Q: WHAT IS “REAL FOOD”?
A: To me, it's simple! Meats, Fish, Eggs, Fruits, Herbs, Spices, Real Salt, Veggies, Roots, Honey, Ancient Grains, Legumes, Nuts, yes, even organs! (No organ recipes in this book through.)
Along with that stunning list of whole foods, I advocate for traditional dairy practices for raw cheeses and milk, whole cream, fresh butter, and other dairy ingredients that align with my “Back To Source Cooking" mindset.
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A Look Into The Journey and Cassidyy’s “Back To Source” Cooking Approach
To me, cooking is not only a deeply personal journey but a spiritual one as well.
When I look back on being a kid, I see how I always loved cooking and have learned the skills and techniques over the years. My mom, a beloved baker and the best homemaker to ever live made sure we knew the cooking basics and were handy around the kitchen.
Once a week, my Sister and I were tasked to cook dinner for the family so we could learn in real-time. I remember writing on the fridge what I would make, and when my mom went to the grocery store, I got to go and pick out my ingredients. I thought it was so awesome.
In the late 90s/early 00s, you could go to the store, and in the produce section, you could find a spinning display stand filled with recipes. I would spin it around a few times and pick out all the recipes I wanted to make for my family. (To this day, my family still gives me recipes like this!)
When my collection kept growing, my mom gave me a blue index card holder to keep my recipes organized, and she made a place in her kitchen to drawer for me. She kept her recipes and kitchen tips in this drawer so I always knew where they were.
Sometimes, I would go get the blue index card holder, take out all the recipes and organize them into different categories like desserts, meals, etc. Even as a young girl, I would dream about one day making one of these meals for my future husband and what he was going to be like.
Fast forward ten years or so, and I did the same thing, saving and screenshotting recipes on Pinterest when the platform came on the scene. There is so much more to the story, but it’s a fun place to transition because the story gets even sweeter when I was 23, I married the love of my life.
In the weeks leading up to the wedding, I packed my things from my parent's home to prepare to move across town into my new husband's home. That blue index card holder was one of the first things I packed. Life is full of full-circle moments.
Meet Daniel.
:)
My love and I started dating in 2016, and It was like as soon as we met, it was time to celebrate because God was doing something amazing in our lives. Our dating days were highlighted with great steaks, fine restaurants, and tasty wine! My dad quickly started calling us "foodies."
I wasn't very adventurous with trying new foods before meeting him, but he has a way of finding the best and craziest things on any menu that just work! I noticed quickly that Daniel has a fantastic palette. In fact, we jokingly now say that some of the recipes in the cookbook are "Daniel's Pallete reverse-engineered." lol!
Our love for food (and each other, obviously.) only grew after our honeymoon when we stayed at this amazing spa where every meal was prepared with fresh, organic ingredients straight from the farm. It was like nothing we'd ever tasted before. We were mesmerized, not just by the incredible flavors, but by the whole experience of eating real food in these new ways.
Since then, we have had a passion for whole-food meals, and when we would travel, we would search for the most amazing meals we can find. Our mealtime conversations are often around how to improve the food and how it could go to the next level. We would put our ideas to the test and started to make some of our favorite dishes right from our own kitchen.
In 2019, we started to make whole-food cooking a higher priority to unlock optimal health. Through years of research and learning more about the best human diet, we realized that learning how to cook with whole foods could heal our bodies and transform our health.
I am not a health expert, just a cooking enthusiast who stumbled upon the power of whole foods and decided to dive deep. I am committed to learning and cooking as much as I can with real foods and want to share my journey with the world.
Along with that, I want the Atkins babies for years to come to have the recipes Daniel and we ate every day on our path to freedom...May every bite help you become the warrior you are. We love you throughout eternity.
Read more of our love story on the blog: A Taste of Love: Our Journey into Whole Food Cooking & "Cook with Real Food" Click here to read!
December 2016: We ate filets and amazing bacon shrimp dip for Daniel’s birthday!
