Hi, I'm Julia! Welcome to my food blog JuliasAlbum.com which I founded in 2012 to share my favorite recipes in hopes that other people would also enjoy them. I live with my husband in a small town in beautiful Colorado where idyllic nature and dramatic mountains are my backdrop and my playground when I am not in the kitchen. I develop, test, and make all the recipes you see on my site in my kitchen and do all of the photography and writing. I do not hire any of that out. What you see on my site is the real food that I eat (together with my husband, other family, and friends).
What type of recipes can you expect to find on my website?
- Savory recipes. I don't have a big sweet tooth, so pretty much all my recipes are savory dishes. I do post an occasional dessert once in a while, but I'm definitely not a dessert person.
- Easy weeknight dinner recipes. The vast majority of my recipes are main courses, usually featuring some kind of protein (chicken, pork, lamb, beef, or seafood) together with vegetables (or fruits). I use spices and many other ingredients to make my dinner recipes flavorful and fun. My recipes are usually high in protein and rich in fiber.
- Pasta recipes. A lot of my dinner recipes are pasta dishes featuring a variety of pasta (spaghetti, fettuccine, orzo, gnocchi, ravioli, tortellini, etc) combined with cooked veggies and protein (usually chicken, salmon, shrimp, or scallops). I usually make a yummy sauce to go with pasta (sometimes creamy, sometimes not).
- Salads. I make it a habit to eat a salad every day, either as part of dinner or for lunch. You'll find new salad recipes posted on my website regularly. You can easily add your favorite protein (such as rotisserie chicken, leftover cooked chicken, salmon, shrimp, etc.) to most of my salads to turn them into a complete meal.
- 30-Minute One-Pan recipes. Most of my recipes are pretty simple and can be done in about 30 minutes using only one cooking pan. You can expect more and better simple 30-minute one-pan dishes from me going forward.
- Gluten-free recipes. A lot of my recipes are naturally gluten-free or can be easily adjusted to be gluten-free.
- Easily adjustable recipes. Most of my recipes can be adjusted to be dairy-free, meatless, or gluten-free. I started providing tips about these adjustments and will make it into a system going forward.
My recipes are inspired by the seasons
I use whole foods and seasonal ingredients and make sure that my meals are well-balanced, nutritious, delicious, and fun. Many of my recipes are inspired by seasons and use a wide variety of seasonal ingredients.
- Autumn-inspired recipes. In the Fall, I publish a lot of butternut squash, acorn squash, and spaghetti squash recipes. When apples are in season from July through December - I try to utilize them in my dinners or salads. During September, October, and November, I like to incorporate ingredients we often associate with Fall (such as pecans, dried cranberries, mandarin oranges, and pumpkin) into my recipes.
- In the Summer, I always make use of fresh tomatoes, homemade basil pesto, and fresh berries. I love the peach season which usually runs from July to September. I incorporate fresh corn into my dinners and salads from May to September. I love fresh cherries from June to August.
My food philosophy
The recipes that I publish on my website are real meals that I cook for myself, my family, and my friends. They reflect the way I eat and my philosophy of using a wide variety of ingredients. I use whole foods and seasonal ingredients and make sure that my meals are well-balanced featuring protein, veggies, fiber, complex carbs, and adequate amounts of fat.
- PROTEIN-RICH and FIBER-RICH RECIPES. I prefer to eat protein-rich dinners that usually feature one of my favorite proteins (chicken, beef, salmon, shrimp, scallops, lamb, etc) accompanied by cooked or fresh vegetables and fruits - prepared in a simple, delicious, and flavorful way. I usually serve my dinners with complex carbohydrates that are packed with fiber, which includes a large variety of fiber-rich veggies (asparagus, broccoli, bell peppers, leafy greens, Brussels sprouts, and many others - too many to list). Some of my favorite complex carbs are sweet potatoes, butternut squash, spaghetti squash, and fiber-rich fruits and veggies. I also love beans, wild rice, and quinoa.
