As a writer, plant-based recipe developer, and fomer educator, I get to revel in lifelong learning, growing, and sharing. I am always open to new professional relationships. Please reach out anytime, and thank you for stopping by!
Freelance Writing, Recipe Development & Food Photography
I write articles, children’s books, website, newsletter, and social copy for a variety of organizations and outlets; my work has been published through St. Vrain Valley School District; MakeThinkers; Longmont Downtown Development Authority; Boulder Daily Camera; Longmont Times-Call; Longmont Magazine; Northern Colorado Life Magazine; Loveland Magazine; At Home Magazine; Aging at Altitude; Broomfield Enterprise; Vibrant Health (Silver Hills Bakery, Little Northern Bakehouse brands); SoundWell Music Therapy; Natural Solutions Magazine; Natural Health Magazine; Delicious Living; 5280, and others.
I have developed recipes professionally for Organic India (recipe packages include recipes featuring products, romance copy/descriptions, and a selection of photos); Good Karma Foods (recipe packages with brief descriptive copy and selected photos); Ancient Harvest/Quinoa Corporation (recipes and photographs); Madhava Natural Sweeteners (recipes); and Natural Solutions Magazine (food articles with included recipes), as well as other organizations. I have further served as a resource for recipe-focused articles, a guest on a plant-based living-focused podcast, It’s Your Season In Life, and have also provided recipe testing for Yoga Journal.
Colorado Safe Routes to Schools Communications Coordinator May 2019-present
I currently manage communications for the Colorado Safe Routes to Schools program, administered by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), as part of the mPower Consulting team; our aim is to get more students walking, biking, and rolling to and from school through safe, accessible, equitable routes, infrastructure, and education opportunities. My role is to help implement, support, promote and encourage the Colorado Safe Routes to School Five-Year Strategic Plan through communications efforts, including website content and maintenance, newsletter and materials creation and distribution, and special events coordination.
Articles include:
Global Greengrants Fund: The Spirit of Giving That Is Saving the World, Daily Camera, December 2021
Meaningful, Vibrant Living, Aging at Altitude, Fall 2021 (see page 10)
Eyes, Ears and Age, How age can impact hearing and vision, Aging at Altitude, April 2021 (see p. 32)
Life is Sweet (without the sweets), Longmont Magazine, January 2020
Families Can Create Workshops, St. Vrain Valley Schools, October 2019
“Reengergize your life by refreshing your home”, Aging at Altitude/Boulder Daily Camera, Fall 2019
“BeFriendlee: bringing back the power of friendship”, Longmont Magazine March/April 2019
Innovation Center grand opening, article for St. Vrain Valley Schools, September 2018
"Sharing is Caring, Educating, Preserving & Learning: Eagle Crest Elementary Food Share Table", Longmont Magazine, March/April 2018
“Boost Your Day with Better Bagels”, blog post for Silver Hills Bakery
“Boost Your Brain”, blog post for Silver Hills Bakery, March 2018
"Banking on Community: Food Bank for Larimer County Works for a Hunger-Free County", Loveland Magazine, Feb/Mar 2018
"Traegan Industries: Creating New Loves from Old Treasures: At Home, March 2, 2018
"Longmont parent group combats ill effects of sugary beverages", Longmont Times-Call/Boulder Daily Camera, January 31, 2018
"Nourishing Community: Silver Creek Leadership Academy Capstone Project Combines Love of Food with Love for Longmont", Longmont Magazine January/February 2018
"Three Goals for the New Year (and Tips to Make them Stick)", Longmont Magazine January/February 2018
"Boulder Twins Maryn and Colter Heap are Kids' Kritics", Boulder Daily Camera, November 29, 2017
"Erie students grow healthy food in school garden and find peace of mind", Longmont Times-Call, September 6, 2017
"Ollin Farms in Longmont marks a decade of community nourishment", Longmont Times-Call, July 19 2017
“McMeatless on the Grill: Top 5 Veggie Burgers in America,” Natural Health Magazine, June/July, 2011
“Have Your Guac and Eat It Too: Healthy Mexican Cuisine,” Natural Health Magazine, March/April, 2011
