Meet the creator behind one of our most requested flavors: Jessica Merchant. After launching Salted Pistachio Cookie with Jessica last year (and watching it completely sell out!) we’re so excited to bring back one of our most-loved flavors for a limited time. Inspired by Jessica’s iconic salted pistachio chocolate shortbread cookies, this rich and creamy nut butter is finally making its return. From the story behind the flavor to what Jessica’s been up to lately, read more below!

Tell us a little about you!

I am the creator of the food and lifestyle blog, How Sweet Eats. It is my dream job and I’ve been lucky to do it for 16 years! I have so much fun creating recipes and sharing our life. I live in Pittsburgh, PA with my husband and three kids, Max, Emilia and Jordan. Life is fun and busy and incredibly full - I feel so lucky. 

How does it feel to be bringing back Salted Pistachio Cookie?

I could not be more excited! This response to this collaboration was so exciting and I'm glad everyone loved it as much as we do! For months people have been begging for it to come back, so I am super pumped!

What was the inspiration for Salted Pistachio Cookie? 

I live for all things pistachio. And the sweet and salty combo is something that I crave. I have a salted pistachio chocolate chip shortbread that my readers really love. 

But I also love adding pistachios to just about anything! Every salad, bowl, pizza - they add such a buttery, nutty flavor with that pop of salt. I am notoriously anti-nuts in all of my desserts, but when it comes to pistachios, I let it slide. They are the perfect crunchy, salty addition to everything sweet. 

How would you describe this flavor to someone who’s never tried Ground Up before?

It's incredible! It's like a buttery shortbread pistachio cookie with a bit of chocolate - it's not too sweet and perfectly creamy, with a tiny tiny hint of crisp texture. 

What do you do for work? 

I run my website, How Sweet Eats, full time and have since 2009. I develop new recipes weekly and also write cookbooks. My 4th book, Easy Everyday, came out in April of last year!

It being the New Year, is there anything you've been finding exciting about this season of your work?

We are very seasonal eaters and cooks, so I love the anticipation that a new year brings! Fresh flavors, looking forward to spring, using seasonal produce and coming up with new exciting recipes - this is my favorite part of the new year. Working ahead to develop recipes for the months to come helps tp keep the winter doldrums away. I'm always looking a bit ahead and anticipating what's coming next!

How do you stay motivated? 

I love what I do which automatically motivates me. I love working every day, creating content and sharing new ideas. I also find that taking too much time off is a detriment to my creativity and motivation. The more I work and create, the easier it is. So I try to limit my time off and be very strategic about it so I don’t lose my motivation and momentum. 

Do you have any advice for someone who is interested in starting a business/blog? 

It has to be something you LOVE to do. Whatever content you plan to share, make sure you love it and can see yourself talking about it for years. I love what I do so much and as cliche as it sounds, I really don’t feel like it’s work.

Also, be prepared to put in the time. It can take years before you see any sort of return on your work, but if you love it, it won’t matter. I would still do this even if it wasn’t my job. When I was kid, I put together magazines and delivered them to my neighbors because I loved sharing my favorite things so much. 

What are your favorite ways to #spreadgood in your community? 

Volunteering in our community is our number one. Time is valuable and always appreciated!! 

Who is one person who inspires you and why? 

My kids inspire me everyday but especially my daughter, Emilia. First, she is so naturally happy and kind and positive every single day. She is very patient and works hard at something until she gets it. 

She is also my inspiration because I think of her as I work and take care of my kids. I want to set an example for all of my kids, of course, but especially her as the female. To show that she can do whatever she puts her mind to, she can have a successful career that she loves and at the same time, have a loving family and a very full life. 

How do you work to stay centered and practice self-care in your busy day-to-day reality? 

I have set up really strong boundaries in my life that are realistic. These pertain to my work life and personal life and they have been a life saver. I am great at saying no and knowing when to put work “down.”.

Life is so unpredictable with three little kids, so I always try to make sure that we have a cushion of time in every aspect of life. It’s basically a way to prepare for unpredictability! Every day is different and if we have a super busy, rushed few days, I make sure to have downtime in the days that follow. Our life can be hectic and chaotic and not balanced, which means I have to make it balanced in the ways I can. 

In the day-to-day, this means doing basic things that make me feel good - they are essentially self care. Having a few minutes to myself when I can, drinking enough water, reading at night to calm my mind - things like that! 

What do you like to do for fun, when you aren't working? 

Entertaining at our home and spending time with my family and friends is my top priority! I can’t ever get enough time with family and friends. 

I also never thought I would say this, but going to my kids’ activities is so much more fun than I expected. We are in the crazy season of life where we might have an activity almost everyday of the week, and it’s so fun to watch them and make friends while doing it. 

Reading is definitely something I do daily. I’ve been an avid reader since I was a kid and it’s my favorite pastime. I don’t feel complete if I haven’t read during the day! I actually get anxious if I leave home without my book or kindle. 

What are some of your favorite recipes with Ground Up? 

Every single morning I have a greek yogurt bowl with berries, bananas, nuts, seeds and nut butter! I love using the ground up flavors in my breakfast bowl to change up the flavors. It keeps things exciting but at the same time, takes the decision fatigue out of my morning since I know what I’m making each day. 

I also love a few other classics like smoothies, overnight oats, granola and granola bars, sauces and drizzles.

Not only is the quality of the ground up butters impeccable, but the flavor is so spot on. The flavors are super versatile and elevating. 

P.S. I’m also never about a nut butter spoon covered in mini chocolate chips. It’s been my go-to snack for years.