Plant-Based Recipes & Wellbeing
EAT
Nourishing recipes for everyday meals and special occasions
Roasted Beet, Orange and Mint Salad
From Market to Table: A Winter Salad in Portugal I walked along the ocean after lunch with a dear friend, the sun on my face, a cool breeze threading through my hair, the sound of life all around me. Waves crashing in wide, steady rhythms. The high-pitched giggles of...
Kale, Purple Cabbage and Curried Pineapple Salad
Kale, Purple Cabbage and Curried Pineapple Salad with Lemon–Honey Vinaigrette and a Sweet and Salty Brown Sugar Almond Crunch Some salads are just bowls of greens, but this one has some serious craveable cred. Deep greens paired with jewel-toned purple and gold signal...
Polenta Cakes with Roasted Tomatoes and Artichokes with Ancho–Honey Glaze
Some dishes manage to feel both deeply comforting and quietly sophisticated at once, and these polenta cakes with roasted tomatoes and artichokes with ancho–honey glaze are one of them. We’ve been traveling over the holidays, first to New York to see our son,...
WELCOME TO A NOURISHED LIFE
I’m Eva, a cook, writer, and lifelong seeker of the good life, living along Portugal’s windswept coast. Here, I share mostly plant-based, often gluten-free recipes that nourish both body and spirit, along with reflections on healing, aging, and intentional living.
To me, a nourished life means living with presence and grace. It’s a quiet walk by the sea, a meaningful conversation, and the joy of both the salad and the slice of cake.
I’m so glad you’re here.
Seasonal Spring Recipes
Spring cooking is all about freshness – crisp vegetables, fragrant herbs, and dishes that feel light yet satisfying. This collection brings together simple, seasonal recipes perfect for easy lunches, outdoor gatherings, and everyday nourishment
Preserved Lemons
Preserved Lemons are a wonderful addition to many recipes. A staple in Moroccan and Middle Eastern cuisine, they have become a more popular ingredient, adding a lovely and unique citrus flavor to chicken, fish, vegetables, rice, and, my favorite, couscous dishes....
Lemon Cherry Ricotta Cake
It felt good waking up with the sun this morning, pulling my hair up into a ponytail, skipping the make-up, throwing on sweats and a tee-shirt, knowing that I didn’t have to leave our little birdhouse today. As I stood for a minute sipping coffee at the kitchen sink,...
Lemon Roll with Mascarpone Cream
Nothing captures the taste of sunshine like citrus fruits, especially, lemons. In the midst of winter, while some of us are experiencing some cold and grey days, treating yourself to a bite of bright and sunny lemon roll, could chase away your mid-winter doldrums. I...
Lemon Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes
These Lemon Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes are light, fluffy, and bursting with fresh flavor. Perfect for slow mornings, with or without the ricotta. When the Cat Is Your Alarm Clock My insomnia won again last night. I lay in bed long before dawn, staring up at the...
Rustic Strawberry Rhubarb Tart Recipe
Discover the perfect balance of sweet and tart with our Rustic Strawberry Rhubarb Tart recipe. This free-form tart is an ideal spring and summer dessert.
Living Well, Simply
What we choose each day—how we eat, move, rest, and connect—shapes our health, our energy, and even our mood. Rooted in both tradition and science, I believe these daily choices are powerful tools for cultivating wellbeing.
Food is an essential part of that. Some meals are pure joy and celebration, while others are created with nourishment in mind—both have their place in a life of balance and intention. As Michael Pollan wisely said, “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”
A well-lived life extends beyond the plate. It’s found in balance—in how we care for ourselves and how we savor the beauty of our meals, our surroundings, and the company we keep.
WELLBEING
Tools, rituals, and reflections for a nourished mind and body
Simple Mantra Meditation
When I delved into the practice of meditation, a shroud of secrecy surrounded the process, prompting questions about the necessity of ceremonial initiation and associated fees. I firmly believe that meditation should be an accessible skill taught in schools,...
4-7-8 Breathing
The 4-7-8 breathing technique is rooted in the ancient Indian practice of pranayama, which means “regulation of breath.” This particular method, developed by Dr. Andrew Weil, stands out for its simplicity and effectiveness. I often begin my meditation practices with...
The Brain-Gut Connection
Explore how the gut-brain connection impacts mood, digestion, and mental health—plus how to support both through food and stress reduction.
FRESH FROM THE BLOG
Roasted Beet, Orange and Mint Salad
From Market to Table: A Winter Salad in Portugal I walked along the ocean after lunch with a dear friend, the sun on my face, a cool breeze threading through my hair, the sound of life all around me. Waves crashing in wide, steady rhythms. The high-pitched giggles of...
Eating the Colors
What decades of nutrition research tell us about vibrant plant foods and eating the colors People often comment on how colorful my meals are. That is by design. If there is one nutrition principle that appears consistently across longevity research, it is this: people...
Kale, Purple Cabbage and Curried Pineapple Salad
Kale, Purple Cabbage and Curried Pineapple Salad with Lemon–Honey Vinaigrette and a Sweet and Salty Brown Sugar Almond Crunch Some salads are just bowls of greens, but this one has some serious craveable cred. Deep greens paired with jewel-toned purple and gold signal...