Founder of Orchids + Sweet Tea Enlightens Us On How to Eat Clean

Happy Friday, my lovely ASSASSINS! Man. . . how long has it been since I’ve said that?! Lol. I haven’t done a feature interview in awhile, so when this person popped into my inbox I was pleasantly surprised! I’m sure you all remember Shanika, founder of Orchids + Sweet Tea! She gave us all the deets on her background and enlightened us on clean eating/vegan options. Since our last interview (Check it out here!) Orchids + Sweet Tea has evolved and grown greatly! Shanika came back to give us an update on what’s been going on with her and the brand. . . Enjoy!

Tell us about yourself and why you started orchidsandsweettea.com!

I’m the 28-year old–self-taught cook + baker, author, writer, and all around ‘creative mind’ behind Orchids + Sweet Tea. In addition, I’m a connoisseur of interior decorating (hence my passion for beautifully staged food photos!), a wife, Mama to a witty toddler, AND absolute Foodie + Sweets-Lover! Whew! I know–I just described myself as a lot right? Haha.

I started this blog in July 2017 as a way to build a community for those who desire to use the little they have to make the best in their lives, especially when it came to making recipes. But then Orchids + Sweet Tea took a sharp turn in just a few short months, where Vegan desserts became the star of the show! However, yet another transition happened, and using healthier ingredients overall became the mission for Orchids + Sweet Tea in addition to the Wellness piece. Today, many vegan dessert recipes remain true while other recipes continue to be added in hopes of joining in on the food-lovers craze. On any given day, I’m the one who enjoys a daily dose of Caramel Frappuccino from Starbucks (that equates to a good glass of Wine in my head!), BUT instead, I chose to substitute dairy for almond or coconut milk. As you can see, the recipes on Orchids + Sweet Tea prove that eating COMFORT FOODS can be a reality, while using healthier alternatives to practice a healthy lifestyle; with a little Brooklyn Flavor + a whole lot of Southern charm!

I read how you came up with the name Orchids and Sweet Tea however; can you please give everyone else the story behind the name?

Basically, Orchids and Sweet Tea derived from my love for both—Orchids and Sweet Tea! I once read that Orchids represent love, luxury, beauty, and strength and I fell in love with this notion immediately. Sometimes life has a way of handing you a handful of stuff (not always pleasant) therefore, I wanted a part of my blog’s name to represent the “Good” while the other half (Sweet Tea) represents the part of me that is engrained—my Southern roots. Born and raised in Florida, I grew up drinking sweet tea and I now understand the importance that it has played in the Southern community, even to this day—not just in my life while growing up. So, overall, Orchids + Sweet Tea symbolizes what you will find on my blog—good comfort food while using healthier/organic ingredients.

I see your recipes are mostly vegan! Was this a lifestyle you always had while growing up? If not, what was it like switching to a vegan diet?

Not at all. Growing up in the South, I never even knew what veganism was. You’re talking about a place where people eat Ribs and Steak (to say the least) for breakfast with their grits and eggs. Haha. However, I came across veganism by word of mouth and then by doing some research. The crazy thing about it, is that, while I do have a lot of vegan recipes on Orchids + Sweet Tea, I don’t eat a full vegan diet. I do love my chicken and fish. But I’m not a huge eater of the heavier red meats. More times than not, however, I do enjoy a good vegan meal (whether for breakfast, lunch, or dinner) and my family and I do eat a lot of meat-less meals. Personally, I enjoy Vegan sweets mostly, because I am able to experiment and challenge myself without the use of dairy and animal products. In addition, as a part of my New Year resolution, I made a decision to minimize the use of dairy in my diet drastically, so vegan foods and sweets allow me to fully enjoy what I make without feeling guilty or retracting from my lifestyle goal.

Is it hard to eat a vegan only diet while on the go or at restaurants?

To be honest, one of the things that aided in my decision to not eat an entirely vegan diet was the fact that there aren’t any vegan restaurants near my home. While Brooklyn is a huge borough, it does make it a bit difficult to eat out close to home when there aren’t any places that cater to such a specialized diet. Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy cooking at home, however, on those days where you are too busy to cook or you just are too tired, eating out is an easy option. However, if there aren’t any vegan options out there, it makes it a lot harder to stick to such a diet, unless you’re fully devoted of course!

