Healthy Kitchen Tips, Tricks & More w/ @WellnessForLifeBlog !

You all know by now that I love to feature women in the health and wellness space that I admire, and Taylor from @WellnessforLifeBlog is no exception to that rule! I drool DAILY at her creative healthy recipes and vibe with her down to earth energy. She’s got brains, beauty and class – truly the whole package!

In this interview Taylor and I chat her inspiration for @WellnessforLifeBlog , how she got into cooking, her top tips for cooking/baking, her favorite recipes and so much more! Enjoy! x

Chatting with @WellnessforLifeBlog !

Alysia: Hi, hi, hi! It’s so funny that we’ve never actually met IRL, because I feel like I know you so well! For those who may not be aware, can you introduce yourself and give a background behind what everyone can find @WellnessForLifeBlog ?

Taylor: I’m Taylor, the founder of @wellnessforlifeblog and thewellnessforlifeblog.com. I was born and raised in long island, New York, and now I live in Manhattan with my Fiancé. I am a practicing lawyer by day and a wellness blogger and recipe developer by night. Yes, I am a very busy woman and that is just how I like it! On Wellness for Life, you can find original recipes by me (mostly low-carb and plant-centric), skincare and beauty tips, little sprinkles of fitness and a peak into my journey towards a life of true wellbeing.

Alysia: I know that there is a story behind every blog! What does ‘wellness for life’ in @WellnessforLifeBlog mean to you?

Taylor: True wellness is a combination of environmental, physical, mental, spiritual and emotional wellbeing. The goal of ‘wellness for life’ is to promote and adopt practices that are sustainable and contribute to a long, healthful life.

Alysia: You’re an absolute cooking and baking QUEEN! I seriously drool every time you post a new recipe. Can you share where your love for cooking/baking came from and how you got your start?

Taylor: My passion for cooking and baking is deeply rooted in my history in the arts. I have been an artist for my entire life. From when I was 2 years old through college, I have been in intense art programs, working with instructors and devoting all of my free time to the arts (my background is in painting, sculpting and drawing).

For me, cooking and baking has always been an art form and way of expressing my creativity. The process of developing a recipe and creating a tangible product, which is then enjoyed by my loved ones, and eventually by my followers, is one of my greatest joys in life.

Alysia: That being said, are there some beginner @WellnessForLifeBlog kitchen/cooking tips and tricks you would recommend to someone that is just getting started?

Taylor: When it comes to cooking, don’t stress! Most recipes are very flexible, so if you don’t have one ingredient in a recipe available, get creative and swap it for something else. You can google alternatives to certain items in a recipe to help you along.

A kitchen trick that I swear by is using parchment paper to line my baking dishes before use (I also grease the parchment with non-stick spray). Parchment makes it so all of your baked good will pop out of the dish with ease and minimizes clean up. You can also use parchment paper for savory recipes! My favorite is salmon baked in parchment paper. I season the salmon and wrap it up in parchment paper, folding the edges under to create a little bag. Then, I bake it in the parchment paper for the most juicy and flavorful salmon!

Alysia: And how about some of your baking tips? Can you let us know your process for creating new recipes?

Taylor: Baking is a science, so be precise in your measurements. How you measure your ingredients can make or break the end product. For example, there is a right and a wrong way to measure flour. To properly measure flour, you must use a spoon or scoop to drop flour into the measuring cup (do not use the measuring cup to scoop up the flour directly from the bag, this will result in a densely packed cup with too much flour). Then, you use a separate spatula or knife to scrape the excess off of the top of the measuring cup. See below for a graphic from kingarthurbaking.com

When I develop a recipe, I start by brain storming what is missing in the market. What would I want to eat or serve to my loved ones? Then, I get to work by testing out different baking ratios to nail the recipe Here is a link with more information on baking ratios. I test the recipe, making minor tweaks until the recipe is perfect.

