Category: Healthy Recipes

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Penne Pomodoro with Vegan “Tuna”

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I have crawled up in a rusty canopy swing with the computer in my lap, spiderweb from the canopy tangled up in my hair, Mr Bojangles on repeat (I always write with a single song on repeat in my ears) and Elsa balancing on my legs. We are spending a few days at my dad’s summerhouse and while Luise is drawing with Isac, I wanted to tell you about this pasta dish that we cooked and photographed the other day.

I’m trying to formulate my thoughts into words. How soaked sunflower seeds almost magically get the texture of canned tuna when mixed in a food processor. But it’s not easy. Elsa is using every muscle in her body to steal my attention from the computer screen. Her mouth is forming words (that I can’t hear because of the earplugs), her head is jumping from side to side while her eyes are actively seeking mine. She is smacking her hands together right in front of my face and she grins when I finally look up from the computer and pull out the earplugs.

– Do you know what this means on sign language? She asks me with giggle in her voice while she keeps smacking her hands together and then pointing at herself.

– No, tell me.

– I want a saaaaandwich!

– Are you hungry?

– No, I’m just teaching you sign language.

– Ok, nice. But I’m working right now. Maybe you can teach me more later?

– Ok. Just one more. Do you know what this is? [Taps her forehead with her hand and pulls it away in a half circle.]

– Ehm, maybe a unicorn?

– Nooo stupid, it means thank you. Actually, I think I want a sandwich.

– Maybe you can ask mom to help you?

– Okaaaaaaay.

She jumps down and runs into the house. Earplugs back in. I’m guessing that I have approx 5 mins to write this. Here we go.

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It’s not often that we create dishes that mimics meat. In fact, we often do the opposite by letting the vegetables shine in all their glory. I don’t remember eating tuna a lot before I became a vegetarian, but after having seen a few vegan sunflower seed “tuna” recipes on the web (especially this beautiful Tuna Tartine from Faring-Well) I suddenly got this weird craving for it. So we decided to give fake-tuna a try. By pulsing soaked sunflower seeds in a food processor together with salty capers, shallots, oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon and nori sheet, you actually get something that looks weirdly similar to canned tuna with a crumbly, moist texture and a flavour that reminds me of salty seas and umami.

Most recipes we’ve seen use this sunflower seed tuna as a spread or as a tuna salad (often with the addition of celery and herbs) but we instead added it to a tomato sauce and served it with penne, creating a classic Italian poor mans dish. The vegan “tuna” adds a nice texture to the sauce and it improves the flavour as well. The kids loved it! It is a simple recipe if you are on a budget and it is a tad more special than your basic pasta pomodoro. So go put your sunflower seeds in water and pretend they are a fish.

I can see Elsa eyeballing me from the window now so I better round this up. I have got a class in imaginative sign language up ahead with my favourite teacher.

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Penne Comodoro with Vegan “Tuna”
Serves 4

It’s important to soak the sunflower seeds to achieve the right texture so don’t skip that step. If you’ve got some white wine opened in the fridge, you can add a glug of that for extra depth and flavour.

Vegan Tuna
1 cup raw sunflower seeds, soaked in water for 6 hours or overnight
1 small shallot or red onion, minced
3 tbsp capers + brine
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp cold-pressed olive oil (coconut oil, ghee or butter)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 sheet of nori (the seaweed you use for sushi), cut into tiny pieces (optional)

Pomodoro Sauce
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
3 x 400 g / 14 oz cans of chopped tomatoes
1 handful fresh basil or 2 tsp dried
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Serve with
Pasta of choice (we use wholegrain penne or a gluten free version made from dried beans)
1/2 cup large capers
fresh parsley, finely chopped
ruccola

To prepare the “tuna”, simply add all ingredients to a food processor. Pulse a few times until it you have a coarsely textured mixture. Taste and add more salt, lemon juice or vinegar. Pulse again and scoop the mixture into a bowl.

Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic. Place a large sauce pan on medium heat and add olive oil. Sauté the onion and garlic for a few minutes until fragrant. Add tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. Taste and adjust the flavours throughout. Add a splash of water or white wine if it starts looking dry.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package.

When the tomato sauce is ready, stir in 2/3 of the “tuna”, saving the rest for serving. Divide the pasta in 4 bowls, top with tomato sauce, capers, fresh parsley and a drizzle of olive oil.

Green Kitchen Stories

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Beet & Berry Yoats + Big Love

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A few years ago we had a section on this blog called Big Love where we shared links and things that inspired us at the moment – high and low. We’re reviving it today as we have too many unanswered emails and comments asking about everything from our favorite places, books, ceramics and camera gear. We also added a couple of other things to the list, like Elsa’s favorite song. Of course we’re also sharing the recipe for these Yoat jars further down in this post.

Big Love!

• Our cookbook shelf is always overflowing, here are our two latest additions. My Darling Lemon Thyme (by Emma Galloway) is a truly great book with recipes right up our alley (all vegetarian and gluten free). Tasting Rome (by Katie Parla and Kristina Gill) brings back so many memories from the time I was living there. Beautiful photography both of the city and its food.

• Luise is in love with the apron that Sara from Sprouted Kitchen made in collaboration with her sister from Stone Cold Fox. Luise is wearing it in this blog post and it can be found here.

• The ceramics from this Danish family company will make any food look pretty. Here are two examples where we have used it {uno | due}.

• If you are visiting Scandinavia, make sure to check out these links to some of our favourite places in Stockholm and Copenhagen.

• Our smoothie book is coming out in the US next week and can be pre-ordered here!

• For those of you asking about camera gear. I have a Canon EOS 5D mark iii with two different lenses. A 50 mm f/1.2 for all top shots and a 100 mm f/1.8 macro lens for all close-ups. I use the same equipment when I film videos for our youtube channel. When we travel I use this camera bag.

• If you love kombucha you should check out this incredible guide by Sarah from My New Roots.

