International model, healthy lifestyle advocate and environmental ambassador resides between Australia and LA. Natascha curates her website (insearchofsadie.com), along with two forever inspiring instagrams (@Nataschaelisa and @Cleancooking) and is the founder of Models of Compassion (@Modelsofcompassion). On these platforms she shares her love for natural living, healthy lifestyle, fair fashion, sustainable travel and volunteering.
Where in the world are you right now?
Berlin, Germany
You have wandered the globe since you were 6 months old! Why did you and your family travel so much? Anywhere you haven’t been?
We moved between Germany and Australia while I was growing up with lots of travel adventures in between. My parents are avid travellers and we visited around 60 countries before I had turned 16. I did my first solo travel when I was 15, I haven’t looked back - we have so much to learn from other cultures and landscapes.
How has your time wandering the world influenced you?
I learnt a lot traveling, more than at school. I learnt to be aware, I learnt to grateful with what I have, I learnt to communicate outside of verbal communication, I learnt to be patient and I learnt to be strong.
Where do you turn to for inspiration for your beautifully curated instagram (@nataschaelisa) and website (insearchofsadie.com) ?
Nature really inspires me the most! Spending time in nature and connecting with the forest, the mountains and the ocean gives me endless inspiration.
How long have you been living a vegan lifestyle and what motivated you to share your clean cooking healthy recipes on @cleancooking instagram and your website?
I have been vegetarian by choice since I was 10 years old, I then started living a vegan lifestyle around 7 years ago. I really wanted to show others that it’s easy to live a cruelty-free, healthy & happy lifestyle! I wanted to share these recipes which I was creating and make them easily accessible to everyone!
We adore your recipes and stunning food photography. Can you share an easy to make healthy recipe created by you, that would be great to share at a picnic?
Sure!!
Zingy Energy Balls, Recipe here
Whole Bowl, Recipe here
Rainbow Rice Paper Rolls, Recipe here
Any tips for keeping your picnics plastic and waste free?
YES!!!
- Bring your own cutlery (I love using bamboo ones - they are light and easy to carry - you can keep them forever)
- Pre-make your food at home instead of buying packaged snacks!
- Pack your picnic in reusable containers and jars!
- Shop for your picnic at the farmers market! Using your own basket and cotton produce bags (This is the easiest way to shop plastic free!)
* Natasha just participated in Plastic Free July... Follow her journey here
Apart from your clean eating snacks, what else are your picnicand camping essentials?
Apart from your clean eating snacks, what else are your picnicand camping essentials?
- A cute picnic rug (from Wandering Folk of course ;)
- Cushions for extra comfort (if you don’t have too long to walk to your picnic location!)
- A picnic basket!
- A portable speaker with some good tunes :)
We also LOVE how you’re using your social media reach to inspire others about issues with children, animals and the environment. Can you tell us about Models Of Compassion (MOC) and any exciting projects are you working on through this organization at the moment?
Thank you!! I’m super inspired by using social media for good! We are working on several projects at the moment! We work very closely with orphanages in both Mexico and Indonesia and are working towards implementing a dental program with them which will help a lot of children!
Where do you see yourself in the future and what do you hope to accomplish with the huge reach available on your platforms?
Where do you see yourself in the future and what do you hope to accomplish with the huge reach available on your platforms?
I would love to do a cooking show one day where I can psychically show people how to create healthy and nutritious plant-based recipes! I would also love to grow Models of Compassion and have a whole team working along side us so that we can run large scale projects!
All photographs by Natascha Elisa