Rundstykker - It's a Danish thing!

Some times I feel just a little bit homesick! This homesickness has often to do with food. 

And I started dreaming about all the freshly baked rolls and bread you get from the bakeries in Denmark. This is especially a weekend tradition-  fresh rolls on a Sunday morning- yum! 

But then I come to my senses and remember "Mette, your stomach and body doesn't neither tolerate gluten nor dairy you fool! - stop dreaming" 

So with this in mind I pimped these rolls after a LCHF (Low carb high fat) recipe, which is not known for being dairy free friendly. 

So here is my version. Ok they are not like the real thing , but less carbs and quite nice - I think 

Rundstykker:

Set the oven to 200 degrees 

2 eggs- start whisking

2 ml dairy free yogurt (coconut or other - no sugar) - whisk into the eggs

3 Tbsp dairy free spread melted - whisk into the eggs 

1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp of almond flour

1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp of Pofiber (potato fibres)

1 Tbsp Chia seeds

1.5 Tbsp Pysillium husk powder 

1 tsp fine salt

1.5 tsp baking powder 

Whisk all the dry ingredients into the wet and leave for 8 mins. 

Make 6 buns with wet hands onto baking paper. Bake for 15 to 20 mins - Enjoy for breakfast 

 

Sweet potato brownies

Deliciously Ella has done a lot for healthy cooking. She is young, pretty and have taken her own health in her hands. I love her recipes, but sorry Ella I have pimped your Sweet Potato brownies and made them even more yummy. This recipe is also been halved, since I only had one sweet potato!

So here is my even better version:

1 Sweet potato 

7 Medjool date, pitted

1/3 cup ground almonds

1/4 cup buckwheat flour

2 Tbsp Raw Cocoa powder

2 Tbsp rice syrup

2 Tbsp coconut oil

Pinch of salt

Vanilla

2 or 3 Tbsp almond milk

And some dark 70% chocolate 

Cocoa nibs

Set the oven to 180 degrees. 

Stab the sweet potato all over, wrap in a piece of kitchen roll and in microwave for 6- 7 mins .

Scoop out the flesh of the potato into food processor and add the 7 dates, coconut oil, rice syrup, salt, vanilla and almond milk (or water). Whizz until smooth paste, and add the dry ingredients (almonds, buckwheat flour, cocoa powder). Whizz again and you might want add more liquid. Scrap it into an small oiled Pyrex glass dish or other.

Into the oven for 20 mins. As soon as you take out the brownies out of the oven, spread the dark chocolate on the hot brownies and let it melt. When it is melted, spread out with a spatula and drizzle while still soft with some Cocoa nibs.

Now do yourself a favour, resist to start eating it until it is cold - good luck! 

A matter of loaf and death part 2

My obsession with bread making is still going on. And I pimped a bread I done previously before the bread maker arrived. 

In Honestly healthy, alkaline chef Natasha Corrett's cookbook "Cleanse", there is a great recipe for a Chia and teff bread. I love Natasha's way of cooking, great tasting and doable. However this bread has a lot of ingredients, but so worth it.

This bread reminds me of a sourdough type of bread, but without the hardship of  fermenting dough.

But I had to change a few things to make the recipe work in the bread maker.

 So down sized and pimped by me, Chia and teff bread:

375ml lukewarm water 

1.5 tsp dried yeast

1 tsp salt

1.5 tsp rice syrup or honey 

3 Tbsp neutral oil

15g psyllium husks

2 tsp grounded linseeds

70g teff flour 

40g buckwheat flour 

20g quinoa flour 

70g tapioca flour 

70g almond flour 

15g potato flour 

1 Tbsp chia seeds

1 Tbsp sesame seeds 

Everything into the bread maker. Use the settings with the longest raising time. 

Mine is the Gluten free setting.

If you want a larger loaf, double the ingredients, but not the yeast - only 2tsp.

A money saving tip is buying flours like Teff, tapioca, grounded almonds etc. in Indian supermarkets, 

a 5th of the cost in the health shops.