• Even if it is our third time around, I will never get tired of seeing Luise’s tummy growing.

• Elsa is constantly humming on this song by two 14-year old Norwegian twin brothers (gone are apparently the days when she just played with teddybears and sang Twinkle Twinkle…).

• Isac’s new hair style – the boy-bun.

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We call this quick breakfast recipe Yoats. It is a mashup of yogurt and oats (and a few other simple ingredients) that we prepare in jars for a simple outside breakfast in the sun. In a way, this recipe is similar to a bircher muesli as you can leave it in the fridge overnight, but because the yogurt loosens up the oats real quickly, it can also be indulged right away. For flavour and extra va-va-voom, we layer it with a rather thick raspberry and beetroot smoothie (maybe puree is a more describing word?) and also add some of it to the oats for a beautiful pink hue. The layers are not only visually appealing but also more interesting as the flavours change as you work your way through the jar. Beetroot for breakfast might sound scary but the earthiness from the root is perfectly balanced with tanginess from the lemon, sweetness from dates and fruitiness from the raspberries. We’ve tried the yoats recipe with coconut yogurt (as a vegan option) and Greek yogurt and they both taste great. Obviously you can change the flavour by simply making a different smoothie/purée.

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Beetroot & Raspberry Yoats
Serves 4

Yoats
2 cups / 500 ml plain thick yogurt, Greek or Turkish (vegans can use Coconut Yogurt)
1 cup / 90 g rolled oats
¼ cup /35 g sunflower seeds
1 small apple, cored and roughly grated on a box grater
1 pinch ground vanilla or vanilla extract
1 tsp freshly grated ginger or ground ginger

Beet & Raspberry Purée
1 cup / 125 g raspberries (fresh or thawed frozen)
1 small raw beetroot (approx 65 g / 2 oz), peeled and coarsely chopped or grated (depending on the strength of your blender)
½ lemon, juice
2 tbsp water
2 soft dates, pitted

To serve
raspberries
fresh mint leaves, chopped
bee pollen

Place all ingredients for the yoats in a mixing bowl and gently stir to combine. Set aside.
Meanwhile prepare the purée. Add all ingredients to a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Taste to see if more lemon juice, water or dates are needed. When done, mix ¼ cup of the purée with the yoats. Then divide the rest of the purée into 4 glass jars. Spoon the pink yoats into each jar. Eat right away or store in the fridge for up to a couple of days. Ideally make the recipe in the evening and serve for breakfast the following morning. Top with fresh raspberries, chopped mint and bee pollen before serving.

Green Kitchen Stories

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Wraps, Bumps & Videos

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Before we get all summery with today’s little picnic recipe, we wanted to share a couple of things.

#1. This not so small bump is about to give our lives a push into yet another direction – baby nr 3! We are overwhelmed with feelings, thoughts and confusedness (how will we even fit around the breakfast table?!) but I think we’ll save all that for another blog post. Luise is feeling well and is more than halfway through the pregnancy now.

#2. Massive thanks to all of you that came to our event in Lisbon this past weekend. We were overwhelmed by your kind words, hugs (and presents!).

#3. Check out this short little video that we created for our new book. More than anything else, we wanted to show how quick, simple and colorful smoothies can be. We will also be sharing instruction videos of all the drinks in this trailer on our youtube channel. The first one is coming up in just a few days.

The book is actually available in stores in Australia today, 1 June! It will be launched in the UK on 16 June and in USA & Canada on 2 August. It will also be available in German, Dutch, Swedish, Danish and Polish in September.

If you live in the UK you can pre-order it from Amazon.co.uk. Pre-order it from Amazon.com if you are in the US. And Booktopia.com.au in Australia and NZ.

We will be in London next week to launch the book with a bunch of events and press meetings. Unfortunately all our public events are already sold out but we are thinking about adding an impromptu little book signing/meet-up towards the end of the week if there is an interest? Leave us a comment below, letting us know if you would like to join and we will try to make it happen.

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Since our world seems to be spinning around smoothies at the moment, we wanted to share a savory recipe that you can hold in the other hand. We couldn’t think of a more perfect smoothie companion than a summery wrap filled with a green hummus.

When we make wraps, they tend to come out differently every time, but this vegan version is a real treat so I think it will be on repeat for our next couple of picnics. These are filled with large lettuce leaves, lots of herby mint & parsley hummus (also delicious on it’s own!), a lentil, avocado and cucumber salad and topped with fresh strawberries for sweetness and toasted sunflower seeds for crunch. Picnic is ready!

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Summer Wraps
Makes 8 wraps

The wraps can also be rolled directly in the lettuce leaves, without the tortilla, for a lighter gluten-free version. It is a little fiddlier but the parchment paper helps holding it all together.

8 gluten-free or whole grain tortilla bread
16 lettuce leaves (cosmopolitan or romaine)
Herby hummus (see recipe below)
Green lentil salad (see recipe below)
1 large handful sunflower seeds, lightly toasted in a dry frying pan
1 cup / 150 g strawberries, sliced

Place 2 lettuce leaves on each tortilla, then place 2-3 tbsp herby hummus filling in the middle, a couple of spoonfuls green lentil salad and top with strawberry slices and a generous sprinkle of sunflower seeds.
Fold the top and bottom edges over the filling. Roll the whole tortilla from left to right to wrap in the filling. Roll some parchment paper around them and tie with a string to hold them together while you transport them.

Herby Hummus
This makes more than you need for the wraps. Save the leftovers in a sealed jar and enjoy as a side throughout the week.

2 x 14 oz / 400 g cans cooked chickpeas / garbanzos
2 cloves garlic
½ cup / 125 ml lukewarm water
½ cup / 125 ml light tahini
4 tbsp lemon juice
4 sprigs parsley, rinsed and leaves picked
2 sprigs mint, rinsed and leaves picked
1 handful baby spinach, rinsed
salt, according to taste

Drain and rinse chickpeas and add to a high-speed food processor together with all other ingredients. Mix on high-speed for a few minutes, until smooth. Taste and feel the consistency. Add more salt or water if desired. At this point, you can also add a splash of olive oil for an extra rich hummus, if you prefer. Mix for two more minutes. Store in a sealed jar in the fridge.

