Roula Maria Dib

As a wife and mother, I cook up a storm for my family nearly everyday (except when we’re having leftovers, or dining out as a weekend treat). My love for food is innate—with a major obsession for cooking—and the fervor for creating healthy, wholesome meals from scratch arose from my early teens, in concurrence with my discovery of carrying familial hyperlipidemia, a genetically-induced condition of high blood cholesterol. However, I regard this condition as a positive complement for my love of food, appreciation of art, and belief in the universal principles of life.

So what do I do besides cooking, cleaning, playing with my daughter, watching Mickey Mouse, and dating my hubby? I am a part-time university professor and a full-time mom, now in the process of writing my PhD thesis in English Literature. The subject matter of my research is concerned with the alchemical nature of poetic language—pretty similar to the subject matter of my kitchen. How? Well, I actually believe that cooking has the same effect on food, with food being the “poetic language” of creative expression for our loved ones. I have also taken (and still am taking) Nutrition courses on the side, and I’ve made some voluntary contribution to the macrobiotic community and non-profit breastfeeding organizations.

My husband and I have both been pescetarians (in other words, vegetarians who eat fish from time to time) and a part-time vegans (twice a week) for thirteen years now. Our diet mainly consists of whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, fish, and some naturally low-in-lactose (and fat) dairy. We are culinary nomads, overzealous globetrotters who just love traveling around the world, especially for dishing out some hidden traditional culinary masterpieces. Much of the food we have during our travels becomes an inspiration for my dishes, with a little bit of healthy tweaking here and there. Other sources of inspiration are tradition, marketplace seasonals, marriages of favorite ingredients, and well…leftovers.