The Liz Moody Podcast - Half Baked Harvest’s Tieghan Gerard — Managing Anxiety, The Olympics, and Making Amazing Recipes From A Colorado Barn

Episode Date: August 22, 2018

Tieghan Gerard (@halfbakedharvest) is one of the biggest food bloggers on the planet, with a website that gets hundreds of thousands of views and features some of the most delicious recipes (and amazing photos) around, and a mega-successful debut cookbook, Half Baked Harvest Cookbook: Recipes from My Barn in the Mountains.  In this episode, get to the know the woman behind the food, as Tieghan candidly shares her lifelong struggle with anxiety (and how she deals with it now), her path to a successful career in food, her family’s trip to the South Korea Winter Olympics to support her brother, Red Gerard (the first gold medalist of the games!), and much, much more. For more from Tieghan, check out halfbakedharvest.com. Enjoy! This podcast is brought to you by Four Sigmatic. I’m extremely picky about the food I consume, and after doing a huge amount of research on mushrooms, I’ve become not only a fan but an evangelist. I don’t drink caffeine, so I use mushrooms to help me wake up in the morning (cordyceps), focus in the afternoon (lion’s mane), and calm down in the evening (reishi). I also use the chaga to bolster my immune system on trips (either cross-country or just on the arguably-more-disgusting NYC subway). This stuff REALLY works, and now I rarely go a day without it. Get 15% off your order using the code healthiertogether, or visiting foursigmatic.com/healthiertogether (and feel free to hit me up on Instagram @lizmoody with any questions—I could swan over shrooms till the end of time!). Healthier Together cover art by Zack. Healthier Together music by Alex Ruimy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hello, friends, and welcome back to the healthier together podcast, which is all about coming together and sharing our knowledge to live happier and healthier lives. I'm Liz Moody, and I'm a healthy cookbook author. I wrote Glopops, which was out not last April, but the April before. And then my new cookbook, which is also called Healthyer Together, comes out next April. The cover just went up on Amazon. And it is so, so pretty. And I'm so excited about it. So go check it out.

And come tell me what you think on Instagram. Instagram at Liz Moody. I'm really, really curious to see people's reactions. It's called Healthier Together. I'm also the food director at MindBody Green, which is an amazing wellness website. We've got food and beauty and sex and yoga and all sorts of really fun stuff. Supplement, information, everything you need to know about wellness. We've got it. And then I share my life on my Instagram at Liz Moody. I share what I'm eating every day. I share my really cute husband. I share my cat, all of that. So definitely come and hang out with me there.

Today I have a really awesome episode for you guys. I'm really, really excited about it. Today we have Tegan Gerard of Half Baked Harvest. Half Baked Harvest is like basically one of the most famous blogs, food blogs on the internet. Teigen is amazing. I thought, so I talk about this in the episode a little bit, but I emailed her years ago because I had seen her blog, I'd seen her photos, and I wanted. her advice on being a food blogger. And I thought that she was like 45 years old and had been doing this

for years. But she is now only 24, which is insane. It actually blows my mind. But she has millions of followers between her blog and her Twitter and her Instagram and all of that. And she also recently released her cookbook, which is the half-baked harvest cookbook. It's stunning. Her recipes are unbelievable. Her photos are unbelievable. We actually share a public house and an editor. So it was fun to have that connection. And I met her for the first time in real life in person to do this interview. And she was so lovely and so interesting. We talk about a ton of things in this interview. She went to the Olympics recently with her little brother, Red Gerard, who was the first gold medalist of the United States, I believe, in the Olympics. So that was

pretty amazing. She talks about what it was like to be behind the scenes in South Korea and what it's like to have a famous snowboarder for a brother. We also talk about her anxiety. She's suffered from pretty intense anxiety for her entire life. I can definitely relate to that. If you know anything about me, you know that anxiety is a constant, constant struggle of mine. I'm talking about it on Instagram all the time, the different remedies I'm trying and what I'm using to go through all of that with. So Tegan shares where her anxiety started and what she does to deal with it and what she does when panic crops up now. I really loved her tips and I took a lot of them to heart. She also talks about what it's like to develop her recipes, how she thinks of her crazy ideas. Like truly

her recipes are so interesting and different. You can always tell a Tegan Gerard recipe when you see one. So I was very curious how she comes up with them. And we also talk about her kind of her personal life and how she became the person that she is, her crazy family, her parents, sound amazing and have so much wisdom to share, which Tegan shares with me throughout the episode. So I love that. I think you guys are going to really, really like this one. So I will get right into it. I'm going to be giving away a few copies of Tegan's amazing, beautiful cookbook, signed copies, that is, over on my Instagram page. So definitely come and say hi at Liz Moody. if you want to get yourself a little copy of the Half-Baked Harvest Cookbook.

You can find Tegan online at Half-BakedHarvest.com, and you can also find her on Instagram at Half-Beged Harvest. And definitely go check her out. Her photos are absolutely beautiful, and her writing is really fun and witty. And yeah, let's get into the show. Enjoy this episode of the Healthier Together podcast. Tegan, thank you so much for joining me. Yeah, thank you for having me.

So excited. Yeah, it's fun to, like, get to talk to you in real life. You know, I actually sent you an email. You probably don't remember this at all. This was, I want to say, like, four years ago. And I just started food blogging. And I sent you an email and I was like, you take the most beautiful pictures on the planet. Like, can you give me some advice?

And you sent me back, like, a long, yeah, a long time ago. I took horrible photos four years ago. They were so, I mean, you said you took, you're not happy with your photos now. I'm sure nobody would agree with on the planet. But you sent me back the nicest note. And I just remember thinking that you were like 35 and married with like a bunch of kids. And then when I found out how young you were, it blew my mind. I was just like, how do you do all this stuff at this age?

Yeah, I'm 24 now, definitely not married. Still very single. For anybody who's out there. Yeah, guys. No, it's just work is busy and I love what I do. So a little time. But yeah. But you started cooking when you were like a tiny baby, right?

Like 15, I want to say? Yes, basically a baby, right? Okay. No, so I'm from a big family. I'm one of seven kids. And I started cooking basically just to help my parents out with dinner because like we were eating at like 930, 10. I'm like kind of hungry. Like I'm just going to start cooking dinner here.

Did both of your parents have traditional jobs at that point? No, well, so I mean, I don't, I, my mom. took care of her kids. And that is like her soul, yeah. Like that's her sole job. She loves it. She's the best at it. She did really good, obviously.

And my dad had a full-time job. Yeah. So he was like nine to five working as a bond broker. And then he would go to the gym after work. So he wouldn't get home to like seven. And then like, I don't know. He puts around. I don't know what he did.

But we would just eat dinner late. And like, I'm going to start cooking. So I think it was like a Rachel Ray recipe. was like one of my first recipes made it. My brother loved it. And I'm like, this is kind of fun. So I just kind of rolled with it. And eventually I was like cooking dinner every night, loved it.

Kind of did that through high school as almost like. And for like nine people every night. Well, yeah. I mean, yeah, all of my siblings were living at home at that time. So I don't, I'm, my brothers probably didn't eat everything that I cooked because as I started to get more into cooking, like they hated vegetables and things. like that. So they probably didn't eat everything. But yeah, essentially for like, I'm just, I'm used to cooking for big people or not for big people or a lot of people. So yeah, I don't know.

And then when were you like, I'm going to pick up a camera and start documenting this? So that came way later. Like I had sort of started following food blogs a little bit in high school, just a little bit. Like they weren't really what like what they are right now. Which ones did you follow? You know, it wasn't. Bath eats. And I think hers was more of like a health food block. I don't know if it's if it's, I don't know. I don't follow it anymore. Yeah. And like the most random sites, honestly. But I did a lot of Googling of recipes essentially. And like I said, Rachel Ray and probably Jada and stuff like that. And that was all through high school. And I'd always said that I've always been a very creative person. And like I spent my weekends rearranging my bedroom and like just constantly like redecorated. And things or shopping or whatever because I always said I want to be like a fashion stylist. Like I want to go to school. I want to move to L.A., like style clothes, do that whole scene. It was just always what I said I wanted to do. So when I graduated high school, I actually

graduated with an associate degree. So I had two years of college done. I hated school. How did you do that? So they have a lot of programs now where you can take college courses for high school credit or like vice versa kind of thing. So were you like? Going to a college? I was going to. I went to Colorado Mountain College. And so I took college classes that counted for my high school credits as well. Was that super awkward socially because you're like a tiny baby and there's like a bunch of 18-year-olds?

