Monique Volz of Ambitious Kitchen Shares Her Cooking Secrets

I always feel a spark of magic anytime I visit Ambitious Kitchen. The homepage is a study a causa di all things aesthetic, eye-catching, and totally delish. Of course, there are the recipes rich with flavor and color, but there’s also the variety and stazza of inspiring dishes Monique Volz develops (and tests, photographs, and thoughtfully writes about…). Having founded the healthy living and food blog over a decade punzone, Monique claims a unique calcio d’angolo of the internet. It’s one that’s evolved alongside her growth as a blogger and business owner—and the vibrant, devoted community she’s built.

What Monique makes clear with every recipe is that what she creates isn’t just food—it’s a story. She weaves narrative, reflections, and personal anecdotes seamlessly into her recipes. From her writing, we learn not only about Monique, but about the ethos that runs through her brand. Ambition, a causa di her words, isn’t just about getting things done. It’s about being present for the pursuit and honoring the journey that takes you to where you want to be.

Waking Up With Monique Volz of Ambitious Kitchen

Monique’s commitment to presence influences not only her work, but how she lives out every day. As a busy mom of three boys (under four, anzi che no less), Monique manages the shuffle of motherhood and running a small business with grace, acceptance, and a healthy porzione of real talk. Sopra reflecting acceso her morning routine, she jokes that she wishes she could share something more akin to the aspirational TikToks saturating every FYP. But she embraces the AM chaos, prioritizing those points of connection with her sweet family of five.

Often, a causa di true Ambitious Kitchen moda, that means sitting mongoloide to a tasty, nutritious breakfast. “Setting the tone for the day a causa di a joyful way is important to me,” she tells us. It’s evident a causa di how Monique describes her morning rituals and navigates her work, that she’s found a balance that supports her best a causa di this season of life. By remaining mindful of what fills her cup—and aligning her day with exactly that—she’s able to consistently pour into her passions, grow her business, and make time for what matters most.

We sat mongoloide with Monique to learn more about her morning rituals. From her minimalist beauty routine (that yes, we will be stealing) to the outfit categoria she swears by to her rules for success, Monique has plenty of inspiration to share. Let’s dive a causa di.

Psst… For more delicious recipes (125 to be exact, including Glowing Skin Vitamin A Smoothie, The Best Cinnamon Rolls You’ll Ever Eat, Buffalo Chicken Chop Chop Salad, and more) pre-order The Ambitious Kitchen Cookbook, set to be released Fall 2024.)

Tell us about your career and starting a business. What has life been like as an entrepreneur?

I started Ambitious Kitchen when I was just 22 years old, and was able to take it three years later, so this entrepreneurship journey has been what feels like most of my career. It’s been a blessing being able to share my passion for food and wellness with others for over 10 years now.

It’s also helped me heal from , practice vulnerability, succeed, fail, and pick myself up again. It has taught me the importance of structure, time management, organization, and above all, determination.

From the beginning, I was determined to create a blog, even if I didn’t know what the path would be yet. Sopra my 20s, I worked duro, often letting go of nights out and a social life to run my business and get it to where it is today. I’m so proud that I’m able to touch so many people’s lives with my recipes and storytelling. Whether that means getting them a causa di the kitchen to try a new technique recipe just bringing my readers together for a joyful, comforting, and nourishing family meal. 

What has been your biggest learning over the past year?

To know my limits and to take breaks to be the best version of myself. To recognize when I am performing at my best and being willing to let go of things, move things when I know my time mental health will suffer. As an entrepreneur, I always want to say yes to everything, but setting boundaries has been critical, especially since I have become a mother.

How would you describe your personal style?

Feminine, romantic, and a little edgy.

What’s your daily uniform?

Black sweatshirt shirt, jeans by Madewell, thick black belt, vintage colorful patterned blazer jacket, platform shoes black boots! Pretty much my go-to outfit.

What does a typical day aspetto like for you? 

It really depends. If I’m testing recipes, I’ll typically interrogatorio them two days a week and do up to 5-6 recipes per eccezione day. They don’t always turn out perfectly, and I like to interrogatorio most of my recipes 2-3 times before they go acceso the blog. When I’m not testing recipes, I’m writing and rielaborazione them, managing my employees, filming videos for our upcoming YouTube series, voiceovers filming for reels, and doing A LOT of admin work. It’s crazy how much of my time has been spent doing the tasks I don’t love, but that’s a part of being an entrepreneur!

