About

About Eating Richly:

Eating Richly is the lovechild of a frugal foodie (that’s me Diana Johnson!), and a wonderful web implementer (my handsome hubby Eric Johnson). In our first year of marriage we made only $13,000. With just $100 budgeted each month for food, we still managed to eat foods rich in nutrition and flavor without feeling limited by finances. Eating Richly first started in 2008 as a way to keep track of the great recipes I made up, while spending very little money.

Now that we are parents, and business owners, we still care a great deal about eating foods rich in nutrition and flavor, but we also care about creating quality family moments. That means cooking together, eating together, having fun magical moments in day to day life, and saving time whenever possible so we can build more memories.

Our passion is encouraging busy working parents, and equipping them to find the wonder in daily life, because parenting is Wonder-FULL.

The majority of the recipes on Eating Richly are fast and simple to make, with easy to find ingredients. We also feature a lot of super cute kid snacks and meals gathered from my years of nannying, teaching kids’ cooking classes, and creating treats for our own children.

Our family lives in Auburn, WA with our son Corban, our daughter Larkin, our son Arden, our German Shepherd Phurba, and Siamese mix Haldir. You can contact us here. Not sure where to start? Start Here.

About Diana Johnson:

My passion for cooking started at age 2, when I would put random items in the oven to see what came out edible. Broiled Tupperware was NOT edible. Fortunately, my mother saw this as promising, and encouraged me to help in daily meal preparations as well as creating menus for a variety of parties.

But at age 20, after losing my job do to 9/11, I had just $1-2 a day for food and began the fast food diet, eating off of the dollar menu. After a year of unhealthy eating I began to discover the art of cooking with very little money, and started taking my $7-10 a week to the grocery store. You can learn more about my journey in the post “How I Learned To Cook With No Money“.

In June of 2010, I started the Healthy Cooking on a Tight Budget program to teach low income families how to eat healthy on very little money. The program ran seasonally at the Auburn Valley YMCA for several years, in addition to offering classes at various non-profits and community groups in the Seattle area.

I have been very active in our community, connecting with several organizations and groups on missions such as getting urban farm animals allowed in city limits, moving healthy food into convenience stores, and connecting small farm owners to local businesses. I am also an advocate with Feeding America, the largest hunger relief organization in America, and a member of the South King County Food Access Working Group.

I am a professional recipe developer, food photographer, freelance writer and cooking instructor. I LOVE to talk about making healthy food fun and accessible, and have spoken at several conferences including BlogHer Food 2010, 2012, and 2014, Blog Her 2011 and Food Blog University. My goal when speaking is to inspire and encourage others to find their passions, and to realize that healthy food can be fun, easy, and accessible to everyone.

About Eric Johnson:

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Eric Johnson is a web-implementer and videographer. He has created several websites and is the computer genius behind the webpage for Eating Richly. If there’s anything technical, you can bet that Eric is the one making it happen.

Eric has filmed several weddings and other special events, as well as creating promotional videos for various clients and groups. He is also the former Media Director at Grace Community Church, until October 2016 when he stepped down to start working at Eating Richly full time.

Eric is also very active in our community, mentoring college, high school, and middle school boys. He also happens to be a great sous chef both at home and during cooking classes.

About Eric and Diana:

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If you’d like to read our epic love story, sure to have you laughing through tears of wonder and amazement, check out Diana’s “Love Story” series.

About the kids:

Corban was born in January of 2013 and has loved food from his first taste of mama’s milk to his very first taste of solids, a nice soft banana. He amazed everyone by his willingness to eat anything and everything in mass quantities, and then he turned two. He is now the official recipe tester for all recipes listed as being good for P-I-C-K-Y eaters. At age 6 Corban was diagnosed with autism (Asperger syndrome) He is also a wonderful big brother who adores his siblings.

Larkin was born in January of 2015 and was rushed to the hospital her second day for a rare blood disorder. After a rough week, she was given the all clear to head home and thankfully has no further complications. She loves snuggles with her brother, chasing the dog, and eating massive amounts of cheese.

Arden was born November 2018 and loves being the baby of the family. A few months later Arden caught RSV, a respiratory virus that can be quite dangerous for infants.

This led to his first of many admissions at Seattle Children’s Hospital, and the discovery of multiple mystery health concerns. Arden had 15 hospital admissions by the time he was 18 months old, and dozens of Emergency Room visits on top of those.

Arden recently got a feeding tube in his stomach called a g-tube, which he gets that majority of his nutrition through. But he is also in feeding therapy and able to eat with family and drink thickened liquids.

He is a strong, happy, resilient toddler who is determined to keep up with his big brother and sister.

