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Meet Maria

Maria Ushakova Blog

Thank you for taking the time to learn a little bit about me and my blog!

My name is Maria. I am a holistic nutritionist, food blogger, recipe developer, aspiring food photographer, and dog lover.

I created this blog to keep track of my recipes and share my passion for nutrition and wellness.

I know that many people still think that healthy food is boring, but I believe that it’s delicious and beautiful.

About My Recipes

I don’t count calories or follow any trendy diets. I just do my best to eat a variety of fresh whole foods.

My goal is to create clean eating balanced meals with good sources of protein, low-glycemic carbohydrates, healthy fats, lots of veggies, greens, and all other great tasting foods that are good for you.

Even though I am not vegetarian, many of my recipes are meatless or vegan. I learned a lot about the advantages of the vegetarian diet when I was attending the nutrition school and believe that most of us can benefit from eating more plants.

I also talk a lot about low-glycemic eating because I have a family history of obesity and type 2 diabetes. A few years ago, I started paying more attention to keeping my blood sugar stable and it has been working quite well for me.

Since I am not diabetic, this blog is not a blog for diabetics. It’s simply a blog with clean eating recipes that are often naturally low GI.

Maria Ushakova Blog

About My Work

In 2014, I completed the Applied Nutrition Diploma program at the Canadian Alive Academy of Natural Health and received my Holistic Nutritionist Certification.

Since then, I’ve been focusing on recipe development, food photography, and freelance writing. My work has appeared on popular websites as well as in print.

Here are a few highlights:

  • My recipes have been featured in many round-ups on websites such as Country Living, Buzzfeed, Graitist, Yummly, FaveHealthy Recipes, and many more;
  • I wrote articles about healthy eating and cooking for the Vitamix blog;
  • In addition to developing recipes for my blog, I also create recipes for Curious Cuisiniere;
  • My recipes are available through the online meal-planning service called EatLove;
  • My recipe and the photo of Chocolate and Raspberry Chia Pudding were published in Sweet Dreams Magazine (by Lisa Kochen & Backen, Germany).

Maria Ushakova Blog

About My Team

The members of my blogging team are:

  • my husband, who is the Chief Executive Taste Tester;
  • my neighbor Carole, who is my English Language Adviser;
  • my two dogs, Toto and Mitch, who keep distracting me from my work.

A Little Bit About Me

Here are a few facts I thought you might want to know about me:

  • I learned how to cook by following recipes and carefully measuring ingredients;
  • I am a Russian-born Canadian and have been living in Toronto for over 20 years;
  • I read cookbooks like novels;
  • I like to sew my own clothes;
  • My favorite foods are coconut, chocolate, and raspberries.

Where to Find Me

Join me on my social media sites:

Disclaimer

Even though I am a Certified Holistic Nutritionist, the nutrition information provided on my blog is not to be used as nutrition therapy of any kind. Consult your healthcare provider if you intend to change your diet. The information on this blog is for entertainment purposes only.

The images on this page are by Trevor Harris Photo.

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judith

Friday 2nd of June 2023

I love your recipes. I thought nobody made navy pasta anymore. thank you

Maria Ushakova

Tuesday 29th of August 2023

@Petra, Navy pasta is a Russian pasta dish. I made the recipe for another website. You can check it out here: https://www.curiouscuisiniere.com/russian-navy-pasta/

Petra

Sunday 27th of August 2023

@Maria Ushakova, what on earth is navy pasta? :-) I did a search here on your website, but I didn't come up with anything. Very curious!

Maria Ushakova

Monday 5th of June 2023

@judith, Aww, thank you! Navy pasta is alive and well :)

Barbara

Wednesday 31st of May 2023

Maria, what a delightful find your site is. I love the variety in your recipes, the healthful approach, the amount of information you offer, your photography, and layout. Thanks for making this available.

Maria Ushakova

Wednesday 31st of May 2023

@Barbara, Aww, thank you so much! I am so glad you like it :) Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment!

Francine

Monday 27th of March 2023

WOW! What a fantastic site. I'm 88 years old with NO prescription drugs and ALL readings in the normal range. My doctors can't believe what they see. The only answer to good health is just FOOD. The Greeks had it right 2000 years ago. Stumbled across your site looking for black rice, since the nutritional value is off the chart. Everything else looks wonderful. Will I ever get out of the kitchen? Thanks so much.

Maria Ushakova

Monday 24th of April 2023

@Francine, Thank you so much for the lovely comment! I am so glad you like my blog. Kitchen is a great place to be :)

Martha

Wednesday 15th of February 2023

Good info on oatmeal sweetening without sugar. Thank you.

Amanda

Thursday 15th of September 2022

Our friend gave us a huge basket of his avocados, which all ripened within a very short time of each other. Looking for avocado soup recipes, I came across yours and have now twice used it when entertaining friends. I live in Spain, and cold anything is just perfect at this time of the year. I had to write to you to let you know how much everyone has complimented me on your recipe, which, of course, I have passed on to them. Thank you. I love the tip you give about storing the soup in a glass jar - it really keeps the soup that lovely fresh green color.

Maria

Monday 19th of September 2022

@Amanda, Hi Amanda! I am so glad you like the recipe! Thank you so much for writing the lovely comment. It really made my day. I appreciate you taking the time to write it :)

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