Anna Getty's Easy Green Organic - Anna Getty [1]
I grew up eating lentil soup, whole-wheat pasta, and nutritional yeast flakes when those ingredients were virtually unheard of in most American households. We had a lovely little garden at our house, and my mother cut fresh herbs, which she added to our soups and salads. That was the extent of the cuisine in our home: no homemade cookies or pies, no casseroles like macaroni and cheese. I didn’t appreciate the simplicity of our food and, as a kid, I may have even thought it disgusting at times. But looking back now I realize our meals were simple, fresh, locally harvested, seasonal, and very flavorful—exactly the way food should be.
I have spent much of my life traveling and enjoying flavors and dishes from all over the world. Even now, my husband, daughter, and I feel blessed that our families are spread out across both America and Europe. Whether we’re in Chicago for Thanksgiving, in the English countryside for Christmas, or in Italy for whatever reason we can find, I’m always on the lookout for new healthful, satisfying food experiences.
That’s not to say it has always been this way. When I moved to Paris to attend college, all I knew how to make were scrambled eggs, ramen noodles, my grandmother’s easy pasta sauce, and a cup of coffee. Like Julia Child, I refined my palate in France. However, Julia gained culinary expertise while I gained weight and only a smattering of kitchen skills. But I also gained an appreciation for fresh food. I started enjoying the benefits of the neighborhood farmers’ markets and the vast array of fresh and local produce that is commonplace in Paris, a food lover’s paradise. As I became more comfortable with the language and my neighborhood, I also became more comfortable in the kitchen and tried my hand at soups, quiches, sauces, and dressings.
After three years in Paris, I returned home to Los Angeles in desperate need of a job. This is not the best way to show up in any city, particularly L.A. As great as it is—and it is a truly wonderful city—L.A. can be a very unforgiving environment if you don’t have a car or a sense of direction. (And I mean that geographically as well as in reference to life choices.)
In 1995, one of my best girlfriends told me her catering boss needed someone to help in the kitchen and I jumped at the opportunity. Although I knew how to hold a knife correctly and could tell a shallot from a garlic bulb, I was not especially qualified to be an assistant to a professional caterer (a Hollywood caterer, no less). But I had a great attitude, was willing to work with people, and truly wanted to learn how to cook.
This passion to learn was so strong that I worked in catering on and off for seven years, gaining a lot of experience, allies, and one significant life-changing friend: One of my employers, Akasha Richmond—known as “the chef to the stars”—reintroduced me to organic food and simple, pure ingredients with great joy and passion. It was through her enthusiasm that I became reacquainted with the uncomplicated, beautiful ingredients of my childhood. My catering days began more than a decade ago, and my love affair with organic food and cooking has been growing every day.
My relationship with Akasha led me to the Organic Center. The center is a nonprofit organization that conducts peer-reviewed scientific research and presents factual evidence on why organic food is better for our health and the health of the planet. Learning about their work was a real awakening for me. I decided I wanted to be of service by spreading their message about the healing qualities of all things organic.
For the past few years I have been working with and supporting the Organic Center and other organizations, such as Healthy Child Healthy World and the Organic Farming Research Foundation. In the process, I have educated myself about organic and sustainably produced food, and an overall green and sustainable lifestyle. I felt there was more to organic cooking