Nina is the blogger behind Naturally Nina. She inspires people to live healthy and happy lives, covering topics from
nutrition and fitness to veganism and mental health! We chatted to Nina about her blog, lifestyle and inspiration...
Tell us a bit about you and your blog.
I live in Western Australia and I'm a Nutritional and Dietetic Medicine student with a passion for all things health, wellbeing and plant based nutrition. On my blog I love sharing these passions with the world through my recipes, food creations and everything else important to me in living a healthy, compassionate and fulfilling life!
When did you start blogging and why?
I started my Instagram account about 2.5 years ago after discovering my love for creating healthy recipes and how much fun it was to decorate my food and take photos. To me, it's a creative outlet!
Where do you get your recipe inspiration from?
From everywhere and anywhere! I'm horrible at following recipes and always end up changing them to suit me! I'm inspired my Mum's cooking and my childhood, other Instagram accounts, blogs, magazines and cookbooks or just from dreaming up some new ideas!
What are the biggest challenges and greatest rewards of being a food blogger?
Challenges would have to be the time, energy and effort that goes into my Instagram and blog, especially as a full-time uni student, it can be tricky. Also when the lighting is bad!
The greatest reward is the joy I get out of it and all the amazing people I've been able to connect with. I receive so many messages every day from people saying I've helped or inspired them in some way and that just means everything to me!
What are your interests outside of blogging?
I'm a really active and nature-loving gal. I love exploring, going to the beach, running, doing yoga or swimming. I also love spending time with my family and friends, travelling, cooking and baking (of course), reading...
How long have you been vegan and what inspired you?
I've been vegan for 2.5 years now! I was always a huge animal lover and was vegetarian since primary school. It was actually through social media that my eyes were opened to the vegan lifestyle and I was so inspired by everything I learnt. After watching 'Earthlings' I knew going vegan was the right choice and I made the change overnight. I've never looked back!
What’s an ingredient that you just can’t live without?
Ooh that's a tough one! But I'm going to pick cinnamon. I just love this warming, sweet spice and I add it to absolutely everything from oatmeal and smoothies to baking, curries or just sprinkled on fresh fruit. It also has some amazing antioxidant and blood-sugar balancing properties!
What’s your go-to breakfast?
At the moment, my favourite is Bircher Muesli which is just oats soaked overnight in plant milk with vanilla and chia seeds. Then I add fruit like banana, apple, berries and plenty of other toppings. So good!
You serve up some pretty delicious dishes in our Coconut Bowls! What is your favourite thing to eat out of your bowls?
Definitely smoothie bowls or nicecream! Not only do they make them look pretty but I'm convinced that smoothie bowls taste even better in a coconut bowl!
What is your favourite thing about your Coconut Bowls?
I love that they are made from recycled coconuts, meaning that they're eco-friendly, ethical, sustainable and helping reduce waste and have a positive impact on the planet. And of course, they're also gorgeous and make any food look Instagram-worthy!
We are so excited to have one of your recipes included in our new cookbook ‘Vegan Bowls for Vegan Souls’. Tell us about the recipe you chose and what it means for you to be apart of the book?
My recipe is one of my favourite breakfasts to make on cold mornings. It’s warming, satisfying and such an energising start to the day, that also happens to taste like a warm chocolatey dessert! It’s packed with the perfect balance of complex carbs, plant protein, healthy fats and a whole lot of vitamins, mineral and other nutrients to nourish your body and help you make the most of the day ahead!
It means so much to be part of the Vegan Bowls cookbook as nothing fills my heart with more passion and joy then spreading the message of good health and compassionate, conscious living through a plant-based diet. And what better way to do that than with a collection of delicious, wholesome recipes that show people how easy, fun and enjoyable it is to eat plant foods!
Thanks Nina! Big love from Coconut Bowls ❤
Be inspired and follow Nina's journey over at @naturally_nina_