ABOUT THIS COOK:

I'm a 22-year-old Midwesterner and the voice behind the blog Espresso and Cream (espressoandcream.com). During the day, I'm a food editor at Meredith Corporation and do on-camera work when opportunities come my way. It goes without saying that I love to cook and bake, and am happiest when I'm in the kitchen. I'm a exercise junkie, recently-converted vegetarian to the chagrin of my boyfriend, magazine fanatic, and an animal lover who desperately wants to buy a puppy, if only I could solve the white couch dilemma. I don't like pretentious, fussy, or complicated food. The recipes you find here reflect how I like to eat. Simple food made with quality ingredients, and bit of creative flair thrown in for variety. My recipes are easy to prepare, delicious, and mostly healthy - minus the desserts. Those are just easy and delicious.

• What is the strangest food you have ever eaten?
  beef heart at a Brazilian restaurant

• What do you cook when home alone?
  homemade nut butters, whole wheat bread, and lots of roasted veggie dishes

• Your most treasured kitchen possession:
  my food processor

• The ideal number of guests for a dinner party is:
  6-8, enough to keep it intimate but still make for lively conversation