my name is daniella, and i am a health coach who lost 115lbs naturally and have kept the weight off for 6 years. i was born and raised in los angeles, and i grew up in a first-generation mexican, persian and italian household where food was how my family celebrated, showed love, shared stories, and stayed connected to our culture. some of my favorite memories are centered around the meals we shared together, and those traditions shaped the way i view food today.

prior to starting my health journey, i noticed that health and wellness spaces often did not represent the cultures, flavors, and traditions that were a part of my everyday life. healthy eating was presented in a way that felt disconnected from the foods and communities i grew up with, which made me feel discouraged at first.

when it came to my own health journey, i wanted to create something different for myself, a healthy life where cultural foods could be celebrated while also supporting my goals. creating this cookbook is my way of sharing the recipes, flavors, and traditions that shaped me while showing that taking care of yourself does not mean leaving your culture behind.

at 15 years old, i started my weight-loss journey and by the age of 17, i lost 115 pounds naturally through diet and exercise. throughout that process, i realized that creating lasting habits was about finding meals i genuinely enjoyed and could see myself eating long-term. six years later, these recipes are still part of my life.

i lost the weight as a teenager, and shortly after i began balancing college, work, and being a caregiver. i knew that keeping the weight off meant that my healthy habits had to shift in order to fit into my everyday life. the meals i ate reflect that, which is why i believe so many supporters have resonated with my journey.

after years of sharing my journey on tiktok and connecting with people who wanted to know what i ate, i realized i wanted to create one place where these recipes could live.

this cookbook is a collection of the meals that supported my journey, honor my culture, and helped me build habits i could maintain. my hope is that these recipes remind you that taking care of yourself does not mean giving up the foods, traditions, and experiences that matter most.