Welcome!
I’m Eva Marie, a cook, traveler, and an integrative nutrition and brain health coach. This is my little nook where I share my recipes, travel experiences, and stories. I’m so glad you stopped by to have a look around.

Latest Blog Posts
Gluten-Free Spice Cake
Many of us have a sweet tooth, but we’re also aware that excessive sugar isn’t healthy. I believe in a balanced approach to life where desserts are occasional indulgences, not daily sustenance. Lately, I’ve been craving a sweet treat with fall flavors. One of my favorite autumn desserts is my Norwegian Apple Cake, but I also wanted a gluten-free, low-glycemic option in my repertoire. After some experimentation, I came up with this delicious Gluten-Free Spice Cake.
Delicious Vegan Sofritas Recipe: High-Protein and Gluten-Free
Delicious Vegan Sofritas Recipe is a delicious high-protein, gluten-free, and vegan option that can win over the staunchest of meat aficionados. It’s a tantalizing medley of onions, peppers, aromatic chilies, cumin, and sweet and smoky paprika. This vegan Sofritas recipe is perfect for those seeking a flavorful and satisfying plant-based meal.
Refreshing Nectarine and Watermelon Salad
Discover the benefits of a Refreshing Nectarine and Watermelon Salad, featuring nutritious ingredients like dates, walnuts, and goat cheese, with a tangy balsamic dressing. Perfect for a refreshing and healthy meal.
In Grandma’s Kitchen
She was hunched over at the shoulders, shuffling about in her tiny kitchen, wearing pink satin slippers and a soft cotton housedress with small yellow flowers printed on it. Piece by piece, she tore the stale corn tortillas into strips and dropped them into the...
Polar Nights and Northern Lights of TromsΓΈ
Since I was a child listening to my motherβs stories about the boats that would weave their way through the fjords to bring letters and necessary goods to little towns and villages up north where Santa lived, I have wanted to visit northern Norway. This Christmas, I did.
My Favorite Cinnamon Buns
We are in Norway for the holidays, my mother's homeland. While you rarely see them with frosting as you do in the States, Norwegians take cinnamon buns seriously. They are everywhere, with their deliciously hard-to-resist aroma wafting out of coffee shops and...
Healthy Choices

Spring Recipes
Summer Salads

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While watching White Lotus last night, I had one of those βHey, Iβve been there!β moments as the yacht cruised through Ao Phang-Nga National Park in Thailand.
That trip all started with an unexpected wedding invitation. My husband and I looked at each other and asked, βIs there any reason we couldnβt go?β When neither of us could think of a single legitimate excuse, we just said, Letβs go!
That was the beginning of our βsay-yesβ phase. We embarked on a spectacular journey through Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Phuketβeach destination leaving its mark on us. We were captivated by the warmth of the people we met and their vibrant cultures, and the food at every stop was nothing short of extraordinary.
But it was that White Lotus momentβfeet dangling off the bow of the boat, Ric sitting behind me, and a lively, joyous crowd gathered on deck from all corners of the world to celebrateβwhen I leaned in and whispered, I canβt believe Iβm here.
Surrounded by such ethereal beauty, so far from home, it felt like a dream.
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#WhiteLotusVibes #TravelMemories #Wanderlust #TravelDiaries #ThailandTravel #PhuketAdventures #AoPhangNga #TravelInStyle #TravelGram #TravelAddict #seetheworldπβοΈβ€οΈοΈ

