At Home With... Wellness Blogger Jessica Sepel
Wellness blogger and bestselling author Jessica Sepel invites us into her bright and welcoming Sydney home
Georgia Madden
17 October 2017
Nutritionist Jessica Sepel is one of Australia’s most popular wellness bloggers and the bestselling author of The Healthy Life and Living the Healthy Life. Her bright and cheery Vaucluse home doubles as headquarters for her business JSHealth – she creates and tests recipes in the sunny kitchen, and writes from an office at the front of the house. Jessica invites us in for a chat about how she loves to live.
Photos by Mike Bell Photography
Blogger’s Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Jessica Sepel, 28, and her husband Dean Steingold
Where: Vaucluse, NSW
Blogger’s Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Jessica Sepel, 28, and her husband Dean Steingold
Where: Vaucluse, NSW
Why did you choose to live here?
We love this area and both of our families are up the road – our parents are less than 10 minutes’ walk away. We go walking along the cliffs nearby every night. After a year living in LA I feel like I’m back where I belong.
We love this area and both of our families are up the road – our parents are less than 10 minutes’ walk away. We go walking along the cliffs nearby every night. After a year living in LA I feel like I’m back where I belong.
What made you start the blog?
Five years ago, I was studying nutrition and learning so many things – the blog was a place for me to share what I was learning, and the food that I was creating along the way.
Did you have any inkling the blog would be so successful?
I would never have guessed – it all happened very organically. I think people really believe in the JSHealth message. There’s so much information out there about what to eat or what not to eat – people are confused and overwhelmed. We take it back to basics – it’s about balance, a healthy body image and relationship with food, removing stress from the joy of eating. I think this really resonates with people.
Pendant lights: Emac & Lawton
Five years ago, I was studying nutrition and learning so many things – the blog was a place for me to share what I was learning, and the food that I was creating along the way.
Did you have any inkling the blog would be so successful?
I would never have guessed – it all happened very organically. I think people really believe in the JSHealth message. There’s so much information out there about what to eat or what not to eat – people are confused and overwhelmed. We take it back to basics – it’s about balance, a healthy body image and relationship with food, removing stress from the joy of eating. I think this really resonates with people.
Pendant lights: Emac & Lawton
What’s your cooking philosophy?
I’m all about creating quick, clean, easy recipes.
How do you and your husband cook?
My husband is very health-conscious too. He prefers simple food, nothing too fussy. When I’m not testing recipes on my family, he’s happy for me to test them on him.
We’ll eat my own recipes for dinner during the week, whether it’s a delicious broccoli, rice, kale and leek stir-fry, a Thai-style cauliflower rice or Japanese salmon.
What about when you have no time to cook?
I love vegie sticks cut up with tahini or hummus or one or two of my sugar-free protein balls. If I need dinner in a flash, I’ll make my kale and mushroom cauliflower rice with an egg or two.
I’m all about creating quick, clean, easy recipes.
How do you and your husband cook?
My husband is very health-conscious too. He prefers simple food, nothing too fussy. When I’m not testing recipes on my family, he’s happy for me to test them on him.
We’ll eat my own recipes for dinner during the week, whether it’s a delicious broccoli, rice, kale and leek stir-fry, a Thai-style cauliflower rice or Japanese salmon.
What about when you have no time to cook?
I love vegie sticks cut up with tahini or hummus or one or two of my sugar-free protein balls. If I need dinner in a flash, I’ll make my kale and mushroom cauliflower rice with an egg or two.
Where did you get your passion for healthy eating?
I grew up in South Africa and moved to Australia when I was 13. My mum taught me how to cook – I grew up in the kitchen alongside her. To this day, she is the best easy, healthy, wholefood cook I know. She was doing wholefood cooking long before it was a ‘thing’. My two younger sisters are both very health-conscious too, and in fact one is a yoga teacher, as is my mum.
I grew up in South Africa and moved to Australia when I was 13. My mum taught me how to cook – I grew up in the kitchen alongside her. To this day, she is the best easy, healthy, wholefood cook I know. She was doing wholefood cooking long before it was a ‘thing’. My two younger sisters are both very health-conscious too, and in fact one is a yoga teacher, as is my mum.
What’s your guilty pleasure?
I believe mindful indulgence is so important in the healthy life and that no guilt should be attached to food choices. That being said, I love a good-quality hazelnut gelato or a glass of organic red wine.
Which kitchen appliances can’t you live without?
My food processor, which I use to pulse broccoli and my blender for soups and smoothies.
I believe mindful indulgence is so important in the healthy life and that no guilt should be attached to food choices. That being said, I love a good-quality hazelnut gelato or a glass of organic red wine.
Which kitchen appliances can’t you live without?
My food processor, which I use to pulse broccoli and my blender for soups and smoothies.
How do you find working from home?
I love it. I worked from home in my previous house too, but there was no separation between my work and living zones. Here I’m lucky enough to have a separate office at the front of the house where I work alongside three team members.
