Contact: sylvia@feastingathome.com
Welcome to Feasting at Home! I’m Sylvia Fountaine, former restaurant owner, caterer and chef, living in the Pacific Northwest – sharing healthy, plant-forward recipes, grounded in the seasons. My hope is that this website will become a useful resource to you – to inspire, motivate and show you how to create your own simple, healthy delicious feasts at home. I’m not sure about you, but I truly believe that sitting down to a healthy home-cooked meal is hands-down, the most nourishing thing 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 – starting 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 easier and elevate your cooking. It doesn’t have to be complicated, expensive or require hours of time -wholesome meals can be simple and approachable, without compromising flavor or beauty. I’m so excited to share how!
As a chef, what inspires me most is beautiful, 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. I’m so excited to share this with you!
Many of recipes are vegan, vegetarian, gluten- free and 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 a little more simple. For more of these kinds of recipes – go to the “adaptable” category.
AND YES, occasionally I’ll throw in recipes that may not seem very “healthy” on the surface, but I’ve found that there are times in one’s life when comfort food is not only reasonable, it’s necessary. When my sweet old mom passed away several years ago, a 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 – I have 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 eat foods that make me feel joyful. I try not to moralize food or my choices. Most of the time, I just 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 present moment. Even after catering big fancy events, on my days off when I felt totally exhausted, I found 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, especially after loss.
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!!!
“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❤”
“My name is Caroline, I had some guests over and decided to use your recipes. 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.”
When you subscribe to FEASTING AT HOME you’ll recieve simple, approachable ways to create plant-forward, 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!!!
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
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!!
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. 🙂
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
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
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
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!!
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!
Thanks Tiana!!
Wow, Sylvia! What a beautiful site you have and very inspirational! I’m excited to try your recipes, they look amazing!! Thank you!!
Patty thanks so much, glad you are here!!
Of course, thanks!
1 ½ cups
Hi Nancy, just scroll down a bit it’s in there…2 teaspoons. 🙂
Hi Sylvia! Nice to meet you!
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!!
Hi Dana, thanks! No, no Asian thread in my genes that I know of, just Finnish and Egyptian, but we’ve been traveling to Asia quite a bit and I love the food! Welcome to the blog!
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
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.
Thanks so Much Nicolette! So happy you are finding the recipes useful. All the best to you!!!
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
Thank you Andrea! I will start mixing it up a bit here 😉 Appreciate your feedback.
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
Thanks so much for this Julie! Really appreciate your kind words. Thanks for being here!!
Oops – apologies re the typos. Would have been good to read before sending…. But the intent of the message comes through.
Dear Sylvia!
Love your site!
Fun Ayurveda recipes!
Thanks,
Larry Teckmeyer
Idaho Falls
Thank you for sharing!
I’m so glad I found your site.
Awesome recipes =)
Awww…thank you so much Mariana- I’m so happy you are here!
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.
Thanks Regina! Nothing makes me feel happier than hearing that this little project is useful and helpful to others. Appreciate your kind words! All the best, Sylvia.
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!
Thanks so much Julian! I will look into this and see what I can do! I appreciate you letting me know!
I will look into it…thanks!!!
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)
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. 🙂
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
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!
Hi Laura, thanks for your comment! Feel free to email me at Sylvia@feastingathome.com and let me know what recipe you are thinking!
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.
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.
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!
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.
Yes, some of the best memories are surrounded in food. Thanks for the comment and let me know how your pickling goes!
What a great site…. love your recipes, going to make your mushroom Wellington on Tuesday for a dinner party.
Thanks so much Brenda! Happy you are here!
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.
Thanks Amy, I appreciate this.