About

What you’ll find here: healthy omnivorous recipes with an occasional  decadent twist. I’m bound to stick in some nutrition stuff and probably some food travelogueing (is that even a word?), but the blog is mainly recipe chat and amateurish photos of what I’m cooking for family, friends and work.

What you won’t find here: super niche ingredients (although I do love pomegranate molasses), recipes involving boxed cake mix or tinned soup, fancy or fiddly stuff. No offence if you like verjuice, green bean casserole or caviar-stuffed quail’s eggs but you probably won’t find those here (never say never though).

Who am I ? (semi-short version): I’m Kellie, a food-obsessed Floridian living in the beautiful city of Edinburgh, Scotland for more years than I care to admit. I am blessed with a gorgeous family who willingly eat almost everything that I make, although they aren’t too keen on starving as I faff with my camera and moan about the lighting (our northerly latitude is a pet hate). Growing up I loved eating Cuban and Florida-style foods – plenty of grouper sandwiches, hushpuppies and my mother’s piccadillo.  My earliest food memory is of a slightly crispy grilled cheese sandwich with a side of dill pickles. Mmm. Today I still love these types of foods but have expanded my repertoire a bit. You’re more likely now to find me hovering over a steaming bowl of roasted butternut squash soup, possibly owing to the massive temperature difference…

Who am I? (TMI version): Unsurprisingly, I love food – reading about it, shopping for it, cooking and eating it (cleaning up after it – meh). Food is a big part of my life. I’m lucky enough to work with food too, as a health educationist and nutrition adviser with the estimable Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres. Shorthanded as Maggies, the 15 centres (and growing) are charitably run havens of exquisite architectural beauty and tranquillity that provide information, psychological support and practical help to patients and their families. All are sited alongside major cancer centres. Over the past eight years I have been privileged in providing nutrition workshops and individual sessions for those needing a bit of a boost to their energy and immunity during cancer treatment and recovery. I also see people who, although their cancer is not curable, want to live life to the full. I know it sounds cliche but working in this environment is incredibly inspiring and humbling. Hand on heart, I learn something new at each session.

As part of the course I put together a nutritious and – I hope – tasty, mainly vegan lunch bringing to life many of the things that we talk about in the sessions. In discussions emphasis is on plant foods for their taste and potential cancer-fighting properties, but I fully embrace meatier, fishier options too. Just not in vast quantities. Or coated in artery-clogging sauces.

Just so we’re clear, I am not a vegetarian and this isn’t a veggie blog as such. Healthy omnivore with an occasional decadent twist is the aim. As a mission statement, food to glow strives to post the yummiest, most enticing plant-based recipes this side of a fairly decent cafe in a small town with no real competition. Nothing like aiming high! Meat, fish, dairy and sweet things have a look in but it’s really about the plants – their colours, tastes and versatility. Most recipes are originals (or at least I haven’t come across them), while the rest are healthy (-ier) riffs on old favourites or tweaks on cookbook and blog finds. Although not considered humane I do test out all recipes on my long-suffering (but very healthy) family and friends. Tempeh has not been a huge hit but I’m working on it…

Favourite Food Haunts: This list will undoubtedly expand and change, but for now…my favourite Cuban sandwich shop in my hometown of Tampa, Florida is the West Tampa Sandwich Shop (great cafe con leche too). Who needs a trendy panini when you can have 4 kinds of meat, several cheeses, mayo and pickle lovingly hot-pressed between two butter-topped slices of chewy Cuban bread. A once a year treat for me. The best doughnut shop in the world is found on tiny Anna Maria Island on Florida’s southwest coast: made-to-order and out of this world crazy-delicious.  Again, a once-a-year treat. I also love the inventive salads and lobster bisque (!) at the Tampa’s International Mall outpost of Nordstrom’s department store – gotta balance out the Cuban sandwich and doughnut.