About the Recipes:

Each and every original recipe has been created in the Johnson kitchen and tested multiple times before posting on Eating Richly. Many of the recipes have been tested by friends and family who give honest feedback to help make sure only the best dishes make it onto the website. If recipes are adapted from or inspired by another source, credit is given.

The cost per serving is what it cost us to make the recipe, and not a guarantee! We do always include tips on how we were able to make the recipe so affordable.

We have a lot of friends and family who are gluten sensitive or vegetarian and take both of those dietary lifestyles very seriously. The gluten free category may contain gluten in the recipe with an option for making it gluten free. Please read the recipe carefully, adaptations are mentioned in the end. If you would like to separate recipes that are gluten free from those that are gluten free adaptable, those distinctions are set up through tags.

The vegetarian category does contain recipes with animal byproducts such as dairy and eggs. It also contains some recipes with meat and an option to make the recipe vegetarian. Again, the tags can help you separate vegetarian and vegan recipes from those that are vegetarian adaptable.

About Comments:

We love getting comments from you! I see food blogging as a community and so love hearing your thoughts and ideas. Constructive criticism is welcome, but mean or rude comments and swearing are not okay, they will be deleted. This is a family friendly blog and I want it to be a safe environment for everyone. Anonymous comments are not accepted. We’re welcoming you into our life, so please don’t say anything you wouldn’t be willing to say in person.

About the Photography:

Any posts from October 25, 2010 and later are taken on a 5D MarkII with a 50mm 1.4 lens. Photos before that date were taken with an amazing point and shoot, the Canon sx110is. All photos have been taken by Diana or Eric unless otherwise credited. You can also check out some of Diana’s photography posts to learn some of the tips she has for photography.

About Reviews:

Eating Richly is not about reviews, but we do have certain brands we love, gadgets we’ve tried, or places we’ve eaten at and really enjoyed. We share these with you just like we would with any of our friends. If we ever receive something for free, that will be disclosed. We carefully evaluate any sponsored content and will never post something unless we really love it. Any payment for sponsored content is used to buy ingredients (allowing us to test recipes several times before posting them), and to pay for equipment and other costs associated with EatingRichly.

The recipes, photos, videos, and posts are all copyrighted. We welcome links to Eating Richly, but if you would like to use one of our photos or a recipe, please use the contact form to ask permission.

47 thoughts on “About”

  1. Diana,

    I am so impressed, what a wonderful way to communicate and love people. I am excited to keep up with you guys. You are a gal after my own heart and I wish I had known your love for cooking. We are more kindred spirits then I even knew!

  3. Diana!!! Hello fellow petersen produce customer:) Your site is amazing! You are so very talented and I am impressed with your skill to pinch pennies. I am trying several of your recipes and will pass on your site info. Thanks!

  4. I am so happy I found your site! For most of my life, I’ve never had any issues with food. But then a few weeks ago, I was told that I could no longer have gluten. Within a few days of going ‘gluten free,’ however, I suddenly started reacting allergically to all sorts of other foods. And then more, and then more…

    At this point, I can have no dairy, practically no fruits, a few vegetables, a few meats, quinoa and amaranth, and a few spices. But that’s it. Trying to find something simple to make has been awful. Every time there are far too many ingredients that use pre-made sauces or spreads. But I can do something with the simpler foods used as ingredients on your site! Yeaaa! I haven’t found a recipe yet that I can actually eat ‘as is’ – due to these allergies – but at least they have given me a starting place, where I can think of substitutions and other foods that might work.

    Considering I was about ready to cry this morning over not knowing what the heck I could make, I can’t even express how much this means to me. Thank you so much!

  6. This is soo awesome I am now having to try to cook on a food stamp budget for me and my kids. I love the pictures. But your story is a fairy tale! Cant wait to come back to Washington and see you and Eric. I love the eggs and potatos recipe! My favorite!

  7. Wow! I’ve never been so happy to stumble on a blog about food before. I’m not only touched by your honesty and your goal to share your thoughts/ideas/recipes about healthy cooking on a budget, but I’m Filipino-Canadian and I’ve sometimes been snickered at for my love of tocino/Spam/egg/garlic rice for breakfast (that I now serve to my own family on weekends 🙂 but your site is someplace I feel where my food-cravings may fit in. I’m eager to try out your recipes and read more about your inspiration! Thanks so much!

  8. From one Diana food and life blogger to another, I love your blog, your nickname, and your story. Keep up the great work inspiring others to eat well, live well, and love well. I stumbled into your blog but will happily come back!

