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.
Annette Boyd
Love how you make all your recipes look so so good, and they are. I have made so many of them. Colourful and inspiring. Thank you for sharing.Always looking for new ones. ♀️ cheers Annette. B
Julia
Annette, you are so kind!! Thank you for such a wonderful comment - it means so much to me! ❤️
Kathy Abrahamson
Hi, you post great recipes. I have tried a few and they are yummy. I am salt sensitive due to high blood pressure. Do you have any recipes that are low salt or salt free? Thank you
Niki
Wow, I am so happy I came across your page. Tried a few recipes already and all of them were absolutely delicious.
I am very delighted when I receive an e-mail that new receipes are available.
Thank you Julia! 🙂
Greetings from Hungary
Julia
Niki, I am so happy to have e-mail subscribers from all over the world! ❤️ Glad you enjoy my "new recipes" newsletters. More to come, of course! 🙂
Anthony Webb
Hello Julia,
Recently my sister prepared your Mediterranean Chicken Stir Fry with vegetables dish and it was wonderful!
I am a subscriber, and we look forward to enjoying more recipes in the future.
Take Care,
Anthony
Julia
Anthony, I am so glad you enjoyed that recipe. Happy to have you as an e-mail subscriber! ❤️
Allie Keith
I absolutely loved the Creamy Sausage Gnocchi. I am so happy I came across your site! I can’t wait to try more recipes. My husband and I are seniors so it is perfect for our lifestyle. Thank you so much.
Julia
Allie, I am so happy my recipes resonate with you and your husband. Thank you for your encouraging comment - it means so much to me! ❤️
Donna
I have just found your recipes and am wondering if, because you are in Denver, are all these recipes corrected for altitude? Before I try your baked goods, I would like to know. Thanks
Julia
Donna, I don't live at altitude 100% of the time, and everything I bake is done at sea level. So, there's no need for any changes. 🙂
Johna
Hi Julia-
I tried the chicken pasta with chicken, tomato, basil, spinach& garlic. I used angel hair pasta and a little chicken stock and it came out good. The texture of the food was great. I lost my taste and smell two years ago so texture and colorful ingredients are pretty important to me. I found this recipe easy to make I didn’t have sun dried tomatoes but I will buy some for next time. I found that this wasn’t a heavy dish and it was filling and beautiful.
Thank you,
Johna Flannery
Connecticut COVID 19 survivor with long COVID missing 2 of 5 senses.
Julia
Johna, I am so sorry to hear about your covid complications. I'm so glad you tried my recipe and enjoyed it! 🙂 It's definitely quite a refreshing recipe and not heavy at all! 🙂
T Luce
I love your recipes. I'm always looking for vegetarian recipes. But i find that a lot of your vegetarian recipes have parmesan or gruyere, which are not vegetarian since they have rennet in them.
What could I use instead to get a similar taste/texture?
Thanks.
Julia
I would just use Parmesan cheese labeled as "vegetarian" - such as this one below, look at the label, it says "crafted without animal rennet":
https://shop.sprouts.com/product/67564/belgioioso-vegetarian-shredded-parmesan-cheese
cindy
Julia,
Your stuff squash recipes look ah-maz-ing! Thank you so much for sharing.
Julia
Thank you, Cindy! The winter squash season is almost over, so I wanted to share all my stuffed squash recipes in my latest newsletter. 🙂
Pamela
I just wanted to pop in and say how much I love your recipes. Thanks for sharing.
Julia
Pamela, you are so sweet! ❤️ I really appreciate your comment. ❤️
Randi
Hi Julia! Your recipes are amazing. We use them often! And every time you are given a thumbs up at the dinner table! “Julia did it again!!” We say. Your connection of colorful food and connection with nature makes my heart happy. Would love to see a meal plan line up to narrow some choices for grocery shopping. Either way!!! Love your inspiration!!
Julia
Randi, thank you for such a kind and thoughtful message - I love reading comments like yours! ❤️ By a meal plan, Do you mean a weekly round-up of dinner recipes for each week day?
Maria
Hi Julia
I love trying out your recipes. I made the Farfalle with sausage and mushroom. The dish was easy to prepare and tasted great. The family loved it. I really liked that it was moist and full of flavor.
I’m trying out the pasta with sausage and broccoli next. I don’t like vegetables much but your recipes present them in very appealing ways.
Julia
Maria, I am so glad my recipes encourage you to eat more vegetables. ❤️ I hope you find many more recipes on my site that you like! 🙂
Torie Carlson
Your recipes look great and I'm excited to try some. My husband really prefers chicken breast instead of things. Can I swap out the thighs for breasts in your recipes?
Also, there are only two of us at home now. Are your recipes able to be scaled down to just two people or do you recommend making the recipe as is and then having leftovers?
Thanks!
Julia
Torie, so glad you enjoy my recipes! ❤️ You can use skinless, boneless chicken breasts instead of skinless, boneless chicken thighs without making any changes - maybe cooking times will have to be adjusted slightly if chicken breasts are on the thicker side.
Most of my recipes make 4 servings, so I would just make them as is and have small leftovers vs scaling down.
Enjoy and let me know if you try anything from my site! 🙂
Linda
Your recipes look amazing! I intend to try many of them and am following you. Recently I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis and am just learning about it. My Dr said to eat the Mediterranean Diet and I am just learning about it too. Is there a way to figure out which recipes are Mediterranean?
Julia
Linda, I'm so glad you enjoy my recipes! I could definitely do better categorizing them, but I am slowly but surely working on it.
Here is an incomplete list of my Mediterranean-style recipes. Do keep in mind that I am not a nutritionist, and this is just my interpretation of Mediterranean-style cooking (it might not be 100% accurate). Also, this list is not complete (I have many more Mediterranean style recipes that are not included here):
https://juliasalbum.com/category/diet/mediterranean-diet/
Also most of my salads are Mediterranean style and can be turned into complete meals by adding protein (chicken, lamb, shrimp, salmon, etc):
https://juliasalbum.com/category/salads/
Katrina L Irizarry
I have tried 6 or 7 of your recipes and have LOVED them all! They are easy, quick, flavorful and look so nice with the bright fresh veggies. The more recipes I see, the more I want to try! Thank you so much for sharing your passion with us!
Julia
Katrina, thank you for appreciating my recipes - your comment means so much to me! ❤️