Back home in Scotland, my favourite special occasion restaurant, just across the bridge from Edinburgh, is the fabulously bijou Wee Restaurant, while for a hit of spice and heat we head to Edinburgh’s Kampong Ah Lee Malaysian Delight, smack in the middle of studentville – so correspondingly cheap and cheerful. Lately we have been satisfying our yen for Vietnamese food at the curiously low-key Little Vietnam – deep flavours in deep bowls, with a whole lot of convivial slurping. Expect a very warm welcome, keen prices, but not much in the way of decor. The casual French bistro, Cafe Marlayne, in Edinburgh’s picturesque New Town is our go-to place for family celebrations and for wining and dining visitors, although we’ve yet to have room for one of their delicious looking desserts. For really high-end occasions – and if someone else is paying! - Martin Wishart and The Honours do it for me, as does the quirky but elegant Timberyard (big on foraging). The one Edinburgh restaurant I am longing to go to is the appropriately named Gardener’s Cottage, where you dine on what they grow in the garden you walk through to enter, and eat dinner party-style at a big wooden table. But for inspiring and usually organic lunches my girlfriends and I like to meet at Earthy Cafe, where you can buy the produce they use in their dishes. The best cheese board in the Universe is located at the Isle of Eriska Hotel, in the Scottish Highlands (yummy E’Spa spa too). Favourite hotel has got to be Gleneagles, Perthshire Scotland – golf heaven, view heaven, breakfast buffet heaven (four kinds of smoked salmon!). My favourite kitchen gadget is my husband. My favourite thing to cook is birthday cake, for my daughter.

And that leads me to Miss R’s Track of the Week, which you will see in the preamble to each recipe. Miss R is my gorgeous teenaged, music-mad daughter who kindly chooses a song each week to ostensibly go with each dish. It often doesn’t work out that way but I don’t mind as they are always good songs, if somewhat baffling to my rather older ears. It makes me feel young to listen to her music anyway! I hope you dare click on the links, if only to see if it matches the dish :D

CONTACT ME: for my-eyes-only questions, comments and suggestions, please email me at ksfandersonATgmailDOTcom (sorry about this format but it allegedly deters spambots)

Disclaimer: All posts and information provided within this blog is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not to be construed as medical advice or instruction. No action should be taken solely on the contents of this website. Please consult your doctor or a qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health and well being, or on any opinions expressed within this website. The advice of your doctor/health professional supersedes that of this website. The information provided in foodtoglow is believed to be accurate based on the best judgment of the author. However, you as the reader must be responsible for consulting with your own health professional on matters raised within. I , the author of foodtoglow, will not accept responsibility for the actions or consequent results of any action taken by any reader. Unless, of course the advice makes you feel great or learn to love vegetables!

76 thoughts on “About”

  2. Hi, Kellie! It is great to “see” you! I love cooking, too, so I look forward to spending some time with your blog!

    Reply

    • Thanks Anne, great to hear from you! I spoke to your Mom and Dad at Christmas and they told me that you are really into your cooking. I really hope you enjoy reading my blog. Let me know if there’s anything you think I should be cooking and writing about and I’ll do my best to oblige. Hope to hear if you have tried any of my recipes!

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  3. Hi Kelli!

    Looking forward to keeping up with your blog. I, too am a certified “foodie”. I love making healthy meals for my family and can only hope my 11 year old daughter will eat it. Living in Texas, I miss the Cuban influences in our cuisine. What i would give for a Cuban sandwich and garbanzo bean soup from the Cuban Sandwich Shop in Brandon!

    Tell Andrew hello and I look forward to keeping in touch!

    Dee

    Reply

    • It is great to hear from you! I’m sure Emily eats very well in your house. You will have to try and replicate a Cuban sandwich for her though. Is there a Texan equivalent? I hope you enjoy the recipes and ‘chat’ that goes with them. Let me know if you try anything and if there is anything you think I should cook/write about.