No. I just did. I just did it. Did you make friends with those older people? No, not really. Like that's the thing. School, especially towards the end of high school, like I was the total august a little bit. in middle school I was like had a ton of friends like did that whole thing and then high school I hated it hated high school

didn't have a hard time making friends or anything like that just wasn't my scene didn't love it like it wasn't into the high school parties wasn't like always just kind of into doing my own thing much more into like outside like like I said like styling clothes or right um decorating rooms or whatever it was um just not into that high school scene at all so I really hated school for that reason. Also really hated, like, teachers and being taught by authority. Authority. Like, I had no problem of fouling the authority. I just didn't like it. Like, I like being in control, like, I'm total control free. So did you, you all eat, like, whether it's fashion stylists or anything else, you

always kind of felt like you're going to have your own business. Like, you weren't. No, never. No, I kind of always, like, I, and I think even if you asked any of my siblings or friends, I would never have imagined me to be someone to, like, have her own business and, like, be doing what I'm doing today. So I think it's really crazy how, like, my story's a little bit more random. I really fell into what I'm doing.

But I have always been a really hard worker and, like, very determined. And, like, when I put my mind to something, like, it's probably going to happen kind of thing. So when, what year did you pick up a camera and start the blog? I can't tell you the year, but I was like, I was 19, so do the math in your head there. So about five years ago. Yeah, it was like 20, I think like 13 is that right? And were people reading it right away?

So, I mean, it definitely took a little bit of momentum. I think I was lucky. I mean, lucky to a point. Like, I kind of hate the word lucky because I sort of feel like people create their own luck. But I worked really hard at getting that content out there. Like I was constantly sharing it anywhere that I could. And back at that time, there was like sites called food. Gawker. Actually, they're still around. I don't personally use them anymore, but really like

working Twitter, working social media and putting that content out there. Pinterest was huge, is still huge for me. So really, really working to get the content out there. And then like within six months, I really started to see traffic kind of building. Interesting. And then within a year, I was like, oh, maybe I could do this. Like, was the six months discouraging at all? Like, were there moments or were you like, it'll be any moment, any moment, any moment, any moment? It wasn't discouraging at all because I was in a position where I was, when I started, I wasn't like, this is going to be a career. Right. Like I, so I had actually, after high school, moved to L.A., got a job in L.A. was really set to go to school in L.A.

I had gotten accepted to the fashion institute design and merchandising, like was all signed up to go. But basically, I was 18, going on 19 when I moved out there, and I moved out there for the summer. And I got a job. And I worked there for three months. And at the end of the three months, I was like, basically like, that's it. I can't do L.A. Like, I, wait, what didn't you like about L.A.? I, well, I would, essentially, I got homesick, basically, like, just never had really been away from home at that point in my life.

Were you homesick for your family, though, or for, like, Colorado? Both, both. Like, I'm much more, like, love a small town. How small is your town? I mean, it's not, like, that small. Like, we definitely have whole foods, like, we have Target. But are we, like, talking, like, under 50,000? No, I have no idea what the number is.

Should we completely? Okay. Can we Google it? Yeah, yeah, we can Google it. What's it called? So I'm in Silverthorne, Colorado. So it's right next to Breckenridgeville. Is it up in the mountains?

It's up in the mountains. It's beautiful. There's four ski resorts right around me. Oh, gosh. Anybody who likes to ski definitely knows the area. But no, it's small town, but it's, I mean, it's not like rule. Like, we've got stuff. So you moved back to Colorado?

So after L.A., I moved back to Colorado, and I was kind of like, what do I do? Yeah. Like, what am I doing with my life? And it was actually my mom who was like, why don't you just start a food blog? Like, you love to cook. Just like start a food blog. Like, you don't have anything else to do, basically. And I'm really thankful.

Like, my parents are very supportive in like an untraditional way of living your life. Like, do it makes you happy? Which is interesting because neither of them seem to have untraditional back. No. and they came from very traditional. Have you ever asked them, like, where they got that from? I definitely think it's my mom, is that driving force. I'm much more like my dad, and my mom is very free-spirited, and has always, we're both from Cleveland, Ohio, born and raised. And you live there to me. I lived there until I was like, we moved when I was 14, but it was like on and off. We were only renting in Colorado, so we had spent, like, those two summers, like, my name. summer I was 14 and the summer I was 15 or somewhere around there in Cleveland.

So we were kind of back and forth at that point and we hadn't fully moved to Colorado. So it was weird. Like they were, I think that especially my mom, like her family was very much like, why are you in Colorado? Like why are you like? And did they just love it? No, they hated it. No, Colorado. Like, oh, my mom.

My mom loved it. Yeah. Yeah. She says it was like a midlife crisis and she really just needs. to get out of like Cleveland, like, she's always wanted to live in the mountains. And a lot of times, I'll just, to make things, they'll be like, well, my brother's an award. So we moved Colorado.

Yes, I want to talk about that too. Yeah. And so we, I don't know. Yeah. We just moved in. But yeah, they're from very traditional backgrounds. But my mom, I don't know where she gets it from. She's the oldest of five kids.

And there's just. There's so many kids. of your family. Yeah. Do you do like big family reunions ever and have like 5,000 of you descend on life? No, we haven't done that. We shouldn't do that. I hope we don't do that.

My family, like my immediate family alone is craziness when we get together. Well, especially once you, do any of your siblings, like, have kids? Not yet. My, the brother just above me just got engaged and he's the first one of, like, my siblings to get engaged. It's great, too, because you don't have to pick bridesmaids or groomsmen because you, like, have it all stacked already just from your family. Yeah, we're just stacked up.

Oh my God, I haven't even thought about that. So where do you fit? I'm actually right in the middle. And are you a middle child, like, personality way? I don't know. I don't know, like, the personality is to, like, I don't keep up on that stuff. But people have told me, oh, you do seem like a middle child. Like a peacekeeper, somebody's, like, eager to please.

I think I am eager to please. I do love pleasing people. And I think that's part of the reason why I love cooking is because, I love being able to please people so easily by just making, like, a recipe that they love. It's so easy to do. And that was one of the reasons I really fell in love with cooking was because, like, I would just see the immediate reactions from somebody, like, upon first bite. Like, oh, that made them so happy. It was like, oh, that was so easy to do.

So I love that. That's interesting. How do you, okay, so about your, your recipes are insane. They're like, they're, like, extra in the best way where it's like, the flavors are really out of the box and the, textures are really out. And they're just like, you know what you can draw our recipe when you see it because it's like bananas. How do you come up with them? Like crazy. So actually the brother that I was just saying that just got engaged, he is total free spirit

and travels all over the world with his now fiancee. And they have been to Thailand, Morocco, like Paris, everywhere you can imagine. So oddly, a lot of my inspiration and also my younger two brothers travel a lot too. My family gives me so much inspiration because we're just all over the place, all of us. And so they're constantly just sending me photos of dishes that they get at restaurants or like foods in farmers markets in Thailand. And I guess they're not farmers markets. They're just like markets. Market markets. Yeah. So I'm constantly getting inspiration from them. And it's really great because it's inspiration that I don't think anybody else is really getting. So it's really fun. But I also pull a lot of inspiration.

from the seasons. I really love to cook seasonally, but in a different way. Because I like for instance, I like to use a caprice salad, for example, because obviously copraise is tomato basil and mozzarella. Like a lot of people know that, but it's delicious. Everybody loves it. But it's like, well, how can I twist that a little bit? Like, what can I do to make that a little more exciting?