A matter of loaf and death

 Gluten free bread can be a bit of hit and miss. Sometimes the shop bought breads are dry and horrible. The breads are expensive (understandable) and some times when I get to Gluten free section, the breads are almost out of date, or none left on the shelves. 

So I thought to myself, how hard can it be!?!? I am going to buy a bread maker and make my own - problem over!

Ha ha ha! I should have known better. My Dad was a baker and he always said :"Baking is chemistry!"

This even more when baking gluten free. You don't have the gluten to make the stretchy structure and the lovely crumbly texture. If my Dad was alive, I would love to have a conversation with him about this matters. 

And it would have been great to challenge him with , making a nice Gluten free bread.

Buying a bread machine. I choose the smallest version on the market, this for easy storage and also that the breads are only for me. Lakeland had a affordable small machine, job done.

First attempt and recipe was from "Gluten free " magazine, recipe for Oat Bread. OMG this turned into a rubbery brick. Seriously something wrong! I guess the proof reading  slipped that day at the office.

Next attempt GF baking mix Finax, recipe on back of package. Not for human consumption, unless you were dying and there was nothing else to eat.

3rd attempt, I went to Waterstones book store and bought a book "Cooking gluten, wheat and dairy free" Michelle Berriedale-Johnson.

Quick white loaf! Yes pleasant and enjoyable to eat. But still not totally happy.

So last night 4th attempt I cracked it. From same book "brown loaf with almonds" - Eureka!

But I did pimp her recipe, as always and made this mine.

This makes one small loaf:

Put in your bread maker :

350 ml lukewarm water 

3 Tbsp olive oil 

1 tsp honey 

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp dried yeast 

The dry ingredients on top of the wet:

200 gram Dove Brown GF flour

50 gram Gram flour (Indian chickpea flour)

50 gram ground almonds 

2 tsp psyllium husk

1 tsp apple cider vinegar 

Set machine to setting closest to a raising time 30 - 45 min. And baking time 45- 60 minutes.

I will use this recipe from now on. But there are always room for improvement! So watch this space, more to come.

The heat is on - Pimp your water!

The summer has finally arrived in London and with a vengeance. I went to the Wholefood market in Picadelly and there was rows of beautiful bottles of infused waters. It was boiling outside and looked so beautiful in the bottles.

I bought a bottle and the boys and I agreed this was a great drink, but a bit expensive for what it really was.

I can do that myself I thought.

I found on Amazon Kindle a free book about Flavoured water to down load, even better.

No need for juicers and blenders, only your patience. If you are real fancy, you could buy an "infuser", but really a glass or plastic bottle is all you need.

I got lots of mint in my garden and 3 pebble strawberry plants., so the first batch we made was strawberries, mint and lime. Left it for 3 hours and ready to drink.

Other great combinations are:

- cucumber w/lemon infuse for 2 hours 

- Kiwi on its own, or with strawberries. Infused for 3 hours 

- Pineapple with mint, or ginger. Infused for 3 hours 

- Watermelon w/rosemary infused 2 hours 

There are hundreds of other combinations, but no excuse to get dehydrated. Enjoy the summer.

"Against all grain" granola

I really don't like many of the breakfast products you can buy in the shops. Too much sugar, boring or something I don't like i.e. Raisins. So when I occasionally get the craving for granola, I do it myself .

This recipe is pimped from Danielle Walkers book "Against all grains - meals made simple". I really really like her cookbooks a lot and can highly recommend to get your hands on one of her two books. 

Her granola is called "Nut-free granola " and that it isn't anymore in my pimped world. I also halved the portion size.

So here it is: 

Mix 2 tsp chia seeds with 1 Tbsp warm water - set aside.

In a pot 1/4 cup raw honey + 1 Tbsp coconut oil + 1 Tbsp almond butter, melt these on very low heat.

In a bowl mix 1 cup of mixed seeds (pumpkin, sesame, sunflower) + 1/2 cup coconut flakes + 2 Tbsp hulled hempseed + 1 tsp cinnamon + dash of vanilla powder and salt. Put all the seeds into a food processor and pulse 6 time.