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  4. I love love love your food, great blog, will have to get cracking on some of these scrummy recipes, hope to see you soon xx

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  5. Hi Kelli, I was at the nutrition session yesterday @ Maggies. Thanks for the lunch, which was delicious. I hope I wasn’t too greedy. I was, wasn’t I?
    I have a question: we were talking about yoghurt being a no-no but when I got home I suddenly thought of silken tofu, say in dressings or puddings – is this safe? And if so, can you suggest any recipes as I haven’t the first clue how to work with it.

    Reply

    • Thanks! And no you weren’t greedy. I love it when people honour me by taking seconds. Silken tofu is fine and can be used as a straight swop with dairy in dressings, to enrich soups (blend in after boiling but still hot), in smoothies to boost protein. BUT if you are ER+ I wouldn’t go this route in a big way. Instead of yogurt, fine, but not as a protein option. Didn’t get your ‘backstory’ yesterday (we were laughing too much!) but will talk about it in two weeks with you. Thanks for finding me here! Click on the links at the top of the homepage for cancer info. I’m writing up a recipe today so if you subscribe it will pop into your inbox. ☺

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  6. Thanks for visiting my blog so that I could find yours! I was diagnosed with breast cancer 2 years ago, have been through all the nasty treatment and come out the other side. I owe my speedy recovery and better than ever health to a vegetarian, mainly vegan diet. I also gave up all sugars including fruit during my treatment, which was hard! So I am totally with you on the importance of diet. I just wish the doctors here would put more emphasis on it!!

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    • No, thank you! You’ve got a lovely blog – very inspiring! Been working lots & on holiday so a bit slow in adding to my cancer pages, but hope to be adding more very soon. Today’s courgette cake post was a wee treat esp for those who need to keep weight on, but it’s usually vegan and vegetarian, so hopefully you will return soon. I firmly believe that although no diet can prevent cancer a healthy one can sure help with getting through treatment and beyond. It sounds like you are doing very well and a great advert for a plant-centred diet.

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  7. Hi Kellie, you probably won’t remember me from amongst all the women you see at your Maggie’s Centre cancer nutrition sessions. I have a question and as I can’t seem to find any useful, helpful or definitive information on the internet – and what there is is written in medical jargon and seems to me to be contradictory, plus only ever talks about breast cancer whereas I have ovarian cancer – I thought maybe you have some suggestions as to where I can go to find out what I need to know. My question is: my oncologist has advised that my cancer is ‘very strongly’ oestrogen receptive, so I must avoid all products containing oestrogen, i.e HRT. However they say nothing about diet and I am struggling to find out how this affects my diet i.e do I now have to eliminate all soya products, soy sauce, miso, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, fennel teas, flaxseeds and whatever other foods I don’t know about from my food intake? The information I have found seems to say both yes and no and I am lost. Do you have any ideas where I can find out this information – given in laymans terms. None of the cancer websites seem to have anything on this topic. Many thanks in advance!

    Reply

    • Sorry for the delay – I haven’t checked in for awhile. I just wrote out an answer but I think it was too long for this space/function, so it disappeared! A full answer it was too. I am afraid if I write it again it will disappear so can you contact me on kellie.anderson@maggiescentres.org (if that isn’t my address try plain old kellie) and we can have a go with email, or you can mail your phone number and we can have a chat. Hope this sounds good to you. Frustrated that my three big paragraphs disappeared!

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  8. Hi Kellie,
    Your Aunt Ruth was so honored to have you mention her and the applecake on your blog. She mentioned it to all of the ladies at her Church. If you will be in Florida within the next couple of months, we would love to have you visit us in Naples. Hello Ms. R and Mr. A.

