Wholesome Bellies was created from my passion for healthy eating and cooking.
A home cook since my teens, I grew up in the hospitality industry, spending most weekends at our family restaurant. My mum was the head chef and I was surrounded by incredible cooks.
Wholesome Bellies is a here to help you create simple, nourishing, plant-based meals in your kitchen. My intention is to inspire you to fall in love with vegetables and learn how to transform plants into mouth-watering, unbelievable meals your friends and family will keep coming back for.
What began as a ‘side hustle’ a couple of years back has evolved into a collection of free recipes, hands-on vegan cooking classes, special events at our space at Woollongabba (opening 15th October), such as vegan long table dinners, a range of funky merchandise, a pantry to stock up on all your goods, a ready meals delivery division and a growing community that are falling in love with wholefoods more and more every day.
So....
My intention is to inspire you to fall in love with vegetables
I wasn’t always plant-based
We may feel healthy today, but sometimes our body doesn’t show the signs until much later
It was in 2007 when my philosophy around food and health took a sharp turn. The sudden passing of my father from a heart attack, prompted me to question everything about health. I couldn’t understand why my healthy, 60-year old father was taken from us so early. Six months after his passing, I was at Unleash the Power, a Tony Robbins event, and the last day of the seminar was all about health and vitality. People talk about those life changing moments; those light bulb moments, where something major shifts inside them. That’s the best way I can describe that day.
I left that seminar with a whole new outlook on health and well being and dove deep into vegetarianism and a plant-based lifestyle. I slowly moved towards a wholefoods diet, removing meat, seafood, dairy, refined sugars and flours. I learned the healing power of plants and the importance of eating food as close to its whole form.
As a child I grew up enjoying a varied diet, including meat, dairy and vegetables and I was a healthy kid with no regrets on how I was raised. After all, my mum was a chef so we ate incredible food! What I did begin to realise was the impact our diet has on us, not just today, but for the future. We may feel healthy today, but sometimes our body doesn’t show the signs until much later.
I have also struggled in my adult years ‘giving up’ the less nutrient dense foods, such as white sugars and refined, processed foods. I’ve really had to re-educate myself and train my palette to enjoy new flavours.
The journey
Over the past 13 years I have continued to educate myself around plant-based eating. I’ve re-created so many traditional recipes my mum taught me to suit my eating preferences. I’ve created new flavours and experimented with ingredients that were once foreign to me. Today, my diet is predominately plant-based. I occasionally have dairy. I do indulge in refined pasta and flours from time to time, and still love my sweet treats.
Together with my husband, we are raising our two children (now 8 and 10) 95% plant-based, with the inclusion of some dairy and eggs. Our family thrives as a predominantly plant-based tribe.
I want my kids to grow up with a broad palette. I want them to understand why we eat the way we do, and ultimately, I want to empower them to make positive food choices for themselves and our environment.
I do indulge in pasta from time to time, and still love my sweet treats
