Blog

Pumpkin Bundt Cake

  • Posted on: 10 November 2020
  • By: jessica
Category: 
Y'all this recipe is so much fun and sooooo delicious! I loved writing this piece for All Recipes and hope you'll give a read. " Nothing quite symbolizes autumn like a big, bright pumpkin. At this time of year, you'd be hard-pressed to enter any store that doesn't have pumpkin decor — and we use them ourselves to decorate everything from front porches to dinner party tablescapes. So why not make a pumpkin cake that looks..." KEEP READING

Green Bean Casserole

  • Posted on: 8 November 2020
  • By: jessica
Category: 
Green bean casserole was something I took for granted every thanksgiving both of my grandmothers had this staple on the family table. In recent years, I’ve seen it replaced with fresh green beans topped with bacon and slivered almonds, green beans with potato & ham, green beans topped with cheese, or- and this might shock you- some folks leave it off their holiday menu entirely! The audacity! Well, I’m a big fan of the traditional, old fashioned version. And since the 2020 COVID-19 is pandemic, a lot more of us are depending on pantry staples to keep us fed in between less frequent trips...

Pumpkin smoothie bowl

  • Posted on: 6 November 2020
  • By: jessica
Category: 
Fall is in full swing and I couldn't be happier. The joy that comes with the cooler weather, warm auntum hues, and comforting recipes is like nothing else! Fall is my favorite. This is the simplest smoothie bowl, but the texture and flavor is so good. Plus you can switch it up by adding in some extras or topping it with different spices. Wanna give a quick shoutout to food freedom. I love being able to enjoy a smoothie without feeling obligated to have tons of veggies in it. Veggies in smoothies can be great- but I'm giving you persmission today to have an all fruit smoothie ANYTIME you want...

Chai Apple Pie

  • Posted on: 29 October 2020
  • By: jessica
Category: 
I'm so proud of my latest recipe for All Recipes! Y'all, honestly there's nothing like the amazing combination of traditional chai spices and apple. If you're looking for a recipe that tastes like all the joys of the season, look no further. Chai Apple Pie

5 things you don't know about me

  • Posted on: 29 October 2020
  • By: jessica
Category: 
I love learning fun facts about folks in my community, so today I thought I'd share five things you may not know about me. 1. I used to be a personal trainer Yup- you read that right. I used to be a personal trainer. I have 3 fitness certifications. If you've followed me for a while, you know I've had a complicated journey with diet culture and the fitness world. Today, I'm starting to understand that physical activity can be part of a mentally healthy lifestyle. Instead of using exercise to change or punish my body, I'm learning to enjoy movements that bring me joy. 2. I love singing 1940s...

I quit diet culture

  • Posted on: 11 August 2020
  • By: jessica
Category: 
I quit diet culture. Ok, let's go back a little bit. I thought I had quit diet culture years ago. I thought I was practicing intuitive eating. But, wellness culture had simply become a not-so-different replacement. Ok, wait, wait, wait. Let's go allll the way back! I've suffered with migraines and anxiety for my entire life. I remember being a small child and visiting doctor after doctor trying to get my headaches to go away. Tried medication after medication- but, nothing cured my headaches. So, when I stumbled upon a "mockumentary" (that I thought was a real documentary) that claimed eating...

Southern corn casserole....it ain't corn pudding!

  • Posted on: 13 December 2019
  • By: jessica
Category: 
I'm thrilled to have my dear friend Mandy of Off the Beaten Shelf , guest post for me today! Her wit and southern accent are impossible to miss in this piece as she shares a southern family recipe that I can attest to being absolutely delicious! Enjoy! You should’ve seen the look on my mother’s face when I told her I was running off to Ohio to marry a boy from the Midwest. Or rather, since we’re from the South, she knew him better as “a damn Yankee.” For months after I moved from Birmingham, Alabama, to Columbus, Ohio, my mother would pepper me with questions about my new home. “Are you...

Grandmama's Southern Cornbread Dressing

  • Posted on: 20 November 2019
  • By: jessica
Category: 
Y'all asked for it, so here it is! This recipe is so near and dear to my heart. I remember traveling to the Delta in Mississippi for Thanksgiving and being greeted with so many hugs while the house was flooded with the smell of sage and turkey in the oven. Every rich, moist bite of this southern cornbread dressing takes me back to those precious moments. This year is the first year without my grandfather. I loved to call him every year when it was time to make the dressing for Thanksgiving and Christmas. "I'm making Grandmama's dressing!" I would tell him with immense pride. "oh, you are now...

