Welcome! I'm glad you're here!
This Healthy Table is a resource for home cooks who like simple, weeknight meals with real ingredients and great flavor. We take food and good ingredients seriously.
I'm Emily, the founder, recipe developer and photographer, and I'm so glad you're here.
Why I Started This Healthy Table
I started THT in late 2015 to share new recipes and teach myself to be a better cook, in a quest to host impressive but easy dinner parties. These days I'm much more focused on getting great-tasting but easy dinners on the table for my little kiddo, but the love of hosting still lives on!
My Cooking Inspiration
I grew up between the Middle East and the Midwest. I lived in Oklahoma and Indiana until I was 13, then my family moved to Qatar, where I graduated from the American School of Doha. It gave me a lifelong love of travel, and the flavors of the five countries I've called home and the 30+ countries I've visited still show up in my kitchen, especially the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes that are my favorites.
I've taken cooking classes in Vietnam, Thailand, Jordan, Italy, Sri Lanka, India and Nepal. My cooking journey started with the Forks Over Knives 90-day cooking course through Rouxbe Culinary School.
Before This Healthy Table
I started working full-time on This Healthy Table in 2020. Before that, I worked in higher education at Northwestern University, Northwestern University in Qatar and Georgetown University in Qatar, and I coached the women's basketball team at NU-Q, who were my pride and joy. I have a BA in International Relations from Taylor University and a Master's in Public Policy from Northwestern University.
What I Do Now
In 2016, my husband and I moved back to the US, to a suburb just outside Chicago. I love connecting with our local community, and I'm a volunteer manager of one of the Evanston Community Fridges. I have a toddler who loves coming to the community garden plot with me. Not a single berry we grow makes it home; it's consumed by my berry-loving boy while I feverishly weed!
Moving back to the Midwest reconnected me to living seasonally, and that shapes what I cook and share here.
What You'll Find Here
- Baked and grilled fish and seafood, cooked simply
- Homemade spice blends and pantry staples
- Mediterranean-style dinners
- Seasonal holiday recipes
- Simple roasted vegetables and side dishes
Food Philosophy
I don't subscribe to one particular diet (like vegan or vegetarian), but I believe in eating mostly whole foods, and I like to source the best quality, seasonal ingredients I can find.
I love cooking at home, and I hope I can help make it easier and more exciting for you to do the same!
My Favorite Recipes
I have many recipes on the site that I make over and over, but here are a few of my favorites!
Featured In
This Healthy Table has been featured in numerous online publications, including Time Out, Esquire, The Everygirl, Parade, Pure Wow, Metro News, Shape, Express, Brit + Co, Gardenista, Elle France, Greatist, and Oh My Veggies.