Ella Mills’ newest cookbook is far from just a cookbook, it’s also a glimpse into her life over the last few years. From the beginnings when she was bed-bound with an illness that affected her autonomic nervous system to the release of her website, Deliciously Ella, to the here and now, in great health and not only a best-selling cookbook author but an entrepreneur with a number-one app, a food product line across the UK, and her very successful pop-ups and supper club.
Ella talks about her journey openly and honestly, sharing what she’s learnt along the way.
The recipes in this book are some of the most in-demand from her customers, plant-based and healthy; it has 100 simple vegan recipes that anyone can make with confidence.
Part journal, part cookbook, part autobiography, Ella’s journey is inspiring and well, delicious…
Fast 5 with Ella
What couldn’t you live without in the kitchen?
A good spice rack, I think they make all the difference. I love toasting spices with onion and garlic and simmering them into a warming coconut milk curry; using cinnamon and ginger in my morning porridge bowls and just adding a pinch of cayenne pepper to create heat in any recipe. They’re just an easy way to add depth to anything and help to transform something simple into something incredible.
What is your most memorable meal and why?
On our honeymoon a lot of the team in the hotel were from Sri Lanka, I’ve never been there and was asking them all about traditional Sri Lankan cooking, so they made us this unbelievable eight-course feast, which was just incredible, so insanely delicious.
What’s your worst kitchen disaster?
There have been so many! When I first started experimenting with plant-based cooking I was a little clueless and everything was so bland, it took me a while to learn how to add real depth, flavour and texture to my cooking.
What would you want to eat for your last meal?
It’s so hard to choose! I’d do a big mezze platter to start, with bowls of hummus (classic, sweet potato hummus, spicy hummus, piquillo pepper hummus), smoky aubergine dips and babaganoush, flatbreads and an avocado dip. I’d then want a big bowl of our Sri Lankan curry with coconut rice and our peanut fudge slices to finish.
The great coriander debate – yes or no?
Yes, but not too much. It adds great colour and flavour to a dish but I don’t like it when it becomes too dominating
We have three recipes to share with you from Deliciously Ella The Plant-Based Cookbook.
Recipes extracted from Deliciously Ella The Plant-Based Cookbook by Ella Mills (Woodward), published by Hachette Australia RRP $32.99.
Photographer credit for the recipe images Nassima Rothacker.