- LOW-CARB AND MOSTLY GLUTEN-FREE. I prefer eating mostly low-carb and gluten-free foods. I do eat high-quality protein-based pasta about 3 times a week (see next point below).
- FLAVORFUL PASTA DISHES. I eat pasta dishes about 3 times a week. I always eat pasta with some kind of protein (usually chicken, steak, or seafood) and some kind of veggies. Often smothered in a delicious creamy or cheese-based sauce.
Fun facts about me
- I have an identical twin sister and she is a full-time food blogger, too! We grew up as best friends, always creating things as kids. We made clothes from scratch for our dolls (and for ourselves!). We even made our own dolls from scratch. As adults, now, we both have translated those skills into creating recipes from scratch.
- My educational background. Before food blogging, I finished my MBA (Master's Degree in Business Administration) with a specialization in Supply Chain Management, no less! 🙂 I could have been managing a warehouse or procuring equipment or spare parts for a manufacturing plant at this very moment. But here I am, food blogging instead!
- I love naturally orange foods and regularly eat naturally colored orange veggies and fruits, such as butternut squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, beets (both orange and red), oranges, peaches, apricots, mango, persimmons, and papaya. There is something about the orange color in fruits and vegetables that makes them irresistible to me. My recipes reflect my love for orange foods.
- I traveled extensively between 2016 and 2019 and published a lot of useful international travel articles about places to visit, and things to do - if you love to travel, you might like them. I traveled through Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand), Europe (Italy, United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Monaco), the Caribbean (Barbados), the Middle East (United Arab Emirates), and Canada.
Connection with nature
One of the most important parts of my life is feeling a connection with nature. I live in a very small town in Colorado, with the most picturesque mountains and groves of aspen trees and evergreens at my doorstep. I like hiking steep terrain in the wilderness (usually alone, but sometimes with my husband and friends) as a way to keep myself in decent shape through regular (and challenging) physical activity. Being outdoors in nature keeps me both physically and mentally balanced, it energizes me and recharges my batteries. Food blogging can be a lonely journey with a lot of time spent indoors, in the kitchen, or being glued to a computer screen. Getting outside and physically challenging myself while being nurtured by nature makes everything better: it improves my mood and sleep, lowers stress, gives me energy and motivation, and simply makes me a happier person.
Featured On
- My recipes have been featured on major sites, such as Huffington Post, Country Living, Good Housekeeping, Parade, The Kitchn, Delish, Brit+Co, Food Network, BUZZFEED, PUREWOW, and Greatist.
- For a detailed list of some of my recipes featured on these sites + links to those features, check out my Press page.
Join me on Social Media!
Subscribe to my recipes by e-mail:
- Subscribe to my e-mail list here and I will send you delicious recipes every week. You will also get an email every time I publish a new recipe. The subscription is 100% free and you can unsubscribe at any time!
- How to UNSUBSCRIBE? At the bottom of all my e-mails is the Unsubscribe link - scroll all the way down to the bottom of an e-mail and click on it - you will be unsubscribed!
The best way to contact me and get me to respond
- The best way to reach me (and get my response) is to comment on any recipe on this website or on this ABOUT page in the comments section below even if you'd like to communicate about something that doesn't have anything to do with a particular recipe. I always see your comments! And, if you indicate that your comment is private, I won't publish it. You can email me at inquiriesjulia { at } gmail { dot } com but my email gets cluttered and it's very very likely I might miss your message if you email me. See more at my contact page.
I am very happy that you landed on my website!
I love hearing your feedback about my recipes (both positive and negative - it helps me grow). I always see your comments and try to respond promptly. I just updated my homepage (as of October 2023) - it now provides a very good overview of my recipes - I highly encourage you to check out my homepage for helpful navigation! If you'd like to see my most recent food creations, you can find my latest recipes here.
