Feasting At Home

Where healthy meets delicious!

About

Chef Sylvia Fountaine, author and photographer of Feasting at Home Blog, Spokane Washington.

Contact: sylvia@feastingathome.com

Welcome to Feasting at Home – where healthy meets delicious!  I’m Sylvia Fountaine, restaurant owner, caterer and chef, living in the Pacific Northwest – sharing healthy, seasonal veggie-focused recipes, grounded in the seasons. My hope is that this website will become a useful resource to help inspire, motivate and teach you how to create your own simple, healthy delicious feasts at home. Whether you are vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, paleo or pescatarian, we can all agree on one thing. Cooking meals from scratch, using fresh seasonal produce is one of the most nurturing gifts we can give ourselves and our families.

But I know how challenging this can be! You’ve been telling me you want to create  healthy & delicious meals – but lack time, energy, and inspiration. Working in the food industry for over 25 years – owning an upscale vegetarian restaurant called Mizuna in 1996, then eventually Feast Catering Co. in 2007 –  I’ve learned a few tricks of the trade to help make things simple and help you cook smarter. It doesn’t have to be complicated, expensive or require hours of time -wholesome meals can be easy and approachable, without compromising flavor or beauty. I’m so excited to share how!

Many recipes are vegan, vegetarian, gluten- free, pescatarian and/or paleo. I’m not sure about you- but I don’t subscribe to one particular diet and don’t believe in one size fits all. We are all so different! I’m not here to convince you to eat one way or another… what you eat is your business!  My goal is to help make your cooking at home easier and simpler by providing you with options for your family’s own particular needs.  Even though I had a vegetarian restaurant for 10 years and often eat vegan during the week, I’m not strictly vegan or vegetarian- and I’m married to a wonderful carnivore, Brian. Often I’ll adapt our meals so he can have meat, and I can keep mine vegetarian- one meal, two ways.  With so many mixed households –  vegans and meat-eaters-  both living under the same roof,  cooking can get complicated. I’ve started creating “adaptable” recipes to make everyone happy, and make cooking easier.  For more of these kinds of recipes – go to the “adaptable” category.

As a chef, what inspires me most is fresh, seasonal produce. This is because fresh produce, grown as close to us as possible always has the BEST flavor! It doesn’t have to travel as far as conventional grocery store produce so it’s allowed a little more time to ripen on the tree or vine and develop more flavor.  Picked at its peak, a peach tastes like a peach (heavenly) and a tomato tastes like a real tomato. When you start with ripe seasonal ingredients at their peak of flavor, they can be treated so simply in the kitchen. Not only will the end result taste better, it’s a beautiful way to embrace the seasons and cycles of the earth – a very grounding way of cooking and being in the world. (Tip: It is the one thing you can begin doing immediately that will elevate your cooking. )

Many recipes are ethnic-inspired. I’m hearing that you are very intrigued by ethnic food, but are turned off by complicated processes or hard-to-find ingredients. I was raised in Los Angeles by a Finnish mother and Egyptian father, both right “off the boat.” We traveled a lot and they both loved to cook. Every single thing was made from scratch. They showed me how the humblest of ingredients could be turned into a feast,  utilizing a wide array of vegetables and herbs along with unique spice combinations. When my husband and I travel these days, it always revolves around food. I love learning new cuisines and am so excited to share this with you! That’s why you’ll find a lot of globally-inspired recipes here.

AND YES, occasionally I’ll throw in a few recipes that may not seem very “healthy” on the surface, but I’ve found… there are times in one’s life when comfort food is actually comforting, on a soul level. When my sweet old mom passed away several years ago, my dear friend brought over her Four-Cheese Macaroni and Cheese. It was the only thing that would go down. To this day, I believe that was the most healing, nurturing meal I could have put into my body at that time – and I’ve never ever forgotten it.  Though I try to eat relatively “cleanly” (see my Detox Page), I don’t judge or label foods as “good” or “bad.” I try not to moralize food choices.  I simply try to eat foods that make me feel energetic, alive, light and joyful. Most of the time, I try to cook simple, plant-based foods, using a lot of fresh, healthy produce, while allowing myself indulgences in moderation. The middle path.

