Welcome to my kitchen!
Grab an apple or a gluten free cupcake, pull up a stool, and look around.
Here you will find original, mostly gluten free recipes, healthier remakes, kitchen tips, and more to support an overall healthy lifestyle. Don’t worry- there are desserts too! Life is short…
If you’re looking for pretentious food, you won’t find any here! Just delicious, mainly-wholesome dishes that don’t require 36,485 ingredients and 8 hours in the kitchen. And yes- butter, cream, bacon, and pasta are luscious; thanks professional chefs; but, we can’t all eat that way. At least not without expanding waistlines… Sometimes we need to load in the veggies and make a few ingredient swaps. Who knew flavor, fit, and fun could all go together?!?
My love for food began at a very early age, but it quickly escalated toward the end of college. So many years without a kitchen, left me enthusiastically cooking and baking during each school break. During my first few years as a special education teacher, preparing dinner became my solace after busy, stressful days. Then, I wanted to share my love of cooking and drive to use lots of fresh and healthy ingredients. So, I began teaching cooking classes locally with children and adults. Now, I am a recipe developer/writer, culinary instructor, food stylist, and photographer.
Growing up with my grandmother next door, I had a front-row seat to daily homecooked lunches, which never included a sandwich. From scalloped potatoes, chicken pot pie, and giant chocolate chip cookies, she created it all. To this day, my Dad still says she made the BEST chocolate icing! (And she wasn’t even his mom.) So, many of my skills come from her and the school of life; however, I was able to make a dream come true and received a bit of formal training. A few years ago, I attended Le Cordon Bleu in Paris to study pastry, in the croissant capital of the world.
The kitchen is my happy place.
I hope it can be yours too…or you can come hang out in mine.
A little more about me:
I am a travel-enthusiast, runner, dog mom, teacher, reader, occasional Netflix-binger, and the coolest aunt around. I LOVE dark chocolate and HATE mayonnaise and pickles! I am a big believer in moderation and trying most things at least once. Born and raised in Pennsylvania, I have also lived in Southern California.
From a very young age, I carried a few extra pounds. Maybe not overweight by medical standards, but by foes and photos…I was. It was strange because my packed lunches looked just like everyone else’s. And, I wasn’t going home and bingeing on boxes of cookies or anything. But, kids can be mean…
In high school, my lunches were smaller and healthier than most of the girls around me. In my cafeteria, girls were known for buying a bagel and 3 cookies for lunch. Not me. And yet, somehow they still fit into their tiny Gap jeans and spaghetti-strap tanks. I even asked for a gym membership for my 16th birthday. One day, I was sitting in art class, when we had to draw portraits of a classmate. I’ll never forget when Stephanie started drawing and proclaimed, “wow, your head and neck are like the same width.” Ummm…cool. Thanks.
In college, I worked out 4-5 days per week, walked everywhere, tried to watch what I ate in many respects, though I still enjoyed a midnight slice of pizza or two. Yet, those extra pounds remained.
Teaching is stressful, so those first few years saw me gaining a few more pounds. I can’t remember the exact moment, but I finally decided I was done wasting my life being unhappy. So, I ramped up my workouts and watched what I ate. I didn’t regularly count calories, but I did limit my intake of carbohydrates. It worked! Though, it was a slow process and I seemed to hit many plateaus. It took over a year, but I got down to the smallest I have even been…132 pounds…size 4. And yet, my stomach was still not flat. And then, I needed to take some professional photos for a business venture. In some of the shots, *cringe*, my face still looked fat. Here I had worked so hard…fit into clothing I NEVER thought I would…and yet…I still found issues. What was the point???
So, a few of the pounds slowly started creeping back. This was ridiculous! My eating was not perfect, but it was healthier than I had ever been before. I ate whole grains and lots of fruit and vegetables. I tried everything! I watched what I ate, counted my calories, joined a gym, and worked out 5-6 days per week. I climbed into a spaceship-looking pod to determine my fat vs. lean situation and breathed into a tube to figure out my basal calorie needs. Still nothing! The staff looked at me like I was an anomaly, but secretly must have suspected I was lying and regularly bingeing on tubs of ice cream. I wasn’t. Nope…I was eating fresh fruits, vegetables, and tons of salmon! Then, one week I ate Cheez-its and Ben & Jerry’s for dinner a few nights. I watched my portions, but still… And guess what?!? I lost 2 pounds of fat that week! What?!? Figure that one out!
Trying to lose weight for the second time (well, probably the 100th…) none of the old methods worked. This time, I needed to work out every day, severely limit my calories, and eat a VERY clean diet. (This is not an endorsement or suggestion…it’s just the only thing that worked for me.) I also gave up almost all dairy. No longer overweight by BMI, but I kept going. It’s what I needed to do for me- to feel like my insides match my outside. To feel healthy and fit.
In the end, I learned that being healthy and strong is important, but we need to accept the differences in our bodies. I learned that I enjoy fueling my body with healthy, fresh food…most of the time. I learned that I can have an emotional day and steer clear of the Ben & Jerry’s. I learned that working out every day allows me to feel balanced and clear my mind. I learned that it’s possible to attend a holiday celebration, avoid everything unhealthy, and still have a good time. I learned that I’m not missing out on life if I sometimes skip the dessert table. I learned that life is sweet, but unfair. And, apparently I don’t need cheese to be happy. Who knew?!?
My Healthy Lifestyle
✅ Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables
✅ Eat lean protein
✅ Eat clean…very clean when trying to lose a few pounds
✅ Work out- cardio & strength training
✅ Limit sugar & carbohydrates (especially in the evening)
✅ Allow sweets & wine…occasionally, in moderation
Lightning Round
Go-to meal: stir-fried veggies with chicken
Favorite food: cookies & cream ice cream (has anyone made some gluten free yet???)
Biggest food weakness: dark chocolate
Food dislikes: mayo, pickles, anchovies, and black licorice
Signature drink: lots of water (and a bit of white wine)
Favorite workout: running outside (I hate treadmills!)
Least favorite chore: dishes!
Non-food hobbies: traveling, reading, coffee chats, and mini adventures
Something I never thought I would say: I only eat cheese a few times each year (it’s literally my second favorite food…stupid dairy!)
Embarrassing food prep story: the fire department showed up during a cooking class (we were preheating the oven and someone had previously made bacon, which created smoke)