Hi, I'm Julia - Welcome to My Kitchen!
- I started JuliasAlbum.com in 2012 as a space to share the recipes I love and cook for my family and friends. Since 2016, this food blog is my full-time job.
- I live with my husband in a picturesque small town in Colorado, surrounded by stunning mountains that serve as my playground when I'm not in the kitchen.
- The recipes you see here? They're real meals that I cook and enjoy with my loved ones.
- My goal is to inspire home cooks with fresh, seasonal ideas for easy, delicious, well-balanced, and visually appealing meals-especially simple dinners and vibrant salads. I focus on recipes that are rich in protein and fiber, made with fresh ingredients, and quick enough for any night of the week. I'm here to help you create healthy, satisfying meals without spending hours in the kitchen.
- Before food blogging, I followed a pretty traditional path-earned a business degree, then an MBA in Supply Chain Management, and worked in various business roles. I tried to climb the corporate ladder, hoping for promotions... until I realized I wasn't exactly thriving in the world of office politics. That's when I knew I needed a new direction. Swapping spreadsheets for sauté pans turned out to be the best decision I ever made. I've been sharing recipes with millions ever since.
Join Me on Social Media:
- Facebook page (1,100,000 followers).
- Pinterest account (716,000 followers).
- Instagram account (139,000 followers).
Subscribe by Email:
- Subscribe to my e-mail list here to get new recipes and weekly meal plans from me. The subscription is 100% free and you can unsubscribe at any time!
The Recipes You Will Find Here:
- Savory Recipes: I focus heavily on savory recipes (complete dinners, salads, side dishes, etc). I do love a good dessert, but my my focus and heart lies in satisfying, protein-rich meals made from scratch.
- Easy Weeknight Dinners using Fresh Ingredients : My recipes are generally protein-forward meals using chicken, pork, beef, lamb, or seafood, often paired with vegetables or fruits for balanced, nutrient-rich dishes. I regularly post 30-minute one-pan meals designed for busy weeknights.
- Pasta Dishes: I love pasta (probably a bit too much)! You'll find recipes using spaghetti, fettuccine, orzo, gnocchi, ravioli, and more. I always combine it with proteins like chicken, salmon, shrimp, or scallops. Often tossed in creamy or flavorful sauces.
- Salads That Are Actually Satisfying: I eat salads daily, often as a full meal (usually with added protein). Most of my salads can easily be turned into a main dish with added protein like salmon, shrimp, or rotisserie chicken.
- Easily Adjustable: Many of my recipes are naturally gluten-free or include easy tips for dairy-free, meatless, or low-carb variations.
Inspired by Seasons:
I love cooking with whole foods and fresh, seasonal ingredients! My meals are all about balance: nutritious, full of flavor, and made to be truly enjoyable. The changing seasons are a huge source of inspiration for me, and you'll see that reflected in the ingredients I use and the recipes I create throughout the year.
🍁 In the Fall
When the air turns crisp, you'll find me cooking with cozy fall flavors and ingredients: butternut squash, acorn squash, and spaghetti squash on repeat. I also love adding fall favorites like pecans, dried cranberries, mandarin oranges, and pumpkin into everything from salads to mains. And when apples are in season (hello, August through December!), they make their way into both savory and sweet dishes.
☀️ In the Summer
Summer cooking is all about color, freshness, and simplicity. I always make use of ripe tomatoes, fresh berries, and my homemade basil pesto-it's a season of vibrant flavors! I especially look forward to peach season (July through September) and try to work those juicy gems into as many recipes as I can. From May to September, fresh corn is another staple in my salads and dinners. And during cherry season (June through August), I make the most of those sweet beauties while they last!
My Food Philosophy
- Real Meals from My Kitchen: The recipes I share on my website are real meals that I cook for myself, my family, and friends. They reflect my eating habits and my philosophy of incorporating a wide variety of ingredients. I focus on using whole foods and seasonal ingredients, ensuring that my meals are well-balanced with protein, vegetables, fiber, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats.
- Protein-Rich and Fiber-Rich Recipes. I prioritize protein-rich dinners, typically featuring one of my favorite proteins such as chicken, beef, salmon, shrimp, scallops, or lamb, accompanied by cooked or fresh vegetables and fruits. My meals are simple, flavorful, and nutritious. I often serve these dinners with complex carbohydrates that are high in fiber, including a variety of vegetables like asparagus, broccoli, bell peppers, leafy greens, Brussels sprouts, and many others. Some of my favorite complex carbs include sweet potatoes, butternut squash, spaghetti squash, beans, wild rice, quinoa, and fiber-rich fruits and vegetables.
