with a sense of passion and love for the gastronomique just by reading this blog. It’s always good to see a fellow culinary warrior brave out into the world with nothing but wit in there defence; that, and good cooking.
Whether it’s the clever but simple-to-achieve recipes or the never boring commentary I cannot say, but somehow, some way, I’ve left this site feeling like I know you. Odd that. A good thing though, and hard to achieve on these internets.
Keep cooking, it looks good on you.
Keep posting, it’s good to share passion.
And lastly, be happy Elizabeth Nyland. Fond memories etc.
Wow. Thank you Matt.
Elizabeth! What a fabulously FUN blog to read! I am SO right on with you about wonderful food, including deliciously-and often deliciously healthy!-foods to savor and enjoy. Healthy includes virtues such as eating the “real thing” like butter and real sugar as well as wonderfully fresh foods full of beautiful colors-like beets out of the garden, for example. Anyway, I’m making your pumpkin cookies because the description fit my taste too well, along with bringing with it a challenge of a new recipe. The dough is in the ‘fridge chilling. The batter was heavenly. We’ll see how they turn out after they have been baked…
Thank you again for the blog notes and recipe!
Ashley
Welcome Ashley and as always, it’s my pleasure!
So I got those cookies out of the oven and my roommate and I ate oh, about 4 each, because they were delicious. Then I took them to a meeting this morning and they disappeared and received lots of compliments, and was asked for the recipe by two others so I referred to the fabulous guilty kitchen!
The cookies were not cakey which is exactly what you said about them and what I was looking for. The flavor was full and the edges were crispy. Thank you again!
Ashley
That is awesome to hear Ashley! I love to get feedback on my recipes,especially when they turn out just right!
Hi,
I couldn’t find your contact, so decided to leave you a message here. Just wanted to inform you that we’ve put together a list of Canadian
food blogs and have included yours. Please have a look and let us know if you’d like any information to be changed. When you have a minute come check out other Canadian blogs similar to yours! Link: http://www.pho411.ca/blog/list-of-canadian-food-blogs/
I’d like to take this time to also ask for your support by adding us to
your blogroll or links section, if you have one. That would be very much
appreciated! We are: Broth Don’t Lie http://www.pho411.ca/blog/
About Broth Don’t Lie: BDL is a blog about Vietnamese food. We aim to
inform all Canadians about different Vietnamese dishes that they could try
at their local Vietnamese restaurants. We also have a goal of reviewing all
Vietnamese restaurants in Canada. We hope to put together a database of
restaurant reviews that all Canadians could refer to when they feel like
trying a Vietnamese restaurant. If you are interested in lending us a hand
with this project, please feel free to contact us.
-Pho411 Admin (admin@pho411.ca)
Hi,
Stumbled upon your website via Google searching for Chicken recipes with Oregano. loved the roast one that you have posted. Love your website, of whatever I have seen and the recipes. Will visit often.
Cheers from India
Rakesh
Hey Elizabeth
You have an amazing blog site with great recipes and really nice pictures. Very inspiring!
Maybe our sites can work on something together in the future.
Cheers,
Alex
Hi Alex! Thank you for the compliments. I’m not familiar with your site, but I took a look. What would we collaborate on?
Love your site! I actually had the same idea, went to godaddy to register the name found out it was taken so i visited your site.. LOVE IT! Good thing too because i probably would have blogged for a week then stopped lol.. anyway keep up the good work.
Best,
Jay
Hey Jay,
Thanks for stopping by! I was surprised when I registered the name actually, that it wasn’t already taken. So, sorry for getting there first, but great minds think alike!
Dude, I was looking for a cake for my baby boy’s 2nd birthday party tomorrow. I think I just found it. Thanks!
Glad you could find something Shannon!
Hi Elizabeth,
I just found your blog via Foodbuzz. What an awesome site with great recipes and photos. I was especially drawn to the Lamb Stew and Chicken & Barley Stew — something that would be comforting for this cold and wintery weather we have been having in NY. I am compiling a list of food blogs that will put on my recipe circus site, and I will put this one on the list if that is alright with you. Your blog has been bookmarked and I will visit as often as time permits.
Keep up the good work — you certainly have put a lot of time into it.
Judi
Just found your site via chatter around the watercooler. Can’t wait to try out some of your recipes!! Your photos are great too… love them. Hope to see more.
Just checked out your blog for the first time after reading about it in the latest EAT Magazine- and I love it! It’s a treat to find a local blog that’s so terrific and professional looking with lots of great recipes.
You’re now got one more regular reader.
Thank you very much Melody! I love Victoria and all the surrounding areas (which is where I actually live) and I love getting new local readers on board, so welcome!
Great blog, great recipes and photos. Thank you to EAT for finding you.
Just stumbled upon your blog.. I love it! I can’t wait to keep up
Hi there,
Just like to say thanks for an easy to use website and interesting meal idea’s. Just made your Spring asparagus and pancetta with linguine, but I added actual spring onion in also:)
Very nice and a pleasure to make also!
I haven’t delved into you site map instead would like to ask you if you have other idea’s for aubergine meals…I fall short of doing only two style’s such Chinese duppling’s etc..or just with couscous veg and feta…
Cheers,
Lewis.
Elizabeth! What a fabulously FUN blog to read! I am SO right on with you about wonderful food, including deliciously-and often deliciously healthy!-foods to savor and enjoy. Healthy includes virtues such as eating the “real thing” like butter and real sugar as well as wonderfully fresh foods full of beautiful colors-like beets out of the garden, for example. Anyway, I’m making your pumpkin cookies because the description fit my taste too well, along with bringing with it a challenge of a new recipe. The dough is in the ‘fridge chilling. The batter was heavenly. We’ll see how they turn out after they have been baked…Thank you again for the blog notes and recipe!Ashley
+1
I’ve been enjoying your blog for a while now… your writing, recipes and colorful photos are all really wonderful. I’ve noticed in your new header photo there is a “Y” shape draw into the flour… and I can’t help but comment that it has an amazing resemblance to the shape of Keuka Lake in the Finger Lakes Region of New York where I live (also what I- with prejudice- believe to be the best place on earth.) I can’t help but wonder if this is a simple coincidence or if it is actually an intentional reference? (If you have never heard of the area do a Google search, then come visit- it’s a great family vacation area. If you need references I know a few Vancouverites that have spent many a summer here and could definitely talk the place up!)
Wow, it’s identical to Keuka Lake! No I had never heard of it until now, but I think I may have a secret desire to go there!
Beautiful blog! Beautiful woman! Looking forward to some nice and crispy sweet potato fries tonight. Thanks for ending my quest for crispiness.
- Wendy in St. Pete
[...] About Me [...]
[...] Photo by Elizabeth Nyland [...]
[...] this All-Clad Stainless Steel Flexible Spatula is perfect. The recipe and beautiful images are via Elizabeth from the Guilty [...]