Meet Allyson
Welcome to Noshin' & Num Nums! I'm Allyson. Educator by day, wannabe chef by night. I'm a die-hard foodie who is constantly looking for ways to make food healthier without sacrificing taste and variety.
I've always had an obsession with food, and for the better part of my life, a fairly unhealthy one. After giving birth to my son in 2016, I was at my heaviest and unhealthiest: 261 lbs.
My husband and I were not in good shape. When I think back on that time, our diets were entirely to blame. We fell victim to the stereotypical American diet, but honestly, to an extreme. We ate more sugar than I'd like to admit and every meal was carbohydrate based. Frankly, I felt like garbage.
While I'm sure being a new mom didn't help the overall fatigue, my body was telling me something: it was time to answer for all the years of damage and poor choices. Eating the same way as before just was not an option. Not to go into gory details, but I felt constantly sluggish, bloated, crabby, etc. Sometimes I would fall asleep after lunch (I honestly thought I was becoming narcoleptic). I found myself reacting to certain foods in somewhat odd ways: swelling, redness, itchy skin. Food insensitivity? Allergies? Who knows. I don't need rigorous testing to know that my body needed to heal and it was time cut out the offending food groups.
I ditched the carbs, sugar, and gluten. Sometimes I nix dairy. I've experimented with keto, paleo, and vegan diets. Consequently, I've lost weight, which is a treat (over 100 lbs!); but more importantly, I don't feel genuinely sick anymore. I may not have entirely unlocked all the mysteries of woes, but every day I get one step closer to understanding how and what I need to eat. It's a work in progress, but I suppose that's part of the journey.
And I'm not perfect. I'd be lying to you if I said that I strictly followed my plan. Yes, sometimes I have a soft-serve cone (growing up in Wisconsin is to blame, soft-serve ice cream is fawned over like people discuss wines). Sometimes I go out for Chinese food. I often regret it, but I get up the next day and get back on track. I'm human, after all.
This blog is a place to share my recipes, quirky mishaps, and culinary take-aways as I continue down this journey of creating a new identity in the kitchen and a new way of looking at food. I am determined to ensure that my love of food continues and my passion for cooking remains ignited. Changing your approach doesn't have to mean giving up your love of food. It's all about reinvention. Eating well doesn't have to be dull. I am, and will always be, a foodie at heart.
But, I don't profess to be an expert. I'm a home cook who often dreams about culinary school and reads foodblogs, recipe books, and food news with voracious glee. I think sometimes my friends tire of my constant food related conversations. Either way, I love this, and I want this blog to be a place where I can share that with someone aside from the people I corner at parties and work. I hope you learn something, eat something you love, and consequently, find a way to eat that allows you to feel well and fulfilled, one without guilt and shame. Whatever that is to you.
When I'm not concocting new recipes or stuffing my face, I teach teachers in a large school district on the eastside of Seattle, Washington. I wrangle a 3.5 year old and a mammoth Great Dane. I spend my free time (whatever that is) trying not to injure myself while doing yoga, hiking, planning my next traveling adventures, drinking far too much coffee, and devouring fantasy novels as quickly as the gluten-free almond flour cookies I now make.
Thank you for taking the time to read about my passion and for trying something I have created. I hope it brings you joy.
Get in touch
Have a question? Just wanna say hi? I love to hear from you! Reach out to me on social media, send me a message, or send an email to allyson[at]noshinandnumnums[dot]com.
Work with me
I love collaborating with brands that share the same values as me! If you are interested in a partnership, send an email to allyson[at]noshinandnumnums[dot]com to discuss.