My wish for you is to Live Better, Strive Harder, Be Bolder, Dream Bigger, Climb Higher and Seek Greater.
My vision is to help people create food that is delicious, easy to make and high in nutrition, so that food once more becomes a vehicle to fuel your body, mind and soul.
‘The delicate sweetness of just picked vegetables, is always worth savoring’
I made this dish for the wider family on thanksgiving, alongside a number of other veggie dishes. This was the only one that was eaten, as apparently you don’t need to eat veggies on thanksgiving unless they have marshmallows on them. It is an addictive dish with a nice crunch from the beans and breadcrumbs, a salty element from the cheese and a kick of garlic. It goes well with so many different dishes and I have also served it with pasta for Mr and Baby B.
Ingredients
1lb fresh green beans
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1oz pecorino or hard vegan cheese, grated
½ cup GF breadcrumbs
Method
Blanch the beans (boil hot water, add a pinch of salt, add the beans for 1 minute and then rinse them in cold water).
Heat a tsp of EVOO and add the garlic, sauté for 30 seconds, add the breadcrumbs and then the beans, stir fry for 2 minutes until well combined
‘If you combine good flavors, food turns into an orchestra’
This is a great dish that has a ton of healthy ingredients but tastes gooey and indulgent. It has layers of deep flavour but is super simple to make. It doesn’t look too fancy, but it was the showstopper at a recent brunch I hosted. The great thing about it, is it is adult and kid friendly, can be used as a dip or a spread in sandwiches or an infant cracker.
I use cashews, nutritional yeast and lemon to create the creamy cheesy sauce. The tapioca starch creates a chewy gooey texture. Cashews are high in protein, magnesium and iron, which is why they are a favorite for sauces in our house.
Ingredients
1.5 cups of raw cashews
2 cups filtered water
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
½ tsp. salt (add more to taste)
¼ cup tapioca starch
1 tbsp. EVOO
1 small white onion, diced
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1-2 jars of artichokes, drained and quartered
4 cups spinach
Method
Add the cashews to a bowl and pour boiling water over the top, let soak for at least 10 minutes, drain and add to blender
Add the water, nutritional yeast, lemon juice and salt to the cashews and blend till smooth
Add in the tapioca starch and blend again
Heat the oil and sauté the onions and garlic for a few minutes with a sprinkle of salt, add the spinach and allow to wilt. Add mixture to the blender as well as the artichokes and blend to a smooth consistency
Add to an oven proof pan and broil for a few minutes
‘Funny, how one good cookie can calm the mind and elevate a troubled soul’.
I used to make these cookies at the restaurant. It was like quiet sweet meditation. They are more like a healthy granola bar in the form of a cookie, so can be eaten any time of the day. I love the subtle sweetness from the dates and maple and the satiating grounding nature from the oats and pecans. They are addictive so make sure you make a large batch.
This recipe was taken from Divya Alter’s new book, ‘the joy of balance’ and they are served at Divya’s Kitchen in NYC.
Ingredients
200g pecan halves
¼ cup coconut oil
200g rolled oats, divided
44g sorghum flour
44g amaranth flour
½ tsp. cardamom
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
½ cup maple syrup
2 tbsp. almond milk
2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
60g pitted dates, finely chopped
90g carob chocolate chips
Method
Preheat the oven to 300F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper, spread the pecans over it and bake them for 10 minutes or until fragrant and slightly darker
Once cool, roughly chop 75g (3/4) cup and add the rest to a food processor
Add half the oats to a bowl and half to the food processor and grind the oat/pecan mix to a fine meal. Add to a bowl with the whole oats. Add the sorghum, amaranth, masala, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Mix well.
In a separate bowl whisk together the maple syrup, coconut oil, almond milk, lime juice and vanilla. Fold in the chopped dates and chocolate chips.
Add to the dry ingredients and combine to make a sticky dough
Place some coconut oil on your hands or in a 1/3 cup and shape the cookies
Bake the cookies for 30 minutes or until they are golden, they will firm up more as they cool
‘You melt my heart like ghee on fresh hot paratha’
I love to try new gluten free Indian flatbread recipes, as roti and paratha are staples in Indian cuisine. The great aspect of Indian flatbread is that it is only made with a few ingredients and is also yeast free. This version uses ancient grains which gives a hearty dense and satisfying taste, as well as a nutrient dense flatbread containing iron, selenium, magnesium, calcium and protein. I like to eat them straight from the pan or with piping hot dal. Mr B likes them on their own, as does Baby B.
This recipe is from Divya Alter’s new book, ‘the Joy of balance’.
Ingredients
¾ buckwheat flour (1/4 cup for dusting)
1 cup amaranth flour
1 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. ghee/coconut oil
1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
Method
In a medium bowl, mix the buckwheat, amaranth flour, salt and cilantro if using. Rub in the olive oil and then add in 2/3 cup warm water. Knead the ingredients together into a smooth and soft dough, c. 5 minutes
Divide into 8 balls, cover with a damp kitchen towel
Dust a smooth surface and rolling pin with flour and roll into a disc, c. 2 mm thick and 6 inches in diameter
Preheat a cast iron pan and brush with ghee, place the paratha in the middle, lower the heat to medium low. Once the top and sides begin to bubble, brush with a little ghee and flip over with a spatula, cook the second side for another minute or two, brush the top and edges with ghee and gently flip to the original side cook for a few more seconds.
