Content creation is an evolution of my interests. I was always interested in art and I went to a private Photography College and then went on to do additional video training. I have embraced this career because of the variety of tasks that challenge me as a content creator and as an artist. It’s also amazing to be able to connect with community on line.
What led you to launch your digital profile - @restlessjosie - and how long have you been creating content? What are a few of the highs and lows you've experienced becoming such a public figure?
I spent some time as a host and producer of the Restless Josie Show. We were always encouraged to do Social media as a promotional tool, so I launched my socials. I have been creating content for 14 years, but I have never thought of myself as a public figure. I have a small reach compared to famous people and I’m content with the amount of privacy I can maintain.
In the past I have made the mistake of focusing too much on the analytics and number of followers. Today I realize that, much like your social life in person, quality matters more than quantity. Build relationships and support each other.
What challenges do you face as you hone your skills and try to adjust to the constantly changing algorithms?
It keeps me sharp to constantly have to be learning. I like the challenge, and try to not let it frustrate me. I always go back to a phase from my TV days, “we aren’t saving lives, just keeping people happy and entertained.” That shouldn’t be high stress. I don’t suffer from self importance on most days.
What challenges do you face as you hone your skills and try to adjust to the constantly changing algorithms?
It keeps me sharp to constantly have to be learning. I like the challenge, and try to not let it frustrate me. I always go back to a phase from my TV days, “we aren’t saving lives, just keeping people happy and entertained.” That shouldn’t be high stress. I don’t suffer from self importance on most days.
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| 6 bases - 29 recipes |
What inspired you and your husband to expand in a new direction sharing healthy food ideas in cookbooks, cooking videos and website full ideas to try?
Like so many things, it evolved during the COVID lockdown. I started to film myself making dinner as a way to connect with my friends and community when we couldn’t meet up in person. It’s hard to do on your own, so I had Ryan, my husband, start manning the camera. We’ve always worked well in the kitchen together and share a love of food. We’d also been playing around with the idea of doing something creative together. So filming dinner prep organically led to us trying out new recipes, making them our own and writing them down.
I was so excited to hear you wrote your first cookbook - HABIT - that offers gluten-free, lactose-free, allergy-sensitive and diabetic-friendly recipes. What inspired you to put pen to paper? What was easiest about becoming a published author? What challenges did you have to face?
Around the same time we started filming cooking videos and creating new recipes, our daughter was starting to think about going away to university. I know how hard it is to cook healthy and nutritious meals, and I knew it would be even harder as a university student with a few food intolerances. I wanted to send her into the world ready to cook for herself. I also feel passionate about our societies food woes. There’s a obesity epidemic, a diabetes epidemic, and so many people are sick, both physically and mentally. There’s a lot of evidence that what we eat makes a huge difference to our physical and mental health.
Like so many things, it evolved during the COVID lockdown. I started to film myself making dinner as a way to connect with my friends and community when we couldn’t meet up in person. It’s hard to do on your own, so I had Ryan, my husband, start manning the camera. We’ve always worked well in the kitchen together and share a love of food. We’d also been playing around with the idea of doing something creative together. So filming dinner prep organically led to us trying out new recipes, making them our own and writing them down.
Around the same time we started filming cooking videos and creating new recipes, our daughter was starting to think about going away to university. I know how hard it is to cook healthy and nutritious meals, and I knew it would be even harder as a university student with a few food intolerances. I wanted to send her into the world ready to cook for herself. I also feel passionate about our societies food woes. There’s a obesity epidemic, a diabetes epidemic, and so many people are sick, both physically and mentally. There’s a lot of evidence that what we eat makes a huge difference to our physical and mental health.
Nutrition has always been an interest of mine and I thought I had something to share. I think the easiest part of being a published cookbook author is the eating! Everything else has had its challenges. It took us a while to figure out a concept for the cookbook, so it was more than a collection of recipes. We wanted it to be more of a recipe to make healthy eating easier, faster and more fun.
Taking the food pictures might have been the hardest part. It’s shockingly tricky to make even the best tasting food look delicious. My sister in law, Lou (@loudahlstudio), was a huge help. She also designed the book, so a lot of the credit for how it looks goes to her. And now we’re in another hard part: learning how to market and sell a cookbook.
Do you have a favorite recipe you hope everyone will try? What do you most hope buyers will receive from your book?
It’s hard to choose a favorite recipe. I honestly love so many of them. I’ll go a while without eating one and then when we make it, I’m like “Oh yeah, this is so delicious!” I grow my own parsley and basil, which are the main ingredients in our Salsa Verde base, so it feels especially good to open a jar and make something with it. I love mussels, so if I had to pick just one recipe as my favorite, it would be our Salsa Verde Mussels. They are delicious!
Where can interested readers go to purchase their own copy of HABIT? What is the best way to connect with you and learn more?
The book is available on Amazon and other major online retailers, as well as local independent book shops. A full list with links is on our website at www.restlessjosiecooks.com/cookbook. The best way to connect is on Instagram @restlessjosie and by signing up for our newsletter on our website.
Links -
- Website - www.restlessjosiecooks.com
- Instagram - @restlessjosie and @habit_cookbook
- Pinterest - www.pinterest.ca/restlessjosiecooks
- TikTok - @Restless-Josie
- LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/josie-boulding-98a11120
- Facebook - www.facebook.com/restlessjosie
- Youtube - @Restlessjosie
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