  9. Love your story. I’m from Hawaii — we’re one big ohana. Hoping you’ll share some of you ono kine grindz!

  10. Diana! It’s your fellow bridesmaid, Clanci. I had to look up your website, because I’ve come to the long and hard realization that I do not cook : ) my roommates are minigourmets in your footsteps while I chow on cereal and yogurt dinners. I will have to try some of your recipes. I’ve met you twice and you are an inspiration to me already. keep doing what you’re doing!!!! you had a gift from God

  11. I really like your blog, and I agree we are one big healthy food family! My dad’s family is military too and he grew up in Hawaii and then moved to WA, where I was born. I like that you have a mix of cultures in your food. Very fun! Will be reading regularly! Ps-I made your Beet Roseti and my boyfriend LOVES it! (if you want you can read my post on it, I tried to give you all the credit) thanks!

  12. Wow, what a FAB website, I have got soooo much inspiration from you pictures and recipes. What type of camera do you use, the photos are mind blowing.

    Warm fuzzies,
    *Kathie*

  13. wow… i love your blogsite and all bout foods….so amazing coz all i want in life is travel and indulge in gastronomical pleasures and adventures…see the world and taste its diverse foods and flavors…yyuuummm

  14. We love you more and more with each passing day. Everything you do on your blog and most importantly, for everyone around you is wonderful. You make the world a better place.
    BTW- you and Eric make such an adorable couple!!

  17. Hi, Diana. I, too, came across your blog on Foodgawker. I work at the high school near Schofield so I am familiar with students and their highschoo/military experience. Love your concept of cooking on a budget! I am definitely bookmarking your blog!

  19. Hi, Diana! I’m a new reader, and I just wanted to say that your about me page is awesome! I just checked out some recipes before and cannot wait to try them out. =]
    xoxo,
    Juju

    • Thanks Juju! I’m just getting caught up on comments after a rough few weeks and yours is so encouraging. I look forward to hearing more from you!

  20. Hey Diana,

    I stumbled upon your site today looking for something I could do with the beets and carrots I got from the farm this week. I usually don’t follow blogs, but your “about me” page made me smile and I’ll probably be back for more. As a college kid, I can relate to having a hard time choosing between food and rent. My family supports me when they can, but for the most part, I’m on my own. Thanks for the delicious recipes!

    • Thanks so much Al, and you’re welcome! I know it’s a tough place to be but hang in there. Let me know if you ever need any help with figuring out your food budget and what to eat!

  21. Diana,

    Found your blog looking for a recipe for salsa verde…I do 95% of the cooking in our home because my wife is a nurse and hates to do it when she gets home. I recently retired from the Army and do pretty good at winging it myself but am always looking for good recipes and look forward to reading more from you.

    Take care and thanks for sharing!

  25. Wow, that is almost exactly my story! We dad was a Warrant Officer and we moved to Oahu at the beginning of 7th grade. We moved to WA when I was 16. How funny! I look forward to looking at more info on your site. Thanks for posting the great recipes!

  26. I stumbled onto your site looking for an apple butter recipe. Yours is amazing! Like you I am a transplant to Washington. You have an incredible story! Keep up the awesome work- we need more people educated on healthy low cost menus for families! Smiles to you from Whidbey Island!

  27. Diana, it was so much fun reading your bio and I look forward to following your blog. BTW, I’m originally from Washington State and would love to be able to move “back home.”

  28. I am a fellow Army Brat and spent 6 years on Oahu… Good ol’ Schofield Barracks?! I, as well, love the food and culture in Hawaii and would love to move back! I am really excited to try some of your other recipes in the near future! Thank you!

  30. Thank you for sharing your life and wisdom. I’m about to be a single mom and living off of a much smaller income. Nutrition and cooking well for my two boys will always be a priority. I feel so lucky to have found this site for inspiration!

    • Thank YOU Kay! Sorry to hear about the difficulties you’re facing but so encouraged to “meet” you and to hear about your nutrition priorities for your kids. You’re definitely not alone and I look forward to hearing more from you in the future.

  31. Was searching google for a recipe for Salsa Verde and found your blog. Will be back often! Enjoy your commentary with each recipe. Wish your blog had been around when I was a single Mom of 2 and not eating so my kids would be full. They’re both grown with families of their own so it all worked out. Thanks again, really enjoy your writing!

    • Thank you so much! Sorry it took me so long to reply, I was adjusting to mommyhood. Babies take a lot of time and energy! Hope you’ve found more recipes to enjoy and look forward to hearing more from you.

  32. Hey there Diana and Eric,
    I just discovered your awesome blog while searching for plum recipes. Fell in love with the video instruction and loved how calming “feel good” & inspiring it was! You seem like wonderful people! Going to make me some chinese plum sauce now 🙂 Anyway, also wanted to thank you and let you know I have your blog on my Bookmarks bar 🙂 -Hazel

    • Thank you so much Hazel! We certainly don’t have it all together, but we do love living life and sharing it with others. Thanks for your comment and we look forward to hearing more from you in the future.

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