the woman

While some Food Network fans might think Ingrid Hoffman is a newer sensation, she’s anything but new on the scene. While she now regularly adds bursts of flavor to the Food Network on her show, Simply Delicioso, this Columbian-American success story also has the Spanish-language show Delicioso on Univision (and fact: she stared in 16 telanovelas by age 20!). She has popular cookbooks, and now a cookwear line with T-fal. Oh, and I cannot get over how amazing this woman’s skin — and bod! — is for being 45+. She’s totally gorgeous, and you can tell it’s not just on the outside… she radiates.

I was honored to get a few minutes to talk to this talented, smart, grounded star recently at the Red Hot Night, presented by Target, during the South Beach Wine & Food Festival. Check out her responses to our six questions…who else is dying for a pressure cooker after this post??

TAGG: What ingredients do you keep in stock in the fridge or pantry to create dinner fast?
Ingrid Hoffman: Avocado, cilantro, eggs, and dry beans of every kind.

TAGG: What can the average girl create and look like a rockstar (but secret: it’s not complicated!)?
IH: Bouillabaisse in a pressure cooker. My pressure cooker, Betty, which she affectionally calls her red-hot cooker, makes food from scratch in minutes, instead of hours. Unlike a slow cooker where you need to think in the morning or night before what you’re making this has no prep. Who wants to worry the night before about what’s for dinner? For the bouillabaisse, get frozen seafood, coconut milk, broth, garlic, herbs. throw it in, and in six minutes… done! No prep needed. {TAGG tip: Ingrid’s cooker is currently only available in a larger size; for smaller, highly recommend this}

TAGG: You’ve accomplished so much in the past 10 years… shows, cookbooks, more! What makes you most proud?
IH: When it comes to work, I’m most proud of my cookbooks. It’s the hardest thing I do and it’s where my passion lies. I like television but to me, it’s a means to an end in order to share, to ultimately sell cookbooks. My soul is in cookbooks.

TAGG: I recently read about your kitchen remodel on your 15-year old residence. It’s gorgeous (and not huge like I expected it to be). Any wise words to help the average girl best utilize her space?
IH: Before you make any changes, sit down and think about how you use your space. Mimic your moves. If you’re going to reach for gadgets, where are they? Consider how you can build out – and build up. Even though my space is fairly small I can still cook for a lot of people.

TAGG: What’s your new favorite food of the most? How do you use it?
Quinoa. It’s so versatile. I use it for salads, soups and instead of pasta with clams and wine. I use it as oatmeal with bananas and blueberries in the morning, and instead of rice with paella.
{she wasn’t joking about using it with everything!} 

TAGG: anything else you’d like to share with the average – yet fabulous! – girl?
IH: If I can do it, you can do it. I started to realize with others, ‘heck, if they can do it, why can’t I?’ I’m clumsy, have ADHD and didn’t study culinary at school and I’m not classically trained. If you set your mind to it, make it your passion, you can do it.

pssst… apologies for the ultra-grainy iPhone photo but I mean is Ingrid gorgeous or what?! Love her Prabal Gurung for Target suit, too!

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The Woman: Dana Weiss

April 6, 2012

Welcome to the second installment of The Woman, an introduction to phenomenal, accomplished women.

I don’t think this girl fully realizes it, but I’m totally smitten by her smart, snarky, hilarous posts and tweets where she dishes and rants about who’s wearing what on your favorite tv series and reality shows. Meet Dana Weiss, founder of Possessionista fashion blog. I find myself totally drawn to her posts even if it’s about a show I don’t watch. I just love discovering who’s wearing what brands and clearly a lot of women are with me… her blog has skyrocketed and I’m thriled she’s here visiting TAGG. Absolutely love her “never, ever” and what every woman should own. Just proves how much Dana knows her stuff. 

I am and my business/position is:
Founder of Possessionista.com

My style, in just a few words:
Sequins. Denim. And lots of accessories.

Every woman should own:
Shoes that make her feel thin. Jeans that make her look thin.

My beauty routine includes:
Cetaphil. Face lotion. Blush. And mascara.

I feel like a rock star when I wear:
Stilettos.

One thing that always makes me smile:
When people get sent home on the Bachelor.

My three favorite places to shop:
Aritzia. Cusp. The grocery store.

I can’t get work done because I’m always on these web sites:
Hulu. Twitter. Facebook.

Professionally, I’ve learned that:
It’s not personal.

