Hi, I'm Katie 🌻
Welcome to my kitchen—where plants are our medicine, cooking is a prayer, and every meal is a love letter to this beautiful earth.
If you had told me ten years ago that I'd be here, sharing recipes from my kitchen with beautiful souls all over the world, I probably would have laughed. Not because I didn't want to—but because I never imagined my little corner of the internet could become this sacred space where we all gather around the virtual table.
But here we are. And I'm so grateful you're here with me.
How I Got Here
My journey to plant-based cooking wasn't exactly planned. I didn't wake up one day and decide to become a vegan chef. Instead, it happened slowly, like the way morning light fills a room—one gentle moment at a time.
I was working a job that left me exhausted, eating whatever was fastest, and feeling disconnected from my body. You know that feeling? When you're so busy taking care of everything else that you forget to take care of yourself? That was me.
Then one Sunday, I found myself in my kitchen—barefoot, with music playing, chopping vegetables for what felt like the first time in months. And something shifted. I felt... alive. Not just physically, but in a way that made me remember who I was before life got so complicated.
That afternoon, I made a simple lentil soup. Nothing fancy. But as I stood there, stirring and tasting and adjusting, I realized I was doing more than just cooking. I was healing. I was reconnecting with myself, with the earth, with the simple joy of creating something nourishing with my own two hands.
That's when I knew. This wasn't just about food. This was about coming home to myself.
What VCR Really Means
You might have noticed the letters VCR on my apron. They stand for three things that guide everything I do in the kitchen:
Vibrant
Life is meant to be lived in full color. I believe our food should reflect that. When I'm cooking, I'm not just making something to eat—I'm creating something that makes my whole being light up. Vibrant food feeds more than our bodies; it feeds our souls. It's the difference between surviving and thriving.
Conscious
Every choice we make matters. Every ingredient we choose, every meal we prepare—it all ripples out into the world. I cook with intention, knowing that what I put on my plate affects not just my body, but the earth, the animals, and the future. Being conscious means being awake to the impact of our choices, and choosing love over convenience, even when it's harder.
Roots
We all come from somewhere. My roots are in whole foods, in the wisdom of plants, in the simple act of cooking with my hands. But roots also mean connection—to the earth, to our ancestors, to each other. When I'm in my kitchen, I'm connected to every person who has ever cooked with love, to every plant that has grown from the soil, to every moment of grace that brought me here.
My Kitchen (The Real One)
Let me be honest with you: my kitchen is not Instagram-perfect. There are usually dishes in the sink. My spice rack is organized in a way that only makes sense to me. And yes, I cook barefoot most of the time—there's something about feeling the ground beneath my feet that keeps me grounded, literally and figuratively.
But here's what my kitchen is: it's warm. It's real. It's a place where I've cried over failed recipes and danced when something turned out perfectly. It's where I've had deep conversations with friends while chopping vegetables, where I've found peace on hard days, and where I've celebrated small victories with a perfectly baked loaf of bread.
This kitchen has seen me at my most vulnerable and my most joyful. It's where I learned that cooking isn't about perfection—it's about presence. It's about showing up, even when you're tired, even when you don't know what you're doing, even when everything else feels chaotic.
And that's what I want to share with you. Not just recipes, but this feeling. This knowing that you can create something beautiful and nourishing, right here, right now, with what you have.
Why I Share These Recipes
When I first went plant-based, I was overwhelmed. Every recipe seemed complicated. Every ingredient felt foreign. I spent hours scrolling through blogs, trying to find something that felt doable, something that didn't require a culinary degree or a pantry full of expensive ingredients.
I remember the frustration. The feeling of wanting to nourish my body but not knowing where to start. The fear that plant-based food would be boring, or complicated, or just... not as good.
I was so wrong.
And that's why I'm here. Because I don't want anyone else to feel that way. I want you to know that plant-based cooking can be simple. It can be quick. It can be absolutely delicious. And most importantly, it can be yours.
Every recipe I share is one I've made countless times. They're the ones I turn to when I'm tired, when I'm celebrating, when I need comfort, when I want to try something new. They're tested. They're real. And they're shared with so much love.
Because food is love. And love is meant to be shared.
My Food Philosophy (The Simple Version)
It's really just three things:
Nourish your body.
Your body is your home. Treat it with the same care you'd give a beloved friend. Feed it whole foods, give it what it needs, and listen when it tells you something.
Respect Mother Earth.
We're all connected. The choices we make about what we eat ripple out into the world. When we choose plant-based foods, we're choosing to honor the earth that sustains us. We're choosing compassion. We're choosing a future where our children can still breathe clean air and drink clean water.
Eat with joy.
Food isn't just fuel. It's celebration. It's connection. It's memory. It's love made tangible. So eat with joy. Savor every bite. Share meals with people you love. And never, ever feel guilty about nourishing yourself.
What You'll Find Here
This isn't just a recipe site. It's a collection of the meals that have become part of my life. The ones I make when I need comfort. The ones I share with friends. The ones that make me excited to get in the kitchen.
You'll find recipes for every moment:
- 🌱Quick weeknight dinners for when you're tired but still want something good
- 🥖Weekend baking projects that fill your home with the most incredible smells
- 🌍International flavors that let you travel the world from your kitchen
- đź’šSimple, whole-food recipes that make you feel amazing
- ✨Tips and tricks I've learned from years of trial and error (and lots of mistakes)
Every single recipe has been tested in my actual kitchen, with my actual hands, probably multiple times. They're not perfect—but they're real. And that's what matters.
A Note About Perfection (Spoiler: It's Not Required)
I want you to know something important: you don't have to be perfect.
I've burned things. I've over-salted things. I've made recipes that were... well, let's just say they didn't make it to the website. And you know what? That's okay. That's more than okay—that's how we learn.
Cooking isn't about perfection. It's about showing up. It's about trying. It's about the beautiful, messy process of creating something with your own hands.
So if you try one of my recipes and it doesn't turn out exactly like the picture? That's fine. If you substitute an ingredient because it's what you have? Perfect. If you make it your own? Even better.
The best recipe is the one you actually make. The one that nourishes you. The one that brings you joy.
Thank You for Being Here
Every time someone tries one of my recipes, shares it with a friend, or finds a moment of joy in their kitchen because of something I shared—that's why I do this. That's the whole point.
So thank you. Thank you for trusting me with your time, your kitchen, and your meals. Thank you for being part of this community. Thank you for choosing to nourish yourself and the earth.
You belong here. You're welcome here. And I'm so glad you found your way to my kitchen.
With so much love from my kitchen to yours,
Katie 🌻
P.S. If you ever have questions, want to share a recipe you made, or just want to say hi—I'd love to hear from you. This is a community, and you're part of it.