Mix the melted honey and oil with seed mix - spread on lined baking tray and into oven 150 degrees 5 mins, flip around and back again for another 5 minutes. Please keep an eye on this, at this stage. Mine got a bit dark this time, but still okay.

When the granola is cold, mix in 1/3 cup of dried sour cherries. Could be raisins or cranberries.

Raw Raspberry Chia seed jam

Enjoying a morning at home, kids at school and some well deserved time to myself. So while staring out in the garden and reflecting on life and what brings joy to your life, I realised how much I missed blogging. Last couple of years has been a challenge, with my twin boys autoimmune diseases, my own and life in general.

So why blogging!? Do I have something to share and does anybody care? I don't know, but maybe - just maybe someone is reading this out there and find some of this useful.

First cookbook to be pimped is Madelaine Shaw "Get the glow". Great recipes and beautiful photos. 

Well done Madelaine!

So this morning I decided to make from her book, the raw jam for my breakfast. Shop bought jams are often a sugar/fructose feast, attacking your blood sugar beyond believe. But this version is fresh and healthy. But of course pimped by me.

Raspberries and chia seed jam

Put 250 gram raspberries into a food processor/blender together with 1 Tbsp raw honey, 2 tsp stevia and some vanilla powder. Blend until smooth stire into this 2 Tbsp Chia seeds. As soon as the seeds is added, make sure it is well mixed in and pour into a kilner jar. Let the jam set for at least 15 min, then it is ready for smearing on bread, or mixing into yogurt.

Keep in fridge for 4 days, but don't worry it will be gone by then. Enjoy 

Hot chocolate for the soul

There is something about autumn, winter and hot chocolate,
So on this official first cold day in London, after a day with wind so powerful that a few panels of my old garden shed got ripped off, time for Hot chocolate!!!

I always experiment with little improvments to make this drink even better.
So inspiration for this dark cup of pleasure, is from a new cook book from Fran Costigan "Vegan Chocolate - Unapologetically luscious and decadent dairy-free desserts".

So here my pimped version per person :

1 cup almond milk
1 Tbsp Cocoa powder
1 Tbsp grated dark chocolate
1 Tbsp Agave syrup
1 pinch of salt
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Into a pot and on the stow, warm up slowly.
 When heated up add 1 tsp arrowroot powder dissolved in a little almond milk. Stir into the hot chocolate and see it thickening, just ever so slightly. This is to create that perfect chocolate moustache!
Take of the heat. You might want at this state to add a little sugar or stevia, to satisfy the sweet tooth, that is your choice.
But what ever you do, it is love in a cup and great gesture to make for someone you love - I.e. Yourself!!!!

Pimp my Japadogs

Just returned from a fantastic trip to the US and Canada, last stop was Vancouver.
As we were rolling our suitcases up Burrad street Vancouver, something court our eyes "Japadog" -www.japadog.com  street food, hot dogs Japanese style.
The next day I got a message from a "cousin" saying if you are in Vancouver, you must try Japadog.
So that was it, I took it as a sign. And off we went to try it out. Luckily  there were a meaty and veggie version, so everybody was happy and Terimayo Yum yum!

Back again in my London kitchen trying to recreate some jolly holiday memories, what better way that travel with the taste buds.
So here is my version of Japadogs Greenwich style.

To make these you would need:
Hot-dog Sausages
Finger rolls
Onions
Mustard
Avocado
Japense mayo or Egg free mayo
Wasabi
Ume Plum seasoning (optional)
Teriyaki sauce
Lemon
sesame seeds
Nori seaweed

Please choose the Hot-dog sausages of your liking. I got some Tescos Meat-free Hot-dog sausages and for the meat eaters some Halal chicken Hot-dog sausages.
I a small oven prof pan a small amount of water, add the sausages and drizzle the teriyaki sauce over them.
1 Tbsp Teriyaki sauce pr 4 sausages and  into the oven 200 degrees. Remember to flip them around every now and then, so they don't dry out. Stay in the oven for about 20 min.

