After some research, I found out that to receive the credential of registered dietitian nutritionist in the United States I would have to go through undergraduate schooling and an internship program all over again. I couldn’t understand it and refused to go back to re-do an undergraduate degree. In my heart, that was stepping backward and therefore I opted for the Ph.D. program in nutrition at the Loma Linda University in California. I was enjoying every moment and thought this was it until six months in I received news that my younger brother in Florida, who was only 22 years old and my only family in the US, was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. My husband and I decided to move to Florida to take care of him.

With mental and emotional trauma accompanied by financial stress then, I had to start working outside my field to make ends meet for my family and to be there for my brother. Long story short, it took me 15 years long to come out of the responsibilities and to feel secure in every way to pursue my dream of working in the field of nutrition and dietetics. The entire time in the back of my mind I was thinking of how I can get back to what I love!

In 2016, after many thoughts, I decided to take a step back to move forward and got enrolled in a dietetic and nutrition coordinated bachelor’s program. I was able to complete the program with a 4.0 grade point average achieving one more bachelor’s degree in 2017 and winning the Florida State Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Outstanding Student of the Year Award.

With my work ethic and passion for nutrition, I got hired as an intern and now work as regional dietitian in clinical and patient services for Morrison Healthcare. My specialization and expertise in plant-based nutrition led me to be highly involved with the Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group and I served as the Florida Academy coordinator and diversity liaison for two years. At present, I am a part of the executive committee fulfilling the role of treasurer. I have also been involved with the Commission on Dietetic Registration on different projects contributing to our profession.

What I learned with my journey is to never doubt and believe in yourself. If you put your mind to what you love, you have got to succeed. Life is challenging — don’t give up. Perseverance and alacrity are the keys to personal success and satisfaction.  The world is always beautiful and giving around us — it is the attitude that makes or breaks us. Therefore, it is not necessary to always move forward for success, sometimes taking a step back can result in a leap of success forward, which I learned with my journey. I am very glad for our fellow dietitians who don’t have to go through the challenges that we professionals from different countries have to experience in order to achieve our dreams!

The team behind Food & Nutrition Magazine® aims to amplify the voices of people of color and other underrepresented individuals in nutrition and dietetics and highlight the experiences of RDNs, NDTRs, dietetic interns and nutrition and dietetics students. Our goal is not only to stand in solidarity, but also help inform our readers and increase awareness about the importance of diversity in the field of nutrition and dietetics. We know it’s not enough, but we hope it’s a step in the right direction that will support meaningful conversations and a positive change in the profession.

The recipe is super yummy and easy to cook. In 30 minutes, you can cook a healthy and yummy recipe to feed the entire family.

Blush Beet Verdant Pasta

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked pasta
• 1 medium green bell pepper
• ½ cup broccoli florets, chopped
• ½ cup green onions
• ⅓ cup Brussels sprout, chopped
• Fresh basil to garnish

For the Pesto:

• 2 medium-size beets, boiled
• 15 almonds
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons basil leaves chopped-
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp ground pepper
• Salt to taste

Instructions:

Boil pasta per package instructions and leave it aside. In a blender or processor, add all the ingredients for the pesto and grind it to a paste. In a pan add one teaspoon of olive oil and saute all the vegetables until they are soft, about 10 minutes. Mix together the pasta, pesto and vegetables. Add salt to taste and garnish with basil.

Cooking Notes: Any nuts can be used instead of almonds and any of your favorite vegetables can be added to the recipe.

Whole grains are defined as a grain of any cereal and pseudo-cereal that contains the endosperm, germ and bran, in contrast to refined grains, which retain only the endosperm. Whole grains are packed with nutrients such as protein, fiber, B vitamins, antioxidants and minerals including iron, zinc, copper and magnesium. A diet rich in whole grains has been shown to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, obesity and some forms of cancer. 

In today’s fast-paced world, where most of us want to spend less time on cooking, we forget that by doing so, we also are not consuming whole grains and other healthy foods. Therefore, I thought of creating a healthy, savory whole grain dish that can be enjoyed any time of day. This dish can be consumed with plain Greek yogurt, too, which adds another layer of flavor and extra nutrients.

Anytime Oats

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked steel cut oats
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped carrot
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 to 3 fresh chopped green chiles
• 1 tablespoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Instructions

1. In a medium pot, combine oats and 4 cups water.
2. Add oil, vegetables and spices. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and cook for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally so oats don’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
3. When oats are cooked, let sit for 4 to 5 minutes and garnish with cilantro, if desired, before serving.

When I was younger and living in India, I attained my bachelor’s in food and nutrition and master’s in dietetics, worked as a lecturer in the food and nutrition department at Maharaja Sayaji Rao University and had started my doctorate degree. Then I got married and moved to the United States, landing in “the land of opportunity” with a mountain of dreams of pursuing my dietetics career as soon as I arrived. For six months, I attended Loma Linda University so that I would have a license to work in the States. Then, life made a turn and I had to take a step back.

My younger, 24-year-old brother called from Florida to tell me he’d been diagnosed with last-stage Hodgkin lymphoma. I was shocked at the news,completely shaken. At the time, I was his only family member in the U.S. and so I flew to Florida to care for him. My husband and I ultimately moved there so we could continue to help him. We did everything we could to save my brother, but he lost his battle with cancer after five years. For months, I was disturbed and couldn’t think of anything else, in denial that my brother was no longer in this world. Parallel to this emotional challenge was a financial one, and I needed to start working. For almost 10 more years, I went about fulfilling my family and financial obligations, thinking that I’d lost my dream of being a dietitian. After so much time, I didn’t have the courage to leave everything and follow my passion.

But one morning, after 15 long years, I woke up and said to myself, “Enough is enough.” Though it didn’t seem easy, all I could see in front of my eyes was “registered dietitian.” I gathered all my courage, resigned from my job and started taking steps to attain my dream. Life started to move forward again.

Now, when I get down, I think of this quote from Steve Jobs, spoken at a Stanford commencement address in 2005: “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma, which is living the result of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition — they somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

I went through a lot of challenges for 15 long years of my life. I am sure others can relate to challenges, as everyone has their own. But if you’re struggling with your dream, I urge you to get rid of negative thoughts and accept your challenges with optimism, perseverance, courage and dedication.