Vegetarian Ramen

  • Posted on: 2 October 2019
  • By: jessica
Category: 
The recipe you've all been waiting for!!! Nah, but a few of you asked for it, so here it is! A friend told me a while back about how magical the combination of smoked paprika, miso, and smoked salt is when it comes to replacing the meat flavor in vegetarian recipes. So since ramen is traditionally made with smoked pork belly, I spent a lot of time figuring out how to replicate that flavor while still keeping this recipe plant-based. I think it turned out pretty darn good! My absolute favorite topping for this is Magic City Ferments kimchee. Its bright, crunchy, with just the right level of...

Osburn Acres Spring Wine Dinner

  • Posted on: 11 April 2019
  • By: jessica
Category: 
On any given night in downtown Birmingham, you can find folks gathering over food and drink. Restaurants are bustling, neighbors are grilling out and catching up over a beer, and if you're lucky you might find yourself invited to dine with some of the city's most talented chefs. In this city food is what's brining people together. Birmingham is home to some of the country's most talented chefs including Chris Hastings, Frank Stitt, Ben Vaughn, & the fella I want to tell you all about- Garrett Osburn. Chef Garrett's love of food started with at a young age. Growing up his family was in the...

I did it!

  • Posted on: 30 November 2018
  • By: jessica
Category: 
I did it! This is the final day of the #bloglikecrazy challenge and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t relieved. I’m really proud of all the beautiful content I created this month, but I have an announcement- I’m taking December off and enjoying my friends and family during the holidays. But, you know I’ll share a few pics over on Instagram , so be sure to follow along! I hope you’re able to rest and enjoy a peaceful December. Thanks for following along for this fun November challenge!

I’m proud of my heritage

  • Posted on: 29 November 2018
  • By: jessica
Category: 
I come from a long line of courageous women. Strong-willed, independent, and bold. These qualities run deep in my blood. As I begin to take steps toward dreaming bigger than I ever have, it is the knowledge of those who came before me that propels me forward. Working with my hands in the kitchen takes me back to being a young girl, watching Grandmama bake. Tiny moments can empower us, if west them.

Wellness coach's guide to: food photography props

  • Posted on: 28 November 2018
  • By: jessica
Category: 
The internet is saturated with advice on the subject of food photography. Want to learn how to take a picture of cereal using elmer's glue? There's a youtube video for that. Want to learn how to snap of photo with all the ingredients of a hamburger flying through the air like on a commercial? There's a video for that. But, my guess is that if you've landed on the Spiffy Eats page, that's not your goal. If your goals are more along the lines of taking a stunning photo of that green smoothie recipe you just created or that vegan quinoa burger you can't wait to share with your readers, then you'...

My workspace

  • Posted on: 27 November 2018
  • By: jessica
Category: 
Four years ago if someone asked me to share a photo of my workspace I would have been horrified. I had no desk, no camera equipment, no food photography props, no planner! Scary, right? But, when I look back on those times, they hold some of the best memories. Those were the days that I was simiply using my iPhone camera to snap photos of the healthy recipes I was creating. I'd snuggle up in my bed to write blog posts and share my unedited photos. It was pure, it was honest, and it was the beginning of this beautiful life I'm living now. I'm so grateful that as my business has grown I've had...

Spiffy’s Christmas wish list

  • Posted on: 25 November 2018
  • By: jessica
Category: 
While I believe Christmas is so much more than the materialistic things, I think it’s ok to dream of exciting things to add to my home and business. I also want to acknowledge my privilege as someone who has the means to have all of my basic essentials and even occasionally splurge. I know everyone doesn’t have that privilege. We donate and volunteer with organizations that help meet the needs of families in our area, and that will be in a future holiday post. Now, on the Spiffy wish list! KitchenAid Food Processor C’mon, you guys knew you’d see something from KitchenAid on this list. And...

After Thanksgiving Refreshing Slaw

  • Posted on: 24 November 2018
  • By: jessica
Category: 
I hope you had an incredibly cozy, loving, and joyful Thanksgiving holiday! I sure did. Tony's family sure knows how to cook and I ate sooo much. While I have ZERO shame or regret about what or how much delicious food I enjoyed, I could tell that today my body was craving some crips, raw veggies and I knew this slaw recipe created by Emilie Maynor would totally hit the spot! This slaw is packed with cruncy, nutritious veggies including one of my favorites- parsley. Parsey has lots of health benefits: it's packed with vitamin K, vitamin C, and Vitamin A rich in anti-oxidant nutrients promotes...

Luteal Phase Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

  • Posted on: 23 November 2018
  • By: jessica
Category: 
I've been learning so much about my hormones this year and I'm truly amazed at how much food effects them. The book Woman Code by Alissa Vitta has been an amazing resource. It taught me that incorporating certain foods during different phases of my cycle helps balance my hormones! And it's so simple to add in these foods. For example, during the Luteal Phase (the week and a half before your period) our bodies experience a surge of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. And the symptoms of PMS occur when our estrogen is too high compared to our progesterone. Foods that help the liver detox...

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