Hello friends, I’m so excited to be welcoming Laura Henry-Zoubir to The Energized Body. She will be sharing her culinary expertise on the blog each month, from the perspective of a busy working mom on a mission to get lean and stay healthy.
I used Laura’s Kale Pesto while vacationing at the lake – big, big hit! Check it out HERE or you can find it in my Healthy Summer Strategies Booklet.
I love learning new recipes, especially when it’s from a different culture. I have guests coming and can’t wait to prepare Laura’s Moroccan Chermoula Fish. So I’m going to turn it over to Laura now to tell us about herself and show us how it’s done!
— Denise
Hello! Thank you for the warm welcome to The Energized Body family. Wondering who I am? Here’s a little background: I am a Culinary Institute of America graduate and have been working as a chef in Boston for over 12 years. Most recently, I was the culinary director for a small restaurant group, running 4 restaurants including the Regal Beagle, Church Restaurant and Night Club, Union Fish & Rye Tavern in Plymouth. I also had my 15 seconds of fame by appearing on the Food Network’s Chopped! I was really hitting my culinary stride when my husband and I decided to start a family. As my belly grew bigger and bigger, I knew working 7 days a week wouldn’t work for much longer 🙂 In 2012, I took a job at Nestle, in research and development for a pasta company.
When I found Denise’s website, I could see her passion for food. She loves to inspire and share her knowledge of nutrition with people, which was exactly what I needed. I was looking for some inspiration of my own, both at work (the corporate world isn’t like running a restaurant) and in my personal life. After having my daughter, I had been dragging my feet to start an exercise program and a healthier way of eating to shed those last few baby pounds — you can only use the “I just had a baby” excuse for so long. It was time to take action.
I just completed The Energized Body 4-Day Detox and feel great! It is amazing that by changing your nutritional habits for only 4 days, you can lose your sugar cravings and start to retrain your body. I have been following Denise’s recipes and suggestions and have lost 10 lbs so far! I’ve even been inspired to come up with some recipes of my own. It is so important to create flavorful meals and snacks packed with nutrition so you won’t be left feeling deprived.
Did I mention my husband is a chef as well? I know, lucky me! If only he would cook at home 🙂 He grew up in Morocco and has shown me a thing or two about this exotic North African cuisine. Moroccan Chermoula Fish is one of my favorite recipes, especially for parties. All of the preparation happens before your guests arrive, so when dinner is served, you will look like a star! I love the fact that it is so versatile: you can bake it in foil packets, as a casserole, grill it or use a tagine for authenticity.
I’ll be back each month with recipes and tips on the Energized Body blog. They will be from my perspective (and maybe yours, too): a busy mom who works full time and has a few more pounds to lose 🙂
Enjoy!
— Laura