You and your taste buds are gonna LOVE our “Eating Additive-Free” Cookbook & Grocery Guide, and you won’t believe all the time and energy it saves you! But don’t take our word for it…read below to see what our happy customers have to say!

JULIE WASSER (Omaha, NE)

“I purchased Christy’s book when I was on the hunt for healthy, new recipes in one spot that offered ideas for using only unprocessed foods.  At the time, I was also cooking for the following:  someone with celiac sprue, a vegan, a meat-eater and two young children.  This cookbook has several dishes in it that got a thumbs up from all of those people!  Many dishes are also freezer-friendly so I could store them for later use.  Not only is this cookbook a great resource but Christy is, too.  If you have any questions as you go through the book, she is always available with an answer! Some of our favorite recipes include Baked Cheesy Chicken Strips, Simple Guacamole (no more processed packets for us), Balsamic Grilled Chicken, Easy Baked Fish, Ground Italian Sausage (this is the only way we eat sausage now and it’s FANTASTIC!), Tomato-Basil Lentil Soup and Black Beans and Rice.  I look forward to trying the dessert recipes, too!”

PATRICIA (of Dashing Fibromyalgia) (Williamsburg, VA)

AMY DEJONG (Omaha, NE)

“A year ago, I thought my diet was healthy. How wrong I was! Christy pointed out and explained to me the hidden ingredients in my everyday food. At first I thought, “What’s wrong with eating that? After all, most of the population eats food laden with these additives and preservatives and flavor enhancers!” My focus until that time had been low-fat, vegetarian food. Little did I realize these very foods were pumped full of chemicals and non-food ingredients!

My turning point was my growing arthritis in my knees and hips. They ached, especially at night. I had other health problems but these pains were going to be my barometer. So I implemented the changes that Christy suggests – even gave up chewing gum.

It has been almost a year, and every now and then I’ll eat some junk, but overall I would say my knee and hip pain is almost non-existent. I don’t take any pain meds (over-the-counter or prescription). Also, I have lost an overall “toxic” feeling I used to get when I chewed a lot of sugar-free gum or drank my favorite “naturally flavored” Lipton Green Tea. (I thought it was healthy!)

I can honestly say I probably would have never wised up and cleaned up my diet/lifestyle had I not had Christy’s coaching. I look at food so differently now! Her cookbook is loaded with great recipes and makes clean eating much easier. This is not a diet; this is an eye-opening, liberating journey to make yourself feel better for the rest of your life!”

Noreen Wilkins (Omaha, NE)

“Thank you for such a wonderful cookbook! Your cookbook is by far the easiest one I’ve ever followed and has made me a much better cook than I was. I never thought that so few ingredients can create such mouth-watering dishes that I am proud to serve any of my guests. The book is so easy for me to open up and carry into the supermarket, so I can decide right there in the store which recipes I’d like to prepare. And, since many dishes use the same ingredients I can usually just add a couple or more items to my list and have everything I need for the next two meals. Nothing goes to waste! You have a great variety of dishes for all sorts of dietary preferences (gluten-free, vegetarian, etc.). I personally enjoy all vegetarian, meat, poultry and fish dishes. I can honestly tell you that it’s hard to pick a favorite recipe and I’ve already cooked several of them more than one time. I’ve lost weight and have maintained my current weight with your recipes. They are very healthy, and I give two thumbs up for all the work that you put into this cookbook that has made it a success for both myself and my husband. Thank you for such creative and healthy dishes. Here’s to your health!”

Shan Swain (Bellevue, NE)

“About 15 years ago, I was beginning to have joint pain – it wasn’t bad at first but as time went on it increased. Exercise started to become more and more painful. I went from walking to not walking because of the pain. I would have to organize my schedule according to my pain level. In a matter of 5 years I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. The only thing they could do for me was physical therapy or medicate for the pain. So I begin to seek my own relief.

