Michelle Edelbaum, Digital Editor

As our Digital Editor Michelle focuses on EatingWell’s print publication and online presence. Food and health have long been personal passions, and Michelle’s professional writing and editing experience has allowed her to integrate those two areas. A graduate of Penn State University with a degree in journalism, Michelle has worked as a features reporter with a health, food and entertainment focus at The Burlington Free Press, as a public relations account executive for socially responsible businesses at Marketing Partners in Burlington, Vt., and as a reporter at the East Hampton Independent in East Hampton, NY.

 
10 Questions for Michelle Edelbaum

What is your favorite food?
ME: I often get obsessed with certain foods, but my constant favorites are fruit (especially mangoes, pineapple, cherries and berries) and chocolate in any form—bars, ice cream, cookies—you name it, I love it.

What is your least favorite food?
ME: I got over my boredom with our weeknight side dish of steamed broccoli by adding some Cabot cheddar cheese shake, but it’s not enough to get me to love lima beans.

What is your favorite EatingWell recipe?
ME: The Peanut Energy Bars—they’re perfect for long bike rides. I like to eat real food that I made while I exercise rather than buy a premade, packaged energy bar.

What is your pet’s name?
ME: Maddie. She’s a crazy mutt who loves to run around and be petted.

What is your favorite thing about working at EatingWell?
ME: Taste tests of new recipes in the Test Kitchen, learning about different foods and learning about healthier ways to cook.

What initially sparked your interest in food and nutrition?
ME: In high school and college I ate a vegetarian diet so I learned to cook and got interested in nutrition and the idea that food is connected to health. Then I studied in Spain and traveled around Europe. That experience was a culinary awakening—I tasted new flavors, tried totally different foods than the traditional American fare I grew up eating and gained a new perspective on food shopping as I stopped daily at various stores dedicated to specific foods (fruit and vegetables, meat, cheese). It really broadened my food horizons.

What do you like to do during your time off?
ME: My husband and I love to be active, so when we’re not cooking or puttering around our house and yard, we bike, hike, run, do yoga, cross-country ski and snowboard.

What is your guiltiest culinary pleasure?
ME: I don’t usually feel too guilty, but I never pass up good cheese, chocolate, ice cream, baked goods and nice meat and seafood.

What is your favorite international fare?
ME: Thai food. I can’t get enough of the combination of coconut milk, nuts, fresh herbs and curry. Plus, there is a lot of tofu, vegetables and noodles—all foods I love!

What three adjectives best describe your EatingWell experience?
ME: Yummy, fast-paced and educational.