About

I love to cook- it defines a huge part of who I am. As a Cuban-American, I grew up eating mostly Cuban  food, which has a special place in my heart, but really enjoy trying different cuisines and experimenting with recipes from all over the world.  Also, I never met a cupcake I didn’t like.

I often find myself facing the challenging conundrum of “what to eat”  face on. Why be plagued with the same meals all the time? I believe life is too short to not eat well.  Part of the reason I started this blog was to prove to myself and to my readers that you can have an incredibly varied diet with food that is not only good, but good for you  everyday- even on weeknights after long workdays with the proper planning.  I love to challenge myself to create new and exciting meals with things that are in my fridge and pantry, and I challenge you to do the same.  I also believe that the closer you are to a food’s natural state, the better- If you can’t pronounce the ingredients, that is a good sign that it’s probably not good for you.  I can’t afford to buy all organic ingredients, but I feel that we the people, need to be informed about what we put in and on our bodies, and try to make the best choices with the resources that are available to us.  I hope this doesn’t come across as preachy… really I’m just saying this because I care.  I care about you, your family, your friends and your kids.  Please just empower yourself, empower yourself to eat better food, with lots of  fresh veggies, and eliminate pre-packaged foods as much as possible. Also, life is too short to deny yourself the occasional cupcake.

I’d like to leave you with a few of Michael Pollan’s food rules.  This guy just makes sense.

  1. Don’t eat anything your great grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food
  2. Avoid foods that have some form of sugar or sweetener listed among the top three ingredients
  3. Stop eating before you’re full and try to eat only to 67 to 80 per cent capacity
  4. Don’t get your “fuel” from the same place your car does
  5. Do all your eating at a table, not at a desk, while working, watching television or driving
  6. Keep healthy things on hand if you need to snack between meals
  7. Eat food cooked by humans, not corporations
  8. Buy a freezer
  9. Eat animals that have themselves eaten well
  10. Don’t eat breakfast cereals that change the color of the milk
  11. Wherever possible buy fresh food at farmers’ markets
  12. Break the Rules once in a while (My favorite!!!!)

On a more personal note, here are a few things I’d like to share.  I have been happily married to the best friend a girl could have for almost 10 years. We live in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metro after moving from Miami- our hometown. My husband is my greatest critic and guinea pig. I am fully bi-lingual and feel extremely fortunate to embrace both cultures equally. Close to the top of my bucket list is to one day live in an updated mid-century modern home with ample land for a veggie garden and a kitchen designed from the bottom up by me. I am not ashamed to admit that all of my pictures have been taken with a point-and-shoot camera and I am totally intimidated to move on to a digital DSLR camera. But one day, hopefully soon, I will. I recently (March 2011) bought my DSLR and am loving every minute!

I love hearing from you,  and I read every single comment.  If you’re new to the Yuca Diaries, WELCOME! If you’re a repeat visitor, thanks for your support and come back and see me soon!


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