While watching White Lotus last night, I had one of those βHey, Iβve been there!β moments as the yacht cruised through Ao Phang-Nga National Park in Thailand.
That trip all started with an unexpected wedding invitation. My husband and I looked at each other and asked, βIs there any reason we couldnβt go?β When neither of us could think of a single legitimate excuse, we just said, Letβs go!
That was the beginning of our βsay-yesβ phase. We embarked on a spectacular journey through Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Phuketβeach destination leaving its mark on us. We were captivated by the warmth of the people we met and their vibrant cultures, and the food at every stop was nothing short of extraordinary.
But it was that White Lotus momentβfeet dangling off the bow of the boat, Ric sitting behind me, and a lively, joyous crowd gathered on deck from all corners of the world to celebrateβwhen I leaned in and whispered, I canβt believe Iβm here.
Surrounded by such ethereal beauty, so far from home, it felt like a dream.
π΄π
#WhiteLotusVibes #TravelMemories #Wanderlust #TravelDiaries #ThailandTravel #PhuketAdventures #AoPhangNga #TravelInStyle #TravelGram #TravelAddict #seetheworldπβοΈβ€οΈοΈ
Here is a recipe my family has enjoyed for years. Weβve had a couple of bake-offs between nieces, with my grand-nieces adding their special touch, and they are a treat I love to bake around the holidays. The bonus is as they bake, they will fill your house with the cozy aroma of cinnamon and sugar!
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Recipe in profile
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#cinnamonbuns #cinnamonrolls #homebaked #homebaker #breakfastbuns #breakfastrecipes

Here is a recipe my family has enjoyed for years. Weβve had a couple of bake-offs between nieces, with my grand-nieces adding their special touch, and they are a treat I love to bake around the holidays. The bonus is as they bake, they will fill your house with the cozy aroma of cinnamon and sugar!
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Recipe in profile
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#cinnamonbuns #cinnamonrolls #homebaked #homebaker #breakfastbuns #breakfastrecipes
JalapeΓ±o cornbread has been a favorite in my kitchen for as long as I can remember. My love for it began as a child during visits to my Mexican grandmother in San Antonio. Itβs a versatile side dish or yummy eaten as is. Try it with anything BBQ, a bowl of hot soup, beans or spicy chili.
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Recipe in profile
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#easyrecipes #cornbread #jalapenocornbread #honeycornbread #breadmaking #mexicanfood

JalapeΓ±o cornbread has been a favorite in my kitchen for as long as I can remember. My love for it began as a child during visits to my Mexican grandmother in San Antonio. Itβs a versatile side dish or yummy eaten as is. Try it with anything BBQ, a bowl of hot soup, beans or spicy chili.
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Recipe in profile
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#easyrecipes #cornbread #jalapenocornbread #honeycornbread #breadmaking #mexicanfood
My take on the Macho Salad made famous by the Cherry Creek Grill in Denver.
Itβs the perfect dish to add leftover turkey or chicken to for a healthy and delicious meal, and itβs a great way to use up leftover cornbread, too. The cornbread croutons are everything.
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Recipe in profile
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#easyrecipes #healthyrecipes #plantbased #leftovers #leftoverrecipes #sexysalads #saladrecipes #cornbreadcroutons

My take on the Macho Salad made famous by the Cherry Creek Grill in Denver.
Itβs the perfect dish to add leftover turkey or chicken to for a healthy and delicious meal, and itβs a great way to use up leftover cornbread, too. The cornbread croutons are everything.
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Recipe in profile
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#easyrecipes #healthyrecipes #plantbased #leftovers #leftoverrecipes #sexysalads #saladrecipes #cornbreadcroutons
Birth, life, and death are everyday occurrences, yet they are mysterious and miraculous. I was born in the first week of November. Twenty-three years later, my son was born on my birthday. And this year, on that same day, my first grandchildβa baby girlβwas born.
The day of her birth, I was on pins and needlesβan emotional wreck, really. I worried about my daughter-in-law and the baby, hoping for their safety. I thought about the soon-to-be parents who would begin their next adventure in life with all the joy and challenges that come with it.
This holiday season has indeed been ushered in with the gift of life.
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Many years ago, my mother-in-law, Anna, taught me how to make apple pie, and it quickly became my sonβs favorite dessert.
We will spend Thanksgiving with the new family of three, and I plan to make this for our celebration. Over the years, Iβve made little changes to the recipe, creating a lighter and brighter version that suits my taste, but Annaβs inspiration is still at the heart of the recipe.
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Recipe in bio
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#family #birth #givingthanks #thanksgiving #thankgivingrecipes #applepie #applepierecipe #holidaydesserts #thanksgivingdinner #thanksgivingdesserts

