Behind The Butter

Welcome to my site!

Hey guys!

My name’s Jenna and I am fully dedicated to living and eating as naturally and healthfully as possible. I believe that eating good, healthy foods and exercise leads to not only a longer life but a BETTER life all around with more energy and happiness! This blog is going to be my daily journal revolving around food and exercise. I want to share my personal recipes and give some tips I have learned on how to eat right and stay healthy in any situation. But let me say first: I am human, I have cravings and don’t profess by any means to be the role model of perfect health at all times. I slip up and have days where I completely splurge and eat crap then try to make up for it the next day by cutting back on the fat and doing a little harder workout. I try to maintain balance as much as I can and just feel BETTER when I eat right!

But first, let me start from the beginning—-

I am 22 years old. Graduate of the College of Charleston in South Carolina with a major in English. As soon as I graduated I sped off to study writing for 6 weeks in PARIS and completely fell in love with the food, culture (and wine!) in the city. I am a certified Nutritional Consultant (aka “nutritionist”) by the AFPA (American Fitness and Professionals Ass.) Currently, I go to culinary school at the CORDON BLEU in Orlando, Florida where I learn cool new recipes and techniques daily and increase my love and knowledge of food. When I’m done with school I want to write healthy cookbooks and become a personal chef specializing in nutrition so I can help people reach their nutritional goals. I’m a runner and lover of yoga. I have practiced yoga for about 6 years now and love the effects that it has on my body. I also lift weights and walk whenever I can, wherever I can.

I have an amazing boyfriend that puts up with my healthy cooking but also loves pizza, tacos and rum. (what guy doesn’t?) His favorite meal that I make is stuffed shells with chicken sausage. I use reduced fat cheese and make my own tomato sauce to cut calories and sat.fat. Still quite tasty though! We also love to cook fish tacos together with homemade guacamole and salsa. He’s quite the fisherman and I love when he brings home fresh fish for me to play with 🙂

I’ve never had a weight problem yet still watch my calorie intake and work to maintain my current weight. I’m 5’6” and weigh about 120 pounds. I am not on a diet nor am I advocating one here—its a lifestyle I have come to love and embrace and share with yall! I would gain weight easily if I ate like the average american (about 2500 cal. a day)…remember guys, the average american IS overweight. Over half of our country is now considered overweight according to recent studies. gross, right? So, some people might think my healthy eating habits are a little strange. I have a food scale that I LOVE from williams-sonoma and I weigh out/portion my food before eating. I also take healthy snacks with me so I’m prepared for anything that may come! I get hungry and plan snacks/meals about every 3-4 hours. I think that’s the healthy way to eat; it’s actually dangerous to go a long period of time (6-7 hours) without food. Your body can go into starvation mode and your metabolism slows. So, yes, I eat and I eat a lot!

I LOVE all good food. I don’t believe in diets, just eating the right portions of quality food. I def. have a sweet tooth but try to control it when I can. I do have dessert every night though, but keep it around 100-120 calories. I just need to have something sweet! Even if its just one square of the highest-quality dark chocolate. Yum! I also love wine! I believe that a glass of red or white wine a night will do more good than bad but it is important to limit consumption to just one glass…not the whole bottle!cimg0312.jpg

My mom and I before I ran in my first 10K race this past thanksgiving!

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Being silly old me…nothing new there!

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  • Natalia - a side of simple
    February 3, 2011 at 1:58 pm

    Aw, I love your first post. 🙂 It deserves a comment!
    My favorite part is probably “…it is important to limit [wine] consumption to just one glass.” Oh Jenna, how times have changed. Now that statement is only acceptable if you’re planning on drinking some nutella hot chocoalte instead!

    • jenna
      February 3, 2011 at 2:02 pm

      bahahahah amazing!!! Oh, to be 22 and “so wise”.

  • Sarah
    February 3, 2011 at 2:52 pm

    I think other people should be limited to one glass, especially if it is a wine I like!! More glasses for me then!!
    It is great to be able to look back to earlier days. I like how the blog has grown with your life. Here’s to the second million words!!

    • jenna
      February 3, 2011 at 4:13 pm

      hah! I like the way you think.

  • alexis
    February 3, 2011 at 4:02 pm

    adorable. ELR is awesome and so are you. Here’s to all of the recipes and food knowledge and joy you bring with every post!

