We have recently added to our list of inspiring ambassadors to include surfer Ellie Brooks. We’re so excited to watch her chase her dreams in surfing (and everything else) all while being fuelled by Cocobella!! Read on to learn about Ellie’s plant based diet, how surfing competitively even works and to get her GF, dairy-free banana bread recipe!
Can you tell us what a typical day on your plate is?
A typical day on my plate is pretty basic! I love all fresh wholefoods. I am mostly plant-based but always incorporate some form of protein into my meals. Due to my sport and training my days can vary as I travel a lot. But most mornings I wake up early around 5-5.30am and start my day with a glass of warm water mixed with a squeeze of lemon and a splash of apple cider. Then I make a long black with a dash of coconut milk! After that around 9am I have breaky which is usually a protein smoothie or chia pudding! I always use Cocobella natural or vanilla yogurt! I also love all my smoothies with coconut water over milk! Snacks are usually homemade hummus and celery / carrots, rice cakes with tuna and avo, protein balls or home made banana bread. Lunch is usually a big veggie-based salad with quinoa and protein. I love to add pumpkin, massaged kale, tomatoes, beetroot, coriander, broccoli with a home roasted chicken or whatever leftover protein I have from the night before then topped with a tahini dressing. Then dinner consists of lean protein of some form, I love fish then I add lots of veggies or a salad. I love to have an early dinner so I can let my food settle and digest before bed.
With Surf comps on hold for the moment, can you tell us a typical day in the life of you?
I’ve been busy building my own business! I just started a surf coaching and mentoring business for young girls. It is called In Motion (@inmotionsurf) and is designed to encourage young girls to feel confident both in and out of the water. I aim at helping them improve in their surfing and I’m there to support them through all aspects of life!
I’ve travelled a lot and I feel that has really helped me develop into the person I am today. I also got bullied through school pretty bad and it was the worst thing ever at the time, but it taught me a lot. How to handle certain situations, how I act, how I react, how to treat others. It all plays such a huge role. And of course surfing to me is everything so sharing my love for it and helping girls improve and to embrace all that surfing provides is a huge passion of mine.
I am also studying business management at university and of course still training. I recently completely ruptured my acl in my first surf competition since covid, so have just had surgery and repairing now.
What got you into surfing?
I actually started off as a nipper, then did that competitively until about 14/15. I love it and it certainly taught me a lot about the ocean. But around 10 years old my dad taught me how to surf and I’ve been hooked ever since. If he was going surfing so was I. Still to this day I get just as excited to go surfing with him!
So how does competitive surfing even work?
Competitive surfing is currently run by the World Surf League, the global home of surfing. The WSL is comprised of tours and events, celebrating the world’s best surfers across all disciplines and annually running more than 180 global contests. I’m on the world qualifying series, each year I travel the globe competing in the hope of achieving my dream of qualifying for the world tour. The QS has a number of events globally ranked from a 1000, 5000 and then a 10,000 being the highest ranked event. This is where you get the most valuable points. A win in a 10,000 could almost guarantee you a spot on the world tour. That’s how close it can be. A lot of blood, sweat and tears goes into it, but it is so rewarding. The wins always outweigh the losses and I’ve learnt so much along the way. I won my first QS at New Castle beach. It was my first year competing and it set me up to have a good seed for the following years. I set small goals so achieving the main goal of qualifying for the world tour is more achievable! Being consistent, improving my surfing and feeling confident mentally and physically is so important.
Lastly we hear you love to cook, can you share a fave recipe?
Oh where to begin! My favourite / go to recipe is probably my GF, DF refined sugar banana bread! Perfect pre or post surf or workout.
Ingredients:
- 4 overripe mashed bananas
- 3 large organic eggs
- 1/4 cup of coconut oil
- 1/4 cup of organic peanut butter
- 1/4 cup of Cocobella vanilla or natural yogurt
- 1/3 cup of maple syrup or honey
- 2 cups of flour (1 cup almond flour, 1 cup coconut flour)
- 1 tsp of baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tsp of organic vanilla essence
- Tsp of cinnamon
Optional: chia seeds, cacao choc chips or coconut flakes if you want to mix it up
Also add a splash of water or milk if mixture is dry
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius and line a loaf tin with baking paper, or grease with coconut oil.
- Mash 3 bananas (saving one to slice for the top) in a large bowl. Mix in the coconut oil, peanut butter, eggs, coconut yoghurt and vanilla.
- Stir in the rest of the dry ingredients and transfer mixture into the loaf tin.
- Slice the final banana on top of the mixture.
- Bake for 50 minutes or until cooked through.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 15 minutes.
Welcome to the team Ellie!! We are excited to be along for the ride!!
