About Healthier Steps
Hi, I’m Michelle, I’m a registered nurse, professional food blogger, the voice, and photographer behind Healthier Steps. I’m a wife, mom of two. I share vegan and gluten-free recipes because of past health issues. My goal is to help you make healthier choices and show you how healthy eating is easy and delicious.
My recipes are made with natural ingredients, they are all vegan and mostly gluten-free, free of refined sugars.
You can connect with me via email at hello@healthiersteps.com, Youtube, Facebook, Twitter.
Growing up in Jamaica, her mother was an exceptionally great cook. She not only prepared delicious Jamaican dishes but dishes from around the world, she was known in the community for her delicious dishes.
Michelle credits her mom for influencing her to be the cook she is today. As a child, she helped her mom to prepare various meals from scratch without using recipes.
Michelle has since converted many of her childhood favorite recipes to be plant-based and gluten-free.
I remember having roast turkey for Christmas dinner, which was very rare in Jamaica, but my dad worked for Shell company and would take home imported foods as gifts for the holiday.
Sadly my mom passed away when I was 19 years old. Over 20 years later on a visit to Jamaica, I visited my uncle who told me that my mother was a private chef before I was born.
I was amazed. yet happy about the way my mom’s talent had impacted me!
I believe that the early experience of my mom serving eating cuisines started my love for cooking. I pride myself on preparing dishes that are quick and easy to prepare but full of flavors. I don’t like bland foods!
My cooking experiences come from my travels to Europe and the Caribbean.
I was also blessed to live at a missionary college in Virginia for 10 1/2 years entertaining students from all over the world.
I would enjoy researching dishes from their countries and ‘veganizing’ them. The students would be blown away my results, and on numerous occasions, I was told how better my dish tasted than the original.
I’m a registered nurse and a certified Holistic Health Counselor, trained at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. This training has equipped me to do cooking classes, health coaching, talks on health, and catering!
I’m also the author of Healthier Steps: 125 Gluten-Free Vegan Recipes. I also co-authored Comfort Soups and Stews: Indulgent Vegan And Gluten-Free Recipes with my daughter Devannah.
My hubby Devon is my best taste tester! I am a home-school mom of 2 beautiful children, my daughter Devannah is 22, and Daevyd my son is 11.
I dedicated my life to encouraging others to eat healthier after my near-death experience following the delivery of my son.
You will find recipes that are vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and free of refined sugars.
My work has been featured by, Smile Jamaica TV, MSN, Well And Good, Self, Delish, Taste Of Home, Parade Magazine, TasteSpotting, Food Gawker, Huffington Post, Women’s Health Mag, Today Show, BuzzFeed, Jamaican Eats Magazine, One Green Planet, Epicurious, Veg News, PETA, The Beet.
Michelle Blackwood
RN/Health Coach/Recipe Creator/Natural Skincare Formulator
Post by Michelle Grubb Blackwood.