About Me

My earliest memories are of standing on a wooden stool in my grandmother’s kitchen, watching her snap green beans and roll out pie dough with practiced hands. Food in my family was never rushed. It was prepared with care and shared with gratitude. We didn’t talk about “farm to table” as a trend. It was simply how we lived.

In high school, I started growing my own herbs in chipped ceramic pots by the window. Basil, thyme, rosemary. I loved the quiet responsibility of tending to something that would later become part of a meal. That small act of growing and cooking planted a seed that would shape my life.

Education and Early Career

After graduating, I studied nutrition and sustainable food systems at the University of Oregon. I wanted to understand not just how food tastes, but how it impacts our bodies and our communities.

While in college, I worked part time at a local café that focused on seasonal menus. That kitchen changed everything for me. I saw how creativity and simplicity could exist in the same dish. A roasted beet salad could be art. A loaf of sourdough could feel sacred.

After graduation, I worked with small farms, helped manage a community supported agriculture program, and later became a recipe developer for a regional food magazine. I spent years learning how ingredients move from soil to plate, and that journey deepened my respect for fresh, whole foods.

Why I Started Rooting in Freshness

Rooting in Freshness began in my tiny apartment kitchen with a secondhand camera and a notebook filled with handwritten recipes.

At first, I simply wanted to document what I was cooking. Seasonal soups in winter. Heirloom tomato salads in summer. Quick weekday meals built around whatever looked best at the market that week.

But as I shared more, I realized people were craving something beyond recipes. They wanted to reconnect with their food. They wanted guidance on choosing produce, storing herbs, cooking with intention, and eating in rhythm with the seasons.

I started writing not just about how to cook, but why it matters. Why strawberries in June taste different than strawberries in January. Why slowing down to chop vegetables can feel grounding after a long day.

That is when Rooting in Freshness became more than a hobby. It became my calling.

My Philosophy

Freshness is not just about ingredients. It is about mindset.

I believe in:

• Seasonal cooking
• Supporting local farmers
• Simple techniques that highlight natural flavor
• Meals that nourish both body and spirit
• Imperfect but honest home cooking

You will not find overly complicated recipes here. You will find approachable dishes that let ingredients shine.

I want you to feel confident in your kitchen. I want you to trust your senses. I want you to cook food that feels alive.

Life Beyond the Kitchen

When I am not testing recipes or photographing produce, you can usually find me at the farmers market before it opens, hiking forest trails with a canvas tote bag, or experimenting with new ways to preserve seasonal harvests.

I still grow herbs on my windowsill, even though my kitchen is bigger now. That ritual reminds me where this journey started.

Cooking is how I slow down. Writing is how I reflect. Rooting in Freshness is where those two parts of me meet.

Thank You for Being Here

Whether you are a seasoned home cook or just learning how to roast your first tray of vegetables, I am honored to share this space with you.

Rooting in Freshness is about coming back to what is simple, real, and nourishing.

Thank you for rooting alongside me.