    • jenna
      February 3, 2011 at 4:11 pm

      thank you!

  • Emily @ Perfection Isn't Happy
    February 3, 2011 at 4:06 pm

    The first thing that jumped out at me was, “study writing for 6 weeks in Paris.” I will be graduating in May with a degree in Communication Studies, and I’m trying to pursue a career in writing. Did you go through a specific program? I’ve always wanted to study abroad, but felt like it was too late now since I’m almost done with school.

    • jenna
      February 3, 2011 at 4:10 pm

      I went to The Paris American Academy—they have a great writing program there! I’m not sure of the website anymore but you can google it!

  • Elaine
    February 3, 2011 at 6:08 pm

    I’ve been following your blog for a long while, and I’ve never commented til now. I remember when it was a meticulous food and exercise log: I was really struggling with an eating disorder and followed everything you ate and did religiously. I’m so happy your blog has taken on a holistic overtone…it makes me want to get better. Thank you for everything you write.

  • julie
    February 3, 2011 at 7:11 pm

    I started reading your blog 2 years ago and have loved every post. I went back and read from the beginning when I found it and its amazing how much life can change! I just have to tell you I find you very inspirational. I am in the process of letting go of my food scale and you are part of my daily motivation. Thank you and I’ll be here for the next million!

  • Hannah @ Hannah Lives
    February 4, 2011 at 1:22 am

    I think your first post really shows how much we all learn, grow, and change even as adults. Not that 22 is all that adult…. at least I wouldn’t have called myself an adult at 22, or now (at 23-a whole year later, Ha!). Never stop growing, changing, learning, and evolving Jenna! We love being on this adventure with you, and learning from you! Congrats on your 1 millionth word! We’ll all be here for the next million!

  • Lola
    February 4, 2011 at 9:54 am

    Wow Jenna!!! Congratulations on your million words!!! I started reading your blog about 2 years ago and I loved it!
    xoxo
    Lola

  • danielle K.
    February 4, 2011 at 10:34 am

    I love the stop at one glass…. you know sometimes I can pull that off… but i am not even going to consider publicly announcing the size of my wine glass… 😉 I love your blog! I just started a foodie blog a week ago and reading your post about how you got to where to where you was very inspiring! 🙂 -danielle k.

  • Judith
    February 4, 2011 at 10:49 am

    Jenna, I feel compelled to comment, as an enthusiastic reader of your blog for about 2 years now. You have a wonderful way with words, and photographs. I don’t know what I enjoy more your superb recipes or your charming accounts of your life, especially your travels. I feel I have so much in common with you: I live in the SF Bay Area, love food and cooking, yoga, all things French (I , too, lived in Paris) , wine, Charleston , good books, cute shoes :-). But here’s the difference, I am older than your Mom! I think you appeal to all age levels which is truly a challenging thing to do. I will also look forward to your next million words!
    Thank you for being you.

  • Peggy
    February 4, 2011 at 1:33 pm

    Jenna, this is the ELR that I found randomly via Tastespotting during the summer of 2008, when I was living alone in Germany and looking down the dark and lonely path once again into an eating disorder that I had been dealing with for two years. I remember finding your blog one afternoon and literally reading every entry back to the first one, trying to figure out, “how does this girl eat so much and look so beautiful and happy?” (“so much”…). I came home at the end of the summer wanting to change. And I have! 20 pounds heavier (and ever fighting “dryer jean shrinkage”), 1000X happier, living in northern California, enjoying good food (BACON. BACON.) and good wine (I have a wine club membership to Michel Schlumberger, randomly!), and falling in love with baking (to the point of wanting to leave my PhD program to bake…). It has been so fun to see your blog evolve in a way that has kind of paralleled my life. Yay! Thanks for the wonderful pictures, recipes, funny stories, and willingness to change. You rock 🙂

    • jenna
      February 4, 2011 at 1:39 pm

      thank you, Peggy!! Your comment means the world to me! Thank you for reading and sticking with me all these years!

  • kristen
    February 6, 2011 at 1:26 pm

    Jenna, what a cutie pie you are! I LOVE your first post! And I’ve always loved the relationship that you have with your Mom and Dad.

    I started reading your blog in the summer of 2008, when I friend recommended it, and I’ve been hooked ever since. Thanks for being you and for sharing a bit of your life with “us”.