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We are excited to launch our new “Breakfast Crush” series! In this series, we will feature the people behind our favorite Instagram accounts and their best breakfast recipe posts (criminally delicious, of course). Get ready for some major morning inspiration!
First up is Andrea Hernandez of @theprettyeats – a well of humor, positivity and colorful eats. Andrea shares her go-to morning ritual, the inspiration behind the account and her vision for creating an IRL community.
How did you start your account @theprettyeats?
I would usually post pictures of my food creations on my personal account being that I was super proud of what I had just made, and people would comment on how pretty my plates looked.
That’s where the idea of Pretty Eats stems from. It started as a place to post my beautiful creations. Then, people began inquiring about the recipes, so I decided to create a website (prettyeats.co).
I saw the potential of using that space as something more than just food, I’ve been on quite the spiritual journey and I saw this as an opportunity to share what leading a healthy lifestyle encompassed for me, whether it was wellness, food, mindfulness, emotional health, etc. I didn’t want to limit myself in the topics I covered.
I also saw the opportunity to spotlight others and their work in this space. There are so many foodies, yogis, light-workers, people with regular jobs who have been able to find balance, so many people who have their own light to share, I wanted to give them space where they can do so, without any strings attached.
What’s your go-to breakfast?
This is a tricky one! I’m a sucker for a good stack of pancakes. There are different kinds I like to make – cacao, matcha, even activated charcoal! I love playing with different ingredients, whether it’s banana, chickpeas or blueberries.
They all make delicious, fluffy, and often colorful stacks. I can also go for a smoothie. My favorite has to be a tropical one like a cranberry, mango, pineapple with cashew or almond milk. So fresh and so filling!
Get my gluten-free, vegan cinnamon rolls recipe here.
What’s your favorite morning ritual?
Waking up and giving thanks first thing in the morning just for the fact that hey, I’m still here. I’m a person that has so much energy, I need to channel it in a healthy way, so a 20 min HIIT workout is my go-to.
After the workout, my body is usually relaxed enough to start meditation practice. I light some sandalwood, sit comfortably in a chair and take 15-20 minutes for a guided meditation or just sitting with the sound of OM chanting. I’ve been doing it daily for over 45 days now which has giving me SO MUCH clarity. (It works, people!)
What do you do day-to-day?
Constantly researching how to work with clean ingredients! My favorite is to replicate takeout favorites and comfort food such as pizza, sushi, ramen and fried chicken, and find ways to make them clean, healthy and filling without sacrificing the flavor!
My mornings, lunch and evenings are filled with at least an hour of action, whether its yoga, pilates, HIIT or strength training. I’m working on making it a habit so I no longer have to make a choice to stay healthy, it’s just part of my day-to-day.
Whenever I have food orders from customers, you can find me baking my famous gluten-free, baked donuts, all of the taste, none of the guilt! The trick is, the hint of nutmeg that makes them taste just like the fried ones! *Wink* Nights are usually reserved for reading, research, journaling, working on Pretty Eats content, uploading recipes, working on new features or new pieces. Then I will give in to at least an hour of my all time guilty-pleasure, anything by the Real Housewives on Bravo.
Your favorite accounts to follow?
There are SO many! But to start off, @breakfastcriminals, I love how it’s always an honest conversation going on, you have inspired me to share my light! I love @theindigokitchen, he is vegan goals to me. Also @feedyoursister, I’ve met Elia and she’s such a great human being, and a really great chef and of course I can’t leave out @talinegabriel, she’s smoothie goals to me, as well as @alison_wu.
What’s the bigger vision for what you’re creating with @theprettyeats?
I want to bring more of Pretty Eats experience IRL, whether it’s workshops, meet-ups, pop-ups, selling baked goods, etc. I want to take it from just being an online hub to something more tangible. Create a platform where people feel comfortable sharing their mishaps, not just their successes.
I want people in our community to say, “Hey you’ve helped me come to terms with my shadows, to love myself completely.” That I am able to show them through Pretty Eats that whatever manifests in our outer world comes from within and that personal growth involves daily work, whether it’s working out, eating healthier, taking a break, meditating… it’s an exploration, a journey, and not a one-stop-shop. I want it to become something bigger than me and that it can serve as a channel to bring light and blessings into other people’s lives.
(To get on board Andrea’s pancake obsession, check out these delicious, creative recipes.)
Top Breakfast Posts From @theprettyeats:
