This story originally appeared on The Local Moms Network.
Julia Dzafic of Lemon Stripes started blogging 15 years ago about lifestyle, fashion, and food. Since then, she’s conquered social media (with over 120k followers on Instagram alone) and motherhood (her son Luca will be 3 in April and her daughter Amalia will be 7 in July). Her latest project? A new book, Garden Grown: Garden-to-Table Recipes to Make the Most of Your Bounty. “Garden Grown is part gardening guide and part cookbook. If you’re an avid gardener, built a pandemic garden, or just buy a lot of veggies at the farmer’s market, I will show you how to use that produce and turn it into an amazing meal,” shares Julia. She adds: “My husband Anel (our family gardener) shares his gardening tips and tricks along the way as well.” Pre-order the book here, and read on below for more from Julia about Garden Grown!
Congrats on the new book! Can you share a bit more about what separates it from other cookbooks out there?
Each section is divided up by vegetable so if you have a huge tomato harvest, for example, you can flip to the tomato section for inspiration on what to cook with them. All 108 recipes are veggie-forward, most are family-friendly, and none of them are fussy or too fancy. I wanted to create a collection of recipes that even beginner cooks could use.
Love that you focus on veggies. Are your kids enthusiastic veggie eaters? What are your best tips for encouraging picky eaters to try new things?
My son eats anything and everything but my daughter is an incredibly picky eater. It has been amazing to watch her try new veggies after planting them, watering them, and then harvesting them. Being a part of the process of growing food makes it fun for her. She will now down handfuls of snap peas, carrots, and cherry tomatoes from our garden which is not something I ever thought was possible.
Even if you don’t have a garden, what I’ve learned is that the more you involve your kids in shopping for, cooking, and planning meals, the more likely they are to try new things.
You’ve been blogging via Lemon Stripes and working as a social media influencer for a long time – how has the landscape of blogging/social media changed since you started?
When I started my blog in 2010, Instagram didn’t even exist so I could go on about this forever! Things change on a monthly basis which can be frustrating and hard to keep up with as an “elder millennial” but I try to stay consistent posting on my blog and sending out newsletters because those are the only platforms that I truly own. Well, and now my book!
It’s nice that I can now say I’m a content creator when meeting someone new and they know what I’m talking about. For the first 10 years of doing this, I got a lot of blank stares. It’s also nice to see bloggers and social media influencers branching out and creating brands, products, shops, and writing books. People are taking us more seriously now, and I’m grateful to everyone who has ever taken a bet on me.
What’s your go-to weekly recipe or two for spring?
This green goddess couscous is a spring go-to for our family. Everyone eats it and loves it. It is great on its own with a fried egg or as a side with whatever protein you love. Another year-round staple in my home is this white chicken chili. This crowd-pleaser is addictive, hearty, fresh, and flavorful. And it works in every season!
You’ve shared your sober-ish journey on your Lemon Stripes platform. What surprised you during this time?
No one cares if you drink or not. And if they do, then maybe they need to re-examine their own relationship with alcohol!
What’s next for you and Lemon Stripes?
I honestly have no idea. One of my biggest goals in life was to write a book and now that I’ve checked that off my list, I need to set a new one. Any ideas – ha!
