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AN INTERVIEW WITH MEREDITH ASPLUNDH: Natural Food Guru, Local Health Coach, Totally Cool Gal
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She believes eating and living healthfully
are our patriotic duties. Roasted kale and kimchi are among her current
obsessions. And if you tell her she can't do something, like a triathlon or a
marathon or a jump-roping contest, then watch out: She's on her way to doing
just that. Local health coach and
natural food chef Meredith Asplundh embraces a lifestyle of whole
foods and whole-body health, helping clients break out of their food-dependent
ruts to do the same. This Thursday, April 22, Meredith comes to Luxaby Baby & Child from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
for a talk on nutrition and overall healthy living. I had the chance to indulge in a totally organic, no-grains-barred
chat with her on how to give our pantries and refrigerators an organic overhaul, tips for
inspiring the Scooplets to eat those greens without a fight, and the secrets to
discovering our healthiest, best selves. *****
PrincetonScoop: I understand
your professional career started off with a little Devil Wears Pradamoment.
Meredith Asplundh:
My first job after college was working as the assistant to the editor in
chief of Vogue, Anna Wintour. After
my thousandth cappuccino run in stilettos that even a stripper wouldn't wear, I
decided it was time to move on. I became a beauty editor [for magazines
including] Mirabella, Harper's Bazaar, Self, and YM, and wrote
about all things superficial. [Then] I wrote a [freelance] story for Elle called "Mother Nature." It was
about how your parents' eating habits can largely influence your own, and that
body-image messages are transmitted from mother to daughter, often through her
own relationships with food. Finally, research and information I could relate
to!
PS: Did your parents
influence your habits, and ultimately, your future career in natural health?
MA: Yes, I was very much influenced by my parents' eating habits in a
positive way. My mom was extremely health conscious: She would practice yoga
every morning and then make miso soup. She followed a strict macrobiotic diet
for years. She would always offer us a choice: have what I'm having, or eat
steak and peas like dad. I ate a little bit of everything, and no doubt the
exposure to all of the good stuff rubbed off on me. I advocate the same
everything-in-moderation mantra today.
PS: What's your secret for
jump-starting a more healthful lifestyle?
MA:
My holistic background in nutrition and being a certified chef from The Natural Kitchen Cooking School offers the capability to affect permanent
lifestyle changes. When you let go of food addictions and eat fresh and local,
it's amazing how much more creative and motivated you can be. The most important thing is to eat whole, unprocessed foods.
What is a whole food? Can you imagine it growing? Does it have only one
ingredient? When you start consuming the nourishing vitamins and minerals from
whole foods, it's pretty amazing how you stop having unhealthy cravings. And
sticking with good food lies within [having] variety. Get creative, try new
things [like] daikon radish, collards, kale, okra, burdock root, star fruit,
shiitake mushrooms, moochi, millet, and Amaranth, barley. We're lucky to have
access to all of these wonderful things in our town [too]. Also, make sure your
loved ones are supportive [because] a spouse with a penchant for cookies and ice
cream after dinner is a surefire way to [sabotage your] efforts.
PS: And how do you work to
maintain those efforts?
MA: For long-term health, fitness has
to be a priority. Our ancestors didn't sit in front of a computer or the TV or
commute for hours on end. We do, and our children are fast becoming the first
generation not to outlive their
parents. Also, my background in holistic counseling has taught me that when
your "primary foods" (the things that nourish your soul, such as your
relationships, spouse, friends, family, career, spirituality, confidence,
finances) are out of balance, it can lead to poor eating habits. Another
principle to follow is to be a conscious consumer. Ask, where does it come
from? Is it local? Organic? Genetically modified? And give yourself a break; get
good sleep, and just chill.
PS: What advice would you
give parents who don't think it's possible to get their kids on board with
eating healthfully?
MA: I think getting kids involved in the grocery shopping, helping with the
cooking, growing and picking vegetables from the garden, or the local farm is a great way to [place] food in a positive light. Create fun,
festive nights such as "Taco Friday" or "Breakfast For Dinner Monday." And
always provide excellent choices. As long as the pantry and fridge are stocked
with fresh, whole food products and vegetables, you can eliminate the potential
eating battles. [Also] it's good to include something simple your child will
like on the plate to avoid any kind of eating stress, and it doesn't have to be
elaborate. Carrot sticks, cucumber, plain baked squash, plain brown rice. [Make]
a rule to eat something of everything.
PS: And, we all need to know
the answer to the million-dollar question: How do you get kids to eat
vegetables?
