Recipe developer, food stylist, and cookbook author Dana Shultz dipped her toes into food blogging with a simple, straightforward goal in mind: make cooking more accessible and easy for others. Jump forward some 10 years later and her brand, Minimalist Baker, has turned into a global sensation, amassing some millions of followers online.
“Minimalist Baker was born out of a desire to make simple cooking available to the everyday cook—like me,” said Shultz in an interview with Portland Monthly. “I would go and look at recipes on blogs and was generally evaluating whether or not I’d make the recipes based on how much time, equipment, and number of ingredients they required. I wanted simple, and it wasn’t there.”
Her blog concept was simple: share recipes that require 10 ingredients or less, 1 bowl, or 30 minutes or less to prepare. “All eaters are welcome,” is her website’s motto, and one we’re likely to adhere to. Her recipes are a mix of savory and sweet, including desserts, breakfasts, and entrées, many of which are plant-based.
“I’m most proud of the Coconut Sugar Caramel Sauce, Vegan Tiramisu Cake, and the Hearty Cocoa Black Bean Burgers, because they were concepts that took a lot of working through and experimenting in order to get the final result I had envisioned,” shared Shultz. “I think people will really enjoy these recipes because they each offer something different and unique in the realm of plant-based cooking.”
Her recipes also don’t require fancy ingredients or expensive equipment, and fit nicely with Shultz’s idea of having a minimalist lifestyle. Over the years, Shultz’s food philosophy has evolved greatly, and she now enjoys a diverse diet free from labels.
“Our plans include continuing to perfect and improve what we already do on Minimalist Baker, which is to provide simple, plant-based recipes that are mind-blowingly delicious,” she notes. “If we can keep doing that, I think there will always be a place for us in the internet world and beyond.”
You can expect to find new recipes on her website and Instagram every three days!