Green Lentil Salad

1 cup / 250 ml cooked green lentils (any color works)
2 avocados
1/2 cucumber
10 sugar peas
¼ red onion, peeled
a few sprigs parsley, leaves picked
a few sprigs mint, leaves picked
a squeeze of lemon juice
a tiny drizzle of olive oil
salt

Rinse the cooked lentils and place in a mixing bowl. Cut avocados, cucumber, snow peas and red onion into small cubes. Finely chop parsley and mint and place all ingredients in the mixing bowl. Add a squeeze of lemon juice, a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Mix it all and season to taste.

Green Kitchen Stories

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Epic Summer Salad

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Ever since Isac learnt how to walk and talk, he and his sister have become like two asteroids, constantly spinning around each other with a kind of magnetic force keeping them both together and apart. If one of them goes in a new direction or another room or starts playing with new toys, the other one follows. It’s a special kind of bond between siblings that often, though not always is wonderful to watch. Whenever they get too close, friction starts to build between them and within seconds the happiest of laughs has turned into the saddest of cries. My sister and I were the same, although, truth be told, we were more like two meteorites on a colliding course every day. I look at Elsa and Isac playing together, try to mediate when they fight and comfort them when they cry. And then I try envisioning what it will be like when another, smaller asteroid enters their orbits and takes part in that spinning dance around each other. I imagine more cries. More fights. And more laughter.

To be honest, all change frightens me. It’s in my nature – in love with what we have now and scared of how the future will be. Although for some weird reason, Luise’s and my life tend to always be in a constant state of change, with our work, our family, our travels and our home. At this point, I have almost gotten used to it. I try to swallow my fear, telling myself that change makes life more interesting. I am quite certain it’s going to be challenging with a new baby, but as long as we get laughter along with the cries, I think we are going to be alright.

I won’t be able to make a clever connection between today’s recipe and my ramblings about siblings and change. What is on our minds and on our plates sometimes simply don’t match, so let’s just move on to the recipe.

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We have been working on and off with Stockholm based food store Urban Deli during the last two years, turning some of our recipes into healthy takeaway boxes. This summer salad is our latest edition and it turned out so epic that we wanted to share the recipe here on the blog as well.

We have built the salad on a delicious base of mixed cauliflower, quinoa, sweet peas and a herb vinaigrette, which makes it both light and nourishing at the same time. It’s then topped with our favourite produce of the season – asparagus, strawberries, radishes, mixed lettuce and avocado. The salad is finished off with labneh balls, which is a strained yogurt based cheese that adds a tangy creaminess to the mix, as well as pumpkin seeds for some crunch. It’s a real treat and it looks really summery too.

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Quinoa & Cauliflower Salad with Labneh, Asparagus & Strawberries
Serves 4

Labneh can be found in delis or Middle-Eastern food stores. We have provided instructions on how to make labneh at home. It takes at least 24h, but if you want to make this salad today you can also replace the labneh with feta cheese or dollops of thick yogurt. Or simply leave it out.

100 g / 1/2 cup uncooked white quinoa
250 ml / 1 cup water + a pinch sea salt
1/2 cauliflower head + boiling water
1 cup / 150 g sweet green peas (thawed frozen works fine too)

1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut in 3 pieces
5 radishes
2 avocados
4 tbsp pumpkin seeds
250 g / 1 1/2 cups strawberries
70-100 g / 3 cups loosely packed mixed baby lettuce, rinsed
12-16 mini labneh balls (see instructions below)

Herb vinaigrette:
10 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked
10 sprigs mint, leaves picked
60 ml / 1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 lemon, juice
1 tbsp applecider vinegar
sea salt & pepper

Preparing the quinoa and cauliflower: Place rinsed quinoa in a saucepan, add water and salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat immediately and simmer for about 10-15 minutes, set aside and let cool. Coarsely chop the cauliflower and place the florets and stem in a food processor or blender and process until fine rice-like texture. Do it in batches if you have a small food processor. Place the ‘rice’ in a fine mesh strainer and pour over boiling water (use an electric kettle), let drain and cool. Meanwhile make the herb vinaigrette. Finely chop parsley and mint and place in a glass jar. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to mix. Season to taste. When both quinoa and cauliflower ‘rice’ are completely cold, combine them with peas and half of the herb vinaigrette in a large mixing bowl. Then prepare the rest of the salad ingredients.

Assembling the salad: Steam or cook the asparagus for 1-2 minutes. Thinly shave the radishes and cube the avocados. Heat a dry frying pan and lightly toast the pumpkin seeds for a couple of minutes on medium heat. Slice the strawberries. Assemble the salad by arranging the quinoa cauliflower mixture on a large serving platter. Scatter with asparagus, radishes, avocados, pumpkin seeds, strawberries and lettuce. Arrange labneh balls over the top and place a small jar of the leftover herb vinaigrette.

Labneh
2 cups Greek yogurt
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil

Place a large sieve or a colander over a bowl and line it with a cheese cloth, muslin or any thin cloth. Add salt to the yogurt and stir around so it’s evenly distributed. Scoop the yogurt into the middle of the cheesecloth. Gather the edges so the yogurt is covered and tie a string around the cloth. Leave it in the sieve and place in the fridge for 24 hours up to 3 days. The longer it stands, the firmer the labneh will become. If you are using it as a spread, 24 hours is usually enough. Let it sit in the sieve for another day if you are making labneh balls. Gently squeeze out any excess liquid into the bowl. Shape balls or serve it in a jar on the side with a drizzle of olive oil and some black pepper or dukkah on top.

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In case you live in Stockholm or are visiting this summer and feel too summer-lazy to cook this yourself, you can pick up this salad at any of Urban Deli’s stores. Radishes are swapped for pickled red onion for storage reasons but apart from that it’s pretty damn close to our original recipe.