Now lets make the Wasabi Avocado mayo. Mush up with a fork one whole avocado,3 Tbsp Mayo, add 2 tsp of lemon juice, 2 tsp of wasabi ( more if you like it hot!) salt and a dash or 2 of Ume Plum seasoning. Set aside.

Fried soft caramelised onions, who doesn't like that!?
Slice 2 red onions, fry them in small amount of water or add some oil if you like that. Fry them until they are just the way you like them.

Heat the finger rolls slightly and time to put it all together.
In the warm roll, I start with a thin line of mustard, then the sausage, Wasabi/avocado mayo, soft onions, chopped up Nori and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. And KONNICHI WA!!
Bloody delicious! Pimp my Japadog!

London Blackcurrant Ice cream

The blackcurrant bush in our London garden has not been very productive, well I guess Greenwich is not known for marvellous soil quality.
But 1 cup full of fresh Blackcurrant was all I managed to pick and that was just enough to make this dessert.
We got a new Baumatic ice cream machine, which I can highly recommend. So a perfect opportunity to get the beast into action.
I have had this book "The Vegan Scoop" Wheeler Del Torro on the shelf for ages, ready for experimenting.
So here it is "take one" My pimped ice Blackcurrant cream, adapted from Del Torro's blueberry version..
Pimped Yeah! I hope you don't think I followed the recipe completely!
I cut some of the sugar and substitute an ingredient or two. And the result was clean bowls for every one.
Please enjoy My Blackcurrant ice cream

  1 cup of blackcurrants + 1/4 cup of sugar and stevia mix + a dash of lemon juice, in a pot and boil until all the berries has burst. Then take the pot of.
Whisk in a bowl 1/4 cup soya milk and 2 table spoons of arrowroot powder. Set to a side, you need it soon.
In another pot 1 cup soya yoghurt + 1 carton of Alpro soya cream + 3/4 cup soya milk + 1 cup rapadura whole cane sugar. Warm it up until the boil (be careful gentle please), then add the arrowroot mix while whisking and take the pot of the cooker. Keep whisking and you should see it mixture thickening.
Now add the berry mix and a table spoon of pure vanilla extract.
Set aside to cool, before you add it into your ice cream maker. Please follow your machines instructions
Ours take about 50 minutes and cool tangy delicious ice cream is ready to munch.

Scary good Pumpkin Cupcakes

Scary good Pumpkin Cupcakes

This recipe is a true classic in our house, every year for Halloween. They are not scary or pretty, but taste great!
The recipe is pimped from on of my favourite cookbooks "Vegan Cupcakes - take over the  world" Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero. This book is truly well used. It got sugar stains and chocolate splatters all over the pages. But as always I have to change the recipes for a less sugar craving European pallet. So if you start now, you should have time to bake them for tonight. Get baking!

Pumpkin Cupcakes

Mix all these wet ingredients together by hand :
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup cold pressed rapeseed oil
3/4 cup Xylitol or sugar
1/4 cup Soy milk
1 teaspoon good vanilla extract.

DON'T use electric mixer- it will get rubbery!
.
Now add all the the dry ingredients into the wets:
1 1/4 white flour or light brown self raising
1/2 tsp baking powder +1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda,
1 tsp Cinnamon, 1/4 tsp salt, little nutmeg and a little ground ginger.
Mix it all together with a fork.

Into 12 paper cases in a cupcake tin, 180 degrees in the oven for about 22 min.
Make sure they are cold before you add the frosting.


Cashew Butter frosting

I a food processors add :

1/3 cup cashew nut butter + 3 Tbsp soft non dairy spread. Mix for 1 min
Now add 1tsp vanilla extract, 1/3 Cup Maple syrup, 1/3 cup Soya milk powder and a small dash of cardamon.
Mix until soft and smooth.
Put in the fridge for at least 15 min, before frosting the cupcakes. Frost them with a knife and leave to set.

Hope you will enjoy these and a Happy Halloween to you all.

