My name is Evangeline DiMichele, but everyone just calls me Bug. I’m originally from Houston, Texas, and currently live in New Orleans, Louisiana. I am passionate about making farm-driven food easy to cook and delicious to eat. I have a BS in Public Health from Tulane University and am currently earning my Masters of Public Health with a concentration in Nutrition from Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. Let’s eat!

Here’s a little bit about how I eat and why…

Vegetarian

I’m not one of those vegetarians who found out pork and pig are the same thing as a child and stopped eating meat immediately. I didn’t even stop eating meat after seeing Food, Inc. for the first time. I love food…like seriously…a lot. (Hence the blogging about food). Basically all thoughts revolve around what and when I’ll eat next. I am also the opposite of a picky eater. I grew up eating everything from foie gras to spam. The idea of limiting myself or eliminating whole sections of menus at restaurants was so unattractive I didn’t even consider vegetarianism…until I did.

I started becoming more interested in, passionate about, and, frankly, infuriated by climate change in the past few months. As an average joe, I didn’t feel like I could do much about what is happening to our planet. The more I learned about factory farming and the meat industry in particular the more I felt like it was a change I could make in my daily life to reduce my carbon footprint. I recognize this is a personal choice and NO JUDGEMENT about eating meat! I hope omnivores will feel free to use my recipes to supplement a diet with meat or to add/substitute meat to some of them. But, hey, if you’re interested…http://www.cowspiracy.com/

In a short amount of time I have grown to love vegetarian cooking- Hellooo I started a blog about it. I try to use as many techniques as I can (Joy of Cooking. Get it. Love it. Sleep with it under your pillow) on plants to highlight the versatility of the endless fruits and veggies that come right from mother nature herself. So, with all this treehugger hippie talk you’re probably wondering…

Why not vegan?

Simply put: I. LOVE. CHEESE. When I made the decision to give up meat I just wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the creamy goodness yet. One of my goals is to make fresh veggies as tasty as possible. (Seasonality has a lot to do with this, but that’s a conversation for another time). Cheeses, milk, cream, eggs, and, of course, BUTTER can give certain recipes what they need to make the veggies shine for all audiences. Maybe I’ll eat vegan someday, but that day is not today.

Organic

I used to think the only difference between organic and conventional produce was that I had to wash conventional produce before I ate it. NOT. There is the obvious little tidbit that conventional produce is legally drenched in chemicals that have either unknown or negative effects on human health. Something that is more surprising to people is that organic and biodynamic food is actually healthier for you. If you take the phrase “you are what you eat” and apply that to what your food eats too it makes perfect sense. If a carrot is what a carrot eats then a carrot grown in nutrient-rich soil that has been cultivated with seasons of organic growing practices, the carrot will be jam-packed with all those nutrients. A carrot grown in conventional soil, that is to say soil that has had all of its nutrients stripped then re-added with chemicals, will have a less than robust nutritional make up.

There’s another obvious difference between organic and conventional produce: the cost. Now, if you cannot afford organic produce that does not mean you should not eat conventional produce! Conventionally grown veggies are better than no veggies at all. But if purchasing organic veggies is an option then consider it an investment. What’s the price of feeling and looking good? We spend so much time and money on everything from healthcare to cosmetics when the solution could be as simple as the food we put in our bodies. Eating right can actually save a ton of money down the line by keeping your body, mind, and spirit feeling tip top. Additionally, cutting down on meat, especially red meat, can save a lot of money!

Homemade

Homemade food just tastes better. I can’t deny I have my cravings for that pasta dish I love at a restaurant or the perfect falafel I can’t replicate at home, but generally speaking food at home, made with time and love will be the very best. Don’t believe me? Try cooking a meal for someone you love. Sitting down together and nourishing your bodies and souls with something you made is second to none.

I know some people would say “Healthy?? She uses butter! And cheese! And cream!” I feel comfortable using these ingredients at home because I know just what quantity I’m using and know the majority of my grocery lists and plates are fruits and veggies. There’s always an unknown factor with restaurant meals, and they tend to err on the side of more fat, more salt, and more refined carbs.

Finally, 

The best part about the way I eat is that I can eat as much as I want! I’ve heard time and again that vegetarian and/or healthy food isn’t satisfying…what’s more satisfying than eating until you’re full? Upping the portions is a-okay with me if those portions are all fresh, nutritious yumminess that will leave me feeling great inside and out.