Like, let's throw like a pistachio basil vinegarat with a little bit of spice on it. Like, let's make it a little more flavorful. like just something, one little element that isn't a big deal, but makes it that much better. Like, I just think it's fun because personally, like, I don't want to see, I don't want to put out a recipe that has been done a million times over before because it's like, well, I can just go to Food Network and grab that or wherever, you know? And I'm like, sure, something that I put out has probably been done before because, like, I just think that recipes are.

It's like a Jungian vibe to that. Yeah, it's just like, but like it's really putting your own twist on it. And whether that's, you know, like adding a fresh topping or, you know, stirring in a new herb or whatever, like just make it your own. And I'm just making them my own adding the flavors that I like. Like you'll see a lot of fruits incorporated into my recipes, a lot of herbs incorporated into my recipes, just things to really bring out flavors and colors and freshness about them, especially like even in winter recipes too.

Like they can be a little bland, but they don't need to be like bland. There's so many great things. I feel like you do a lot of like like fire roasted vibes. Like I always picture like a cracking fire and like a warm drink for you in the winter. Yeah. Oh, I'm very, so I'm very, very all about creating a scene with your recipes or like not a scene, more like an essential feel of it. Like evoking a mood. Yeah, a mood exactly. Like if it's fall, like I want my recipes to feel warming and biting, cozy and comforting.

Like that's what you want in the fall. Like you and you want to get that through your food. And especially like I like to portray that not only through the ingredients in the recipe, but also through the photos. Because I think that people eat with their eyes 100%. And if you, if your dish doesn't look like so good, like I want to eat that. Like, why would you make it? You know, why are like that's going to make you want. I don't because I can't, like, I struggle with the photography so much.

Like, I feel like I can come up with a recipe really well, but I can't. It's such a skill. So hard. How did you learn how it, was it just by doing? Well, so I think that, yes, it was just by doing. But I think that my, and I say background, I've never been formally trained in anything, which I think I think I think I give, it allows my eye to do whatever it wants to do. It's not being hindered by a guideline that somebody taught me.

And I think that a lot of times people, and I mean, to each their own, everybody has their own point of view. So nothing's right or wrong. But I think that for me personally, like, I was never taught a certain way of doing something. So there's no wrong way to do it. It's whatever is whatever I see fit, basically. And I think that that really is a great way to look at it just because, like, food doesn't need to be done a certain way or made a certain way. whatever, it can be how you see it and how you want it to be. So with the photos, I think I got a lot

of that through. Like I said, I've always been creative and liked to make things look really pretty, whether that was my bedroom or what I was wearing or a table. Like I grew up, my grandma was very into entertaining and like doing really pretty tables. So I would spend my weekends with her. We would either be shopping or we'd either be like putting a dinner. table together. So I got a lot of that from her. And I think that that just kind of rolled over into my photos. I always say, like, I used to have a ton of clothes. And now I have zero clothes. And all I have is dishes and props. And, like, the weirdest, like, most random fork or something that nobody would ever have. But, like, I have so much of it. Where do you find that all? So, again, my family's

always on the lookout for me. And whenever they're traveling, they'll, like, either pick it up or send me photos and ship it back to me or bring it back to me. Or I'll go around to vintage places, junkyards, like the most random, random places ever to find stuff. Because I really, I like having things that nobody else has, especially with Instagram being the way that it is and, you know, people are constantly going through things. I don't like want to have the same pieces that every other food influencer or blogger has. because I want my content to be different.

Yeah, I mean, it's falsy to, like, not emulate what else is going on on Instagram, but your stuff does have such a distinct personality. Yeah, I think I've never, even more so in the last year, like, I have, I don't understand that. Like, if you're emulating what other people are doing, like, it's already been done. Why would somebody want to follow you because of that? Like, somebody's already doing it, and they're probably doing it better. So find your niche. Do it really, really well.

and stick with it. And I've kind of gotten to the point where I have really stopped following, like, food accounts and other food things, not because I don't like those people or anything like that, just because I don't want my content to be similar in any way. And I think that, no, like, if you're just scrolling and, you know, you can get stuff. Like, you don't even realize you're doing it and you do it. So I've really gotten to the point where, like, I'm steer cleared on my path and, like, sticking to what inspires me. And I look for outside sources of inspiration that isn't even in the food world.

Like, I draw a lot of stuff from, like, the fashion world and the lifestyle world. And I use colors as, as, like, a base. Like, sometimes I'll see, like, a flower and I'll be like, oh, my God. I want to create a recipe that I can use that flower in the photo. Yeah. That's interesting. Just the most random things. Because I really play on color. I really play on texture and those kind of artsy elements of it all.

How do you know what tastes good together? I don't know. I swear to God. Things just sound good in my head. I don't know. How much do you try stuff and you're like, this is actually disgusting? I can never make somebody eat this. I haven't had too many of those. I've definitely made bad recipes for sure.

but like how much of what you develop goes up on the blog or ends up in a cookbook? Yeah, a lot of it does end up on the blog. Some of it definitely doesn't like. But a lot of times the recipes that I'll be making that I'll just be making like just to eat dinner or whatever, sometimes those can be some of my favorites and I'll put those on the blog even though I didn't think they should like I wasn't thinking I was going to put it on the blog because a lot of times I'll just be my best recipes, I swear, are created just when I'm cooking and in the element of like in my kitchen and grabbing the ingredients that I have on hand and like, oh, that might be

good or oh, I have this, let's use it up. And it ends up really good. Those are my favorite recipes because there's no, I'm not, I'm not overthinking and like, I have, they're probably like more accessible and easy to do. And it's like a lot of times like, have I already done this? like how am I like and sometimes when you're just in the kitchen cooking like you can't really create the same recipe twice because you have different ingredients on hand and it ends up being really good so yeah that's interesting um okay so i want to talk a little bit about your family you recently went to the olympics this like blew my mind yeah i've i haven't met you before in real life other than today but i've known you and we have the same editor yeah and when i saw red on tv

I like saw his last name and he looks like you because you guys all like have he looks a lot like my mom. Like if you if you saw pictures of like my dad, my mom and then like all the siblings, I love more like my dad and red looks like my mom. Interesting. Well you guys had like and I saw the last name and then I looked it up online and then it like it made me feel this personal connection to his win because I was like. That's great. People have said that to me and I love it. It's like the closest I've been to a gold ballast. So your brother, Red Gerard, won the first gold medal of the Olympics.

Yeah. Which is insane. And he also was like one of the youngest people ever want to say. Yeah. He's 17. I don't know. I don't think he's the youngest. He's down there.

He's very young for sure. Chloe Kim, who also did snowboarding. He's also badass. She's amazing. She's 17 and she won gold as well in half light. So his was the first medal of the Olympics. Of the entire Olympics. It's like amazing.

Um, didn't your whole family went out there? We all went to South Korea. What was that experience like? I mean, incredible. I don't think that anybody could really ask for a better experience. We weren't. I mean, we all hoped that he would at least podium, but I don't know that anybody really realized he was going to win gold. So it was very exciting.

So was that, did you go a few days before? Yeah, yeah. So we actually all flew in. So Redd had been there because they have to be there like two weeks in advance, basically. Okay. So he was there. But we all flew in the day of opening ceremonies. So I don't know whatever day that was like.

It was like the day before his event because he was snowboarding slope style was men's was one of the first events. And that's a new event, isn't it? Like Sean White has won gold in it. I want to say not four years ago, but the four years before that. Okay. Maybe that was like, I don't know. Okay. I'm not up on all the terms of whatever.

But yes, it's newer. The newest event for snowboarding is snowboarding, men's snowboarding, and women's snowboarding, big air. And that's where you just go off one jump and it's like you do your biggest trick. Yeah, I think I saw Chloe Kim do that. Oh, she might have, I don't know. I don't know. Okay.