Greenwich Mess

On my walk with the dog through Greenwich marked this morning, I passed Rhodes Bakery. They had the most impressive and enormous meringues in their window. So trying to give the locale traders in Greenwich marked some business, I bought lots of meringues and lot of other goods. Every little helps!
I got inspired to make an old time English favourite dessert "Eton Mess".
Pimped by me to "Greenwich Mess".

So here is my dairy free, but for sure not sugar-free version.

Greenwich mess

Get out your most beautiful glasses and lets get messy! This is what you need :

• Meringue
• Fresh fruit - mine is strawberries and raspberries
• Soya yoghurt - with blueberries
• Soya cream
• Vanilla extract
• Real vanilla
• Dairy free custard

Mix up the Blueberry yoghurt with 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, some real vanilla and a bit of soya cream

Smash the meringue with a rolling pin or your hands to small bits. This is good stress relief - you can pretend it is somebodies head!! 

Now start to build, in no particular order, in the glass : meringue - fruit - yoghurt - soya custard - repeat until the glass is full. Keep an berry for the top. 

So the weather might not be that brilliant, Greenwich park is closed (if you don't have a ticket), the traffic is up the creek and Greenwich is not quite is usual self. But this dessert will chase away the Olympic blues!

Dig in and enjoy - use your spoon as you eat, to make it even more messed up!

  

Flap Jacks - Pimped!

Coming out of a cookery hibernation - writers creative mind drought, call it what you want.
I want to share with you a totally foolproof Flap Jack recipe, I have pimped from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's cookbook "River Cottage everyday".
I love his way of cooking and his philosophy about food.
When my Mother on law was still alive, we visited his "canteen" in Axmister many times. I can highly recommend it.

He call this recipe a Booster bar, but it is a good old fashion Flap Jack - just healthier.

Set the oven to 160 degrees and let start baking !! 

Ingredients 
125 gr vegetable spread or butter
125 gr brown muscovado sugar
125 gr no-sugar added smooth or crunchy peanut butter
75 gr of honey
grated zest of an organic lemon

Put these in to a pot and cook on low heat until it is all melted together. Keep an eye on this you don't want this to boil!

In another bowl :

200 gr Oat
150 gr dried fruits of your choice - I used dried cranberries and sour cherries in mine
150 gr Mixed seeds - Sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, poppy etc. Holland and |Barret got a premix called Omega sprinkle.
1 tsp w/top cinnamon - for the blood sugar
and some real vanilla powder or from a pod to bring the flavours out.

Mix the dries with the wets, and push it down with a spoon in a lined baking tray.
That is very important to line the tray, or you can't get it out afterwards. Been there - done that!

Into the oven for 30-35 min 160 degrees.
Allow it to cool before you cut it into squares. Please be patient and then enjoy!!

Pimp my Tex-Mex Left-over casserole

When I cook rice, I always cook too much. So when I found this recipe in a cookbook by Jean Carper, I was delighted. I have done it many times since, but it always turn out a bit different every time - depending what is left in the fridge and store cupboards. But here is the basic recipe:

Tex-Mex left-over casserole

• Cooked rice - how much do you have?
• Tomato Salsa from a jar or some small diced up tomato with some added spices
• Chilli powder - how hot can you take it?
• 1/2 can of black beans ( I love black beans xxx), you could also use kidney beans. Make sure to rinse them well before use.
• Tin or frozen sweetcorn a good handful
• If you like olives, add some chopped up olives black or green.

Mix it all together and into a oven-proof dish. If you really like it hot, add some pickled jalapeños.

Top-up with cheese of you choice - mine is dairy free!

Into the oven on 200 degrees for around 20 minutes until the cheese has melted.

Cook this once and I promise you, it will go on your frequent cooking list for the future.

