Why hello!
My name is Kelly and I am a fourteen fifteen sixteen seventeen eighteen nineteen (phew!) year old recipe developer born and raised here in sunny West Hollywood, CA.
Update: I am currently taking a year off between high school and college to work on Foodie! This means that I’m constantly in the kitchen making new recipes for you, so I hope you’re hungry.
Diet-wise, I’m a long time vegetarian*, and I’ve eaten low carb for the past few years and now bike 15-30 miles every day. I love my food/exercise lifestyle, and it has become second nature for me. I can still eat all the delicious food I want (that’s why I create the recipes I do!), and I get to stay in great shape. It takes a lot of trial and error, but it’s so worth it once you find what works for you.
*My mom is a vet, we like animals.
Back story time! When I was younger, I never felt comfortable in my skin. I was always made fun of for my weight, and was usually the social outcast of the group. So one day, I decided I was going to shed the weight I’d dreamed of losing my whole life. I wanted to be thin so badly that starving myself seemed like a very reasonable price.
Did it work? Sure. I lost 42 lbs. in three months going from 5’3” 159 lbs. to 5’4″ 117 lbs. But isn’t that fast?
WAY too fast. Take it from me, dear friend, please don’t do anything like this. I completely deprived myself during my weight loss, counting every calorie, and doing what I could to work it off. It ruined me emotionally and physically. It’s a vicious cycle that unfortunately affects far too many young women (and men!).
So when I reached my goal weight, I stumbled upon the food blogosphere, I realized there were people out there with stories just like mine who now lived happily with food. What?!?
It was a revelation.
So of course I had to start a blog immediately. So on June 10, 2011 at about 11:57pm, I made a Blogger account and slapped together a truly hideous website (which is kind of an offense to websites everywhere) that would eventually evolve into the Foodie Fiasco you see today. I had two readers. And half of them lived with me. (Hi Mom!)
Now that I’ve been at this awhile, I’ve found my niche in the kitchen. I really enjoy making scrumptious, healthy delites (tee hee) that are vegan, gluten free, grain free, sugar free, low calorie, low carb, and really, really fun to eat.
I found my love of food during my deprivation, actually. I loved cooking, and once I got into my food blogger’s mentality, I began to cook wonderful healthy food and loving every minute of it.
Unfortunately during that time, my mother was diagnosed with stage II breast cancer. This would be traumatic for anyone, but since we’re a two man band, it was especially difficult on us as there was, well, just us. So armed with my newfound love of healthy cooking to put food on the table, I decided to become the caregiver. But I was thirteen.
I’m nineteen and a lot has changed. Most of it good, but definitely some bad.
So let’s start with the good! I’m beyond thrilled and grateful that my little blog side project has become successful, and throughout the years it’s been an invaluable source of joy, meaning, and emotional support (from you guys because you’re the best and I love you!). I’m also very grateful to say I had an amazing high school experience that gave me lifelong friends.
So the bad news. Unfortunately, in 2013, my mother was diagnosed with stage IV metastatic breast cancer. I wrote a post as soon as I found out, so if you’re curious you can read it here, along with an update I wrote in my senior year. Between my mother’s illness and life in a very competitive private high school, I stepped away from Foodie for almost all of my junior and senior years. I love this blog, so I insisted on a gap year to make it great and spend time with what I love.
Speaking of what I love, I’m really happy I get this year with my mom. Unfortunately her health has gotten progressively worse, so any prayers/positive vibes would be extremely appreciated. Thank you.
Since it’s still just the two of us and I’m off to college next year, I’m now responsible for providing for my family and putting myself through school. So any income from this blog makes a huge impact. Your support, just by being here, means the world.
If you made it this far, bless you. I’m so happy to have you here, and I hope you stick around!
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