Two Healthy Kitchens:

Our Healthy Kitchen … and Yours!

On days when you and your family are racing in 15 different directions at once, does it feel practically impossible to find quick, healthy meals and snacks that actually taste good, too?

If so, you’ve come to the right place!

We’re always looking for brilliant new inspiration and recipes to simplify our own family’s mealtimes – delicious, super-nutritious foods to get us through our busy days!

And, we’re excited to share our ideas … from our family to yours!

Here’s what we believe in:

• Delicious!  First of all, the food you serve should actually taste really good. Obvious, right?
• Do-able!  Even if you adore cooking, you probably don’t have all day to craft a restaurant-worthy, six-course meal. We sure wish we did, but the reality is that sometimes it’s just gotta be fast – or it’s not gonna happen!
• Powerful!  We’re always looking for foods that will fuel us through our active days, not bog us down. Let’s make every meal count!

Hmmm … delicious food that’s also quick and healthy? Really?

Yep – we can do that! Together! Our Healthy Kitchen … and Yours!

In the Beginning … Shelley and Gretchen

Two Healthy Kitchens began back in the fall of 2012 as the crazy “Hey, why not? This’ll be fun!” idea of Shelley and one of our dearest friends, Gretchen. With a master’s degree in nutrition and hundreds of hours of cooking school between them, they shared a passion for finding ways to make good recipes better – and more nutritious.

The idea was to share that passion to help other busy families. To welcome you right into the kitchen with them – as though you were sharing a good laugh and a cup of coffee with friends.

Some three years later, Gretchen made the incredibly difficult decision to step back from THK so that she could pursue another of her passions – working with special needs kiddos in the local schools.

But not to worry! As much as we miss her, we’re happy that she’ll still be around. You’ll still see all of the inspired, family-favorite recipes she’s shared. Plus all her early-days photos and funny stories about the struggle to serve nutritious meals to a crazy-busy family that’s always on the go!

The THK Family … Our Healthy Kitchen

Shelley  ~  At the top of my list of favorite pastimes are: eating, talking about eating, and planning what to eat next!

After years in the business world as a Communications Director, I made the (sometimes pretty darn terrifying!) transition to being a stay-at-home mom when my twins, Amy and Ty, were born. Feeding two tiny new humans really kicked my healthy eating quest into high gear! As part of that quest, I’ve logged more than 200 hours in the cooking school kitchen, and I’m thrilled that, as a food writer, every day I get to learn more (hello, dream job!). I just love sharing my passion for making delicious, family-pleasing recipes … that are also healthy and completely do-able in the midst of a hectic schedule.

We can do this, you guys! And, with the help of my new blogging buddies – my family – I’m excited to show you how!

Scott  ~  Engineer by day, taste-tester by night.

I was hooked on the idea of Two Healthy Kitchens from the time I tasted my very first Energy Ball.

I never knew that one day I’d be the new tech support guy (aka the “oh-Scott-why-won’t-this-dumb-computer-work” guy), but if it means I get to eat more Energy Balls, I’m all in (I think!).

Ty  ~  I love to eat!

And all my life, my mom’s made sure that Amy and I had yummy, healthy meals and snacks. So awesome coming home to fresh-baked muffins (especially if they’re Blueberry-White Chocolate – my absolute faves!), or munching on Energy Balls before practice (when the other kids were stuck with Goldfish crackers). The food is fun, and cooking with mom is fun, too!

Through the years, I’ve loved helping out around here – helping Mom take photos, taste-testing new creations, and even sharing some recipes of my own!

In between soccer and lacrosse … and more soccer and lacrosse … plus maybe some snowboarding and trail running and biking … I’ve always been excited to get in some THK time, too!

Amy  ~  Can I tell you a secret? I’m kind of the designated picky eater of the family.

If left to my own devices, I might honestly end up subsisting on steak (medium-rare), mashed potatoes (with garlic, sour cream, and sometimes cheese) and warm, buttered bread. And let’s not forget the chocolate chip cookies.

But for a girl who loves to run (the farther the better … hello, half-marathon!), hit the weights, scuba dive, punch and kick my way to a black belt in martial arts (krav maga), and do about a hundred other things … well, eating like that is just not gonna work out well. As a family, we’ve always tried to keep focused on eating foods that are actually going to give us the nutrition and power we need, but that doesn’t mean I’m willing to sacrifice the taste!

Join me in the (sometimes slightly awe-inspiring) realization that “healthy” doesn’t mean “flavorless cardboard”! I’m so excited to be part of the delicious adventure, right along with you!

Finn  ~  (As written by Shelley because, you know, even a dog this awesomesauce can’t actually type his own bio.) 

A sweet Jack-Rat rescue, Finn is our comic relief, our soft-eared and stress-relieving cuddle bug, and a top-notch running partner.

He instantly became best friends with Gretchen’s pup, Murphy (check out their adorable pictures here!). Bonus: he helps out a lot around the kitchen. Not in the chopping-and-stirring way (because, of course, no opposable thumbs!), but more in the Shelley-is-a-super-messy-cook-and-I’m-here-to-clean-the-floor way.

A soft cuddler who runs really fast and cleans up kitchen messes? That’s a perfect puppy trifecta! Every healthy kitchen should be this lucky!

Welcome to Two Healthy Kitchens, where we share Delicious Inspiration and Nutritious Recipes! Fully tested (again and again and AGAIN), and trusted for more than a decade).

From Our Healthy Kitchen … to Yours!

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Pssssssst … Our family photos are courtesy of the amazing, incomparable Susie of Susie Marie Photography, portrait and wedding photographer! You’ve gotta check her out!