Delicious Paleo Recipes: Best Thing I Ever Ate: Diana Rodgers

Best Thing I Ever Ate: Diana Rodgers | Popular Paleo

Diana Rodgers is one of my favorite people! Smart, hard-working and incredibly talented, Diana has authored several cookbooks (Paleo Lunches & Breakfasts On the Go, Homegrown Paleo) while running a toxin-free farm with her family on the east coast. She recently earned her Registered Dietician certification and is taking clients in the Boston area (*hint, hint). Diana lives and breathes the heart and soul of the Paleo movement: ethical meat sources, sustainable farming practices, nutrient-dense meals and practicing a lifestyle that contributes to reduced inflammation and increased health and happiness. And her house was built in the late 1700’s…and might be haunted. So that’s fun.

By far my most memorable experience with Diana was a couple summer’s ago when we partnered up with Steph Gaudreau (Stupid Easy Paleo) for Paleo Day book signing at the Union Square Farmer’s Market in New York City. Then a few days later we added Mel Joulwan of the fab Well Fed cookbook series for an evening on the farm. We cleared out the barn, popped up tables and chairs and had a lovely meal with fifty or so guests. The four of us shared our philosophies on Paleo, took questions from the crowd and enjoyed a tour of the farm at sunset. It was a dreamy summer night at Clark Farm in Carlisle, MA. One of my favorite weekends ever.

What’s the best thing you ever ate?

When Michelle Tam (Nom Nom Paleo) sent me an Instant Pot as a gift, the first thing I made was her Pressure Cooker Mexican Beef, and it completely blew my mind. It was like meat-candy.

What’s the best thing you ever made?

This summer I was playing with my spiralizer and developed a pretty incredible recipe for Vietnamese Noodle Salad with Grilled Steak, Peaches and Herbs for a potluck I was throwing and it was a huge hit. I love how refreshing and cool it is, plus it’s really easy to make!

Best Thing I Ever Ate: Diana Rodgers | Popular Paleo

What’s your best secret short-cut in the kitchen?

My kids get really excited to “make their own” food, so taco night is a big hit, and they will put all sorts of things in their taco that they wouldn’t eat solo. I chop up all sorts of vegetables, some fruit, and give the grilled meat and some wraps, and they go to town. It’s their favorite meal and I’m excited that they don’t even know I’m trying to trick them.

What’s the best cookbook you have on your shelf?

I actually love The Flavor Bible. It’s not really a cookbook, but more of an inspiration book. It lists ingredients that pair well together, so if I have some pork, I’ll it up and see what fresh vegetables, herbs and spices I’ve got on hand that match well. Pork + peaches + basil + cilantro? Perfect, dinner in a flash. That’s mostly how I cook.

What’s your best reason to follow Paleo?

After I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease, I felt a lot better as far as my GI symptoms, but my blood sugar was still a mess. I kept going to the doctor asking to be tested for diabetes because I knew something was wrong. Although I was in the “normal” range, I now know I was pre-diabetic and headed for disaster.

It wasn’t until I went back to school to study nutrition and read The Paleo Solution that I “cured” myself. After going paleo, I was able to finally make it from breakfast to lunch without a snack, or could even skip lunch without passing out. I had no idea how carb addicted I was. I was never overweight, but was certainly a metabolic mess before paleo. Now at age… well I’ll be 39 forever I’ve never felt healthier. It not only changed my health, but my career. My goal in life is to help people eat better through nutrient-dense food. I have a nutrition practice, so people from all over the world work with me to learn how to fix themselves through nutrition. I also do a ton of writing about issues happening in the food world, and host The Sustainable Dish Podcast, where I interview nutrition experts and those in the food movement. It’s incredibly rewarding.