Meet Delaney!
Hi there! My name is Delaney, and I am the owner, recipe developer, photographer, and everything else of Joyful Balance. It is my goal to promote a joyfully balanced plant based lifestyle through delicious vegan recipes. I'm so glad you're here!
My Background
I grew up outside of Austin, Texas, in a home that was relatively health-conscious (and mostly vegetarian). However, my love of everything health and wellness related REALLY kicked into high gear during my college years.
After high school I pursued a degree at the University of Montana. Early in my college career I stumbled upon the UM Triathlon Club and fell in love with fitness. I started training like crazy, taking group fit classes at the university recreation center, and surrounding myself with other students who were passionate about health and fitness.
Eventually my love of fitness developed into a love of everything wellness related. I was interested in all aspects of health - such as fitness, nutrition, and even mental health. I ended up studying Community Health and Prevention Sciences so that I could learn as much about these things as possible, and even completed a certificate in Health Behavior Coaching through my University. Throughout my college years I found other health passions as well - I became a certified group fitness instructor and personal trainer, continued competing in triathlons (and eventually half marathons as well), and de-stressed by experimenting with new vegetarian recipes in the kitchen as much as possible.
Shortly after college I ended up back in Austin after marrying my high school sweetheart. I continued adding to my wellness-related passions by becoming a licensed massage therapist and working towards other fitness-related certifications. I eventually found my way to a plant-based lifestyle and loved it so much that I studied all I could about it and got a certificate in Plant Based Nutrition.
I started Joyful Balance in 2019 as a way to share my health and wellness passions with others. Although I love many aspects of health and wellness, these days I focus most on sharing delicious plant based recipes! I now have over 5 years experience developing my own vegan recipes, and it has been a dream come true to be able to share them with you.
My Food Philosophy
When it comes to "healthy eating", I truly don't believe that there is a one-size-fits-all answer. I believe that everyone needs to find what their own personal version of "healthy" is, and that physical health is only one aspect of that. Of course it is important to take care of our bodies, but it's also important to take care of our souls and do what makes us happy. I believe that you don't have to be perfect to find health. You just have to find balance (joyful balance, if you will).
As far as my personal eating habits, I consider myself plant based. I eat the majority of my meals at home, and all of my home meals are free of animal products and relatively low in highly-processed ingredients (such as oil or refined sugar). However, I also love a good takeout meal. When I eat out I typically stay vegan if at all possible, but if a little bit of dairy or egg sneaks its way into my meal I don't sweat it. Everything is about balance, and I know that an occasional "splurge" meal won't doom all of my goals! However, this is just how I personally eat. Like I said above, everyone needs to find what works for them.
The recipes on this site reflect how I cook - since I'm the one making the recipes! They all focus on whole plant foods, but there is also a balance between lighter veggie-packed meals and heavier comfort meals.
I of course advocate for eating more plants, but I recognize that this looks different for everyone. Maybe you're 100% vegan. Maybe you're vegetarian. Maybe you eat animal products but want to incorporate more plants onto your plate too. Maybe you are intrigued by the plant based lifestyle and want to try a few plant based meals a week. Wherever you are, you are welcome here.
You don't need to live a lifestyle identical to mine to enjoy the recipes I provide. To enjoy my recipes, all you need is to be willing to eat some plants! And maybe be willing to dance around to some fun music in your kitchen while you cook them.
When I’m Not in the Kitchen…
I spend a lot of time in the kitchen these days (that tends to happen when you become a food blogger!), but I am a woman of many passions! When I'm not cooking you can often find me cozied up with a good book (often about vampires or zombies), practicing yoga or teaching dance classes, spoiling my cats rotten, getting messy in my craft room, watching a Disney movie, listening to Taylor Swift, or playing a board game with my husband.