Transfer to a basket and cover so they don’t dry out.
‘Imitate the rice stalk, the more grains it bears, the lower it bows’.
I love Divya Alters new book, the joy of balance. The recipes are simple, healthy and the knowledge is vast. I also had the honour of making a small contribution during the photography session and feel a personal connection to the recipes as they nourished me through my pregnancy.
I like this recipe for a light dinner. I make the rice in the afternoon to serve with lentils and then use the rest for an evening stir-fry. Mr. B loves this dish with a little spice, Baby B will try a couple of spoonful’s, my mum has it with yogurt and pickle and noted it reminds her of my grandma’s turmeric rice. I like it just as it is.
Ayurvedic Spice lesson
Turmeric – cleanses liver, breaks down fat in the liver, improves digestion and immunity, adds luster to the skin
Cumin – stimulates digestion, eliminates toxins, relieves congestion, helps with absorption of nutrients and fertilizes friendly bacteria
Ginger – Improves digestion and circulation, breaks down fat in the stomach, relieves constipation
Curry leaves – supports liver detox, purifies blood, manages cholesterol and blood sugar and cleanses the cellular system
Ingredients
2 tbsp. ghee or olive oil
¼ tsp. turmeric
¼ tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. fresh grated ginger
5 fresh curry leaves
¼ tsp. salt
½ cup nuts
1.5 cups cooked basmati rice
1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
Fresh herbs to garnish – dill, coriander, parsley
Method
Heat the ghee/olive oil over a medium low heat, gentle cook the turmeric until it starts to darken in color, around 5 seconds
Add the cumin seeds and toast for 10 seconds
Add the ginger and curry leaves and stir until the leaves are starting to darken and crisp
Add the salt and nuts and toast until the nuts are slightly golden, approx. 30 seconds
Add the cooked rice, increase the heat to medium and stir fry the mixture until the rice is all yellow, 5 minutes
Add the lime juice, mix, switch the heat off and serve warm
Tis the season for all things pumpkin. In that ‘spirit’ granola had to be on the menu. It is a super simple recipe. I added in pumpkin seeds and candied ginger to the original recipe to ramp up the taste. I like to use this in yogurt for breakfast or dessert and it can also be used on top of some stewed apples to simulate an easy apple pie.
Ayurvedic Spice lesson
Ginger – Improves digestion and circulation, breaks down fat in the stomach, relieves constipation, reduces mucus and inflammation, antiviral, antibacterial
Nutmeg – Calms the mind, promotes sleep, relieves coughs and colds
Cinnamon – Improves circulation, relieves coughs and colds, helps with glucose and carbohydrate metabolism
Ingredients
3 cups GF rolled oats
1.5 cups raw pecans
½ cup raw pumpkin seeds
3 tbsp. raw cane sugar
½ tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ cup olive or coconut oil
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup chopped candied ginger (optional)
Method
Preheat the oven to 325F
Mix all the ingredients, in order of the list apart from the candied ginger
Spread the mixture on a lined baking tray
Bake for 12 minutes and then mix, bake for another 12 or until starting to brown
Apologies for the delayed blog. We moved house to be closer to nature, both for the balance of my own temperament and my little one’s development. Moving house and ‘starting again’ is no small feat, throw in an under one and it can be somewhat hectic and overwhelming. When life starts to get a little crazed, my go to is a grounding soup, full of health and vitality to keep you going.
This soup is perfect for the situation, the autumn weather and the season. It has lentils for protein, spinach for iron (adding lime to help with your iron absorption) and pumpkin for grounding.
Pumpkins have long been used as a natural sedative. The earth element dominates pumpkin making it heavy, grounding and nutritive. The mild sedative effect, supported by its magnesium and potassium content, helps reduce tension in the body and relax the muscles. It also contains tryptophan which encourages sound sleep and a balanced mood by increasing serotonin.
In this recipe the heating spices, such as turmeric and mustard seeds are balanced by the cooling spices such as cumin and coriander. The spinach and fresh cilantro are an additional support for your liver.
Ingredients
½ tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 shallot or 1 cup finely diced fennel
1 tbsp. grated fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
½ tsp. turmeric
1-2 cups roasted pumpkin
1 cup red lentils
1 cup chopped tomato
2 tbsp. lime juice (more to taste)
½ tsp. salt
1 cup spinach
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro (to serve)
Method
In a 3-quart saucepan, add 2 tbsp. ghee or olive oil on a low heat. Add the mustard and cumin seeds, once they start to sizzle add the shallot/fennel, ginger, garlic, ground cumin, turmeric and coriander. Add 2 tbsp. water so they don’t dry out. Cook till soft, around two minutes
Add the roasted pumpkin, lentils, tomato and 6 cups of water. Bring to the boil and then down to a simmer
Cook for 20 minutes or until the lentils have dissolved into the soup
Add the salt and lime. Add more to taste
Add the spinach and cook together for 1-2 minutes, so that it wilts into the soup
‘She said nothing with her voice and everything with the way she cared for you.’
