A HOUSE IS NOT A HOME WITHOUT A GARDEN
My name is Noma, and I am a self-made home gardener. My goal is to inspire as many people as possible to start their own home gardens so that they can eat and live healthier lives.
When I first started gardening, I never imagined how big of a role it would play in my life. Gardening positively changed my physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Before embarking on my gardening journey, I used to worship junk food! Meals containing greasy, spicy and filling foods were my go-to meals. Soon enough, Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) caught up with me when the doctor asked – do you eat vegetables?
The truth was, I only ate vegetables when I had to. In fact, even if I bought vegetables, they would stay in the fridge until they would go bad, which gave me the perfect excuse to throw them away. At this point, I knew something had to change, and I knew that I had to make that change.
And so, my gardening journey began five years ago when hubby and I moved into our first house and decided that a house is not a home without a garden. This way of thinking was also the best way for me to eat more veggies because once you’ve laboured to grow your own veggies, it just hurts too much to see them go to waste.
The first two years of gardening were a joke because we both grew up with parents who loved gardening. However, we had zero gardening experience and didn’t know where to start. But we had to start somewhere. So, we sliced a store-bought tomato and put it in the ground, along with a few sweet potatoes. The tomatoes sprouted up surprisingly fast, and soon enough, we harvested a handful of happiness. But the sweet potatoes, on the other hand, didn’t give us much when we pulled out the plants. So then, hubby and I decided to put gardening on hold to focus on having our baby boys.
In 2019 I was done with the babies and ready to go back into gardening. But because we neglected our garden for so long, it was covered in grass. We then decided to dig it all out and start the garden all over again. As soon as we started digging, we were greeted with a pleasant surprise of sweet potatoes! Lots and lots of them! For me, this was an undeniable sign that I was meant to use this space for gardening. And that’s how @GardentoPot was born. First on Instagram, and now, we are blowing up on TikTok. As I’m learning to grow, I’m also learning to cook healthier, and that’s the type of content I share on my social media platforms. My boys are also learning to love the garden, from sowing seeds to harvesting and eating carrots. 
I am truly humbled and honoured by how everyone has received my content. Now I see that there is a real need for people to be able to grow their own nutritious food with no harmful chemicals. Today my garden is my therapy, it teaches me about how life & nature work together. My garden is also my purpose, it helps me inspire others to garden and to take control of their nutrition.
Bite Size: Foods to have on hand so you never run out of things to cook
We’ve all been there. It’s 8pm, you’ve had a long day, you look in your fridge and cupboards or pantry and realize you have nothing to eat; or at least nothing that you can prepare quickly. Which is why stocking your cupboards and fridge with these essentials will ensure you can always throw together a meal in 30 minutes or less, no matter the time or day;
Eggs: There is no end to what you can create with eggs. From east scrambled eggs on toast or a filling omelette. Which is why having eggs on hand is always a must.
Bread: Like eggs, the diversity of bread lies in the different ways you can enjoy it. From toasted sandwiches to simple meal fillers, some good bread can always come in handy day or night.
Canned tomato: As a new mom, I find that most nights it feels impossible to think of things to cook. Which is why canned tomatoes have saved my life time and time again. I like to use the best quality canned tomatoes I can find as these usually mean you don’t have to worry about adding too much seasoning. And I serve them with eggs as a shakshuka for brunch, or tossed into pasta with what ever vegetables I find in the fridge.
Pasta: Like the previous ingredients there is no shortage of what you can do with pasta. Personally I like to cook it in large batches when I have time and munch on it with some vegetables as a pasta salad, or warm with a healthy helping of canned tomatoes or when the mood strikes to make a delicious carbonara with eggs, Parmesan cheese and bacon; yum.
Bacon/chicken breast: Having some kind of protein is always a must. At She Evolves we like to keep chicken breasts and bacon in the freezer at all times for those late night meals. Wether you like yours served with bread, pasta or in a salad, a little protein can go a long way.
Canned fish: This one might seem off but hear me out. Not only is canned fish versatile, it is also a great way to get in those omega 3s and 6s without having to think too much about out. Personally we like having canned tuna for tuna sandwiches or to throw into salads.
