AUTHOR PAGE — Alejandra Graf

A woman with blonde hair and a white blouse sits in a kitchen, smiling and holding a glass of green juice. Fresh vegetables, including tomatoes and spinach, are on the counter beside her. The kitchen has brown cabinets and a white stove in the background.

About Alejandra Graf

Alejandra Graf is the creative mind behind the award-winning blogs AleCooks and Piloncillo&Vainilla.
She’s a bilingual cookbook author, food photographer, and trusted voice in modern Mexican and plant-forward cooking.
Her work has been featured in The New York Times, VegNews, Simple Recipes, and The Kitchn. Her recipes have inspired thousands of home cooks to eat better and cook with confidence.

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Experience & Expertise

Born and raised in Mexico City, Alejandra now lives in Houston, Texas, where she combines her love of Mexican food with her passion for easy, healthy cooking.
She launched Piloncillo&Vainilla in 2013 to share family-friendly, plant-based recipes in Spanish and expanded to an English-speaking audience with AleCooks in 2015.

Her recipes have been featured in:
The New York Times, VegNews, The Kitchn, HuffPost Latino Voices, PureWow, HipLatina, Veganuary, PetaLatino, and more.

In 2024, VegNews named her one of the Top Latin Food Bloggers to Follow, and she appeared in Simple Recipes sharing her tips for tortilla chips and potato purée.

Two hands expertly use a molcajete, the traditional Mexican home cook’s tool, to grind roasted tomatoes, chilies, and garlic into a chunky, vibrant red salsa. In the lower left corner, a black plate holds crispy yellow corn tortilla chips.
A colorful kale salad with roasted sweet potatoes, chickpeas, and crumbled feta is drizzled with maple Dijon dressing and served on a decorative blue plate. A fork rests on the plate atop a blue napkin, while small bowls alongside hold pumpkin and sunflower seeds. A large bowl with more salad is partially visible.

Education & Awards

  • Recognized among Top 100 Responsible Health and Wellness Influencers (2020)
  • Author of Yo Cocino Latino (Penguin Random House, 2021)
  • Certified in plant-based cooking
  • Speaker at WeAllGrow Latina and AltSummit
  • Creator of Fotos&Comida, an online food photography course
  • Contributor to the Jacques Pépin Foundation 2022 catalog
  • Featured on Telemundo, Siempre Mujer, and Reforma
  • Named “Latinx to Watch” by Hispanic Executive (2019)

Beyond the Kitchen

Alejandra lives in Houston with her husband, three children — Santiago, Sofía, and Romina — and their Frenchie, Paco.
When she’s not developing recipes, she’s reading, running, or cooking dinner for her family — because for her, food is how we show love.

Connect with Alejandra

Follow along for recipes, tips, and inspiration:
Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | Facebook

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