Peter Ayala
Do you have a book? I love your recipes.
Julia
Peter, I don't have a cookbook yet (unfortunately). Just the website recipes for now. 🙂
Linda
I would also love to have a hard copy cookbook!! Your recipes ate amazing - would definitely buy a book!!
Julia
Linda, thank you for trusting my recipes! ❤️ Good to know that I have an audience possibly interested in my cookbook. 🙂
Jonathan Couchman
It would be helpful to know the weight of the cheese, not just the volume when grated, in your super delicious Easy Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes.
Julia
Jonathan, I'd say 1 1/4 cups of grated Parmesan would equal about 5 ounces. I also just added the conversion to Metric system under the ingredients list in this recipe - that might be helpful to you as well. Enjoy and wishing a very Happy New Year! ❤️
Cynthia Leen
Hi Julia,
I made your Apple Cranberry Pecan Bundt Cake today for a Christmas Eve party. It was a big hit, even though I forgot to add the vanilla .
Thanks so much for all the delicious-looking recipes! I’ll be making more of them in the future. I have my eye on a Christmas salad with cranberries and pecans and Mandarin oranges.
Julia
Cynthia, I am so glad everyone enjoyed the apple cranberry bundt cake! ❤️❤️ The Christmas salad is a great choice for the New Year's Even dinner, as well. Happy New Year to you and your family! ❤️
John
Hi Julia,
Our family is becoming a fan of your recipes. We like that they healthy, easy to make, and common ingredients. You mentioned that your twin sister is a foodie too. Do you have a link to her website also?
Julia
John, so glad you're enjoying my recipes - thank you for such a kind comment! ❤️
Here is my sister's website:
https://whatsinthepan.com
Kathy
Hi Julia,
Just wanted to let you know how much I love your recipes. I especially like how you show other was to make the dishes, i.e for gluten fee, non dairy, etc. I am on a special diet so this really helps me. Thank you and please keep those recipes coming.
Julia
Kathy, it makes me so happy to hear that my recipes are useful and practical. Thank you for taking the time to show your appreciation for my recipes - it means a lot and it encourages me to do more and better recipes! ❤️ Happy Holidays to you and your family! ❤️❤️
scott vasey
I'm sure this has been asked a million times.
Do you have a cookbook that I can purchase?
Thank you.
Julia
Scott, thank you for trusting my recipes! 🙂 I don't have a cookbook yet - at some point, I will. 🙂
Enjoy the recipes and Happy Holidays!
Clayton Wright
I was also just looking for your cookbook! I love your recipes! Merry Christmas!
Julia
Thank you, Clayton, so glad you're enjoying my recipes! 🙂
Dawn
Hi Scott, I have that very same question! LOL!!! It would make a great gift for the cooks in my life!!
Julia
Thank you, Dawn! I hope to create a cookbook one day! 🙂
Joy Fisher
Hi Julia,
I love this site and every one your dishes are fantastic. I have a question. I am making the roasted brussel sprout, butternut squash, cranberries, pecan dish for our holiday party on Saturday. is this a dish you can make in advance. How do you store and and heat up for serving? There is one also very similar but has pasta and I'm thinking of that one too, but have the same question. thanks again for all that you do!!!
Julia
Joy, thank you so much for trusting my recipes! ❤️❤️
I would reheat this in the oven - spread it out on a baking sheet and reheat at 350 F for about 15 minutes. Do not add pecans until ready to serve to prevent them from getting soggy.
If you add pasta to this salad, I would reheat it the same way - in the oven at 350 F for about 10 or 15 minutes, adding nuts right before serving.
Enjoy and I hope everyone loves this dish!
