In our Herbivore Diaries series, we chat with your favorite herbivores with one important mission in mind: Proving just how easy it is to be a plant-eater. Whether it’s discovering new grocery cart staples or finding out pro-level preparation methods, you’ll (finally) learn to love your veggies—and then some.
If you’re constantly scouring Instagram for vegan food inspo, it’s likely that you’ve drooled over something made by Ellie Bullen. Also known as Elsa, the Australian nutritionist and dietitian has been mesmerizing millions over the years with the colorful creations she shares on Elsa’s Wholesome Life. Be it sushi doughnuts, vegan fried eggs, or a healthier take on Snickers, they’re all healthy…and, most importantly, delicious.
With her ever-growing number of passionate foodie followers, it’s no wonder she quickly went from posting her recipes online to creating a cookbook that hit shelves around the globe. After releasing Elsa’s Wholesome Life: Eat Less from a Box and More from the Earth in 2017, it quickly became a bestseller. And two years later, it’s safe to say that’s about to happen for a second time.
Bullen’s new cookbook, The Global Vegan, is available on August 27 and features more than 100 recipes inspired by her world travels, from plant-based calamari and pad Thai to spicy ramen soup. You’ll also have the nutritionist’s expertise right at your fingertips: She shares the ins and outs of going plant-based and exactly how to maintain a healthy diet.
To celebrate the launch of her cookbook, what’s more fitting than having her kick off our new series? In our first-ever Herbivore Diaries feature, Bullen is sure to make you look at your veggies—especially broccoli!—in a totally new light.
Ellie Bullen: It was through what I was learning while studying nutrition and dietetics that inspired me to adopt a plant-based lifestyle. Only 1 in 20 adults in Australia eat enough fruit and vegetables a day, and that stat alone was enough to inspire me to want to eat more plants—and, in doing so, inspire others to do the same. Over the years, I transitioned slowly to a plant-based diet.
EB: I think baking, sautéing, or steaming them with a little salt, pepper, and spices makes everything delicious.
EB: My essentials are:
- Oatly for my coffees
- Avocados—I always need some ripe ones on hand
- Broccoli/broccolini, which is my favorite green veggie
- Kombucha—I always grab one for a yummy cold drink
- Tofu, which I like to have on hand for quick dinners or lunches
EB: To be honest, I never really have a time restraint on cooking dinner, but my favorite fast dinner would be a veggie and tofu stir-fry with coconut aminos.
EB: Cauliflower! I love how versatile it is. My fave is to batter and then Panko crumb it with spices, then pop it in the oven to get it really crispy. It’s so yum on tacos!
EB: Look, it’s super boring, but I literally love boiling broccoli then straining it and adding salt, pepper, and vegan butter before shaking it all together.
EB: Grab a couple of really great cookbooks and work your way through them to gain confidence cooking for yourself. Also, avoid all the labels and rules and just do it in your own time and as it suits you! There’s nothing worse than feeling all this pressure when you’re making big changes.