The Epicurious Panda
Welcome to The Epicurious Panda. The definition of epicurious is to be curious about food, especially wishing to try new dishes and cuisines. I am always thinking about food and how to incorporate simple changes to make dishes healthier while maintaining great flavor. Seriously, food is on my brain during all waking hours!
My name is Carrie, and my nickname is Panda. That’s because I love pandas and in truth, am very much like a panda. I am clumsy, goofy and I like to eat all day, just not bamboo. Thankfully, I have a more adventurous palate than the panda bear.
Food
I enjoy healthy recipes that contain lots of fruits and vegetables and I don’t follow any specific diets. You will find many different types of recipes on this site that follow different diet plans. However, balance is key for me! Carbs are not your enemy but not all carbs are created equal so you will find a good bit of low carb recipes here. I truly believe that moderation is key when it comes to specific foods, unless you have certain health conditions that require a specific meal plan.
Not all of my recipes are healthy, some of them are totally indulgent and that’s OK! I’m here to enjoy life!
Exercise
Exercise is also an important part of being healthy, physically and mentally. I aim to move my body 5 days a week and sometimes I don’t reach that goal but its ok, at least I try. I visit a HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) gym 2x a week and I also visit the neighborhood gym 2-3x a week for strength training. Additionally, if the weather is nice, I go for bike rides, hikes, kayaking trips or walks at my local park (with my dog). My happy place is out in nature or in my kitchen.
Healthy planet
Real talk though, as a panda we need to get serious when it comes to our planet. With Earth’s CO2 levels rising exponentially, I have been very interested in taking an individual approach to lowering my carbon footprint. I truly believe that we can all make a difference if we stop relying on plastics and factory farming. Eating less meat is healthy for our bodies and our planet. Visiting local farmers markets, tailgate markets and buying local grass-fed meat helps community and Earth. I have begun to compost, and I always recycle my glass, plastics, paper and aluminum. I am always interested in learning more ways to be kind to our beloved Mother Earth.
My passion for food and my eagerness to learn eco-friendly concepts has led me to start this blog. As a health care worker, I became completely burned out during the pandemic while working two jobs. It was affecting my health, so I did something very important, and I resigned from one of my jobs. It was a very hard decision to make but ultimately it was the best thing that I could have done to improve my happiness. With that being said, I still have to pay my bills, so I am employed part time at a local hospital.
Self-care
To me self-care starts with healthy food, practicing meditation, lots of exercise, reading, enjoying nature and gardening. Ultimately the most important thing we can do is to try to enjoy life. We only get one shot here.
So please, take a journey with me! Let’s cook delicious food together and also learn some ways that we can help Mother Earth. I hope you enjoy what I have to share. Please share with me any ideas and recipes that you have as well as feedback from mine. If you have any questions or comments, please contact me at Epicuriouspanda@gmail.com or link to contact form.
-Carrie Cassell Ortiz aka The Epicurious Panda