MAURITIAN BUTTER BEAN CURRY W. DHOLL PURI FLATBREAD
This post comes straight from the heart which has had a love affair with the beautiful island that is Mauritius for the last two and a half years. I’ve now spent roughly two weeks here and I’ve come to the point where I can see myself living here. Waking up early, just after sunrise, eating a piece of local fruit and practising yoga in the light. Followed by a swim in the sea and then utilising all the inspiration and focus the sun and beauty here seems to awaken in me to create new recipes and articles to share with you all. Then having a delicious homemade Mauritian curry for dinner across the table from my best friend and person who occupies the biggest part of my heart as I soak in the bounties of a day on the island.
This is of course not the most realistic of scenarios and I know it would feel completely different if I was actually living here as all the day to day commitments and stresses occur. But I love allowing myself to day dream and pretend whilst I’m here, it makes me happy and rejuvenates me. And where I’m going with all this is that some things I can take with me as I return to my roots, and settle into a daily routine again, is the delicious food I’ve discovered.
I love bringing back curry powders and other unique spice blends when I visit Mauritius and I intend to do so this time as well so I can make this recipe over and over and it will still taste like Mauritius. The excitement I had recreating and adapting my favourite food here on the island has been heart warming and I hope this will rub off on you. And as you can see below I’ve made my first cooking video. It is useful in this recipe especially because the dholl puri, a Mauritian type of flat bread, is a little tricky to wrap your head around I think without visuals. I hope you’ll take a look at the video and at my youtube channel. And please let me know what you think, and if you have any requests of what you’d like to see on my new youtube channel – simply let me know in the comments!
The dholl puri is a kind of Indian-Mauritian bread which traditionally is made with wheat flour and you can find it at market stalls sold as a wrap with bean curry and Mauritian chilli paste. As I’m intolerant to gluten, rather than allergic, I can allow myself to have a little once in a while without any major complications in the diestion department. However cooking at home I make it a habit to only use tingredients I know will not affect my diestion negatively.
Therefore I’ve changed the original recipe that lovely Roti who you can see in the video kindly taught me. I use an all-purpose gluten free flour in this recipe, a little different from my day to day flours like buckwheat and brown rice but needed to create a similar taste and texture. The bread is a little more dense than the wheat one which is suspected using gluten free flours but still delicious to scoop up the butter bean curry with.
The curry is traditionally Indian-Mauritian and Roti helped me get the flavours just right. Although eating out her in Mauritius the curries are rarely hot and spicy and usually served with a chilli paste on the side. I decided to make a more hot and spicy version using a medium hot masala curry powder recommended to me by Roti. The french influence on the island I think shine through in the use of thyme in the curry and I like this addition, it makes it a little different from other curries I’ve had the pleasure of trying.
Finally, I have not added any additional vegetables to the mix but this recipe will allow for a variety of vegetables in my opinion. Carrots, bell pepper, peas, green beans, cauliflower, the list can go on. Get creative with what’s on offer this season where you are located and enjoy the heat!
MAURITIAN BUTTER BEAN CURRY W. DHOLL PURI
PORTIONS: 4-5 portions / TIME: 90 min
1/2 cup yellow split peas + 1 1/2 cups water
1 tsp turmeric
3 cups all purpose gluten free flour (I like Bob’s Mill)
Roughly 1 cup warm water (use water drained from split peas first)
4 tbsp coconut oil
1/3 cup cooking oil (i.e. good quality rapeseed oil)
1 tbsp brown rice syrup
Pinch of salt
2 butter bean cans or equivalent dried and cooked (if cooking your own save the water and use instead of water in the curry)
2 brown onions, sliced
1-2 chilli peppers, halved
2 tomatoes, finely diced
1 inch fresh ginger, grated
4-5 garlic cloves, minced
4 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
4 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
2 tbsp fresh thyme, leaves
2-3 tbsp curry powder (consider droping the frsh chilli if powder has chilli)
1-2 tbsp arrow root powder
Water
Bring yellow split peas and water to a boil with a teaspoon of turmeric. Let simmer on a medium heat for roughly 20-25 min or until you can crush a split pea with gentle pressure between your fingers. Drain, keeping the water for the flat bread dough and leave to cool. Once cool use a hand blender or food processor to process cooked split peas into a dry paste which will crumble when mixed (see video). Leave to one side.
Place the flour into a bowl and mix with a generous pinch of salt. Then start adding the warm split pea water/water little by little working it into the flour. After adding about half a cup of water add the coconut oil and brown rice syrup and work into the dough. Keep adding water until it forms a semi-soft dough (see video).
It’s best to roll the bread out straight away followed by frying in a steady flow, therefore it’s great to be two people for the next steps- one rolling and one frying. For the rolling it’s great to keep some oil and flour at hand and use as you see fit to keep the dough pliable / not too sticky.
Roll some dough into a ball, it will make roughly 15 equal sized balls in total. Make a round out of the ball, roughly a cm thick. Cup your hand and place the dough round into it making the round into a little bowl. Place roughly 1/2-1 tsp of the split pea paste grinds into it, and then close the bowl gently capsulating the split pea mixture inside.
Place a little flour on a flat surface and place the ball on the surface. Dab with a little flour and roll out gently with a rolling pin, flipping the bread a couple of times in the process. Use some cling film to help with rolling if you find that your bread sticks or breaks. The bread should be roughly 10 cm in diameter and rather thin when ready for frying. (Remember that using gluten free flours is tricky and you need to take extra care keeping the dough moist throughout the process.)
Heat a frying pan to a medium low heat and a dd a little oil using a baking brush or a little kitchen paper. Place the bread into the pan and brush/dab a little oil onto the side facing up before flipping it over and repeating the brushing/dabbing. Flip as you see fit until little brown spots appear on the surface of the bread. Keep rolling out and frying, keeping the cooked breads closed into a little kitchen foil to preserve the heat and keep moist.
Repeat with the rest of the balls (see video for visual).
Making the curry can be started whilst the split peas are cooking or it can be left until the bread is done if that is easier. Start by browning the sliced onion and halved chilli peppers in a little cooking oil and a pinch of salt on medium heat, roughly 2-3 minutes.
Add tomato, giner and garlic as well as a splash of water and let simmer away until tomatoes are soft and look mixed into the rest of the ingredients.
Then add canned/cooked beans, curry powder, fresh herbs (or dried) and water to cover by roughly and inch. Let simmer on a medium heat for about 15 min, stir as needed.
Add fresh herbs and check whether youd like your curry a little thicker. If so mix arrow root powder with a little water before adding the mixture to the pot. Mix it in and let simmer again for roughly 5-10 min. You can also give it a taste and see if you require more salt, heat or herbs and add as you see fit.
Serve with some fresh chopped coriander and some plant yoghurt if you want to stifle the heat.
