Odacité Kind of Girl: Miranda Hammer of Crunchy Radish

Meet Miranda: healthy eating guru, natural foods chef and self-proclaimed veghead with a mouth-watering Instagram feed & healthy living blog we cannot get enough of.

What we admire most about Miranda is her healthy balance between clean eating and indulging, as well as her emphasis on making small, simple & sustainable changes that will have an impact in the short & long-term. We are always so incredibly inspired when we discover someone who makes health a top priority and showcases their journey in a down-to-earth, helpful & creative way.

We had the lovely opportunity to chat with Miranda and ask her how she turned her hobby of chronicling her kitchen experiences into a full-time job and what it takes to Instagram a picture of food.

Tell Odacité beauty lovers a little bit about yourself and what inspired you to launch The Crunchy Radish.

Hey natural beauty lovers! I am a registered dietitian, natural foods chef, native New Yorker, and self-proclaimed veghead constantly in pursuit of the optimal balance of delicious, clean, and nourishing food. I am passionate about cooking wholesome and health-supportive dishes and absolutely love sharing the eating experience with friends and family. I truly believe that balance is key inside and outside the kitchen. I love a glass of wine or tequila on the rocks as well as dining out and traveling!

I received my Masters from the Clinical Nutrition Program at New York University and completed my clinical rotations at New York Methodist Hospital. My professional culinary training is from the Chef's Training Program at the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts. My past work experience includes serving as a Clinical Dietitian at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City.  Throughout the course of my graduate and undergraduate studies, I performed various roles in the restaurant industry where I learned a great deal about cooking and food service.

My interest in nutrition sparked while spending countless hours in the dance studio where I learned the essential relationship between enhanced performance and adequate nutrition. I launched Crunchy Radish 5 years ago while I was in graduate school and looking for a creative outlet to showcase what an RD actually eats and cooks. I started getting positive feedback and exciting opportunities and decided to pursue culinary nutrition full-time.Now my primarily focus is recipe and content develop and helping to share what I believe to be healthy eating and living!

Living a healthy lifestyle isn't all about food. Could you tell our readers what your health and wellness philosophy is?

I live in NYC, so my legs are the best way to get around. I have a four-legged best friend, so I am constantly in the park with my dog and husband, which is essential for my mental and physical health. I also love working out. Whether it is a HIIT class at Refine Method, a jog, spin, or yoga class, working out is essential for a healthy lifestyle. It keeps me sane and balanced and allows me to fully enjoy my indulgences. 

I really try and not prescribe to a specific type of diet. I am mainly plant-based, but if my body is craving a certain food then most likely I will seek out the best option of whatever that is and enjoy!

I also try my best to use the most natural products on my body, such as Odacité, since what you put on the outside is just as important as what goes inside!

Most importantly a healthy lifestyle is about balance. I love checking out new restaurants and returning to old faithfuls. I also absolutely love to travel and explore local specialities. When I do indulge or return from a food filled trip, I don't beat myself up. I just reset and recalibrate my system by eating cleanly and getting back to my workout routine!

Your Instagram feed makes us so hungry just by scrolling through it. Can you give us the inside scoop on how you make all of your dishes insta post-worthy?

I try and keep things looking authentic and real. I focus on vibrant and colorful, mainly plant-based foods that not only look visually pleasing - but taste great and are good for you too! I also try and shoot my photos by the window to get as much natural light as possible and avoid over filtering my photos.

​There is a lot of summer salad eating taking place at Odacité HQ right now. What tips can you share to help spruce up a boring green salad?

My go-to dressing is a simple mixture of dijon mustard, white balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar, and olive oil. It is simple to make but, works well with everything! I also always focus on adding some protein from beans and texture from toasted nuts and seeds. Summer is an exciting time at the greenmarket and there is so much salad inspiration. Whether it is adding crunchy sugar snap peas, sweet cherry tomatoes, or stone fruit! There are so many tasty and easy ways to up your salad game.