Hey hey! I am SO stoked to introduce you guys to one of my favorite healthy bloggers — The Healthy Maven (aka Davida, or Davs for short!) She is not only a true healthy living inspiration, but she is a BRILLIANT recipe developer! Her recipes are all to die for, healthy, and she makes them herself!! It’s crazy, truly.
So, of course I had to pick her brain about how the heck we can try to be recipe developers too and how she manages to stay healthy while experimenting with delicious food everyday! You can also see a special gust post from me on The Healthy Maven today!
Introduce yourself & The Healthy Maven!
Hello TSOH readers! My name is Davida and I blog over at The Healthy Maven. I’m honored to be guest posting on TSOH today. My blog centers on healthy recipes, workouts and how I’m striving to lead a balanced and active lifestyle. Occasionally I share the random thoughts that pass through my head and my unfortunate addiction to Keeping up with the Kardashians.
What does “being healthy” mean to you?
My definition of “being healthy” has changed quite bit over the last few years. I started down on this path eating 100 calorie packs and guzzling diet co*kes. These days you wouldn’t catch me eating or drinking either of these. I preach whole, real foods. I strive to get in my veggies and protein and certainly don’t skimp on the carbs, albeit gluten-free! I also whole-heartedly believe that wine is a necessary part of my diet* and buttercream frosting can cure all of my woes. The balance lies somewhere in between and each day I strive to find this equilibrium.
*I second that wine belief! -Lees
Your recipes are absolutely amazing. Where do you start when developing a new rec?
Thank you Lisa!!! I read A LOT of food blogs. My brain is constantly being saturated by images of food and recipes that ideas often just pop into my head (kind of crazy!). When I decide to start cooking/baking I then turn to my own recipes and see if I can adapt any. If it’s a totally new idea then it’s often just pure luck. When it comes to baking I have been doing it for years and took an intensive baking course this past fall so those usually turn out, but I can’t say I’m always so lucky when it comes to cooking. I’m aware this is the exact opposite of most people 
What’s the best advice you can give to someone trying to create a new recipe?
Practice, practice, practice. I seriously can’t stress this enough. Start by practicing with other people’s recipes and slowly start making your own changes. Try combining two recipes you like and see what happens and then adapt that one again. Before you know it you will have built your own arsenal of recipes.
Accept that many recipes will fail at first (so try not to make them when you’re having company!), but eventually you’ll get the hang of things. This chart is super helpful for me when it comes to spices.
Ahh that chart is SO helpful! Printing one out for my kitchen now! What’s your go-to healthy eats?
I live for bananas, greek yogurt and nut butter. Especially in combination!
What’s your can’t-live-without kitchen tool?
My silpat. I use for everything from cookies to roasting veggies.
Can’t live-without ingredient?
Again, bananas. They’re the perfect snack and my favorite sweetener for baked goods.
Best kept natural beauty secret?
Can’t say I have any real secrets other than eat your fats! Healthy fats that is. I’d eat all the avocados and nut butter in the world for silky hair and strong nails. Okay, I’d probably still eat them anyway
Share one of your favorite original recipes. (eee I can’t wait to make it already!)
I have a huge sweet tooth and am constantly snacking so I love recipes I can take with me on the go. I know we’re past the holiday season, but these Chocolate Gingerbread Granola Bars are still a staple in my kitchen.
Thanks so much for having me Lisa!
Davs is (clearly) such a doll, I’m so happy she shared some recipe secrets with us! Here’s where you can find more of her!
The Healthy Maven
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Pinterest
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Let’s be FRIENDS!
FAQs
Recipe development means creating new dishes for different uses, such as a restaurant menu, cookbook, or food product. Companies typically hire a professional recipe developer to create good food by: Coming up with ideas. Selecting and sourcing ingredients. Testing and adjusting the recipe.
How can a recipe be modified to enhance health benefits? ›
Adding more fibre, more fruit and vegetables
Swap some of the meat or chicken for cooked or canned legumes. Swap some of the meat or chicken for chopped or grated vegetables. Add more vegetables to pasta and rice dishes and extra to soups. Swap half of the refined white flour for wholemeal flour.