HERBED POTATO SALAD W. CHICKPEAS AND SUNDRIED TOMATO
Greetings from Mauritius! I wish I could wrap the atmosphere of this island into little packets and send to you all, it is such a stunning place. However I managed to catch Rob’s airplane cold (of course) and have not been able to fully enjoy paradise just yet, but I still have a little more than a week to fully indulge in the sun. Which is exactly what I intend to do! Anyway, out of something bad comes good and whilst I’ve been staying out of the sun I’ve had a lot of time to create and test new recipes to share with you all. Yay! And we have a very big bright kitchen which makes cooking a lot more fun and photographing a whole lot easier. I hope you see the new found joy this has brought me in the images of this post.
First out from the Mauritian kitchen is this potato salad with all the best trimmings like chickpeas, herbs, sundried tomatoes, walnuts and apple. It’s not at all like the kind of potato salad I had growing up but since I started cooking for myself I enjoy this lighter kind of salad. This particular version I made when I was here last time in April, coming back here sparked my memory and I’m glad it did! It might not be the most wintery of recipes but I think it’s a pretty versatile dish and if you prepare it whilst the potatoes are hot it will be warm, which is my favourite way to have it either way. The ingredients should be readily available in most places at this time of year and most of them are staples which means they’re rather inexpensive making this recipe a good budget option. It’s also great for a packed lunch with a dollop of houmous, can’t go wrong with that as a perk.
To wrap things up I wanted to let you all know that I’m going to be posting regularly ones a week from now on and next week is going to get pretty exciting (at least I think so, haha) as I have been filming videos of new as well as old recipes to share with you guys here via YouTube. It’s something I’ve been thinking about putting together for a long time and I’m so happy that I finally have, now I’m bursting to start sharing it. But until next week you’re going to have to wait in excitement as you munch on your potato salad (okay, I might be projecting).
Finally, if you guys have any questions about Mauritius or requests of things you’d like to see here on the blog – please leave me a comment! x
HERBED POTATO SALAD
PORTIONS: 4 portions / TIME: 25 min
8 medium firm potatoes
1 heaped cup cooked/canned chickpeas
1 apple, cut into matchsticks
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 cup parsley leaves, loosely packed
8 sundried tomatoes, roughly chopped
2-3 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
1/3 cup walnuts
1 small head lettuce, or other leafy greens
Olive oil, juice from one lemon, salt and pepper
Clean and boil the potatoes. Ones cooked through cut into cubes, I like to do this whilst they are still hot for a warm salad.
Whilst potatoes are cooking prepare herbs, tomatoes, apple and onion, mix it all up in a bowl. Dress with lemon juice and olive oil and set aside.
Layer your lettuce leaves or greens in a serving bowl.
Add the cubed potatoes to your salad mix and add more oil if needed. Season with salt and pepper.
Place the mixture on top of your leaves/greens and sprinkle with walnuts.
Serve!
MY LONDON: THE COMPLETE(LY VEGAN) GUIDE
I have been thinking about writing this post for a very, very long time but it always seemed such a beastly task to bite into. But, in the last few weeks as I have been packing up Rob’s and my room in London I thought I really must write about all the places I love in London once and for all, for you! London is such a giant city and it can be a little tricky to navigate as a vegan until you find your bearings, especially if you struggle with gluten as well. The city really has a lot to offer though and I hope this post can inspire you on your visit. And if you live there I really hope I can add to your collection of treasures. If you have any favourites that I’ve missed please share with us in the comments!
To make this guide a little easier to follow I have made sections based on where the places are located. We often speak about ‘central’, ‘east’, ‘west’ et cetera in London so that’s the way you can navigate below. There are mainly eateries as that is my top hobby but I have also added a couple of shops worth visiting and a few places where I like to practice yoga.
But before you dig into the all that London has offered me, here are some things to make your visit more fun (and easy):
- Take the bus sometimes to enjoy the views, and in general try not to travel during rush hour.
- All museums are free in London, take advantage!
- Some health food chains: Planet Organic, Whole Foods, Holland and Barrett.
- Some chains offering descent options for desperate times: Busaba Eathai, Nando’s, Leon, Pret A Manger, Crussh, Pizza Express (gf and vegan option).
Now that you know what’s up, let’s get going and enjoy the wonderful and historical (and very smoggy) city that is London!
1, Taking photos in my local neighbourhood. 2, A bus ride in east London.
EAST LONDON
I start in the east because that was my home and my base. I ironically lived on Bacon Street in Shoreditch, which is just off the very busy one way street; Brick Lane where you will find a very popular vintage and food market each Sunday. The east is in general rather hip and trendy. In Shoreditch you will find a lot of shopping opportunities and pretty good people watching. Don’t simply get stuck in Shoreditch though, most of the east is rapidly changing and there’s always interesting events and pop ups coming and going all around.
EAT AND DRINK
Tiosk
33 Broadway Market.
If you read this blog frequently you will have heard of this place before as I did a whole post about it here. This place is my favourite lunch spot with nourishing salads, homemade vegan patties, soups and delicious grilled portobello mushrooms on toast with tahini and avocado. They don’t only make mouthwatering food but also serve some of the finest tea in London which they brew for you with care and precision, if you’re not so much into tea try their matcha or chai latte!
The Hive Wellbeing
286-290 Cambridge Heath Road.
This place offers good juices and smoothies and a completely vegan lunch and evening tapas menu (except for the fact that their concept is based on honey which they serve, I find this a little odd). It is a great space with a lot of light and good but light meals and nice muffins and cakes for dessert or a sweet treat with your tea.
Otto Lenghi Spitalfields
50 Artillery Lane.
This is not somewhere you’d go every day, unless you have a lot of pounds in your pocket that is. But it is one of the homes of chef Yotam Ottolenghi’s deliciously inspired food. Enjoy well seasoned and balanced vegetable and pulse dishes and if you do eat bread they serve the most amazing bread here. Unfortunately none of the famous pastries are vegan but at least have a look at them – they are lovely looking!
Oi Hanoi
91 Whitechapel High Street.
This Vietnamese restaurant is quite small but offers a delicious vegan Pho as well as a very good curry with tofu and vegetables. I myself have only had takeaway from this place but it looks like a sweet place with helpful staff. I highly recommend this place if you enjoy Vietnamese food.
Andu Cafe
528 Kingsland Road.
Love Ethiopian food? Me too! This is a small place which has seen better days but the food is all vegan, delicious and served with traditional injera flatbread. Great value for money and a seat by the window will offer some good people watching.
1-3, Tiosk. 4-6, The Hive Wellbeing. 7, Andu Cafe. 8, Harvest E8.
