We introduce you to another of our esteemed blog partners today, Meredith of Berry Ripe. She and her team provide readers with healthy vegetarian and vegan recipes as well as advice on living the wellness and fitness lifestyle. You can check them out on Facebook and Pinterest for more tips on a health and healthy food. Some of their favorite freezable recipes are:
Portabella Mushroom Fajitas (Dairy Free, Nut Free, Vegan)
Freezable instructions here (login required)
Cherry Pancake Muffins (Nut Free, Vegetarian)
Freezable instructions here (login required)
Portobello Pizza (Gluten Free, Nut Free, Vegetarian)
Freezable instructions here (login required)
Other great recipes you can find from Berry Ripe as part of OAMM membership:
If that sounds delicious – keep reading! Meredith shared with us some of her personal kitchen tips and shared some of the best resources over at Berry Ripe. You won’t regret paying them a visit.
How long have you been blogging about food? I have been blogging about food for around two and a half years on Berry Ripe. I started off by 
sharing lots of recipes. However, I have had to slow down as I am also balancing school full time for a master’s degree and working.
Have you always loved cooking, or was it a skill that you learned to love? Who taught you to cook? I learned to love cooking while I was growing up with my mom. I would always be her “helper” in the kitchen, and I felt like I was the one making dinner for everyone even though looking back, my mom gave me little tasks I could handle. Something I have had to learn is multitasking while cooking, so I don’t get overwhelmed.
What is your favorite meal to serve to family and friends? What is your favorite treat to make for yourself ? My favorite meal to serve is spaghetti with homemade primavera sauce. It is absolutely delicious, and I crave it on a weekly basis. When we have served it to family and friends, they rave about it! My favorite treats to make for myself are Banana Ice Cream and Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies. I consider these to be healthy options, and I can eat them without feeling guilty.
What is your favorite kitchen tool or gadget? Tell us a little about how you fell in love with it and how you use it in your kitchen. My favorite gadget is my Cuisinart Smart Stick Hand Blender. 
I tend to like my sauces to be smooth, and this hand-held emulsifier blender is really useful and easy when I want to blend a sauce without having to get out the blender and then having to clean it.
When you are meal planning or looking for new recipes, what kind of guidelines do you follow for choosing them or what inspires you in the kitchen? When I am looking for recipes, there are two things I look for. First, the recipe has to be vegetarian since I am vegetarian! If it is not, I will definitely adjust the recipe to make it vegetarian if it is a recipe that looks appealing. Second, I really try to stick to eating healthy. I don’t ever use butter, except on occasion, and I like to incorporate lots of veggies!
What items are ALWAYS on your grocery list? What items will you NEVER put on your grocery list? The items that are ALWAYS on my grocery list are: hummus, grapes, tomatoes, bell peppers, lettuce, spinach, bean sprouts, onions, garlic, potatoes, carrots, broccoli, green beans, edamame, almond milk, and orange juice. I usually get a few carbs such as whole wheat pasta, brown rice, or quinoa too since I like to mix those in with my veggies. The items that are NEVER on my grocery list are: meat, butter, cookie dough, regular milk or chips.
Meredith’s Refrigerator
Tell us the best kitchen tip or trick that you’ve ever discovered. Something that has helped me become better in the kitchen is preparing all my ingredients (washing, chopping, etc.) before I begin cooking. This is especially true if I am trying out a new recipe for the first time.
What do you like to do when you aren’t cooking or blogging? When I’m not cooking or blogging, I am studying to be a Speech-Language Pathologist. It is a passion of mine, and I am intrigued with helping both children and adults communicate. I also like to watch movies and go shopping (who doesn’t!)
Have you ever tried freezer cooking? If not, how do you make use of your freezer? I have never tried to freezer cook, but the freezer is definitely my friend. Paying for school isn’t easy, so I use the freezer as a way to limit my meal budget. I find that some recipes are just as good, if not better, as leftovers after freezing them. For example, my marinara sauce and vegan bean chili will stay good for up to 6 months (but I can afford to make it fresh sometimes too). Pumpkin banana mini muffins also stay good for a while frozen. For more ways to save and more ideas on how to use your freezer to save even more, visit our How to Eat Healthy on a Budget article.
**Has a recipe of yours been featured in an OAMM menu and/or do you have at least a dozen recipes that you would like us to consider so that you can be an OAMM blog partner? Fill out our application today!**