As a Registered Dietitian and media spokesperson for over three decades and as gatekeeper of meals for my family, I’ve always tried to be realistic and practical when teaching about choosing foods, while simultaneously keeping in mind an individual’s taste preferences and state of health.

Through many years of consulting to shows and publications including Good Morning America, CNN, CBS Early Show, The New York Times, USA Today, and WebMD, I’ve needed to translate complicated science into clear and simple messages. I have reached audiences of all ages guiding them to incorporate healthy, delicious, nutrient-rich foods into their lifestyles, not change their lifestyles to incorporate a “diet,” as many fad programs promote. While these unrealistic diets have come and gone, I have not strayed from my basic philosophy: all foods fit into a healthy diet and there is no such thing as “good” or “bad” foods…although some of us do have bad eating habits.

There is nothing magical about individual foods; the magic is in combining them to create dishes that will please your palate as well as fuel your desire to feel great, physically and emotionally, throughout the stages of your life.