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PS! One last thing. We just wanted to mention that TODAY is official UK publication day for Green Kitchen Smoothies! We have posted a bunch of short videos on our youtube channel, showcasing how to do some of the smoothies. And more is on the way. If you haven’t ordered our book already here is a link to it on Amazon!

Green Kitchen Stories

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Roasted Sweet Corn Salad

Vegan Roasted Sweet Corn Salad with Pepitas | @naturallyella

If your summer season is anything like mine, it includes what feels like an endless amount of get-togethers and picnics. Weekends are for getting out and exploring. This roasted corn salad has made it’s way to quite a few events this summer in a few different variations. It’s easily assembled, tossed in a container, and dressed right before serving. Plus, my favorite part: the lightly fried pepitas. They add the perfect crunch in place of where I might traditionally use croutons. Don’t want to turn on your oven? Grill the corn on the cob with the spices and use a grill pan for the tomatoes and onion. Read more and see the recipe.

The post Roasted Sweet Corn Salad appeared first on Naturally Ella.

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The Meaning of it All

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I started writing a text about summer food. About being offline and trying to unwind. A happy text about nothing of importance, really. With too many sad reports on the news recently, finding meaning in these short texts can sometimes be difficult.
Millions of refugees keep filling up camps in countries around Syria. Or climb onto small boats in Libya hoping that they will make it across the Mediterranean sea. Meanwhile, prejudices, hate and racism are on the rise both in the US and here in Europe. So how can we make a blog post about summer food feeling meaningful at all?

Luise and I often talk about this. I am sure everyone does. This feeling of wanting to do more but not being sure what, or how to do it. A recipe can seem so irrelevant in the midst of it all. It looks like we might get involved in some voluntary work in relation the refugee situation in Syria within the next couple of months. But until then, we are trying to see meaningfulness around us.

The truth is of course that food does matter. It is important, in many more ways than just for our physical survival. Food is memories, heritage, happiness, family and food is love. Food gathers people around a table and makes us talk. Many of our best memories are connected with food. We solve problems over food. We celebrate. We become friends. So maybe a food blog isn’t that meaningless. Food is after all more than just a recipe.

And talking about meaning. Another truth that Luise and I try to live by, is that the most responsible thing we can do at the moment is infusing our children with kindness. Talking to them about how it never will matter how much money you have, the colour of your skin, if you are a man or a woman, where you are born or who you choose to love. We are all humans. And we are all equal. If we can all just pass that on to our children, they will hopefully grow old in a world with less hate and fear and more love than the one we are currently living in.
By writing this text, I have also passed that simple message on to you. Prepare the recipe in today’s blog post, share the meal with your friends or family and talk about the importance of kindness. It might be a cliche, but we believe it is one worth sharing.

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This is a simple summer dinner that we did the other day after we had prepared a large batch of the Egyptian spice blend Dukkah. Calling the meal simple might be a slight exaggeration as you actually have to prepare the spice blend as well as making the rest of the dinner. But it will be worth it. You will find that Dukkah can be added to an infinite amount of meals this summer. It carries a lot of flavour and adds both richness and crunch to whatever you pair it with. There are lots of Dukkah recipes to be found online so instead of adding yet another to the mix, we are simply sharing a slightly adapted version of Yotam and Sami’s brilliant Dukkah from their Jerusalem book.

In this recipe the Dukkah is generously sprinkled over roasted summer carrots and onions that rest on a bed of herby quinoa with a creamy feta cheese and yogurt spread on the side. Any roasted vegetables can of course be added to this meal and they can just as well be grilled on a bbq. It’s a summery, creamy, very flavourful and absolutely delicious dish. And hopefully more than that. Enjoy!

Much love and happy summer!
David, Luise, Elsa & Isac

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Roasted Carrots with Dukkah, Quinoa & Feta Yogurt Cream
Serves 4

Oven roasted summer carrots & onions
1 lb / 500 g (approx. 8 large) carrots
4 onions, shallots or red onions
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp maple syrup
sea salt and black pepper

Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F. Scrub the carrots under water and trim off the top greens. Cut the carrots lengthwise if they are thick (and keep thin carrots whole). Place on a baking tray. Peel off the outer layer of the onion and trim the top off. Cut into large chunks. Place on the baking tray next to the carrots. Stir together oil, maple, salt and pepper and drizzle over the vegetables, toss to cover. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until tender.

Herby Quinoa
1 cup / 170 g uncooked quinoa (or 2 1/2 cups pre-cooked)
1 large handful flat leave parsley
a generous drizzle of olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
sea salt & black pepper

Place rinsed quinoa in a saucepan, add water and salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat immediately and let simmer for about 10-15 minutes, set aside and let cool. Chop parsley and stir through the quinoa together with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Feta & Yogurt Cream
5 oz / 150 g feta cheese
1 cup / 250 ml plain yogurt
sea salt & black pepper

Place feta cheese in a mixing bowl and mash with a fork, add yogurt and combine until creamy. Add salt and pepper to taste, set aside.

Dukkah spice blend
(adapted from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi)

1/2 cup / 70 g hazelnuts
2 tbsp sunflower seeds
3 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tsp nigella seeds
½ tsp sea salt

Preheat the oven to 160°C / 320°F. Spread the hazelnuts on a baking tray and place in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until cracked and golden.

Meanwhile heat a skillet or frying pan to medium heat. Add sunflower seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds and cumin and dry roast for no more than a minutes while stirring. Now add sesame seeds and nigella seeds and keep stirring until the sesame seeds turns light brown, it takes about 30 seconds. Set aside and add salt.

Rub the hazelnuts between the palms of your hands (or a towel) to remove and discard some of the skin. Place all ingredients in a pestle and mortar and coarsely crush the spice blend. Store in an airtight container for up to a month.

