If there is one person to learn how to live in a golden state from, it is Aishwarya Iyer. The Brightland founder and CEO shares her ideal Sunday dinner, nighttime routine, and sweet tooth go-tos in this special edition of Bright Rx. Keep reading for her refined and easy breakfast recipe, as well.
Q&A with Aishwarya
Brightland: What does living in a golden state mean to you?
Aishwarya: To me, living in a golden state means consciously taking actions to be more present; reading 10-15 pages of a book on a weekday morning, putting screens away during all meals, lovingly making yourself or a loved one a nice meal, and looking around the space you’re in and practicing gratitude.
Brightland: If you had all the time in the world, what meal would you cook for yourself on a Sunday night?
Aishwarya: I would make this divine pasta with fried lemons from NYT cooking, a panzanella salad with tons of Brightland, olive oil brownies with sea salt, and I would drink some natural orange wine from Meinklang, my favorite natural wine purveyor.
Aishwarya is photographed with Crosby, her cheese-obsessed rescue pup.
Brightland: What is your nightly wind down routine?
Aishwarya: Getting in bed, using a jade body roller from my friends at Esker, writing down three things I am grateful for, 5 minutes of meditation, and sleep.
Brightland: What do you like to keep out on your kitchen countertop or "kitchen shelfie"?
Aishwarya: My kitchen shelfie has:
1. Bellocq tea
2. A teapot from Japan gifted to me by my sister
3. My favorite cookbooks: Indian-ish, The First Mess Cookbook, and The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook
Brightland: What is your favorite way to use olive oil?
Aishwarya: Currently, my favorite way to use Brightland is to make these delicious olive oil waffles and the aforementioned olive oil brownies with sea salt -- is it obvious that I have a sweet tooth?
Pan Con Tomate
Ingredients
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1 french bread loaf
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5 tbsp Brightland ARDOR or AWAKE
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2 garlic cloves, halved crosswise
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2 lb. heirloom tomatoes, cut in half
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Flaky sea salt
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Manchego Cheese
Directions
- Heat a pan with a tiny bit of Brightland's AWAKE
- Slice french bread loaf into slices with medium thickness. Toast bread slices on the pan for 3-5 minutes, flipping halfway through
- Rub raw garlic on toasted bread vigorously
- Rub tomato on toasted bread
- Drizzle Brightland's AWAKE on top of the bread+tomato
- Chop manchego cheese into slices, and top the bread
- Sprinkle sea salt on top