What are the benefits of trying a new recipe? ›
Benefits. Trying a new new recipe can make you more mindful about what you eat. When cooking for yourself, you're more aware of what goes into each dish – and, ultimately, into your body. Growing research has also explored the connection between cooking and confidence, self-esteem, creativity, and social connections.
How do food bloggers create recipes? ›
Many recipe developers find ideas:
- In cookbooks or magazines.
- Through recipes on other food blogs.
- From family recipes.
- At local restaurants or bakeries.
- While traveling.
- From new ingredients or seasonal produce at a farmers market.
- On Pinterest.
- While watching cooking shows.
In summary, a well–developed recipe should include key elements to help the user decide whether or not they want to attempt producing the recipe and if it fits their individual needs, including: recipe title, yield, serving size, nutrient analysis, preparation and cooking time.
What is the salary of a recipe developer? ›
Recipe Developer Salary
| Annual Salary | Monthly Pay |
|---|
| Top Earners | $131,500 | $10,958 |
| 75th Percentile | $124,000 | $10,333 |
| Average | $79,780 | $6,648 |
| 25th Percentile | $35,500 | $2,958 |
For example, if a recipe says to use 1 cup of sugar, use ⅔ cup. This change works best in canned and frozen fruits and in making puddings and custards. In cookies and cakes, try using ½ cup sugar per cup of flour. For quick breads and muffins, use 1 tablespoon sugar per cup of flour.
What are three reasons why recipes are modified? ›
Recipes can be altered to reduce or eliminate fat, salt, and unwanted calories in the form of sugar; alternatively, ingredients can be added to increase fiber, thereby making recipes healthier. When modifying a recipe, it is best to make one modification at a time.
What is an easy technique in modifying recipes for improved nutrition? ›
Here are some tips:
- Reduce Added Sugars: Use natural sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, or mashed bananas instead of refined sugars. ...
- Increase Fiber: Add ingredients high in fiber, such as whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes, to increase the nutritional value of the dish.
Recipe development is about creating a recipe from an idea or “from scratch.” The recipe may be wanted for a cookbook, a restaurant menu, a special event, or a product intended for sale. The goal might be to replicate a dish without having a recipe or to simply enjoy the pure pleasure of being creative with food.
A healthy diet is essential for good health and nutrition. It protects you against many chronic noncommunicable diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Eating a variety of foods and consuming less salt, sugars and saturated and industrially-produced trans-fats, are essential for healthy diet.
What makes a recipe good or bad? ›
It's all about balance and contrast, about how different flavors make each other taste better. Sweet, salty, tangy, sour, earthy, creamy, tart, crunchy, smooth, meaty... balanced flavors and textures make recipes work. Just look at the show Chopped and notice how the ingredients are actually pretty balanced.
Where do most people get their recipes? ›
There are many good sources out there, including cookbooks, magazines, and friends and family who are willing to share their secrets. One thing is sure: if you want to be a successful food blogger, you need to have a reliable source of recipes you can use as inspiration to create your own dishes.
How much do recipe bloggers make? ›
Food Blogger Salary
| Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|
| Top Earners | $124,500 | $60 |
| 75th Percentile | $50,000 | $24 |
| Average | $62,275 | $30 |
| 25th Percentile | $40,000 | $19 |
Food bloggers' income varies depending on audience size, partnerships, and how many revenue streams they use. The average annual income for food bloggers ranges broadly, from $35,000 to $125,500 per year, according to the latest data. But that's just an average.
What are the three phases of the recipe Standardisation process? ›
The recipe standardization process can be summarized in three phases: recipe verification, product evaluation, and quantity adjustment.
What is SAP recipe development? ›
Recipe Development is an integrated end-to-end solution that enables companies to improve their new product development processes from early stages, manage existing products, and keep care of product renovations.
How do chefs develop recipes? ›
At a high level, recipe development requires two distinct processes:
- Exploration: The process wherein a chef explores varying techniques, food genres, ingredients, and influences. ...
- Exploitation: The process wherein a chef hones the particular techniques, ingredients, and flavor profiles that define a final dish.
A recipe defines a series of parameters assigned to internal HMI registers (non-volatile memory locations) that are downloaded to corresponding PLC registers for a predefined control process.
What’s your go-to healthy eats?