Sweet Jacket smokey potatoe

This recipe is so simple and so tasty. It is from a danish cookbook called "Aldrig mere sukkerkold" meaning : no more sugar cold. It is all about controlling the GL in what your eat, to keep the blood sugar even and at the same time keep the big flavours. 
In Denmark you can buy this amazing smoked cheese called "rygeost" = smoked soft cheese.
But since I don't live in Denmark anymore and don't eat dairy products, i have pimped the recipe to suit my stomach. But i will give you the original version in brackets.

Jacket Sweet Smokey potatoe
 
(original version in brackets)

• 1 Sweet potatoe
• 1/4 cup Vegan Tofutti cream cheese (smoked soft cheese)
• 2-3 Tbsp Unsweetend soya milk or hemp milk (same amount as cheese of some greek youghurt)
• 1/2 tsp Liquid smoke (don't need this for original recipie)
• Chives
• Salt and pepper

Bake the sweet potatoe i the oven 200 degrees 40-60 minutes, this depending on the size of the sweet potatoe.
Meanwhile mix the creamy filling in a food processor or stire/mix together with a fork : cream cheese, soya milk, liquid smoke, salt and pepper. At the end stire in the chives.
Cut the steaming hot sweet potatoe open and add a big dollop of creamy smokey filling.
Beautifull!

Pimped Hummus

It has taken me years to get the perfect, to my taste, Hummus recipe.
So here it is with a little help from Rip Esselstyn and a bit of pimping (a lot) from me. Without any further nonsense :


Pimped Hummus

• 1 can of chickpeas - rinsed and drained
• 2-3 cloves of garlic
• 3 Tbsp Lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp Tahini
• 2 tsp Tamari or Braggs liquid aminos (is a soya sauce)
• 3-5 Tbsp water
• 2-3 Tbsp Vegenaise (egg free mayonaise)
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 Vogels herbamare herbal salt

Everything into the food processesor and blend untill the right texture.
You migh twant to add more water or salt. That is all up to your tastebuds.

Now you got all this wonderfull Hummus to eat.
Here is a brilliant way of turning it into a quick a tasty meal.
Got the idea from Neal Barnard's book Get healthy, go vegan

Humms Pizza

• One pita bread - I use "The food doctors" whole grain pita breads, but any whole grain pita will do.
• Tomatos
• Olives
• Soy cheese or any othe melting type of vegan cheese

Turn the oven on to 200 degrees. Spread the hummus onto the the pita bread. Cut the tomatoes into small chunks and slice the olives into thin slices. Add the two on top of the hummus and grate some soy cheese on top. In the oven for approximately 8 min.
Badabing!! Lunch is ready!

Caesar Salad - My way!

I absolutely love Ceasar Salad! But the shop bought dressing are calorie laden and full of dairy product, which is not on my menu. So here is my version with a little help from Rip Esselstyn and Kris Carr. 
But as always pimped by me.

Start with your croutons. Heat the oven to 150 degrees and chop some wholegrain bread into little squares, that could be gluten-free read as well. Spray the croutons with olive oil and Braggs liquid aminos. Sprinkle with 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder and some freeze dried parsley. Toss it around, spread out on a baking tray and into the oven for 5 - 10 min. The amount of spices depend of course on how big the portion of croutons are.
Remember to keep an eye on them, you want them golden brown, but not burned.

Now the so delicious dressing :

• 1/2 Cup Vegan mayonnaise  - egg free mayonnaise
• 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• the juice from 1/2 small lemon
• 1 tsp Nutritional yeast
• Dash of Lea and Perrins Worcestershire sauce
• a dash of fish sauce - optional.
• Salt and pepper to taste.

Blend the dressing, add water to get the right consistency. Drizzle it over a big bowl of Romaine and/or other mixed green lettuces.
Mix gently and shatter your croutons on the top before serving. Enjoy!!

Jammie Cookies

This is the time where I should be writing about salads and lovely light summer food. And instead I feel like baking!

The weather isn't brilliant here and that always set me in the mood for warmth and comfort cooking.

My Dad was a baker so there might be some deep and meaning full connection there. 

Bought new cook book by Gwyneth Paltrow the other day - Yes, the girl can cook too.
Lots of nice things to cook and some lovely pictures in the book.
But poor Gwyneth has to be pimped my me as well.


