Our family and home life, when we were growing up, centered around family meal time, and the kitchen. It was the time that we all put down the things we were working on, and sat down around the table to discuss our interests, our upcoming events - our lives.

I attended a fine arts magnet high school, and learned early that eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia are as crippling to dancers and actors as an injured back or torn ACL. It was from watching my friends and fellow performers eat - and not eat- that I developed my interest in nutrition and kinesiology. I went on to earn a BFA in Dance Performance from the University of Arizona, and a MFA in Theatre and Dance Education from NYU.

Today, I work with teens and young adults who want to be professional dancers and actors, and have founded a dance company to help them achieve their goals. My background as a Pilates instructor has helped me teach them and strengthen them for the fast-paced and physically demanding roles they perform.

My blog in this space will be mostly about healthful eating, and ways to fit activity and exercise into your daily schedule. My "Lighten Up!" sections of the recipe pages will give you ideas on how to take the fat and/or sugar out of many of our mainstream recipes.

Katie and I live miles apart - a true physical distance, but a metaphorical truth as well. Our mutual love of cooking and all things culinary helps dissolve the miles between us. We treasure the time we spend together in the kitchen and over the grill, and we hope that you enjoy our ramblings, our musings, and our thoughts about outdoor cooking and entertaining.