Got a question to ask me? Yay - I love questions!! Check out my answers to the most commonly asked questions I get below!
Q: Where do you get your glass meal prep containers?
A: This might be the most asked question I get. I’ve done my fair share of research and I absolutely love these glass meal prep containers. They have a vent that allows you easily open the containers rather than struggle with the suction. They are also very affordable, durable, eco-friendly, dishwasher-safe, and microwave-safe.
Q: What protein powder do you recommend?
A: Ah, protein powder. While it’s definitely a more processed food than most whole foods we enjoy as part of a clean eating diet, it’s definitely an essential in my diet for added lean protein, especially in protein shakes. For protein powder, I look for how many ingredients it contains (the lower, the better), if it contains processed sugar, flavor, and texture. The flavor and texture definitely are subjective, so I recommend you test several out to see what you like the best. I really like any protein made by the Cleanish company because they use very clean, simple ingredients, and offer all types of protein for different diets, including whey, pea, egg, etc. The most common protein I use is this Cleanish Plant-Based Protein Powder.
Q: How do I lose weight fast?
A: Coming from someone who has lost 60 pounds five different times in my life, I get the struggle of being overweight and desperate to lose weight. You can read more on my struggle with weight if you’d like. After losing weight very rapidly by cutting calories to the extreme and eating fake foods, I learned the much more long-lasting weight loss approach comes with a well-balanced, real food diet. My best advice is to take your journey one step at a time and allow yourself forgiveness and patience as it is a journey, not an overnight fix. Learning how to quit your dependence on sugar (more on that in this post on how I quit sugar), understanding how to eat the correct portions, and choosing whole foods, combined with a moderate exercise routine will help you lose the weight and keep it off. Trust me on this one. For a guide on how to get started, check out my 7 day meal plan for weight loss post.
Q: Do you ever eat out at restaurants?
A: Absolutely! In fact, enjoying a meal out with Dustin or the entire family is one of my favorite things to do - there’s so many amazing restaurants and types of food out there to explore. Yes, that means I have to be flexible with my clean eating diet...but it’s part of my healthy lifestyle. Sometimes, I’ll eat at a restaurant and choose healthy, clean-eating options (you can check out my post and video on how to eat healthy at restaurants), but other times, I order whatever I want and have a “cheat meal.” I limit these cheat meals to once a week and they allow me a perfect balance of getting that fix of whatever I want, whether it’s pizza, burgers, ice cream, cheesecake, donuts or whatever. I eat the meal and move on, satisfied and happy.
Q: Do you have a cookbook I can buy?
A: Yes, I have a published cookbook called, Clean-Eating Breakfasts And Lunches Made Simple: 75 Flavorful and Nutritious Recipes that Ditch Processed Ingredients. You'll find exclusive recipes in my cookbook that aren't available on the website, and every recipe has a picture so you know exactly what it will look like. My goodness - the recipes are so dang good - I know you'll love it! You can learn more about it here. It is now available for purchase on Amazon here.
Q: What food processor do you use?
A: My food processor is my right-hand-man in so many recipes, like sorbets, ice creams, hummus, dressings, and energy balls. I use it ALL the time and have put it through so much use, it’s insane. I use this Cuisinart Food Processor absolutely love it.
Q: What blender do you use?
A: I’ve burned through several blenders with all my recipe testing and daily smoothies (see my smoothie recipes here), and I’ve tested out several types of blenders. Overall, my absolute fave is my Vitamix because it’s just so dang powerful and can easily allow me to maneuver stick food while blending. I’ve also liked my Kitchen-Aid blender which costs less, but isn’t as powerful.
Q: How do you get picky kids to eat healthy?
A: Picky kiddos are definitely a challenge when you’re wanting to change up what they’re eating and improve their food choices. I’ve found the best way to encourage them is to involve them in the food choice and cooking process. What’s their fave thing to eat? Can you make it a little healthier, but still taste mostly the same? Swap out an ingredient here or there? Getting their buy-in for what foods you’re making for the week will be huge because they’ll be excited to be included, especially if they get to participate in the cooking. I also wouldn’t make them change 100% of their food on Day 1, but instead make it a gradual process that is painless and almost not even noticeable.
Q: Where did the name A Sweet Pea Chef come from?
A: When I was a kid, my dad worked in an office with the address Suite B. Whenever I went into work with him, he’d refer to me as “Suite B” because it sounded so close to “sweet pea.” It was our inside joke for years and always stuck with me as a fond memory. Of course, when I had kiddos of my own, I lovingly referred to them as my lil’ sweet peas. When I was trying to start my business, I asked my dad for any suggestions for a name and he suggested Suite B Chef, but I figured no one would ever get that so I decided on Sweet Pea Chef.
Q: How did you quit sugar?
A: In a nutshell, I slowly replaced artificial and processed sugars with natural, real sweeteners, like pure maple syrup, raw honey, and coconut sugar. I found ways to substitute it in everything to reduce and then eliminate my dependency on sugar. This process also helped me crave sweets less and allowed me to reduce my overall sugar intake. I wrote about my method in my post on the 7 steps I Took to Quit Sugar if you’d like to learn more.
Q: What type of camera, lenses, and software do you use?
A: For my photography, I use my Nikon D610 exclusively. I also use my Nikon for shooting our video, along with a Canon 5D Mark iii. My favorite photography lens for photos and video is a 50mm f/1.8, and we also use a 28mm f1.8 for our overhead video (hands-only) shots. I use Lightroom to edit my photos and Adobe Premier Pro for our videos.
Did I answer your question? If not, I would LOVE to hear from you! Just email me at lacey@sweetpeachef.com or message me on Instagram, YouTube, or Facebook with any questions, comments or just to say hi.