What’s your name?
Nicole English (a.k.a Raw Kiwi)
Who are you?
I’m a stay at home mother of five – as well as a food blogger, copywriter, photographer, student and an author!
At this moment, where are you writing from?
In my home office.
Tell us a little about your story – what made you decide to turn plant-based and how has it changed your life?
I’d been a vegetarian for half my life, but I didn’t feel very healthy with all the cheese based meals. After doing a vegan detox 15 years ago I noticed an improvement in my energy levels and digestion. After a few rocky starts, I transitioned to a raw food diet in 2009. This lifestyle has afforded me a greater sense of well-being, energy and mental health.
We’ve seen a lot of delicious creations on your Instagram feed. What’s your favourite ingredient to cook with at the moment?
Well, I mostly un-cook and I eat a lot of fruit but I love using hemp seeds or kelp noodles in salads.
What is your latest vegan discovery that you can’t get enough of when creating your desserts?
I haven’t discovered anything for quite some time but I use a lot of sweetened cacao nibs, they are a bit of an addiction. Other favourites are lucuma, mesquite and camu camu powders.
Where do you look for cooking inspiration?
Here are a few of my recommendations for a variety of vegan recipe developers.
• Vegan Richa:
www.veganricha.com
• Thug Kitchen:
www.thugkitchen.com
• Fat-Free Vegan Kitchen:
http://blog.fatfreevegan.com
• Plant Strong Vegan:
http://theplantstrongvegan.com
When you’re not cooking up a storm what’s your favourite thing to do?
Anything creative.
You’re on a road trip with your kids and they won’t keep quiet, you drive past Lord of the Fries… what’s the first thing from the menu you pick for a peaceful trip?
It’s got to be chunky fries!
Lastly…potato or sweet potato?
Ahh… that’s a tough one really but at a push, I’d have to go for sweet potato.