Most of you have shared how short on time you are. I get it. Most of the recipes here in the last few years are geared towards you- time-saving, healthy recipes.  But there are days like Sundays, when many of us truly enjoy spending time in the kitchen putzing around while something slow roasts in the oven for hours – and you’ll find those recipes here too, because they are nourishing on a soul level.  Cooking, if we allow it, can center and ground us, and bring us back to ourselves. It can be a meditation. Even after catering big fancy events, on my days off when I felt totally exhausted, I would often find myself back in my home kitchen simply making a pot of soup or baking a loaf of  bread. Cooking can be incredibly restorative and healing.

I always love hearing from you.  I really appreciate it when you rate recipes and leave comments  sharing how you’ve adapted them. This helps others try them too. I value your feedback- it helps me figure out how to make this site the most useful for you. So feel free to email me at sylvia@feastingathome.com, or simply hit “reply” when you get your Saturday morning emails and tell me your thoughts on how to better serve you! Seriously!

I’m so excited to have you be a part of our community!!!

 

Here are a few comments from our community members…

” I LOVE your recipes sooooo much that I don’t even use my cookbooks anymore! 😉 ” Kerry D. 
“I have been following your blog and emails for many months now. Your pictures are inspiring, your recipes are DELICIOUS, and I don’t know what I’d do without you! I have two small kids, a crazy busy work schedule, and I rely on your recipes to feed my family – literally! I have used many different sites to inspire my cooking, but yours has been consistently the BEST. I just wanted to thank you – you keep me going!!” Christina

“My biggest challenge in the kitchen is diversity.  I eat clean 90% of the time but tend to prepare the same meals and get into a rut.  Like you, tried all the different diets and found that a mostly plant based diet with certain proteins (fish and some poultry) work best for me.  I LOVED the “5 Day Energy Bowls” and the recipes included in the Detox Guide.  I already love to make fresh healthy meals and am excited to find another source for very interesting and not too complicated recipes that are exactly what I prefer to eat.  Last night I made the sheet pan salmon with baby bok choy and mushrooms.  Loved it!!!  Keep up the good work, you are appreciated!” Elizabeth

“Your recipes have helped change the way I cook, shop, and eat. I used to love overly complicated French cooking—expensive, time-consuming, and a little risky when guests are coming. Now life is simpler, healthier, and far tastier! I love that I have things in my kitchen like miso, sumac, zaatar, dashi, coriander…and that I use them regularly. They used to be mysterious and “off limits.” Not anymore. I think we (society) can be a little too precious about food. I love what you say about not moralizing it. It’s truly a privilege to have access to fresh produce and high quality food items. I really do rejoice in food. It’s a thrill to prepare really healthy dishes and watch people I care for scrape their plates clean and marvel at flavors and combinations they never expected to like, let alone crave. That’s thanks to you!

Your blog has been most helpful in the following ways:

Sheet pan meals are a revelation.
The sauces make all the difference in the world. They are exceptional and beautiful and EASY.
The versatility and adaptability of your recipes are a dream.
The new flavors are exciting, like Indian and Asian.
You make it so easy to use tofu, which I love but used to have difficulty preparing in a way that tasted as good as at restaurants.
Your turmeric broth is a staple. I make it at least once a month. “

Susanna 

“I found you online 18 months ago and I love, love, love all the recipes I have tried so far and my husband can’t be happier.  My husband and our guests thank you over and over. Who thought I would get goosebumps from reading your recipes!  P.S.  I’m 71 years old and never enjoyed cooking until I found you! Love at the first recipe❤” 

“Thank you for giving your recipes life and bringing your creations out into the world! They bring back a new-found joy for cooking and I feel extremely inspired to try out many more and come up with new ideas myself.  May you keep on inspiring others along with you. You surely did with me.” Caroline

