Favorite meal:
"Spinach salad with peas, red onion, walnuts
and a sprinkle of goat cheese."

Karen's interest in natural foods was sparked early by her yearly consumption of carob birthday cake, baked by her mother, an Adele Davis devotee. A pivotal moment in the making of a nutritionist was the discovery that a Twinkie left in the glove compartment of a '68 Buick Skylark for over two years will not grow mold. Karen thought, "If the bugs won't eat it, then neither will I."

Pursuing a career where she could help others comprehend the consequences of their food choices led Karen to Bastyr University near Seattle. There she received her Masters degree in Nutritional Sciences.

Believing that a grocery store is an excellent environment in which to offer nutrition education, Karen joined New Seasons Market in 2001. With a background in whole foods nutrition, Karen's approach to food starts from the ground up. If you can imagine it growing and it has only one ingredient (itself), eat it!

In Karen's free time, she enjoys running and gardening with her busy Jack Russell terrier, Pixie, who decides where all of the plants go. 

You can reach Karen at  karens@newseasonsmarket.com 503.473.8626.

Favorite meal:
"Being so passionate about food, it’s hard for me to narrow this one down.
I love many dishes of all types, anything from homemade French toast to
curried lentils to grilled salmon with sautéed greens."

Leah Kriewall’s passion for food and nutrition has taken her from her family farm in Wisconsin, to Seattle, Tucson, and lucky for us, Portland.

She grew up picking fresh strawberries with her family and eating eggs her grandmother’s chickens had laid just minutes before.

“The egg yolks were so bright that I actually called them ‘sunshine’ when I was little,” Leah recalls.

After high school she began her academic training at the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse, where she received her degree in biology.

“During college, I decided that I would like to be at the prevention end of health care and health promotion. No pun intended, but I followed my gut to Seattle to learn about nutrition in a holistic setting,” Leah says. Her instincts led her to Bastyr University, where she completed her requirements for becoming a Registered Dietician.

Then an internship took her to the University Medical Center in Tucson, Arizona where she gained valuable experience in a healthcare setting. She was a hospital dietitian in an in-patient setting as well as an out-patient nutritionist. She’s presented nutrition information to many groups of people, from elementary school children to seniors with diabetes.

Needless to say, her experience paired with her passion for food makes her an ideal fit to be one of our store nutritionists.

“I love interacting with people. I love that I can help them and answer questions in such a relaxed setting. I love that I work for such an amazing company that has such a positive relationship with the community and farmers. Being a farmer once myself, this is very close to my heart,” Leah says.

When she’s not busy teaching classes on current nutrition topics, she’s likely cooking, container gardening, running, hiking, or reading--all with her husband. “And sharing meals with him are high on my list of wonderful things to do,” she says. “I also enjoy my pilgrimages back home to the farm to visit my family… and the cows.”

You can reach Leah at leahk@newseasonsmarket.com or 503.292.1987 ext. 305.