MA:
The key is to start introducing as many vegetables as possible at a
young age so they don't know any different. And always offer the freshest, best
tasting [ones]. Sometimes children have a bad association; for example, they
may hate celery because they ate a bitter piece once. The key is to keep
offering it, pureed, whole, salted, sautéed, whatever. They say it takes 20
times before a child's taste buds have adapted to a taste. I see it happening
in my family. It's hard work [but] be strong and don't make the mistake of
preparing a separate meal for your child. What's served is served. The chances
of them eating their peas go up when they know there's no backup plan!
PS: What are the healthy
staples we all should have in our pantries and refrigerators?
MA:Besides fresh, organic fruits and vegetables, some food staples for the
pantry and fridge are organic short-grain brown rice, pumpkin seeds, almond
butter, organic mixed-berry jelly, sprouted grain bread, raw cashews, whole-grain
pastas, quinoa, Himalayan sea salt, whole-kernel popping corn, spelt pretzels,
dried organic fruit, organic corn chips, almond, oat or coconut milk, olives,
pickles, hummus, salsa, edamame beans, black beans, kidney beans, agave
sweetened rice cakes, oatmeal, and homemade granola, just to name a few.
PS: What's your go-to menu
when you're having friends over for dinner?
MA: I usually bust out the butternut squash and brown rice risotto (no
cheese!) and a fruity salad like spinach with apples and walnuts or mixed
greens with apricots, figs, and toasted nuts. If it's summertime, most likely
I'll make pesto with basil from the garden. I just learned a new recipe that is
killer and half the fat: frozen peas, olive oil, pine nuts, basil. That, over
quinoa pasta and fresh Jersey corn, [and guess] who's coming to dinner! Don't
get me wrong, we like to grill too, and there's meat, [but] it just comes from a
family-run local farm.
PS: It can't be quinoa and
spelt pretzels all of the time. You must have some guilty food pleasures...
MA: Definitely! Coconut ice cream, Rice Dream Rice Bites, [and] barbecue
potato chips are my Achilles' heel. I can thank my dad for that.
PS: You've got an event this
Thursday at Luxaby Baby & Child. What is the one thing you most want to
impress on the parents of young children?
MA:I know the information out there can be overwhelming, and with
the amount of food allergies now, mealtime can be downright daunting. The best
thing parents can do is serve home-cooked meals as often as possible. Create a
ritual around dinnertime and make it positive, light candles, say grace. Honor
the mealtime; it's not only a time for nourishment, but social education. And I
can't advocate enough the importance of organic and non-genetically modified
foods for children; their little bodies cannot metabolize the chemicals and
toxins. There is so much more I want to say, but you'll just have to come to
Luxaby [to find out]!
PS: You also are actively
involved in our community. Tell me about some of your favorite organizations.
MA:I've been involved with Homefront for years and currently act on the
Advisory Board for a new coalition called the Women's Initiative. It was
created to bring awareness and volunteer opportunities about homelessness in Mercer County to the local community. We are hoping to grow the membership and
are holding a celebration breakfast on Friday, May 7, featuring guest speakers
John and Aileen Crowley.
*****
THE P.S. QUICK HITS WITH MEREDITH
1. Fave Princeton spot: Whole Earth on Nassau
Street for one-stop food shopping, and Princeton Day Spa for whatever ails you (Lea
Rannells, the massage therapist, is gifted) 2. What's on your iPod:Vampire Weekend, NeedToBreathe,
Charlie Sexton, and the song "Take a Minute" by K'Naan 3. Must-haves: Clogs, cargo pants, chain
necklaces, slouchy baseball shirts, and the wear-anywear workout top; jump ropes,
electrolyte drinks (like Bot water or Zico coconut water), Source Naturals
Hyaluronic serum, pumpkin seeds, figs, Asherah's Gourmet
quinoa burgers, and Brad's raw chips 4. Current obsessions:Indian food, finding the perfect
bathing suit, cookbooks, yoga, my Vita-mix,
collecting antiques, surfing, fedoras, gardening, the show Glee, and [finally] beating my husband in
tennis 5. Reading Materials: Lucky, Gardening in New
Jersey, Grow, and Women's Healthmagazines; any local newspapers
( U.S. 1, Edible New Jersey, Natural
Awakenings); Eat to Live by Joel Fuhrman and Thriveby Brendan Brazier
*****
Interview by Jennifer Henderson for Princeton
Scoop
*****
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