About me

Hi. My name is Tess Masters, AKA The Blender Girl.
I am an actress; presenter; voice over artist; budding cook; enthusiastic story teller; environmental warrior; self respecting devotee of all things green and natural; and most importantly, a champion of the miraculous blender, mixer, and food processor. These phenomenal pieces of machinery are the ultimate culinary gifts from the Gods, bestowed lovingly on us to make our lives easier. So why not exploit their full potential? As a passionate whole foods cook, obsessive recipe collector, and excited eater, I have constant requests for healthy recipes, that always come attached with an all too familiar disclaimer: “I don’t have time to eat in a healthy way and I don’t know how to cook with those weird ingredients”! My friend Lyn always has a witty retort for people who say they can’t cook. “Can you read? Well, Cooking is Reading”. This simple philosophy has always resonated with me, and I offer it up to you today, as the only skill that is required in order to enjoy my recipes.
So join my healthy blender world - where everyone is allowed to be a "pig".

Cooking Influences

Now anyone who knows me is aware of my passion for food. Further still, my penchant for eating my way around the world! My family and I have lived in many countries and share a love of travelling and exploring different cultures. Is there a better way to acquaint yourself with a country than through the eyes of their stomach? My recipes reflect my travels and diverse experiences. It is also no secret that I cannot live without my blender. My dad always jokes that I could live without teeth! Ever since I was a child I have enjoyed anything mixed, blended or pureed. I never go anywhere without my travel blender. Yes – I have been known to short circuit many a hotel room, or be found out late at night in desperate search of an adapter that will bring my beloved blender to life in a foreign land. Yes, my name is Tess and I am a proud blending addict. What can I say? For me – the blender is right up there with the wheel! My mother, on the other hand, would say her food processor tops the list of kitchen “can’t live withouts”. So needless to say, I had to include that in my blog too! Then my sister chimed in with her love of mixers, and the scope of this site widened – with fabulous results. This trio of electrical, swirling perfection creates a magical cacophony in our kitchens which always leads to culinary bliss.I come from a long line of passionate cooks, My grandma was a wonderful cook, she passed her skills onto my mother, who I credit with the majority of what I know. Throw in my Auntie Janet, a brilliant cook, who has taught me the importance of beautiful presentation. People take the first bite with their eyes with anything in life. But particularly with food. If something looks gorgeous, then your interest peaks, your taste buds start dancing and your mouth starts watering. You have a captive audience for anything you dish up. Thankyou to my friends, who I have lovingly cooked with over the years – I get so much joy watching and learning in other people’s kitchen. Beth, Kris, Zoe, Mel – I love you. Finally, thanks to the many chefs around the world who have shared their wisdom and passion with me in the many classes I have taken all over the world. I must give special mention to Tony Chiodo, Rachel Van Den Bosch, Kurma Dasa and Gary Cooper.
A lot of chefs inspire me, and for different reasons. They don’t necessarily have to cook with whole foods – their spirit and passion can inspire me, even if their ingredients don’t! But obviously, cooking with wholefoods gets them higher on my list! Juliano and Matthew Kenney inspire my for anything raw - their food is just art. Jude Blereau, Sally Fallon and Paul Pitchford for natural cooking. And Eveline Kushi for macrobiotics. For anything Chinese, I can’t beat Kylie Kwong. Her “legacy-style” cooking is fresh and simple, and always comes complete with a heart-filled story about her family. For Italian, Carlucci will always hold a special place in my heart. I just love his spirit, and every time he says, in his thick Italian accent, “just a little bit of olive oil” (and then proceeds to pour in half a decanter!!) I can’t help but chuckle. And last, but not least, the woman who brought sex into the kitchen – Nigella Lawson. I just love her fun, rustic, “no frills” and “lots of spills” approach to simple fresh food. I modify most of her recipes. But that is half the fun for me – taking her inspiration and making it my own.