GET TO KNOW ME Q &A:

What is your background in food?

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After receiving my bachelor’s degree in Visual Arts Studies, I followed that with another bachelor’s in Hospitality Management. After college, I ran/owned the first award winning vegetarian food truck in Denton, TX which I followed with a frozen food product in local grocery stores. In between all this I have taught cooking classes, worked as a kitchen manager at the first fully vegan college dining hall in the United States, and much more. 

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What is your cooking philosophy? 

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Cooking should be fun and colorful! It doesn't always need to be something overly complicated and it doesn't need to include meat to be healthy, nutritious, and tasty! You don't have to sacrifice flavor when you eat plant- based. 

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Why did you go plant-based? 

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It started as an ethical issue I had with eating meat, and while that is still the case, I have also since learned of all the health benefits of eating plant- based and I really don't feel like I am missing out on anything that I used to eat beforehand. That was a little harder to say in 2007 when I became a vegetarian but there are so many things out there now!

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What would you choose for your final meal? 

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I would go with kalam polo or loobia polo made by my mom and salad shirazi made by my dad. But if I had to pick a restaurant- it would be some margarita pizza from Home Slice in Austin, TX with a sweet tea. 

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What are your favorite foods?

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I LOVE pickled things, noodles, breads, cheese, anything salty and savory (though I do also love a sweet and salty combo on occasion). 

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What are your least favorite foods?

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fennel, black licorice, root beer, water chestnuts