Assembling:
Spread the quinoa in a serving dish or on a large platter. Arrange the oven roasted carrots and onions on top. Spoon the feta and yogurt cream into a small bowl and place in the dish. Sprinkle the vegetables with a generous amount of Dukkah. Serve.

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Elsa’s Berry Cupcakes

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After quite a few years of cooking and developing recipes, we have managed to build up a little bit of confidence and don’t panic over kitchen fails or people’s opinions as easily anymore. But whenever our daughter asks me to bake for a few of her friends, my palms get all sweaty and my heart starts pounding. Seriously, nothing makes me more nervous than having to bake for a bunch of five- and six-year-olds.

Elsa is finishing preschool this summer and her favourite teacher is also retiring, so last week she wanted to bake a dessert for all the children and teachers at the preschool. She started out with grand plans for a big cake shaped like a princess but (luckily for me) we landed on mini cupcakes with a raspberry frosting. We had just bought a mini muffin pan and it was the perfect opportunity to try it out as we got a lot of muffins from one batch so it was enough for all the children and teachers.

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These muffins are really delicious and moist with hints of coconut, banana, almonds and cardamom. It’s one of our go-to recipes that we change slightly every time. They are only sweetened with fruit and entirely gluten free (and we are aslo sharing a vegan version below). If you are allergic to nuts, you can blend (100 g / 3 1/12 oz) sunflower seeds and use instead of the almond flour.

Whenever Elsa initiates one of these baking sessions, she always starts with lots of enthusiasm only to loose interest after about 45 seconds, leaving us to do the actual work. This time she was much more persistent. She measured, blended, worked the batter and dropped it into the muffin tins. Halfway through the batch, we also started dropping a raspberry in the centre of each muffin and they turned out even better with that little berry pocket in the middle. Piping the frosting was the hardest bit. Elsa was utterly disappointed that hers didn’t turn out as pretty as the ones she had seen on our screens. But towards the end they at least started looking better than in the beginning.

Since that first batch, we have made this recipe two more times. One time to check all the measurements and another time so we could try a vegan version. We are sharing both methods here below. You can of course also make normal size muffins and skip the frosting if you want to keep it simple.

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On another note, today we celebrate Midsummer in Sweden. We are going to be enjoying the last of these cupcakes and then we are off to find a maypole covered with flowers so we can jump like frogs around it! You think I am kidding? I am not.

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Banana & Coconut Cupcakes with Raspberry Pockets
Makes 24 mini cupcakes or 12 regular

Dry ingredients
100 g / 1 cup almond flour
120 g / 3/4 cup rice flour
45 g / 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp freshly ground cardamom
1/2 tsp vanilla powder
1 pinch salt

Wet ingredients
14 soft dates (1 cup / 150 g), stones removed (if using dried dates, soak them for an hour first)
1 ripe banana, peeled and cut into large chunks
4 tbsp coconut oil or butter, room tempered
180 ml / ¾ cup plain yogurt or plant based yogurt
3 eggs (for a vegan version soak 3 tbsp chia seeds in 9 tbsp water for 15 minutes, stir around and use instead of the eggs)

24 raspberries (fresh or frozen)

Berry Frosting (recipe below)

Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F. Grease a muffin tin (mini or regular size) or line it with paper or silicon cup liners. Place all of the dry ingredients in a bowl, stir together and set aside. Add the dates to a food processor and blend on high speed. When smooth, add the banana and coconut oil and blend again. Finally add yogurt and eggs and blend until smooth and entirely mixed. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with dry ingredients and stir together. Drop the batter into the muffin tins, place 1-2 raspberries in the centre of each muffin and cover it with batter. Bake for 10 minutes (17-20 minutes if you are using normal size muffins) or until golden and just set. Prepare the frosting while the muffins are in the oven. Leave the muffins to cool before piping the frosting on top. Serve immediately or store in the fridge.

Berry Frosting
70 g / ½ cup raspberries (or strawberries)
3-4 soft dates, stoned
200 g cream cheese (or vegan cream cheese)

Mix raspberries and dates in a food processor or with a hand blender until completely smooth. Whisk the berry mixture together with the cream cheese in a medium size bowl until pink and smooth. Scoop the frosting into a piping bag. Place it in the fridge for 20 minutes (or longer) to firm up before piping the frosting on top of the cupcakes.

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Green Kitchen Stories

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Oh She Glows Every Day Cover Reveal + Pre-Order!

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// OSG EVERY DAY //     Amazon.com       Barnes & Noble       Indigo      Amazon.ca

I’m soooo excited to reveal the cover for my second cookbook, Oh She Glows Every Day, and tell you all about this labour of love. Those of you who subscribe to In the Glow got a sneak peek last Tuesday, and today’s post features even more details and photos!

Join me as I share a fun behind-the-scenes peek into my next book…

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// About This Book //

Oh She Glows Every Day is filled with delicious, wholesome, and accessible plant-based recipes. As someone who is self-employed with a young (and growing!) family, I’ve really come to appreciate recipes that are family-friendly, super energizing, and convenient for on-the-go lifestyles. (But really, who doesn’t?) Inside, you’ll find over a hundred glow-worthy plant-based recipes—including a mix of “everyday” and more elaborate holiday or special occasion options. I’ve poured my heart and soul into each recipe (as did my dedicated group of recipe testers), and I can’t wait for you to start enjoying them with your family and friends!

OSG Every Day is divided into 13 sections and chapters, which include:

  • Introduction
  • About This Book
  • Kitchen Tools and Appliances
  • Smoothies and Smoothie Bowls
  • Breakfast
  • Snacks
  • Salads
  • Sides and Soups
  • Entrées
  • Cookies and Bars (ask and you shall receive—a whole cookie chapter!! Holiday baking, anyone?)
  • Desserts
  • Homemade Staples
  • The Oh She Glows Pantry

 

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Left to right: Hemp Seed and Sorghum Tabbouleh, Meyer Lemon Cheesecake with Strawberry-Vanilla Compote, Creamy Thai Carrot Sweet Potato Soup, Protein Power Rainbow Quinoa Salad, Eggplant Parmesan with Fail-Proof Marinara Sauce, Glowing Rainbow Smoothie Bowl, Sun-Dried Tomato and Garlic Super-Seed Crackers, All-Purpose Cheese Sauce, The Best Marinated Lentils.

