About the Author

Credentials at a Glance

• MSW (Master of Science in Social Work), University of Texas at Austin
• Bachelor of Arts in English, Trinity University
• WELL-AP (a credential designating expertise in human health and wellness in the built environment), International WELL Building Institute
• 10 years gluten & dairy free
• Published writer (Popsugar, Apartment Therapy, Hip Mama)

My Background

I would say I’m a self-taught home cook and baker, but that doesn’t give enough credit to everyone I learned from over the years. I learned everything I know about cooking and baking from both of my parents growing up; my Iowan elementary school friend Michelle; recipes shared with me from family and friends over the years; cookbooks by Martha Stewart, Mark Bittman, and Julia Child; and a whole lot of trial and error, which I documented in my massive collection of handwritten recipes.

I’ve always loved to write. I created an eponymous lifestyle blog in the 2010s, which featured recipes, essays on family life, and an occasional style post. My work featured in Apartment Therapy and Hip Mama. Later, I wrote for Popsugar, where I wrote for the Design section.

After getting formal degrees in English and social work in my twenties, I have worked in a variety of roles in publishing, nonprofit work, and philanthropy. During the pandemic, I studied wellness in a holistic program that incorporated instruction on food, air and water quality, and exposure to toxins in our products and built environment. My background in social work and wellness continues to shape how I think about food, community, and healing.

My Experience Being Gluten and Dairy Free

I’ve been eating gluten and dairy free since 2017 to reduce inflammation associated with an autoimmune condition of the thyroid (Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis). I was diagnosed in 2012, but it wasn’t until 5 years later that I read that diet and lifestyle changes might be able to improve my condition.

Motivated by a laundry list of small (but not small to me) symptoms like memory loss and a myriad of aches and pains, I spent 2017 and 2018 working on myself, making different health interventions and taking note of what worked and what didn’t. Ultimately, I learned that for me, removing gluten and dairy from my diet made a big impact on my health.

My Approach to Recipe Development

I’ve spent the years since then figuring out how to make a GF/DF diet actually taste good. Baking gluten free, in particular, seemed impossible at first. For many years, I would try a GF recipe that promised to be delicious, only to have my hopes dashed as the thing tasted heavy, dense, mushy, crumbly, dry, or grainy—take your pick. So disappointing! I would give up, completely discouraged. Then, once time had passed, my hope would revive and I would try again, only to be saddened once more. Eventually, completely demoralized, I put aside the collection of recipes I’d been developing since I was a child, resigned to a life without my beloved baked goods.

Then one day, everything changed: I could bake once again, all thanks to two game-changer products. First, I began using a finely ground and gum-free gluten free flour blend, which produces a great crumb (no grit or gumminess) without the need to let the batter rest. Second, I discovered a cultured butter made from plant-based oils and cashews, which had a savory, nutty flavor that mimicked the real thing (and remarkably, could be browned).

Once I discovered these two products, I was off and running. I returned to my dog-eared recipes and set about adapting them to be gluten and dairy free.

Why I Started Mulberry & Thyme

I have spent my last 23 years being a mom of three amazing kids. With my youngest child graduating high school soon, my husband and I are contemplating life as empty nesters. I have more free time on my hands than I’ve had in more than two decades. What to do?

Every now and then I talk to someone who is at the beginning stages of a similar health journey. Inevitably I talk their ear off and follow it up with an embarrassingly long email about how to live gluten or dairy free. It eventually occurred to me that I could turn these emails into a blog.

Each blog post I create is an investment of time that results in satisfying and meaningful work. I get to be a mad scientist in the kitchen, testing and developing recipes. I love trying to capture the beauty of food with my camera. And it’s ridiculously fun styling the shots with my favorite glassware and dishes (some are family heirlooms, some I find at local antique fairs).

Most of all, it is rewarding to share what I’ve learned with others who are on a similar path. While I know how hard this path can be, I also know firsthand how transformative and worthwhile it can be for people who feel better on a diet without gluten or dairy.

My Hope for Mulberry & Thyme

Changing to a GF/DF diet has been a journey for me, a journey of self-discovery. I’ve learned to listen to and trust my own voice. With time, I have come to appreciate all the parts of myself – even the parts that are less common, challenging, and “wrong.”

In addition to sharing practical tips for those cooking and baking GF/DF foods, I also hope that this blog can help you as you undertake your own journey. It is my wish that my posts can convey the lessons I’ve learned and give you a bit of inspiration to listen to yourself and trust the path that is best for you.

Most important of all, I hope that you can take away a conviction that making changes to care for yourself is so worth it. Yes, it can take time and energy, and maybe even some frustration here and there. But in the end, making choices that are a better fit for you (as opposed to everyone else) can lead to more energy, confidence, and happiness.

Join Me

I welcome you to join me on this journey as I adapt my old family favorite recipes to be gluten and dairy free and plan warm and welcoming gatherings for people with different dietary needs. To follow along, sign up below!