Hi there! I’m Sarah Mitchell, and I’m so glad you’ve found your way to Healthy Full Belly. At 34, I’ve spent the last decade discovering that healthy eating doesn’t have to mean sacrificing flavor or satisfaction—in fact, it’s quite the opposite.

My journey started in Portland, Oregon, where I grew up in a family that believed Sunday dinners were sacred and that food was love made visible. My grandmother, Nana Rose, had this incredible vegetable garden that seemed to produce magic rather than just tomatoes and herbs. I remember being seven years old, standing on a wooden crate in her kitchen, learning that a pinch of fresh basil could transform a simple tomato into something extraordinary. She never measured anything, just cooked with her heart and trusted her instincts.

But like many Americans, I went through my own struggles with food in my twenties. Working long hours at a marketing firm in Seattle, I found myself living on takeout, energy drinks, and whatever I could grab from the vending machine. I felt sluggish, uninspired, and honestly, pretty disconnected from the joy I once found in cooking. It wasn’t until I experienced some health challenges—nothing serious, but enough to make me pause—that I realized I needed to completely rethink my relationship with food.

That’s when I rediscovered cooking, but this time with a focus on nourishing my body rather than just filling it. I started experimenting with whole grains I’d never heard of, learning about the incredible variety of vegetables beyond iceberg lettuce, and discovering that healthy fats weren’t the enemy I’d been taught to believe they were. I became fascinated by how different spices and herbs could not only enhance flavors but also provide amazing health benefits.

What really changed everything for me was realizing that healthy cooking isn’t about restriction—it’s about abundance. When I learned to make a creamy cashew-based pasta sauce that was somehow more satisfying than the heavy cream version I used to make, or when I discovered that roasted cauliflower could be just as comforting as mashed potatoes, I felt like I’d unlocked some kind of culinary secret.

Now, living in Austin, Texas, I’m constantly inspired by the incredible diversity of fresh ingredients available here. I love visiting the farmers markets on Saturday mornings, chatting with local growers about their heirloom tomatoes or discovering a new variety of winter squash I’ve never cooked with before. My kitchen has become my laboratory, and I’m always experimenting with ways to make nutritious food that actually makes you excited to eat.

I’m not a trained chef—I’m a home cook who’s passionate about proving that healthy food can be absolutely delicious and satisfying. I believe in using real, whole ingredients whenever possible, but I also understand that life gets busy and sometimes we need shortcuts that don’t compromise our health goals. You’ll find both elaborate weekend projects and quick weeknight solutions here, because I think healthy eating should fit into your real life, not some idealized version of it.

My cooking philosophy is simple: if it doesn’t taste good, it’s not worth eating, no matter how healthy it is. I’m not interested in diet culture or making anyone feel guilty about their food choices. Instead, I want to share recipes that make you feel energized, satisfied, and genuinely excited about nourishing your body. Whether you’re dealing with dietary restrictions, trying to incorporate more plants into your meals, or just looking for ways to feel better in your own skin, I hope you’ll find something here that resonates with you.

I love hearing from readers about their own cooking adventures, modifications they’ve made to my recipes, or even their spectacular kitchen failures—because trust me, I’ve had plenty of those too. There was the time I accidentally added salt instead of sugar to a batch of energy balls, or when I learned the hard way that not all coconut milk is created equal for making whipped cream. These mishaps have taught me as much as my successes, and I believe they’re all part of the beautiful, messy process of learning to cook with confidence.

When I’m not in the kitchen, you’ll probably find me hiking with my rescue dog, Luna, reading cookbooks like they’re novels, or tending to my small herb garden on my apartment balcony. I’m always eager to connect with fellow food lovers who share my belief that eating well is one of the most important investments we can make in ourselves.

Welcome to Healthy Full Belly—I can’t wait to share this delicious journey with you!