Food blogger and ex-top athlete Lenna Omrani is currently making a name for herself in the world of plant-based food. Still, good food was not always obvious to her:at the age of eighteen she developed an eating disorder. An instructive phase, she now knows. “I can now deal better with my insecurities.”
Like her brother and sister, Lenna Omrani (24) played hockey at the highest level, until she had to stop due to an injury. She is now an entrepreneur in the field of plant-based food, recipe developer and food photographer. Her first cookbook Every Day Vegan was published in September 2021. Lenna shares her plant-based recipes through her own website Lennaomrani.com and through Instagram (@lennaomrani) where she has nearly 44,000 followers.
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You blog about plant-based foods. What is your mission?
“I want to inspire others with super tasty plant-based recipes and create awareness. I believe that eating a lot of animal products is outdated. There's no getting around it:a plant-based, vegan menu has less negative impact on the planet than eating meat and animal products. Still, I don't want to tell others what to do, or point a finger. The choice is still theirs. I hope that what I share online will get people excited to at least give plant-based food a try.”
Has healthy, tasty food always come naturally to you?
“No, there was a period when I was cramped with food. I played hockey at a top level for years, but had to stop after my final exams due to a knee injury. I fell into a hole. My whole life revolved around hockey, who would I be without that sport? I was unhappy with my reflection and became extremely insecure. I had always been interested in nutrition because of the sport, and that summer I delved into ways to get fitter and better. But I persevered. I literally locked myself in the house and ate only raw fruits and vegetables. I made excuses not to go to parties and lied at home that I had already eaten. In three months I was fifteen kilos lighter, but all I could do was sit on the couch under a blanket with a cup of tea.”
What was the turning point?
“Friends said, 'Lenna, what you're doing isn't healthy anymore. I actually had no energy at all. I decided to go to therapy. During a group session, I saw girls who were much worse off than me. An eye opener. Hell no, I thought, I don't want this. I wanted the fit, happy and strong Lenna back. With the help of the therapist, I started to challenge myself step by step, just like in my professional sports days. Eating a little more. I eventually reached a healthy weight. Slowly, my self-image also improved.”
Why did you choose plant-based food?
“I studied sustainability and the impact of our food system on the world. What I read and saw in documentaries opened my eyes. I removed meat and fish from my menu overnight, eggs later. I already didn't eat dairy products, because of my intestines and troubled skin. Plant-based food brought me a lot. My skin became completely calm and I felt fit and energetic.”
Why did you start blogging about it?
“I experimented with plant-based recipes and shared them with my environment and on Instagram. Initially to help others with an eating disorder. At the beginning of 2020 I opted for a new approach. The idea was a professionally styled vegan food blog, but different from what was already out there. Not only with the standard salads and the bowls with tofu and beans, but also vegan baked goods, pastas, burgers and pizzas. Everything can be veganized and it is special what you can make with vegetables, fruit, herbs and legumes. My blog shows that vegetable cooking is accessible, tasty and fun. And certainly not boring. That message has caught on. After the first lockdown, it 'exploded' in terms of number of followers."
Do you feel like an influencer?
“When I think of influencers, I think of people with hundreds of thousands of followers. That's not how I see myself. I'm just Lenna who enjoys being in the kitchen and inspiring people with plant-based recipes. It's crazy when people respond with:'wow, this is really tasty and easy, thank you for sharing'. Or that people with food intolerances are happy that they can eat my dishes without any problems. That gives me a warm feeling. But do I see myself as a world improver? With what I do, I make the world a lot greener. That makes me happy.”
Text:Belinda Fallaux / Source:Santé February 2022
