I have just come back from spending the evening at Bob’s Red Mill with Kim Boyce.  She is a pastry chef who has recently moved to Portland from the Los Angeles area.  She worked at Spago and Campanile in LA, as well as other fab Hollywood locales.  She’s been featured in and written for Bon Appétit as well as Los Angeles Times, and others.  After writing for the LA Times, it was suggested she put together a cookbook.  She said it felt right since she was now at home with her children.  Good to the Grain came out earlier this year. 

Kim, her chef hubby and young kids moved to Portland in June.  She is the most humble, wonderful, down to earth, pretty, amazing mom in the world.  This woman’s real and I had so much fun.  Two minutes into your first conversation with her you feel like her BFF.  I love real women who are helpful, talented and love to share their gifts.  She does not have an ounce of ego in her.  Her food and company make you feel amazing. 

We made Apple Graham Coffee Cake, Corn and Gruyere Muffins, Figgy Buckwheat Scones and Honey Amaranth Waffles.  I am sorry I didn’t take more pictures of all the great food.  Quite honestly, I was having such a good time I forgot.  But I am not a food blogger, so it is ok.  I am just a girlfriend after good food… blogger.  

This girlfriend is telling you that if you have not been to one of Bob’s Red Mill cooking classes, you are missing out!                                   

We only had about 10 folks in our class tonight so it was very personal.  Kim told us about her move to Portland and how they chose moving here.  They wanted to raise their family in a smaller city.  They are both chefs and love getting to actually bake when it isn’t blistery hot outside.  They love that we have 4 different climates, produce markets and fresh food growing everywhere.  We are so spoiled in the Pacific Northwest that I think we forget it.  She doesn’t miss her dream kitchen and Viking appliances one bit.  She loves it here so much that she loves her rental, almond colored old electric GE range, and small kitchen.  They have been cooking full time out of their rental kitchen since June and they don’t even have a microwave.  Seriously, she loves the Northwest so much she couldn’t get excited about anything material. 

She and hubby have been making pastries for Ristretto Roasters.  They are getting ready to move into a commercial kitchen in the Pearl District.  She is a bit anxious not knowing how the ovens will work for her first performance but I told her nobody will know the difference.  She said it will only take a week to get used to the new ovens, and agreed she’ll be the only one to notice if something isn’t perfect. 

She is as real and down to earth as they come.  She is a fabulous working mom who inspires the rest of us.  She gets up at 3:30 AM for heavens sake.  (That alone makes her amazing.)  Her book is beautiful and usable for even us beginners who are transitioning from processed foods to whole grains.  So buy her book and sign up for a class at Bob’s Red Mill.  Let me know which one you are going to.  I might see you there!

Are you noticing people around you melting before your eyes?  Well I did.  It’s tough to get a successful diet program past me.  I researched it and jumped on with them!  

I was raised like most people on processed food.  I gave up Big Mac meals and things similar about 2 years ago after learning I ate them as much for comfort as a drive thru realtor meal. 

One escrow officer who I love and adore jokingly shared with me how she was a lifetime member of Weight Watchers and here she sat once again 50 – 75 pounds overweight.  We were all smiles but we both knew that statement deserved us both grieving under her desk. 

Many of us have gained and lost hundreds of pounds.  Folks who worked with me in the beginning of my career and thru my fertility treatments with Zachary know I have been 175-185 the majority of my adult life. 

Technically I had success with Weight Watchers where I lost 20 pounds.  I would tell you it was the hardest thing in the world.  There is a difference between learning to eat healthy and being able to accomplish it.  I dropped 20 pounds, but it was hard and it took me a year.  I was an exercise junky to earn the points I wanted to consume. 

I later joined Jenny Craig.  I loved that there were no points to count.  I just had to eat 2 protein, 3 fruits, 3 vegetables, 2 dairy, and 1 fat per day.  The problem I found was that it was next to impossible for me to be a working woman and get all my food in.  I did it even though it was burdensome, and I lost 10 pounds in 6 months.  

Sounds like success, right?  Not to a woman who is sick and tired of being sick and tired.  I wanted to lose weight, feel great and not have my food related strongholds anymore!  Is that too much to ask? 

At 155, I spent a lot of time yo-yoing up and down the scale.  I worked my butt off at the gym and walked neighborhoods religiously.  The best day of my life was the day I accepted that I have eating issues and asked for help.  I joined a 12 step program and 2 ½ years later will attest that I have greater success in all areas of my life because of it. 

Food related strongholds are not something we can overcome on our own.  The material I have learned and now live is priceless.  I highly recommend Celebrate Recovery and Overeaters Anonymous.  CR is for all Hurts Habits and Hang ups and OA is a group similar to AA but with food as their drug of choice.  Working the program as it is written is the best way to get guaranteed success.  I am happy to help anyone that needs either of these to get started.

Losing weight and feeling good nutritionally, needs to be incorporated into a healthy well balanced lifestyle.  I strive for balance in my high performance high demand lifestyle. 

Congratulations to Jen Castronovo, for sharing your story with me, and where to buy the Zyngular weight loss and nutritional products.  Yesterday Jen hit her 40 pound mark in 3 ½ months.  She is a past customer and new friend for life.  I of course instantly jumped on the 8 – 15 pound Ignite Program.  I will then go to the maintenance healthy eating phase on the Core 4 program.  I am on Day 6 and down 8.5 pounds.  Rapid results, all natural, no sugar spikes, brain fog or fatigue.  I feel great!