Back To Source Cooking
“At the heart of my kitchen and journey is a deep-seated belief in the power of natural, unprocessed ingredients. My 'Back to Source' philosophy encourages choosing foods that are as close to their original form as possible, bypassing processed options and artificial additives. Whether it's opting for grass-fed beef over lower-quality options or choosing traditionally farmed apples over GMO varieties, the goal is to make mindful choices that bring us closer to the essence of real food and the way God created it. The Cook with Real Food Cookbook embodies this philosophy, offering recipes and insights to help you embark on your own journey towards genuine, flavorful cooking.” - CA
The Story:
As I mentioned in the beginning, cooking is not just a personal journey but a deeply spiritual one for me as well.
I remember a conversation I had with God one day, that sparked my entire approach to cooking.
He asked me, "If I needed you to cook anywhere in the world, how would you do it?"
This thought-provoking question sent me down a profound path of self-reflection.
I thought...anywhere? In my mind, I started to think of recipes that reached outside of my favorite stores, brands, products, and even cultures. After some critical thinking, I thought to myself…well, I would need to learn how to garden and somehow get a cow.
It was like a light bulb went off.
This was the start of something much more than just the brand Cook With Real Food, but more on that later.
The question also helped me understand that cooking is not about fancy products, special sauces, or the latest food trends.
These are often nothing more than clever marketing tactics or localized availabilities that could confine us in our cooking journey. The real essence of cooking lies in using the best whole, natural ingredients found on this Earth - it's about going back to the source.
The source, to me, represents foods in their most natural, unprocessed form and the closest you can get to God's original intent for that food.
For example, Raw milk and dairy from cows, fresh vegetables and fruits from Farmers, and most importantly - pasture-raised animals. Or at least the closest I can to that at the city store or Instacart!
Avoiding things like fake dyes, fake flavors, modern seed oils, and other synthetic ingredients found in packaged goods cans, boxes, and bags—with every purchase, I asked myself, can I get this closer to the source or original design?
The closer to the source I got, the more flavorful and vibrant my dishes became!
"The "Back To Source" mentality and approach to cooking/eating is not about a diet or making a full escape from the food system; it's about doing what you can to get closer to source every day, even in the small decisions."
- CA
Even in my experiences eating at gourmet restaurants, I found that the most memorable dishes were the ones that consisted of the simple ingredients that we often overlook: meats, fruits, vegetables, dairy, spices, and salt. These are the ingredients that make up the core of the Cook with Real Food Cookbook.
The cookbook encapsulates my journey and realizations into tangible recipes that can guide you on your journey towards "back to source" cooking.
Whether it's helping you plan meals, learn new cooking techniques, or recreate your favorite restaurant meals at home - my hope is that it inspires you to embark on your own journey toward cooking with real foods.
Cooking Oils and Seed Oils 101:
In 2019, I embarked on a journey towards unlocking optimal health. A key component of this journey was reassessing my cooking oil choices and eliminating processed seed oils from both my pantry and my plate!
That's why you'll notice throughout the Cook Book that modern cooking oils like Vegetable Oil, Soy Bean Oil, etc, will not be found.
That's because most modern oils are what's known as PUFAs. (Poly Unsaturated Fat) or "seed oils” which could be linked to a variety of health issues when compared to more traditional oils and fats.
After nearly four years, I have become extremely passionate about spreading awareness regarding the harmful effects of seed oils on the body. This is because I have personally experienced the great benefits of removing them from my diet, and I believe significantly improved my overall well-being.
List of Oils I Avoid:
Canola
Corn
Cottonseed (Crisco)
Soy (Vegetable Oil)
Sunflower
Safflower
Grapeseed
Peanut Oil
Rice Bran
And others
To learn more about why I avoid these oils, check out “Seed Oil 101: Why Seed Oils Are Bad For You! Longevity Expert Weighs In.”
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Cook With Real Food | Seed Oil Free | Animal Protein Cooking Community!Hey, internet friends! I'm Cassidyy, AKA the hands in your favorite cooking videos and the voice on your favorite cooking podcast.
:)
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NOTES*
Normies and vegans need not join - you will not like us, but the food will be better than anything you've had. So proceed at your own risk. :)
Nothing in this group is health, wealth, or nutritional advice. Cook and eat at your own risk and consult a professional.
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