Saying that, by the time Thursday comes around and I’ve spent the day at home filming, I’m ready to get out. That’s the one night a week Dean and I always eat out.
I love it. I worked from home in my previous house too, but there was no separation between my work and living zones. Here I’m lucky enough to have a separate office at the front of the house where I work alongside three team members.
Saying that, by the time Thursday comes around and I’ve spent the day at home filming, I’m ready to get out. That’s the one night a week Dean and I always eat out.
Where do you love spending time at home?
In my bedroom – it’s my sanctuary and I love coming here at the end of a long day. It’s a really calming space and I practise yoga and meditation here too. I switch off completely when I’m here – phones and computers are strictly banned.
Sofa: James Lane
In my bedroom – it’s my sanctuary and I love coming here at the end of a long day. It’s a really calming space and I practise yoga and meditation here too. I switch off completely when I’m here – phones and computers are strictly banned.
Sofa: James Lane
When did you move into this house?
One year ago. Dean and I lived and worked in LA before that.
Can you tell me a bit about the layout?
It’s on two levels, with a kitchen, living room, dining room, my office, a store room and deck downstairs. Upstairs there are two bedrooms, Dean’s office, a walk-in closet and a bathroom.
One year ago. Dean and I lived and worked in LA before that.
Can you tell me a bit about the layout?
It’s on two levels, with a kitchen, living room, dining room, my office, a store room and deck downstairs. Upstairs there are two bedrooms, Dean’s office, a walk-in closet and a bathroom.
What’s your decorating philosophy?
I’m not really interested in fancy furnishings. What matters to me is the energy and light in a space. A home should feel safe, comfortable and nurturing.
I love washed wood and lots of white and natural light. Dark spaces really affect my mood.
Mirror and coffee table: Florabelle; sofa: Pottery Barn
I’m not really interested in fancy furnishings. What matters to me is the energy and light in a space. A home should feel safe, comfortable and nurturing.
I love washed wood and lots of white and natural light. Dark spaces really affect my mood.
Mirror and coffee table: Florabelle; sofa: Pottery Barn
How did you know this house was the one?
I walked into this house and could immediately feel its great energy. It had cork floors and filthy walls, but I could see its potential. It was out of our budget, but I just turned to Dean and said ‘This is our house’.
I walked into this house and could immediately feel its great energy. It had cork floors and filthy walls, but I could see its potential. It was out of our budget, but I just turned to Dean and said ‘This is our house’.
Where do you spend and save?
Dean and I really don’t spend a lot on furniture. We’d rather spend it on travel and good food.
There are lots of pieces from Ikea, and I’m also lucky that my family has two design businesses (Emac & Lawton and Florabelle) where I can get pieces at wholesale prices.
Dean and I really don’t spend a lot on furniture. We’d rather spend it on travel and good food.
There are lots of pieces from Ikea, and I’m also lucky that my family has two design businesses (Emac & Lawton and Florabelle) where I can get pieces at wholesale prices.
What’s your next home project?
I’d like to get an ottoman for the living room to make it more comfortable. I’d also love to put a long table into our tiny garden so we can eat outside.
Mirror: Florabelle
I’d like to get an ottoman for the living room to make it more comfortable. I’d also love to put a long table into our tiny garden so we can eat outside.
Mirror: Florabelle
Jess’s Easy Blender Banana and Dark Chocolate Muffins
I’m obsessed with this muffin recipe. You just add a few healthy ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend them together to make the most beautiful, light and fluffy muffins.
Makes: 9 muffins
Ingredients:
Method:
I’m obsessed with this muffin recipe. You just add a few healthy ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend them together to make the most beautiful, light and fluffy muffins.
Makes: 9 muffins
Ingredients:
- 2 cups almond meal
- 3 bananas (2 for baking, 1 for decorating)
- 3 eggs
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- A pinch of sea salt
- 1 cup dates, pitted and roughly chopped
- ¼ cup coconut oil
- ¼ cup dark chocolate, chopped
- Olive oil or coconut spray, for greasing
Method:
- Preheat oven to 180°C (fan-forced).
- Add almond meal, bananas, eggs, baking powder, cinnamon, sea salt, dates and coconut oil to a food processor or blender. Process/blend until smooth. Stir through chopped dark chocolate.
- Grease muffin tin generously with olive oil or coconut oil spray. Spoon mixture into tin and top each muffin with a slice of banana.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden and cooked through.
Keep up-to-date with Jessica at www.jessicasepel.com or on Instagram at @JSHEALTH.
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Creatives at Home: Lucinda McKimm in Her Yoga Studio
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It's never crossed my mind to imagine what a wellness guru's home would look like, but Jessica's home is exactly what I might have imagined a wellness guru's home is! So fresh and light and airy and clean, without looking clinical. I'd have been even more impressed if the wellness aspect was incorporated in design elements such as low-VOC and antibacterial materials (yes, they do exist).
I agree it has a clean, fresh, bright and calm appearance. And those muffins...yummmmmmm!!!
Awesome home, I love how she says it was about 'energy, light and space', I agree! Looks fab