About Me

I run Desire Meals, a space I created to share simple, flavorful recipes that help make everyday cooking something to actually look forward to. If you’re just starting out in the kitchen, or if you’re someone who’s always felt a little unsure about cooking, you’re exactly who I had in mind when I started all this.

I wasn’t always comfortable in the kitchen. In fact, for most of my twenties and even into my thirties, I leaned pretty hard on takeout, microwave meals, and that one go-to pasta recipe I could practically make with my eyes closed. I thought cooking was something other people were just naturally good at—people with more time, more skills, or more patience than I had. But somewhere along the way, I got tired of not feeling connected to what I was eating. I wanted more—not just better food, but a better feeling about it. I wanted meals that felt nourishing and joyful, not just convenient.

I still remember the first time I made a roast chicken that came out perfectly golden and juicy. It wasn’t fancy, but it felt like magic. I couldn’t believe I had made that. That one meal gave me the courage to try another, and then another. I started learning what flavors I loved, what shortcuts were worth taking, and how forgiving cooking can actually be when you stop aiming for perfection and start aiming for connection.

Now, at 40, I live just outside Portland, Oregon with my partner, two slightly chaotic kids, and a dog who’s become a permanent fixture under the kitchen table. My kitchen has become my happy place—not because I know everything (I absolutely don’t), but because it’s where I learned to trust myself, even when I burned the rice or added way too much salt. Cooking taught me to laugh at the flops, celebrate the wins, and keep showing up.

Desire Meals was born from that journey—a growing desire to make meals that are satisfying, approachable, and full of flavor without making you feel like you need a culinary degree to pull them off. I keep things simple here because that’s what I needed when I started. My goal is to help you build confidence with every recipe, to make cooking feel like less of a chore and more of a small, delicious adventure.

So whether you’re learning how to sauté onions without burning them or finally figuring out how to roast vegetables that don’t taste like mush, I’m here with you. We’re learning, tasting, and getting better together. Let’s cook something wonderful, and maybe make a few happy memories along the way.

Welcome to the kitchen. You’ve got this.