For chef, artist, and author Julia Sherman, making food—and making it beautiful—is a way of life. The author of beloved cookbooks Arty Parties and Salad for President, Sherman has now turned her attention to making one common cooking task a whole lot easier via her brand-new line of instant Salad for President dressing mixes.

Starting with three go-to flavors—Lemon Poppy, Miso Ginger, and Umami Caesar—all you have to do is take the powdered mixes, add olive oil and lemon, and voilà—a delicious homemade dressing in minutes.

Time-saving hacks like these are especially important to the Brooklyn-based mom of two (Dov Bear, 5, and Red, 8) who recently left her post as the Executive Chef and Director of Artists’ Partnerships for the New Museum to focus on her dressings and a new book project.

Below, she shares her top kitchen, fashion, beauty, and family essentials that make her everyday life a little easier—and a lot more delicious.

Salad for President Dressing Packets. “I have spent the last 2 years developing a powdered salad dressing that is shelf stable and only needs to be mixed with lemon and oil to make a perfect result every time. I never leave home without them. Where I used to take a kit of ingredients camping or to an Airbnb, or even to work, now I just bring these.” Salad Dressing 3-Pack, $14.99, Salad for President.

Salad for President x Sisters Salad Candle and Hand Soap. “A collaboration with my favorite, microbiome-friendly body product brand, we designed the Salad scent to be a complement to my cooking. I hate when the dining room smells like heavy florals when I am eating, or when you wash your hands before a meal and the lingering smell conflicts with what is on the plate. It has notes of shiso, sichuan peppercorn and mimosa flower, and is so fresh!” Salad Hand Wash, $36, Sisters. Salad Candle, $68, Sisters.

Caroline Abram Glasses. “I got so many compliments on my very first pair of glasses, I went and got a second style from this Paris-based brand. I love the subtle addition of color, just enough to be playful but not too kooky. I have the Clara, and the Evana styles.” carolineabram.com

Mabli Knitwear. “I love this British knitwear brand, the clothes are expandable so they last so much longer than more structured pieces.” mabli.co.uk

Mini Watercolor Set. “Perfect for travel, we bring these everywhere with a little spiral book of watercolor paper.” SAKURA Koi Pocket Watercolors, $14.50, Amazon.

Elderberry Syrup. “An immune booster and natural cough suppressant, I use elderberry syrup in place of maple syrup on pancakes, ice cream, and to sweeten lemonade for the whole fam.” Gaia Black Elderberry Syrup Extra Strength, $22.94, iHerb.

Badger Clear Zinc Sunscreen. “Marketed towards kids, but great for everyone.” Adventure Mineral Sunscreen Cream, $16.99, iHerb.

Simply Tera’s Protein Powder. “I add this to my matcha and whip it up in the milk frother every morning for a protein boost and to stabilize my hormonal shifts throughout the day. The unsweetened plain just makes the drink creamy and fluffy, without any added sweetener.” Organic Why Protein, $33.99, Simply Tera’s.

High Sport Kick Pants. “I buy these on TheRealReal, because yes, they are pricey, but they are such high quality, they feel like an instant butt lift. They are stretchy but hold their shape—well suited to moms of small kids, who need to squat to tie a shoe lace or clean a spill at any moment.” Kick Pant, $960, High Sport.

Botanica Magic Spice. “I don’t buy spice blends, but this one greatly improved my quality of life when it comes to feeding the kids. It really is ‘magic.’ They will eat a piece of cardboard if it had this fairy dust sprinkled on top.” The Magic Spice, $15, CAP Beauty x Botanica.

Calzuro Clogs. “From the garden to the kitchen, I appreciate a shoe that is so durable it can be thrown in the industrial dishwasher. They come in so many cute colors, I alternate between a black pair and red.” Classic Clogs, $125, Calzuro.

Agnes B Snap-Front Cardigan. “The sign of a veteran New Yorker, I have been stealing my mother’s snap-front cardigans since the ’90s. It’s the only sweatshirt that can dress up an outfit.” Le Classique Snap-Front Cardigan, $250, Agnes B.

Breville Espresso Machine. “It’s dangerous to slip into the world of on-demand espressos, but I have no regrets about leaning into this addiction.” Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine, $699.95, Crate & Barrel.

Vitamix. “I can’t live without it, it’s leagues beyond any consumer brand blender.” Ascent X2, $550, Vitamix.

Celluma Light Panel. “I originally bought this as a beauty tool—to increase collagen production and repair skin—but it quickly became a relaxation technique. I descend underneath the glow of the light at the end of the night with a podcast, and eventually drift off to sleep.” Celluma Face Series 2, $795, Celluma.

For more MOTHER ESSENTIALS, peep our recent features with Cary Vaughn and Jenna Wilson of Ace & Jig, Our Place co-founder Shiza Shahid, Bumo founder Joan Nguyen, art world multi-hyphenate Dominque Clayton, food star Jing Gao of Fly by Jing, Sarah Fritsch of Studio Tigress, artist Lena Corwin, Hello!Lucky’s sister duo, doula and author Latham Thomas, Carla Wingett of Idlewild Floral, Andrea Faulkner Williams of Tubby Todd, Hana Getachew of Bole Road Textiles, artist & author Carissa Potter Carlson, actress & activist Hilary Swank, the co-founders of Hearth Display, author and organizer Aida Mariam Davis, design consultant Joyce Lee, self-care advocate Rachel Garahan, and DJ and director Va$htie Kola.