TikTok has fueled my love for cooking creatively and picking up new ingredients at the grocery store over the past year. My FYP is constantly filled with unique recipes for every meal from some of the most creative women on social media. I cannot count the number of creators I have gotten recipe ideas from, so here is a narrowed-down list of my current favorites who deserve all the hype and recognition.
Liz Moody (@lizmoody)
What stands out about Moody the most is her soft approach toward nutrition. Instead of cutting out what we may think to qualify as “bad foods” from our diets, Moody reinvents them with healthier and holistic ingredients. A popular food series she does on TikTok is the recreation of Starbucks food items. She simply substitutes the refined sugars, butter and grains that are usually in these treats with ingredients that balance the blood sugar curve. She also creates vegan milkshakes with hidden vegetables for a delicious and balanced snack including flavors such as birthday cake, carrot cake and chocolate chip cookie dough.
The best part about Moody’s healthier sweet treat creations is that they actually taste like dessert. I attempted her copycat Starbucks coffee cake recipe and I truly could not tell the difference from the original that is loaded with processed sugars. However, TikTok is just a teaser for Moody’s talents. Her food and lifestyle blog is aesthetically pleasing and organized to optimize the user experience. She is also very open about all things mental health and self-love if you need some advice in that department, because don’t we all these days? Every recipe I have tried from Moody has been a hit with my friends and family and I aspire to have a blog like hers one day.
Bria Lemirande (@brialem)
This lovely lady is otherwise known as @brialem on TikTok and her social media content has exploded recently. She has a love for all things Trader Joe’s, which is incredibly relatable considering half of my paycheck goes to TJ’s every week. She is best known for her oat flour chocolate chip cookie skillet and her iconic avocado toast recipe. I have tried both and they are now a current staple in my diet.
Lemirande also puts together nourishment bowls, which are rice bowls with lots of veggies, proteins and sauces. She has such a positive outlook on eating foods that nourish your body and keeps it real with her content. She does not try to make her cooking look perfect on-screen and is also not afraid to make a mistake in her videos. And, her recipes provide some of the most flavorful food I have ever produced in my own kitchen. She also handwrites her recipes on little sticky notes and takes time to respond to her followers’ comments. Lemirande is going to have a bright future in the food content industry, so go check her out!
Emily Mariko (@emilymariko)
If you look for simplicity and peace when it comes to cooking, Emily Mariko is the girl for you. You have most likely seen her viral salmon and rice bowl with roasted seaweed being replicated all over social media. After that video, Mariko’s peaceful film style has made its way onto everyone’s TikTok feed. Mariko loves to cook everything from scratch which adds a sense of comfort and reward to her cooking. Some of her notable videos include a prosciutto-wrapped fruit salad, stuffed peppers and homemade chicken noodle soup.
It is clear that Mariko cooks from the heart and loves combining different ingredients to show her followers that starting from scratch can be a therapeutic experience. If you are not quite ready to cook an elaborate dish, Mariko’s TikTok offers simple treats such as chocolate-covered strawberries and banana peanut butter toast as well.
Marium (@mxriyum)
Saving one of the best creators for last: @mxriyum on TikTok cooks up the dreamiest recipes that appear to be straight out of a Disney movie. She has the ultimate comfort food account and consistently posts new recipes to share with her followers. Her weekly cooking recaps show how much dedication and passion she puts into her content at just 22 years old. She focuses on both the taste and the presentation of her food to transform it into delicious art.
I have yet to tackle one of her recipes because they can be complex, but some of her viral videos include roasted tomato soup and grilled cheese, cinnamon rolls and everything bagels. She provides a great balance between savory and sweet foods that are bound to impress at gatherings with friends or family. I am patiently waiting for her to release a cookbook and even open up a restaurant one day!