Lisa Holmen of @lisaeatworld started her blog as an outlet for her creative side, and soon found her love of food, photography and writing were a combination that others loved too! We caught up with Lisa to find out more about her recipe inspiration, adventures and how she crafts her gorgeous Instagram feed.
Hi Lisa, thanks for chatting to us! We love seeing your amazing culinary adventures! You go to some incredible restaurants around the world, but you’re also very talented in the kitchen yourself. Considering it’s entertaining season, what deliciousness are you planning to serve up for guests this summer?
Lovely to chat with you too! I love coming together with family at Christmas time. Although I love cooking a turkey with all the trimmings, I enjoy baking desserts the most. Last year I made a gingerbread and cherry trifle which was a real crowd pleaser but this year I am thinking a spiked cherry pavlova may be on the cards. We also have a tradition of making a gingerbread house each Christmas so really looking forward to making this with my niece.
For me summer is all about simple barbeques and salads with friends and family. I like to keep things simple and not over complicate food, letting the produce speak for itself and the ingredients shine. I am also keen to master ice-cream and gelato this summer so stay tuned for some recipes on my blog. Plant based cooking will also be a definite focus for me in the coming months.
When it comes to packing meals for those days out and about, what are your go-to ideas for nourishing and filling foods? Do you have quick lunch ideas you’ve been looking to test out?
I have a massive sweet tooth so try to steer away from snacking on sugary foods to avoid massive sugar highs and lows throughout the day. I always carry around a small bag of raw almonds to snack on and maybe some carrot and celery sticks. When I need to have a lunch on the fly, I try to prepare a simple salad or a wrap the night before but in the New Year I hope to get a bit more creative with my meal prep.
When it comes to winding down and switching off, what are your favourite ways or places to relax?
When I need some time to relax and rejuvenate I often escape to my parents place on the Mornington Peninsula and go for a walk on the beach or a dip in the hot springs. I am a big hiker so love escaping to the great outdoors on the weekends for a big hike to really switch off – some of my favourite spots are the Dandenong Ranges, Werribee Gorge and along the surf coast. There’s nothing better than switching the phone off and getting away from technology for a couple of days to get the creative juices flowing. Recently I have been practicing journaling before I go to bed and listing all the things I am grateful for and achieved today. It has really helped me end the day on a positive note and start the new day refreshed.
We can tell you put a lot of time and thought into creating your gorgeous Instagram feed and blog. Can you give us some insights into an average week? And provide some tips for anyone hoping to build a community and share their food journey like yourself?
Thank you! The blog has been quite the labour of love for me over several years. I started it over five years ago when I was working in London and wanted to capture my food and travel adventures. I was a bit of a late adopter of Instagram but now I love it, it has opened so many doors and beautiful friendships. Since I left my corporate job a couple of years ago, I balance blogging, freelance writing, photography, recipe development and even some marketing consulting on the side. What I love the most about my job is every week is different. One day I could be spending a whole day cooking and photographing in the kitchen and the next day I could be writing a travel article.
My tips are to stay true to yourself and find a niche you are passionate. Be yourself and engage with your audience.
We’d love to hear what inspires you. Not including Instagram, where do you look for inspiration and ideas when it comes to creating new recipes?
I’m inspired by restaurants, chefs and my travels. I love discovering new places and cuisines and finding out the stories and traditions behind them. I could also spend hours looking at cookbooks and Pinterest for new ways to photograph and style food.
Could you share the top five Instagram accounts you love?
That’s a tricky one! There are so many accounts I follow and love but here’s some of my favourites:
Georgeats – Her recipes are incredible and are gluten free. She always has funny captions and wonderful photography and styling.
Melbourne.escapades – A gorgeous food and travel profile following the adventures of a family of three in Melbourne and surrounds.
Sugaretal – For incredible baking inspiration. This account is a stylist’s dream and everything is photographed perfectly each time.
Misssarahglover – A wild chef and pastry chef. I love following Sarah’s adventures in the wild and her passion for cooking in the great outdoors.
Gypsea_lust – I follow Lauren’s account for the ultimate wanderlust. All her photos are picture perfect and want you to just jump on a plane and follow her
You obviously live a very busy lifestyle, but we do notice you get time for some fun outdoor activities like scenic bike rides and walks. Activities like these are the perfect way to get active, as you’re doing it with beautiful surroundings. Do you have a routine when it comes to doing things like this? Or any other fitness rituals?