 

When you subscribe to FEASTING AT HOME  you’ll recieve simple, approachable ways to create healthy, time-saving meals for the whole family, while elevating flavor. You’ll receive your once-weekly recipes every Saturday morning, so you can plan ahead for the coming week. Pick a few out and break out of that rut! Your family will love it!!!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Hi Sylvia!!
    I wanted to let you know I prepared a couple of things from your blog for my book club last night and both received great reviews!! The Spicy Chipotle Wings with Cool Lime Cilantro dipping sauce. Love this!! I used boneless skinless breast meat cut up small to eat with tiny forks for ease of eTing in this case. I used a little olive oil to add a bit of fat so the meat didn’t dry out in cooking. I also made your Lemon Coconut bundt cake which worked well , light and refreshing!! I was so excited there was a bit left over to eat with my morning coffee!! While Mike was in Cuba I made your Shaved Cauliflower English Pea salad and ate it for dinner several nights in a row. Yummy! Flora yogurt is divine!! It tastes like yogurt in Europe. Thank you ,Sylvia , for all your sharing and caring about what we eat. You have , for so many years, enriched my life! You are a treasure! Enjoy this beautiful weekend!
    Cece

    Reply

    • Oh Cece…thank you SO much for your sweet words…so very appreciated! You made my morning…truly! I love that you ” healthified” the chicken wings, such a great idea!! And I feel honored that you are making my recipes…thanks for being here, and for the kind note. Love to you!!

      Reply

  2. I use a Cannon 6 D and a Zeiss Lens ( 50 mm) But really, its not about the camera, it’s about the light. Find the best natural light you can. 🙂

    Reply

  3. Hello, Sylvia!
    My name is Clara, and I discovered your blog a couple of months ago. Needless to say, you and your recipes have been such a source of inspiration for me. My boyfriend and I actually have been “attempting” a food blog ourselves since the new year, aimed at eating healthily and cooking more purposefully. We’re both finishing up our senior year at Northwestern University, and I am actually going to graduate school next year for clinical mental health counseling (I’m mentioning that since I noticed that you practiced as a therapist yourself for a few years!). It’s easy as a student to get lazy and start eating Easy Mac and microwaved meals – we wanted to challenge ourselves to cook more and make it a fun activity to look forward to every day. But I just wanted to reach out to you and thank you for the wonderful recipes and being a source of inspiration to me. We especially loved your green goddess egg salad, picante tuna, and of your salmon recipes, and I have the parsnip gratin cooking in the oven as I speak!! I have scoured Pinterest, magazines, and other online blogs and have found your blog to be the most delicious, witty, and downright beautiful to look at and be inspired, though. I look forward to seeing more recipes from you in the future – thanks again!
    Clara

    Reply

    • Hi Clara! Thank you so much for your kind words- they are truly appreciated! I love that you and your boyfriend cook together…yes, it is such a fun and connecting activity! What an exciting place to be in your life…you have your whole life ahead of you. Make sure to always choose carefully how you want to spend your time. It goes SO fast! All the best to you Clara and I will be sure to check out your blog! Sylvia

      Reply

  4. Hi Sylvia,
    Thank you for sharing such beautiful recipes. I have been busy in the kitchen making wonderful food. Also love the photo’s. Look forward to more yummy food.
    Leanne

    Reply

    • Thank you Leanne! Appreciate the kind note and I’m glad so you are inspired to be in the kitchen. All the best to you!!

      Reply

  5. HI Sylvia!

    I’m so happy to have found your blog! The little exploring I’ve done so far has prompted some great ideas. As an Inland Northwester, I’ll be sure to look to you if I ever need a caterer!

    Reply

  6. Wow, Sylvia! What a beautiful site you have and very inspirational! I’m excited to try your recipes, they look amazing!! Thank you!!

