“I make sure to eat three balanced meals a day.”

M: When you cook, what do you prepare? Do you cook simple dishes?
M: When you cook, what do you prepare? Simple dishes?

L: What I always say to people is that you should always have a few things in your freezer that are easy to make. A lot of things that are frozen are just as healthy and have just as many vitamins. I always make a big bowl of lentil soup or any soup, and I make little cups and then I freeze them. Ready to eat them when I come home from a shoot, I take them out and warm them up in a pan. The same with other food; I always make a little extra that I put in little plastic containers that I can put in the freezer. Every time I am hungry, I have something that I could just grab out of the freezer and put it for a few minutes in the microwave. Cooking on a stove is better than a microwave, but sometimes you have to choose what is more efficient. I prefer fresh and simple ingredients. I like to make wraps that I can put in the freezer, then take them out and warm them up and put anything I like in there. I also have shrimp in my freezer that I can just grill, and pasta. There are some pasta sauces, for instance, that are really organic and have simple ingredients. It is not that everything that is canned is not fresh and is bad; you can mix it. I really want everything to be as easy as possible. Oatmeal, I love oatmeal in the morning; it is so easy to make. It is one of the best foods; it fills you, especially when you are on a diet and you want to watch out. When you don't eat enough, you feel hungry the whole time, so I always make sure that I have three good meals and that I eat enough. I sometimes binge for Christmas or eat whatever I want, and in the weeks after, I eat normally, so then you are in balance. That's the thing: everything in balance, and find the foods that you like that are healthy.
L: What I always tell people is to keep a few things in the freezer that are easy to make. Most things that can be frozen retain their vitamins and are just as good as when they were freshly made. I always make a large container of lentil soup and transfer it to small cups to freeze. That way, when I want to eat after returning from a shoot, I just take it out of the freezer and warm it up in a pot.
I do the same with other foods; I always make a little extra and put it in a plastic container to freeze. So, when I'm hungry, I always have something to snack on, which I can then defrost in the microwave. Of course, warming it up in a pot is healthier, but sometimes efficiency is more important.
I like fresh and simple ingredients. I enjoy making wraps that I can freeze and then defrost when I want to eat them, filling them with whatever I fancy at the moment.



M: Can you tell me about your favorite healthy restaurants in NY?
M: What are your favorite healthy restaurants in New York?

L: My favorites are organic and vegan.
L: My favorite restaurants are organic and vegan.

“I have dreams and plans I want to realize over the next ten years.”

M: How do you want to use your skills as a certified health counselor in the future?
M: How do you want to use your health counselor skills in the future?

L: Well, I studied it because I am interested in it, of course, and also in living a healthy life. Now I speak a lot and I write blogs. In the future, I even want to create my own product line, have a TV show, a radio show, anything that really gets my vision out there. Books – I love writing, so I am definitely going to write a book about it, just about my ideas of the whole thing. For products, I am thinking about healthy snacks and maybe some beauty products. I have a ten-year plan of all these dreams that I have that I want to make come true. If someone comes along and has the same idea of doing things like that together, I would love to work out something like that, as long as it has to do with the main thing: living a healthier life. It is my main motto.

L: Well, I studied this because I was interested in it, of course, and also to live a healthy life myself. Recently, I've had many opportunities to speak in public and I also write a blog. In the future, I want to create my own line, do a TV show, a radio show – anything that allows me to share my ideas.

I also love writing books, so I will definitely write one. Regarding products, I'm thinking about healthy snacks and cosmetics. I have a ten-year plan for all these dreams I want to realize. If someone shares my ideas and wants to collaborate, I'd love to work on something together, as long as it aligns with my core principle: living healthily. That's my motto.



M: Let's talk about your company, Organice Your Life!
M: Shall we talk about your company, "Organice Your Life!"?

L: Basically, I've already talked about it. It's about helping people with shopping and cooking and telling them what to do. I write a blog, organiceyourlife.com. It's going to be up at the end of February. I give lectures; people ask me, 'Do you want to come and share your view on the subject?' And I talk. Right now, it's still at the stage where I don't make money from it, but it's possible in the future. I am going to do this as my job after modeling, but still, modeling is going really well, so... Organice Your Life!, basically, it's my motto that you have to organize your life. And 'organice' is written with 'ce' and it says 'organic' and 'nice' because these are the most important things in a life; you have to be happy and as organic as possible.
L: Basically, I've already covered most of it, but it involves advising on grocery shopping and cooking. I also write a blog: OrganiceYourlife.com. It's scheduled to launch at the end of February. I also give lectures. I receive invitations from various places asking, 'Would you like to share your perspective?' I'm still at a stage where I'm not earning money from this, but it's a possibility for the future.

“I believe the everyday and today are important. And gratitude.”

M: I found this on your website http://lonneke-engel.net/ that is very touching. You say, "Everybody can do their own little thing to make the world a better place, it doesn't matter how small or big. It all helps."
M: I found this on your website, http://lonneke-engel.net/, which is very touching. You say, "Anyone can do their small part to make the world a better place. It doesn't matter if it's small or big; it all helps."

L: It's even about giving a compliment, making that person feel better. It's even things you do at your home, like recycling; you are already helping. Maybe you used to be tired and throw everything into the garbage, but if you really take time to recycle, it helps. And the same with food; if you are so tired and not feeling like cooking, but if you make a nice meal for your husband when he comes home, he would be so happy that you made a nice meal instead of ordering in. It's only beneficial to the relationship. All these things – people sometimes don't appreciate small things anymore. But I think that's what life is about. Not about a big ring, not about a big wedding, big parties, the best dresses; it's about everyday and today. It's about an appreciation to others.

SPECIAL! Makeup Data: Lonneke Engel by Munemi