I don't know. I'm so impressed by all of the stuff. I'm like just, I have. It's really scary. It also freaks me out. Yeah. Yeah, they do some really crazy stuff. So, but he, so his, his event, his main event.

event though is slope style which is basically where you they have like a rail section and they have a jump section and they do it all and they they do these flips and turns and I don't know the technical terms being his sister I really should but like multiple spins in the air we're talking like many many feet up yeah um it's crazy so uh yeah he's he's pretty good and how was he like a baby? Were you guys all like on the slopes all the time when you were growing up? So I am so growing up I was the only girl. So I was five brothers and yeah. And I loved it. Like everybody asked like, did you hate having so many brothers? I'm like, no, I loved it. Like I was the biggest tomboy. Um, and I have a very tough skin. They have read me to like, you know, be able to handle anything, I swear. Um,

which is great. So I loved it. And I feel like it would be. make dating impossible? Like, come be my five brothers. They're very, they are protective. I have to say, especially my oldest brother, but it's not that bad. Okay. It's not that bad at all. My oldest brother is the worst for sure.

But they, they're great. And they're, we all, like, they're my best friends, especially my red, so Malachi, who's just below me. And then red, we're like, red, I mean, red 17. So we're kind of leave some distance, but we're still all pretty close. All of the siblings are really, really close. It's just great. It's fun.

They're amazing. So were you guys all snowboarders? Okay, yeah. So I'm sorry. So yeah, my older two brothers or my older, my brother, it doesn't matter. One of the brothers started snowboarding. And then the other brothers started snowboarding. And then everybody kind of just taught Red how to snowboard and Red really.

Redmond, who's 17. He's the Olympic gold medalist. He and then the brother, Brendan, who's just above me, they're both really, really good at snowboarding. And Brendan kind of went more the editorial route where he was doing magazine, photo shoots and things like that. And Red, like, being in them? Being in them.

So, like, there's, like, Snowboarder Mag and, like, Trans World Snowboarding. Like, he did stuff for that. And Red does that, too. But Red went much more the competitive route and did the competition side. So, like, X games and things like that. And so, yeah, he's been snowboarding. He could, like, snowboard before he could walk.

I think since he was, like, four, maybe. Wow. And that kid just doesn't know how to sit still. You can tell that in interviews when you watch him. Yeah, me too. I'm, like, fidgety. I'm, like, all of us Gerrard's just can't really, like, we're just very active people. But Red's the worst.

Like, he literally just cannot sit still. He actually has ADHD. So he has like a full like like he has a technical definition of it. But like it's worked for him and his advantage for this way of it. Gold medal now. Yeah. So he's great. So he's really active. And he's just been sporting since he was a kid. And then when we moved out to Colorado, he really started to get into it and basically just progressing beyond, you know, everybody else and really moving forward with it. So do you just like start winning competitions and then eventually people are like maybe you could be in on? Or basically. Yeah. You don't get like scouting.

You have to have a certain amount of points to make it. There's, they do this system called like the, it's like a point system and you have to win so many competitions and have so many points to even qualify yourself for the Olympics. Okay. So there's four, there's only four snowboarders that get to make, that get to go from the U.S. team. And he qualified. Actually, he was the number one qualifier, I want to say. Did he like, were you guys there for that? Did he, like, call you?

You guys don't hold me on this. He qualified pretty high up, though, I want to say. It was so nerve-wracking because really you can only qualify that season before the Olympics. So, I mean, you're building up points, I want to say, for, like, the two years prior to the Olympics. But really, the time crunch is that that winter season before the Olympics. And there's, like, three qualifying competition, three or four, that you have to do good at in order to get your spot on the team. So, yeah, it was really nerve-wracking.

Does he get nervous? I always wonder this because, like, you, for all of these athletes, with something like the Olympics, you train for years and years and years and years, and then you have, like, a minute to have it all be worth it or not. And I'm just like, what do you feel like before that minute? So I think snowboarding is a little bit different. Snowboarding is very, it's definitely the most, one of the more lapsed. I feel like in Olympic sports, just because,

all the snowboard guys are very chill and very just like we're in it to have fun and we love to snowboarding because we have fun we're having fun and they really think that yeah well i mean though the competition side of it is is a little bit more intense um red is the type of kid where i think i don't think he'd ever say i don't know like no we're like all in the we all ask ourselves that same question like is he nervous or like what's his deal like we're not really sure but he doesn't seem to be No. So he doesn't seem so chill. He's a very chill kid, like very, very chill.

And I think that's what's honestly progressed him so far is because he's never looked at competitions like, oh, if I win great. Like, if I don't, I don't care. Like, he doesn't care. So, and I really think that's true. He doesn't care. And I think that that letting go of that stressful side of things really progressed him to a point where he was able to get to the Olympics.

Because he didn't let that side of it get to his head. And a lot of it is head games. Like a lot of it is the head games you play with yourself. And he was able to not think that way and really be in it because he has so much fun doing the sport. So for a snowboarder, you always hear about athletes and they have to have this very rigid schedule and like they have to be so strict about everything. And do snowboarders not have to do that stuff as much? They can like live their lives. Snowboarders live their lives.

Okay. And they live them well, everybody. Sean, White seems like he's like made a name for living. Yeah, Sean's a little different. I think he's, I actually read and all my brothers know him personally. I personally never met him. But from what I've heard, he's a little different. He's a little bit more of that traditional athlete where he's kind of.

I thought he was like a party kid. I was using his example of like a, I feel like he's gotten in trouble for being a party kid. Maybe I don't know particularly. You know, I don't know. But he's definitely, I think he works at it more than maybe the rest of the guys. And I know a lot of the, the, the whole. whole U.S. snowboard team is eating my recipes, been at my house, begged me for food.

They're all great. All really nice. Are you like the unofficial? They know where to go for food. They know where to go for food. And they're right. Actually, one of the Red's best friends, Kyle Mack was on the team with him. And like, I mean, like a second brother.

So like a brother that's not related brother kind of thing. So it's really cool. Like you kind of go through the experience. and everybody in that world is friends. Like, it's not a competitive. I mean, there's a competitive thing, but like, but people are genuinely happy when you work for each other. Like, if you Google, like, Reds win and everything,

you'll hear these stories. Like, he overslept the morning of and, like, he couldn't find his U.S. team jacket. And, like, that was actually, he couldn't find his U.S. team jacket. So, like, he had to take, like, I was like, well, here, take my jacket, because you have to wear the U.S. team jacket. And of course, Red loses. I mean, that would be something Red would do. He did lose the jacket.

But Kyle, to my point, like, Kyle gave him his jacket. So, yeah, they're all really good friends. And it's just like a little bit different, I feel like, than the rest of the sports. They really are all good friends. Like, I've never seen anything like it. Like, those kids are so happy that, like, even though they didn't make the team, they're so happy that their good friend made the team. So it's really cool to see.

Is he more annoying now that he's won an Olympic gold medal? No. No. He's, he's, I got to say, like, he, he didn't realize going into the Olympics because he's 17, I think. And like, he didn't really grow up, like, watching the Olympics. Like, he didn't realize what a big deal it was. And when he won, he was like, oh, my God. Like, this is a big. Well, I'm like, the Today Show is calling him up. And he did, like, Jimmy Kimmel. And he was like, oh, my God, this is a lot. So it didn't. So it didn't. He didn't, like, was there a moment? Do you know when he, like, got it? Oh, yeah. Like, when you go on Jimmy Kimmel, they were like, oh, shit. He got it the first day after, like, doing 16 hours of press straight on.

Like, he, we saw him after his run. We didn't see him again after that until. So he did this really bizarre. Like, you, apparently you don't leave the Olympics in the middle of the Olympics. Like, if you're an athlete, you are at the Olympics from opening ceremonies until ending, you know, to closing ceremony. Okay. He left to go do press in L.A. and New York.

So he, after his win, he did. Who decided that for him? If that's a weird thing to do you. Was he like, I'm going to go do it? So his, I guess his agent, he hasn't, he has a, like a snowboard talent agent. I guess they call him, like, a, not a sports agent. So he's, like, a sports agent. And I guess he decided it.

And he kind of, he had been in Korea for two weeks. And he was like, needed to get out of the room a little bit. He's like, I need American. He's very much that. He loved like, like, he loved it. He just was like, oh, yeah, I'll definitely go back to America. Yeah. And so he did, like, 16 hours straight up press in Korea right after the event.