What advice would you give someone who wants to have a vegan only diet?

Go for it! I’m a big believer that you do whatever works for you and your lifestyle. Being vegan always gets such a bad wrap because most people believe that you can’t eat ANYTHING. But the truth is—–there a ton of options that make substitution a whole lot easier. You can always use coconut milk as a great substitute for most dairy or whipped ingredients or even mushrooms (or Tofu—if you’re fan!) as a great substitute for meats and bacon; and the list goes on. Therefore, eating a vegan diet doesn’t negate the fact that you can still enjoy a good plate of food. In actuality, there are many ingredients that you can use to enjoy most of the same things that those who aren’t vegan can enjoy. So I say all of this to say—go for it! Try it. Test it. And if it works for you then stick to it. And if not—you can always enjoy a nice vegan dish ever so often if you’d like. It’s what works for you!

You share a lot of your homemade recipes and dishes on your site (all of which look absolutely amazing!). Did you attend a culinary school?

Not at all. I’m actually a self-taught cook/baker. While I’d love to attend Culinary School (or take a few classes at least) in the future, I have not had any formal training up to this point. I just enjoy food and love to make it look and taste good. Most of my skills come from practice—a whole lot of trial and errors. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve failed at making pancakes before I actually got it right! Yes, pancakes which are considered one of the easiest breakfast dishes to master. So, I’ve practiced a lot over the years and I am still learning.

If you had to decide between cooking and writing, which one would you choose?

Wow, that’s a tough choice. Cooking is so therapeutic for me because it gives me a complete open door to being creative, not just with flavors and textures, but also with the visual staging of it (which is my favorite—it stems from my love for Interior Design). However, I thoroughly enjoy telling a story through my writing and using my words to empower, uplift, and be my reader’s BFF in every way possible. So, honestly, I’m not sure that I would be able to choose between the two. But if I REALLY had to, then I’d rather give someone else the task of writing and I continue cooking.

Where do you see Orchids and Sweet Tea in the next 2-3 years?

Recently, I decided to establish Orchids + Sweet Tea as an official LLC company, so I’m already on my way to making this blog a recognizable brand. Therefore, in the next 2-3 years, I see Orchids + Sweet Tea being a staple in many people’s kitchens and homes, where they try my recipes and make it a part of their daily routine. I want my recipes to be their go-to! I also see this blog having it’s first official cookbook. Originally, I never thought that I wanted to actually go down the route of authoring a cookbook, however, after creating my first E-Book (which can be found on my site), I realized that I do want to make this an actual goal. Lastly, I see Orchids + Sweet Tea being a platform that allows me to create something in my community for kids. I believe that kids who learn to cook/bake at a young age can be taught discipline, creativity, and confidence through this craft, so I want to be a part of that somehow.

Anything else that you would like for us to know?

My faith plays a huge role in the entire mission of my blog. While the visuals of great recipes, wellness tips, and other eye-catching content are the main forefront of my blog, my faith is the actual foundation. I’m a big believer in walking this earth and making a difference. Therefore, I want to use my truth about being a self-taught cook/baker along with my tenacity to aim high even in the midst of the greatest competition within the Food blogging space, to inspire my readers to continuously strive to be their best in every way possible; whether that be in the kitchen, in their current life journey, with their craft, or anything else. I’ve learned that nothing good ever comes easy, and while there might be many things that might confirm that you don’t have everything that your competitors may have—you can still use what you DO have and make the best of that thing, to the point where you are noticed greatly based on your hard work and dedication.

To stay connected with Shanika, please make sure to join her newsletter at OrchidsandSweetTea.com and don’t forget to follow her on Instagram @OrchidsandSweetTea! I hope you all enjoyed the update as much as I did! Don’t forget to subscribe and we’ll speak next week! 🙂

Until next time ASSASSINS. . . Stay Motivated!