In January of 2012 my daughter Courtney told me about an article she had read about someone who had lived for years with Fibromyalgia but was currently pain free. She told me that the gal’s name was Christy Pooschke and that she had a website full of information at http://www.CompletelyNourished.com. So I read Christy’s whole return-to-health story on her website, and in her story I found the light! I could relate to everything she was saying about her health issues, it was my story! The light was that Christy had discovered a solution to the PROBLEM – not a fixer upper or a band-aid, but a true, real solution!

I was a skeptic at first. When the time came for Christy, my daughter and I to meet for a consultation…I still thought it wouldn’t work. But Christy put us at ease and said “these changes take a little time, so don’t overwhelm yourself.” She went through some of my foods and explained that it’s the ingredient information that matters because so many of the additives in our foods can make us sick. As we continued, she challenged me to start switching out my food for more additive-free foods and to cook my own food at home. Christy’s “Eating Additive-Free” Cookbook & Shopping Guide was a huge help in that regard because it is filled with recipes for the “typical American” types of foods my family already enjoys!

When we finished our consultation, I began to go full speed ahead and switched out everything in my cabinets for real food and clean food. This took time and required my attention as to what I really was eating. It was shocking to find out that something as simple as canned tuna fish often contains hidden MSG! One of MSG’s most commonly known side effects is headaches but also for me the effects of MSG were bloating, aches and joint pain, and chest pain that felt like a heart attack. A few times I thought I was having a heart attack, which led me to get an EKG…but my heart always tested out just fine.

I started to go out to eat less often and began cooking more at home. This gave me satisfaction to continue this new journey. Within 2 months, I started to feel a difference! The days and weeks went by, and I had less and less pain. I am not even aware of the joint pain anymore…unless I go out to eat. Then, soon after I eat I can either get a headache or joint pain which I know is from an additive in the food. It’s amazing how I can tell a difference immediately! I have been so careful (with help) when I grocery shop for clean foods. I make sure that I purchase real food ingredients. For example, now I make sure to select peanut butter that contains just peanuts and salt. Nothing more!

As for my activities I am trying to work in some simple excises and walking. This has been amazing because the walking has been easier and fun! I’ve also been able to thoroughly enjoy several vacations with my family since recovering from my Fibromyalgia pain – and that has been an absolute blessing! I also love outdoor activities, and maybe I will try to bike again. In the mean time I am totally enjoying the flavor of my new foods, my new menu ideas and how much better I am feeling. This is now 9 months into my new food requirement. And I don’t say that lightly, it is a requirement for me to avoid food additives if I want to feel good. I have also lost 30lbs., not that it was anything I was working towards, it just happened as a “side effect” of avoiding the additives.

My final thoughts…if food additives are causing folks like me to be so sick, what other problems are people having that might be a result their diets?! Let’s be sure to inform those who are in need.”

Cindy M. (Omaha, NE)

“I met Christy Pooschke at a health fair where she was hosting a booth for Completely Nourished. I was telling her about how I’d given up sugar, and she asked if I had switched to artificial sweeteners. I told her that I had and she cautioned me about all of the health destructive properties of fake sugars and MSG (and all of its hidden names). She told me all about the health problems she used to have when eating processed foods and how eating real foods had alleviated her symptoms. I was fascinated!

She offered to take a trip to the grocery store with me and educate me on clean eating. That grocery trip forever changed my life. I didn’t realize all this food that I considered healthy was causing me mood swings, headaches, fatigue, cravings and weight gain. I thought I was eating healthy by sauteing my veggies in fake butter, chewing gum in between meals,drinking Crystal Light and microwaving Healthy Choice meals. I knocked out all foods without real ingredients over time and with a lot of continued education. The more I took out, the better I felt and the more I wanted to continue to optimize my physical recovery.

Today I eat a diet that I’d say is more than 95% clean (i.e., “real”) ingredients. My food is free from MSG, aspartame and chemicals. I, personally, do not eat gluten and dairy because I discovered I am intolerant to these chemicals and they cause me anxiety. In addition, I avoid sugar at all costs because I am very addicted to the substance. If I eat one bite, I cannot stop.

