A dad. A day job. A work in progress.

Food, fitness
& real life.

I'm James. A working dad sharing my weight-loss journey, the meals I make, and what I'm learning along the way.

From my kitchen A little about me

No perfect routine required.

James standing indoors in black shorts in the after photo. — **James** / Dad With The Dagger

James standing indoors in black shorts in the before photo. — **James** / Dad With The Dagger

Personal experience.Food worth making.Room for real life.

01 / About

The dad behind the handle.

I'm working on my health while doing the same things a lot of us are: raising a family, working, and figuring out what to make for dinner.

I share my weight-loss journey because I want it to be useful to someone else. The food, the workouts, the things I'm learning—it all has to fit into an actual life.

This is a place for my recipes and honest notes along the way. I'm sharing my experience, not prescribing a plan for yours.

More of the day-to-day on Instagram

02 / In the kitchen

Everyday food.
Something to look forward to.

Meals from my kitchen, plus some recipe ideas to try. The collection below is developed but not yet kitchen-tested.

James pouring his chunky chipotle cheese sauce from the cooking pot.

The signature sauce

Sauce / One pot

Chipotle cheese sauce

Chipotle, jalapeño and a cheesy base. The sauce from my Instagram reel.

See the sauce

A home-cooked plate of seasoned sliced chicken and potatoes from James's kitchen.

Meal prep / 5 portions

Chicken & potatoes

A straightforward meal-prep base, with portions from my kitchen notes.

Read the recipe

Cheesy jalapeño ranch sauce beside a burrito toasting in a skillet.

Meal prep / 6 burritos

Cheesy jalapeño ranch chicken burritos

Chipotle chicken, a creamy jalapeño ranch sauce, and a quick skillet toast.

Read the recipe

Chicken pieces cooking in a wire grilling basket over a smoky outdoor grill.

Collection / 4 servings

BBQ jalapeño chicken

A creamy BBQ skillet with onion and jalapeño.

Read the recipe

A bowl of white pepper sauce with chicken pieces and dark pepper specks.

Collection / 4 servings

Cajun cream chicken

Bell pepper, onion and Cajun-inspired seasoning in a creamy sauce.

Read the recipe

Green salsa being prepared in a stone mortar beside whole green tomatoes.

Collection / 4 servings

Creamy salsa verde chicken

Green salsa, mild chiles and lime in a creamy chicken skillet.

Read the recipe

Pepperoni pizza with tomatoes, olives and basil leaves.

Collection / 4 servings

Creamy pizza chicken

Chicken with marinara, mozzarella and turkey pepperoni.

Read the recipe

Breaded chicken tenders beside a small white cup of dipping sauce.

Collection / 4 servings

Crispy chicken with creamy dill pickle sauce

Oven-baked panko strips with a separate dill-pickle dip.

Read the recipe

Chopped onion on a cutting board while James prepares his one-pot sauce.

From my kitchen, not a studio.

03 / The signature sauce

A little extra
reason to enjoy
your meal prep.

My one-pot chipotle cheese sauce brings together a creamy base, smoky chipotle and jalapeño. A simple way to give an everyday meal a bit more flavor.

I've put the original ingredient list and reel in one place, so they're easier to find.

Get the sauce details

A recipe to share. Nothing to order.

04 / Affiliate partner

My HTLT link.

If you're already looking at HTLT, here's my affiliate link and discount code. It's one way to support what I share here.

I'm an HTLT affiliate. I earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through my link or code.

I use Turk Builder Max. Browse it alongside the other products below.

Use my code for15% off

DADDAGGER

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Product links

A closer look at HTLT.

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