I would have loved to have been an aesthetician. I love, like, anything to do with - I know this sounds kind of gross - but any kind of zit popping is so fascinating to me.

For my Mai Tai recipe, I juice fresh orange, pineapple, and lime. It's like vacation in a glass!

During the summer, I used to hate when my mom would call me inside to eat - it was such a drag to leave all the fun.

Working on my first novel, 'Groundswell' - about a woman recovering from a bad breakup who falls in love with surfing - I spent a month south of the border. And when I wasn't writing or surfing, I was eating. A lot.

I'm all or nothing. I'm either having fresh vegetables, or I'm eating fried fish.

My grandmother Dora taught me how to cook. She's from a small town in West Virginia called Milton. I would pull a stool up to her kitchen counter after school. My love of food started there.

I have always wanted to write a novel, and I tried many times but could never find the right story. One day, I was walking on the beach, and the idea for 'Groundswell' hit me. I went into the house and started writing and never stopped.

It's hard when you get into an Instagram hole, because we live in such a Facetuned world. You see all these girls are in their bathing suits, and it's hard not to think, 'I wish I looked like that.' But you can only be your own personal best.

I come from a family of great cooks and big eaters.

By the end of the winter, I'm always battling too-tight pants. My solution: Eat lean protein, good grains, and veggies.

My favorite southern dish has to be fried chicken. I love to cook it. I love to have it in the summer.

I always think of my grandfather as the original foodie. He was the slowest eater. He savored everything. Even when everyone was gone from the table, he was still eating.

In the winter, I always buy frozen organic berries instead of fresh. They are frozen as soon as they're harvested, so they actually have a higher vitamin content than fresh this time of year.

I use coconut oil in my cooking and as a beauty product. It's great for sauteing and baking and makes the best moisturizer and hair treatment. I'm coconut-oil obsessed!

I grew up in a small town in West Virginia, and most of my family lived in our neighborhood or very close by. I had my grandparents down the street, my great-grandmother next door, and my great-aunt and great-uncle one door down.

I pretty much grew up with my grandma. She would pull a stool over to the kitchen, and I would climb up at the kitchen counter, and I'd help her make biscuits.

When I work out at home, I don't have mirrors, and I really like it. When I'm not working out in front of a mirror, I don't have those conversations with myself that I have in the gym, when my head starts drifting in all those dark spots.

My Breville juicer is one of my can't-live-without appliances in the kitchen.

If I really don't feel like cooking, I have a bowl of lentil pasta with Rao's jarred sauce.

A lot of people are kind of snobby about garlic powder and onion powder. I happen to love them.

I really thought that Billy Joel had two hits. I thought it was 'Uptown Girl' and 'Piano Man,' and that was basically it.

To me, nothing says summer like enjoying a lobster roll at my favorite spots in the Hamptons.

I'm asleep at midnight. I go to bed really early, so I don't have a midnight snack.

When you're going to meet your man's mom and dad, it's always nice to bring them something homemade and from the heart.

My grandpa and I loved Emeril. It was all he wanted to watch when he was in the hospital dying. When I met Emeril later, it was so emotional.

Bobby Flay has become a great mentor to me. He's one of my very best friends and kind of like a big brother, and I always feel like I can go to him for any kind of advice.

You can deep-fry anything, and I would eat it.

Every great sandwich starts with a great bun, and my absolute favorites are Sara Lee Artesano Bakery Buns and Rolls - they're quick, simple and work perfectly with all my favorite recipes!

I love spicy food, so I'm not sure why I have this aversion to wasabi, but I really detest it.

Labor Day means grilling outside!

I think kitchen real estate is very valuable, so something has to perform multiple functions for me to give it space in my drawers.

I like a very clean kitchen, and when I'm cooking, I try to clean as I go.

The kitchen is definitely the room that gets used the most in my house.

I really like keeping my kitchen counters as clear as possible. I tend to function better when there's less clutter.

I love the 'Barefoot Contessa' cookbooks - they're so nicely done, and her recipes are beautiful and simple.

I just love to look at cookbooks, it's almost like they're comic books for me. I can't look at them before bed; it gets me too excited.

I think any man can be won over by being fed my Chicken with Roasted Garlic, Pancetta, and Rosemary.

Spritzers are festive yet economical. By adding seltzer and juice, you stretch the number of people a bottle of wine serves.

I love cooking except for an annoying step - cleaning up.

I like a good burger as much as the next girl, but sometimes, I say hold the beef. In fact, every week, I do Meatless Monday to feel a little healthier.

I love giving little ones fun tasks that make them feel like they're part of the team but keep them safe. My go-tos are topping pizzas, decorating cookies, stirring ingredients, and, of course, taste-testing!

My biggest cooking influence, my No. 1, is my grandma. Then it's the farmers. When I go to the farm stand and see what's available, that's where I get most of my inspiration.

I never grew up with money, and I never wanted a lot of material things.

Portion control is not an option for me. I like mass quantities, so I have to create healthy meals that I love but won't feel guilty about eating.

I can't have a party without deviled eggs.

The best thing about summer entertaining is it doesn't have to be fancy - and you can eat outdoors. You can use a tablecloth or just a piece of fabric you love. You can't go wrong with white candles; put them in jars or hurricane vases.

The grill is the summer equivalent of a fireplace; everyone gravitates to it.

I really want to write another novel, and I am trying to come up with what the story will be. As I learned with 'Groundswell,' I can't force it; I just have to wait for it to come to me.

I'm always buying glasses and teacups. I have way too many to use, but I just love them, particularly anything vintage.

I wash my hands constantly in the kitchen, so they're always dry.