I try to get out for a run most weekdays to break up the day and get my creative juices flowing. I love discovering new places and hiking trails so try to find a different path for each week, this week was the coastal path from Williamstown to Altona and next week will be Merri Creek. I never stop exploring in my own backyard. I also try to do at least 15 minutes of yoga each day to get centred and meditate. I hate gyms so all of my exercise centres on the outdoors and being close to nature.
We love hearing about how our Ambassadors use Cocobella in their daily routines and cooking. What’s your favourite way to use Cocobella?
I love using Cocobella in my smoothies in the morning. I have been trying to cut out dairy so Cocobella is the perfect alternative. My new favourite breakfast is just the Cocobella Coconut Yoghurt in vanilla served with a sprinkling of granola and almonds. I love the taste and it doesn’t have any preservatives or nasties.
When it comes to grocery shopping, what would be five items that are always in your trolley? And what is something we would never ever see in your trolley?
I never seem to be able to go to the supermarket without picking up an avocado! Other favourites of mine are dark chocolate, fresh fruit, almonds and bread. Recently you won’t see me leaving the supermarket with much meat since I am trying to cook mainly vegetarian based foods at home. I have tried to move away from supermarkets recently and try to shop at markets and farmers markets whenever possible.
Are you a sweet tooth or more a savoury lover? Do you have a favourite naughty food or dish that you just can’t get enough of? Have you ever crafted a healthier version to satisfy the craving, guilt-free?
I am a massive sweet tooth! I usually eat chocolate at least once each day but have been trying to shift to a 90% dark chocolate. Instead of brownies I have been trying to shift to healthier alternatives like bliss balls to keep me fuller for longer.
Can you tell us a bit more about what goes on behind creating your posts? What camera are you currently using, how do you make sure lighting is perfect, and is there anyone else that helps you out behind the scenes of your Instagram account or website?
Most of my photos on my Instagram account are taken using my Nikon D810 and edited using Lightroom. I prefer to take my photos in natural light wherever possible and have my favourite spot next to a window at home I usually use to take most of my shots. If the lighting it too strong I use a diffuser and some bounce boards to even out the light. My Instagram husband often helps me with hand modelling or pour shots when I need another set of hands.
I have a huge collection of food props I use for my recipe development and photography and my dad has helped me design a lot of food styling backgrounds to use as backdrops for shots. I would love to get my own studio one day.
What do you love most about creating and managing @lisaeatworld and lisaeatsworld.com? Have you faced any challenges at all? Do you have any words of wisdom to give to those just starting out?
Lisa Eats World has given me a great creative outlet to pursue my passions and I am still so humbled by the people who have followed me. One of the best things about it has been the people I have met along the way and beautiful friendships I have made. It has allowed me to connect to so many like-minded people and has opened so many doors in the industry. It was definitely a challenge getting set up from the start and growing my audience, At the beginning I think my mum was the only one to read my posts! I would say stay true to yourself, deliver quality content and photography and engage with your audience. I believe one of the biggest causes unhappiness stems from comparing yourself unfavourably to others, so try to stay true to yourself and focus on what you are doing.
We can tell you love to travel. What has been your favourite destination so far, and what is your next ideal destination?
Travelling is definitely a hobby I will never get sick of and I have been fortunate to work as a travel writer in the last few years. A country I could keep coming back to is Italy, particularly the small towns in Tuscany. I am in love with their culture and their ability to appreciate the simple things in life – it’s all about people, good food and wine. My happy place in Australia is definitely Byron Bay and the surrounding hinterland (I was actually married there earlier this year). It has a beautiful energy, great food, gorgeous beaches and people. I always feel so laid back and centred when I am there.
Trips I am planning for 2018 include New Zealand (South Island), Cambodia and hopefully Portugal and some more of Europe.
Do you have any new and exciting projects on the horizon that you would like to share?
I have a recipe development project coming up with a food magazine in 2018, which I am very excited about. I am also working on a pilot for a food and travel show which showcases food in Australia and local producers. Stay tuned.
Thanks so much for your time and insights Lisa, it was great to catch up with you!
Find Lisa’s recipes for Vegan Zucchini and Pea Fritters here, and Caramelised Banana and Cocobella Coconut Yoghurt Bruschetta here.
