Her name is Alex Snodgrass, but you may know her as The Defined Dish. The Texas-based food blogger and two-time New York Times bestselling cookbook author has garnered a massive following (@thedefineddish) thanks to her laidback cooking style, family-friendly meals and Whole30-approved recipes. In her first cookbook, The Defined Dish, Snodgrass shared 100 healthy and wholesome weeknight meals; in her latest cookbook, The Comfortable Kitchen, she brings a second dose of simple, nutritious foods that anyone can feel comfortable cooking.
And coming soon to an aisle near you is Snodgrass’ latest venture, SideDish, a collection of dressings versatile enough to be used as dips and marinades or on salads and bowls. The current flavors—Chipotle Ranch, Creamy Sesame and Honey Dijon—are dairy-free, paleo-friendly and preservative-free with zero added sugar. Snodgrass developed the recipes by hand over the past few years, hoping to make healthy meals at home even more convenient.
The best cooks are…
people who love to host and entertain loved ones. There is something about someone who truly loves to cook for others; food just tastes better when there is a lot of joy and love poured into it.
I define a great dish as one that…
makes your taste buds sing! Big flavors that are comforting and satisfy your hunger all while exciting your taste buds.
One thing I try to do every day is…
drink water (haha). I am embarrassingly bad about drinking water and have to set goals.
I describe my vibe as…
approachable and fun. My books have fun recipes and are great for someone who has an adventurous palate, but they use techniques and methods that are straightforward and approachable for the most part!
I feel most alive when…
I am entertaining and feeding friends and family. I love every moment of it, from prepping the food to setting the table, lighting candles throughout the house before they arrive, making sure music is on to set the mood—everything! Then, finally when everyone sits down at the table family style, it’s just the best.
A meal that changed my life was…
Oh, so many! I love food so much. But the first thing that comes to mind is just a bowl of pasta pomodoro on the coast of Italy—simple and minimal ingredients yet so delicious. It makes you stop in your tracks and think about what a difference quality ingredients make.
To avoid distractions, I…
put my phone away and focus on one task at a time!
I handle negativity by…
talking about it with my husband or my sister. They are great listeners, and I am one of those people who likes to talk things through and get it off my chest when I am feeling down. I also take breaks from social media when it becomes a source of negativity and becomes overwhelming to me.
One thing that is difficult for me but I enjoy is…
baking! I have never been a super strong baker in the kitchen, but it has been a fun challenge and very rewarding.
I want people to know me as…
a generous heart, a kind person, an amazing mother and a savvy businesswoman.
In 10 years, I hope to…
have my oldest daughter in a great college, my youngest enjoying her high school years and be able to stay present in their lives while also having a successful product line and brand running and operating smoothly! But my family first for sure.
I define success as…
something that you’ve worked really hard on that comes to life!
This article originally appeared in the January/February 2023 issue of SUCCESS magazine. Photos by ©Matt Armedariz;Styling, Adam Pearson