My clean lifestyle has given me a balanced mood, headache-free and craving-free. I now maintain a very healthy weight. I live with my boyfriend. I am grateful he accepts me for my past and where I am presently. He ended up taking an interest and started educating himself on clean eating and began making an effort to change his eating habits, too. He is not as diligent as I am, but he still manages to eat clean and organic 80%-90% of the time (it can’t hurt that I cook all the meals and send him off to work with clean food daily). As a result, he dropped 20 pounds, he sleeps better, and his mood and anxiety are significantly better. Our efforts brought us closer to each other because we have a common goal of health and bettering ourselves.

I cook at home for almost all of my meals and, believe it or not, there are a TON of delicious recipes I have created and discovered that are in line with my food plan. Many recipes I found on Christy’s website and in her cookbook. Her cookbook recipes are healthy and delicious and you don’t have to be a cooking genius to prepare them. Even my friends and family enjoy them! I still yearn for fellowship and let’s face it…eating out is a social endeavor. When and if I go out to eat, I will eat at the Jason’s Deli salad bar or order Sashimi or order chicken or fish and ask the chef not to season it at all, and I add my own salt and pepper. My way of living takes some effort, however it is worth it! I feel great; I look great, and I don’t have to take medicine to achieve this! Today, I am healing my body with food. I am truly eating to live!”

MANDY THOMAS (Omaha, NE)

“My life CHANGED in January 2009 when Christy Pooschke brought to my attention that much of what I had been eating was NOT healthy for me! Before January, I was eating food that I had thought was healthy for me because it was low in calories and fat. I was making what I thought were “better” choices. Ha, little did I know!! Much to my surprise, however, I learned that much of what I’d been eating wasn’t even real food – it was just processed junk and chemical additives!! Gosh, I had never even thought to read an ingredients list! Now when I look at the ingredient list, if I can’t pronounce it, I do not eat it! I steer clear from preservatives, additives and especially chemicals like aspartame and monosodium glutamate (MSG).

So, why would a healthy gal in her mid 20’s who is in fairly good shape care about food so much and be willing to give up fast food, candy, soda and other easy “fun” snacks?! Well, simple answer is because I want to be a healthy, fit 60-year-old someday who does not have to rely on meds for a variety of aches and ailments!

I am a FIRM believer that you ARE what you EAT! I know that is an old saying but it is SO TRUE!! Before I sought Christy’s help, I was living what I thought to be a normal, “healthy” life! I was a college student at the time, and I took naps on a daily basis and ate ibuprofen like it was candy! Headaches EVERYDAY is normal, right!?! NOT!! Ask me the last time I took ibuprofen – I DON’T remember! P.S. – My naps are a thing of the past!! If anything, I am bursting at the seams with energy!

I was not an “ill” person when I started this journey; I just wanted to learn how to eat real foods that are grown from the earth and not created in a lab somewhere – It just makes sense that that’s what we’re supposed to do if we want to look and feel our best. I was a happy and healthy person already; but since changing my diet, I feel even better! Not only do I NOT have a headache everyday (barely ever…just an occasional menstrual headache), I have so much ENERGY and I TRULY feel AMAZING!!

Below are some of the changes I’ve noticed since I began my REAL FOOD Lifestyle!

Headaches…few and far between compared to everyday and at least 800mg/ibuprofen/daily

Energy Levels…I feel noticeably more alive and awake in the mornings. I have a newly found excitement for life. I just feel better altogether.

Weight Loss…I have lost 7 pounds with very moderate exercise; meaning some weeks I walk 2-3 times and some weeks 0 times! I have lost inches in my hips and thighs!! I am wearing jeans that I was not able to wear for months! So exciting! I went down a size in my jeans! (keep in mind weight loss was not a goal of mine, believe me…I eat! A LOT!! J J)

Nails…I have always had very thin, unhealthy looking nails. Now they are growing faster than I can trim them, very strong and they have a healthy color and shine. I have also noticed that my toe nails are much healthier. They use to look yellowish but now I never wear polish and they look great!

