Katie Austin’s ‘Healthified’ Recipes Prove You Can Eat Well And Still Love Food

Fitness entrepreneur Katie Austin may be known for her workouts and wellness tips, but her culinary philosophy is all about keeping it real and easy. With the recent launch of her new KA Daily app, the certified trainer has transformed her fitness platform into a comprehensive wellness and lifestyle hub that helps women stay consistent through movement, meals, and mindset. The reimagined app goes far beyond traditional workout plans, featuring custom meal guides, grocery lists, meditations, and habit trackers, all designed to make healthy living approachable and realistic. But for Katie, it’s not just about what happens in the gym, but it’s also about what happens in the kitchen.

When The Blast caught up with the five-time Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model, she was quick to reveal that her kitchen secret is all about efficiency. “I mean, one-pan or one-pot is my favorite way to cook because it’s so easy,” Katie told The Blast with a laugh. “You just throw it all in a pot or pan and it’s one dish, the easiest cleanup ever!”

Katie loves flavor-packed dishes that don’t demand hours in the kitchen. “You can boil the pasta with all the ingredients and chicken broth, and it just becomes so tasty,” she said. “I also love my casseroles, or what I call dump and bakes. You just dice up the veggies, throw in ground turkey or sausage, bake it up, and it’s delicious. So simple.”

Her approach speaks directly to the busy audience her KA Daily app serves, the women balancing work, family, fitness, and real life. “A lot of my recipes are for beginner cooks,” she explained. “If a recipe calls for chicken, sometimes it’s like, can we just use rotisserie chicken instead? Not everyone has time to grill chicken after a long day.”

When it comes to balancing nutrition with flavor, Katie has coined her own term: healthified. “I love to take my favorite foods and just ‘healthify’ them,” she told The Blast. “Like I just made a butternut squash mac and cheese, it still has dairy, but less of it. A regular mac might have three cups of cheese; mine has half a cup. It’s about dialing things back without losing what makes it good.”

Rather than restricting, Katie focuses on adding nutrients. “I’m all about what you can add, not take away,” she said. “If you’re having a turkey burger, how can we add more nutrients? Maybe more veggies, more flavor, more balance. It’s easier on the mind, you don’t feel like you’re removing all the fun stuff.”

Her KA Daily platform features dozens of these “healthified” recipes, blending accessibility with nourishment. “Healthy doesn’t have to mean bland,” she said. “You can still enjoy mac and cheese, just make it work for you.”

For Katie, the secret to making healthy food crave-worthy comes down to one word. “Sauces are like my best friend,” Katie told The Blast with a grin. “You could dip anything in a good sauce and it’s instantly better. But I’m not talking store-bought, I love to make my own.”

Her creativity shines in her sauce experiments. “One of my favorites lately is an Alfredo made with tofu, nutritional yeast, garlic, and onion, it’s creamy and delicious. I also made a fajita bowl sauce using watered-down Greek yogurt, hot sauce, and garlic powder. Super simple, full of flavor.”

That’s the kind of practicality Austin hopes KA Daily members adopt, simple tweaks that make cooking fun again. “Healthy eating doesn’t have to feel like a diet,” she said. “It can taste amazing, too.”

When asked what ingredients everyone should have on hand, Katie didn’t hesitate. “Olive oil is a must, obviously,” she said. “And Greek yogurt, I use it for everything. But one random thing I always keep? White beans.”

She laughed as she explained why. “I travel so much that when I get home, I need quick protein. I’ll throw white beans on a salad, in pasta, or a soup. They last forever, they’re super affordable, like $1.50 a can, and they add creaminess and protein. Total staple.”

That practical mindset, finding nutrition without overcomplication, mirrors the design of her KA Daily app. “I built KA Daily to make wellness fit into real life,” Katie said. “Cooking shouldn’t feel intimidating. It should make you feel good.”

Even the healthiest eaters have their indulgences, and for Katie, one favorite remains untouchable. “French fries,” she confessed instantly. “I don’t care what oil they’re fried in. I love them. You have to live your life. Everything in moderation!”

It’s that attitude, balanced, approachable, and relatable, that’s made Katie Austin a trusted voice in wellness. Through her workouts, recipes, and new app, she continues to redefine what healthy living looks like in today’s busy world. “I’m not about perfection,” she told The Blast. “I’m about balance. Whether it’s a workout, a one-pan meal, or yes, a side of fries, it’s all about what makes you feel good.”

KA Daily is available now through the App Store and Google Play, offering workouts, meal plans, and “healthified” recipes designed to help women build habits that actually last.