I’m Leanne, a Denver-based registered dietitian and at the risk of sounding totally overdramatic, food and cooking are my absolute jam. My interest in food and nutrition started back in college when I discovered food blogs and realized that eating healthy didn’t mean jumping on the latest fad diet or meticulously counting calories or points. That it was instead about finding the balance between caring about how food impacts your physical health while still learning to let go and enjoy yourself.
Approachable plant-forward meals
The goal of this site is to provide approachable, plant-forward meals & snacks that the whole family will enjoy. These are things I cook in my own house and have been tested and approved. Plant-forward means highlighting seasonal produce, whole grains, nuts/seeds and pulses while using animal products as a flavor-enhancer instead of the main component of a recipe. Here are some examples:
Other themes of this site
- Elevated classics. I love taking a dish that feels nostalgic and putting a modern, healthyish twist on it.
- Real food ingredients. I don’t use artificial sweeteners, light/low-cal products, or protein powders and supplements.
- On-trend recipes. I try to pay close attention to current food and nutrition trends and love to experiment with my own spin. If I ever use an ingredient that’s harder to find in stores, I’ll make sure to link to it to so you can purchase online if you choose.
- Nutrition “sprinkles”. Being a registered dietitian, I often highlight specific nutrition attributes of certain foods when I think it would be interesting.
If you’re new, start here!
Education
- M.S. Food Science and Human Nutrition, Colorado State University (2017)
- Registered Dietitian Nutritionist since 2012; credentialed by the Commission on Dietetic Registration
- Completed 1200-hour Dietetic Internship with Tri-County Health Department (2011-2012)
- B.S. Dietetics, University of Northern Colorado (2011)
I offer freelance writing and recipe development services, and create nutrition-focused content for food brands and other dietitian business owners. If you think we might be a good fit for working together and you want to chat, visit my Work with Me page for more information.
Random Stuff About Me
- When I was 22, I moved from Michigan (the U.P.) to Colorado with my best friend because we wanted an adventure, then I never left. I came for school, but stayed for my dietetic internship and husband.
- The food that everyone loves but I seriously dislike: cake. I’ll have a piece to be polite at parties sometimes, but I didn’t even have a cake at my wedding (we had an ice cream cart instead and it was amazing).
- Recipes from this site that I make most often: Maple Tahini Snack Balls, Easy Summer Rolls, Spicy Chickpea Power Bowls, & Fresh Watermelon Mint Fizz.
- I’m also a certified Barre3 instructor and absolutely love it.
- The best vacation I ever took was my honeymoon to San Diego. We kayaked around La Jolla, rode beach cruisers on the boardwalk, explored Coronado Island and ate a lot of fish tacos.