    Reply

    • I hope the mention encourages her to get on the Internet herself – you are never too old to learn. She would get so much from it. And as for the cake, tell her it got a lot of interest and nice comments. Thanks for commenting, Jeanette. Hope you and my lovely cousin are doing well and looking forward to spring :D

      Reply

  9. I just discovered your blog and had to stop laughing when I read what you won´t include here. That´s terrific and soooo hard to find! I was browsing food blogs for the last 2 months, since I started my own family-compatible food blog and am always looking for simple tasty dishes that WON´T take two hours to cook or an extremely long shopping tour with a for-year-old at my side, browsing the supermarket for the 3 absolutely KEY ingredients that you won´t find in any shop but…. etc….. browsing the aisle for that absolutely necessary african spicy mixture that….
    No. Cooking for me is about the recipes like the ones that you post, and I absolutely like your vegan “extra” versions. Thats a real nice touch, having in mind the lamentations of my colleagues that its soooo difficult to find vegan websites….
    So, that´s it, I just wanted to say Thanks and: I feel free to include you in my blogroll! Greetings from Berlin: Maria
    P.D: And I included various of your recipes in my to-do-list (maybe you want to try my Bolivian based empanadas? I was thinking of them when I saw your Curry spiced ones), but that has to wait until I am finished with cooking everything of my new curry recipes.

    Reply

    • Nice to meet you Maria :D Impressed you got around to reading the About bit but I must update it soon! I do try and make things as easy as possible, with a cancer-prevention and during-treatment focus, but also with families in mind too. So glad you like what you see. Your comment, and others like it, may convince me that I’m not just talking to myself here and that there are many of us who want to eat well but don’t want to spend our days searching for ‘essential’ ingredients and cooking them in an excruciatingly precise way. Live is for living, so let’s get on with it! Will check out your empanadas soon. Tell your vegan friends that although this is not a vegan site, I am certainly more than vegan-friendly and would love to share my recipes with them too. Thanks for commenting, Maria.

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  10. Hey Kelly,
    mmmh, to say the truth the “about”-stuff is mostly the first section I read in a blog – just to know with whom I am dealing…. and you leran a lot about the people behind the postings.
    And I am ashamed to see that I didn´t post the recipe of the empanadas yet – So, I just email them to you if you like, or cook them one of these days and them get them on the blog.
    Essentially, I think that most people would like to cook but don´t know how amazingly easy this can be when you see these TV cooking shows and read these overly ambitious blogs about cooking and one may end up thinking: how am I do any of these recipes on my own? So you prefer to buy the pre-done things and just heat it up.
    It´s time for more blogs to show the homemade cooking thats so easy to make and so tasty. Much more tastier than any tinned soup or the like (although I have to admit that there is a certain Pizza at the supermarket that tempts me from time to time…. and wins by ending up in the oven).
    So, I am really looking forward to read more here and will certainly be visiting the recipes that have already been posted by you!
    Greetings from cold Berlin: Maria

    Reply

    • Thank you for your comments. I do try and follow general mindfulness in my daily life & I talk about the principles of it in my cancer and nutrition workshops. Most find it empowering & nurturing. But it does take practise! I will check you out :D

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  13. Photographs are spectacular. Can’t wait to try some of your recipes. Glad I found you. Since I have been in Japan, I have discovered new inspiration for cooking beautiful and healthy food.
    Keep blogging!

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    • Thanks for the kind comments, Kathrin! I hope I don’t disappoint. YOu will definitely find healthy inspiration in Japan. I’m jealous of all of the great ingredients you are able to use. Hope to hear from you again soon.

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  15. Hi Kellie! I stumbled upon your blog and I must say that it is AMAZING! I’m a newbie here and I’m looking forward to have friends and inspirations :) Your photos look amazing! I wish I can do as good as you soon.

    The best of luck!

    Reply

    • Thanks for such a glowing comment *blushing*. It was/is a steep learning curve for me tech-wise and photo-wise but quite fun to do. And good luck with your new blog. I will come over later and have a wander round. :D

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  16. Only just found your blog after years of reading healthy living/food blogs- what an amazing and delicious resource! All the more exciting for me because aside from the recipes looking like the exact foods I enjoy/eat, it’s the first blog I’ve seen from Edinburgj (also livig here, originally fromMA, USA!) Nice to ‘meet’ you!

