About Me
Hi there! I’m Lauren.
Welcome to my happy place.
My favorite days are the ones I spend in the kitchen cooking up a storm of yummies to share with my friends and family. If I could, I would cook and bake all day long. But that wouldn’t pay the bills. So, I spend my days as the Brand Manager for a super awesome restaurant, surrounded by inspiring people and delicious food. And nights and weekends are filled with recipe exploration and kitchen trials.
I grew up with a passion for cooking, but in 2011 I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease and had to re-evaluate all of my favorite meals to accommodate my gluten allergy. Now, my recipes all use fresh, gluten-free ingredients.
Most of what I like to make and eat is gluten-free (GF) by nature anyway, but for baking, breading and recipes where I use special GF ingredients, wheat-eaters can always substitute regular flour or ingredients for GF ones that I choose to use!
Aside from cooking, I really love to travel. I’ve eaten my way through Switzerland, Germany, Italy, France, and England – and studied abroad in Ireland. There are so many cool places I hope to visit in the near future to explore the local culture and cuisine.
I’m an avid runner, Spinning instructor and gym-goer. I’ve completed a bunch of half marathons and ran my first full marathon last year. I love the beach and being outdoors. I love margaritas with salt. I love coffee. I love red wine. I LOVE cupcakes, cookies and fro yo. I love Peeps (you know, those sugar-coated marshmallow treats?) especially the chocolate covered ones. Glitter. And anything with sprinkles.
I really love reading cookbooks. I tend to read a cookbook like a novel with a plot, start to finish. I love the little stories that come before the recipes, and I keep a collection of post it notes next to my bed to mark my favorite and must-try recipes!
This blog will hopefully be a pre-cursor to my cookbook – and maybe one day you’ll see my name on the side of a restaurant or bakeshop.
I’d love to hear your thoughts! Feel free to comment on the site or email me at hugsnkitchen@gmail.com with any questions.
You can like Hugs ‘n Kitchen on Facebook and follow on Instagram, Twitter or Pinterest.
Make sure to post any recipe recreations on social media with the hashtag #hugsnkitchen so I can see your stuff!!
Thanks for stopping by and have a fabulous day!
Hugs, kisses & yummy dishes… xoxo,
Lauren
