Ragout [ra-GOO]--a derivative of the French verb ragoûter , meaning “to stimulate the appetite”--is a thick, rich, well-seasoned stew of meat, poultry or fish that can be made with or without vegetables. Consider my blog to be your own personal pot of ragout: A go-to source for rich health tips, seasoned advice, and a variety of quick, healthy and delicious recipes and meal ideas made with a wide array of ingredients. Come take a bite out of life with me; I'm hungry.
About Me: My name is Rose Kaplan and for those of you just meeting me, I'm always hungry. Food and fitness are two of my favorite things, hence why this blog was born. I am former Miami University Redhawk where I studied Nutrition and Dietetics and earned my B.S. in Kinesiology and Health. In August 2014, I will continue my journey towards my end goal of becoming a Registered Dietitian (RD) through the Bradley University Dietetic Internship and Graduate Certificate Program. Besides being an avid eater and foodie, I happen to be a coffee addict, lover of the outdoors, long distance runner (2x marathoner!), and overall fitness enthusiast. This has lead me to pursue my American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Personal Trainer Certification. In addition to my hunger for food, I have a thirst for knowledge and am constantly seeking to absorb new information on all the things I am passionate about.
My Mission: I want to inspire YOU (yes you) to lead a balanced lifestyle. I hope you find value in the things I post (and if not, tell me!). Here on this website you will find three main things:
1. QUICK- time is any individual's most valuable asset; trust me I get it. every recipe I've created and every meal I post has been hand crafted to meet the demands of the strapped-for-time individual, with a few exceptions of course. creating a quick, healthy and delicious meal does not have to be a daunting task, I promise! 2. HEALTHY- food is our fuel for survival. it's important to put good things in our bodies, but nobody is perfect, myself included! every meal, idea, and recipe I share will strive to be healthy, balanced and nutritious. 3. DELICIOUS- eating healthy DOES NOT have to mean bland. the most important thing about food is that you enjoy it! I hope that you find every recipe and meal idea I share to be just as delicious as I do.
My Food Philosophy: I truly believe that the key to leading a healthy lifestyle is to eat whole, nutritious foods as much as possible. I'm not saying to never eat other foods--believe me, I'm a huge fan of donuts, oreos, store bought tortilla chips. What I am saying, is to eat as healthfully as you can, and enjoy everything else in moderation. While it's a shame that we have come to rely so heavily on processed foods (especially when eating fresh and seasonal foods can be cheaper and tastier), processed foods are a fact of life and I've come to find that there are ways to work around this. Trust me, I have no plans to cut donuts out of my diet anytime soon and I'm not asking you to either. Just remember that balance and moderation are key! Indulging is nothing to be ashamed of--just remember not to eat 7 donuts in one sitting, and instead enjoy your favorite donut as a special treat (or whatever your version of donuts are).
I think that sometimes people shy away from eating healthfully because they feel that it's hard, time consuming, or even tasteless. That's where they are wrong! Eating well does not have to be a daunting task. Food that tastes good can actually be GOOD for you. Start with a few fresh ingredients, and the possibilities are limitless for the meals you can create. Take a sandwich for example--there are millions of delicious and healthful combinations that you could make by adding fresh fruits, fresh herbs, simple spreads, meats, and a variety of vegetables. Before you know it, you've taken the boring and bland turkey on wheat bread, to a tasty and delicious turkey, hummus and mixed vegetable sandwich on whole grain sourdough bread. Both sandwiches are quick to prepare, and good for you, but if you ask me, one sounds more exciting.
In my eyes, one of the most important things about eating is that you take pleasure in each and every bite. Don't deny yourself the things you crave. Instead, be creative in how you satisfy your cravings. Food is NOT meant to be feared. It is meant to be enjoyed. Food is the fuel we need for survival, and just so happens to bring people, cultures and ideas to life. The key is to find the balance that is right for you so food doesn't have to be daunting. If you try to eat whole, nutritious foods the majority of the time, there is no reason why you can't indulge and enjoy other things the rest of the time. Just remember, balance and moderation are key.