Hey all! I'm Ali and i'm happy you're here.
I'm a Brooklyn based food blogger and Certified Health Coach through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. Cooking has always been a near and dear passion of mine that started when I was a little kid wanting to mimic everything my grandfather did in the kitchen (yes, he is an amazing chef). After college I landed myself in the food industry, working in restaurant operations, and started my food blog posting original recipes with, admittedly, mediocre photos. But hey - we all start somewhere, right?
Fast forward to now - while loving operations, I knew that it wasn't what I wanted and I chose to pursue my dreams of creating delicious food with a healthy mindset and inspiring others to be the healthiest they could be. I'm a firm believer that a lot of people falsely think eating healthy is expensive, when really all you need is the knowledge to cook at home to realize it is quite inexpensive and rewarding! Trust me, eating a delicious meal YOU made yourself is going to give you a high like no Chinese takeout or bodega bacon egg and cheese has ever given you before (though, both can very much be part of a *balanced* diet/lifestyle).
Health is about more than just the food we put in our bodies - it is about being satisfied with ourselves, the situations we find ourselves in, and those we surround ourselves with. All of these things directly affects how and what we eat and ultimately how and what we feel about ourselves. So does that mean only eating kale and brown rice for the rest of your life? No! While I love those foods I also know it just isn't realisitic to be constantly eating 100% "healthy" and it will only lead to negative feelings in relation to food and health - it is all about balance after all. Let me be clear: it is okay to love your avocado toast or chia pudding for breakfast most days and still be allowed to eat some pancakes drenched in maple syrup with a big pat of butter other days.
What I care about is that you find the confidence and the skillset within you to cook these things yourself. Again - balance is at work here. This doesn't mean never go to a restaurant or order take out again. What it means is that you will have full control over what goes in your food and therefore on your plate, as well as giving you mental stimulation, therefore being healthier overall. There is no better feeling than sitting down with yourself, your friends, your family, knowing that you made that meal in front of you with love and care. It's an amazing feeling. I want you to feel AMAZING. In fact you deserve to feel amazing. I'll repeat - you deserve to feel amazing. My mission is to help you realize that truth.
Feel free to peruse my recipes (all of them are free for you to browse) and don't be shy about sharing if you make them (@thealiconklin on Instagram)! See below for ways that we can work together to strike that balance. I know you can do it.
Fast forward to now - while loving operations, I knew that it wasn't what I wanted and I chose to pursue my dreams of creating delicious food with a healthy mindset and inspiring others to be the healthiest they could be. I'm a firm believer that a lot of people falsely think eating healthy is expensive, when really all you need is the knowledge to cook at home to realize it is quite inexpensive and rewarding! Trust me, eating a delicious meal YOU made yourself is going to give you a high like no Chinese takeout or bodega bacon egg and cheese has ever given you before (though, both can very much be part of a *balanced* diet/lifestyle).
Health is about more than just the food we put in our bodies - it is about being satisfied with ourselves, the situations we find ourselves in, and those we surround ourselves with. All of these things directly affects how and what we eat and ultimately how and what we feel about ourselves. So does that mean only eating kale and brown rice for the rest of your life? No! While I love those foods I also know it just isn't realisitic to be constantly eating 100% "healthy" and it will only lead to negative feelings in relation to food and health - it is all about balance after all. Let me be clear: it is okay to love your avocado toast or chia pudding for breakfast most days and still be allowed to eat some pancakes drenched in maple syrup with a big pat of butter other days.
What I care about is that you find the confidence and the skillset within you to cook these things yourself. Again - balance is at work here. This doesn't mean never go to a restaurant or order take out again. What it means is that you will have full control over what goes in your food and therefore on your plate, as well as giving you mental stimulation, therefore being healthier overall. There is no better feeling than sitting down with yourself, your friends, your family, knowing that you made that meal in front of you with love and care. It's an amazing feeling. I want you to feel AMAZING. In fact you deserve to feel amazing. I'll repeat - you deserve to feel amazing. My mission is to help you realize that truth.
Feel free to peruse my recipes (all of them are free for you to browse) and don't be shy about sharing if you make them (@thealiconklin on Instagram)! See below for ways that we can work together to strike that balance. I know you can do it.