“Pes·ca·ve·ga·pa·legan” - / peh s KUH vē juh PAY lē guhn / by Chef Kelly Cook

“Pes·ca·ve·ga·pa·legan” - / peh s KUH vē juh PAY lē guhn /

by Chef Kelly Cook

Noun

Noun: pescavegapalegan

A person caught in the throes of hunger that completely abandons their diet of choice for ANY other diet option that is within hand’s reach.

Seriously.

I heard a young lady at the grocery store while shopping for my client families.  She pressed the store attendant, in perfect Southern California teen dialect, “Oh my Gawd…  Do you have an aisle for vegans?  ‘Cause I’m like, TOTALLY vegan…”  Just outside, I saw her rip into a carnitas burrito.  I had just witnessed a “crash”, the moment when our willpower ceases, our diet goes out the window, and we cave in to whatever is readily available.  We go from being a vegan, keto, or paleo follower to a pescavegapalegan, a shameless omni-vore.

I’m a personal chef and caterer, juggling many different dietary needs for clients.  I prepare meals for vegan, paleo, keto, vegetarian, pescatarian, no carb/low carb diets, etc.  Lately some dishes I’ve prepared piqued my curiosity.  I know they taste great, (I mean, I made them, so… )  but not all have been “my cup of tea”.  I make them because they serve my client’s purposes.  The vegan diet consistently intrigued me, and so I began to try to “go vegan” myself with my boyfriend in tow.

All was well when we started, but the real world can play havoc with your best intentions.  As we progressed, we had moments where there just was NO good option to satisfy both our hunger, AND comply with our vegan diet.  We encountered multiple crashes out in the real world, unprepared, with no readily available foods in line with our current diet and became “right-now-a-vores”.  We hadn’t prepared ourselves and packed a lunch. 

Here are some suggestions:

For you keto people, a quick easy snack to pack is beef jerky, individually wrapped string-cheeses and almonds, not all nuts comply.

Vegans can pack pretzels (there’s a reason that airlines pass these things out – they satiate) any assortment of nuts and bagged crudités.  Hummus comes in convenient individual single serving sizes now.

Paleo folks have a bit of a challenge in that most meat products require refrigeration.  Beef jerky, once again, becomes a go-to portable snack. Butters made from nuts come in ready to eat packages and grain free crackers are common as well.

Vegatarian and pescatarian options used to be a challenge a decade ago, but there are many products that satisfy these long standing diets.  Carry a hard-boiled egg, a handful of nuts, a chocolate bar, and you are set.

Any of these handy foods will keep you from pulling off the road, and into a fast-food joint.  Hopefully it’ll hold you until you get off the 405 and home to where you, your partner, or someone like me – a personal chef that minds your diet, has prepared a satisfying meal that checks off all the boxes.

Good luck out there… you’re gonna need it.

About Chef Kelly Cook

I’m passionate about feeding families, delicious food, and making mealtime easy. I understand the struggle that many busy people face who want to strike a balance between the desire to eat comforting, home-cooked meals with the lack of time to search for recipes, grocery shop, and cook nightly.

As a child, I spent many joyful summers in the kitchen with my grandmother. Together, we prepared all types of cuisine—and as a teen, and young adult, I found myself glued to cooking shows for hours on end, exploring recipe books, and even attending a class or two to further my culinary knowledge. I discovered how much I enjoyed cooking for family and friends through these classes, and I began experimenting with dishes, and creating my own recipes. Eventually, my passion took me beyond the role of home cook, and into professional kitchens.

After many years of culinary school, I honed my skills by working under an executive chef in a test kitchen in Southern California. While I’ve worked and had great success in professional kitchens, I find the most joy in making unique, personalized menus and meals for private clientele.

My well-rounded approach to cooking allows me to perfectly match my clients’ needs. Whether you’re searching for a few healthy meals a week to complement your diet, freshly-made nightly dinners to feed your family of picky eaters, or an eclectic menu for your next party or gathering, I can create a menu to delight!