We're overjoyed to welcome San Diego's healthy foodie Belinda Kramer to the blog today! After being diagnosed with a degenerative autoimmune disease in her teens, Belinda decided to take control of her health and listen to what her body needed! In doing so, she created a stress-free way of life in which she has learned to balance a full-time job along with her baking passion.
After sharing her baked treats with friends and being asked for the recipes an endless number of times, Belinda decided to create a place where she could share all of her recipes easily with others. Enter, the Beachside Kitchen Blog!
On her blog, Belinda shares everything from easy and accessible recipes to lifestyle tips that help nourish your body and soul. Over the years, she's created an engaged community of health enthusiasts that we encourage you to explore! Head on over to her blog, or stop by her Instagram page for some serious food inspiration.
Keep reading to learn more about Belinda and her health journey, in her own words.
I'd always loved cooking, and after hosting many a dinner party where my friends would ask for recipes, I figured it would save me a lot of time just to post them all in one place (rather than typing them up over and over again). I never expected Beachside Kitchen to turn into anything more than a fun page that a few of my friends followed, but it has been incredible to see how many people get excited about healthier versions of their favorite treat! I still work a full-time job, so juggling the time to do both well creates some fun challenges and helps keep me on my toes.
I was diagnosed with a degenerative autoimmune disease in my late teens. After a few years of ups and downs (and some definite rebellion against wanting to take care of my health), I realized how much better I felt when I focused on my diet, exercise, and keeping my stress down. I don't think I'd appreciate how much a healthy lifestyle has changed my days if I didn't spend so many years sick and in pain. It's still an everyday journey, but I am so grateful to truly love taking care of myself now.
I eat 100% gluten free and try to limit my dairy for the most part. I also don't eat any beef, more for environmental than physical reasons.
I work in the financial services industry as a life insurance advisor. It's a career that is very rare for women to enter (and the average age is 58), so I'm definitely an outlier in my field. It can make it very tough to be taken seriously as a young woman, but I truly enjoy the complex planning and problem solving involved in my career.
Almond flour!
Gluten free lemon poppyseed cake.
Plan it in as part of your days! Make it as important as your workouts and your meetings. I also have loved making cooking/baking dates with my fiance or friends as a thoughtful way to spend time together. It ends up being more affordable than eating out, and such a lovely way to spend time together.
Can I cheat and say both? Oats in the winter, smoothie in the summer.
I'm expanding beyond just food and sharing more workouts, lifestyle, and behind the scenes of planning my wedding.
I love to move my body! Whether it's time spent outdoors on a hike or beach walk, or getting my sweat on in hot yoga or spin class, staying active is such a pivotal piece to my mental and physical health. I also love to paint and draw and spend time with my loved ones.
Thanksgivingthere's something so special about multiple days spent piled together in the kitchen working on an epic meal. Plus, it doesn't have all the stress of Christmas shopping.
Take your baked goods out 1-2 minutes sooner than you think. They'll keep baking out of the oven. It took me years to realize that this little trick is the key to keeping your brownies a bit gooey, and your cookies nice and chewy.
Passionate, outspoken, goofy.
Rice.
Siete tortillas, Coconut Cult, AWG Bakery, Beanfields Chips, Vital Farms.