Hey there, and welcome to Oliveandfennel.com! I'm Candie, your food-loving, whole-foods enthusiast. The recipes you’ll find here are inspired by the people and places I love most.

My culinary journey started back in college. I vividly remember the moment I realized I could make delicious food myself. A classmate invited me over for dinner and made shrimp scampi. It was amazing. When I raved about it repeatedly, he joked, “You know they don't keep this knowledge a secret. They have cookbooks.” That was it for me. If it was possible to make meals that taste amazing and are delicious, then why would you do it any other way? I was hooked.

With no social media at the time, I taught myself to cook using magazines. I eventually met other foodies and we learned from each other.

Over time, I realized that real food tastes better & that highly processed food has a very heavy impact on your health. My approach to food is all about balance: real food, mostly plants, not too much, and when I have dessert, I make it myself. I believe that eating whole foods can change our world, one meal at a time.

My culinary journey has led me to focus on creating meals that are easy to prepare and packed with flavor. From hosting family-style dinners with friends and neighbors to gardening and learning to grow my own vegetables, I aim to make every meal a cherished occasion.

My hope is to inspire a love for food in others and to show that cooking from scratch can be a game-changer. Join me on this foodie adventure at Oliveandfennel.com, and let's make every meal an experience to remember!