Jammie Cookies

Set the oven to 180 degrees. 

200 grams grounded almonds 

50 grams soya flour 

100 grams brown rice flour

100 grams Kamut flour

1 tsps cinnamon

1/4 tsps  salt

125 ml. agave syrup

125 ml. cold pressed rapeseed oil

Sugar free jam for filling. I used Blueberry jam.

Put everything into a mixing bowl or electric mixer and combine. Form into little balls and press with a wooden spoon handle or your finger a little hole in the middle of each cookie for the jam.

Put the cookies on lined baking trays and bake for 17-20 min. Put them on an air rack to cool.

And do wait until they have cooled of so you don't burn your lips and they get nice and crispy.

So much better and healthier than Jammie Doggers!!!

Slow porridge for busy girls (and boys)

Mornings can be very stressful. It is in our home. A total mad house!

I want to make sure we all get a good breakfast, before getting us all out of the door.

We all know how important it is to eat breakfast, to set you up for the day.

You need good food to fuel your body, to keep blood sugar levels even trough out the day.

One of my sons has been diabetic since the age of two, so this is something very close to my heart.

Here is a brilliant way to preparer the breakfast the night before, to give you a calmer morning.

And all you have to do is, pop it on the stove the next morning.

This recipe has been pimped from Danish super cook Umahro Cadogan’s book “Kokken revolution pa hoje haele” only in Danish so fare.

This my Slow porridge for busy girls (and boys)

Soak in a pot the night before:

• ½ cup of oat (for each person, depending on size)
• Cover with water
• Add cinnamon to your liking, a little bit of pure vanilla powder, ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar. (This helps to soften the oat)

Lid on and go to bed!

Next morning:

Turn on the stove.

You might want to add more water or milk of your choice (from a cow, soy, rice or almond) into the porridge.

Cook and stir. Keep an eye on it.

 Add honey, agave syrup or xylitol to sweeten. Don’t go mad!

When the porridge is velvety smooth, scoop it into bowls.

There are lot of nice toppings to put on your porridge. Here is a few we like:

• Banana slices
• Chopped up Almonds or other nuts of your choice.
• Sliced up apples or pears. Vitamin -C
• Apple puree
• Blueberries. Antioxidants
• Ground flax seeds with cinnamon

A few healthy facts about the ingredients :

Bananas rich in potassium and carbohydrates (the good ones). Good carbs has a nice relaxing effect on the body so it can produce neotransmitters in the brain – serotonin which gives you a sense of calm.

It is important that the carbohydrates you choose are high in fibre and the slow acting kind.

Blueberries rich in vitamin C and stuffed with antioxidants.

Apples and pears - vitamin C and fiber.

Nuts gives you Selenium and magnesium.

Oat – Full of healthy soluble fibres that lower the cholesterol. Oat is also loaded with phytochemicals which helps the digestive system and blood sugar levels, which have an adverse affect on stress.

Green Velvet Smoothie

Just finished reading "The China Study" and it has really confirmed for me, that eating a plant based diet is the way to health. Not that I ever doubted this. I can highly recommend to read this.

It is cold  and horrible outside. People on the tube are sniffling and sneezing all over you.
You need something to defend you self against bug and germ attacks.

So here is my favourite green smoothie recipe. A shield of goodness to protect yourself!

Green Velvet Smoothie 

For this you would need a juicer and a very power full blender, mine has 1.2 horse powers could possible blend a motor bike.

Juicing : 3 apples and 1 broccoli stalk. This is a brilliant way to use the broccoli stalk after you eaten all the lovely florets.

Blending : Pour juice into the blender with 5-6 Brazil nuts, 2 dates, 1 tsp flax seeds, 1/2 Avocado and a handful of ice cubes.

Blend this until it is velvety smooth - pour - drink - enjoy!

Books for juicing I can recommend  "The Juicer Master" Jason Vale. And also "Crazy sexy diet" by Kris Carr.

Keep on juicing!