- Low-Carb and Mostly Gluten-Free. I prefer to eat mostly low-carb and gluten-free foods. However, I do enjoy high-quality, protein-based pasta around three times a week (see below).
- Flavorful Pasta Dishes. I include pasta dishes in my meals about three times a week. These dishes always feature a protein (such as chicken, steak, or seafood) and vegetables. Often smothered in a delicious creamy or cheese-based sauce.
👩🍳 A Little About Me - Beyond the Blog
- I am a twin! I have an identical twin sister who's also a full-time food blogger. We've been best friends since childhood, always creating things together. As kids, we made clothes from scratch for our dolls-and for ourselves! We even made our own dolls. As adults, we've both channeled that creativity into making recipes from scratch.
- MBA in Supply Chain Management. Before blogging, I got an MBA in Supply Chain Management-so technically, I was trained to manage warehouses and track down missing widgets. Yep, I could have been knee-deep in spreadsheets, managing warehouses, or hunting down obscure spare parts for a factory somewhere. But instead, here I am, handling the logistics for pasta and procurement for the best basil pesto!
- ✈️ Passport, Please! I love exploring new places-especially when Colorado's mud season rolls around and hiking's off the table. In particular,between 2016 and 2019, I ventured far and wide and shared destination guides and travel tips here on the blog. I've visited Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand), Europe (Italy, United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Monaco), the Caribbean (Barbados), the Middle East (United Arab Emirates), and Canada. My travels have been a huge source of inspiration in the kitchen.
- Living in Colorado gives me daily inspiration and balance. I love hiking in the mountains near my home-it's where I feel most energized and centered. Nature is how I stay active, clear my mind, and recharge from the screen-heavy world of food blogging. Whether it's a steep solo hike or a quiet walk through the aspen groves, the outdoors fuels my creativity.
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:
- My Facebook page has over 1,100,000 followers.
- My Pinterest account has 716,000 followers.
- My Instagram account has 139,000 followers.
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!
SAVE YOUR FAVORITE RECIPES (create a RECIPE BOX)
- Save your favorite recipes to your RECIPE BOX. Click on a HEART in the lower right corner of any recipe TO SAVE it, and it will appear here. Click on the TAG next to the heart icon to access your FAVORITES.
- Create an account to find your saved favorites by clicking on the saved tag next to the heart, or click the magnifying glass (search function).
How to Contact Me
- The most effective way to get in touch with me (and get my response) is to leave a comment on any recipe on this site, or on this ABOUT page in the comments section below, even if your message isn't related to a specific recipe. I always read your comments!
- If you prefer to keep your comment private, just let me know, and I won't publish it. Since my site is still pretty much a one-woman show, comments on this page (or any other recipe page on JuliasAlbum.com) are the only realistic way to reach me-I check and respond to them daily (or within 3 days at most).
I am very happy that you landed on my website!
I appreciate your feedback on my recipes, whether positive or negative, as it helps me improve. I always read your comments and strive to respond promptly. I encourage you to visit my homepage which now offers a comprehensive overview of my recipes for easier navigation and is updated regularly. If you would like to see my most recent food creations, you can find my latest recipes here. I also share weekly meal plans in my weekly newsletter, which also includes little snippets from my life. You can find all my recent newsletters here, and can subscribe to receive my weekly newsletter and other recipes by e-mail. Alternatively, you can visit my latest recipes page each week to catch my newest recipes!
Your comments mean the world to me!
- A heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who engages with my content! Your comments and quick reviews are incredibly valuable-they're one of the best ways to support a little food blog like mine. Not only do they keep me encouraged and motivated, but they also help me feel like I'm not just chatting with myself (though I admit, that does happen, lol!).
- This food blog is my life, and when I see comments, it reassures me that I'm not just tossing recipes into the void. At least someone out there is paying attention-besides my husband, who's too busy chewing and mowing down my food to give me any real feedback!
- So, if you enjoy my recipes, and my photography, have questions, or if you've tried one of my recipes, please leave a comment or a review (preferably on the specific recipe page, but any page works if your comment isn't tied to a particular recipe!). Your feedback makes all the difference and ensures my recipes don't end up in a culinary black hole! I can't wait to hear what you think!
- Feedback loop: I love keeping this blog lively, interactive, and personal-it's not just me talking at you - your feedback, questions, and ideas help shape what I cook and share next. I read and reply to almost every comment (and try to do it quickly!), because this space is a two-way street. In a way, this blog is like a delicious feedback loop: I create recipes, you try them, tell me what you loved (or tweaked), and that inspires me all over again!
