Hello and welcome to The Travel Palate! I’m Nikole – the writer, photographer, and recipe tester behind The Travel Palate.
What you'll find on The Travel Palate
- Easy-to-make recipes that don't sacrifice flavor for convenience.
- Globally inspired recipes that are made with easy to find fresh and pantry ingredients.
- Weeknight recipes that can be made in 30 minutes or less.
- Desserts that are perfect for family celebrations.
- Travel tips and restaurant recommendations (on hold for now due to the pandemic).
Recipes are made from easy to find ingredients. I do most of my shopping from Target, Walmart, and Tom Thumb (which is also Albertson's and Safeway). I always include substitution suggestions too, just in case!
I also include step by step instructions to help you succeed in making the recipe. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and I believe that to be true when it comes to process shots.
A Little Bit About Me
I'm a wife and the proud mama of three amazing kids! Being the "head chef" of our family of five for the last 20 plus years has given me lots of experience in the kitchen. Whether I'm making dinner on the fly or cooking for large holiday and family gatherings, I always have ample opportunities to test out new recipes to share with you.
Every recipe you see on the blog has been photographed, tested...and tested, and eaten by yours truly and my family. Since I am a self-taught home cook my recipes need to be easy to make, reliable, and most of all delicious!
Inspiration
My love for food and culture started when I was very young. My mom, who was born and raised in Japan, exposed me to the delicious and addicting umami flavors with dishes like miso soup, curry rice, and gyoza. Many nights we ate a mix of vegetables with small amounts of protein - in other words I was eating stir-fry before I knew it was called stir-fry!
But my dad was from the midwest, so my mom learned to make his favorites like meat loaf, pot roast, and spaghetti with meat sauce and soon these dishes became staples at our house.
Another huge influence on my cooking style was my exposure to Tex Mex and Mexican cuisine thanks to my Texas roots (I grew up in El Paso on the frontera or border) and my current location in central Texas where beef and southern style cooking reigns.
Being bi-racial and growing up in a culturally diverse part of the US has certainly inspired a love for unique flavors and a curiosity of global cuisine.
When I started The Travel Palate in early 2018, I was excited about exploring my curiosity through travel, and I wanted to share that with you. Due to the pandemic, that idea is on hold. However, as things open up we are looking forward to traveling again.
Photography
One of the most enjoyable things about blogging has been learning food (and travel) photography. In fact, my interest in photography is what led me to start taking pictures of our dinners! I realized quite quickly that I could combine my love of cooking and food photography to create The Travel Palate.
Features
I was excited to be featured in Parade Magazine for my Instant Pot Brisket recipe! You can find the article here: Best Instant Pot Party Food Recipes.
The Venue Report for their article 24 Reasons Charleston is a Perfect Bachelorette Party Destination.
My Homemade Granola Recipe was featured in Men's Journal for their article Easy Five Ingredient Breakfast Ideas to Make on Busy Mornings.
I have also had my recipes and photography featured in these fine publications:
The Travel Palate Content Protection and Copyright
This website and its contents are the copyright of The Travel Palate - © 2018-2021.
The Travel Palate doesn't allow its original photography, recipes, or writing to be reproduced without written permission. Please don't copy and paste my recipes or travel content to your blog, website, social media platform, or print publication.
If you're inspired by something you see on my site, simply contact me at nikole@thetravelpalate.com. In most cases, I'd be happy to share one photo!
For sharing on social media platforms such as Facebook and Pinterest, please use the social media sharing buttons provided above each post.
This information was updated on 1-1-2021.
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Want to be internet bff's?
Then let's connect. E-mail me at nikole@thetravelpalate.com.