Welcome! I’m happy you’re here. You can call me Kate, one of many nicknames, or Kathryne, my full first name. Either way, I’m a self-taught cook from Oklahoma. I started this blog in 2010 and named it after my canine sidekick, Cookie. Now, I live in Kansas City with my husband and young daughter and work on this blog full-time. I love my job!
Follow Cookie and Kate
You should know that I’m totally obsessed with food. I daydream about new recipes. I devour cookbooks (I even wrote my own). I read up on food policy and nutrition. I love photographing food and hope my photos inspire you to step into the kitchen to cook a delicious, healthy meal.
Our cookbook, Love Real Food, is here! It has over 5,000 5-star reviews! Get Your Copy
Above all, I love eating food, especially while in the presence of good company. Good food in good company—does it get any better than that?
I believe that cooking should be fun and recipes, flexible. I choose not to cook meat, so all of the recipes on Cookie and Kate are vegetarian. I believe in eating whole foods, which are as close to their source as possible. I’m also an avid supporter of the occasional indulgence, and I laugh with friends over drinks as often as possible.
This blog is all about celebrating good food—real, sustainable food that delights the senses and nourishes the body.
About Cookie
Cookie is a jaunty spotted mutt who makes friends everywhere she goes. She is my eager four-legged assistant, my chief crumb catcher and the best companion a girl could ask for.
I adopted Cookie in the summer of 2009. She came with her name and nothing more. Whether she was named for being one smart cookie or for looking like cookies and cream, the name suits her well.
After five years of referring to Cookie as a “mystery mutt,” I finally caved and ordered a DNA test. My beloved, one-of-a-kind pup is half schipperke and half dachshund/Australian koolie mix.
Cookie left this world in 2023 after thirteen incredible years together. I miss her dearly, and this website will remain Cookie and Kate in honor of our time together.
Frequently Asked Questions
My cookbook, Love Real Food, can be purchased online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, BAM!, Bookshop.org, and Indigo. Digital editions of the book are available for purchase and download at iBooks and Amazon Kindle. Look for the book in your local bookstore or Barnes & Noble. More book details here.
I use a Nikon Z6 with a Nikkor Z 50mm lens. Check out my food photography tips for more details. As of 2023, I’ve outsourced my photography to my wonderful video team so that I can spend more time with my family.
Check out my top 20 tips for food blogging and how to start a food blog, which includes design and web hosting tips.
Thank you for asking. Please refer to my photo and recipe policy for details.
Get in Touch!
Please contact me here or comment below! You’re also welcome to check out my press page for interviews and other features.
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I just re-discovered your site and wanted to send a comment! I first found you in 2010, when I first turned vegan and lived in New Zealand, where there weren’t many vegan options floating around. You were a huge resource for me, and I loved making every single one of your recipes as a teenager. How special that your website appears again in my life 15 years later as I’m searching a recipe for a Green Curry. Thank you Kate, and thank you Cookie, for making vegan that much easier back then and on the other side of the world.
Lot’s of love, Tamsin xx
I did it! A little back story…….. On Christmas Day 2024 my daughter Kristen gave me your cookbook, Love Real Food. As I was flipping through, all of the recipes sounded amazing so I made a bold decision, I was going to make all the recipes in a year. It was an ambitious goal, but as I was recently retired, I thought it was definitely doable. I made a couple of decisions, I would keep a Google doc with the date made, a rating and comments. I also decided not to do the recipes in order. On January 3rd I made my first recipe Mango Lassi Smoothie Bowl with Toasted Coconut Muesli and I was off! I knew that I needed to make approximately 10 recipes each month to stay on track, but life handed out some challenges and many summer visitors and I got behind. A huge shout out to my niece Madeline, who I made LOTS of the recipes with, and also came up with the great idea to have a family appetizer party. At the end of December, we made 9 recipes in one night-thanks to the help of seven family members (13 were invited but the flu and COVID struck). It was such a fun evening!
When January rolled around I still had a few recipes to make but on February 2nd we had a grand finale dinner party with Roasted Cherry Tomato Crostini with White Bean Pesto, Roasted Eggplant Lasagna and German Chocolate Cake.
I cannot even begin to thank you enough for all the delicious, planet friendly, easily accessible, and fun recipes in your cookbook! It was such a fulfilling adventure making 100+ recipes (Madeline decided we should make the extras too!). And now… well now, I get to go back and make all my favorites! With love and gratitude, Nicola
FUN! Inspiring too!
What a wonderful story! I loved reading this Tara!
Tara, I meant to say, Nicola, I loved reading her story.
I made the healthy blueberry muffins on sunday morning and despite my oven shutting off in the middle of bake time, my fiance says the are the best baked treat I have ever made! He literally took half a dozen to his moms house to share that afternoon. Kudos!
I came to your site from a search for 7 layer dip. Once I got here, I couldn’t access the recipe. I clicked on the video to see it, and after the advertisement ( which I understand), it initially started the video, but after about 5 seconds, the ad came up again. I started over, thinking it was a computer quirk. Clicking again to see the video, I saw that it was about a different recipe. I don’t know if this is all new to you, but I must say that I was not able to navigate your site successfully. I am an avid recipe collector and have been to many sites over the years. I don’t mean to be mean. Hopefully, you will take this as constructive criticism. I do wish you success.
Love your recipes!
Was so sad to hear about Cookie :( but happy you are keeping the name for your blog.
Just a little note….your cookbook is a fantastic gift and instead of a card just sign the inside of the book! I have given several as gifts and have gotten great feed back from the friends/fam I have given them to. So you need to make another one :)…in your spare time.
I’ve just bought a Tabbouleh pot for my lunch today from my local supermarket in the UK and thought I should really look into making this myself as it is a really expensive way of eating lunch. I came across your site and now can’t wait to try your version along with other recipes you no doubt will introduce me to. So far, I am loving what I am seeing and reading and I hope that you can inspire me to make new and interesting meals.
Great recipes Kate! Thank you for sharing. I’ve tried all; it’s delicious!
I discovered your website today while looking for a meatless chili recipe and I made your Homemade Vegetarian Chile. I have to say, it was awesome! I can’t wait to try more of your recipes. Thanks so much. Sorry to learn about Cookie. I know how attached you can get and just how much they become part of your family.
We just started a cookbook club and used your website for our first dinner. Each person made one thing: Ranch water cocktail, buffalo cauliflower, southwestern corn chowder, hot pink coconut slaw, herbed potato salad, potatoes au gratin, chimichurri chick peas, black bean sweet potato enchiladas, and Lemony Cheesecake Tart with Pistachio Crust! What a feast!! It was a delicious hit and all of us can’t wait to use these recipes again.. Thanks so much!!
The spinach and artichoke recipe was unique and delicious. The artichoke adds a nice “kick” to the dish, and I will definitely be doing this one again.
Hi
I made the healthy blueberry muffins! I was afraid they would toast like card board like other healthy foods but I was delightfully wrong!!! They had great flavor and less calories than I expected. I so enjoyed them! My husband who doesn’t like anything remotely healthy even enjoyed them.
Thank you for sharing your recipe!
JoAnn
LOVE THE POOCH. SORRY SHE LEFT. SO SAD WHEN THAT HAPPENS.