About

Photo by Rachel Leiner
Hi! I'm Andrea!
Welcome to the Barre & Brunch website! Here is where you can find the recipes and workouts I’ve created, as well as blog posts on wellness and my life. In my opinion, brunch is the most creative, fun, and artistic meal - there’s so many options, both sweet and savory! My favorite workouts are dance, barre, and yoga, but I always enjoy trying new workouts and challenging myself.
I am from a small town called Stillwater, Minnesota and graduated in May, 2019 from Boston University, where I studied Chemistry and minored in French, Biology, and Dance. I am currently in my fourth year of medical school in downtown Chicago. I am enjoying medical school and exploring health and fitness in a new city. I even took a culinary medicine class my first year to learn about nutrition and healthy eating in a medical context! In this class, I learned so much about the health benefits, and have also educated myself about the significant environmental impact, of a plant-based diet, so now I try to eat mostly plant-based.
I’ve been a ballet dancer my whole life, which is what drew me to barre workouts. I started Barre & Brunch the summer before my junior year at Boston University, after about six months of being the student ambassador at a local barre studio that helped me discover my passion for fitness. One day, I was thinking about fun social media posts for this role, and also about how I would be moving into my first apartment soon as a resident assistant and would have to cook all my own meals. I didn’t want to eat the same thing every day, and wanted to make food that would be healthy but fun. I decided to combine these two interests into a food and fitness Instagram! Since starting, I now have become a certified barre instructor and have learned how to create my own healthy recipes!
I've learned I feel more energized and happier when I eat healthy, nutritious food! However, I do think it's important to treat yourself and indulge every so often, and also love to bake. I love to make desserts that are made with healthier, simple ingredients (often with some veggies included - I promise you won't taste it) for balance!
I love trying new recipes or workouts and sharing them with those who share my passion for food and fitness. I also want to be inclusive of those with food allergies or restrictions, because many of my loved ones struggle with these conditions, so I try to include options and substitutions in my recipes. Advocating for greater accessibility and inclusivity of health and wellness is another important topic, which I discuss often on my Instagram page and posts. I’m not (yet) an expert on health, fitness, or nutrition, but I am just here to share my experience and what I’ve learned with others in the hopes that it will help and inspire them. I want to show people that a healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to be difficult, boring, or pricey!
I hope that I can inspire you to find and follow your passions and strive to be the healthiest, happiest version of yourself.
*Note: the views and opinions expressed on my blog are my own and not representative of my medical training institution. I am not licensed to provide medical advice, and this blog does not constitute medical advice.