A bit About Vanessa
Hi, I’m Vanessa, the creator and homemade “chef” at Caramelized Onions.
For years I found cooking dinner unappealing and burdensome – I’d cook bland and boring food. Then, I was left to cook an entire spread of appetizers and a main dish for a party of 20+ people (did I say I’m a bit crazy?). Though it was chaotic, it brought me unexpected joy to see them enjoy every bite and to even hear them rave to one another about the food. Needless to say, because of that, food became one of my passions.
Making delicious, whole food recipes doesn’t require hours of your time and it’s definitely not hard to do. Caramelized Onions is dedicated to helping you make recipes you and your body will love.
Vanessa Audrey
I’m Vanessa, the lady behind Caramelized Onions. I named this site Caramelized Onions, because I used to hate onions until I went to someone’s home for dinner and they topped my plate with… caramelized onions. I didn’t want to be rude, so I ate it, and I’m grateful I did. It was delicious!
The moral of the story? While taking a bite out of a raw onion may not sound appealing, when you cook that same onion slowly over medium heat, it begins to caramelize and turn into something that’s actually pretty sweet to eat!
The other idea behind the name is to show how healthy, whole foods can be delicious! Who would ever think that an onion could be used in so many different ways – from tart, to sweet, to raw, to caramelized, in dinners and desserts! That kind of diversity is true for whole foods across the spectrum. Eating healthy and whole does not have to come at the expense of flavor or your time. So, the goal of Caramelized Onions is to become your go-to place where you can find recipes that are good to your taste buds and kind to your body (though I do share an occasional “guilty pleasure” here and there – because balance).
And beyond the name, I fell in love with creating recipes because I’m convinced God made food, not only to sustain our bodies, but to bring people together. Food helps us appreciate and celebrate those we may never meet and cultures we may never have the pleasure of experiencing first-hand. Food can transport us around the world, right from our kitchens. And the beauty of that, is we get to do it alongside the people we love, in the place we love most – our homes. Thank you for joining my journey, for making my recipes, for leaving feedback, and for being here. You are noticed. You are appreciated! <3
– Vanessa Audrey
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More about me
I’m the wife to my best friend, a mother of three, a co-homeschool teacher, an entrepreneur, a Christian, and many things to many different people. When I got married in 2014, I had no idea how to cook. My husband’s grandma who is native to Mexico, was very worried for him. She began living with his family shortly after my husband was born and she was the main cook in the home. So, needless to say, he grew up on good, cultured cooking, and she measured me up quick – I didn’t know how to make rice, how to cook chicken, let alone make a full meal.
But my husband was gracious and as with everything, he helped me along the way, sharing with me the basic things he learned from his grandmother, Abue. And to be honest, at first I didn’t like cooking. I found it burdensome, a nuisance, and a time-eater, mainly because I would get so stressed over what to make. Over time I learned more and more, but still wasn’t too excited about cooking – having to cook something different every day? Ugh, I loathed it! So, we pretty much had bland and boring food for years.
But several years into marriage, we hosted a party at our home, and I of all people thought…. let me cook everything by myself for a massive party of 20+ people. Lol While it was crazy (and stressful), but I went all out, cooked things I had never made before, put my own spin on every recipe (taking risks!), and… everyone LOVED it all! I had never felt so much humble gratification in my life. To see them eating, savoring every bite, smiling, talking amongst themselves about how good the food was… it was something so special for me. It grew a love in me to connect people with food in a way they had never experienced before.
At the time of writing this (June 24′), I’m now going on 10 years of marriage, and nearly five years of serious cooking. Through Caramelized Onions I want to share my favorite homemade recipes with you, so you can experience the thrill of bringing others joy through food.
I hope you find countless recipes here that bring light into your home, that bring people together, and warm the bellies of everyone you love. Thank you for being here, for entrusting me with the blessing of coming alongside you in your kitchen, and for being willing to give my recipes a try! I appreciate you more than you know <3
With Thanks,
Vanessa Audrey
The Founder & Recipe-Maker
@ Caramelized Onions
