1. You make delicious creations, from your Vanilla pancakes, to rainbow bowls, to plant-based cheesecakes. What does your recipe development process usually look like?
I usually brainstorm a bunch of (potential) recipe ideas which range from breakfasts to mains and of course desserts/sweets. Because I’ve been creating recipes for some time now, generally I already have a good idea of the ingredients that would go into the recipe so I would mock up a draft with a list of ingredients and go from there. Of course, only when I’m actually putting it together and experimenting in the kitchen will I then jot down exact measurements so that I can share it online for others to create & enjoy!
2. What are your favourite three ingredients at the moment?
The first one that comes to mind is buckwheat flour! I use it in almost all of my baked goods and the best part is that despite it’s name, it is actually gluten-free and texture-wise will still taste just as great as wheat flour based goods. It also has a slight nutty undertone to it which I’ve come to really love as well.
Roasted almonds is another ingredient that I just cannot get enough of! They’re perfect as a snack, in desserts or even blended up in chocolate smoothies to get a rich and nutty aroma. Yum!
In terms of fresh ingredients I’ll have to go with lemons. I can’t go a day without having them in some sort of drink or meal! For instance, every morning I have a jar of warm lemon water, then for lunch it’ll be part of my buddha bowl and when I’m creating raw cheesecakes I will use lemon juice in the batter. Such a versatile ingredient that is a must have and absolute favourite!
3. How have you found the versatility of coconut yoghurt to be like when cooking with it?
So great! Typically when people think of coconut yoghurt they tend to associate it with purely being a sweet snack to have, however since using Cocobella coconut yoghurt I’ve found that it goes well not only in sweets but also in savoury meals. The natural coconut yoghurt can be added to soups, curries and sauces for a tangy and creamy touch!
4. Meal prep can be a bit daunting at first. What are your tips for a preparing a week’s worth of nutritious meals?
My top tip would be to keep it simple! Once you cook out a few of your staple ingredients, you can put together wholesome and delicious meals throughout the week in minutes. For instance, I like to bake batches of sweet potato and marinated tofu, cook up some sort of a grain (eg. quinoa) along with a variety of veggies. You can then mix and match all the ingredients in a container/bowl, pair it with fresh ingredients (avocado, cucumber…) then finish it off with your favourite additional toppings (sesame seeds, almonds) and dressing.
5. What’s currently inspiring you with your cooking?
I find that a lot of the time my cooking is inspired by the seasons! So now that we’re slowly creeping closer to summer here in Australia, all I can think about are refreshing smoothie and juice recipes, fruity desserts and salads (eg. cold pasta salads!). It also just depends on what ingredients are in season too, so another reason why I love summer so much is because I get to work with a greater variety of fresh produce.
