Dinner doesn't have to be perfect - it just has to be real.
Hi, I'm Andi - a home cook, recipe developer, and food blogger based in Alberta, Canada.
I started AndiAnne at 39 and built it into a thriving business in my 40s. At 42, my husband and I bought our first home - proof that dreams can bloom at any age and in any season of life.
I'm a mom of one, a lifelong thrifter, and an accidental entrepreneur who believes in small, steady progress and giving yourself grace through the messy parts.
I started AndiAnne.com because I was tired of dinner feeling like another chore. I wanted to make real food for my family, but I didn't have the time, energy, or confidence to do it perfectly.
So I set out to make dinner doable again - simple, real, and meaningful, even on the nights when cereal totally counts as dinner.
Today, I share approachable recipes and realistic systems for women who are exhausted but still want to feed their families well. You'll find 30-minute dinners, one-pan meals, comfort food classics, and real-food basics - all tested in my own kitchen to help you feel confident in yours.
My Journey
I didn't grow up knowing how to cook. For most of my adult life, dinner came from a box, the freezer, or a drive-thru bag. I thought I'd always be the "bad cook" - the one who burns things and dreads the question, "What's for dinner?"
That changed after my daughter was born. I wanted something better - for her, and for me. I wanted to feed my family real food and actually enjoy it.
I enrolled at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) in New York, studying online at night while my baby slept. That's where I learned how powerful simple, unprocessed food can be - and how much calmer dinner feels when you stop chasing perfection.
When I started cooking from scratch, our evenings completely changed. The stress melted, the food tasted better, and I finally felt proud of what I was serving. That's when I realized: dinner doesn't have to be complicated to matter.
What I Believe
- Real food, most of the time. I cook from scratch about 80% of the time - the rest I call "grace meals," which we all need.
- Shortcuts are smart. Store-bought sauce? Rotisserie chicken? That's real life.
- Perfection isn't required. Dinner doesn't have to look fancy to be meaningful - sliced carrots beside roasted chicken count.
- Home cooking is powerful. One homemade meal can change the tone of an entire day.
These beliefs guide every recipe I share. My goal isn't to make you a chef - it's to remind you that you already have what it takes to make dinner feel doable again.
My Story: From Handmade Bags to Healthy Meals
Before starting this blog, I ran a handmade bag business called Hoakon Helga, where I created unique purses from vintage leather jackets. Over six years, I sold bags globally and was featured in the Calgary Herald and Avenue Calgary for my work.
That experience taught me how to build a brand from scratch, connect with people, and embrace creativity - a foundation that still fuels everything I do at AndiAnne.com.
I also hold a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) from the Alberta University of the Arts, where I honed my skills in visual design and storytelling - both of which now help me create approachable, step-by-step recipes for home cooks.
After becoming a mom, I stepped away from that business to focus on family. I struggled to make healthy, affordable meals with limited time and energy, which led me to enroll at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. That experience changed how I approach food and taught me how powerful real ingredients can be.
In 2020, I launched AndiAnne.com to share the recipes and tips that helped me - and now help women everywhere - make dinner feel doable again.
My Kitchen Personality
- My kitchen is filled with thrifted finds, secondhand dishes, and vintage cookbooks.
- I'm severely allergic to nuts, so I use sunbutter instead of peanut butter in many of my recipes.
- I'm picky about ingredients but lazy about how I cook - think crockpot meals, one-pan dinners, and anything that saves dishes. Because dinner should feel easy, not stressful.
Fun Facts About Me:
- I'm a homebody who loves cozy family nights with my husband, daughter, and our Bernedoodle, Panda.
- I love thrifting - most of my kitchen gear is secondhand.
- I can't handle spicy food but keep trying anyway.
- I'm an introvert who loves deep chats but avoids small talk at school drop-off like it's a full-time job.
- Our house runs on vinyl records - Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, and 1960s Cher are always playing.
Thanks for Being Here
I created this space for women like you - tired, busy, and doing your best.
If you've ever looked at the clock, realized it's already 5:00 p.m., and wondered what to make - you're not alone.
So if dinner has ever felt like just another thing on your list, take a deep breath - you're in the right place.
Let's bring back calm, comfort, and connection to dinner - one real, imperfect meal at a time.
Warmly, Andi
Professional Snapshot
- Founder & Recipe Developer at AndiAnne
- 500,000+ monthly readers and 55,000+ email subscribers worldwide
- Graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN), New York
- Member of Raptive (formerly AdThrive) network
- 10+ years of creative entrepreneurship & brand storytelling
- Featured in Calgary Herald and Avenue Calgary for previous business, Hoakon Helga
- Based in Alberta, Canada
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Questions or just want to say hi? Feel free to get in touch here or reach out anytime: hello [at] andianne.com