TikTok's FoodTok community is growing from strength to strength with #food now having more than 40.5M posts and #foodtok close to 3M posts. Irish creators are an integral part of this phenomenon, so this month TikTok Ireland is highlighting some of our favourite Irish #foodtok creators, starting off with @littleloucooks! Lou is a chef and a mum who shares her recipes and cooking skills on TikTok for parents looking for something new when feeding their family every day. Read more below!
Q: What is your favourite thing about being part of the #TikTokFood community?
A: For me, it's the connection to the followers that are so honest in the comments and other foodie creators that are so supportive and encouraging!
@littleloucooks RECIPE: follow @littleloucooks for more easy recipes Warning: The more you make homemade snacks, the more you’ll want to make them- they are so good and so much better than any you buy in the shop. Plus much cheaper and these are pretty healthy too. If you’re familiar with my energy balls then you’ll know these have the same base with the added chocolate on top! SAVE the recipe. Perfect for the school lunchbox (if chocolate is allowed) Perfect with a coffee fro MUM!! Energy Choc Bars - no nuts! - makes 12 bars. 230g pitted dates - or 2 cups 125g mixed seeds - or 1 cup 75g oats - or 1 cup 40g desiccated coconut - or 1/2 cup 2 tablespoons Cocoa powder Top with: 150g chocolate 1 tablespoon coconut butter or butter Step 1:Line 2 (2lb) loaf tins with parchment liners or paper. Or line an 8 inch square tin. Step 2: To make the bars: Add the dates to a bowl and cover with boiling water to soften. Meanwhile blend the oats, seeds, coconut, cocoa powder in a blender. Blend it fine or leave it coarse for more texture if you prefer. Drain the dates and add them to the blender. Blend until it looks like a thick paste. If it looks dry add a dash of hot water and blend again. Step 3: Divide between two loaf tins. Push down. Melt the chocolate and coconut oil together in the microwave or in a bowl over simmering water. Then divide between the loaf tins. Set in the fridge for 1 hour then cut into bars. Make them bite size if you like! Keep in the fridge for 1 week.Or freeze for 3 months. . . . . . #energyballs #dateballs #nonutenergyballs #homemadesnacks #reeloftheday ♬ Don't Give Up - Lea Santee
Q: What #FoodTok trends are you currently seeing on TikTok?
A: Smash falafel wrap and smash potatoes are still doing the rounds. I've made them both recently and they taste amazing. I am also loving the homemade magnums!
@littleloucooks 💘Recipe⬇️Homemade - Smoothie Ice Pops I’m always more that happy for my kids to have a homemade smoothie ice pop every day in the summer months. I love knowing exactly what’s in them- I love if they are fruit (for fibre and vitamins) and yoghurt )for protein.) Rough recipe for 8 (I made 6 in the reel- I was short on yoghurt) 400g yoghurt- I used vanilla flavoured @gleniskinsta 400g frozen smoothie mix - this one’s from @aldi_ireland 1 teaspoon vanilla extract- @droetkerbakingireland Blend all the ingredients- spoon into the moulds. Freezer for at least 3 hours. Pop out of the moulds and bag up- store in the freezer ready to grab. I bought the silicone moulds on Amazon- link in my bio @littleloucooks . . . #homemadeicepops #homemadeiceicals #smoothiepops #summertime #bankholidayicepops #reeloftheday ♬ original sound - littleloucooks
Q: What is your favourite #FoodTok recipe you have shared on TikTok to date and why?
A: My simple soda bread with my buttermilk hack - instead of buying buttermilk you can add vinegar or lemon juice to milk to make it sour! People love a good food hack. And it's just five ingredients. It's always best to find recipes with only a handful of ingredients.
Q: What new ingredients or cooking techniques have you discovered through #FoodTok that you now love using?
A: The water trick for frozen sourdough bread. Pour water over the defrosted bread and bake for 10 minutes - it will taste like fresh bread. There is also a two-ingredient brownie I want to try, just eggs and chocolate - not sure it will work. Lol! As we all know, sometimes recipes are too good to be true.
@littleloucooks Full Recipe⬇️ follow @littleloucooks for more easy recipes Miracle Overnight Bread - 4 Ingredients - NO KNEAD: TOTAL GAME CHANGER I did not invent this bread. It’s been around a while, it’s unbelievable and you must try it. You do need a cast iron pot with a lid - so borrow or steal one if you don’t have one. ❤️Mine is from the MasterChef range with Real Rewards @supervalu_irl - I did a recent collaboration. You will need: 500g strong flour/ bread flour - I used @wildfarmed flour 1 teaspoon dried yeast - a bit less than a 7g sachet 2 teaspoons fine salt 330g lukewarm water Step 1: Measure the flour, yeast and salt into a large mixing bowl, stir well. Pour in the water little by little and mix with a wooden spoon to form a shaggy dough. Flour your hands and bring the dough together to form a ball in the bowl. Cover with cling film or a damp tea towel and leave the bowl in an ambient spot in the kitchen overnight for 12-13 hours. Step 2: Then next day, flour the worktop and gently scoop the dough out of the bowl. Be gentle with it, don’t knock out all the air. Bring the dough into a round shape, sprinkle some flour on top. Place on a floured piece of parchment paper. Cover with a damp tea towel, leave to rise for 1 hour in a warm place. Step 3: 30 minutes into the dough rising time preheat the oven 230ºC fan. Place a 24cm cast iron pot with lid (or similar) in the oven for 30 minutes to heat up. After this time take the hot pot from the oven, carefully lift the paper and dough and put it into the pot, slash the top with a shape knife and add any design you wish. Pour 2 tablespoons of water into the pot, replace the lid. Bake for 30 minutes, take the lid off and bake for a further 10-15 minutes until nicely golden on top. Step 4: Place the bread on a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes. After this time slice and enjoy. . . . . #miraclebread #whiteloaf #organicflour #homemadebread #4ingredientbread #overnightbread #reeloftheday #makeyourownbread ♬ original sound - littleloucooks
Q: What other #FoodTok creators are on your For You feed?
A: I love supporting and watching content creators from Ireland. Alice, @fromscratchbakery, is hilarious and so unique. My friend Jen, @foxnestfood, is a food styling queen with the best seductive foodie voice on TikTok. Ciara, aka @thetummyfairy, shares great recipes for health, balance and wellbeing. Lots of American creators like @PinchofNom are great too.
@littleloucooks ✨I am 3 years self employed🥂🍾🥹 Lockdown happened, I left the commercial kitchen and didn’t return, I decided to go solo…I needed to find work to suit me and my family. ✨I set up my own business ‘Little Lou Cooks’ in May 2021 on a wing and a prayer. I wasn’t sure what I was doing or where I was going. ✨I gave online cooking classes, in person cooking classes, private catering, remodelled my kitchen and started sharing recipes on my social pages. ✨Now I share recipes for food brands full time. ✨Thanks to you for being here supporting my page and my one woman business. I’ve loads of really exciting things coming up- stay tuned!! 👩🍳I proudly wear my Little Lou cooks apron every day in my reels. 💕Giveaway!! Comment LOU if you’d like one of my aprons - I’ll pick someone at random and send one out in the post. . . . #selfemployedchef #3yearsinbusiness ♬ Chill Vibes - Tollan Kim
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