Our latest column ‘Mamaste’ looks into the women who may hear, “you’re not the boss of me!” and looks at what they are boss at.
Ever heard of Oh She Glows? If not, have you been living under a rock?
No offence to those under-rock dwellers, but Angela Liddon’s vegan empire is kind of a big deal. Her cookbooks evoke a sort of fandom reserved for 1990s era boy bands. Her photographs of melty almond butter, vibrant smoothies and decadent desserts are so drool-worthy, you may “read” her recipes without having any intention of recreating them.
Besides being a successful businesswoman, Angela is also a mom of two. She is the perfect interviewee for our new series that talks to moms in the wellness world, asking, “How the heck do you do it?”
What is a typical weekday for you concerning work/mama life balance?
Our alarm clocks (the kids!) usually wake us up around 6 am, and then we’ll hang out as a family for 2 to 3 hours before the kids go to school. My youngest, Arlo, recently started preschool in the mornings, so now I’m able to work for a few hours before I pick him up at noon, and then I’ll usually have another 2 to 3 work hours in the afternoon while he’s napping. I’m loving this balance as it breaks my day nicely between parenting and work. I often work a bit in the evenings after the kids go to bed and during naptime on the weekends—life as a business owner is never dull, but I love both my mama and entrepreneur hats so much and wouldn’t trade either for the world!
When you feel overwhelmed, what are some of the things you turn to, to help you feel more like yourself?
I connect with nature by getting out for a walk. I recently committed to starting each morning with a walk outside, and already this ritual has made such a difference in my mood and energy levels through the rest of the day. When I’m overwhelmed, I often look at my schedule and find things that I can re-prioritise or move around to make time for myself or family. I tend to be a bit overambitious when setting out my goals each week, and so I’ve learned that it’s okay to shift things around when I’m feeling overwhelmed or just having “one of those weeks”. Being a mom has taught me to be flexible because living with kids is so unpredictable!
What is one of the recipes on your blog that works for the entire family?
Adriana’s Fave 10-Minute Pasta is a hit with my whole family—the kids never turn it away!
If you were to give yourself advice right on the cusp of becoming a mother, what would it be?
My advice would be…well, not to give myself advice! I genuinely believe that nothing can prepare you for motherhood until you’re experiencing it firsthand. It’s a wild ride with many ups and downs. One thing I was mindful of as a new mom was tuning out a lot of the noise about the trendy parenting approaches or sleep advice. I tried to follow my instincts as much as possible.
What is a key piece of advice for working parents who want to be healthy without much time on their hands?
This is something I’m still trying to figure out myself, and some weeks are better than others in our kitchen. I find prepping some food on Sunday is one of the best ways to set the tone for a healthy week without too much fuss around mealtime. If I can take 1-2 hours to prepare fresh vegetables and put together an easy, freezer-friendly entrée or two, it helps ensure a less hectic week to come. Another thing I’ve started using since becoming a mom of two is a grocery delivery service. I don’t use it exclusively by any means (and I actually LOVE grocery shopping!), but it’s so convenient for those days when I can’t get to the grocery store. A big time saver, for sure!