Franze and Evans
101 Redchurch Street.
This place is not the most vegan friendly as a whole but a great option if your looking for a good salad. Choose between an array of grain, pulse, vegetable and fruit concoctions to fill your plate. Do ask which salads are vegan before ordering though, don’t want to end up with something you will not eat!
Arepa & Co.
58A De Beauvoir Crescent.
Find this Venezuelan restaurant right on Regent’s Canal, close to Haggerston overground station. This is another place I’ve written a whole blog post about here. Enjoy their arepa with roasted vegetables or black beans and plantains along with some cassave/yuca chips. It’s a delicious meal in a lovely location!
The Stringray Globe Cafe
109 Columbia Road.
This is a pub come restaurant serving up gluten free pizza and pasta on demand with various toppings. I love the pasta arrabiata here more than the pizza but this place is a people pleaser where (more or less) everyone can be content no matter their choice of diet. It is dark and cosy which is perfect for the winter months, with decent outside seating perfect for the warmer parts of the year.
Rochelle Canteen
Rochelle School in Arnold Circus, Shoreditch.
This place is almost as secret as it gets. You have to know it’s there or you’re never going to guess it is. Ring the bell of the Rochelle School at Arnold Circus in Shoreditch and enjoy a lovely seasonal meal. They do not always have vegan options although they usually do, either way they are very accommodating so just let them know and they’ll fix something up for you. If you’re coming towards the end of the week definitely make a reservation!
FED by Water
64 Kingsland High Street.
Gotta love pasta and these guys don’t mess around! I really enjoy their mushroom, sundried tomato and walnut pasta. They offer rice and quinoa pasta at an extra charge, just let them know. They also make pizza with vegan cheese, as well as salads and a bunch of other things. This is not a vegetarian/vegan restaurant but has lots of options for us whilst they keep our non-vegan friends and family happy in other ways.
1, Shot taken on Hackney Road. 2-3, Rochelle Canteen. 4-5, FED by Water. 6, Arepa & Co.
Gujarati Rasoi
10C Bradbury Street.
Offering up traditional vegetarian Gujarati dishes with many vegan options this is a place I wish I had visited more during my time in London. Great for an involved family meal or dinner out with friends where you can share the different curries and various street food inspired dishes like chaat. It has a lovely local atmosphere and friendly staff. Highly recommended!
The Gallery Cafe
21 Old Ford Road.
If you are after a typically English experience made vegan this is your place. They offer vegan fry ups for breakfast as well as other dishes of course, all vegetarian and some vegan. I enjoy their scrambled tofu with mushrooms and spinach. There are also various lunch dishes on the menu and cakes for your tea.
Box Park
2-10 Bethnal Green Road.
Box Park is a great place to meet up with friends who might not share your idea of what good food is as it is more or less like an open air (with covered spaces too) food court where some of the most appreciated fast food places in Lodnon have gathered to satisfy hungry Londoners. I recommend grabbing a fresh juice from East London Juice Company downstairs and bringing it upstairs for some delicious noodle soup at Cook Daily, an all vegan shop with lots of different curries, or a heaped salad bowl and gluten free falafel from Falafelicious. Also check out the pop up shops, my favourite is Decorum.
Hoi Polloi
100 Shoreditch High Street.
This is the resident restaurant of the Ace Hotel in Shoreditch, it’s open all day long. The staff are very helpful and the restaurant happily help you find a vegan dish on the menu even though there are very few or none written in the card. I love their buckwheat risotto as well as the garlic kale side dish. If you visit before 5 pm you can enjoy fresh cold pressed juice from the sister store Lovage.
Beyond Retro Cafe Dalston
92-100 Stoke Newington Road.
I enjoyed visiting this cafe for some tea after my Saturday visit to Growing Communities Farmer’s Market in Stoke Newington. They serve tasty salads for lunch with usually 2-3 vegan options. A great place to have a pit stop if you’re in the area. Rob has approved the coffee here as well.
Box Park with food from Cook Daily and juice by East London Juice Company.
DO AND SEE
The Geffrye Museum of the Home
136 Kingsland Road.
This museum is great if you enjoy home decor, design and history as it takes you through a few hundred years of British homes. You can see items from various eras and there are periodically furnished sitting/living rooms as well with descriptions of what might have gone on there back in the day. It is a reasonably sized exhibition which brings me a lot of joy.
Rich Mix
35-47 Bethnal Green Road.
Rich Mix is a live events and a movie theatre. It’s conveniently located just a stone’s throw from Shoreditch High Street with lots of things happening each week; dance, performance, music and of course film screenings.
Whitechapel Gallery
77-82 Whitechapel High Street.
A big gallery with lots of interesting exhibitions each year! They also have a restaurant, cafe and arts book store.
Columbia Road Flower Market
Columbia Road.
Each Sunday you will find a bustling flower market on Columbia Road. There are not only lots of flowers but lots of people too so if you’re not a fan of crowds visit early in the morning.
Victoria Park and Regent’s Canal
If you enjoy some greenery on your city visits I would recommend a walk, or if you’re perky a run, in Victoria Park. I like to visit the park and after head up Regent’s Canal towards Islington for the lovely scenery. There are also quite a few nice cafes on the canal and you can reach Arepa and Co. on that walk close to the Kingsland lock.
1-5, Regent’s Canal between Victoria Park and Broadway Maket with canal vendor. 6-8, Columbia Road Flower Market.
YOGA
Stretch
59 Columbia Road (and 6 Ada Street).
I enjoyed visiting the Stretch studio on Columbia Road, never actually made it to the one on Ada Street. The intimacy of the Columbia Road studio made me feel very comfortable and I always felt relaxed in the classes. The instructors/teachers are professional and inspiring at the same time as they give you space to do what you need to do. My favourite classes are with Carl Faure and Steffy White.
Yoga on the Lane
105 Shacklewell Lane.
This studio is lovely and I can’t recommend a visit more. The look and vibe is great, very welcoming. I enjoyed practising with Naomi Reynolds on a Friday evening which is a semi-restorative class as well as the dynamic classes with Clare Dobson.
The Refinery
14 Collent Street.
The Refinery is quite a new space with a few studios and many different types of classes, both yoga and others. I myself enjoyed the Jivamukti class with Luis Valentine but have heard good things about the Yoga Nidra as well. It is a trendy place but don’t be scared off, the staff and instructors are very friendly and inviting.
1-4, Yoga on the Lane. 5, The Refinery.
CENTRAL LONDON
The core of London with lots of busy shops, and busy people. If you enjoy feeling the pulse of a city you need to go to the centre of course, as well as if you want to see some of the main tourist attractions. Personally I enjoy experiencing this area in the morning before the main bulk of tourists get up and out with a clear plan in mind, but if you’re a bit more chilled out you will have a blast exploring and people watching!