We didn't see him. And then he flew South Korea directly to L.A., did press in L.A. for a day. Like, did Jimmy Kimmel, did, like, a bunch of other things. then L.A. to New York did a bunch of things in New York, did like the morning shows, did his rounds, then back on a plane right to Korea. And people don't normally. They never did that. Did he get like in trouble for that? No, I don't think it's like a, I mean, it must not be like a rule.

Or is it just like crazy because it's like a lot of work to. Yeah, I don't, I don't know. He's young. He's the jet like was like, he's 17. It didn't matter. Yeah. I remember when that was the case for me. Yeah. And, yeah, right? And he, so he went with my younger brother,

Malachi who has kind of been like by his side the entire, this entire time, which is really cool because like I don't think that Red doing it alone would have been nearly as like good of an experience and it was just, I think it was really nice for them to be together. And to just have like a family member. For sure. So. Especially your family seems like they're so. Yeah.

We're way too close. We just, yeah, it's odd. I feel like when you have so many siblings, like a lot of times you've been here like, oh, they don't get along or like. We don't talk to so and so, but, like, we all talk to each other. That's amazing. It is. I feel really grateful because I do hear a lot of those stories.

Do you have any, like, fun, one fun behind the scenes story of being at the Olympics? One fun. I mean, my family is crazy. Anybody who looks into the background of my family. Crazy how? We're just a wild bunch. Like, they know how to have a fun time. Is that a euphemism for like drinking?

Yeah, they're pretty good at that for sure. They definitely know how to do that. No, but we just, I mean, we're just a normal family, to be completely honest. Like, we like to hang out together, do whatever. It's not normal. You're like, we're just a normal family. We love hanging out with each other. We have a super famous food blogger, cookbook author, an Olympic athlete.

I feel like we're not, like, annoying. Like, I feel like, I don't know if that's like a, we're definitely annoying, actually. We're just loud. No, I don't know. Behind the scenes, I mean, that's something we're also very open. So, like, everybody knows everything about us, I feel like. Like, and between Red and I, like, and social media, like, we're like an open book, which probably isn't good.

Are your parents, like, what happened? Like, how did we raise? I mean, I'm sure all of your siblings are doing really, but, like, to have two public figures sort of. You guys were really not that cool. Like, it's where we sound. so much cooler than we are. We're not. No. They're like, I mean, I think that like my dad was just so like beyond proud of Red.

And he's so proud of me too. Like there's nothing like, but like Olympics is just like, oh my God, that's a worldwide web. It's also cool to be representing your country. Like I feel like there has to be some sort of emotional element. It was, I think, I mean, for my mom too, but like my dad, like I've never seen him so excitedly happy and just like oh my god like my kids an olympian like i don't think a lot of people and a gold medal yeah a lot of people do not get to say that so a lot of 99.999% and i mean i think it was a pretty surreal like moment for the two of them and it still is so and everything like the whole after the

olympics and all the press and the media like it was just so crazy has he met any crazy people red yeah he he did meet the president he he met Trump, which was very controversial, I will say. But so he met, he did go meet him. And yeah, he's met Jimmy Kimmel. He's met, I mean, a lot of, like, celebrities and things like that. If you think those people are cool. But I don't know.

Yeah, he's done a lot of crazy things. So was he still living in your little town in Colorado? No. So he and Malachi and actually one of my, the another brother, an older brother. They're living in California altogether out in Carlsbad. They're living the SoCal Life's surfing for the summer. Oh, my God. Although Red's going to New Zealand to Snowboard and then to Mount Hood to Snowboard.

So he's never, he's traveling constantly. Like wherever the snow is, Red's going to go. So he's just constantly on the go. He's in the Bahamas right now, though. That's nice. You did like a whole family trip, right? We were all just in the Bahamas. So do you travel much yourself?

You said your siblings are kind of always all over. Like New York and L.A. Like, I'm like always in either New York or L.A. I think I'm going to Paris maybe in the fall. Which would be really exciting. But I've been to Mexico. I've been to South Korea now. But not too many places out of the country.

So I hope to do a little bit more of that for sure. Do you get, like, does it feel sort of lonely and isolating that you're in this, like, small town? And then a lot of your work is kind of by yourself. or with one or two family members? No, not really because, especially with social media, if you feel like you're constantly letting people into your life that way. And do you feel like it's in a, because I feel like, you know, I know people that I follow and talk to in social media,

but sometimes it only like scratches. But it's always a surface. But yeah, like you're just kind of like, it almost makes me want the deeper level connection, like more. Yeah, for sure. Like, I get that as well. But no, I'm. the type of person, like, I love being by myself.

Are you an introvert? Yeah, for sure. Like, I have like an on and off switch, I swear. And I can be both. And I love both. Like, it's like both two personalities and I like them both. So it's not hard for me to be alone. But I also love being able to travel and go be with people and do things.

And then also, I'm excited because I am building a SET studio space in Colorado. So I'm hoping to bring people to me and do some workshops. and do some more interactive things in that space that I won't be alone. And also building out my team is a big goal for me and really kind of trying to expand half-A. Tarvis as a brand and kind of having some more non-family members integrated into the brand. But will the family, like, will your mom always be part of it? She'll always be part of it, yeah, for sure.

I mean, assuming she wants to be, but she's pretty good at what the things that she does. She handles a lot of the brand, not the brand, A lot of the advertising and things you see on the back end of the blog. And do you actually like pay her a salary? Yeah, yeah. It's like a real. We do it. It's, we're really, we're partners in it.

Like she is 50%. Oh, that's cool. So she's like your business partner. So I don't technically like, she's not like, I'm not like paying my mom. Yeah. I mean, essentially we're both earning the money. So my brother, on the other hand, is on the salary. And you pay him a salary?

Yeah, he's on the salary as well. And do you think he'd like ask you for a raise if he felt like, you know? He did. We were on vacation and we had Instagram vote if he deserved a raise and unfortunately they all voted yes. Oh, no. Yeah, no. He's really great though. He works really hard at, for the most part.

I have to beg him for videos sometimes. But no, he's really great. He makes really great videos. We're just, right now he's just doing mostly like, you know, the very hands videos where it's a very recipe, like show everybody how to make the recipe. And those are great for Instagram posts and people really like to see them. But I really hope to get into more of the on-camera videos. That's kind of my goal for the rest of this year.

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People also ask me about the taste a lot, and I actually don't like culinary mushrooms very much. It's a weird thing about me. If you read my cookbooks, you'll notice that there aren't a lot of mushroom recipes in there because I just don't love them. They turn my stomach a little bit. But I find the four-sigmatic mushrooms to be really earthy and grounding. And I like the new formula. A lot of their new formula ones don't have any.

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The evidence keeps stacking up for their short and long-term benefits. So I definitely recommend you get in on that. that. Again, use the code healthier together and enjoy. Come and tell me if you like them for sure, because I'm 100% obsessed. I want to talk about it with people. So come and tell me. And all right, without further ado, let's get back to the conversation. Do you get nervous on camera? You, I, like, I should, but I don't. Like, I love it. I kind of love it, which is really weird. Do you feel very, like, I feel like when I, I'll be 100% confident, with like my voice and how I look.

And then I'll see myself on camera, which I do love it. But then I'll be like, who is that person? I don't like to watch myself. I will like, if I can avoid it, I will avoid it at all cost. Because like, I'm like, okay, I feel great about how that went. I'm going to leave it at that. I'm not going to watch it. And just never go back.