Birth, life, and death are everyday occurrences, yet they are mysterious and miraculous. I was born in the first week of November. Twenty-three years later, my son was born on my birthday. And this year, on that same day, my first grandchildβa baby girlβwas born.
The day of her birth, I was on pins and needlesβan emotional wreck, really. I worried about my daughter-in-law and the baby, hoping for their safety. I thought about the soon-to-be parents who would begin their next adventure in life with all the joy and challenges that come with it.
This holiday season has indeed been ushered in with the gift of life.
πππ πππππππ
Many years ago, my mother-in-law, Anna, taught me how to make apple pie, and it quickly became my sonβs favorite dessert.
We will spend Thanksgiving with the new family of three, and I plan to make this for our celebration. Over the years, Iβve made little changes to the recipe, creating a lighter and brighter version that suits my taste, but Annaβs inspiration is still at the heart of the recipe.
πππ
Recipe in bio
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#family #birth #givingthanks #thanksgiving #thankgivingrecipes #applepie #applepierecipe #holidaydesserts #thanksgivingdinner #thanksgivingdesserts
This is one of my favorite appetizers to serve around the holidays. Itβs easy to make, pretty and so delicious.
Need to make it in a hurry? Use a store bought puff pastry or ready made pie crust.
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Recipe link in profile.
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#applefenneltart #appletart #appetizerrecipes #applerecipes #fallrecipes #holidayrecipes #fennel #vegetarian #vegetarianrecipes

This is one of my favorite appetizers to serve around the holidays. Itβs easy to make, pretty and so delicious.
Need to make it in a hurry? Use a store bought puff pastry or ready made pie crust.
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Recipe link in profile.
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#applefenneltart #appletart #appetizerrecipes #applerecipes #fallrecipes #holidayrecipes #fennel #vegetarian #vegetarianrecipes
Another road trip, another recipe. This one is from years ago, but the sentiments are the same, and the Peach and Berry Crisp recipe is a yummy one.
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Recipe in profile.
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#PeachBerryCrisp #SummerDesserts #FruitCrisp #HomemadeDessert #SeasonalBaking #EasyRecipes #BakingFromScratch #FarmToTable #DessertLovers #FreshFruitDessert #cascais #estoril #lisboa #lisbon #expatineurope

Another road trip, another recipe. This one is from years ago, but the sentiments are the same, and the Peach and Berry Crisp recipe is a yummy one.
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Recipe in profile.
π«π«π«
#PeachBerryCrisp #SummerDesserts #FruitCrisp #HomemadeDessert #SeasonalBaking #EasyRecipes #BakingFromScratch #FarmToTable #DessertLovers #FreshFruitDessert #cascais #estoril #lisboa #lisbon #expatineurope
This August, we embraced the European tradition of going on a road trip. Our journey took us up the Portuguese coast to Porto, then to Bilbao, Bordeaux, and finally Madrid before returning to Lisbon.
This weekend weβre enjoying this Cowboy Coleslaw. It is loaded with nutrient-dense ingredients like cabbage, carrots, edamame, black beans, corn, and onions, all tossed in a spicy chipotle dressing. Itβs fantastic layered on a sandwich for added flavor and crunch or served as a crisp side dish at barbecues and picnics. I also like it as a light vegetarian lunch.
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Recipe in profile.
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#chipotlecoleslaw #coleslawrecipe #bbq #sidedish #plantbased #healthylifestyle #healthymeals #vegetarian #bordeaux #madrid #bilbao

This August, we embraced the European tradition of going on a road trip. Our journey took us up the Portuguese coast to Porto, then to Bilbao, Bordeaux, and finally Madrid before returning to Lisbon.
This weekend weβre enjoying this Cowboy Coleslaw. It is loaded with nutrient-dense ingredients like cabbage, carrots, edamame, black beans, corn, and onions, all tossed in a spicy chipotle dressing. Itβs fantastic layered on a sandwich for added flavor and crunch or served as a crisp side dish at barbecues and picnics. I also like it as a light vegetarian lunch.
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Recipe in profile.
π½π½π½
#chipotlecoleslaw #coleslawrecipe #bbq #sidedish #plantbased #healthylifestyle #healthymeals #vegetarian #bordeaux #madrid #bilbao