Meet Emily Russo, MS, RD, CDN


Emily Russo

I’m so honored to join the Fountain Avenue Kitchen and look forward to engaging with you, the readers, on all things nutrition. As Julia Child once said, “People who love to eat are always the best people.”

 

 

If you’ve ever had the pleasure of speaking with Ann Fulton, you know that she’s as spunky and enthusiastic as her writing.

We hit it off the moment we met. Once we realized our shared interest in food, our conversations really got started…and haven’t stopped since!  

Ann has long felt that having a trusted nutrition resource alongside her time-tested recipes would offer readers aunique perspective. Given my experience, and point of view, Ann felt our skills would complement one another.

I am clinically trained and worked for many years as a senior dietitian in a hospital setting. But my approach to nutrition has evolved over the years, and I have pivoted away from promoting dietary rules and restrictions. My view on food has become more inclusive. I focus more on healthy relationships with food, rather than labeling each food as healthy or unhealthy.  I have found that when the stress of eating melts away, enjoyment in other aspects of life can rise to the surface.

As you know, Ann’s recipes and stories also highlight variety, and show how all foods fit without judgment. This cemented my commitment to our partnership.

As in any working relationship, we don’t always agree, but our fundamental food beliefs are rooted in similarities. Ann has asked me many compelling questions about nutrition, both philosophical and physiological. Oftentimes, she challenges me to explain my rationale or ask how I came to my conclusion. We exchange books, articles, scientific research, and become more informed because of it. I just love it.

I hope to share more of my perspective with Fountain Avenue Kitchen readers through addressing a whole spectrum of issues. This includes providing clarity on fad diets, newsworthy nutrition headlines, and separating nutrition myths from the facts. So often, it’s not black or white. I have a lot more to say about my own shift in nutritional thinking, and I look forward to delving deeper in the weeks and months ahead.

Ultimately, my role will be to help you enjoy—and feel good about—the foods you eat every day. And I’m hopeful there will be some valuable takeaways that really resonate with you.

I have been so impressed by Fountain Avenue Kitchen and have enjoyed cooking my way through the recipe index. Our new Russo family favorite is super crunchy oven fried drumsticks. I prep them in the morning, the kids love them, and they work as leftovers in lunchboxes. We usually serve them alongside rice, and a simple butter lettuce salad with tangy vinaigrette. Honestly, all of Ann’s recipes have been delicious, so you can’t go wrong—but I recognize I’m preaching to the choir!

We’re very excited to launch an “Ask Emily” column, inviting in you, the reader, to engage deeper into nutritional aspects of the blog. We welcome all food and nutrition-related questions. Some will be answered through my column, but I will reply to everyone individually. Click emily@fountainavenuekitchen.com to email me directly.

For those with specific medical conditions (such as diagnosed food allergies, chronic illnesses, or pre-/post-op), I recommend meeting with a dietitian who can work with you individually based on your labs and medical history. My informational posts are not intended to replace one-on-one counseling.

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