    Reply

  11. Hi Silvia! What a variety of food you have! Beautiful pictures and I am sure they are tasty as well. I wonder if you have any Asian thread in your ethnic background as your Asian food looks so good as if you were were born there.

    Thank you!!

    Reply

  12. Hi Sylvia! This is Lorraine from Hong Kong. We are very impressed by your lovely photos and recipes. We would love to introduce your soup recipe to our Hong Kong readers. Wondering if you could authorize us to feature your images and recipe on our coming enews? We would write a brief introduction about you and provide link to your website so that the readers can check out the rest of your stunning images on your website too.

    I have sent you a Facebook message for more details about our company. Looking forward to hearing from you soon! Thanks

    Reply

  13. Aloha Slyvia! I want to take a moment to tell you how incredibly beautiful your website is. I have saved 30 plus recipes & we are trying them daily. I made the Moroccan salmon this week & it is now in our rotation. Thank you for what you do! We cannot wait to get through more! Happy New Year , I hope this finds you well.

    Reply

  14. I love your recipes and website but I would I am hoping to see less”healthy” and more gourmet recipes as in the past.
    Love you, really

    Reply

  15. Hi Sylvia,

    I am a totally groupie- from way back to Mizuna opening, to Feast catering some of my book group holidays dinners, to this fantastic website. I love the focus on healthy food choices, on seasonal ingredients, and amazing flavor combinations. I also appreciate the ease of preparation of many of the recipes. I make your rhubarb, balsamic,red onion jam recipe to give to friends on Christmas and it is always a hit.

    Thank you!

    Julie

    Reply

  16. Oops – apologies re the typos. Would have been good to read before sending…. But the intent of the message comes through.

    Reply

  19. Hi Sylvia. I joined your email subscription a little over a year ago, but only recently started actually making your recipes. I wish I had started sooner! I always love your inspirational quotes and your pictures are mouth-watering, but I guess I was a little intimidated by how complicated the dishes looked. Nothing can be farther from the truth. Your recipes are put together nicely and are very easy to follow.

    A friend and I started this year making the Energy Bowls as a way to kick-start a detox from the holidays. They are a wonderful way to bring a healthy lunch to work. We love that you only have to spend about 45 minutes in the kitchen to make it all come together. Since then, we have both branched out by making many other recipes for dinner. When we reheat leftovers at the office, we usually end up sharing your site with at least one other person because they ask about the delicious smells.

    So, you now have a small following of Feasting lovers in Denver. Keep them coming, we love it all!

    P.S. – Healthy feels great.

    Reply

  20. Hello. This is not particularly for posting. I so enjoy receiving your emails and have decided they are probably the most meaningful and USEFUL notices I receive from any group I’ve “joined” by sharing my email address.

    I just wish I could read all of them. Why is the type so very very faint? Like this comment I am sending — I can barely see what I am typing. I had a friend look over my shoulder as I read the last email (with the energy bowls) and she recommended cutting and pasting the email into a word document and then changing the text color to black, and so I did.

    Wow – I can’t be the only one who can barely read this comment.

    Thank you for considering and for sharing so much of value with your oreaders!

    Reply

  22. Hi Sylvia,
    I was wondering if you would share the recipe for the fish tacos’s you offered at Mizuna, way back when. They were chipotle-maple syrup and garlic….served with grilled red and yellow peppers and avocado slices. Oh, so delicious!
    Thank you!
    Jim Alexander
    (Bens dad)

    Reply

    • Hi Jim! Thanks and yes, I will see if I can dig it up. Basically, the mahi-mahi was marinated in a combination of oil, lots of garlic, several chipotle peppers(and some adobo sauce from the can) ,cumin, coriander, and a bit a of maple- just blend it up in the blender with salt and pepper to taste, and marinate the fish over night before grilling. That should get you pretty close. 🙂

