Australian dietitian and nutritionist Ellie Bullen blogs about all things health, travel and lifestyle. The creator of delicious and wholesome recipes that she shares with her hundreds of thousands of Instagram followers, Ellie is also the author of the bestselling cookbook Elsa’s Wholesome Life.

Where do you look for inspiration when you’re creating a recipe?

I usually look for home-cooked favourites and try to revamp them or make them vegan. I also use inspiration from travel, with dishes I learned to cook in another country or something I’ve enjoyed in a restaurant overseas. Trending ingredients are another great source of inspiration.

What’s the one ingredient you can’t live without?

That’s easy – avocados!

What do you like to cook at home?

At the moment it’s different salads that we can make in a big batch and keep during the week for lunches. Our most recent one was a pesto pearl couscous salad – so good!

Do you remember when you first tried a macadamia?

I grew up in a macadamia growing region, so it would have been when I was very young. My Dad used to bring them home in-shell from farms where he was doing telecommunications work, and he would crack them open for us. Whenever my Nan came to visit, she would bring hot macadamias from Macadamia Castle. They were delicious!

What’s your favourite way to enjoy a macadamia?

I really like roasted and salted but also chocolate coated macadamias. My husband Alex loves moon macadamias.

If you were an ice cream flavour what would you be?

Salted caramel. I’ve recently become obsessed with it. I wish someone would make a vegan salted caramel macadamia ice cream – that would be great! 

What’s your favourite place in the world to eat?

I really love Vietnam – the cuisine there was amazing. The fresh herbs, chilli and street food…it was so inspiring.

What do you like most about your work?

The flexibility to be able to work on my own terms from home, with my husband. We get to spend every day together and my work gives us the opportunity to do some really cool things – like touring a macadamia farm!