That's smart. Put it out of my head because then it will play with me, like, and my insecurities for sure, because I do have, I'm a normal person. I have a ton of insecurities. and then I'll just think about those and then I'll like never do it again. Can you share any of the things that you're insecure about? Sure. I mean, yeah, I am, so I am like I even just like look wise, beauty wise, like I'm not big into

like wearing a ton of makeup or anything like that. I'm all about that natural look. But at the same time, like when you are on camera, like I'll feel very unconscious like, or self-conscious like, should probably be wearing some more makeup or something like that. I am still very insecure about my folks. photos, like they'll never be the way that I want them to be. But I think that's okay because it's always striving me to be better and to constantly be progressing and never standing still, which I think is really important in this industry because it's growing so fast and everybody's

doing something different and like everybody's just progressing forward at this like insane speed. So it's kind of always keeping me on my toes anyways, which is kind of good. And then, you know, I get stuck in that comparison. and train of like doing that off, which is I've literally started like not because I don't like those people that I'm following on Instagram, but because they're making me insecure. Like I have literally started to unfollow people just because I'm like, this is a bad thing for me. Like I can't sit here and focus on this. Like they're different than me. It doesn't mean that they're better than me. They're just different than me. So do you think literally removing it, because I do that too. I've done that

with you where I've been like, my photos will literally never like that. And like I take no offense to that. Because it's just like, I'm just like, why do I even try? Do you think the best thing is just to remove it from your? I think if you're really struggling with it and you're constantly comparing yourself to other people, which I do. I still do it to this day. Like, it's definitely a problem. I think if you're constantly comparing yourself to like a certain person or whoever,

yeah, I think it's so much easier. Like, I'm kind of like a cold turkey person, like just cut it out and get rid of it and be done with it. And that just works for me. So I'm like a big advocate of that. Like just cut it out, get rid of it and focus on like just making you doing what you do and making that better. So I don't know. It's easier said than done. Yeah.

People will sit there and preach that. I'll be like, yeah, right. Do you really do that though? And so I'm really just trying to like actually do it myself. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Do you limit your social media time or how do you like buy that balance? What I'm trying to do is I'm trying to just not even really scroll too much anymore.

And I'm super interactive on my, especially my Instagram account. And that's like me doing it because Instagram, I feel like it's just so personal. And having someone else do it is really, really hard. So Instagram is really, it's me doing it. So I'm very interactive with my DMs and my comments on all of my content. but other content, I definitely like limited. Like if there's something I see and it pops up and I love it, I'm going to, I'm going to comment on it and I be like,

that's, I love it. Like I want to show that person like be genuinely excited for that person. I think is really nice. And I think in the end it like makes you just feel better. And it's good. Like I loved that content. Like why not let that person know? So share it.

And I think that's like just a good thing to do. And like if you really try to genuinely be happy for people like that just. jealousy or whatever it is will kind of slowly fade away anyways. That's what I found. That's what my mom's always told me, like, just be happy for whatever that person is doing and don't feel jealous about them. I feel like your parents are like, they sound like such amazing. They are.

What other sort of life wisdom? They won't say that to you because, like, I'm not amazing, but they definitely, both of them have their own strengths and, like, have taught me so many different things. But the thing about my parents is like they've never like they've done amazing things obviously but like they've never like they're not like oh my God they've done this this and that or what they've just like lived their lives the best that they could and learned from life experiences. And I think what they passed on to like my brothers and I and my little sister is to just like be kind people like don't like just treat and this everybody's heard this but like really just treat others.

the way that you would want to be treated. And I think like even when you hear red talk, like people ask, people asking that question all the time, like about my parents and everything. And like, it's really true. Like they really just told us to kind of, like, taught us to be kind and treat others the way that you would want to be treated because there's just like no point in being like a rude person. And my mom especially, like, she goes above and beyond to like help someone out or do like

just the littlest things that could like really help somebody in their day like she'll do that or like just giving back to like the community and like especially you know she'll do like around the holidays like you know provide guests her families and things like that she's just always been big on that and I have no idea why I don't know what like it really wasn't her upbringing to be honest with you like she doesn't come from that kind of family but like that's just who she is as a person I have no idea why. But she carried that on into her kids. And I think that like I love that I have that trait. And it's just good. Like you just feel like there's no reason to be like a mean person in the world. And like you can if it's not a big deal, like you don't have to do like go out of

your way to do something. But like if you can like, you know, pick up if you've got like you see a poor mom holding a baby in two hands and she dropped, just pick it up for her. Yeah. Be a kind person. Not drop the baby. Drop something out. Yeah. Sorry, drop like, you know, I don't know, her wallet. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So just be nice. So this podcast is about how to become happier, but also how to become healthier. Have you had any, like, health struggles or anything like that?

And to this day, like, I think it's really great to be open about it, too, because I have struggled with anxiety my entire life. And that was like, it's still a huge struggle. Like, and I swear, like, I was telling my mom, they were like, my, like, my. anxiety with like flying has been getting worse lately for whatever reason. Is it always around, like how does it manifest usually? Well, so when I was a kid, it was school. I hated school. I hated going to school.

It also, I think, like, it could have been like a separation thing for my mom as well. Because I was like always like craving for my mom's attention. She had so many kids. And I was just like, you know, I need like, hello. I was always craving it. And so, but I, in school, anxiety was my number one, like, issue as a kid. Like, I had hated school through, like, even, like, as long as I can remember ever going to school, I always hated it.

And not because, like, I had a lot of friends, like, in school. Like, that wasn't the issue for me. It was something to do with, like, teachers, leaving home, someone else having authority of me, like, being told that whole thing. I just did not like it. Did you have panic attacks? Or was it more just like an underlying? I mean like there were days when I was just like I cannot go to school and then like I would have like fits.

Like this was more when I was like a kid and I have like literally like fits and I don't think I don't know if that was a panic attack or not. But like it was bad. Like there was like my middle school and then my high school years and finally in high school I started like like I said I college courses and that was easier for me because I was able to go to those courses and leave then. Like it was just like a quick like, okay, I'm going to get it and get out. And I was also able, I graduated high school year early too. So you got out of high school altogether ran through high school. So school anxiety was really, really huge for me. And when I was in middle school, I was like, mom, I want to be homeschooled. Like I hate going to school. Like this is

miserable. And I also felt like it was a very fake environment. too with friends. Like I had a lot of friends, but like I didn't love to hang out with them outside of school. Like I called them school friends and they were there for like being in school. Did you feel like you couldn't fully be yourself? Yeah. Like I was kind of a different person with those guys than I was at home, which I don't know. Like was fine probably, but I guess I just was I wasn't real comfortable with it maybe. But I just for whatever reason really hated it. And I Also, something, like looking back on it, something with, like, the teachers, too, really got me. Like, someone else almost having controlled me, at least that's the way I felt.

And it was intimidating to me. And I don't know. I didn't like it. So the whole, like, this is the whole school situation. And in middle school, I was like, oh, I really want to be, like, homeschooled. Like, that'll solve everything. But, like, my mom was from a very traditional background. And it was actually, like, my grandparents were like, you can't homeschool.

Or, like, you don't homeschool people. So she didn't. And it was just really hard for me. And finally, when we moved to Colorado and I was in high school, she was like, okay, maybe we can start looking into some alternative things. And then things started to like, okay, like this is better. And then really it wasn't until I got out of high school. And I started the blog that I let go of a lot of that anxiety. So do you think that was just getting rid of the things that causing anxiety? Do you think it was partially like finding your purpose? Both. I think it was getting rid of like the school aspect of things. And really like I always say like I took that energy that I focused all that anxiety on, like all that energy that came from the anxiety and I put it into the blog. And I think that helped me so much because I just focused so hard on like building the blog, creating recipes, interacting with my followers and really like just putting my energy there, not thinking, not really thinking too much about like. all the other aspects of things. Like, what am I doing with this? Like, where's this going? And, like, what if these people hate this recipe? Like, I was just able, I don't know why. I was just able to redirect that energy and put it into something I knew that I loved doing. Like, it gave me cooking was a creative release for me. Like, I loved being creative with recipes in the kitchen. And

then when I started to get into the photos, I loved that. And I was like, I'm having fun with this. I'm going to go with this. And I did. And I went with it. And it thankfully worked really well. but I've noticed as I've gotten busier with work and everything that some of that anxiety has definitely returned and it's kind of returned in the way of like I am nervous now like going into like oh how people will perceive me or how they'll perceive the recipes um and just said flying like traveling like I love to travel but I hate the travel part like that gives me a lot of anxiety um going through airports getting on doing the airplane thing like I'm fine like I can do it but like I don't like it at all and it does. Definitely like the day before. Like you wouldn't have probably flown back to the U.S. in the middle of your Olympic trip. I would not have done that. No. And even like flying, I was totally buying flying to Korea, maybe just because I was excited,

but like flying home. Oh, and also I was with my entire family. So I like wasn't nervous about it. But flying home, I flew home completely alone. I'm like, this is like a six, it's like 16 or 18 hours. And I'm like, over the ocean. I'm like, my God, this is like a bomb flight. And I'm like all by myself.

and it actually was very miserable, I have to say. And I sat and like, so those, have you ever flown overseas? Like, the planes are huge. Yeah. And the rows are like of four people. And I was like, in the middle seat. I had someone who was so sick, like coughing, like deep coughs up on one side of me. And then someone that was just, it was like a guy and he like took up the whole seat.