Judy Thompson
Julia at age 72 you have made me a cook. My food sensibilities align with yours 100%. Thanks so much for opening up a new chapter for me. ❤️
Julia
Judy, I am so flattered - thank you for following along with me! ❤️ Glad my recipes are inspiring you to cook more! 🙂
cindy
Your recipies look so dekicious. I am going to make a couple of your Christmas salads. Your creamy recipies looks so appetizing but I need to keep the amount of saturated fat down in my diet, If you can adapt your recipies or make other recipies that are low in saturated fat I would love to try tem.
Julia
Cindy, there are ways to keep creamy recipes lower in fat - I will take your input into consideration for my future recipes.
For now, you might be interested in this collection of recipes that feature NO CREAM and NO CHEESE:
Main Dishes with NO CREAM, NO CHEESE
Regina Guza
Hi Julia,
I have enjoyed and made some of your recipes. I just got an email from you for 10 pasta recipes. Unfortunately, most of them were for Creamy dishes. I need to stay away from cream.. Looking for more healthy recipes, less cream.
Julia
Regina, thank you so much for the feedback - it's so helpful to keep me focused on providing a good variety of recipes. ❤️ My next newsletter (to be published in the next 2 days) is going to contain 10 healthy dinners.
I also have this collection of recipes (that you might like) that feature NO CREAM and NO CHEESE:
https://juliasalbum.com/recipe-collection-4/
Mary Kay Mullen
Dear Julia, I subscribed to your site because I saw salad recipe looked like something that I would like to take to Christmas with my family. It was the recipe with cashews. That is all I can remember at the moment. I remember it being colorful for a holiday meal..Could send it to me? Thank you..
.
Julia
Mary Kay, I think you are talking about this recipe:
https://juliasalbum.com/apple-cranberry-spinach-salad-with-balsamic-vinaigrette/
I hope you try some of my other recipes or salads, too. Enjoy! ❤️
Nancy Ketcham
I love all the pasta dish recipes and want to try some, but we are in a motorhome and don’t have a lot of space. Could you makes these in a crockpot without any stovetop needed? Or do you have any crockpot recipes.
Appreciate your thoughts.
Julia
Nancy, that's one thing that's missing on my website - I don't have any crockpot recipes, even though I do plan to start using slow cooker to diversify my recipes.
linda browning
Hi everyone. I am new to this blog and I just wanted to say that I cant wait to try some of these comforting dishes. I think I will start with pork chops in mushroom sauce. Yum.
Julia
Linda, welcome! ❤️ You'll love the pork chops with mushrooms sauce - so good!
Lori
I have been making salads for over 55 years. I love all the new salads, can’t wait to make them. I know the flavors will blend so well with all the fresh complementary ingredients. I’m going to make each one of them, and when I do, I’m going to surprise my friends and family with something delicious; thank you!
Julia
Lori, thank you so much for appreciating my recipes! 🙂 I am glad you liked the selection of salads I sent out in my latest newsletter!
Wendy Francz
I made the shrimp orzo recipe and it was delicious! Very easy and tasted great!
Julia
Wendy, I am so glad you loved the shrimp orzo recipe - thank you for this feedback! ❤️
Nina
Your recipes have so many ridicules ads! Won’t print and ad consistent pop-ups. Maybe rethink.
Julia
Nina, yes, I will review my ad setup.
Maree Romero
I would love to see more Vegan, Vegetarian one pot meals, desserts, appetizers and side dishes. Thank you!
Julia
Maree, thank you for your feedback - I will definitely include more of those in my future recipes!
Karyn Whitlum
Looking for your ravioli, sundried tomato, spinach recipe?? Can’t find it anywhere???
Julia
Karyn, here you go - it's delicious:
https://juliasalbum.com/ravioli-with-spinach-artichokes-capers-sun-dried-tomatoes/
Margaret Adams
Creamy Tuscan Salmon with Spinnach, artichokes & garlic
Loved this recipe. So good I am giving it to friends next week for dinner. From Scotland.
Julia
Margaret, I am so glad you loved this recipe. Thank you for sharing my recipes and for your kind message! ❤️