EAT AND DRINK
Mildred’s
45 Lexington Street.
Close to popular Carnaby street you will find this equally popular vegetarian restaurant. They have quite a few vegan options but my recommendation would be the Sri Lankan curry. They serve a variety of common dishes like burgers and sausages but also offer a salad bar and more exotic dishes like the curry. I’d say this is a place most people would enjoy.
26 Grains
Neal’s Yard, Covent Garden.
A porridge cafe in the vegan’s heart of Covent Garden, Neal’s Yard. It is not a vegetarian/vegan cafe but they have a handful of vegan and veganisable dishes all based on various grains. I’ve only been for breakfast which was yummy, I had pistachio, coyo and caramel pear topped oats cooked in coconut milk. They do have savoury variations served from noon though which sounded very promising.
The Wild Food Cafe
Neal’s Yard, Covent Garden.
Another Neal’s Yard gem serving an array of raw food dishes, smoothies and juices. I love their raw pizza and there are other people pleasers like the raw burger and ‘BLT’ but they do more inventive specials every week. Their raw cakes are also something you mustn’t miss!
Lab Organic
58 Neal Street.
A small and rather clinical juice bar which I’d recommend as a grab and go kind of place. They offer a wide variety of juices and nut milks made daily along with little pots of salads and treats already packaged for a convenient take away snack or lunch.
Ethos
48 Eastcastle Street.
I’ve written a complete post about this place here and would recommend it for a lunch break spot. Choose from the cold and hot dish buffet and pay by weight before grabbing a seat in the Scandinavian inspired restaurant. You can definitely find some really tasty salads and warm complimentary dishes to fill your plate with but I’d recommend being aware of how much you plate up as it can get expensive.
Tibits
12-14 Heddon Street.
Another pay by weight restaurant conveniently located close to Oxford street, Oxford Circus and Regent Street where all the tourist gather each day to shop until they drop. It is a vegetarian place with many vegan and gluten free options; both salads and cold food as well as warm dishes. A good mix between grains, pulses and vegetables but they also offer some more fast food looking items which I find less appetising. I think they have something to please most people’s palate though!
Vanilla Black
17-18 Took’s Court.
This is for the fine diner in you and it’s all vegetarian with a separate vegan menu. The dishes are creative and look pretty amazing when they’re put in front of you. It is not my personal London favourite but if you are celebrating an occasion or enjoy a fine dining experience this is the place to go.
1, Wild Food Cafe. 2, Victoria Park. 3-5, 26 Grains. 6-7, Vanilla Black.
DO AND SEE
The British Museum
Great Russell Street.
A giant museum with a beautiful glass ceiling in the court yard. This is the place for the history lovers but there really is something for everyone to enjoy here with items and stories from almost any place and time period you can imagine.
The ICA
The Mall.
As you take the beautiful walk up the mall to the queen’s home you mustn’t miss topping by the Institue of Contemporary Arts. It’s a very light and bright space with various exhibitions and fares throughout the year. They also have a movie theatre screening fringe cinema for the curious.
The Royal Academy of the Arts
Burlington House, Picadilly.
Looking for a heavy weight exhibition this is a place to keep on your radar (along with Tate Modern of course). I enjoyed the Ai Weiwei exhibition here this year and it is a lovely exhibition space with a lot on offer.
Rob at the British Museum.
NORTH LONDON
Like any other part of London the north has a very varied demographic but I’d say it’s a little bit more grown-up and with that comes higher prices too, of course. Camden is maybe a little bit of an exception though and I enjoy spending time in Stoke Newington too where you’ll find my former local farmer’s market.
EAT AND DRINK
Manna
4 Erskine Road.
I think this is probably a bit of an institution for vegetarians/vegans in London and it’s definitely worth a visit. Set in rather posh Primrose Hill it’s great for a dinner and a stroll around the area before/after.
Itadaki Zen
139 King’s Cross Road.
This is a place I wish I had discovered much earlier as it ticked all of my boxes for a good lunch. They serve dinner as well and I’m bummed I didn’t manage to try it before moving, but on my return I will definitely be back at this place. Enjoy this completely vegan and organic Japanese restaurant a little extra when you visit for me!
Inspiral Lounge
250 Camden High Street.
Lots of juices, smoothies, veggie food and raw cakes right in the middle of Camden. Set right next to the canal it’s a nice place to stop for lunch or dinner after a day exploring in Camden, the former home of Amy Winehouse and many other musicians.
The Gate
370 St John Street.
This restaurant is vegetarian but has various vegan options. It has a cosy and almost a ‘pubby’ feel but definitely don’t serve pub food. I’d recommend coming here before/after a visit to dance stage Sadler’s Wells.
1-4, Itadaki Zen. 5 and 7, Inspiral Lounge. 6, Wild flowers at Columbia Road Flower Market.
Rasa
55 Stoke Newington Church Street.
In Stoke Newington you’ll find this all vegetarian Indian restaurant which has had quite a lot of good press in its day. It is a very pink experience which I enjoy in a usually quite grey London, and the south east Indian food is very yummy.
Bodega 50
50 Allen Road.
This cafe is a little off the beaten track but that’s part of its charm as you feel very undisturbed by the bustle of the city. It is hidden away on a residential road in Stoke Newington and serves only vegan food except for some croissants. Enjoy simple lunch dishes like sandwiches (on amazing looking sourdough), salads, soups and stews along with smoothis, juices, teas and according to Rob good coffee.
Growing Communities Farmers’ Market
St Pauls Church, Stoke Newington.
This was my closest farmer’s market and it never disappoints. If you’re staying in an AirBnb during your visit somewhere in the area you should grab your vegetables here on Saturdays between 10 am and 2 pm. They also offer a vegan fry up breakfast or Turkish Gozleme – just order it without the cheese.
1-2, Rasa. 3-6, Bodega 50.
DO AND SEE
Sadler’s Wells
Rosebery Avenue.
A great dance venue with many world famous choreographer’s work on every month. I love a little bit of cultural flare and this is my favourite place to get that box ticked. Enjoy!
The Third Estate
27 Brecknock Road.
This is a completely vegan and ethically aware fashion store with lots and lots of shoes. You will also find both men’s and women’s clothes as well as accessories like hand bags and wallets. It’s a little off the beaten track but well worth a visit for the dedicated vegan.
Made in Hackney Comunity Kitchen
3 Cazenove Road.
I did a six week course at this community kitchen which I wrote all about here but I’m mentioning it in this guide as they also offer many cooking workshops that just stretch a couple of hours to a day. Many of them are vegan and I was sad to leave before I could do more classes here, maybe when I visit next!
The Third Estate.
WEST LONDON
The home of the richies. Well not only but the central parts of the west are very posh. If you like to stroll around looking at beautiful houses you can do that in some of the West and if you enjoy luxury shopping than Knightsbridge is awaiting you. My favourite raw food restaurant is located in Notting Hill which is a very popular area with tourists and locals alike with a well known market and many boutiques.
