Shannon, also known as your Wellness Fairy, is a professional nutritionist who shares the wellness wonders of everyday life. A graduate of our online Nutrition course at The Nutrition Institute, Shannon captures the beauty of balance through food photography, creates fun and approachable recipes, and is soon to launch her own nutrition practice helping women reach their wellness goals. Food has been her passion for as long as she can remember—through the lowlights and the highlights—and it’s what gave her a calling: to learn about nutrition, and to guide others in proving that health is your wealth.
In this post, we’ll explore Shannon’s journey from a pandemic-era love of home cooking to becoming a certified nutritionist, how her studies with The Nutrition Institute shaped her approach, and the philosophy she now lives and teaches by. Join us as we discover her “North Star,” her favourite recipes, and the lessons she’s learned along the way.
Image Source: Shannon from @francescas.foodtales.
I’m Shannon, also known as your Wellness Fairy. I am a professional nutritionist who shares the wellness wonders of life, captures photographs of food showing the beauty of balance, creates fun recipes, and will soon be helping other women achieve their wellness goals through my own nutrition practice. Food has been my passion for the longest time—from all the lowlights to the highlights, it has given me my calling to learn about it and to guide others to prove that health is your wealth.
Funny enough, my dream job as a child was to be a teacher! I guess I did follow through with that desire, but in my own unique way—teaching women about nutrition and helping them reach their goals!
Image Source: Shannon from @francescas.foodtales.
Since 2020, I fell into the passion of making my own food at home due to the pandemic—specifically healthy oat banana pancakes—and became a fitness freak with 2kg weights. Ever since then, I have been navigating my way through nutrition, trying to achieve the optimal way of wellness and discovering that balance is the most important tool you can have, and what health actually signifies.
In 2025, I was trying to find an official course that would give me an actual certification without going through a university, and that’s where I discovered The Nutrition Institute. I read the testimonials from other students, and it just gave me that butterfly feeling that this course was meant for me. It has been my biggest achievement, as well as a blessing, because it was the stepping stone I needed to pursue working on my own soon-to-be practice.
I would definitely say both! Primarily, I wanted the course that could kick-start my career, but I also began to realise that it would benefit my health too!
Yes, I did have quite a decent background in nutrition—gaining knowledge through social media and advancing into courses that gave me the basics and extra credentials. The Nutrition Institute was definitely the golden ticket for learning everything I needed to know!
Image Source: Shannon from @francescas.foodtales.
I wake up at 7am and waddle to the kitchen, because first things first is always matcha—I am little Miss Matcha. Whilst I sip on my daily dose of greens, I’m in the midst of building my nutrition practice, as well as making plans for working at the Ballito market on weekends, specialising in high-quality baked cookies accompanied by iced matcha lattes using my favourite brand, SANRAE. A shower and skincare routine make me feel fresh and gear me up for when I work on my laptop. I spend a few hours editing, creating, and pursuing my dream goals.
In between, I make time for movement, which is resistance training, ranging from heavy weights to sometimes light, controlled weight movements—this is my therapy! Somewhere in my day, I always make room for a cheeky protein bar or protein matcha; I am very flexible with my eating and don’t have a rigid schedule. If I’m not working on my laptop, I’ll be content-creating for my Instagram, sharing my foodie tales, recipes, and writing. One non-negotiable thing I do every day is carry my dog like a baby through the garden, breathing in the fresh air, sitting, and soaking in our vitamin D. At 4:30pm, I switch off, and it will be time to prep dinner, turn on Netflix, and before I know it, lights out.
My favourite meals lately are Greek meatballs with a roasted pumpkin autumn salad, oven-baked chicken breast with mushroom risotto accompanied by a rocket Caesar salad, and high-protein butternut soup topped with cottage cheese, dipped with a sourdough toastie filled with mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach.
My morning matcha is genuinely a ritual in itself. There is something special about it, as it reminds you to slow down, which I absolutely adore—even better accompanied by my favourite Happy Earth vanilla and coconut cookies. Another wellness practice I love is any type of movement, but specifically slow exercise related to the fundamentals of Pilates. It gives that perception of connecting to every part of your body, from your muscles to your mind, and to your soul—tuning into your femininity.
Some new recipes I would absolutely adore to try are a homemade Greek frozen yogurt with stewed cherries, the viral chicken Caesar wrap drenched in parmesan shavings (Italian genetics are speaking), and a high-protein spanakopita dip with pita bread.
Image Source: Shannon from @francescas.foodtales.
One thing I adored about this course is how real it was, teaching the concept that all food is about balance while also debunking myths, which filled my heart with warmth. Particular foods and food groups have been so demonised—specifically carbs and fats—and I gained so much closure from certain chapters in the course. Food is a gift, a tool, an art, fuel—the list can go on and on. The way everything was written didn’t feel like reading a science book; it felt relatable and created a deeper connection. My favourite part of the course, and what surprised me most, was learning about the relationship between your gut and brain—it just goes to show how powerful we are, and how the mindset we hold radiates throughout.
My North Star is the concept that you need to find your own version of “perfect” in nutrition, rather than chasing someone else’s, because you know your body better than anyone! What keeps me motivated is listening to my body to the best of my ability, feeling what it needs, and balancing my plate across my three major macronutrients as much as I can. You can have any food on your plate—I always say add to your plate, rather than subtract from it! All food fits; find what’s sustainable and connect with your true intuition.
My biggest desire is for people to start viewing food as a gracious part of life; it shouldn’t be something so complicated. I would love for everyone to have a healthy relationship with food, to see how valuable their health is, to do what makes them happy, and to eat the things that bring them joy while being mindful and living in the moment. Food should not be a punishment, a diet, a chore, or a fear. All foods have a place in this world—they each play a different role, even the fun ones! At the end of the day, it’s all about your mindset: feed your body, your soul, your brain, every part of you, with positivity.
Image Source: Shannon from @francescas.foodtales.
Genuine, dedicated, and foodie-fanatic.
A hidden skill of mine is making authentic croissants from scratch, and my personal favourite secret talent is looking at any food photo I like and recreating it without a recipe.
Via Instagram at @francescas.foodtales.
Shannon’s journey is a testament to the power of following your curiosity and letting your passion lead the way. Her joyful, balanced approach to food, built on the belief that all foods fit and that health should never feel like a punishment, has helped her turn a pandemic-era hobby into a calling.
If Shannon’s story resonates with you and you’re passionate about making a meaningful difference through nutrition, it’s never too late to start your own journey. With the right education, dedication, and a clear vision, you too can transform your love for food into a successful and fulfilling career. Let Shannon’s path inspire you to feed your body, your soul, and your purpose—with positivity.
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