Andrea Brown’s Instagram bio reads ‘Hey, I like to eat’, and with meals like the ones she snaps… who wouldn’t! Her account, @eatwithandy, provides inspiration for wholesome, plant-based meals, along with snippets into her daily routine and travels. As this month’s Recipe Series guest, we caught up with Andy to get the goss on her favourite Sydney eats, stand-outs from her recent trip to India, and more!
Hi Andy, thanks for making the time to chat with us! It seems like you have a real passion for plant based eating, a journey you began around three years ago. What’s been your favourite thing about it so far?
I’ve developed a passion for food and a creativity I didn’t know existed in me. I’m way more adventurous now in my cooking, the way I eat and the foods I try and that’s amazing.
Have you found the café and restaurant scene in Sydney caters well to plant-based eating, and where are your go-to places for a nutritious feed?
Sydney has to be one of the most vegan-friendly places I’ve ever been! A huge proportion of restaurants cater well to vegans, and there are of course plenty of vegan-only cafes as well.
Some of my favourite places so far include Shift Eatery, Bare Naked Bowls, An Lac (Vietnamese), Maya Masala (Indian) and Bodhi (Asian/Japanese fusion).
You recently visited India for the Vegan Food Adventure, what were your food highlights? Did you pick up any recipe ideas while over there?
India was incredible! The food was so much more amazing than I could have expected. I definitely picked up some recipe ideas while I was there, and I’ve been testing a few since I’ve returned home. Big food highlights from the trip include Dosas, vegan Thalis and authentic Chai.
You’re back home now, but soon will be off again for another big trip! How do you like to keep energised while travelling?
I travel a lot for work, and there are a few things I have learnt from this to make sure I stay as healthy and energetic as possible:
- No red-eyes: I personally can’t sleep well on planes, and find that if I do a red-eye I’m often way more jet-lagged than if not. For that reason, I try to get a flight that will land by midnight so that I can have a decent sleep when I arrive.
- Water, water, water! I usually take a bottle of Cocobella with me as well as a huge water bottle and try to hydrate as much as possible before and during my flight.
- Getting into a routine when you arrive somewhere new is often super helpful in getting over jetlag and feeling energised. Maintaining my usual morning and evening routines (as much as possible) is a lifesaver.
Do you have any tips for people who’d like to bring in more vegetables and fruits into their everyday eating?
Get adventurous! Fruits and vegetables are so diverse and there’s so much to experiment with. It’s surprisingly easy to add a few extra veggies into your usual pasta sauce without even knowing they are there.
With a high stress work life, what’s your favourite way to unwind and treat yourself at the end of the day?
On my commute home from work I always listen to a podcast or audiobook. I find this to be a good way to shift my mindset away from the working day and help me wind down. During the week, I usually try to have my dinner pre-prepared as much as possible so that I don’t have to spend too long cooking.
My favourite night-time activity involves a hot chocolate or turmeric latte, some dark chocolate and a lavender & epsom salt bath. I don’t get to do that every night, but when I do I usually sleep so well!
You’ve been on a bit of healing journey too, and we love your posts sharing knowledge you’ve picked up along the way. What has been your biggest ‘a-ha!’ moment when it comes to health and wellness?
Stress! Stress has and is the biggest trigger for my health. Learning that and then taking active steps to reduce my stress has been instrumental for me.
What would we always find in your pantry and fridge?
In my pantry, you’ll always find brown rice, oats, almond butter, cacao powder, spirulina, coconut sugar and chia seeds.
In my fridge, you’ll always find coconut water, coconut yoghurt, matcha green tea powder and almond milk. And lots of veggies!
Who is in your Instagram Top 5 at the moment for recipe inspiration?
What can we expect to see from you in the future? We hope it’s something delicious!
The future is full of exciting prospects right now! The only thing certain is that if I’m at home, you’ll probably find me in the kitchen.
