Why read me?

If you're a first-time reader, welcome! Get yourself a cup of coffee, maybe a snack, and dig in. I've been writing Words to Eat By for five years, and in that time I've posted more than 150 recipes for everything from Polynesian Flank Steak to Pasta with Cauliflower, Figs, and Mint to Gazpacho with Honeydew and Peppadew to a shockingly decadent-yet-healthy Chocolate Yogurt Loaf.

If that doesn't tell you enough about me, here's the Cliffs Notes Life of Debbie:

• I write about food, and especially food as it relates to parenting. So you'll see tons of recipes and tips that'll help you get a tasty, healthy, satisfying meal on the table while there's a baby attached to your body. I also teach a cooking class for new parents, called Parents Need to Eat Too.
• Over a decade ago, I lost 100 pounds on Weight Watchers. As of this writing (September 2009), I've kept off about 70. Until my son came along, that number was 90. Sigh. Nearly all of my recipes are created with nutrition and weight-management in mind; it's my reflex.
• That said, I also created a recipe for The Best Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies in the Entire World. Life's too short to live without cookies. Especially these.
• I used to be infertile. Harry was born 3 years ago, but I'll never forget the intensity of the pain that came with all that waiting.
• I write professionally, too, about all these subjects. My work has appeared in American Baby, Natural Health, Fitness, and WeightWatchers.com, among other places.
• Before I went freelance in 2002, I spent 15 years in book publishing. When I left, I was VP of Advertising & Promotion at a division of Random House. While I still write catalog copy, flap copy, and reading group guides for many of my old colleagues, I've never considered going back to corporate life. Freelance writing is the life for me.
• In June 2009, Words to Eat By was completely revamped and redesigned. In the process, I lost almost five years' worth of comments from readers (including several dozen on this page). It now looks like I've been talking to myself all this time, which makes me terribly sad. Please, if you're reading my older posts and something piques your interest, talk to me! I'll answer you, I promise. (And please, don't be put off by the spam comments on the older entries--they were hidden for years and were only revealed with the redesign. I'm deleting them, slowly but surely.)