SHAKING UP THE SENSES IN THE KITCHEN WITH HEALTHY ON YOU ORGANIC SPICE BLENDS

When it comes to serving healthy, flavorful dishes, former marketing maven Samantha Binkley is shaking things up in the kitchen. As a licensed health coach, Binkley began Healthy on You in 2015 with cooking lessons she gave in her kitchen. Her goal then was to show ways to replace unhealthy fats in meals without compromising the flavor of the food. Twice a month, her students cooked everything from appetizers to main courses to dessert in healthier ways. They also danced to music as they cooked, tantalizing their sense of sound in addition to smell and taste.

Binkley’s “aha” moment came when her students called and returned after their lessons for the spice blends they had used in class that she gave them to take home. Today, Healthy on You is an organic seasoning and spice blend company that sources and combines whole, organic spices from around the world. “Spices made the world wealthy, and yet people don’t normally know where their rosemary, turmeric, ginger, or smoked paprika come from besides the grocery store. So, in addition to showing uses for my spices, I enjoy teaching about the origin of them,” Binkley said. 

Binkley’s website also has a vast recipe bank and resources loaded with traditional and cultural dishes prepared with your health in mind. The certified organic label guarantees that Healthy on You spices are gluten-free and don’t contain fillers, preservatives, synthetic agents, chemicals, or additives. She admits to having a rigorous record-keeping system for sourcing the best ingredients for her blends that she gets in their organic forms. 

A huge advocate for making cooking fun, nostalgic, and engaging, music is as big a part of her cooking as the ingredients. That is why all of Binkley’s spices get named after songs, like “Seasoning Beneath My Wings” and “Let the Good Thymes Roll.” Her website engages viewers with music and playlists.

Although admitting that being a female minority entrepreneur comes with its challenges, Binkley credits her highly supportive husband and family for continuing to inspire her brand. She advises other women to get a mentor and support system, join professional organizations, and not wait until everything is perfect to start realizing their dreams. “I started out selling packets in a few natural food stores locally. Now my spices are available in 60 stores along the west coast,” Binkley tells Black SD Magazine. 

As for where Binkley sees Healthy on You in the next five years, she wants what all entrepreneurs want: to grow her reach in new markets, expand beyond the west coast, hire more employees, and most of all, continue her social activism and involvement in social justice programs.  

Although the pandemic has slowed down Binkley’s in-person cooking, she is serving up lessons virtually and can be reached by visiting her website: https://https://www.healthyonyou.com/, and Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healthyonyou/?hl=en, 

DaVonne Evans is an entrepreneur and freelance writer based in Maryland.