Here’s the deal: We’re chefs and brothers (secretly, ninjas) and though we come from two different professional backgrounds, we found common ground in the Wicked Healthy culinary arts. We’re from New England, so for us, “Wicked Healthy” means “good-for-you food that tastes so good you think it must be bad for you.” The bottom line is, we want you to be healthy because healthy people are full of life. They’re upbeat, confident, and energetic. We want you to eat more vegetables. Especially the green ones! We’d prefer it if they were organic and maybe even local. Most importantly, we want them to taste great. Go easy on added sugars, saturated fats, and salt. Eat lots of fruit. Make an effort to move around every day. And use your freakin’ brain. Stay on the Wicked Healthy path and understand that you’re going to wander off the trail and go out to eat now and then—just maybe think for a second before ordering.
As professional chefs, we have owned and opened restaurants all over the world. We also worked as global chefs at Whole Foods Market and currently teach students around the world about healthy cooking. Over the years, we’ve collaborated with all sorts of doctors and nutritionists. They all say the same thing: Eat more vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans, and whole grains. Yeah, yeah. Everybody hears that, right? So what are we bringing to the table? What can we do for you? We can show you incredible new ways to actually enjoy all these foods. We know from experience that healthy eating is not about starvation or choking down food that tastes like shit. It’s about celebrating what tastes great in the world of plants. Stuffed Avocado Bar (here) to share with friends? Bring it on. Chocoholic Fudge Brownies with Sea Salt and Dried Strawberries (here)? Now we’re talkin’. Avocados and chocolate are good for you. Eat them! We’re all about celebrating what you should be eating, not shunning what you shouldn’t. We’re plant pushers, not meat shamers! Face it, we all indulge in our own vices on occasion—whatever diet we follow—and that’s just fine.
Our overall food philosophy is simple: shoot for 80% healthy and 20% wicked and you’ll be 100% sexy. Maybe that means eating healthy during the week, then loosening up on the weekends. Or maybe you stay healthy during the day then get wicked at dinner now and then. You have to figure out exactly what kind of 80/20 approach works best for you. The Wicked Healthy path is not about strict dieting. At least, it’s not the kind of diet where you starve yourself, feel miserable for weeks, and then go back to whatever you were eating before. Being Wicked Healthy is about being in control, having fun in the kitchen, and putting real food on your plate on a daily basis. Forget the low-calorie processed foods and frozen “diet” meals. Dig into dishes like Barbecued Maitake Steaks (here), Minted Pea Ricotta, Grilled Zucchini, and Charred Lemon Toasts (here), and Cacio e Pepe with Lemon Chive Butter and Pink Peppercorns (here). Think of that wicked 20% as your chance to cut loose with a few cookies. Or better yet a slice of Meyer Lemon Cheesecake with Grilled Peaches and Lavender Syrup (here). The rest of the time, just focus on eating more vegetables. But you already knew that.