Photography is extremely diverse and by sharing with us how her love for cooking and photography have become ‘one’ ;Joëlle Doucet provides us with a gentle reminder. Currently living and studying in Ottawa, this young canadian sums up her passion for cooking with these three words : “Food is life”. Today she shares her story and interests with us and some pictures of her culinary feats
- Who is Joëlle Doucet ? How would you describe yourself in a few words ?
I am a student currently going into my 3rd year of Nursing and I also work as a Head Lifeguard at the YMCA-YWCA. When I am not studying or working, my main passion is cooking/baking healthy (mostly plant-based or vegan) meals and taking pictures of what I created. I also love to strength-train and keep active.
- What are your aspirations/goals in life ?
I aspire to someday become a Registered Nurse, cook/bake as a side passion, and of course, I hope to be happy
- On a scale from 1 to 10 ,how would you rate your interest in Photography ? Is it just a hobby or more ?
I would say my interest in photography is an 8 out of 10. I absolutely love taking pictures of what I have cooked/baked, and I love seeing (through food blogs or Instagram) what other people are doing in the kitchen. I use my cellphone camera everyday to take pictures of things I want to remember. I use my Canon camera when I can; it depends how much time I have in the kitchen. Photography is a hobby for now. I may one day take a food-photography course to enhance my skills
- You’ve mentioned a passion for cooking healthy and mostly plant based meals. Does this mean that you are a vegan ? If yes how difficult is it to stay away from meat and how do you find alternatives to animal derivatives ?
I am not a vegetarian or a vegan. At home, I eat vegetarian or vegan as much as I can; however, when I leave the house to go to friends or family I do eat meat if it is served to me. Most of my family and friends eat meat so it is difficult to avoid. When eating out, most restaurants are accommodating to the vegetarian/vegan lifestyle and offer things like beans and rice in a burrito, tofu, veggie burgers, etc. I tend to pick vegetarian restaurants when I go out. A couple of my favourite places are Pure Kitchen, The Table and The Green Door.
- Do you come up with recipes yourself or are there specific books or websites you consult ? Could you share them with us?
I love reading food blogs and cookbooks, and I love the pictures too! After following a recipe that catches my interest, the next time I cook/bake it I put my own spin to the recipe. I also tend to read many recipes, get inspired and make up my own. Some examples of my favourite food bloggers that also have a cookbook are Oh She Glows and Deliciously Ella. I love the food blogger Minimalist Baker, and I love the Thug Kitchen cookbook.
- We also noticed that you are an avid traveler. Could you name some of the places you’ve visited so far? Which was your favorite and why ?
I have been to many countries in Europe, the Mediterranean and North America. I am very fortunate to have parents that love to travel and bring my siblings and myself along. My favourite places so far have been Hawaii with amazing beaches, hiking trails and pineapple, and Amsterdam because the culture is so different from the one in Ottawa
- Do you always have your camera with you on your trips? If yes how does photography alter the travelling experience?
My sister and I take turns taking pictures on our trip. We love to document what we do and look at them later on. I believe it makes trips better when taking pictures because they help you remember when looking back. I also believe that you must put the camera down sometimes and enjoy the moment.
- What’s next for you Joelle ? A food blog perhaps ? Have you thought about it ?
Finishing school is definitely first! Next would be maintaining this plant-based (mostly vegan) and active lifestyle. I’ll keep surfing vegan food blogs and cookbooks recipes, cook/bake and take beautiful pictures. I have thought about starting a food blog… but I would need work on my writing and definitely take a food-photography course. Maybe one day I will start a blog! For now, I will keep on keeping on and hopefully get better as a go.
- Any piece of advice you would like to give my readers?
Taking pictures of what you love is so important and they are fun to look back on! Also, pictures show how much you have grown with a camera, and in my case, in the kitchen. The progress is always nice to see.
In the same order as featured : Taking a picture of cashew orange cream over fruit salad (recipe by Joyous Health) – Chocolate-banana layered monkey cake (recipe by My New Roots) – vegan vanilla “cheese” cake – Sweet potato brownies (recipe by Deliciously Ella) – hippy quinoa salad with tahini-lemon dressing (my recipe) – green-only salad (broccoli, peas, edamame, cucumber, kale, spinach, avocado, pumpkin seeds) -strawberry chia jam (recipe by Deliciously Ella) – apple pie oat-date energy bar (my recipe) – sweet potato, black bean, quinoa, walnut vegan burger (recipe by Minimalist Baker) – blueberry pancakes (recipe by Thug Kitchen)
Thanks Joëlle for sharing your story with us.
Through Thy Lens 
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