How We Develop Recipes – Downshiftology

I get requested on a regular basis how we develop the recipes that you simply see on this web site. And the quick reply is that we now have a number of high quality requirements that recipes should meet. So I believed I’d break it down for you right this moment!

Lots of you recognize that I began Downshiftology eight years in the past after I left the company world. My objective was to share the straightforward, wholesome, gluten-free recipes that I used to be making in my very own kitchen. I had no concept after I began this web site that it will evolve into what it’s right this moment – a profitable enterprise and model with staff, a YouTube channel with hundreds of thousands of subscribers, and a bestselling cookbook!

As you may think, issues have modified a bit from these early days as a one-woman present photographing recipes in my mother or father’s basement. However one factor stays – guaranteeing the success of my recipes in your kitchen will all the time be my high precedence. So right here’s what goes into that.

How We Select Recipes

Earlier than we dive into the recipes, it’s essential to introduce you to my Social Media Supervisor, Emily Liao. Emily has been with me since 2019 and we’re joined on the hip working the day-to-day of Downshiftology and producing the recipes and movies you see.

Emily and I’ve a gathering each Monday morning to debate our content material calendar, which we plan weeks and months into the long run. A number of standards we take a look at when selecting recipes are:

• Seasonality & Sourcing: are the elements “on a regular basis” objects and is the produce at present in-season? We all the time wish to ensure you’ll have the ability to discover the elements in your native markets. So we’ll submit asparagus recipes in spring and butternut squash recipes in fall, when produce is in peak-season.
• Originality: will the recipe have our personal distinctive spin? All recipes on the web site are gluten-free and refined sugar-free with a give attention to being nutrient-dense and wholesome (minus my desserts, after all). Meaning I’ll all the time put my private contact on traditional recipes like hen salad, chili, and even in a single day oats. And whereas it’s exhausting to make a one-ingredient recipe like poached eggs or bacon within the oven tremendous unique, I all the time do my finest to offer probably the most useful ideas based mostly on my private expertise!
• Issue Stage: are you able to simply reproduce the recipe in your kitchen with primary kitchen tools? I’m a giant proponent of fuss-free cooking. So most of my recipes solely want primary kitchen objects like pots, pans, mixing bowls, baking sheets, casserole dishes, and so on. And should you’d wish to take it a step additional, there could also be some specialty recipes that require a gradual cooker or air fryer.

How We Check Recipes

As soon as we’ve acquired a plan for recipes, I personally draft every recipe. Then, I get to work within the kitchen testing them! Most recipes are examined 3 to 4 occasions earlier than posting on the web site.

I’m all about foolproof, no-fail recipes and it’s actually essential to me that the recipes prove first attempt in your kitchens. Particularly as sure elements like prime rib, turkey, or beef tenderloin will be fairly costly.

Moreover, I now outsource pictures (as of this 12 months!) and having a meals stylist {and professional} meals photographer who makes and pictures my recipes in an outdoor kitchen is yet another check to make sure the recipe is 100% prepared for the web site.

How We Shoot Recipe Movies

Even in any case of those years I nonetheless shoot and edit all of my YouTube movies myself. Consider me after I say, it’s a ton of labor! And I want I may carry on further assist for it. However I’ve but to seek out outsourced assist who can keep my skilled fashion and save me time.

When it comes to social media movies like Reels, TikToks and Shorts, Emily shoots these on an iPhone in my kitchen, often whereas I’m concurrently taking pictures the YouTube video. It makes for busy days within the kitchen, however we positively have a rhythm to it now. After which Emily edits these movies earlier than we submit them on social media.

Do You Ever Replace Recipes?

Sure, we positive do! I’m continually reviewing older recipes on the web site to see if we have to: 1) replace the recipe in any respect based mostly on reader suggestions and/or 2) shoot new pictures to make the recipe look contemporary. Sustaining the standard of recipes, each outdated and new, is equally essential. So that you may see traditional reader-favorite recipes like guacamole or golden milk pop to the entrance of the web site once more if we’ve given them a latest replace.