      Reply

  23. Hi Sylvia, I don’t know how I stumbled upon your blog. Possibly through a Google Search or a post on Pinterest. However, I am such a fan of your simple, clean, yet very delicious recipes. One weekend I spent a whole Saturday afternoon just browsing through ALL of your recipes to bookmark a handful I wanted to make. We made the Sea Bass with Cannelini Bean Stew last week and looking for kefir limes for my next recipe of Balinese Fish Curry. I love the asian influence in your recipes, please keep them going! -Enji

    Reply

  24. Hi, Sylvia,
    As an aspiring food blogger, I am quite inspired by your recipes, posts, and photography. I am considering featuring one of your recipes on my website, and wonder if you would give me permission to publish the recipe as-is or in a slightly adapted way. Of course, I would give you credit for the recipe and include a link back to your site, both on the recipe card and in the text of my post. Is this possible?

    I love your site and your use of Northwest ingredients as I am in Seattle. Love your photography of Eastern WA, too!

    Reply

  25. Hi Sylvia
    I am from Australia, and stumbled on your website. I love that you are chef and not claiming to be anything more than someone interested in good food and a healthy lifestyle. I love your recipes and the fact they are so clear and concise and of course taste amazing.

    Reply

  26. Hello Sylvia! I just received the Detox Guide and Energy Bowl Guide. Thank you so much for providing us with these resources for free. My husband made the Rustic Eggplant Moussaka this week, which is just so-o-o delicious. You’re an excellent writer and share your recipes with such clarity and openness. You are definitely a life saver as we move ahead with our 7 Day Detox!
    Gratefully yours, m.

    Reply

    • Thanks Monique! Appreciate your kind words and I hope you enjoy the detox! You made one of my most favorite dishes on the blog- Moussaka, comfort food for the soul on these cold winter days. All the best to you!

      Reply

  27. This week I am launching my own pickling recipe tests to find what are the tastiest pickling combinations for various veggies. I grow a garden each year. So, I’m planning my 2018 garden choices around beautiful, tasty pickling veggies. I found your site when looking for encouragement in the endeavor. Excellent information. I’ll be using it to move forward and reporting back on the results.

    I, too, come from a frugal family background. I grew up on a sustainable dairy farm in the South where we grew almost everything we consumed. Pickled, canned and frozen foods were the lifeblood of our existence. I still remember the taste of my great-grandmother’s pickled pears and peaches. What a great memory.

    Reply

  29. Hi Sylvia,

    I love your recipes and drool over your Insta feed. With all due respect, I must inform you that Thai people do not use chopsticks. They eat with a fork and a large spoon. Strange considering they are right in the middle of Asia, right? I have spent some time there and no one would know this unless you have either spent time there or studied Thai culture. I don’t mean to be negative or one-up you in any way, just a heads up to make your feed and blog more authentic.

    Reply

  31. Just a quick comment and thank you.
    Two thing you taught this ‘old dog’ cook…..
    -Use of vinegar or other acid. I never added this flavor profile to much of my cooking. I find it makes a big difference and it’s something I only paid attention to in salad dressings before your blog.
    -Bring on the spice. I always love and use spice in my cooking but now I find I’m using much more quantity based on your recipes and finally get the flavor I crave! And let’s face it those spices don’t need to sit around in their jars forever.
    Kim from Boise.

    Reply

  32. Sylvia,
    Your recipes are honesty life changing!! The ease in which you combine textures and flavours is incredible (even my boyfriend loves the food). I’m allergic to dairy and don’t eat much meat or grains…you’ve given me so many options for lunch and dinner without it being boring!!
    All I can say is thank you and keep doing what you’re doing.

    Reply

  34. I wanted to let you know, your recipes have become a huge part of our lives!
    All of the flavors, ingredients and overall taste completely matches ours perfectly
    and I often find I already have many of the ingredients on hand:)
    I kept you secret for awhile, impressing my husband with delicious new dish after delicious new dish.
    Once he caught on, now he cooks from your site exclusively and it is so fun because he chooses completely
    different recipes than I would so now we get to try them all:)
    And they are all amazing!
    We are truly Feasting at Home, so thank you so much!

    Reply

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