Q&A: Marcie Turney on Food and Fitness

Courtesy of Barbuzzo

Have you visited 13th and Sansom lately—the block chef Marcie Turney calls home? She and her partner Valerie Safran practically own the neighborhood, with shops and restaurants up and down the block. Examples: Lolita, Barbuzzo, Grocery, Verde, and their newest gem, Jamonera. With so much going on (how does she do it?), we wanted to know how Marcie finds time for herself and what healthy means in her crazy-busy world. Lucky us, she threw a few recipes our way, too!

Complete this sentence: “When I was 16, healthy meant … “

You did the latest gimmicks or diet. Well, that was 1986, so for me it was probably more about excelling at sports. I was on the field hockey, basketball and softball teams at my high school. But my mother, who always struggled with her weight, was eating Lean Cuisine, drinking TAB cola and working out with Richard Simmons.

“To stay in shape I …”

Just got a personal trainer at 12th Street Gym. Like many other people, it’s easy for me to let work rule my daily routine; I don’t work out unless I treat it like an appointment.

What’s your favorite healthy kitchen tool?

A Vita-Prep blender. This is a blender you would find in all professional kitchens. At home, I use it to make spinach, blueberry and apple juice or fruit-and-yogurt smoothies. You can put any combo into this machine and with a little filtered water you have yourself a custom blended healthy beverage that I might have paid $6 to $9 for at a cafe. Unlike a juicing machine, which separates the pulp from the liquid, you get all the nutrients and fiber. Also, for new mothers, you can steam veggies and blend to a super smooth puree for homemade baby food.

Click here to read the rest of the interview on Be Well.