Notes from Chris

Episode 1779

Janelle Hamawi rolled her eyes when a young family member told her that he was trying vegan food. She had no idea at the time that she’d end up trying it herself because of health issues. Not just trying but loving plant-based cuisine so much that she started converting traditional Lebanese recipes to plant-based versions.

But let’s go back a bit. Janelle was born in Sydney, Australia. Her family is originally from Lebanon. She grew up consuming heavy doses of meaty dishes, but tried being more plant-based in response to her health changes.

The new diet helped reduce chronic fatigue, hair loss, brain fog, tinnitus, and more. It helped that she liked to cook, so she began collecting and creating delicious recipes. For example, her vegan shawarma is a vibrant feast of cooked mushrooms, fresh vegetables, pickles, and garlic sauce. She’s even made some gluten free vegan recipes, including Stuffed Peppers and Persimmon Chocolate Pudding.

With the desire to share her newfound passion, she started posting these recipes to Instagram in September 2018. The concept of scrumptious yet nutritious cuisine was appetizing to many people. Her visitors kept returning for seconds. Over time, she nurtured her hobby into a side hustle. With an initial investment of less than $400, she made a blog a year after starting the Instagram posts and moved to a full website three months later.

The project is called Plant Based Folk. It earns a monthly income of $1,500, mostly from advertising. Janelle uses the attention on her Instagram account to attract visitors to her blog. She’s also nurtured a mailing list because she knows social networks are fickle. She entices new subscribers with a free eBook of 10 recipes, early access to new recipes, and more.

Janelle plans to share her nutritious and spicy vegan recipes in an upcoming cookbook of Lebanese plant-based dishes. Furthermore, she is expanding her flavor profile by exploring the cooking and eating culture of her husband, a second generation Armenian. Her inner chef and vegan convert are just getting started as she gets paid to share recipes.

 

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  MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Learn more about Janelle and cook up your own delicious vegan meals from her website, PlantBasedFolk.com.
• We last featured Janelle when her main hustle, CPD Box, was her side hustle. It was Ep. 798: Continuing Education Directory Earns Six Figures.

SEE ALSO:

• Louisiana Vegan Community Becomes a Big Dill: Feeling like the only vegans in Louisiana, two friends start a roving, multi-course dinner series.
• Foodie Friends Blog Their Way to Free Stuff & Real Money: Two friends get paid to post photos of their lunch on Instagram. No, really!
• Vegan Food Lovers Sprout Plant-Based Festivals: Fed up with a lack of vegan options in New Jersey, two women help plant-based food festivals take root in the Garden State.

Inspiration is good; inspiration combined with action is better. Now get back to work! Yours in the revolution,

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