// Dietary and Cooking Labels //

One of my very favourite things about this cookbook is that it includes useful tips that will help you create meals that are kid-, allergy-, and freezer-friendly. Each recipe will tell you whether it’s gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, oil-free, grain-free, kid-friendly, and/or freezer-friendly (or whether I provide an option for you to make it so). It’ll also tell you if advance preparation is required (such as soaking nuts).

Out of more than 100 recipes, you’ll find around 65 kid-friendly and kid-friendly-option recipes (yes, we had a whole group of kids eating their way through this book!), 100 gluten-free and soy-free recipes or recipe options, over 75 nut-free and nut-free-option recipes, and 45 freezer-friendly recipes. There are around 25 reader-favourite blog recipes (all re-tested and tweaked to perfection). And of course, all of the recipes in the book are plant-based and vegan. I developed the recipes to be as accommodating for different needs as possible without sacrificing flavour one bit, and I’m quite proud of the various options offered.

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// The Oh She Glows Pantry //

There’s a highly detailed reference section at the back of the book on essential pantry ingredients, so you’ll know exactly what I’m using in my own kitchen. If you’ve ever thought to yourself, “I just don’t know where to begin,” or “I’d like to get out of a cooking rut and try something new,” this pantry primer is for you.

// Photography //

OSG Every Day is packed with gorgeous full-page photography for every single recipe in the book (as well as tons of lifestyle and pantry photos, too) that’ll inspire you to get cooking. (All of the pantry staple recipes have photos this time, too!) I have a sneaking suspicion that you will be blown away when you see how many vibrant photos are packed into this book. A special thanks to Ashley McLaughlin and Sandy Nicholson for lending their amazing talents!!

// Nutritional Info //

I get a lot of requests for nutritional information, and I’m happy to let you know that the nutritional info for the recipes in this book will be available on my website by the time the book launches (September 6, 2016). The link to the nutritional info is in the book, and of course, I’ll share it here when the time comes.

// The Cover //

Last but certainly not least, let me tell you a bit about the cover. (Some of you may have noticed the cover on The OSG Recipe App and in a few online retailers in recent weeks!) I love that it features a hearty plant-based bowl (a brand new recipe called “The Big Tabbouleh Bowl”) because it showcases what I love to eat at home, and reflects my philosophy that healthy food doesn’t have to be complicated, hard to find, or expensive. What’s also exciting is that the Canadian and US covers are the exact same this time around (in terms of the cover photo/design, as well as quality!), so you’ll see identical covers whether you’re in Barnes and Noble or Indigo or any independent retailer across North America. The interior content is all the same once again. Lastly, the book will feature an improved, sewn binding that is durable, especially for “everyday” use!

As you can see, there’s A LOT to celebrate!!

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// HOW TO PRE-ORDER //

I’m often asked why someone would pre-order a book rather than waiting until the release date. The best part is that if you pre-order now, it’s done: the book will arrive on your doorstep right away when it’s released. (Don’t worry, though—you won’t be charged until the book ships!) That means these recipes get into your belly as quickly as possible!

I’d like to thank you all for your excitement and continued support, which makes what I do every day so incredibly rewarding, and of course for making The Oh She Glows Cookbook an international bestseller. I have no doubt that if you enjoyed the first book, you’ll fall in love with the second.

Pre-order Oh She Glows Every Day at the retailers below:

Canadian Retailers:

  • Indigo
  • Amazon.ca

 

US Retailers:

  • Amazon.com
  • Barnes & Noble
  • Books-a-Million
  • Google Play
  • iBooks
  • IndieBound
  • Kindle
  • Kobo
  • Nook

 

International:

  • The Book Depository (free worldwide shipping)
  • Amazon.co.uk

 

Eric and I also put together this short video on the book. (It’s in a square format for social media sharing.) Check it out below!

// Photography credits // Cover: Angela Liddon; Food: Ashley McLaughlin; Lifestyle: Sandy Nicholson

© copyright 2016 Oh She Glows. All Rights Reserved.

Oh She Glows

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5-Ingredient Magical Fudgesicles

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Fudgesicles were a mainstay in the freezer of my childhood, and my go-to sugar fix if the cookie jar was empty. Since we’ve been blessed here in Copenhagen with a warm spring and early start to the summer season, day after day of blue skies and sundresses has jumpstarted my summer food fantasies. I felt like revisiting the frosty, chocolate-y pops that were such a relief in the sweltering heat, but this time, with a healthy plan of attack.

In my cookbook, I made a killer ice cream from avocados and cashews. Knowing how creamy and delicious this combination was, I wanted to recreate a similar base, with dates as the sweetener and raw cacao powder as the chocolate element.

So, I made a couple versions of these fudgesicles, since I wanted to eat more be thorough. The first experiment was with just cashews and avocado. The results were pretty delicious but pretty expensive, and a few of my taste-testers found the ice cream bars a little dry in the mouth. For the second version I scaled way back on the cashews and used coconut milk to enhance juiciness while maintaining creaminess. I also upped the cacao. Because chocolate. It was a perfectly balanced combination, and the version I am presenting you with today. The magical version.

These are so lusciously creamy, sinfully rich-tasting – the kind of thing you put in your mouth and kind of can’t believe what’s happening. Vegan, almost raw, and full of whole food ingredients, they are also downright filling! They make a fabulous mid-morning or afternoon pick-me-up, especially with the raw cacao component, a deliciously effective, energy-boosting food. Dress them up with your favourite add-ins, or keep it simple and enjoy them as the five-ingredient bliss bars that they are.