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    • Nice to meet you too Ellie! I’ve just come back from visiting family in Florida & I’m very pleased that it’s sunny & springlike. Hope you are loving your new home as much as I love it. Thanks so much for your fantastic comment.

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  21. Sounds like a fulfilling life of good work! Glad I found your blog today. Funny, I have never thought of my hubby (who hails from Orlando) as a kitchen gadget, but he actually is one! LOL! Look forward to reading more.

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    • Oh, he gets called other things, believe me! And yeah, my job is pretty fab. I am a very lucky person in more ways than one. Thanks for finding me and commenting. Have a great weekend.

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  22. I’m so glad to have found your blog! I love that you’re doing healthy food that’s not strictly vegetarian (I’ve cut back on how much meat I eat but I could never give it up completely!). All the blog posts I’ve read through feature mouth watering recipes and gorgeous photos. I can’t wait to start trying them out!

    Reply

    • Thanks Shannon. I’ve just subscribed to your blog today after seeing it as a recommend that popped up from BlogHer and having a look. Love your eclectic recipes. I feel we may be kindred spirits :D I will be noodling around in your archives for all of your spicy recipes!

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    • Thank you! Thanks for finding me & I hope you enjoy my posts. I’m away from home for a bit longer – only just got momentary wifi – so have a look at some past posts to see if you like anything.

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    • Thanks Miss Lemoncake. I’m pleased you read the About and approve, as I always worry that I sound really boring and school-marmish. And it seems like you’ve trawled amongst the depths of my rather shabbily put together Index. Brave you! :D

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      • No need to worry. Your about me section gives a nice insight into you. I love what you do for a living, and with cancer so common these days – I look to your blog for more health tips. Although I do bake alot, my personal diet is very healthy – fruits and veg a-plenty. My other half is vegetarian also so I’m always looking for new recipe ideas for him :-)

    • Thanks SO much Vina. I am very honoured, and congratulations on your own award. I will drop by you later in the day (just about to make TONS of food for 2 nutrition workshops) and leave a comment to say thank you there too, and see whose company I am in. Cheers!

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  34. Nice to meet you! FYI–pomegranate molasses is easy to use and not as fancy as the name makes it sound :) I don’t make it from scratch though. I buy it in a bottle form Middle Eastern stores and use in some recipes

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    • I love using pomegrnate molasses too, and always buy it rather than making it (not patient enough to reduce, reduce). I have it in a few of my blog recipes but I use it a lot in my cooking that doesn’t make it on the blog too as I don’t tend to write about meat (everyone expects vegan from me). I make muhamarra for my nutrition groups so I go through my bottles rather quickly, but I also like it in other dips, marinades and I even put it in lentil soup yesterday as it is a good balancer. Thanks for stopping by.

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  38. Hello beautiful Kellie. So glad that I’ve managed to find your blog, all the way from Australia. Your recipes, photos and philosophy are gorgeous – nourishment for the mind, creative spirit and heart! I work with Alzheimers patients as a day job. I try to nourish them with care, cups of tea, sandwiches and words. So glad that you get to tangibly contribute to the health and quality of life of your cancer patients on a daily basis. My mother went through cancer two years ago and I was confronted with the reality of how difficult it is to remain healthy whilst on chemotherapy. You’re providing an amazing service. Anyway, can’t wait to read more of your nutritious and delicious recipe posts. It’s nice to meet people with the same passion through the blogsphere :)

    Reply

    • Gosh that is so kind of you. Your work with Alzheimers patients sounds very fulfilling too. Almost everyone seems to have some experience of a loved one with one of these types of diseases and knows how hard it sometimes is to ‘get through’ and to cope. It is so wearing on the family. Thank goodness for people like you to provide care and loving attention.

      Reply

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