“Knit’s In,” Longmont Magazine, February, 2011
“Give the Gift of Adventure,” Longmont Magazine, December, 2010
“Conscious Choice: Same Taste, Less Waste with Quaker,” Natural Health, February, 2011
“What to Do With Summer Surplus,” Natural Solutions, August, 2010
“Mercury Rising: Locals Work for Healing and Awareness,” Times-Call, August, 2010
Numerous “In Season” and other front-of-book shorts for Natural Solutions Magazine, including: tart cherries, basil, artichokes, rainbow chard, collard greens, chives, calendula, black currents, papaya, brown rice for diabetics, blueberries for lowering cholesterol, molasses, figs, watermelon, spaghetti squash, L-carnitine
“Eat To Look Young,” Natural Solutions Magazine, June, 2010
Articles for Livestrong, online: Garlic for Colds and Flu, Spironolactone, Apple Cider Vinegar for Hair. Summer, 2010
Numerous “couples-themed features” for the Longmont Times-Call, including: Craig and Jen Howie, Dennis and Nancy Hurianek, Kim and Jake Rosenbarger: “Kim and Jake’s Cakes”
“Memorable Memories, Healing Notes: Music for Seniors,” Longmont Times-Call, December, 2010
“Minimizing Emissions,” Longmont Magazine, March, 2009
“Probing Probiotics,” Trail Runner Magazine, July, 2009
“Sweet Race,” Trail Runner Magazine, April, 2009
“Eat to Run for Life,” Trail Runner Magazine, February, 2009
“Taste the Rainbow,” Longmont Magazine, Fall 2009
“Longmont Goes for Green,” Longmont Magazine, Fall 2009
“Great Grains,” Longmont Magazine, Spring 2009
“Eco-Entertaining,” Longmont Magazine, Spring 2009
“Handle Spring Allergies,” Longmont Magazine, Spring 2009
“Sweet Tidings: 5 Easy Ways to Ditch Sugar with recipes,” Natural Solutions, November, 2008
“The Immune-Boosting Diet: 9 foods to help you stay well all season long,” Natural Solutions Magazine, October, 2008
“Fiber-rich Foods,” Delicious Living Magazine, December, 2008
“Cool Beans,” Natural Solutions Magazine, December, 2008
“Wholesome Hemp,” Delicious Living Magazine, November, 2008
“Incredible Breads,” Delicious Living Magazine, November, 2008
“Out of Africa,” Short for 5280 Magazine, September, 2008
“Eat to Read (and teach!),” CCIRA online journal, Summer 2008
Fatigue Fighters,” Natural Solutions Magazine, March, 2008
“Lessons Down the Toilet: How Ralph Fletcher Changed My Writing Workshop,” CCIRA Journal, Fall 2008
Books
Sam’s Dinosaur (with David Mittan & Gail Mittan), as well as 11 other books and counting for MakeThinkers, available soon
Plot to Plate: Grow, Cook, Create!
This was a project of love, a 3-year journey with my dear friend, former and forever teaching teammate, and co-author.
Plot to Plate: Grow, Cook, Create! provides a practical, seasonal journey through food life for young children (PK-grade 2), their families, and teachers. This nonfiction children's book includes planting suggestions for container and conventional gardens; healthy, kid-tested recipes; science activities; and crafts using and relating to fresh and home-grown produce.
Currently we are developing Plot to Plate: Grow, Cook, Create! into an after-school program for students grades K-2, with an aim to expand into early childhood. The Plot to Plate: Kids Create after school curriculum will align with Colorado state standards and offer a range of hands-on, meaningful activities that can support, extend, and enhance learning. It will draw together resources that combine a sense of wonder, joy and knowledge of growing, cooking, and sharing together in family-friendly fashion. Moreover, activities will align with Colorado state standards, and incorporate and purposefully highlight regular movement breaks.
Additional book credits include:
Contributed 2 stories to Boulder County Celebrations. c 2011, Times-Call
Contributed 10 stories to Boulder: A Celebration of 150 Years. c 2009, Times-Call
Poetry
I have had poems featured in numerous journals, including Afterthoughts (Canada), The Red Wheelbarrow (Scotland), Light (Departure/Fall 2017), Punch Drunk Press, and Stain’d Arts
Additional Featured Recipes
Crustless Smoked Turkey and Spinach Quiche was featured Reader Recipe in Cooking Light, June, 2008
Black Bean Fudge Cakes were featured Reader Recipe in Clean Eating, April, 2009
Gluten free recipes featured in Longmont Magazine
Numerous recipes featured in Door-to-Door Organics, Colorado