For a little over a year, Thomas Torrelli, from Arzenc-de-Randon, has been running a page on Instagram, “tom_and_cie_food”, where he offers healthy recipes full of gluttony.
“A healthy Instagram in a healthy body”. No sooner have we looked at this novel recipe book than we understand what we are going to discover.
Where the social network is usually a portrait collection, where vacation photos, some accounts stand out. This is the case with “tom_and_cie_food”, and its more than 35,000 subscribers.
I am a little self-taught in the kitchen
An idea born in the mind of a Lozérien, Thomas Torrelli, originally from Arzenc-de-Randon, and who is studying nutrition near Montpellier. “I officially launched in October 2019. I had just returned to a Master 1 in nutrition, and I told myself that it could be nice to share what I was learning with as many people as possible.“.
Especially since the young man has been bathing in the kitchen since he was little. “I did not do any specific training. I am a little self-taught in the kitchen, he jokes. My family cooks a lot, my grandmother is Italian so I have always helped and learned a little. I also wanted to take advantage of that.“
“I went from 20,000 to 35,000 people who follow me”
And this, even if the first months, his account does not know the hoped-for success.. “At the beginning it did not work very well. The confinement at the beginning of 2020 made me think about what I could improve to increase my audience. And the adventure really took on a significant scale last August.
“I had finished my summer job, and I threw myself into it. With a friend, Mathilde Tournié, who helps me with the photos, so that they make you want to. On Instagram, maybe it’s to be the most important. From there it all happened very quickly“, says Thomas.
A very rapid development which was, in addition, exacerbated by the second confinement. “In August, I didn’t have a lot of subscribers. I first made a first peak at 10 000 in September then everything happened, and the November containment was beneficial at this level. I went from 20 000 to 35 000 people who follow me during this period. It is a very polarized network. It can go very quickly depending on the shares“, he continues.
There is something for every taste
But this evolution, it owes it not only to the shares of its subscribers, but at least as much to the quality of the recipes that it offers.
From savory sweet potato muffins, to almond and peanut butter financiers, to chestnut and raisin cakes, there is something for everyone. And above all, it respects a golden rule: do not deprive yourself. “I try, with this account, to change, on my scale, certain views on nutrition. Lots of evil-minded people have made money promising miracle results.
“But except for a few people who are exceptions, this does not work, he shouts. With natural products, regular physical activity, such as a 15 to 20 minute walk, and a little time, you get to what you want. Obviously you have to be careful and avoid snacking for example. But next to it, we must above all have fun, otherwise, that’s how we lose hope“, continues the young student.
“You have to know how to let go”
And with his recipes, healthy, but full of delicacies, this is precisely what Thomas Torrelli wants to fight: “Often in diets, people have a hard time coping with food cracks. While they are almost compulsory when we deprive ourselves, we want them even more. To avoid them, you have to adapt your daily diet, and also know how to let go.
“We must not say to each other, after a week because we cracked “I won’t be able to do it, you might as well stop” So in my recipes I try to use food that is fun. Especially in this period, when we tend to eat well, and where depriving oneself is even more counterproductive.
“Especially since there are a lot of foods that we eat for Christmas or New Years Eve that are beneficial such as smoked salmon, oysters or turkey. Even foie gras is not that bad. And then Christmas is once a year, so don’t miss out on it“, ends the student.
What to feast on during the holidays, without feeling guilty.
Open up your appetite.
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Appetizers
Sweet potato blinis
For four people, 250 g of mashed sweet potato, 80 g of flour, 80 g of cottage cheese, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon of yeast, cumin, paprika and a pinch of salt. Start by steaming the sweet potato for 25 minutes before mashing it into a puree. Then mix with the eggs, fromage blanc and the various spices. Add the flour and baking powder. Mix until you get a sticky dough. In a hot oiled pan over low heat, form the blinis, thin enough to facilitate cooking, with a tablespoon, and cook 2-3 minutes on each side, until nicely browned. You can add smoked salmon to the blinis.
Verrine
For two verrines, you need 2 nice slices of smoked salmon, 250 g of ricotta, 2 eggs, 1 half a cucumber, dill and lemon juice.
Take the ricotta, salt and pepper, and add the dill. Relax it with a whisk. Put a little lemon juice on the salmon and let marinate. Cut the cucumber into thin slices. In the verrine, put a slice of ricotta, a layer of cucumber, the slice of salmon then again cucumber and ricotta. Cook the egg for 6 minutes in boiling water. Scale it, then place it in the verrine.
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