Welcome to With the Woodruffs! We’re Mason and Vanessa Woodruff, a husband-wife duo blogging about the business we run together, everything we love to do and eat in Austin and across Texas, and the fun things we’re cooking in our kitchen. If you love food and goofing around, you’ll fit in just fine around here.
After finishing a nutrition and food science degree with few job prospects, Mason started working as a personal trainer and writing about fitness on masonfit.com. Over the years that blog transformed into what is now known as Kinda Healthy Recipes. In June of 2020, Vanessa was able to leave her 9 to 5 to work full time on all things Kinda Healthy and eventually this site and a third, Man with One Pan.
Even though she will never admit it, Vanessa is what some might refer to as a “certified dime piece” and writes about makeup and everyday fashion here on With the Woodruffs. Whether you need an eyeshadow blending tutorial or the skinny on where to buy cute summer dresses, she has you covered. Before the events of 2020, Vanessa was quite the globetrotter. After studying abroad in Spain during college she’s taken annual trips to Europe, frequenting the UK, Spain, and Portugal.
It’s safe to say our biggest shared interest is food. All the recipe development for our Kinda Healthy Recipes business has created a passion for cooking. From recreating and testing British Bake Off recipes to smoking pork butts, we’re always trying new things and learning more about the art of cooking. Blending our love for trying new restaurants and foods with our passion for cooking and baking hopefully leads to some awesome recipes you can try for yourself.
As part of Vanessa’s journey to become a star baker, she’s started doing her own version of technical challenges where she makes 5+ internet famous recipes for one bake to learn all the ins and outs. Then she creates an “ultimate” version with her own unique spin on it.
Two of my favorite examples:
Finding the Best Pecan Pie Recipe turned into Vanessa’s Ultimate Pecan Pie
In Search of the Best Chocolate Chip Cookie turned into Vanessa’s Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
And this wouldn’t be a complete page about the Woodruffs without mentioning the original assistant for Kinda Healthy Media, Sir John of Canterbury, Keeper of the West Gate.
Sir John is our Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and is responsible for Mason’s heart growing three sizes over the past six years.
And that’s us! Hopefully you find a post or two worth reading on our blog. We’ll keep sharing the things we learn about food and cooking, running an online business together, traveling, looking cute as a button, and all that fun stuff. If you ever have a specific topic you’d like to see us cover, be sure to send it our way.
Jess Griffin
Sunday 25th of September 2022
Some of the most incredible recipes I have ever tried. Love the content and how thoroughly things are laid out.
Ty Woodruff
Wednesday 8th of December 2021
Thought this was kind of neat. Just needed a some guidance smoking some burgers and stumbled upon some more Woodruffs. Hope all is well.
Mason Woodruff
Wednesday 22nd of December 2021
Two Woodruffs don't make a right. Good to meet ya and hope we helped out on the burger front!