Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Hood.
Emily, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’m the face behind The Primitive Plate – a little blog that I love to create recipes for in my spare time! I live in Dallas, Texas with my partner, David, and our sweet pup, Ollie. I am a full-time School Social Worker at an elementary school by day, and I create recipes and cook as often as I can.
Cooking has always been a part of my life. I grew up in Midland, TX and watched each of my parents develop their own individual styles of cooking. In college, I began to bake and cook for myself and friends more. My friends my freshman year would love that I would get up and make cinnamon rolls each Sunday morning! I also got my first KitchenAid mixer my sophomore year and just was so excited! However, over the past few years, I have developed a love and passion for experimenting with new recipes and foods, and I am thrilled to share that passion with all of you.
My style of eating was not at all what I would consider “healthy” in college or my first years out of grad school, but then I did my first round of the Whole30 program in January 2018 and it completely changed my relationship with food. As someone who has wrestled with body image since elementary school and felt a constant struggle with what society says is skinny or healthy, I had finally learned how to fuel my body in a way that made me feel good. We continued eating mostly paleo/Whole30 after that month and have never looked back! Most of what I cook and what I eat follows a paleo lifestyle because that is what I have found works for me. This is not to say I don’t indulge in pizza nights, taco runs, and happy hours with friends – it’s just all about balance for me. You will see that the majority of my recipes are healthy, wholesome, and based in paleo/Whole30 cooking, but I definitely sneak in an indulgent dish here or there.
By the end of 2018, I was encouraged by several friends to start a blog to document all of the recipes I was creating. I had only been posting on Instagram prior to this but wanted to share more and with a wider audience. In January 2019, I started The Primitive Plate and began really experimenting with different Whole30 and Paleo recipes. The past year has been full of challenges and learning opportunities while I attempt to figure this whole thing out, but I absolutely love it! It is so fun to be able to connect with people within this community and to be able to create something for others. I truly love food and cooking, and there is almost nowhere else I would rather be than in my kitchen cooking for the people I love. I believe that food has the ability to bring people and community together in such a powerful way.
Has it been a smooth road?
The past year that I have been blogging and creating recipes, there have definitely been several challenges. I actually took a break from blogging and posting recipes on social media the past few months because it got to be very consuming (especially the social media aspect of things). While I was still cooking, recipe testing, and doing photography, I just needed to take a short break from the blogging side of things. I also have a full-time job as a School Social Worker, and as much as I love cooking, my job as a social worker was my main priority.
My advice for other women who are starting their journey or going after their goals, whatever they may be, would be to give themselves grace when things get challenging. I think that we as women are so hard on ourselves to strive for perfection, and when we fail or aren’t perfect at something, we take it very hard. Taking a step back from the blog the past few months was such a challenge, in part because I was worried about what others would think, but mostly I was disappointed in myself for not being able to push through. But then I had to remind myself of WHY I was taking a break – it was to put my focus on my full-time job as a social worker, which is so important. I care so much about my students and I needed to make sure that I was focused on them the past few months. While there were times that guilt would sneak in that I had “failed” at blogging, I had to remind myself that I cook and create recipes because I love it – and I will do it on my own time! I had to give myself grace and allow myself time to do what I needed to do.
We’d love to hear more about The Primitive Plate.
The Primitive Plate is a recipe and food blog designed to share primarily Whole30 and paleo recipes, with a few indulgent cocktails, drinks, and recipes as well. Its purpose is to help others how to find balance in what they eat and to find a lifestyle of cooking and eating that makes them feel good. I believe that what you eat directly impacts how you feel, and each person has to find what works for them. The Primitive Plate hopes to share recipes and tips that make eating healthy accessible for anyone by sharing primarily easy and simple recipes that use whole, nutrient dense foods.
In addition to creating The Primitive Plate, as a social worker I am passionate about mental health, wellness, and social justice. While I do not discuss these specific topics as much on my blog, I attempt to be transparent with my community on Instagram about who I am and what I believe – that wellness is not just what you put into your body, but is about the entire mind and body as a whole.
Do you feel like there was something about the experiences you had growing up that played an outsized role in setting you up for success later in life?
I had several experiences growing up that allowed me to grow and become much more independent than I otherwise would have been. I also believe that several of my childhood/adolescent experiences shaped me to become passionate about social justice issues and are what motivates me to continue being an advocate in the social work field.
I was sexually assaulted when I was in middle school, and have struggled with the trauma from it throughout my adult life. Among other things, it caused me to become very self-conscious, and I really thought very negatively about myself and my body. While it has taken me years (and lots of therapy!) to grow and begin healing from this trauma, I have only recently been recognizing the importance of sharing your story with others. I hope that in me sharing my story, my recipes, my beliefs about wellness and mental health with others, I will be able to positively impact someone else who is struggling.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://theprimitiveplate.com/
- Email: info@theprimitiveplate.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilysuehood/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theprimitiveplate/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/primitiveplate
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/theprimitiveplate/
Image Credit:
Emily Hood, The Primitive Plate
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