EAT AND DRINK
Nama Artisan Raw Food
110 Talbot Road.
Enjoy this lovely raw food restaurant, it’s my favourite in London. Friendly staff and yummy food. Try the fermented blueberry cheesecake, it’s delicious! Find a complete post about Nama here.
The Good Earth
233 Brompton Road.
I didn’t know this place existed until Rob’s family brought me for dinner one night. It’s a very fancy Chinese restaurants with the best faux ‘chicken’ I’ve ever had! I know that’s not everyone’s cup of tea and I get it, it’s not usually my thing either. But! Good Earth is worth it. Try their carrot juice too, I think they must pick their carrots very carefully because it’s delicious. And one more thing, bring a sleeve because for some reason the AC in there is like the arctic winds.
Nama Artisan Raw Food.
DO AND SEE
Victoria and Albert Museum
Cromwell Road.
This museum is very well known as quite a few I’ve mentioned so far but this is another one definitely worth your time and the seasonal exhibitions worth your money. If you are interested in fashion you should keep your eye on the programme as the V&A in the last couple of years have hosted quite a few exhibitions focussing on iconic fashion designers.
Portobello Road Market
Portobello Road, Notting Hill.
A fun market with lots of antiques and vintage. It’s in quite a picturesque part of London, and a little grand too in some places. My visitors always enjoyed coming on a sunny afternoon.
SOUTH LONDON
Readers, meet the direction where my London journey began! The dance university that brought me to London is situated right in between two very different areas; Greenwich and Deptford. Both with their own and rather different charms. The areas south of the river are on the up but still get quite a bad rep, I always loved it though. It is however not the most vegan friendly but I look forward to sharing what I know with you below.
EAT AND DRINK
Borough Market
8 Southwark Street.
Just South of the river you’ll find this very well known market amongst London foodies. Although I don’t necessarily think it’s the best food market in London I do recommend it to visitors as it has a lovely location and a lot on offer. Try Total Organics juices, smoothies and salads or Gujarati Rasoi’s yummy thali box (yes it’s the same caterers as the restaurant mentioned in the east London section). I always bring home some olives from Borough Olives, try the garlic stuffed for a little punch.
The Waiting Room
142 Deptford High Street.
I used to work at this vegetarian cafe and I loved the community spirit it brought to my life. Deptford might not be on your top places to visit in Lodnon but it is quite a lovely place on a Friday afternoon when the markets on and this place is in full swing. If you enjoy vegan fast food this place is for you! A little disclaimer though, there are almost no gluten free options so be aware.
Frank’s Cafe
132 Southwark Street.
On top of the multi-story car park in Peckham you’ll find this bar/cafe. I’ve only been the one time but it is fantastic in the summer months to catch some rays.
Ganapati South Indian Kitchen
38 Holly Grove.
I visited this restaurant with some friends who recently moved to this part of the city. It is not vegetarian/vegan but offer some delicious options. I loved their dosa!
Greenwich Market
Greenwich Market.
Another place I hold close to my heart as I used to work in another coffee shops in one of the alleys leading into this very market. It’s called Red Door and you should stop by for a mean coffee if you decide to visit. In the market you’ll find a great and completely vegan Ethiopian food stall and on some days there are other vegan options too. Try the sushi it’s another favourite of mine.
1-5, Borough Market. 6, The Thames.
DO AND SEE
The Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Park
Greenwich.
Greenwich is a lovely place to visit full stop with the covered market offering yummy food and fun arts and crafts. The river side is also great for a nice stroll and the park is great too. In the park you will find the Meridian line and at night you can walk up the hill and see the lazer beam showing you exactly where it runs. Great for a lazy (and quite romantic I think) Sunday.
Deptford Market
Deptford High Street.
This is a flea market with gusto. I loved coming here on a Friday afternoon or Saturday morning for a rummage when I lived in the area. This is not for everyone I know, and neither is the area in general but my heart beats for it and maybe yours will too. It’s on every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday with Saturday being the most spectacular.
Laban Dance Centre
Creekside, Deptford.
The last place I will mention in this very long guide is the one place that brought me to London. I spent a lot of hours sweating in this architecturally interesting (but not very practical) building. It is open to the public as a dance venue and has some great choreographer’s sharing their work there every year. If you’re a hardcore dance lover you can also see student shows here or even sign up for classes.
Creamy Cashew and Blackberry Dessert Pot
Finally the day is here when I share the third and last in Anita Goa’s and my three part cooking series on youtube. We’ve done breakfast as well as lunch/dinner but the series would not be complete without dessert so here it is. A creamy cashew cream pudding with blackberries and a crunchy cinnamon and maple syrup topping. Can’t go wrong with either three I think. In this dessert you get creamy, berries and crunch all in one little pot.
As always I use whole foods for my recipe and for sweetness I mainly use rice syrup in this recipe except for the crunchy topping where I add maple syrup to get that lovely maple flavour. During my whole foods macrobiotics course I learned about the alternatives to refined sugars and how they’re not necessarily that much better for us just because they are not granulated and white. Therefore brown rice syrup has become my new confidant in most things sweet. Made from a naturally sweet whole food without to much processing it releases slower into the blood stream than for example agave syrup so if you haven’t tried it yet go get it!
I haven’t shared that many desserts on the blog as of yet and I would love to hear if you’d like more of them? Or what you like to see and read in general? Your comments are a great inspiration so don’t be shy, let me know what you think. Feel free to ask me anything as well (at least almost anything, haha).
And lastly if you didn’t read the last posts of ‘Cooking with Anita’ then you might wonder who this lovely lady is. And I’d love to tell you; Anita is a fitness and yoga instructor with roots in Norway and the United States who is now based here in London. She teaches at The Life Centre in Islington but you can always find her online as she shares great videos on youtube teaching various yoga flows. If you’re interested in learning more about my new found yogi friend you can check out her website here or go straight to her youtube channel right here.
Now, go make some dessert and treat yourself to completely enjoy it in peace and calm or in good company!
PORTIONS: 2-3 portions / TIME: 15 min (+soaking time)
1 handful pecan nuts
1 handful coconut chips
1 tbsp, or more, maple syrup
1 tsp, or more, cinnamon
1 cup cashew nuts, soaked
1/2 cup coconut cream or plant milk
2 tbsp brown rice syrup
2 tsp vanilla powder
2 tbsp lemon juice, optional
150 g blackberries, divided into two (one part for sauce and one part halved)
2 tbsp brown rice syrup
1 tsp grated ginger
Soak cashew nuts over night or during your working day (roughly 8 hours). If you don’t have time for this simply soak the cashews in boiling water for at least 20 min, this will however make your base warm so you will need to chill it before serving.
