A’Nita E, Blavity Creative Society member and founder of the cooking blog Cuff in Seasons, spoke to us about her passion for creating accessible, healthy and easy-to-make food for millennials. Read our interview with her below.

Blavity: What motivated you to start Cuff in Seasons?

A’Nita E: I was motivated to start when I was in undergrad. My friends and I were eating like garbage. I was like why don’t we have a space that can teach us how to cook within a budget with simple but great meals? Why don’t more people in our age bracket have more information about shopping in season, because fresh ingredients are cheaper when you do and have all of that information in one place?

I spent this weekend reflecting and meditating. But it is Sunday and the start of a new week. What’s for dinner today? Some spicy shrimp and steak ramen. It’s filling, cost effective and will leave you with some lunch for work tomorrow. Recipe coming soon. #love #instagood #seafood #food #foodie #cooking #blavity #blavityfoodie #blackbloggers

A photo posted by Cuff In Seasons (@cuffinseasons) on Aug 14, 2016 at 12:21pm PDT

B: My favorite part about your blog is that so many of the recipes are affordable. Talk to us more about why this is a vital part of your mission.

AE: This is a vital part of my mission because eating healthy can be difficult, money-consuming and time-consuming if you’re not paying close enough attention. While it’s great to look at recipes that call for ingredients not found in a local grocery store, when you’re in college or recently graduated, you’re counting your money. With tuition, bills and sometimes taking care of a family, money can be limited. You want to be able to eat well, have something left over and still have your bank account acting like it knows you.

It’s the perfect day to try some thai food. Shrimp and pork dumplings with a savory dipping sauce is a great “snack”. Try it 😋 #instagood #food #foodporn #foodphotography #love #thai #thaifood #dumplings #nomnomnom #yum #foodie #eeeeeats

A photo posted by Cuff In Seasons (@cuffinseasons) on Aug 10, 2016 at 1:28pm PDT

B: What words of advice/motivation do you have for young black professionals to prioritize cooking and healthy eating in their everyday lives?

AE: I would say to take it one day at at time. Our lives get busy, so don’t beat yourself up if you fall off sometimes. What I’ve learned on this journey so far is that the easiest way to stay on track is to plan during the week and meal prep once or twice during the weekend. It gives you variety during the week and you don’t have to wonder what you’re going to be eating. I would also say to go outside your comfort zone, try something new that you normally wouldn’t get at the store and experiment with it. You can never go wrong with expanding your culinary tastes.

Eating well should NEVER have to make you side eye your wallet or have your bank account giving you the side eye. There’s no shame in living great on & stretching a dollar. I try to shop in season for certain vegetables& fruits if I want them fresh. What do you guys do to keep some spare money in your wallet? #food #cooking #budget #eeeeeats #foodgasm #ballin #ballinonabudget #savingmoney #bargain #wallet #foodie #people #peopleofcolor #blackbloggers #black #chef #homecook #publix #breakfast #lunch

A photo posted by Cuff In Seasons (@cuffinseasons) on Jul 27, 2016 at 9:15am PDT

B: Talk to us about what it takes to design and run a successful food blog.

AE: I’m still learning the answer to this every day. It’s trial and error . So far, I’ve learned lots of patience, good photography, and making your readers feel connected and being relatable.

B: How does the city you live in influence your blog?

AE: I’m a southern girl, so being from Atlanta but living in the surrounding area, I crave great comfort food, but I like a lot of different flavors. Luckily, you can find that here. Whether that’s an Ethiopian restaurant or one of the farmers markets we have here, you can honestly find just about any and everything you can possibly want to try. However, as a textbook introvert, the city and this blog has influenced me to explore even more and see what else Atlanta and other surrounding cities have to offer.

You can never go wrong with a good sandwich for breakfast. Toast your bread, make an egg white scramble with spinach, pan fry some turkey, add your favorite cheese and start your day! #cuffinseasons #breakfast #food #foodporn #chef #love #sandwich #nomnomnom #turkey #spinach #cheese #healthy #wholegrain #blackbloggers

A photo posted by Cuff In Seasons (@cuffinseasons) on Jul 18, 2016 at 5:22am PDT

Check out Cuff In Seasons, and let us know your favorite recipe below!

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Orit Mohamed