This cookbook wasn’t part of some long-term master plan. It actually came from something simple and sweet, my daughter moving away to university.
Suddenly, I was getting texts and phone calls almost daily.
“Mom, how do I make your chicken tenders again?”
“What goes in your cauliflower salad?”
“How long do I bake the Miso Salmon for?”
At first, I’d laugh and walk her through the steps. But after the tenth and then twentieth time, I thought, Why not just write everything down? I figured it would be easier to put all our favorite recipes into one place, a book she could flip through whenever she needed, even when I wasn’t available.
“Keto Made Simple” That simple idea turned into something much deeper. I realized I wasn’t just writing recipes. I was preserving memories.
Every dish in this book has a story. A holiday. A thoughtful Sunday. A hectic weeknight dinner that still felt special. And while I originally started writing it for my daughter, I began thinking about future generations too. One day, when I’m no longer around, my recipes will still be here, alive, shared, loved, and passed on.
What many people don’t know is that I was going through a horrible divorce while I was creating this book. It was one of the hardest times of my life, and honestly, I needed a distraction. I needed something positive to pour my energy into. This cookbook became that for me.
It gave me purpose, offered a project to anticipate, and provided a grounding presence in my life.
There were so many moments in the kitchen where I’d test a recipe, mess it up, try again, finally get it right, and laugh (or cry) along the way. I even roped in friends and family for tastings. The photo shoots were another adventure, styling plates, chasing the right lighting, getting flour in my hair, and trying not to eat everything before snapping the picture.
But every step felt like love. Every recipe felt like a little piece of healing.
That’s why this book means so much to me. It’s not just about food, it’s about legacy, resilience, and heart. The Balanced Plate – Healthy Recipes with Keto Alternatives is a labor of love, in every sense of the word.
So when you open it, I hope you feel that. I hope you find recipes that nourish your body, bring joy to your table, and maybe even become part of your own family’s story too.
With love,
Monika