I was like, oh, man. So I was like, I was sitting up straight the whole time. I'm like, this is brutal. But I got through it. And I think what I'm learning now, too, I've, I have done therapy before. I haven't had success with it. I'll be completely honest. Like, it's very hard for me.

Like, my mom is totally my therapist. I'll just be like, mom, I need to talk to you. And that's great. What do you find hard about the actual? It's never been successful for me. I did it. And maybe because I was doing it more when I was a teenager, you just don't find they say stuff that's helpful. Yeah.

Like, I have never connected. with it. And maybe because, like, I am a little more of a private person. I say that, but then, like, I don't know, I'm sitting here saying my whole life story. So some situations are easy for me to talk and some situations aren't. But I've also gotten, as I've gotten older and really grown more, and I'm still doing it. Like, I'm only 24. Like, I swear it with each year, like, I grow more into my own skin and feeling more comfortable with just who I am as a person and, like, being okay with that. And I really think the age and with time, you do do that. I'm more comfortable talking about things. So maybe if I did it now, it'd be more beneficial for me. I don't know.

But I just really learned to kind of, like my mom's always doing like, don't like put it out of your head. Like whatever's making you stress or anxiety driven, like try to put it out of your head and focus on something else. And that does really help me. But it's still something I struggle with And, like, there's a lot of things that pop up with work that, you know, because what I am doing is so centered around me and, like, really, the way people are perceiving me, essentially, it can be a little bit, like, you know, anxiety driven or whatever. So I'm just kind of, like, trying to roll with the punches and roll through it a little bit. But just kind of, like, taking one day at a time is really big for me, too. Is there anything that in, like, a moment of anxiety you'll do to sort of help with that, help those through it? Yeah, I can't believe I'm saying this because like I've never been a meditation person,

but I do love just taking a couple of deep breaths. Like I find that really relaxing. If it's like a really big moment of like I would literally just pick up the phone and call my mom. Like, and be like I just need to talk to you for like five minutes. Or and then if I have more time. And I think this is something that has also really helped me that I really, I wasn't doing like when I was kid that I do do now. Like I love getting outside and I go for a hike at home because I'm in the middle of the mountains. but any form of like just, I'm not like a runner or an intense exerciser,

but like going for like a walk or whatever, like getting outside is really helpful for me. And like just fresh air, like I will come back 30 minutes an hour later and have a whole new mindset. Which I think a lot of people like don't realize the benefit of that alone. And I think it's really helpful. Yeah, I think that's amazing. Yeah. Okay. Okay.

So I have a few questions. I ask everybody. Okay. We'll see how you do. No, it's not a test. They're easy. Okay, so what is one big mistake you've made in your life? And what's something that you feel like you really got right?

Oh, God, a big mistake. Honestly, I haven't, like, I've made mistakes and a lot of mistakes, especially, like, within business things. But I've learned from them is the thing. And I think that they've helped me grow as a person, too. Like, all of my mistakes, like, even as a teenager, I think have really helped me grow and like I've taken those and learned from them and I'm actually kind of appreciative of them. Is there one that really helped you grow that you could share?

Let's see. Like so yeah, back when I first started blogging and brands first started approaching me, there was like I worked with, and I won't say the brand just because there's still like a brand out there. But I worked with a brand that really wasn't on brand for me. Like it was like, they're like, oh, we want to pay you money. And like, I was like, oh my gosh, really you want to pay me to do this? Like, okay, sure. Like, I'll do it. And I did it.

And like, my audience did not receive it well. And it was. Just because it wasn't, yeah, it wasn't a brand that I have worked with and or really would work with. So I think like from that learning experience and ever since then, I was like, oh my God, I'm not working with a brand that like I don't fully support and would back. And I think that was, and I'm glad I learned it early on instead of like right now, because I think it is really, really important to only work with people that you genuinely are excited to be working with and are congenially back because your audience, especially if you haven't built an audience that trust you, which I really feel that I have. They're going to know right away, like, oh my gosh, she totally is being paid off for that, you know?

And I don't think that any amount of money is worth that. And I think if you're really trying to grow your brand, grow your business, like you need to know what your brand is and what you stand for because your audience will expect that from you. And I think it's just really important. So I learned that early on, which I'm very grateful for. Because I think that a lot of times people can be changed when they see a number like, oh. Yeah. And I think that. And there's some big numbers out there when you have a big audience.

They're throwing some big numbers out there these days. And I think that when you have a brand that you're building, and it can be really easy to, like, accept that. But in the long run of things, if you're looking to grow a long-lasting brand, you want to be partnering with brands that you are essentially really behind because the bottom line is it's the Internet and people can go back and look at everything.

Yeah, for all the time. Your record is, it's going to be there for a while. So what's something you got really right? I think something I got really right is being, I've always approached like the blogging world as, and my audience as friends. I've wanted them to really connect with me on that level. Like when I am writing a blog post, I want the reader to feel like they are in the kitchen cooking with me. So I tell them where the inspiration come, like whether it was a family member that gave me the recipe, whether I was in L.A. and eating at a great restaurant. And, like, I got inspired from, like, went to Kismet.

I think I'm saying it wrong. Is it Kismet? I get everything that said out loud wrong. So I'm not going to, like, correct you. I'm a reader, not a talker. If you know me, I can't even talk. Like, I shouldn't have written a cookbook. Like, my English language is horrible.

But I try. So, like, you know, I'll say where the inspirations come from. I'll say if it was any crazy stories, like, if it took me five billion times to test it, like, you'll say all of that. I'll say all of it. Like, I want it to be conversational. I want people to leave me comments. I'll respond to your comments.

Like that's the other thing. Like I have always been. I've seen bloggers where they're not responding to their Instagram comments and they're not responding to their blog comments. I'm like, well, that's your audience. Like they're giving you their feedback. They're telling you how you feel about your content. Like you want to be interacting with them.

Like if you're not like interacting with them and knowing what they're saying and kind of making them happy and be friends with them, they might, they're probably not going to stick around for a little come back or they might like. stick around for a month but be like, I'm, I don't know, like, this is see you later. Like, I don't know what this person's about. Right. And I think in this day and age, like, everybody really wants to know who they're following and they want to know what they're all about. So I think that's really important, the interaction with your following and kind of giving them the time of day. Like, they're going to give you five, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, whatever it is,

to read your content or watch your content. Like, give them a little bit of that back and say, hey, thanks for reading or whatever, you know. Yeah. Again, it just kind of goes back to like even what my mom taught me just like being nice and kind to the people that, you know, you interact with. And seeing them, I think, as real people rather than just like. They are. They're real people.

That's exactly it. And I think like also what like as bloggers or influencers like we're not celebrities. Like we shouldn't be treated like celebrities, you know. And I think a lot of times like the, a lot of influencers and bloggers have really created that they're really getting. getting to like a celebrity status, but I think it's important to remember your audience because that's what got you there. So if you're not remembering your audience, like, and you're leaving behind, like, it disconnects you from them. And I think that that's what makes us almost better

than a celebrity because we're relatable and we interact with our following. So you don't feel like I mean, when you look at the numbers of people who, when you, you know, put yourself out on Instagram and then hundreds of thousands of people see it, what does that make you? So I don't think about the numbers. Like I never, you never have this moment where you're like, oh my God. Okay. Sorry. I won't bring it up.

No, no. I mean, I know what my numbers are, but like I don't ever think of it that way. Like I just kind of think of it as like the people walking down the street or whatever. Like I don't think about that at all. And no. And like I think like you were asking like red, is he a different person? And it's like no, just because like we weren't brought up that way. They're like, we're just totally normal people.

