Dishing Out Health

 About

Welcome! I’m Jamie Vespa MS, RD, and this is Dishing Out Health, a health-centric food blog focusing on all things delicious.

Background

I grew up in the Tampa area, but currently live in beautiful Denver, Colorado with my poodle, Winston. Prior to moving out to the mountains, I lived in Birmingham, Alabama where I worked as the Assistant Nutrition Editor at Cooking Light magazine. My past work experience also includes working as a Clinical Nutrition Specialist at a hospital in Tampa, where I mainly counseled organ transplant recipients. I completed both my undergraduate Dietetics degree and graduate Clinical Nutrition degree at Florida State University (Go Noles!). I truly believe in the power of cooking and food to heal, inspire, and help us thrive. Cooking has not only been a creative outlet for me, but also a means for me to connect with people, my inner self, and ultimately land me my dream job.

I love plants. You’ll notice a lot of plant-based recipes on the blog, but I enjoy all foods in moderation. You can easily search for gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan/vegetarian recipes on the blog based on your dietary preferences or health needs.

My philosophy is that eating healthy should be rewarding, uncomplicated, and most importantly, delicious. To check out some of my favorite recipe creations, click here. I’d love to hear from you and find out what kind of recipes you’d like to see more of. For any questions/inquiries/comments/musings, click here.

If you make any Dishing Out Health recipes, be sure to tag me @dishingouthealth so I can see your beautiful creations!Thanks for stopping by!

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  • Butter Cauliflower is the veg-forward version of the Indian classic, Butter Chicken, with paralleled depth of flavor and hearty appeal. Featuring a restorative blend of sultry spices simmered in a velvety sauce with charred chunks of cauliflower, aromatic rice, and a cooling yogurt finish. Serve with naan for a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Grab the recipe through my profile link!
  • Slow Cooker (or Instant Pot!) Sweet Potato Chipotle Chili with Quinoa is the hearty, hands-off meal here to spice up weeknights. Quinoa stands in for ground meat to add satiating protein, plus an extra dose of fiber. Top it off with cooling avocado to counter the kick of the chilis, and this flavor fiesta will deliver pure comfort. Grab the recipe through my profile link!
  • Carne Asada-Spiced Portobello Tacos with Charred Scallion Salsa strike the coveted balance of meaty texture, smoky flavor, and cooling crunch. Add some creamy mashed avocado to cut through the bold spice, and you’re on your way veg taco nirvana. Grab the #tacotuesday recipe through my profile link!
  • Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup made with less than 10 ingredients in just 30 minutes. A virtuous mix of golden seared shrooms cooked in an aromatic broth with woodsy herbs and bright strokes of sherry. Blended with a secret MVP ingredient (any guesses?) to achieve crave-worthy creaminess, this nutrient-rich soup is pure comfort. Grab the recipe through my profile link!
  • Celebrating National Hot Tea Day (#ad) with Oolong Steeped Oats with cinnamon-sautéed pears and pomegranate. I love oolong for its nuanced sweetness and milky taste... It's the perfect pairing for light breakfast options, and a great gateway for novice tea sippers. It’s also rich in inflammation-fighting flavonoids, and boasts heart-health benefits. Find the recipe below! Just in time for National Hot Tea Month and Day, Tea Council of the USA is brewing up something special for tea enthusiasts across the nation with the fourth annual #IndividualiTEA Photo-Sharing Sweepstakes. For a chance to win $500, a year's supply of tea and a custom tea mug, simply share how you enjoy black, green, white, oolong or dark tea and post your photo or video and description on Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #IndividualiTEA and tag @teacouncil . To receive a bonus entry, follow the Tea Council of the USA on Instagram or Twitter at @teacouncil . Oolong Steeped Oats: SERVES 2 1/2 cup unsweetened cashew milk 3/4 cup water 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats 2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup 2 oolong tea bags 2 cinnamon sticks 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 1/8 tsp. kosher salt Optional toppings: cinnamon-sautéed pears or apples, pomegranate arils, ground cinnamon 1. Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 10 to 12 minutes, or until oats are cooked and most liquid is absorbed. Remove tea bags and cinnamon sticks; discard. Divide oats into two bowls, and add toppings of choice.
  • Harissa-Roasted Sweet Potato Power Salad with Parslied Tahini Dressing may be the most crave-worthy salad in my arsenal. A fiber-filled foundation of quinoa and kale perked up with Moroccan-spiced spuds and a bright, herbaceous dressing. Make-ahead friendly, plant-powered, and brimming with nutrients. Grab the recipe through my profile link!
  • Homemade Spicy Ramen that packs the same complex flavor caliber as your local takeout spot while leaning only on pantry staples? This 30 minute marvel will prove the skeptics wrong with its deeply savory broth and funky fermented edge. Deploy your garnishes of choice and enjoy anytime the craving for a slurp-worthy bowl of noodles strikes. Grab the recipe through my profile link!
  • It’s that time of year when Smoky Lentil Stuffed Sweet Potatoes work their way into the weeknight rotation. One of the heartiest plant-based dishes on the blog, these stuffed spuds spotlight a protein- and fiber-filled lentil and walnut filling with bold, smoky spice. Grab the reader (and personal!) favorite recipe through my profile link!
  • Vegetable Pasta Bake with roasted butternut squash, ribbons of kale, crispy torn sage, and melty mozzarella. This hearty pan of pasta leans on the sweetness of squash to play up the bright acidity of tomatoes and balance the earthy edge of kale. Together, they create a weeknight-approved, all-in-one meal that’s bound to be a family favorite. (And peep the secret weapon ingredient that boosts protein, yet will go totally undetected by picky eaters😉) Grab the recipe through my profile link!