Nourishing new roots

Nutritionist, writer and photographer Sarah Britton shares her plant-based creations to a devoted online readership on her blog, My New Roots. A delightful documentation of her foray into a world of natural flavour and nourishment, it’s a mouthwatering ode to the wonders of whole foods and has now been published as a debut cookbook.

We chat with Copenhagen-based Sarah about her food philosophy, her favourite winter cooking ingredients and what city in the world has the wellbeing formula perfected.

**Tell us about life in Copenhagen and how it influences your food philosophy? **

Danes cook! Coming from North America where eating out, sometimes daily, is quite normal, I really appreciate the time, energy and love people put into their food. It’s not a special ‘Sunday night’ kind of affair, but an everyday gathering around the table to share a meal. It’s amazing.

**As a food blogger and avid Instagrammer, what are your top tips for photographing food? **

It’s nice to have a beautiful background – marble, rustic wood, or super bright and plain white to really show off the food. Adding a few key props always helps too: linen napkin, pretty glass, a piece of cutlery. I tend to not get overly fussy with these elements, because I’m actually capturing real life after all (and I want to eat while it’s hot!)

With a global audience and as an avid traveller, where have you found to have the best balance when it comes to diet, lifestyle and wellbeing?

I have just been in Vancouver for my cookbook tour and I think the people in that city have all those things on lockdown. Everyone I met seemed so vibrant, fit, and buzzing with healthy energy. There are more yoga studios, cold-pressed juice shops, and health food stores than I have ever seen on one city block in my life. Set against the most pristine mountain range and ocean views, it’s not hard to understand why everyone there is so attuned to nature.

Five must-haves in your shopping basket for winter cooking?

1. Root vegetables (beets, carrots, sweet potato, celeriac, sunchokes, parsnips etc)

2. Organic unsalted butter for making ghee

3. Fresh garlic, ginger and turmeric

4. A variety of whole grains (short grain brown rice, quinoa, millet, oats etc.)

5. A variety of legumes for soups and stews

**Favourite winter warmer recipes in your new book? **

It’s a toss-up between the Four Corners Lentil Soup and the Skinny Dip White Bean Fondue!

Sarah Britton’s debut cookbook, My New Roots, is available now from Pan Macmillan Australia.