Gimme Some Oven

About Ali

Ali Martin from Gimme Some Oven

Hey! I’m Ali, and I am so happy that you found your way here to Gimme Some Oven.

I created this little corner of the internet to celebrate life around the table and the good food that bring us all together. Here in our house, we gravitate towards recipes that are quick, easy, seasonal, (mostly) healthy, and big on flavor. So whether that’s whipping up a quick stir-fry or batch of cozy wild rice soup in the wintertime, blending up some refreshing gazpacho with sangria in the summertime, making our millionth batch of tacos and margs on Tuesdays, or baking up a warm batch of cinnamon rolls and eggs benny for sunny weekend brunches — my heart is never more happy than when my table is filled with good food and good people gathered ’round.

If that sounds like your style too, you’ve got a kindred spirit right here. ♡

A bit about me.

When I began this blog back in 2009, I was working as a full-time musician by day and cooking up a storm by night. Now, I have the privilege of doing all of the recipe-developing and writing for this site as my full-time job. And more than a decade into blogging, I can honestly say that I still absolutely love it. Seeing the recipes that I create here in my tiny kitchen show up on your tables around the world makes my heart deeply so happy, and I work hard to be sure that this site continues to be a trustworthy resource for you to turn to.

Beyond the blog, I’m a born-and-raised Kansas girl who’s currently living the expat life for awhile in Barcelona, Spain. We try to make the most of those crazy-cheap RyanAir tickets and travel on the weekends around Europe as much as possible. But when we’re home, you can find us soaking up sunny terraces with friends, taking the pups for long walks along the shore, enjoying endless tapas and glasses of vermut, and just enjoying our cozy little apartment here in the city center.

To follow more along with life and reflections behind-the scenes, feel free to follow my personal Instagram account. And for anyone interested, I also share there about our infertility and IVF journey too.

A bit about my food philosophy.

So what kinds of recipes will you see here on Gimme Some Oven?

Short answer: a little bit of everything.

The food that I share on the blog is the food that we eat here in our home. And as an omnivore married to a vegetarian, the majority of the meals in our house are now plant-based. (So some of you long-time readers may notice that meat dishes have become less common on here.)  One of the things I also love about living in Barcelona is that the markets here are strictly seasonal — as in, you couldn’t find fresh watermelon or tomatillos here in December if you tried — which has been great extra motivation to cook with seasonal produce as much as possible.

The majority of our meals during the weekdays fall in the 30-minutes-or-less category. But I also love cozying up with a hot cup of coffee or a glass of wine on the weekends and diving into recipes that require a bit more time, like our favorite Swedish cinnamon buns or Spanish paellas or DIY maki rolls for “Sushi Sundays.” You may notice that we also have a major weakness for Mexican food, noodles of all kinds, soups and various kinds of cookies around here. And while most of my recipes are on the healthier side, I definitely also enjoy indulging in some indulgent sweets and comfort foods on occasion.

So as always, please always feel free to take whatever recipes you love on here and leave the rest. And if you ever have specific recipe requests, don’t hesitate to let me know because I love to cook what you’re craving!

Thank you.

More than anything, I just want to say thank you so much for being here, and I hope that this site can play some small part in making your days a little brighter and tastier. Cheers, everyone. ♡

Love,
Ali

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659 comments on “About Ali”

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  1. I have followed you for years (2+) and LOVE all of your recipes. You have replaced All Recipes for me and are my go-to place in the grocery store for anything. I don’t know how I missed it but I yelped in the grocery store today (very busy for T-day) when I read you were from Kansas City!!! Just a note to say I love your site and I wish you all goodness. Have a great Thanksgiving!

  2. Ali,
    I’d read your life story when I first found one of your recipes and subscribed to your blog instantly, but just re-read it when you introduced your beautiful son! He’s absolutely perfect! I’m so very happy for you and your husband! Not only is this new chapter of your life so much fun, this is a time where your 30 minute meals will come in mighty handy! Plus, your next challenge that you’ll conquer is making those 30 minute meals one handed cuz your other arm will be holding Milo! Congratulations to your family and enjoy every moment! They grow up so fast, so don’t blink! I blinked and my 2 daughters are 45 and 41! Where did the time go? God bless all of you!

  3. My name is Ali as well and I LOVE all of your recipes. I make so many, I had to create a binder.

  4. We made this roasted tomato soup and used a dulce paprika from Spain. We’ve been to, and dearly love, Barcelona. As soon as my 21 yr old son tasted the soup he said “this has to be a Spanish recipe. I’m sure I could be served this soup there.” I looked and your bio and we were all excited to learn you are living in our favorite city! We plan to return next year to see the completed Segrada Familia and kayak in the Mediterranean near Roses! Thank you for the recipe!

  5. Ali…I just wanted to say it’s been a year or so since I “found you” and I LOVE “Gimmie Some Oven!”
    You’re my go to every day and every recipe search I’m ever looking for. THANK YOU for all you do! Love everything you do and can’t wait to try my next “Ali adventure!”
    Much Love
    Heather Pendragon