A Bit More About Me...

I'm a certified yoga instructor, self-taught food blogger and photographer, cat mom, and probably the biggest introvert you'll ever (not) meet. I also hold a certificate in plant-based nutrition.

I grew up around healthy food—shout out to my mom for following a plant-based Macrobiotic diet way back in the 80s, and in Alabama, no less.

While my friend's were eating fast food and frozen dinners, Mom and I were sipping miso soup and enjoying brown rice and lentil bowls with umeboshi plum.

I have no doubt that our different way of eating back then, played a role in my own willingness to break from tradition years later.

When I went vegan in 2011, along with my husband Mark, I discovered a whole new level of excitement for cooking and baking.

Over the past 14 years I've passionately explored the world of vegan food—testing and experimenting with recipes to find the perfect balance of delicious + practical.

One of my FAVORITE aspects of recipe creation is thinking outside of the box and solving problems. When searching for recipes online, have you ever noticed that most of the recipes are pretty similar?

I find inspiration in putting a twist on the expected. I do this to hopefully add something new that will make being vegan and cooking plant-based easier, better, and more accessible for us all.

For example, do we really need more vegan ice cream recipes made with coconut milk? I think we have that covered! So I created a variety of oat, nut, and seed-based ice creams.

I want to fill a need and be part (even if only a tiny part) of the ever-growing community of cooks and chefs around the world taking plant-based food to the next level.

We lived in a small, rural Midwestern town when we went vegan. I was 36 at the time, and as far as I know, I had never known another vegan! So at that time, being able to learn from vegan food blogs, books, and cookbooks was immensely helpful.

All of this is what inspired me to launch My Quiet Kitchen and what keeps me going today!

Since then, it has been an amazing ride as I've discovered a community of people from around the world who try the recipes in their own kitchens and report back with thanks and wonderful reviews. Hearing from you motivates me to continue sharing!