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Cashew News!
I was snacking on some cashews the other day (as one does) and offered some to a friend of mine, who declined. Her reason? Cashews are “so fattening”. Wait a minute, what? who started this ugly rumour?!

Maybe this is news to you too, but cashews are actually one of the lowest-fat nuts out there. Weighing in at only 67% fat, next to almonds at 76%, hazelnuts at 86%, and macadamia nuts at 93%, cashews rank pretty low on the scale – and let’s keep in mind that 66% of the fat in cashews is the heart-healthy, monounsaturated variety. Rejoice!

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And while we are clearing up misconceptions, cashews are not technically nuts, but seeds that adhere to the bottom of the cashew apple, an edible fruit native to South America. Cashew trees are in the same botanical family as mango and pistachio. The multi-step process to make cashews edible is quite involved, and typically includes steaming the whole seed pod, removing the outer shell, drying, and skinning. The inner shell layer of the cashew nut contains a caustic resin that can cause significant skin rashes, and is toxic if ingested.

The “raw” cashews that you purchase at a grocery store health food shop are not typically raw, just not roasted. Because of the steaming step in conventional cashew processing, cashews cannot be considered a “truly raw” product. “Truly raw” cashews are available on specialty websites and in some health food stores, but at a premium since separating the cashews from their shell without the nut coming into contact with the resin is time consuming and must be done by hand.

Cashews are an excellent source of the mineral copper. Copper helps our body utilize iron, eliminate free radicals, and build bone and connective tissue. It is also an essential component of a wide range of enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) which aids energy production and antioxidant defence. One-third of a cup of cashews delivers over 100% of your recommended daily intake of copper.

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A high-speed blender is recommended for this recipe, but if you don’t have one make sure you blend until the mixture is as smooth as possible. You can add water to thin the mixture if it is too thick to blend, but keep in mind the more water you add, the less creamy the bars will be – more crystalline. No matter what, they will taste amazing. Because they’re magic.

The fudgesicle recipe below is unreasonably delicious as-is, but it can act also as a base for you to flavour as you like! You can add toppings after removing the fudgesicles from their mold too. This involves melted raw or regular chocolate and your creative spirit! Dip or drizzle the chocolate over the frozen bar, and sprinkle away. MAGIC WANDS. This would make a very popular activity at a kid’s birthday party. Or my birthday party. Stop looking at me like that.

I’ve included some options for both flavourings and toppings to inspire you, but these are merely suggestions. I know all of you super enthusiastic foodies out there will come up with some stellar combos. Let me know in the comments if you do!

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5-Ingredient Vegan Magical Fudgesicles
Makes 4 cups / 1 Liter / 10 fudgesicles

Ingredients:
½ cup / 75g unroasted, unsalted cashews
1 14-oz can / 400ml full-fat coconut milk
1 large, ripe avocado
1 cup / 250g pitted, packed soft dates
½ cup / 55g raw cacao powder (cocoa powder will also work)

Optional add-ins:
a few pinches sea salt
vanilla (seeds from 1 pod, powder, or extract)
a few drops of food-grade essential oils (peppermint, orange, almond etc.)
finely diced fresh fruit (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, mango etc.)
a pinch of cayenne pepper
espresso powder
finely chopped toasted nuts (cashews, hazelnuts, almonds, pistachios etc.)

Optional toppings:
melted raw chocolate (recipe here) or melted dark chocolate
cacao nibs
finely chopped toasted nuts (cashews, hazelnuts, almonds, pistachios etc.)
dried fruit (I used raspberry on the ones pictured)
citrus zest (lemon, orange, lime)
hemp seeds
unsweetened desiccated coconut
bee pollen

Directions:
1. Place cashews in lightly salted water and let soak for 4-8 hours (overnight is fine).

2. Drain the cashews and rinse well. Add to a blender (a high-speed blender is highly recommended) with the remaining ingredients (and any flavourings, if using) and blend on high until as smooth as possible. Add water only if necessary – you want to mixture to remain quite thick.

3. Spoon mixture in popsicle molds. Firmly knock the molds on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles. Insert a popsicle stick into each mold and place in the freezer until set – at least 6 hours. To remove popsicles, run the mold under hot water until you can easily pull a fudgesicle out.

4. If you want to decorate your fudgesicles, dip or drizzle them with melted chocolate and sprinkle with desired toppings. Eat immediately, or place back in the freezer to set until ready to enjoy.

*   *   *   *   *   *

In other very magical news, my latest Cody app video series is now online! This one is all about my favourite subject: SNACKS!!! Super-Charged Snacks to be exact. And every recipe is brand-new, incredibly delicious, and of course über healthy. If you haven’t seen the Protein-Rich Cacao Brownie video on my Facebook page yet, go have a look! You can preview all of the recipes here and purchase the plan too (it’s on sale!).

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Thank you so much for your ongoing support of My New Roots!

Big love and gratitude,
Sarah B.

The post 5-Ingredient Magical Fudgesicles appeared first on My New Roots.


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Friday FAQs: High-protein recipes, sunflower seed butter troubleshooting, freezing aquafaba, and more!

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This week was a bit of a grab bag and I’m pretty anxious to unwind this weekend. We had two random basement leaks (thanks to a water softener and laundry machine both bursting within days of one another), lots of work deadlines, and some setbacks with our renovation plans. There’s promise of a gorgeous weekend though, and I can’t wait to soak it up. I’ve made some fun Father’s Day plans, and we’re hitting up the St. Lawrence Market in Toronto too. I can’t recall the last time I went to the St. Lawrence Market—probably years and years!—so I’m anxious to check it out (let me know if there are any “must-see” vendors to visit). With any luck I’ll be able to find some plant-based foods to satisfy my non-stop hunger of late. I hope you all have a great weekend. Happy Father’s Day!

ps- My 25 weeks pregnancy update is now up on the Baby blog.