It only made sense this week to feature a recipe with cardamom in it, after the beautifully written interview my dear friend Kate Ray from soft leaves wrote about my culinary journey and relationship with cardamom. To read the full article and to subscribe to her blog follow this link:
I discovered my love of cardamom through my Grandmothers food. She used it in sweet and savoury dishes. It was in her Friday vegetable rice as well as her chai and desserts. You’ll find it featured in many of my dishes on the blog, in cookies, scones and tea. I love it for its calming effect on the nervous system and natural sweet aroma. It also reminds me of my grandma. Not just due to the dishes she used it in, but in how she made me feel.
‘The fragrance of cardamom instantly brings me joy and calms me, like an overwhelming feeling that whatever is going on, it is going to be okay.
That’s how I felt being around my Grandma.’
This sweet masala is based on a recipe from Divya Alter’s, ‘What to eat for how you feel.’ It is typical of a sweet Ayurvedic spice mix, due to the balance and type and effect of spices used. I increased the cardamom and vanilla in this recipe, making it a little sweeter.
This spice mix is great for baking, in oatmeal or in warm milk (dairy or homemade almond milk works perfectly) as they help with the digestion of carbohydrates, sugars and dairy.
Coriander and Fennel are cooling and counteract the heating nature of cinnamon. They also both help regulate digestion.
Cinnamon is sweet and pungent. It clears congestion, promotes digestion of carbohydrates and balances blood sugar.
Green cardamom is sweet and pungent. It helps with protein metabolism and calms the nervous system.
Rose petals are sweet and cooling. They soothe the heart.
Vanilla is sweet and astringent. It has a cooling and calming effect and improves the appetite and libido.
Ingredients
1 tbsp. coriander seeds
1 tbsp. fennel seeds
1 tbsp. dried rose petals
1.5 tsp. crushed cinnamon bark (around 1 inch)
1 tsp. cardamom seeds
1 tsp. vanilla extract powder
Method
Place all ingredients in an electric grinder or spice mill and grind to a fine powder. Store in an airtight jar, away from light
Anyone know knows me, or has been following this blog for a while, knows I love mung lentils. From my grandma’s mung dal to my own mung lentil burgers, pancakes and frittata’s, if you can make it using mung, I will give it a go.
From an Ayurvedic perspective mung (or moong) is sweet, cooling and tri-doshic (meaning it is good for all constitutions). It is high in protein, fibre, nutrients and is easy to digest. Ayurvedically speaking it is known to nourish the tissues and strengthen the immune system and is known as the queen of lentils.
I discovered this particular lentil dish at the Indian restaurant Sona in NYC. It came beneath some pani puri. At first my friend Marissa and didn’t know if we should eat it, but of course nothing was going to stop us trying (if you know Mari and I, you’ll know we will try most foods at least once). What we gained was a delicious snack and a perplexed waiter!
Of course, I immediately worked out how to make a healthy version, baking not frying the mung. This is a simple recipe and you can change the seasoning, making it a healthy and versatile snack. I made an everything bagel seasoning version for Mr B and he loved it.
Ingredients
1 cup mung, soaked overnight
2 tbsp. EVOO
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 tsp. chaat masala (optional)
Method
Drain and wash the soaked mung lentils and then leave them to dry in a sieve or on a kitchen towel
Preheat the oven to 425F and line a baking tray with parchment paper
Mix the dried mung with the oil, salt and pepper
Lay out flat on the parchment paper
Bake for 20 minutes and then turn the oven off. Check every 5 minutes for the mung to turn golden brown and remove when ready (too long and they will go black and hard)
Let cool and then store, add chaat masala and/or other seasonings and store in a glass jar
‘All you need is love…and maybe a little ice cream’.
I copied down this recipe from a book on cleansing, as I thought it sounded so delicious that it would encourage people to want to eat it and therefore cleanse. It is made our star ingredient for liver cleansing, apple but due to the banana and dates, tastes like caramel ice cream.
It also takes only a few minutes to make. Ice cream for breakfast? Yes, please!! You are welcome Mr and Baby B!
Apple – The malic acid in apples helps to open the ducts that run through the liver, allowing the liver to more easily flush. Polyphenols in apples keep the serum and lipid levels of the liver under control. Apples have anti-inflammatory properties that help to protect against fatty liver.
Ingredients
1 apple, diced and frozen
1 banana, diced and frozen
2-3 medjool dates, pitted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Method
Place all ingredients in a food processor or high-speed blender and blend till smooth. Add a little water if necessary, a teaspoon at a time and scrape down to get a smooth consistency. Serve immediately.
