After eliminating gluten from her diet, Janessa Rutter had an immediate improvement in her health! However, this life changing decision made her very aware of the lack of healthy gluten free options on the market. So she set about developing delicious and healthy gluten free options and changing the norm of sub-standard products with Bask & Co. We sat down with owner and entrepreneur, Janessa, to talk about food, health and inspiration.

ygf: Janessa, thanks so much for sitting down with us today. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

Hi! My name is Janessa Rutter. I am 32 years old and live in Brisbane. I started following a strict gluten free diet 3 years ago after visiting a naturopath to get help for some health issues I was having. She placed me on an elimination diet and I felt almost immediate relief. Due to this lifestyle change, I am excited to announce that I have just recently launched a new granola company called Bask & Co.

ygf: Isn’t it amazing what an affect food can have on our bodies. So how did you find the transition?

In the beginning I was eating a lot of the processed gluten free food from the supermarket, as I was trying to adjust to the new lifestyle. After awhile I realised that, they didn’t taste very nice and they were full of poor quality ingredients which didn’t nourish me. So, I started coming up with my own recipes and making a lot more of my own food.

ygf: So what is Bask & Co.? Tell us all about it.

Bask & Co. Almond and Coconut Granola is vegan, gluten free, refined sugar free and made with 100% natural pesticide free and organic ingredients! The granola is cooked in small batches by hand at Wandering Cooks in South Brisbane. It is a family affair – my husband takes care of the financial side of the business and my mother-in-law helps me in the kitchen!

ygf: Sounds like everything we love – healthy, local and craft. How did your business begin?

I was getting sick of the cereals on the supermarket shelves so I started making my own granola at home for myself to eat. One day I took some to work with me and my coworkers asked to try some and absolutely loved it! I realised I was on to a great product unlike anything else on the market, so I took a leap of faith and started the business.

ygf: How did you come up with the name?

I had a hard time coming up with a name as I didn’t want it to be solely related to granola or breakfast. One night I was lying in bed (isn’t that where all good ideas come from?) and Bask popped into my head as it relates to the cooking process – you bask in the sun and our granola basks in the oven! So from there, Bask & Co. was born.

ygf: What’s the best part about your business?

So far the best feeling has been seeing our granola on the shelves of our stockists. I also love doing taste tests in stores and seeing peoples faces light up when they try our granola for the first time.

ygf: That must be a great feeling. So for all our aspiring entrepreneurs out there, can you tell us what a normal day in your life looks like?

At the moment it is a little crazy! Generally I wake up at about 5:30am, I make myself a cup of tea and jump on Instagram/check emails and do any work on Bask & Co. that needs to be done. I then head to my day job (I am a bar supervisor) which I do 4 days a week. Then I come home and usually chat with my hubby about our days and any business matters that need to be taken care of while one of us cooks dinner. Then I am usually in bed at about 9:30pm (I love my early nights!) Weekends are usually spent visiting stockists and suppliers/doing tastings and cooking. I also try my best to squeeze in my friends, but they have been a bit neglected recently.

ygf: That must be hard… What keeps you going in those instances?

I have been inspired by so many amazing ladies on Instagram! I started my own personal page at the beginning of the year and I have learned so much about food and health that I would never have known otherwise.

ygf: Ok, now for a few quick questions. What’s your favourite food?

Avocado! I love avocado on toast. Also chocolate and my granola of course!

ygf: We can agree on that. What’s one word that sums you up?

I would like to say determined, although I think my husband would say stubborn!

ygf: Ha, sounds about right for most relationships. What is your motto?

Fall down 7 times, get up 8.

ygf: Good one! And what’s your #1 health tip?

Do what is right for you. There are so many mixed messages out there about health and it can get quite overwhelming. I don’t believe in following fad diets – I just eat what my body tells me it wants and make sure I stay active.

ygf: Excellent advice. So, what is your vision for the future? Anything exciting in the pipeline?

I am going to keep working away at trying to get Bask & Co. stocked in more stores in Brisbane and hopefully right around Australia in the future.

ygf: And finally, how do our readers stay in touch with you?

Visit our website to buy our granola or check out our stockist list – http://baskandco.bigcartel.com

Check us out on Instagram and Facebook @baskandco.