
Head OUT WEST with me and discover all the best food and lifestyle of the western portion of the United States. From coastal seafood to valleys providing local farm raised meat, vegetables and cheeses. The west coast provides a bounty of fresh food and I’m excited to share it with you.
Our Purpose
I’m Tamara. I started this food blog to share my recipes with you because after living in a neighborhood for several years I found most families weren’t making dinner at home. Yep, when dinner was ready, most of the neighborhood kids would be at my table.
Since I’ve had kids (about 18 years ago) I’ve always cooked a home meal, I mean , yes, we do dine out from time to time, but mostly I cook real food at home. And since my tastes are a little fancy, I create restaurant quality recipes you can make at home. All it takes is a little planning.

Our Style of Cooking
At OUT WEST: Food & Lifestyle, I explore what Pacific Northwest cuisine and lifestyle is all about. Being a coastal area, seafood is always on the table, we love our Dungeness crab. Foraging is a way of life with our vast forests and soups get us through the rainy season. Yes, a lot of rain, but that’s what makes it so lush here in Washington State. Did I mention we love our coffee? We do, I mean we ARE the home of Starbucks! And bourbon keeps us warm at night; we have a growing amount of distilleries popping up.
Outside of the Blog
I may be bias but I truly believe it’s one of the best places to raise a family. Surrounded by mountains, outlined by beaches ,where local farms thrive and homegrown is a way of life. If I’m not cooking, you can find me out on the trail with my kids and dog, remodeling a room in our old farmhouse (take a peek at the progress: DIY Farmhouse Remodel page) or digging in the dirt growing my own veggies..

A Little History
I haven’t always loved cooking! Before I had kids I was mostly a vegetarian. (I say mostly because I ate seafood, I mean we are in the Pacific Northwest!) Actually I didn’t eat much at all because I was an aspiring fashion model and stick thin just isn’t in my genes! It was a serious struggle to stay a size 4 at 5′ 10″ tall. I’ve got Swedish logger blood in me, you know.
It was when I had just given birth to my child that I craved a cheeseburger. And that was that. I never went back. That was the beginning of my love of food and cooking and it’s a good thing because I had a family to raise.
Want to work with Me?
- Recipe Creation
- Food Photography
- Food & Product Marketing
- Private Cooking Classes
I am located 60 miles north of Seattle, WA. If you would like to work with me, send us an email or give me a call.
outwestfoodandlifestyle@gmail.com