Place a little oil in a frying pan over low-medium heat and add pecan halves, cinnamon and maple syrup. Ones they are starting to brown a little and are fragrant add coconut chips and let fry for another minute. Take off heat and set aside.
Mix all creamy cashew ingredients in a blender until smooth. Set aside.
Mash half of the blackberries with the ginger and brown rice syrup and add quartered berries and mix. Reserve two berries for garnish.
Layer creamy cashew mixture with your blackberry mixture. Make some swirls using the handle of a teaspoon. Top with maple nuts and garnish with a whole blackberry.
MACROBIOTIC COOKING W. NICKY CLINCH + LEEK AND SHIITAKE SOUP
Over the last six weeks I’ve been immersed in a food journey led by macrobiotic chef and counsellor Nicky Clinch. If you follow me on social media you will have heard about this inspiring woman before but for those of you who haven’t this post will give you a pretty good insight to her work. Work which has made me see things a little, read a lot, differently and opened me up in many ways.
When I started the course I expected to be cooking and learning recipes based on the macrobiotic principles Nicky teach but the course offers more than just cooking and I think the name; ‘Transform your diet, transform your life’ is very suitable as I think my fellow students will agree with. We have been introduced to the energetic properties of food and discussed how they affect us on a daily basis. The fact that food does have a large impact on our emotional life might not come as a big surprise to many of you but finding ways to deal with this phenomenon might be harder to tackle. Nicky is of great expertise in this area and gives advice to suit each student individually.
I’ll explain a little more deeply the structures of the course and what we learned below and at the very bottom you will also find a recipe that Nicky kindly shared with us in class and extend to all you readers now as well. It is a soup, as you know I love soup and this one is a keeper people! Leek, shiitake mushroom and brown rice (or barley).
If you are interested in finding more recipes and reading more about the energetics of food you can find a bunch of good stuff here on Nicky Clinch’s website. Many of my new favourite recipes are tinkered together by Nicky and these polenta, pumpkin and white miso chips have become my main craving ever since we learned to make them in class!
1-2, Nicky Clinch. 3, Nicky’s brunch bowl. 4, Nicky Clinch. 5, Polenta and pumpkin croutons.
NICKY CLINCH AND ‘TRANSFORM YOUR DIET, TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE’
Nicky Clinch trained as a macrobiotic chef and counsellor at The International School of Macrobiotics in Devon here in the UK. She has done further studies in London since at The Concorde Institute of Integral Studies, a place she returns to now and then. Her approach to food reaches deeper than beautiful plant based ingredients and cooking to the energies which they bring us. This is a corner stone of macrobiotics which I have found impacting the way I consider food since I joined Nicky’s course.
Macrobiotics literally translated means ‘Big Life’ and this is the foundation inspiring the principles for living it encourages. The philosophy is based on eating foods which will bring balance to our lives starting with whole grains and adding vegan proteins, vegetables and sea vegetables as well as nuts, seeds and fruits. The idea is also a way of connecting with your environment and therefore eating what is available in your own surroundings, this has inspired me to go to my local farmers’ market and learning more about the seasons and eating according to them.
At the root of these concepts and macrobiotics you will find Yin and Yang, which according to macrobiotics all of life is based upon. Yin brings opening properties whilst Yang offers a contracting energy. Each food we eat, and everything around us, contains these energies. Some more of one and some more of the other which offers our bodies and minds various stimuli. As I am still a baby in the understanding of these principles I don’t want to go too deeply into this subject here but there is lots of great reading to be done out there, of course you can find some good articles on Nicky’s site but I’m can also recommend ‘The Hip Chicks Guide to Macrobiotics’ by Jessica Porter which I’m reading at the moment.
The course as a whole will bring light to the different foods included in a macrobiotic diet and Nicky explains each food groups properties in a comprehensive way teaching you how to incorporate them in a way which is beneficial to each individual. The individual is important to the way Nicky teaches and to macrobiotics itself as we are all different and will be needing different nourishment at different times. Therefore each class is started with a sharing of how the previous week has been and what sensations we’ve had in relation to our new knowledge. Depending on what reflections arise Nicky gives advice and ‘homework’ of small tasks that might help in getting through or figuring out whatever is craving attention.
Cravings themselves are a big discussion point in the classes too as we all have them and society at large often encourage us to suppress them, often leading to the right opposite and an unhealthy relationship to food and eating. ‘Transform your diet, transform your life’ is great for understanding the cravings we have and learning how to feed them consciously and with care and love. Reflecting on our work over the past six weeks I do think this is the root to a healthy relationship to food and to myself. A craving for sugar might not be just that, there is often something more deeply rooted behind our cravings and if we listen well enough we can deal with this root rather than choking it down.
I could speak about the benefits of doing this course for a couple of hours I think but I’m sure you now have an idea of what it’s all about on a philosophical level so I’d like to speak a little more in depth about the food below. But first some practical info about the course; their is one meeting each week over six weeks where different topics are being addressed. The course is set in the evening of a weekday making it easy to juggle alongside work. The meetings are held at Made in Hackney community kitchen which works well if your based in or around east London.
Cooking with Nicky Clinch at the Made in Hackney community kitchen.
THE FOOD
‘Transform your diet, transform your life’ is a great course for laying foundations in your cooking and learning to cook from scratch. The focus being macrobiotics means that the food is cooked with great care to what goes into it and this is always a talking point during the class. It is a healthy approach without being at all depriving or restrictive. The course work is based on plant based whole foods making it available to everyone and Nicky was very sensitive to my gluten intolerance which made me feel welcome and at ease.
Nicky mentioned a few times throughout the course that students often expect fireworks and fine dining cooking when first approaching the course but what it really offers is a solid knowledge base to stand on. Knowledge which will enable successful and nourishing home cooking for the rest of your life if you keep exploring and applying the skills learnt. I’ve already mentioned the ore philosophical work done in the course but understanding those aspects and applying them in everyday cooking makes all the difference and I find also brings a lot of creativity to the cooking Nicky offers on the course.
In the first week we discussed foundations of macrobiotics and made stock from scratch and a nourishing soup based on that stock. A simple recipe kick starting our new way of cooking which was followed by an array of cooking techniques and recipes based on themes like; whole grains, vegan proteins, vegetables and sea vegetables, desserts and party foods. When we got towards the end and the desserts class I think we all embraced it wholeheartedly realising how amazing natural, seasonal and locally sourced foods really are paired with some cooking skills and creativity.
Nicky mainly uses foods most of us have heard of and maybe even tried and the vegetables being local and seasonal were often familiar. It’s the way she uses them and brings them together to make delicious food that is at the core of this course. When using more rare foods, to us in the Western world, like seaweeds she will explain in detail their benefits and how to deal with them in a successful way. This opened up new doors for me and I find myself incorporating foods in my cooking I never paid attention to before.