I am enjoying your email this morning! I appreciate the beautiful pictures of your recipes, not just a link. They all look delicious and this week I will try several of them!! I also enjoyed the pictures of your sailing adventure!! You are quite the traveler I see, so I will explore your website a little further now! Thanks!
Hi Cathy, I love that you’re enjoying my emails + photos! ❤️ Thank you so much for cooking along and following along with me! ❤️
Dear Julia, I have been following and trying out your recipes for about the past 10 months, with pretty much amazingly positive results. I wanted to thank you for sharing your recipes with the world and with me specifically. I am a 72 yr old visual artist, I teach Drawing thru my local community college's Continuing Education department and also Drawing and Watercolor at a local Senior Center. Art is my thing. I just looked at your 12 most favorite 1 pot meal post. I was just in love . The gorgeous photographs made me want to try each recipe. They are so beautiful - I almost started to cry. I am not kidding. Please give sincere compliments to whomever photographs your meals, their work is just exquisite.
Marina Megale
Marina, your note touched me so much!! ❤️ And ahhh I have to tell you — I actually photographed and made every single one of those recipes myself I've included in that e-mail you're referring to, so your kind words mean the world!! 🙂 I love that the photos spoke to your artist’s eye — that’s the best compliment ever. Thank you for being here and cooking along!! ❤️❤️ And, I apologize for my late response, I was literally sailing in the ocean on and off for the last 2 weeks! 🙂
Love what you are doing and jealous that you get to hike the mountains of Colorado when you are not in the kitchen. Quick question- your pesto recipe says to run the food processor 5 to 10 minutes if I am reading it correctly. Seems like a long time- mine seems to be ready in 30-45 seconds. Am I misunderstanding or doing something wrong?
Hi Steven! You’re totally right — 5 to 10 minutes in the food processor would be wayyy too long. What I meant was the total time (to prep, toast the pine nuts, and make the pesto) is about 10 minutes. I just reviewed the recipe and I originally said to pulse for 2–3 minutes, which is excessive, so I fixed it and updated the recipe! Thanks for pointing it out!!
https://juliasalbum.com/basil-pesto/
And haha yes, I feel so lucky to get those Colorado hikes in between kitchen time — best of both worlds!
I’ve tried a number of your recipes and they are just fantastic. For health reasons, I’m trying to stay on a Mediterranean diet. Your recipes helped me do that in a very tasteful way! Please keep up the good work. I enjoy following you.
As an aside, my youngest daughter and her family live in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. They moved out there from Georgia and will be there forever.
Hi Cy! I’m so happy my recipes have helped make your healthy eating tasty and fun! And how cool that your daughter’s in Highlands Ranch! I’m in Colorado too, so that’s extra special to hear. 🙂 Thanks so much for following along and for all the kind words! 🙂
I just wanted to say how much I love your recipes—my husband does too! Every dish is absolutely delicious with such a wonderful blend of flavors. I was wondering if you’ve ever considered creating a cookbook? I’d be first in line to get a copy!
oh my gosh, Robyn, thank you so much!! This totally made my day! I hope to create an actual physical cookbook at some point. I just know I'll want to do a really good job at it so it will be a major time investment on my part. Someday! 🙂
OK, Julia, I've had enough! After viewing your recipes for the last several months, I've decided the ONLY SOLUTION is to have you and your family move from Colorado and move into the home next door to us so that you can be our personal chef for the rest of our days! The house just recently went on the market, and we live in a beautiful, crime-free neighborhood, where the only thing you will ever have to be concerned about is me coming by pretty much every darn day asking, "Hey, Julia, what's for dinner?" Don't react immediately, let this simmer a bit and talk to your family, but I personally think it's a GREAT idea! Just saying. 🙂
Oh my gosh, Mike, this made my whole week!! 🙂 And you know what? I did simmer on it for a few days. I’ll talk it over with the hubby, but fair warning: I can’t promise you won’t find me on your doorstep with a shrimp orzo or a blueberry peach crisp someday! Thanks for making me smile! 🙂 🙂
Greetings from Estonia:) I absolutely love your recipes and treat my family and guests with them! Always a five star experience❤️
Hi Lena! Greetings right back to Estonia! Thank you SO much for the sweetest comment! 🙂 You seriously made my day! I’m just thrilled my recipes get to be part of your family & guest meals—five stars from you is the best compliment ever! ❤️
Hi Julia,
I love your recipes and admire your courage in taking the leap and doing what you love! My question is, are there any particular courses, books, others that helped you hone your craft and how do you continue learning?
