About Me

Hi, I’m Amanda, the author-baker-cook-photographer behind Thinly Sliced Cucumber. I am a self-professed lover of cooking, eating, and making messes in the kitchen. I currently live and travel full-time in a 25′ Airstream with my husband, recipe tester, and expert on all things technical Tim, along with our chocolate lab-occasional recipe tester and floor cleaner- Phineas.

In October of 2011 I started this blog as a way to share some of my favorite recipes and food experiences with others who love food as much as I do. I have no formal culinary training, nor have I won any awards, contests or recipe bake-offs. In fact, I have never even worked in a restaurant. I do, however, have a passion for all things food. Growing up my mom taught me to make simple, homemade meals using fresh ingredients and basic techniques. I still follow this same food philosophy today. You won’t find recipes here that feature ingredients with fancy, hard to pronounce names or complicated cooking methods. Simple food that tastes good is always my goal. I try to post a balance of healthy meals, comfort foods, and decadent desserts.

A few interesting bits to know about my cooking and eating style:

I prescribe to no set food rules. I am not a vegetarian, a vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free or anything else free. That said, in general I like to eat healthy. I use a lot of whole wheat flour, healthy sugar substitutes and low fat options. I also try to pack as much nutrition as possible in all the meals I make by using more vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds and less processed and pre-made foods. This does not mean that every recipe I post here is a nutritional powerhouse. I really love baking desserts and I often give my cookies, cupcakes and sweet breads a healthy make over. However, sometimes nothing beats a cookie made with white flour and processed sugar!
I like to sneak healthy ingredients into unsuspecting meals. I put ground flax meal in my baked goods, spinach in my meatloaf and zucchini in my turkey burgers.
I don’t like red meat so I don’t eat it. Therefore, you will not find any recipes here with red meat in them. I apologize in advance to all the steak lovers out there.
I am more salty than sweet (possibly in more ways than one). I love pickles, salty potato chips, and anything with balsamic vinegar. Lucky for all of you, my husband has a serious sweet tooth so there will never be a lack of sweet recipes posted here.
When I do make desserts I like them fruity. I have nothing against chocolate, but I would choose apple pie over chocolate ice cream any day.