Culinary Genius at Work at Fresh Thymes Eatery!
Trina Becksted, Publisher Holistic Healing News
My recent travels to visit a childhood friend took me to Boulder, CO. It was here that I had the pleasure of meeting and taste testing with the healthy, hip chef , culinary artist and owner of Fresh Thymes Eatery in Boulder, CO. Her name is Christine Ruch and it’s her first venture. It was pretty busy at 2:30 in the afternoon so I would say this fresh restaurateur is off to a HEALTHY start!
Prior to my visit I got the usual press release about her launch of this cool eatery, but what intrigued me most was her cuisine. Fresh Thymes Eatery sounded like a sweet nourishing place, so I decided to stop in. Her bubbly personality, warmth and cheerful hospitality were inviting; she shared so much about her passion for food, knowledge of nutrition and how good food is attributed to great health.
We first sampled her one of a kind” fire cider” with ingredients like jalapeño, garlic, and apple cider. This five alarm, spicy cider will kill what ails you. It’s an “herbal folk remedy ” she said and helps ease arthritis, digestive problems and even gets rid of the common cold.
On her menu she makes what she calls “fool ya food”, it’s comfort food with her healthy low calorie, nutrient dense spin on it. Some of my favorites were her “wicked wings” marinated in brine with substantially less fat than normal chicken wings . I loved her “rad thai” which is a Fresh Thymes Eatery version of Pad Thai. It’s made with kelp noodles! Ruch (pronounced like ROOK i.e. book or the chess piece) serves “local seasonal food that Colorado is eating right now” she said. For example, “kale is fall/winter vegetable, so we aren’t severing it yet. Right now this summer we are serving arugula which is a cleansing and purifying green.”
Most her menu items are gluten and nut free options , so anyone with food allergies can eat there. Christine uses only the best ingredients and is a true patron of local farm to table eating. She supports micro, start up businesses by selling their products at her restaurant. She said, “If it’s found in Whole Foods, you won’t find it on my shelves here” She wants to give the little guy a chance to showcase his culinary wares. She showed me a few items . Some were called “shrubs and bitters” , little condiments that looked like potions in artsy, medicinal bottles.
What intrigued me most is that Ruch has celiac disease and multiple sclerosis , yet she manages to stay vibrant, healthy, and mobile. I never would have guessed that she lived with these chronic health issues for years , by the way she carries herself. Through clean eating, she has been able to effectively manage both of her conditions and now ensures that the menu at Fresh Thymes Eatery nourishes her customers and supports their good health.
Her outreach in the community has established her as a force of knowledge and respect with various councils and organization. Christine is head of Bauman College’s culinary department where she teaches whole food nutrition and food allergy awareness. Most admirable is her work with children in the ” Grow Foundation”, a garden-to-table education program in the Boulder Valley School District where she serves as head chef.
Christine is from originally from Arizona and is the eldest of her siblings. She took an interest in cooking at a young age because her mother was a single parent who worked hard and didn’t’ have time to cook. Instead she bought a lot of frozen and packaged foods to save time. This was a blessing in disguise because it fostered this young chef’s passion for cooking, experimenting with food and a quest for healthy and nutritious food preparation. This was her shining grace because now she is sharing her gifts with us all!
I encourage you on your next trip to Boulder, CO to stop by Fresh Thymes Eatery. Happy hour is Mon-Sat. from 4-6:30 pm. Even if you’re not traveling there anytime soon, learn more about Christine and her delectable healthy spin on food at freshthymeseatery.com. Hers is one of the few entirely gluten restaurants in the US. We wish her great success!
