Ep. 62: Ambitious Kitchen, Food As a Source of Joy

Monique Volz is the writer and entrepreneur behind the enormously popular blog and website, Ambitious Kitchen. Having grown up in Minnesota and attended the University of St. Thomas she has close connections to Mall of America and the entire state. 

Her professional journey started when she began her food and cooking blog during college, and it eventually grew on Pinterest, Instagram + her own website. Now, she has published her first cookbook: "The Ambitious Kitchen Cookbook: 125 Ridiculously Good for You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day." This all started as a passion project simply because she loved writing about food and life.

2:25 Monique shares her journey from college blogger to entrepreneur
3:15 Life challenges and how it relates to food
5:00 How Monique developed a healthier relationship with food as a source of joy
7:25 Being a mother allowed her to slow down in a way that was good and balanced realities
9:10 When she first realized she could earn income through her writing
11:00 Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs
12:05 The importance of making connections  
13:40 Why baking is therapeutic, it’s like a love letter
15:10 Monique’s Minnesota and family favorites
16:20 Pantry must-haves
17:55 The Viral Ambitious Kitchen Cookie
20:10 The ONE recipe you need to check out in the book
23:07 Monique’s Mall of America memories

For more information visit: www.ambitiouskitchen.com. On Instagram: @AmbitiousKitchen.

Guest: Monique Volz, Ambitious Kitchen owner/CEO

Hosts: Daniel Jasper, Jill Renslow

Presented by Bloomington Minnesota Travel and Tourism the official destination marketing organization for the city of Bloomington, Minn.