Hi there,

Thanks for visiting Umami Girl. I'm Carolyn Cope, and since 2008 I've been blogging here about a lifestyle based on whole foods, mostly plants. Over the years Umami Girl has grown from a resource for the members of a Community Supported Farm I helped organize into a large and vibrant community of smart, free-thinking people. We really dig improving people's lives by making nourishing food irresistible and providing food for thought -- but we are so not fans of preachiness or that creepy self-help vibe. (You know the one I mean.)

Like the rest of the thinking world, this space is always evolving. The blog is the beating heart at the center of things, and in the next little while I'll be rolling out some new content as well -- a free Getting Started Guide for folks who'd like a friend to walk them through the transition to a whole foods lifestyle, and a just-for-fun podcast series called First-World Rants, because big talk about small problems makes people weirdly happy.

Lots of nice people have said lots of nice things about Umami Girl, and I am very thankful for them all. Click here if you'd like to read more about it.

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All the best,
Carolyn

Melon Salad with Mint and Basil Vinaigrette

Picture courtesy of foodnetwork.com.

Here’s a link to one of my favorite ways to use mint – a watermelon and cantaloupe salad with mint and basil vinaigrette by Giada deLaurentiis, published on the Food Network. It gets raves at summer picnics, and kids seem to like it. Plus, I’ll take any excuse to use a melon baller and then talk about it in polite company – and I know I’m not alone here.