About

My name is Carly, and I am married to a chef. The typical first response I get when I mention this is “you are so lucky, you probably never have to cook”. Only half of that statement is true, however – the lucky part. My husband is wonderful. He is my best friend, the love of my life, and I truly don’t know where I would be without him. BUT, I do have to cook, just about every night in fact. That’s the purpose of my blog, to show the world the amazing food that comes out of my kitchen 🙂

Before Joe:
Before I met my husband Joe, I really could only cook a handful of things. I was a very picky eater (and I still am to a point), and made pretty basic foods without much flare. I have always been able to bake like crazy, but cooking was a different story. In May 2006 I got a job serving at a local restaurant to help me get through graduate school. This is where I met Chef Joe, who later became boyfriend Joe, and now husband Joe. Joe got me to try tons of new foods. Before meeting him I would never have tried Greek, Lebanese, or Indian foods. Now, they are some of my favorites. He got me to love mushrooms, tomato sauce, and beans – three things I was convinced I would never like. In the mean time he really sparked my interest for cooking, and has taught me so much about technique and flavor. Now I am not afraid to experiment in the kitchen, and I cook great, healthy food everyday.

Maintaining Balance:

Clearly I love to eat. I don’t think I could survive without coffee, chocolate, and peanut butter. But my other passion  is exercise. I got my masters degree in Exercise Science in August 2007. I hit the gym about 6 days a week – cardio all 6 and weights for 4. In the summer I take my workouts outdoors as well. Recently I was able to get Joe to join the gym with me. It is so much fun to have him there with me.

Other Info:

• I live in Cleveland, Ohio.
• I am obsessed with my West Highland White Terriers – Sawyer and Molly!
• I used to be an 8th grade math teacher, but now I’m refiguring out my life – I’m working to get my personal training certification again.
• Family is the #1 most important thing in my life.
• I got my undergraduate degree at Miami University and my masters at Cleveland State University.
• I have a major sweet tooth, which I balance out with healthy eats and lots of exercise.

If you would like to contact me, it’s carly(at)imarriedachef(dot)com – You know how to type that 😉