Food craving usually includes:  
Carbs.

My go-to breakfast (lunch or dinner!):
Coffee. (sushi. And sushi.)

I manage it all (or most!) by:
Depending on my saner husband.

Never, ever:
Buy clothes too small because of the size on the tag.

Every woman should be:
Self-aware

What I’ve learned that I wish I knew five years ago:
I didn’t have real problems.

Words to live by:
I can’t be responsible for what you think of me. I can only be responsible for what I think of me.

Want more of her smart answers? Visit Dana at Possessionista.

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The Woman: Jodi Furman

March 23, 2012

Welcome to The Woman, a new TAGG feature to introduce you to phenomenal, accomplished women I’ve had the pleasure to meet or learn about. One of TAGG’s major points is that we’re all alike at the end of the day, so apply some of the wise words and ideas from these women for the benefit of your life. We should all be out to help each other!

Our first phenomenal woman: Jodi Furman of Live FabuLESS, who’s blog/web site has been kicking some major tush with Jodi’s no-nonesense financial look at your life. We have the same philosophy: only buy it if you need it (not because it’s on sale) but if you are going to buy it, get it at the best price possible so you make the best use of what you make. An upscale life without the price, as she says. I am honored to call her my friend — because of that I even roped her in to becoming TAGG’s financial contributor!! - and I can’t wait to see what 2012 brings for Jodi. A mah-ja book deal, I presume (the publishing houses are LOVING her proposal!). Her wise words are my life lessons as well.

My business/position:
I run www.livefabuLESS.com, a lifestyle site about living an upscale life without the price.  I also just completed a book proposal which my agent has sent to all of the major publishing houses (yikes!)

My style, in just a few words:
Boho chic with a downtown twist. Fun, modern, yet comfortable.

Every woman should own:
A really great handbag and a killer pair of heels.

My beauty routine includes:
Fewer products and steps than most; I am a recovering product junkie.  Now I use only a few, mostly organic products-it’s saves me money, time and cabinet space. For makeup, if I’m not on camera- I’m a lip gloss and mascara only girl.

I feel like a rock star when I wear:
4″ heels- I’m vertically challenged.

One thing that always makes me smile:
My kids. They each have a very unique way of expressing themselves that never fails to crack me up- I love seeing the world through their eyes.

My three favorite places to shop:
Thrift store — especially for decor — love unique and unusual finds!; Farmers Markets- there’s something unbelievably satisfying about buying fresh fruits and veg; I try to get a new one for us to try each time I go. Amazon - nothing beats toilet paper arriving on my doorstep.

I can’t get work done because I’m always on these web sites:
Facebook- even though I spend a lot of time on my own fanpage, I inevitably get sucked in to the vortex that is Facebook.  Pinterest- I require a Pintervention.

Professionally, I’ve learned that:
In order to be fulfilled I needed a job that provided much more than just a paycheck- I needed to feel as though I was making a real and measurable impact on the world around me.  I left the corporate world after ten years to blog full time and it’s the best decision that I’ve ever made.

Food craving usually includes:
Sushi or a Caesar salad.  Not usually together.

My go-to breakfast (lunch or dinner!):
Fritatta- grab all of the leftover veggies in the fridge, scramble some eggs and top it with some cheese and throw it all in the oven — delish and easy!

I manage it all (or most!) by:
I gave up on trying to do it all at least two kids ago- rather, I focus on what’s most important and let the rest go or outsource it, if possible. I’d rather pay my cleaning lady $75 each week so I can spend my free time with my family instead of scrubbing floors and stripping beds- I often say that it’s the best $75 I spend each and every week.  A great support network is imperative- there’s no way I could do what I do without my husband’s support. I would also be completely lost without Evernote, it’s my second- and much better functioning- brain.

Never, ever:
Sell out- in business or in life.

Every woman should be:
Exactly who they want to be.  Refuse to be boxed in, caged up or confined.

What I’ve learned that I wish I knew five years ago:
How important it is, especially as a mom, to make yourself a priority. If I’m not taking care of myself, I can’t take care of my family because I have nothing left to give. Being a martyr doesn’t make me a better mom and wife- being a happy and fulfilled person makes me a much better mom and wife.

Words to live by:
Two quotes that never fail to inspire me: “a year from now, you will wish you had started today,” and “if people aren’t laughing at your dreams, you aren’t dreaming big enough.”

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