Veteran cookbook author cooks up healthy, simple dishes to boost your body — and mind

When it comes to food and mood, eating well can be the best medicine available.

That's something Greta Podleski is offering people in her latest best-selling cookbook Yum and Yummer. Podleski recently spoke on CBC's Up North program about how healthy but simple dishes can not only fill your stomach but sooth your mind.

"When you know that you're eating well and eating healthy and paying attention to that, you feel good about yourself," she said.

"You feel better about yourself and you are happier when you know that you're doing the right thing for your body."

Podleski is no stranger to the cookbook scene. She and her sister Janet are behind the Looneyspoons cookbook series. 

"We've always tried to present food and cooking and nutrition in a really light-hearted upbeat way to encourage and to motivate," she said.

"We don't preach. We have to stop being so critical of what other people are eating and worry about what's good for us."

Food and laughter

Podleski says she's found success in making a commitment to herself to eat better. She says it takes about four to six weeks of healthy eating to start craving those foods.

"When I'm hungry, I don't think 'get me the loaded pizza,'" she said.

"I think 'I just want a gigantic salad with all kinds of really interesting stuff in it. I'm going to make my own homemade salad dressing'. And that actually makes me really happy and excited to eat. But that didn't happen overnight."

Podleski says everyone loves to eat and laugh, and she's worked to incorporate those in her book.

"So why not combine those elements into a book so that when people are cooking that they can enjoy it," she said.