The hardest years of cancer weren’t always the years I was fighting for my life. Sometimes, they were the years that followed.

15 years later, I’m incredibly grateful to be here. To have raised my boys, built a life I love, and done so many things I once wasn’t sure I’d live to see.

But my body still carries the effects of treatment. And that’s something we don’t talk about nearly enough.

This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I want to remind women to keep listening to their bodies, asking questions, and advocating for themselves long after treatment ends.

Because surviving cancer and recovering from it are two very different things. 💗

#BreastCancerAwareness #cancersurvivorship

As a founder, I learned quickly that the same qualities can be celebrated in one room and questioned in another.

But there’s a difference between building with people and shrinking yourself to make them comfortable.

I stopped making myself smaller to fit into rooms I was building in the first place and learnt to trust my vision in the process.

That’s what stepping into your power as a founder really looks like.

Want deeply caramelized onions without spending 45–60 minutes at the stove? Here’s the trick: add a little water and cover the pan with a lid.

The steam helps soften and break down the onions quickly at the beginning, cutting the process down to about 15–20 minutes while still building that rich, sweet, savory flavor.

The secret to recreating that rich, savory depth without the sausage? Caramelizing those onions!

Taking the time to let them turn golden and develop that deep, sweet, savory flavor is what makes all the difference.

And to give this dish an extra protein boost, we’re using my Flower Chef Foods protein-packed pasta!

Because plant-based doesn’t mean sacrificing flavor OR protein.

Stay tuned for the full vegan recipe!

A little throwback to my Los Olivos Cafe days 🍅🍝

The original dish featured orecchiette and chicken sausage, but it was the roasted garlic oil and oven-sweetened tomatoes that stayed with me all these years.

Some flavors just stick with you!

Stay tuned for Part 2 to see how I make this pasta nowadays ✨