My name is Silvia. I am a Mom and Stepmom of four amazing teenagers. I live in a beautiful town called Holliston in Massachusetts and I have the cutest neighbors in the world... they are horses! Having a close contact with nature is extremely important to me, and I am very grateful to be where I am. Outside of blogging I love spending time with my family, my fur baby cat Leo and in my garden. Time spent at home is always very much appreciated but I also love to travel, going to the beach, visiting local farms and garden centers, and I enjoy practicing yoga and meditation.
I grew up in a small village in Brazil, surrounded by farms, nature and simplicity. At early age I learned the values of growing my own food and discovered a passion for farm to table meals.
In 2001 I moved to the US and quickly adapted to the American diet and fast paced culture. It didn’t take long until I found myself sick and depressed.
This was a time when I needed to take a step back and re-evaluate my eating and lifestyle choices and perhaps bring back the values of eating mostly plant based meals and reconnecting with myself.
At some point in life I realized that food, cooking and serving others for me was a form of love expression. This was huge and liberating and gave me the opportunity to create something that would support others in their journey as well.
At Garden in the Kitchen I share this passion and knowledge through healthy eating, focusing on the values of growing your own food. My recipes are healthy and wholesome, and mostly designed for busy families and individuals who are seeking better health but don’t have a lot of time to spare.
Obstacles / Challenges
The decision to start a blog wasn’t very easy. I am naturally shy and introverted, so the idea of creating content to the public eyes and being vulnerable to their opinion, criticism and acceptance was hard at first. In many ways it still is considering the social media factor and tremendous amount of exposure that comes with that, and naturally as you grow your business and start to build relationship with your readers, they want to know more about you.
It took me some two years of blogging until I was finally able to narrow down to what was working and focus on that. In April of 2016 I quit my 10 year job to focus on my blog full time. I rebranded to Garden in the Kitchen (former Ribas with Love) and dove into work publishing hundreds of healthy and wholesome recipes and gardening articles.
Although there is still much to accomplish, Garden in the Kitchen is today a profitable business and source of support and inspiration to hundreds of thousands of people.
About My Work
Today I am proud to have build a brand that communicates the idea that eating healthy is fun and simple. My recipes are mainly designed for busy families and individuals seeking healthier options, who don’t particularly have a lot of free time to spend in the kitchen.
At Garden in the Kitchen my readers can enjoy a wide selection of recipes from seasonal cooking, to holidays and everyday healthy eating. Some of the diets I focus on are gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, healthier alternatives, mediterranean recipes, meal prepping, instant pot and of course, Brazilian food 🙂
I believe that what sets Garden in the Kitchen apart from the ever growing world of food blogs is the nature of the recipes in itself, always saturated with vegetables, greens, herbs because it is my goal to drive my readers to look at a vegetable and want to grab and eat it!
Source of Inspiration
My late Grandmother was my biggest source of inspiration. I was always amazed and inspired by her level of overall knowledge and wisdom though she lived her whole life in very simple ways. It is as though nature thought her all that she needed to know to survive and thrive.
My goal...
My goal is to share recipes that will focus on a balanced and wholesome diet. I am always trying new alternative ingredients to re-create our favorite recipes and make them a little healthier. As a busy mom and independent woman with lots of commitments, I understand that time can be an issue so most of my recipes are very easy and can be done within 25-45 minutes without compromising on taste. I want people to understand that it is possible to add a healthy diet with home cooked meals to their daily lives. A simple meal plan can make this process even more effortless. And above all, just have fun!
Thank you for visiting my blog, I feel truly blessed to share my passion for life, food, gardening and happy healthy living with you all and please know I do not take this opportunity to serve you lightly.
Gratefully,
Silvia Ribas Dunnirvine
