About

Hi there! Welcome. I’m Rebecca. After spending my childhood summers picking green beans and never-ending ground cherries in my mother’s vegetable patch and then learning my way around the kitchen, I’ve been exploring food that is delicious, local, and seasonal. Along the way, I took up running (races, trails, half marathons and marathons), got side-tracked by an eating disorder, and ultimately worked my way out of it. As I navigated through my 20’s, I developed several food intolerances, digestive complaints, malabsorption, autoimmune issues and long stretches of chronic pain, all of which led me to going to grad school for nutrition and herbal medicine and becoming a clinical nutritionist.

Eggplant + Olive blog is a landing pad for my thoughts on food, health, and a little bit of life, as well as for the meals I love to eat. Though I spent most of my early years in wheat and cattle country, I transitioned to a gluten and dairy-free diet in early 2012 for medical reasons. For more details about my dietary choices, food philosophy, and to get to know more about my history with food, explore the following posts.

• The Beginning
• Lenton Fears and a Recovery Reflection
• Beneath the Surface, A Manifesto

I currently work with individuals who want guidance on nutrition, particularly supporting digestive issues, autoimmune, intuitive eating, meeting needs on a plant-based diet, and nutrition for endurance athletes. If this sounds like you, I’d love to chat about your concerns and goals during a free 15-minute phone call. I currently live in Eugene, Oregon and work in-person for those locally as well as via distance.

Credentials & Affiliations

• Licenced Dietician/Nutritionist (LDN)
• Board-Certified Nutrition Specialist® (CNS)
• Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition and Herbal Medicine (MS), Maryland University of Integrative Health
• Professionals in Nutrition for Exercise and Sport
• American Herbalists Guild member
• Certified ServSafe Manager

Mentions and Press