My original Bio
I still remember that sorrel soup which my father cooked for me, when I was 4 year old. I ate it with my friend at the table that also served as a desk when my older brother needed to do his homework. We lived in one room, all of my family in one small room. We shared the kitchen with other four families
who lived in that communal apartment in the Soviet Union.
Oh how I also loved my mom’s beet soup. I fell in love with this soup when I was a little bit older and became a picky eater. I could eat it day and
night, 7 days a week. And my mom was happy to cook it for me, because she knew that if she cooked this soup her picky eater daughter would at
least eat something.
Then there was a short period without any soup. It was a banana- yogurt period. . I tried my first banana and blueberry yogurt, when I was around 19 years old, after the Soviet Union collapsed. Suddenly, I started to live in a free and independent Latvia with all these unknown foods that fell on me.
My cooking soup life started with my husband who is a soup lover. I remember that day, when I went to a farmers market to buy fresh vegetables for my first vegetable soup to cook for my husband. He asked me to cook a vegetable soup. “Just pure vegetable” soup was something new for me at that time.
I moved to the USA in 2001 and we started to build our life together around the table, meeting in the kitchen every night, sitting down at the table, and sharing a meal. Our son, Philip, joined us in 2009. My little boy inspires me to cook and live a healthier life.
When I walk into my kitchen, I am not alone. I bring my father and my mother and every meal we ate together. I cook for my beloved boys, and, beginning
February 2013, when we started our soup blog with Jan- my coworker, blog partner and inspiration- I cook for our followers. I believe in cooking and love to share my recipes and experiences with you.
Nellie
I still remember that sorrel soup which my father cooked for me, when I was 4 year old. I ate it with my friend at the table that also served as a desk when my older brother needed to do his homework. We lived in one room, all of my family in one small room. We shared the kitchen with other four families
who lived in that communal apartment in the Soviet Union.
Oh how I also loved my mom’s beet soup. I fell in love with this soup when I was a little bit older and became a picky eater. I could eat it day and
night, 7 days a week. And my mom was happy to cook it for me, because she knew that if she cooked this soup her picky eater daughter would at
least eat something.
Then there was a short period without any soup. It was a banana- yogurt period. . I tried my first banana and blueberry yogurt, when I was around 19 years old, after the Soviet Union collapsed. Suddenly, I started to live in a free and independent Latvia with all these unknown foods that fell on me.
My cooking soup life started with my husband who is a soup lover. I remember that day, when I went to a farmers market to buy fresh vegetables for my first vegetable soup to cook for my husband. He asked me to cook a vegetable soup. “Just pure vegetable” soup was something new for me at that time.
I moved to the USA in 2001 and we started to build our life together around the table, meeting in the kitchen every night, sitting down at the table, and sharing a meal. Our son, Philip, joined us in 2009. My little boy inspires me to cook and live a healthier life.
When I walk into my kitchen, I am not alone. I bring my father and my mother and every meal we ate together. I cook for my beloved boys, and, beginning
February 2013, when we started our soup blog with Jan- my coworker, blog partner and inspiration- I cook for our followers. I believe in cooking and love to share my recipes and experiences with you.
Nellie
Nellie and Jan came from opposite sides of the world. Jan grew
up near the beach in Southern California and Nellie grew up
in Latvia which is on the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. We are
both mothers of young children and met while working together
managing a busy medical practice. The idea of creating this
website came from our shared weight loss journey. After having
our children we both really wanted to be at a HEALTHY weight. We
started cooking healthy soups to share with each other for our
work lunches. We both love fresh vegetables and herbs. We both
have small home gardens and love to visit local farmers
markets. We create healthy soups from fresh ingredients and we
also "lighten" up old fashioned favorite recipes from our
childhood when mothers used to cook with full
fat ingredients. Our wish is to share our new
discoveries, encourage and empower you to prepare healthy foods
from our kitchen to yours. Our shared interest to make healthy soups
can be followed with our easy picture recipes. If you have
a desire for weight loss or just want to get new ideas
for healthier recipes then we believe our years of cooking
experience can help you with this goal. Here we are, both 20
lbs. lighter and feeling so much better in our lives. The good
news is our families feel better too!
Get inspired. Have
fun in your kitchen. Love the good health you are bringing to your
table and your family.
Best wishes,
Nellie and Jan