The classes are usually a feast for all the senses and at the end there’s a feast of lovely food to share with the other students, a beautiful way to round of an intense evening in the kitchen. Enjoy dishes like buckwheat and sweet potato burgers, polenta, pumkin and miso chips, berry mousse and muffins cooked with love and enjoy the fact that they are nourishing your whole being. If you get the chance to attend this course I’d say you’re very lucky and in for a treat, to find out more about Nicky’s upcoming courses click here. I know that she has a new “Transform your diet, transform your life’ coming up on the 5th of November with a couple of spaces left to fill so take this opportunity to dive straight in!
1, Chocolate and pear muffins. 2, Millet, ginger and lime pudding w. blackberry compote. 3, White cashew chocolate hearts. 4, Berry mousse.
MY SIX WEEK JOURNEY
I wanted to share with you on a more personal level in this post because taking Nicky’s course didn’t just provide me with fantastic recipes I can cook up when I feel like it also affected me on a deeper level. Prior to starting the course I was feeling a little lost in life and was doubting myself a lot in almost everything I did. This was obviously not a very good place to be. I was starting to feel emotionally numb; as if I couldn’t really feel what I actually felt leading to much confusion as to what I want in life and how I I’m going to get there. I thought: ‘If I can’t even figure out what I want, how am I ever going to figure out how I can get there?’.
I was getting into quite a negative thought spiral when I had my first class with Nicky and my lovely co-students. When I was asked to set an intention all I could wish for was to enjoy myself and not judge what I do. You see, when getting into a negative thought pattern nothing really feels much fun and it’s easy to compare yourself to others in a negative way when you don’t see the good things within you. I’m sure I’m not alone in feeling this from time to time and that’s why I thought it is important for me to share with you what really goes on underneath beautiful photos and delicious food.
I started off there and as the weeks went on and we were asked to reflect on our relationships at large; to ourselves, people around us and to food I started being able to see things more clearly. I found patterns within my confused mind and was able to sort things out into more clear paths where I could actually verbalise what it is that I want and also what it is that I need. What I need from myself, from others and from food – to truly nourish myself in all aspects of life.
Of course the path to the start of what I think of as a sort of self-enlightenment wasn’t all that smooth. At first I just went about making changes on a very basic level, like cutting out exotic fruits for example, just so try something new and to see where that took me. Then my reflections got deeper and I started really exploring what was underlying certain thoughts and cravings. Then one day I cried, something I used to do quite a lot but that seemed to have been blocked along with all the other emotional outlets.
When that block popped open I also started laughing more and is crying felt good then laughing from the very bottom of my heart felt a thousand times better. I’m now at a place where I’m starting to feel with an open heart and I’m also starting to be able to express what was hidden within it; my dreams, hopes, wants and needs. The course provided me with an opening and a new beginning, through the energy of food as well as the energy and power of reflection and sharing.
Me sharing my journey during these weeks will of course not guarantee that you will have some sort of major life changing experience during Nicky’s course but I think that if you were open to it and really follow her advice you can. I’d also like to add that just before I started taking Nicky’s classes I took up exercise, something I hadn’t done in a long time. I mainly did yoga during the course, both dynamic (yang) and restorative (yin), which I think aided me in my process of opening up to living.
With that said, thank you very much for reading this monster of a post! I really hope you enjoyed reading it and are a bit more interested in finding out more about Nicky and her course. I also hope that you enjoyed the more personal touch to it, please let me know if you’d like more of that!
Now scroll a little further to find one of Nicky’s delicious recipes!
1, Margherita pizzas. 2, Brown rice sushi rolls.
BARLEY/BROWN RICE, LEEK AND SHIITAKE SOUP
This soup is one of my all time favourites. Energetically it is particularly great for unlocking blocked or stuck Liver energy which is the energy that allows us to express ourselves more clearly, openly and directly. It is the house of our creative inspiration and when flowing smoothly allows us to see clearly new possibilities and come up with great new creative ideas and ventures. Unfortunately though if we are not fully expressing ourselves, holding in emotions, not using our authentic voice, carrying unexpressed anger as well as eating heavily salty, oily, sugary and fatty foods and animal based foods, it can get very blocked. Leading us to feel stuck in our lives and ourselves, as well as feeling of angry and frustrated. This soup is light, opening and delicious and has an amazing emotionally calming feel to it – whenever I eat it I feel instantly soothed, calm and nourished.
– Nicky Clinch
PORTIONS: 4-5 portion / TIME: 30-60 min (depending on grain)
2 spring onions or a small bunch of chives, sliced
2 large leeks, thinly sliced
3/4 cup barley or brown rice, soaked or leftover
6 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
Vegetable stock or water + 2 tsp vegetable boullion powder
Frying oil, such as sesame oil (or good quality sunflower oil)
2-3 tbsp white miso paste
Soak your grain over night or for at least 2-3 hours. Cook the barley or brown rice with 1 1/2 cups water and a strip of kombu seaweed. Cover with a lid and simply bring it to a boil and then turn down to a simmer until all the water has been retained by the grain. You could also use leftover barley/rice in which case you just leave this step out of course.
Thinly slice the leeks all the way to the top and fry them in sesame oil on a low/medium heat for a minute. Add a pinch of salt, mix and cover with a lid and let the leeks sweat until soft and the white parts are translucent.
Add vegetable stock or water and boullion powder as well as sliced shiitake mushrooms and bring to a boil. Add the rice and turn heat down to a medium simmer and leave the soup to cook for 15-20 min or until the mushrooms are soft.
Take off the heat and add salt and white miso paste until the soup has your preferred flavour.
Sprinkle with spring onions/chives and a drizzle of toasted sesame oil if you wish,
Mexican Inspired Balance Bowl
Today the second video of the three part series I made cooking with Anita Goa is live on youtube. I really hope you enjoyed the first one and are as excited as I am for this next one. The recipe I made for the episode is a Mexican inspired dish with brown rice, a black bean paste and last but not least a fresh salad to complement this. As I came up with the recipe cucumber, peppers and tomatoes were in their high season but unfortunately they’re doing their very last stretch here in the UK so get making this asap.
The recipe is super simple although it might seem as if it has many ingredients. Don’t worry! Most of them are chopped quickly and easily and then either added to a salad or a one pan black bean mixture. This mysterious pasty mixture is really delicious but I struggle coming up with a good description for it so if you can think of a good word to describe it please let me know! It is a tomato based mixture with chilli, onion and spices inspired by Mexican cooking.