Sick less often… I get sick much less frequently, and when I do get a cold, it usually lasts no more than 3 days…I believe that is due to raw fruits, veggies and raw honey.

I admit, when I first heard of all the changes I would need to make, I did feel a bit overwhelmed. After all, I was very used to grabbing a bite to eat whenever and wherever I happened to be. This lifestyle does take more time and planning, but it’s SO worth it! Christy is overflowing with information about how to navigate the grocery aisles, and she has tons of delicious recipe ideas (even beyond those in her cookbook) that have made my transition very smooth!

I love her recipes and so do my friends and family – – even my little nieces and nephews! Christy took great care to pack her cookbook full of kid-friendly recipes, which is great! And most of the foods are basic things that I’ve always loved to eat anyway; but now I can make them from scratch and know exactly what I’m putting into my body! And the cookbook makes a great gift, too. I buy it for people all the time because it’s truly a gift that keeps on giving!

I am so GRATEFUL to have gained this knowledge about food and to realize that it is so IMPORTANT to KNOW what we are putting into our bodies! Our bodies were made to be HEALTHY, not sick! The human body is an AMAZING thing and when you nourish it with what it needs you will get AMAZING results! I truly believe that! I wish a healthy long life for EVERYONE! When in doubt, look at your diet….it may be the cause of the problems you are having!!”

DONNA HUBER L.Ac., M.Sc. Thirteen Moons Acupuncture  (Omaha, NE)

“Completely Nourished personal chefs have been preparing natural, additive-free meals in my home every week for the past 9 months. I am a very busy natural healthcare practitioner who was struggling to prepare my own healthy meals with any kind of consistency, and my husband travels quite extensively. When Christy announced that she was going to start offering this service, I JUMPED at the opportunity! I had been trying to come up with a way to provide a service like this through my practice, so I could take advantage, but mostly to help my patients on their quest to eat more healthfully.

The most difficult thing people struggle with in our busy, busy world is preparing healthy meals for themselves and their families. This is where Christy and Chad come in! They come to my home every Tuesday and prepare 4 days worth of lunches and dinners for me. This has saved me so much time!!

Christy and Chad are consummate professionals! They are clean, dependable and humorous; and they flawlessly move through my kitchen as they prepare delicious, fresh, organic meals that are also gluten-free and dairy-free! They do the grocery shopping, prepare the meals and leave a menu for the week so I know what to eat and when; AND they leave the kitchen spotlessly clean! They are always coming up with fresh, new ideas for dishes, so it’s never the same old thing. I do have my favorite menu items, though! I cannot imagine my life without this service! I highly recommend them, and you’d better hurry –  They can only cook for so many people! Don’t you want to be one of them?!”

KIM DENTON (Omaha, NE)

“Utilizing the weekly personal chef services offered by Completely Nourished has completely transformed my perspective about food and cooking! I am a busy mom with two young girls, and when it came to cooking for my family, I found myself defaulting to recipes that I had known from my childhood – recipes that included a lot of fatty and high-calorie foods like cheese and pasta. So, I was motivated to find a way to offer my family healthier, more well-balanced meals and to add to my cooking repertoire. This was the challenge that I set before Christy and Chad. And, I am so pleased to report that I am accomplishing my goals with their help!

They come to my home and prepare natural & delicious meals for my family each week, and this saves me a lot of time! They also provide me with some simple and healthy recipes that I can prepare on my own for the rest of the week. With their help, I feel much more confident about what to prepare and how to prepare it while enjoying healthy and delicious food! I have also been able to shed 21 pounds during the past three months since they started – yeah! Christy and Chad, I could not have it without you…thank you!!!”

AMY MATHER (Omaha Public Library)

“Christy presented Eating Outside the Box at Omaha Public Library’s annual Read It & Eat Culinary Conference.  With over 100 guests, Christy told her compelling story of how she overcame the debilitating pain of Fibromyalgia by cleaning out her cupboards of food products containing additives and making food from scratch.  She was a fantastic speaker. Perfect fit for our culinary conference, and most importantly, she inspired many guests that day!”