About Michelle

About Me

I’m a college student in Colorado who is majoring in Food Science and Human Nutrition, with a concentration in Dietetics. What do all those fancy words mean? Here’s the basics: First, the things I am learning are scientifically-based and from the fourth best Food Science and Human Nutrition program in the entire United States; and Second, I’m committed to a lifestyle that nourishes my body and mind. I firmly believe that eating healthy doesn't have to be boring, complicated, or cause you to sacrifice the things you love. I want to show just how delicious and fun healthy cooking (and, of course, eating) can be.

I stopped eating meat during my Senior year of high school because my eyes were opened by a classmate to the horrors of the meat industry. As soon as I saw chickens cut by their own cages and cows so full of milk they couldn't stand, I knew I had to put my money towards what I believed in and away from such unethical practices. I currently do not eat meat or fish, and limit milk/eggs. Many people think that being vegetarian is hard or expensive; they couldn’t be more wrong! I’ve discovered a ton of affordable, delicious, and healthy recipes that are vegetarian- (and in some cases, vegan-) friendly. 

When I'm not busy cooking and baking, you can usually find me in a coffee shop, elbow-deep in body-positive and anti-ED literature. My hobbies include running, doing yoga, playing with animals, and doing social justice activism and volunteering. I current work at a Disability Resource office for students, and am constantly learning and expanding on my horizons. Overall, I believe in having fun and being silly-- in fact, I embarrass myself so often that I'm used to it by now. I think it's important to not take life too seriously. 

A bit of background:

Before starting High Altitude Vegetarian, I ran the blog Michelle’s Healthy Bites for about two years. When I moved to college, I had to take a break from the blog due to lack of a kitchen (and time!). When I finally moved to an apartment that was equipped for cooking, I revisited Michelle’s Healthy Bites and didn’t like the idea of running a blog with so many meat recipes on it. Hence, HighAltVeg was born!

I have three main goals for this blog, and they form the backbone of this little space I like to call my own:

1)    Create food that I feel ethically good about eating and sharing, using seasonal ingredients and local sources.

2)    Make this food not only delectable, but also founded on the guidelines that have been released for a healthy menu by the American Dietetic Association.

3)    Introduce the concept of a vegetarian lifestyle to more people, while expressing myself and the weekly adventures of my life living near the mountains of Colorado.

I hope you join me for the ride!