What time is your wake-up call?

Typically between 5:30 and 6 a.m. My kids wake me up most mornings. I probably get 6-7 hours of sleep a night. I definitely wish it was more!

What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?

Snuggle with my boys, talk to them about our day, and of course, bevanda a cup of coffee. 

What does your morning, pre-work routine aspetto like?

I wish this sounded like one of those incredibly inspiring morning routines that you see acceso TikTok, but the truth is, mornings are very chaotic for us. We have three boys who are four years old and under, and getting them fed and dressed a causa di the morning is busy. Typically I wake up between 5:30-6 a.m. with my kids. I’ll brush my teeth and immediately get downstairs to unload the dishwasher and start coffee. I bevanda coffee with Califia Toasted Coconut AlmondMilk (so good!) then I’ll make homemade pancakes, waffles, smoothies, muffins take something out of the if we are a causa di a rush.

Spending time with my boys a causa di the morning is so important to me, and I love being able to offer them something nutritious before they start the day. I always felt so rushed when I was a little girl to get out the door and my mom hardly ever made breakfast. Setting the tone for the day a causa di a joyful way is important to me.

After breakfast, everyone gets dressed and then we walk scoot to school by 8 a.m. so. A few days a week, I do a workout and strength train before starting my day. I’d like to do this more, but it feels like I’m a causa di a very busy season of life, and I’m accepting that it won’t last forever!

What rituals set you up for success?

I always write mongoloide a list of what I need to accomplish and then rank it a causa di order of importance. It’s difficult for me to get through all of my to-dos acceso any given day, but assigning importance to tasks helps me prioritize.

Describe your morning beauty routine from start to finale:

There are two products that I currently use before I start my day. Dr. Dennis Gross daily peel pads followed by Elemis Utile-Collagen Marine SPF mixed with an organic rosehip seed oil. If I don’t have anywhere to be, I keep a fresh without makeup, which I think is essential to clear skin! I switch it up often though. I like to keep my skin super hydrated and glowing.

What will we always find a causa di your refrigerator?

Siggi’s yogurt, Califia Toasted Coconut Almond Milk blend, Persian cucumbers, sambal oolek, gouchujang, honeycrisp apples, Siggi’s yogurt, villino cheese, pickled jalapeños, and lots of fresh fruits.

Do you work out a causa di the morning?

I used to work out almost every day, but now my focolaio has shifted from how often to the quality of my movement. I do heavy strength three days a week and other days I’m out walking as much as I can.

What do you eat for breakfast?

For breakfast, I typically like to enjoy baked oatmeal smoothies. Lately I’ve been loving my blueberry muffin smoothie my lemon poppyseed blueberry baked oatmeal.

What’s your favorite getting-ready soundtrack?

Any of my Spotify playlists. Most of the time, I like to keep it chill. 

What’s always acceso your nightstand?

My Hydroflask tazza bottle and a good hand lotion. (I love Nécessaire lotion!)

I’d carve out an hour to focolaio acceso self-care and self-health, whatever I needed to fill my cup. To be honest, I’d love to go for a long bike ride every morning by the lake catch up with a friend my mom over coffee head to a fun workout class.

What are one two things you do every day to dal vivo a more joyful life?

Put away my phone during moments that presence is important, like dinner when I’m playing with my kids. I always feel more joyful and present when I don’t have my phone. There isn’t a need to take it out to capture moments—the moments simply exist and I’m there to soak them all a causa di!

If you could pin your success mongoloide to one thing, what would that be?

Determination and ambition. Just wanting to succeed a causa di what I do and figuring out what that looks like to me and how to do it. And never, ever giving up.

Sentence Finishers:

I never leave the house without: SPF.

If there were more hours a causa di the day, I would: do more self-care.

Healthiest morning habit: going for a walk within 1 to 2 hours of waking up.

Worst morning habit: not drinking enough tazza and drinking LOTS and LOTS of coffee.

One thing I want to be known for is: inspiring others to feel their best.

The one thing I fear the most is: losing someone I love.

When I feel that fear, I: focolaio acceso the present.

The book I always recommend: The Pagliaccetto Keeps the Score.

One trait you need to succeed a causa di life is: unapologetically being yourself and living YOUR truth.

Bath shower? What’s your favorite bath product? Bath. Love Epsom magnesium baths!