And also because we have this huge family that is, like, constantly bringing us back down to Earth. Right. Like, they're like, who do you think you are? Like, you're not, like, you're not an Olympic. Yeah, like, Red, shut up. You know, like, Tegan, like, you're not that sweet. Like, they're constantly bringing us back down to that. So that's a secret to have seven siblings and then you'll be normal forever?

I don't know when this is. I mean, I don't know. but definitely very grateful for like my big family and they are so much a part of like who I am today. So I love that I have that. I feel very grateful for that. So in the name of being healthier or happier, what do you think is the best way to spend 20 minutes every day? Talking to your family, for sure.

I love talking to my family. And you do it every day? I wouldn't say for 20 minutes. Like, I wouldn't, that 20 minutes is a long time. But I definitely at least talk to one family member, whether it be a text, via phone call, once a day. Like, I'm really lucky because I do work with my family a lot. Like, my brother does all my video kind. I can't think of a day when I'm not texting with Kai or my mom, which is so, I'm lucky in that way, though, because, like, we're also working.

So, yeah, but talk, talk to someone you love, like, 20 minutes. a day. I think, like, you can get caught up in your own thoughts a lot, and it's like, hear what somebody else has to say. I think would be really great. Or take 20 minutes for yourself and, like, go for an afternoon stroll or whatever. Like, I think also, and I don't, like, I need to do more of that for sure, like, taking 20 minutes for myself or like, I'm like, go, go, go, go 24-th- Yeah. Do you feel like the work-life balance is hard for you? For sure. Like, I won't sit here and be like, yeah, my work-like balance is great. It's not. Like, I'm constantly working. But I will say, like it's a total choice because I love so much what I do.

And I am young. I'm 24 and I don't have a family like of my own right now. So it's solely my focus. And I'm sure when that like starts to change for me, it'll be a very hard transition. But like at this point in my life, my work is totally everything and I and I love it. Do you want that someday?

Yeah, someday in the future though. Like I'm just so focused. My mom got married when she was 18. She's been doing this since she's 18. So, you know, she got married when she's 18, totally different. And she had 24, she had like four kids. So completely different life path. Yeah.

Is there even good Tinder in your town? Like is it? No, it's horrible. I live in. You get the same seven people as you start through. Yeah, I live in a ski town. And like, they're all snowboard skiers. And I'm just like, I think I need someone a little bit.

Yeah. How are you going to meet somebody? I don't know. Maybe through work through L.A. or through something like that. I am in L.A. like a lot. It seems like once or twice a month. Okay. So.

Yeah. So it's not that bad. Maybe a George Clooney type of like this would have been, yeah. I would not decline. So, yeah. Have you ever, you haven't traveled that much, but you've traveled around the U.S. into a few places in the world. Is there ever any place you've been that you feel like people really got it right in terms of living like a healthy, happy life?

You know, I don't feel like to say that because I haven't been enough places. I love New York, but it's really fun. and I feel like energetic and I feel like people here work a lot. So I feel like their work like balances. Although New Yorkers really know how to like work really hard and have great fun. Yeah. Like you guys know how to like do it right. I feel like so I don't know.

But no, I haven't. Do you feel like life in your town is like idyllic? I think a lot of people have a lot more fun in my town than like works. So I feel like that the balance could be a little bit off. Okay. But I think Colorado actually is. is a really great, my town specifically maybe, because there's just like a lot of skiers and things like that.

But I think Colorado, they actually do, like, people, their weekends are spent outside, and I think that's amazing. Like, spend as much time as you can outside and, like, really, like, I love, but I love that. That's my personality. Like, I just love being outside. Yeah. I feel like most people do, even if they don't know they do.

They don't know. They don't know. Well, like my grandma, for instance, she definitely was not an, outdoor person. She's just like put me in a shopping mall and I'm happy. So that's great. That was her though. So to each their own. I think, but I think Colorado, like, I love that they are, they, you know, work Monday through Friday, but like the weekends are like, let's go have fun. Let's go skiing. Let's go hiking. Let's do this. Let's do that. And I love that. So maybe they have a good balance. Yeah, that's awesome. Yeah. Is there anything that you wish people to ask you about, but they never do?

Man. I don't know, no, like, I'm right now, well, I guess sometimes I wish that people would, like, ask a little more about the business side of things, because I think that with blogging, like, so many people are like, oh, it's so easy. Like, you're just putting content up on Instagram and on, you know, your blog and you're just taking pretty pictures. I'm like, but there's so much more to it. Like, there is an entire, you know, like, I spend days on end on my computer just doing the back end of things, whether that's, like, editing things. on actual blog, sending emails, like all kinds of, like, I mean, there's finances involved in it. There's taxes.

There's all kinds of things. Like, real life things. It's not just like all the pretty stuff that you see on the blog. What percentage is it like the boring back-end stuff would you say? I mean, it's totally 50-50, I want to say. Yeah. Like, there's, I spend a lot of time on my content because it's so important to me. And I'm a big believer in a quality content.

content, but I'm also a big clear of quantity. Like a lot of people will say quality over quantity. And I definitely go for that, quality over quantity, but I think quantity does mean something too. I think that the way that things are right now, people are just constantly wanting more and more and more, which is like a little bit sickening in a way, but it's just kind of the way the world is. So I do think that the more content you put out, the better. But I'm just like, I'm such a perfectionist that like I want my content to be great every single time. So I spend a lot of time on my content. But I also spend a lot of time promoting that content.

And, you know, finding new brand collaborations and different things I can be doing with other influencers. And like, then there's, you know, the businessy side where you're like, okay, well, can I expense this? Like, you know, like there's that side of it too. Like it's just like any other business. What would you tell somebody who wanted to like make themselves a brand, whether it be like a food blogger, fitness, like any of that kind of stuff now at this point in time?

I would say that if you want to get into like this world of things, know your niche and really run with it. Like don't go into it really trying to mimic what like somebody else is doing. Because kind of like I said earlier, like if somebody else is doing it, well, they're doing it and they're probably going to do it better than you're doing it. You could do it. I mean, yes, like you want to go into the food blogging space. That's amazing. Be a great food blogger. but like do you, do your recipes, find out what's going to make your recipes unique, whether that's like, oh, I'm going to create like all 30 minute recipes and whatever. Like I have a little bit of everything, but like a lot of people will say, well, like Tegan's

recipes, there's something different about Tegan's recipes every single time you see them. I think of you as like it's the extra elements. Like instead of a syrup, it's like a camomile syrup or something like that. Exactly. Yeah, yeah. And so like just find what. is going to be unique about your brand and make sure you have that element because there is so much it is saturated but you can do it like everybody's unique in their own way just figure out what

makes you unique and really run with it and know that it's going to be a lot of work especially the first building years like you have to really be 100% into it to like to get into it and like you have to have passion for it for sure but you also have to have like you know, some of the smarts and something like to really drive the brand forward, I feel like to, you know. So it's a mix of everything. It's a lot of work. If somebody was just going to like quit their job and they thought they were going to make a ton of money off of doing it. I wouldn't do that. Keep your day tried. Keep your daytime job. That's the thing you got to hustle. Keep your daytime job. Do the blog or the Instagram account, whatever it's going to be. Do that on the side for however long

you can, until the blog is making the amount of money that you can pay your right. rent and pay your bills, then you quit the daytime job for sure. That's good advice. Well, thank you so much for joining me. Thanks for having you. It was so much fun. I feel like I ramble on the way too much. No, you were great.

You're really lovely. And it's fun to get to see the face behind the food. Yeah, I always feel like it's fun to meet people in person. It's very fun to meet people in person. I think people love getting to hear from you personally like this. It's fun. Awesome. Thank you. How fun is she?

I hope you guys enjoyed this episode of the Healthyer Together podcast. As always, if you did like it, please, please, please leave a rating and a review on iTunes. It really helps other people find the podcast. And tell a friend about it. If you know somebody who you think would enjoy the content of this podcast, please share it. I would so appreciate it. And have a wonderful, happier and healthier day. The number one rule of habits is to make the things that you want easier and the things that you don't want harder.

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