by the handful

About

My name is Joel and I am a Functional Nutritionist in Portland, OR.  My background is in and native plant and edible gardens.  I hope to share the best of what I have learned in my life with others.

Its hard improve on what nature provides for us. We humans have evolved and thrived with natural foods and until recently ate them on a regular basis. Its no coincidence that processed foods and chronic illness have expanded in perfect step with one another. I have made the choice that myself and my family will not participate in this modern dietary lifestyle. It is not always easy to eat clean, whole foods and it may take some time to relearn new habits but the reward is your health. The recipes that are included here will be the most nutritious and delicious that I can possibly come up with and they are of course designed particularly for the health of the Northwest dwelling Homo sapien. Exact measurements will be used at times. Sometimes they may be in the form of a pinch, drizzle, or handful, allowing you to adjust to your tastes and preferences. Often the senses and personal preference are key to learn how to cook successfully. Recipes will be posted at the time the ingredients are seasonally available in the Pacific Northwest. As much as I love ingredients from around the world, you will not find any avocados or pineapple here as my goal is to use primarily what can be collected, gardened, or caught in the great outdoors rather than the grocery store.

I would like to encourage Northwesteners to keep an eye out for edible berries and leaves that can be foraged for as they are tremendously nutritious and abundant. Everyone has eaten blueberries and strawberries but have you tried a huckleberry or salmonberry? Salads can be made from wild plants and weeds and they often contain higher concentrations of vitamins and minerals. I have always been curious as to what I could find and eat in the NW forest and I still continue to be surprised by the variety and magnitude of edibles available. The colors and flavors of wild plants, berries, and heirloom fruits and vegetables are often a little different than we are used to getting at the store, but nibbling on these new foods can be a completely new culinary adventure.