Meet Dani

Have you ever felt stuck?

I was living the American dream in the heartland of Des Moines, Iowa, feeding my kids box mac and cheese and fruit snacks.  I’d start my day with lots of coffee, make “kid food” and eat off their plates, have more coffee and something sweet in the afternoon and then wine at night to calm down from the caffeine.  Everyday felt the same, like I was stuck in the movie Groundhog Day, and I wanted out.

I dug down deep and remembered my love of adventure.  After all, I’d left my childhood home in Hawaii for the promise of snow and a college education in Iowa.  On the recommendation of my dentist (no joke), I set out without seeing Iowa beforehand and fell in love with the four seasons and a guy from Iowa.  Remembering my fearlessness all those years ago, I decided training for a triathlon was what I needed to break out of the rut I was in.

Be comfortable with being uncomfortable.  

For twelve weeks I showed up for workouts and followed the plan.  This often meant doing things I wasn’t comfortable with, like swimming laps in the pool.  But I persevered, even when it sucked and the voice in my head said “just quit”.  The day of the triathlon came and as I crossed the finish line, I was on such a high from completing my goal I thought, “I need to do more of these!”

Triathlon helped me care more about the food I ate and though I’d hoped cleaning up my eating would make me faster (ha!), instead it helped clear up my cystic acne, it improved my seasonal allergies and gave me more energy that I didn’t need that afternoon coffee and sugar fix anymore.

Since those early days, I’ve gone on to learn about the power of food to heal and I’ve practiced making healthy food for a family over the last 20 years.  Come join me in the kitchen where we’ll have fun cooking good food that nourishes and tastes great too!

My philosophy

It’s been said that you can’t out exercise a bad diet. I’ll show you how to make healthy eating possible, even with a busy, Dorito-loving family. Food is an important weapon for wellness, but it’s not everything.  Being in relationship with God and connecting with others also play into your overall health and wellbeing.