My name’s Kristin and I’ve lived in and around Iowa for the better part of 20+ years. While it may get a boring rap, Iowa’s a fabulous place to live! Great food can be found locally which lets me eat well, trails are abundant which allows me to run free, and the cost of living is low which encourages me to travel far. Check out my Top Posts!
My Philosophy
Eat Well
Eating well is tough, isn’t it? Eating well with a major sweet tooth, plus a curiosity to try everything, is really tough!
I love to cook, and I love to eat even more. I am always up for trying something new (except if it contains mushrooms, bell peppers, or cooked carrots!) and feel the absolute best when I eat nutritious and healthy meals. That said, I am a self-proclaimed junk food junkie. Give me a bag of Doritos and Thin Mints any day, and a happy girl you will find.
Obviously junk food does not do a body good, so I try and live by the 80/20 rule: 80% clean and healthy eating, 20% sanity-keeping splurges. Some days it’s more like 60/40 – but, hey, we do the best we can!
My favorite foods to cook and eat are easy, low-fuss recipes made with in-season ingredients, and comfort foods made healthier. Most nights you’ll find me in the kitchen whipping up a tasty meal for my husband and me – always leaving room for dessert!
Check out my Recipes!
Run Often
I “became” a runner when I moved to Minneapolis after graduating college, and was able to take advantage of the incredible trails and lakes that Minnesota has to offer. They don’t call it the “Land of 10,000 Lakes” for nothing! It was on these trails that I was able to slowly increase my mileage from barely 1 mile at a time, to more than 6.
After moving back to Iowa, I continued running on the trails near my home and eventually took those runs from 6 miles to 13 miles. All my training culminated in the Banco Popular Chicago Half Marathon in September 2008…on the rainiest day in Chicago’s history. Finishing that race gave me one of the biggest feelings of accomplishments I’ve ever had, and is something that I’ll remember for the rest of my life.
I absolutely love the feeling that running gives me, and I am proof positive that if you stick with something – it will get easier!
Check out my Treadmill Workouts and Daily Workout Log!
Travel Far
I’ve got the travel bug and it cannot be cured!
Some people work to get the latest and greatest gadgets and gizmos, I work so I can travel. I absolutely love exploring new and unfamiliar places – learning the history and mystery behind every new discovery.
Whether it’s poking around European churches that are hundreds of years old or trying to figure out the intricacies of the mysterious Japanese culture, I want to do and see it all. Every place I go I consider a “favorite”, but my favorites among favorites include Japan, the Amalfi Coast, New York City, and ALL of California.
Destinations on my must see list include: Greece, Morocco, Alaska and India!
Check out my Travel Reviews!
LOVE your blog! I’ve seen it on a few others’ blogroll and finally took the time to check it out – so glad I did! I did your 5-4-3-2-1 treadmill workout today and it was awesome! Thanks for sharing!
I’m so glad I found your blog! Thank you SO much for posting step-by-step pictures (reminds me of The Pioneer Woman…who doesn’t love her??)…I have no clue how to cook, but your pictures and explanations make it look easy and like something even I can do.
Anyway, just wanted to say, GREAT blog (love the design, very easy to navigate and share content via social media), and I can’t wait to try out some of the recipes!
Amber
[...] than a fellow traveler who also has some of the best recipes I know?? Yep, I am thrilled to welcome Kristin from Iowa Girl Eats to the site! Her beautiful blog has long been one of my favorites, filled with [...]
Love your vitality, writing style, philosophy and virtual space Kristin! Re favorite spaces, I would add the Iowa byways to mine as well as New Caledonia and Figi! Happy eating, running and traveiing, Mary Margaret ¸.•´.•´¨) ¸.•¨)
(¸.•´(¸.•´ (¸.•* *•♪♫•*¨*
I stumbled on your blog looking for a peanut butter frosting recipe. Your description of the way you eat is very similar to mine! So much in fact I have posted something very similar to your 80/20 – 60/40 ways! I couldn’t believe my eyes when I read it – ha. Your recipes and pictures are lovely! Can’t wait to try some out!
X
Hey Kristin…
I’m a “former” Iowa girl now a Tennessee girl. My home will always be as a Hawkeye tho! Found you via Pinterest and will keep an eye on your blog from now on!
Stay warm and keep cooking!
Just came across your blog and I already love it. Looks like we have the same priorities!
eatwelltraveloftenblog.blogspot.com
Hi Kristin. I was looking at Pinterest recipes and that lead me to your page after scrolling through your Roasted Potatoes recipe. I love potatoes and I was also happy to see there was a side dish of mango included as well. Mango is absolutely one of my favorite fruits ever. I just wanted to share that with you.
Hi there Kristin,
Fantastic blog you’ve got going here! I too love running, and find that it’s such a rewarding and challenging sport, but the more you do it, the more you fall in love with it.
It’s lovely to find other bloggers that share my passion about fitness, running and healthy living; and most importantly, MODERATION and living life to the fullest!
Completely agree with your 80/20 rule (or 60/40… sometimes definitely me aswell!)
We all need to be okay with enjoying all the things we love and not deprive ourselves.
Because hey, isn’t that what life’s all about?!
Kloe x
Love the blog!! I am also an Iowa girl, rather Iowa State, as I graduated from ISU. Thank you for sharing your recipes and stories!
Oh my goodness, I never find other Iowa bloggers! And I never find ones that are actually serious bloggers!
So glad to have found you! Are you on G+? I started a group there just for Iowa Mom Bloggers. I’d love get to know you there!
Hey Kristin! I love your blog and I just moved to Des Moines. I was wondering if you could share with me a few good running trails in the area and in West Des Moines?
Thanks, and congrats on the baby!!
Laura
Hi Laura! I live in Des Moines too (WDM actually). There are a TON of trails around here. Check out this site for a start. http://www.dmgov.org/Departments/Parks/Pages/trails.aspx
Happy Running and Biking!
Hi Kristin, I am an Iowa Girl, too, even though I don’t live in Ioway anymore. You can take the girl out of Iowa but you can’t take the Iowa out of the girl. I grew up there and my brother still lives there. I think Iowa people are special and so did Gertrude Stein. Since I left I’ve become a Californio health nut but I still love Maid-Rite’s and dinner plate size pork fritter sandwiches. We do eat, don’t we? Love your blog. Keep up the good work. – Renee
[...] shout out to Kristin over at Iowa Girl Eats (that’s her photo above too). I work in San Diego and prefer to bring [...]
Great Blog.
Michael from Germany
Your blog is my homepage. I look at it more than facebook. With that being said, please friend me- it’d be an honor.
[...] who have fantastic careers and live fun, well-rounded lives. Kristin Porter, the blogger behind Iowa Girl Eats, is one of those [...]
Just linked to your blog for the first time today. Looking for healthy-living ideas and can’t wait to see what a fellow Metro girl will have to say.
My brother suggested I might like this website. He used to be totally right.
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