Welcome to my Kitchen

Welcome to the Lean Gourmet Kitchen. It is a quirky kitchen. You would be hard pressed to find white sugar in my cupboards, anything containing partially hydrogenated oils, or that is processed. It is where I feed my family whole foods based, clean, and gluten free meals.

I began eliminating processed foods from my family’s diet after my daughter was born in November 2009. In July 2011 I learned I was gluten intolerant.  My eating habits and diet have evolved over the past several years, but I never wanted to sacrifice the taste or the quality of my food. I actually found that this new dietary lifestyle has broadened the range of foods my family now eats and brought more satisfaction to each meal.

 My kitchen cabinets and counters are littered with odds and ends of kitchen gadgets. I believe this one room with sink, faucet, oven, and stand mixer is the heart of my home. For me, food is an expression of love. I love to cook for others and it brings me so much joy to share my recipes and stories.
The kitchen for me is the same as a canvas is to a painter. A blank wide open space to craft, create, and explore my own cooking curiosity.

Some of my earliest memories are sitting on my grandma’s counter watching her roll out pie crust. She would save the scraps of dough and let me make my own “pie.” I began experimenting with cooking in late elementary school. I once attempted a cranberry pie, but did not put in enough sugar. Mom and dad choked it down none the less with a smile.

The kitchen is where all the women in my family gather before huge holiday meals sharing stories and gossip all the while loading platters and serving bowls with piping hot food to be set at the table. The kitchen is where I would sit to do homework in high school or have long talks with my mom.

Now that I am grown with a kitchen of my own I still keep this one room as the heart of my home. It is the source of nourishment, a place where I can pass down family traditions, create memories, and feed my family all the goodness of this life.  

Now, pull up a bar stool to the counter and we will share a story or two and some good food.
Welcome to my Lean Gourmet Kitchen.

Stay strong and carry on,
Brooklynn

Disclaimer: The opinions I write on this blog are just that, opinions not to be taken as professional medical or nutritional advice. I am neither a nutritionist/dietitian nor a physical trainer. Please speak directly with your own medical provider before attempting any or all physical activities discussed within these posts.

Liability: The Lean Gourmet Kitchen, its affiliates, sponsors, owners, and employees do not take any responsibility for the use, misuse, or negligence of another who may have taken health, cooking, fitness or any other type of advice from this blog.  We strongly suggest contacting a medical or health provider prior to participating in any of the activities mentioned on this website.  Some of the recipes may contain allergens such as dairy, nuts, fish, shellfish, soy, etc and should be reviewed closely prior to consuming.  Should you have any questions or concerns concerning our recipes, comments or advice, please contact us at leangourmetkitchen@gmail.com.