Q1. Angela—this mayo recipe looks really great! Have you (or any of your readers) had any luck freezing the chickpea liquid and then thawing and using it in your recipes? It seems I always open a can of chickpeas when I don’t need the brine, or need the brine when I have no cans of chickpeas. I’m hoping storing the brine (possibly as ice cubes?) for can-less days might be the solution. Any thoughts, anyone??

A. Hi Tia, I haven’t tried it personally yet, but I’ve read that you can in fact freeze aquafaba! Using an ice cube tray (I like using silicone ice cube trays because they’re so easy to pop out) is a great idea for storing, because then you’ll have easy-to-grab, ready-measured amounts available for use in recipes. (My advice is to measure how many tablespoons one cube holds so you know.)

Q2. Hi Angela, Can you recommend the best substitute for hemp in your Crowd-Pleasing Vegan Caesar Salad (specifically, the Nut and Seed Parmesan Cheese)? It’s actually illegal to ingest hemp in Australia (crazy I know…)!!!!!! thanks

A. Hi Alecia, Since the parmesan only calls for a couple tablespoons of hulled hemp seeds, I’d probably just swap it with a couple more tablespoons of cashews! Easy that way. 🙂

Q3. Angela, Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe! I just made your Golden Red Lentil Dal tonight and the flavors were unbelievable! I have also tried your Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Avocado Garlic Aioli and loved those too! May I ask something though? The dal dish had a slightly grainy texture when it was finished. I’m unsure if it was from the spices or something else. I prepared it exactly as the recipe stated and measured precisely. Any advice on how to fix that would be lovely! Again, wonderful blog and site! I look forward to trying many more of your recipes!

A. Hi Mandy, I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed these recipes! With respect to the dal, it sounds like you did everything right with the recipe! I think the texture you’re experiencing may just be the natural texture of the red lentils. Red lentils break down a lot when they cook. If you’re a fan of the dal’s flavouring but not so much its texture, you could try black or French green lentils, which hold up a bit better and don’t break down as much. I hope this helps, and thank you so much for the kind words!

Q4. Hi everyone, I’m not sure where my sunflower seed butter went wrong? Mine didn’t turn out anything like the pictures at all. I didn’t have coconut sugar so I used stevia. Please help!

A. Hey Jessica, Oh I’m so sorry that happened to you! I’m wondering what kind of food processor you use? I find some machines just can’t "butterize" nuts and seeds as they aren’t powerful enough. I absolutely love this machine. Also, I haven’t tested this recipe with stevia before so that could’ve been the culprit. It’s also very important that the sunflower seeds are roasted beforehand (I’ve had zero luck using raw sunflower seeds in this recipe). Lastly, did you use the coconut oil? That’s really important to help thin it out. I hope this helps, and let me know if you try it out again! It’s such a tasty alternative to nut butter.

Q5. Hi Angela! Big congrats to you and your growing family! My girls are 20 months apart (now 8 mos. and 2 1/2) and it is wonderful and chaos and all the things that make for a happy family. 🙂 I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind listing your favorite protein-packed recipes? I am getting back in the gym and trying to get some muscle definition back in my life and some extra protein is in order! Thanks so much!

A.  Hi Abbey, Thank you for the warm congrats! Getting back to the gym after time away can be such a challenge—but delicious, protein-packed foods can help make that transition so much easier. For a super quick post-workout option, an apple spread with 2 tablespoons of almond or peanut butter will pack in about 7 to 9 grams of protein. If you’re a green smoothie lover like me, I recommend checking out my Green Warrior Protein Smoothie. My Protein Power Goddess Bowl, Energizing Broccoli Dal, Spiced Red Lentil, Tomato, and Kale Soup, Chickpea Salad, and Glowing Spiced Lentil Soup are also filled to the brim with high-protein goodness, as are my Super-Power Chia Bread (page 229 of The Oh She Glows Cookbook) and roasted chickpeas (try the ones on page 220 of the cookbook and on the blog here, or Salt & Vinegar Roasted Chickpeas on page 221) for a “snackier” option. Alternatively, if you’re looking for a sweet snack to grab on the go heading to or from the gym, there’s my Super Seed Chocolate Protein Bites or Two-Layer Raw Chocolate Brownies (which have about 4 grams of protein per square…not bad for a dessert). Who doesn’t love a sweet treat after killing a workout? All the best to you and your family!

Comments of the week:

“Hi Angela! I started the shift toward a vegan diet almost a year ago and have been loving your blog for meal inspirations and recipes! I have your app and also your cookbook and have to say that I have never made one of your recipes that did not turn out fantastic. The rest of my family is not vegan at all and they also love every recipe of yours that I have made. I love making your dishes and sharing them with other people to show that a vegan diet can be delicious and satisfying. I have made this avocado pudding bowl three or four times now and absolutely love it! My most recent time making this recipe I whipped up some coconut whipped cream and mixed it with the pudding and it turned out as a chocolate mousse. I would definitely recommend this method as it worked very well. Thanks for doing what you do, I really look up to you!”

Hi Alexis, I’m so happy to hear that your shift to a vegan diet is going so well, and that you’re inspiring others with the recipes too! Your chocolate mousse spin-off sounds fantastic. I’m working on a mousse recipe that involves aquafaba (of all things, I know!) and hopefully I can share it on the blog if I can get it just right. Thanks for taking the time to write me such a lovely note.

“I’m enjoying all of your recipes so much, thank you! I was never one for working from a cookbook before, but you’ve got me inspired, and I’ve gifted your book several times over, all to very grateful recipients. I used to dance around the edges of a health food store, eager but mostly unsure about how to mix what with what… This weekend I’m headed to an enormous VegFest (a celebration of all things vegan, natural, joyful and healthy!) And Oh She Glows was my introduction. So, thank you. Your enthusiasm and work is appreciated – big time!”

Hi Janey, I’m so happy for you, and also super thankful for your support. It sounds like you’re having so much fun with this new lifestyle which is so, so important. Have fun at the Vegfest this weekend!!

© copyright 2016 Oh She Glows. All Rights Reserved.

Oh She Glows