Importantly, once the recipe is perfect, I always test it at least 2 more times without any changes to make sure the recipe is consistent each time.

Alysia: I know the importance of having a kitchen stocked with some staples. Can you give everyone your top 3 baking and top 3 cooking staples that every gal should have on hand?

Taylor: My top 3 cooking staples are avocado oil, Jennifer Fisher Spicy Salt and an Ozeri Stone Earth Frying Pan. I love cooking with avocado oil because it has a high heat point, so it does not burn quickly.

The Jennifer Fisher Spicy Salt is a staple in my kitchen. It is a seasoned salt with a variety of spices already added in and I basically put it on everything. It sells out pretty quickly so grab it when you can.

The Ozeri Stone Earth Frying Pan is literally the best non-stick frying pan I have ever used. Everything slides off of it like butter and it is free of all of the toxins and chemicals in typical non-stick coated pans

My top 3 baking staples are almond flour, peanut butter and monk fruit sweetener. Most of my baking is low-carb, so I love baking with almond flour instead of regular flour and monk fruit sweetener (a natural zero calorie sweetener) instead of sugar.

Alysia: Say if someone loved baking or cooking ‘traditionally’ – what tips would you recommend for ‘healthifying’ the recipes they’re used to making?

Taylor: If you love to cook, then you are already at an advantage. The hardest part is finding the drive to get in the kitchen, so go you! Now that you are in the kitchen, you can easily make some simple tweaks to make a huge difference. Here are some simple swaps to ‘healthify’ any meal:

1. SWAP Traditional white burger bun WITH a romaine lettuce wrap or sprouted whole grain bun
2. SWAP Traditional white bread WITH sprouted whole grain bread. Shop my favorite here.
3. SWAP Canola or vegetable oil WITH avocado oil.
4. SWAP Store bought salad dressing WITH a mix of oil oil, lemon juice or vinegar, and salt/pepper.
5. SWAP Pasta WITH spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles. Shop my favorite Spiralizer here.
6. SWAP Pre-packaged jam or Jelly WITH mashed raspberries. Here is my recipe for homemade, Superfood Jam.

Alysia: You’re FULL of amazing recipes. What is your favorite savory and your favorite sweet @WellnessforLifeBlog recipe that everyone has to check out?

My favorite sweet recipe at the moment is my NEW Vegan Banana Bread Cookies. These cookies have been on repeat in my house and people are going bananas over them (no pun intended ;)). You can find the recipe here.

My favorite savory recipe at the moment is my Lazy Eggplant Bake. It really is so easy to make and pleases even the pickiest of eaters. You can find the recipe here.

Alysia: We’ve focused a lot on the kitchen aspect of ‘wellness for life’ – but give us some more insight on the other aspects/principles that guide you in your wellness journey. Are there practices you commit to each day to feel your best?

Taylor: Wellness begins within. The mental component is critical to overall wellness. One of the most important principles that I live by is that how we speak to and about ourselves matters, a lot! I experienced a major shift in my confidence and overall happiness when I began to implement this principle in my daily life. I no longer speak bad about myself or use self-deprecating language.

Instead, I have a different dialogue with myself that focuses on self-love and acceptance. I am gentle and forgiving with myself because I view my health as a LONG TERM journey. I have my entire life ahead of me, so one moment in time, one slip up, is like a drop of water in the great big ocean of life.

Wrapping Up!

IDK about you, but I’m going to make a batch of those banana bread cookies, ASAP! Taylor is a WIZARD when it comes to baking! And of course, here’s where to follow and find my gal Taylor..

• The Wellness for Life Blog
• Wellness for Life Blog Instagram
• Email: thewellnessforlifeblog@gmail.com

Hope you enjoyed loves! And a big thank you to Taylor for spilling all of her secrets!! 

xoxo

Alysia (Purely) Pope

PS: If you enjoyed this interview, check out this one with Nicole from @LashesandLemons, you’ll love it!