We love to watch the wellness revolution hit “meat and potatoes” cities like Chicago (go get ’em, Jessica Murnane!), Kansas City (had the best raw cafe in all the land for a while there!), and London, England.
Glowy Brit and former TCM Guest Editor, Ella Mills is Deliciously Ella. Through her popular blog, multiple cookbooks, two London locations of the Mae Deli, and now her own line of wellness snacks, it’s fair to say that Ella has left a deep impression on the London food scene.
As Ella launches her latest cookbook, Natural Feasts, we’re taking a deep dive into her kitchen at home for a peek at what this wellness phenom has packed up on the regular. Avid Deliciously Ella fans will find few surprises, but plenty of inspiration. Read up and keep a grocery list nearby…
Food philosophy in one sentence:
Simple, natural, plant-based – I love making delicious dishes using ingredients that make you feel great.
Always in my fridge:
Hummus, almond milk, fresh veggies, lots of herbs, vegan pesto, peanut butter, almond butter, dates, coconut yogurt.
7 recipe staples always on hand:
Spices (turmeric, cumin, cayenne pepper, paprika, chill flakes and mustard seeds are my go-tos); beans, lentils and chickpeas; oats, quinoa, spelt pasta, rye bread and brown rice; coconut milk and tinned tomatoes; great olive oil, tamari and sesame oil; maple syrup, coconut sugar, date syrup, dried apricots and raisins; almonds, cashews, pecans, pistachios and walnuts.
Must-have munchies:
Cacao and almond energy balls — they’re my go-to snack. I eat a huge amount of hummus and smashed avocado on rye toast as snacks, too.
Fave condiments:
Hummus every which way and all the guacamole. I add chili flakes to everything, too!
Ingredient that makes everything taste better:
Herbs and spices — they’re such an easy way to add real flavor to any dish.
Go-to proteins:
Nut butters, nutty granola and hemp at breakfast time, then beans/lentils/chickpeas, sautéed tamari tofu, toasted pumpkin seeds and big dollops of hummus at lunch and dinner.
Best bargain:
Big veggie stews and curries — I sauté garlic and onion with herbs and spices, then simmer veggies and beans in coconut milk and tinned tomatoes with wilted spinach and serve it over miso-infused brown rice.
Best label-reading tip:
Anything with more than ten or so ingredients is always worth having a look at, I think.
Fave veggie + what you make with it:
It’s a toss-up between sweet potatoes, roasted until tender with cinnamon and a splash of maple and herby guacamole.
Craziest thing I buy:
I really like buying organic food and fresh juices; it can be more expensive, but I can definitely taste the difference.
Sweets and other indulgences:
Pistachio and orange truffle bites and almond butter rocky roads from my book, Natural Feasts.
Dairy or non-dairy faves:
Vanilla cashew butter — I eat it straight from the jar with a spoon; it’s heaven!
Skip labels that read:
I tend to avoid additives, preservatives and refined sugars, when possible.
Favorite splurge:
Crockery — I love finding beautiful pieces for our kitchen.
For last-minute entertaining:
Big pesto pasta bowls and cinnamon maple apple crumbles, both are always crowd pleasers and they’re so quick to make.
Favorite places to shop:
Our local farm shop in Notting Hill, London — it’s so cute. We stop there for coffee every morning before walking to work with our dog, Austin.
Simple go-to recipe:
Currently, spiced potato cakes with garlicky tomato sauce and French beans or sweet potato noodles with my creamy peanut satay sauce with some roasted greens.
Best food memory:
The food on our honeymoon. We stayed in the Maldives and the hotel made us a few local feasts that were just unbelievable – inspired by the cuisine both from the Maldives and nearby Sri Lanka. There were about eight courses, and it was just unreal!
Explore more of our ‘In My Fridge’ series here!
