To say that my beautiful wife, Dr. Rebecca Ben, (I/we call her "Florence" - after the town in Italy where she made many happy memories for 5 years!) is able to accomplish anything she puts her mind to - would be an understatement. In addition to being a flexible ballerina and a terrific art historian, she has become an incredibly talented chef. Like most modern children and teenagers Florence was brought up on restaurant and fast foods and was never taught to be comfortable in the kitchen. Her health suffered intensely but she soon learned to take care of herself when she realized her condition: she was a celiac. And ever since she learned how to satisfy her gut tenants, Florence lost over 80 pounds and has been in good health.
My grandparents adopted the vegetarian lifestyle somewhat late in life but since both my parents were vegetarians, I have never consumed meat, fish or chicken. So, when we decided to become an item (ahem), Florence became a vegetarian for my sake and I ventured into the gluten-free world for her. I lost 35 pounds immediately. Sometime after, we decided that being vegan and giving up dairy was healthier for the both of us - not to mention the animals. Whether preparing food for one or twenty, Florence is in her native element when she spends time in our modern, well-equipped teaching kitchen - and we are all the lucky recipients of her wizardry and magic there. Those privileged to sit at our medieval dining room table have never been disappointed, and more than a few have made the decision to become vegan upon tasting her food - right on the spot! Below are some samples of the tastiest, healthiest, vegan, gluten-free & organic dishes she creates whenever the mood strikes! We only use cast iron in our kitchen and our well water is thrice purified. You'll notice that many of her dishes are foreign. Having lived in both India and Guatemala I love both Indian and Latin American foods and she always caters to my taste. The saturated left-overs from the night before invariably taste even better the next day. EDITING MY PICTURES MAKES MY MOUTH WATER ALL OVER AGAIN!
(Psssst - keep this a secret: we even share the recipes she uses from her 350+ cook books).
IF, you are inclined to maintain or regain your health thru eating "the right stuff" (as opposed to "curing" yourself with the wrong drugs) we are at your service. Please call and make an appointment. 609-924-7337
A brief slideshow of Florence's creations. Press play to view. Enjoy!