All the best,
Dorothy
Canada
Dorothy, you are SO sweet, thank you!! ❤️ I used to read tons of books—especially self-help and motivational ones—and honestly, they helped me a TON! I don’t get to read as much these days (busy with the site, haha), but did you mean more about my site, recipes, and food photography specifically? Just want to make sure I answer your question right! 🙂
H Julia,
I mean how did you learn how to put together your amazing recipes! I am trying to learn how to cook delicious, nutritious, whole food based meals and mainly try recipes from people like you who have such talent. Do you have any other suggestions for me? Your site and blog are wonderful by the way!
All the best,
Dorothy
Dorothy, thank you so much!! ❤️ I’ve actually been creating recipes since 2012, and I cook at home every single day (well almost, unless it's some intense travel) — that’s really how I learned, just lots of practice and love for good food! I TRULY love to cook and prefer home-cooked food to takeout or restaurants. Even if I didn't have my website, I would still be cooking for myself, my husband, family, and friends. 🙂
I just read your Marry Me Ravioli Sauce. It looks delish and I enjoyed reading the comments from those who have made it...listing suggested additions, etc. I really dislike sun-dried tomatoes. Can you please suggest a substitute. Would canned diced tomatoes work?
Hi Margaret, happy to have you here! 🙂
The best substitute for sun-dried tomatoes is oven-roasted tomatoes. Simply roast cherry tomatoes with olive oil, salt, and garlic until they’re lightly charred and caramelized—or go a little longer for a more concentrated, jammy texture. They come the closest to traditional sun-dried tomatoes. You can make a small batch as I do in this recipe below:
https://juliasalbum.com/chicken-spaghetti-with-burrata/
Love your recipes! On the Hawaiian skewered chicken recip, can the be cooked in the oven if we don’t have a grill?
Yep, you can totally cook them in the oven instead of the grill! Line the baking sheet with foil. Arrange the skewers in a single layer. Bake in the preheated oven at 425°F (220°C) for about 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through. If you want a little char, pop them under the broiler during the last 10 minutes at the end. Turn and baste with remaining marinade every 3 minutes until chicken is done.
You can also cook these skewers on the stovetop grill pan.
I am having a hard time keeping up with all the good recipes. Thank you so much.
Aww, that’s the best “problem” to have, Nancy! 🙂 Thank you so much for the sweet comment! 🙂
I LOVE, love, love your recipes and I regularly print them out and laminate them! Spills will not mess my copies up!!! I am sure I have over 50 plus of your recipes of your yummies! Thank you so very, very, very much!! I keep the recipes in gallon Ziplock bags. Labeled, Chicken, Seafood, Pork, Beef Veggies Salads and Deserts!!!
I love, love, love your yummy recipes! If I happen to find you on FB. I screenshot your recipe and come here to print the recipes out. Yum, yum, yum!!! Thank YOU!
Aww, thank you so much, Debbie! ❤️ That seriously makes my day! ❤️ You’re the best!
Oh my gosh, this is the BEST! You are seriously so organized—love it! Thank you so much, Debbie, for being here and for all your love and support!! ❤️❤️
Made your Thai Shrimp soup yesterday and it was EXCELLENT! Really enjoy your recipes. I'm a big fan who loves to cook.
Wendy Thurston-Werry, Winnipeg, MB. Canada
Wendy, you just made my day! I’m so glad you loved the Thai Shrimp Soup—and it’s awesome to hear from a fellow cooking enthusiast in Winnipeg! Seriously, comments like yours make all the difference and totally inspire me to keep sharing more recipes.
I just made your Broccoli Cashew Salad with Apples and Pears Sunday evening. It was superb – one of the best things I've made from your site. Yesterday, I added some small cubes of sharp cheddar cheese and a few more chopped cashews to some of the leftover salad, and that was also really good.
Lou, your comment totally made my day—I’m so flattered! I love the addition of sharp cheddar and extra cashews—Thanks for sharing your tweaks with me! 🙂 🙂
Julia, I have been following and using your recipes for over one year now, I am not your typical cook. A guy who loves to cook healthy and historically not one to blog or chase recipes online. But over the year I have used scores of your recipes all with great success, they are healthy, easy to prepare, each one a bit different and all loved by my wife and guests as we entertain quite frequently. Please keep it up, really enjoy reading about the various options and your website is very user friendly. Just tried your blueberry yogurt cake for a dinner party...huge success! I will try many more.
Wow, this seriously made my day—thank you, Robert! 🙂 That blueberry yogurt cake is one of my favorites too—so glad it was a hit at your dinner party! I really appreciate you taking the time to share this, and I’ll definitely keep the recipes coming. 🙂