About

What you'll find here

Plant-based recipes that nourish deeply—some quick, others worth slowing down for.

Holistic wellness tools—that are realistic, supportive, and help you feel better.

Support for rebuilding and becoming you—especially when life feels off-track.

New? Start here

A few great places to begin:

• Browse all my plant-based recipes from nourishing comfort foods to everyday go-to meals.
• Check out my how-tos and guides for kitchen tips, wellness ideas, and simple strategies that work.
• Explore my lifestyle posts for actionable wellness strategies, doable habits, and support for starting fresh.

Some of my personal favorites:

• Chickpea Noodle Soup: my ultimate comfort food. I make it every time I need a reset.
• Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies: hands-down my favorite cookie recipe ever.
• Iced Matcha Latte: my go-to morning drink — refreshing, grounding, and so easy to make.

Oh—and if you’re ready to start your mornings with more intention,
check out my Simple Morning Habits ebook; it's a great place to begin.

Feel-Good Classics

Food, family, and the flavors that shaped me

For over 20 years, I was immersed in the rich traditions of Mexican culture, which completely changed how I see food. Mexican cuisine became a love language—simple, soulful, bold, and made to be shared. That chapter of my life has ended, but the flavors I fell in love with are still part of me and continue to inspire my cooking every day.

Feeding a big family

Cooking for nine kids (yes, nine!) has been an adventure in creativity, flexibility, and feeding people with love. Our kitchen was full of beans, rice, and salsa in every combination imaginable, and that beautiful simplicity stuck with me. I still believe some of the most healing meals come from humble ingredients.

Plant-based roots

I’ve been into plant-based since back when health food stores were mostly for granola, tree-hugging hippies. I was buying carrots and beans by the 25-pound sack, bananas by the 40-pound case, and dragging my kids to farmers' markets within a 50-mile radius.

I went through all the phases — raw everything, green juice obsessions, sprouting seeds on every surface. I even grew wheatgrass in mason jars (and I’m pretty sure my neighbors thought I’d officially lost it).

I still love it all — just in a more grounded, flexible way. Somewhere along the way, I learned that perfectionism isn’t wellness, and obsession doesn’t equal commitment. These days, I’m still all in — just without the all-or-nothing mindset.

Food, grit, and one unforgettable season

We once owned and ran a Mexican restaurant. It was short-lived but meaningful — a crash course in grit, creativity, and the kind of food that brings people together. The lessons from that season still show up in my kitchen today.

Pushing limits

I've completed multiple races, half marathons, and even a Tough Mudder—not for the medals (though they're fun) or the stats, but to remind myself I can do hard things. It’s never been about being the best — it’s about building trust with myself. Showing up, following through, and learning what I’m made of.

I love to swim, walk, hike, and practice yoga. Movement helps me stay grounded and connected to myself, especially when life feels full.

Next up? Who knows—maybe a triathlon. It’s never really about the race—it’s about who I have to become in the process.

Simple living, big lessons

I've been homeschooling since 1999, road-tripped through nearly every state, and turned more than a few hotel rooms into test kitchens.

We spent three years as full-time RVers when the kids were younger—an adventure in every way. It wasn’t all easy, but it also wasn’t all hard. Unforgettable for sure, and still one of my favorite chapters.

That experience taught me a lot about simple living, flexibility, and being able to laugh—especially at yourself—can get you through just about anything.

Blue Zones inspiration

Many years ago, when I first learned about the Blue Zones—places where people live the longest, healthiest lives—something just clicked.

In those places, people:

• Eat mostly plants
• Move naturally
• Live with purpose
• Stay connected
• Cook at home

They’re not chasing perfection; they’re living with intention. The goal isn’t to force our life into a routine, but to create routines that move with our life.

And that’s what I focus on: recipes, doable habits, and small daily choices that bring you back to what feels good and sustainable.

No rules. No rigid plans. Just support for the life you’re creating.

My training & background

I've studied and practiced plant-based nutrition for over 20 years. In 2020, I became a Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach (INHC) through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, where I also completed advanced training in hormone health.

I've also completed 200 hours of yoga teacher training, which deepened my understanding of the mind-body connection and continues to shape my holistic food-first approach to wellness.

My work has been featured in HuffPost, Yahoo, MSN, YourTango, MamaMia, Redfin, Better Humans, The Good Men Project, and Medium, where I write about plant-based living, resilience, personal growth, and the power of starting over.

You can find me on Pinterest, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and Medium.

Want to get in touch?

Have a question about a recipe? The best place to ask is in the comments on that post — that way, others can see the answer too.

For anything else, feel free to contact me.
I read every message and do my best to get back to you as soon as I can.

Interested in coaching?

Whether you’re rebuilding your health, your habits, or your life, I offer 1:1 coaching designed to meet you where you are.

We’ll simplify the connection between what you eat, how you live, and how you want to feel — so you can create a life that actually works for you.

Thanks for being here. Truly. 💛

— Julie