It's easy to assume doctors always make the healthiest choice. Two specialists at Worthington's MedOne Primary Care would be the first to tell you otherwise.
For Dr. Rachel Kirk, D.O., and Phebe Kuo, PA-C, healthy eating isn't about preparing perfectly balanced meals every day. Their approach is decidedly more human: make good choices most of the time—and give yourself some grace when life gets in the way.
Dr. Kirk knows that struggle personally. A self-described Southern girl with a sweet tooth, she believes food should provide the energy our bodies need, but also acknowledges there's room for caramel ice cream with family. Her Cinnamon Baked Apples satisfy that craving with whole ingredients, fiber, and plenty of flavor.
Phebe, whose background includes a degree in nutrition and parents who are both chefs, takes a similar approach. Rather than focusing on what to eliminate, she asks what can be added—more protein, more fiber, and ingredients that make a meal satisfying and sustainable. Her Butternut recipe is a healthier take on a colorful butternut squash soup her family has made for years.
It's a philosophy that feels refreshingly relatable—and perhaps says something about the way they practice medicine, too. Life gets busy, celebrations happen, and sometimes convenience wins. Better health isn't about being perfect. It's about making choices you can realistically sustain.
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Recipe by Phebe Kuo, PA and Chef Melissa Kuo
3 Cups Butternut Squash (or 20 oz bag), peeled, seeded, and cubed
1 Small Head of Cauliflower (or 12 oz bag), cleaned and cut into florets
1 Orange Bell Pepper, remove the seeds and cut into medium-sized pieces
2 tbsp Olive Oil
¾ tsp Turmeric
¾ tsp Onion Powder
¼ tsp Garlic Powder
½ tsp Salt
2 Dashes of White Pepper
2 cups of Chicken Bone Broth
Dash of Red Pepper Flakes
3 Cups of 2% Milk
Salt to taste
Toppings:
1/3 Cup Pumpkin Seeds
1/3 Cup Sunflower Seeds
Spread the cut cauliflower, butternut squash, and orange pepper evenly onto a baking sheet. Drizzle the olive oil evenly over the vegetables then stir the vegetables together.
Sprinkle it with turmeric, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and white pepper.
Roast the vegetables in the oven at 350F for 20 minutes. Remove vegetables from the
oven and let cool for 15 minutes. Reset the temperature to 200F.
Place vegetables in a blender and add the chicken bone broth. Blend until mixture is completely smooth. Pour mixture into a medium-sized saucepan.
Add the red pepper flakes and milk to the saucepan. Make sure the vegetable mixture is not hot before adding the milk.
Cook the soup on medium-low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Do not boil. Add salt to taste.
Place pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds on a baking sheet at 200F for about 5 minutes or until lightly toasted. Watch these closely as they can burn easily.
Serve the soup hot and sprinkle the pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds on top.
Simple Baked Apples
By Dr. Rachel Kirk
5-6 medium apples, peeled and cut into chunks or slices (honey crisp, gala are best)
2 tablespoons butter or coconut oil, melted
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Put the apples in a small to medium baking dish. Mix the melted butter or coconut oil and cinnamon together and then dump it on the apples. Toss well to coat all the apples evenly with the cinnamon mixture.
Bake in the preheated oven until the apples are soft, about 20-30 minutes. Stir once during the baking time.