As project coordinator, Sophia does a little bit of everything at Brightland, including content creation + curation, wholesale management and other special projects. When she isn't at Brightland HQ, Sophia loves reading a good (paperback, not Kindle) book outside in the LA sun, taking her Bernese Mountain Dog on a run, and making the 5 hour trek to Mammoth Mountain for a weekend of skiing. Keep reading for a Q&A and her go-to lunch recipe, featuring Brightland.
Q&A With Sophia Ozburn
Brightland: What is your favorite way to use olive oil?
Sophia: Baking! I find baking so relaxing and a very indulgent weekend morning activity. I love to experiment with healthy-ish baking recipes, and olive oil is always a key component. One of my favorites is an almond flour chocolate chip pumpkin loaf!
Brightland: How do you unplug and disconnect?
Sophia: By going on a long post-dinner walk with my boyfriend and our dogs. Unlike my hometown of Austin, Los Angeles has very cool and refreshing evenings, and a long slow walk after a long fast-paced day is the best way to unwind and catch up. And leave the phones at home!
Brightland: What does living in a golden state mean to you?
Sophia: Slowing down, appreciating and putting thought into everything you do.
Brightland: What do you like to keep out on your kitchen countertop or "kitchen shelfie"?
Sophia: My Brightland DUO, a bowl of lemons and limes, and a bag of ginger chews for easy access.
Brightland: If you had to eat one food for the rest of your life (but receive all the nutritional benefits + look fabulous), what would you choose?
Sophia: My grandfather's cornmeal pancakes without a doubt. They taste like childhood mornings and butter.
Southern connection: Both Sophia and Brightland founder Aishwarya grew up in Texas!
Veggie Bowl
Ingredients:
- 1/2 sweet potato
- 2 tbsp Brightland's AWAKE
- 1 can of sweetcorn
- 1 can of black beans
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp pepper
- 1 tsp red chili flakes
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Chop up the half sweet potato into 1/2 inch thick slices, then quarter each slice
- Spread sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tbsp of Brightland's AWAKE, roast for 30 minutes?
- While sweet potatoes are roasting, add canned corn, black beans, salt, pepper, and chili pepper to a sauce pan and heat over medium heat for 15 - 20 minutes
- Pour corn and bean mixture into a bowl, place sweet potatoes on top, and drizzle with olive oil avocado dressing.
Olive Oil Avocado Dressing
Ingredients:
- 1 large poblano pepper
- 1/2 large avocado
- 1/2 lime
- 1/4 cup of cilantro
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 3-5 green onions, chopped
- salt
- 4 tbsp Brightland's AWAKE
Directions:
- Place poblano pepper over direct heat from stove, rotating until completely black. Place in paper/plastic bag and seal while it's still hot. Let it steam for 5 minutes then run under cold water, peel skin away, remove seeds and chop.
- Add all ingredients to a blender and mix, add up to 1/4 cup of water for ideal consistency. Drizzle over the veggies and enjoy!