And lastly if you didn’t read the last post of cooking with Anita then you might wonder who this lovely lady is. And I’d love to tell you; Anita is a fitness and yoga instructor with roots in Norway and the United States who is now based here in London. She teaches at The Life Centre in Islington but you can always find her online as she shares great videos on youtube teaching various yoga flows. If you’re interested in learning more about my new found yogi friend you can check out her website here or go straight to her youtube channel right here.
PORTIONS: 3 portions / TIME: 35-45 min (+soaking time)
3/4 cup shortgrain brown rice
1 brown onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 small strong chilli pepper or 1-2 jalapeno peppers, finely chopped
1 large tomato, diced
1 1/2 cup black beans, cooked or canned
3 tbsp tomato puree
1 heaped tsp cumin
1 heaped tsp smoked paprika
3 dashes cinnamon
Salt and pepper
1 corn on the cob (or equivalent), kernels
2 tomatoes, diced
1 small bell pepper
1/3 cucumber, diced
1/4 cup fresh coriander, leaves roughly chopped
1/2-1 lime, juice
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
Serving options: soya or other plant yoghurt, canned jalapenos and coriander
Soak rice for at least 2-3 hours or the simpest way is to leave it over night or during the working day. Once soaked and ready to be cooked drain and rinse. Place some oil into a sauce pan over medium heat and add rice. Coat the rice with the oil and fry for a minute. Then add double the amount of water as rice (1 1/2 cup), cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Ones boiling turn to low and let simmer until all of the water has evaporated, roughly 30 min.
Prepare all vegetables and mix in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and lime juice. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Place a frying pan over medium heat, add oil, chopped onion as well as salt and pepper, fry until translucent. Add garlic and chilli, fry for a minute and then add spices. Combine and leave for another minute until fragrant. Add tomato, beans and tomato puree. Let all the ingredients get hot, keep mixing so nothing catches. When the juices are leaking from the tomatoes start to mash roughly half of the beans with a wooden spoon. Ones the mixture is gently combined remove from heat.
Place rice, bean mixture and salad into a bowl. Drizzle with soya yoghurt, add jalapenos and coriander.
COOKING W. ANITA GOA ON YOUTUBE: SOAKED OATS AND SPICED PLUMS
I met Anita Goa at a bloggers brunch last December and the making of a video for her YouTube channel was discussed but we never got around to it. Until now! And I’m very excited to introduce you to this whimsically wonderful lady as she will be sharing a three part cooking series featuring yours truly over the next couple of weeks.
Anita is a yogi and fitness instructor who shares a (huge) range of yoga flows on her YouTube channel along with various yogi tips and tricks, fitness videos and her life philosophy. She has also made a few cooking videos sharing her favourite foods and especially juices so make sure you check some of her other videos out too. I love doing her ‘Stiff in the morning’ flows! You can find all Anita’s videos here.
Now to the food and the first episode in the series about one of my favourite easy to make fuss-free breakfasts; soaked or over night oats. It will litterally take you 3-5 minutes to whip this up before going to bed and it will be waiting for you in the fridge when you wake up – ready to be devoured!
I also added the recipe and instructions to my new topping addiction for this new autumn season and it is warm spiced plums. They are also very easy to make and if you don’t have time to fuss about the kitchen in the morning prepare them the night before and make a bigger batch so it lasts you a few days. The only difference will be that they’re cold instead of hot but they will still add that tart yet sweet and spicy flavour to your oats.
Enjoy the video and recipe, and please let me know if you’d buy diazepam from trusted pharmacy like me to make more videos for you guys!
PORTIONS: 2 portions / TIME: 5 + 10 min
1 cup oats
1 1/4 cup almond milk (or other plant milk)
1 tsp vanilla powder, optional
1 tsp cinnamon, optional
1 tsp – 1 tbsp brown rice syrup, optional
5-10 plums, depending on their size
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp (or more) freshly grated ginger or powdered ginger
1-2 tbsp brown rice syrup
A few drops frying oil (like coconut- or rapeseed oil)
Mix oats, vanilla and cinnamon in a bowl. Then add almond milk, mix and let set in the fridge over night or for at least half an hour.
Halve plums and place them in a bowl with spices, grated ginger and sweetener. Then mix it all up before heating up a pan with a couple of drops oil, coconut oil or rapeseed oil will work. Place plums cut side down in the pan and cook on medium heat until the juices are leaking out, roughly 5 minutes.
Place oatmeal in a bowl or if you make it in a jar as demonstrated in the video simply leave it in there, drizzle nut butter on top as well as plums and seeds/nuts/coconut chips.
Optional toppings: nut butter, nuts, seeds, coconut chips and if not making the plums you could add fruits, berries or dried fruit as well
TRAVEL: A SHORT GUIDE TO BUDAPEST AND HUNGARIAN BEAN SOUP
The capital city of Hungary had been on Rob’s and my list of places to visit almost since we met. Rob’s mother was born here making it a special place for him and it had been roughly ten years since they had last visited. It was definitely time to go back for him and I’m glad I went with him to what is one of the most beautiful cities I’ve visited.
Budapest is a spacious and grande city. Although that grandeur has definitely been neglected in Hungary’s turbulent history of occupations which can be seen on some streets and buildings. History was quite a central aspect of our stay here and I would recommend reading up a little bit before visiting as it will give you an idea of why things look like they do today.
And if you understand the history you can maybe understand the people better too. I was told that Hungarians are quite serious people and I could see a little of that, but the people we met were generally very friendly and most of them spoke excellent English. We didn’t expect the latter but it shows what ten years can do to a country, when Rob last visited he had the impression that almost no one spoke English.
English speaking or not I found the people and the city wonderful if yet a little somber at times, which in itself can be a beautiful thing. And definitely understandable considering their rather recent dark history. This is something that isn’t talked about much though, I think the people prefer to look forward. I think that’s a pretty good attitude and there’s so much to enjoy in such a stunning city with grande architecture (like the parliament house pictured below), the Danube and deliciously hearty food.
Hungarian food culture to me is quite traditional and I’m not complaining because the spices are delicious and the portions are always big. It can however be difficult as a vegan to just walk into a restaurant expecting there to be something on the menu which makes a little planning ahead is essential. Below I will list some of our favourite food spots, as well as other sights and spots I wouldn’t want you to miss, and a few links to guides I found useful on my visit.
Also don’t forget to scroll all the way down to find a recipe for a delicious veganised version of the Hungarian bean soup ‘Bab Leves’. It is actually Rob’s mother Agi’s recipe, with just a few tweaks to make it vegan and gluten free friendly. Let’s say ‘Köszönöm szépen Agi’ (thank you) for sharing this deliciousness with us and then let’s get cooking.
1, The Hungarian parliament building. 2, A view of the city and the Matyas Templom. 3, Nagy Vasarcsarnok (The central market hall). 4, St. Istvan Basilica.
FOOD AND DRINK
As mentioned earlier the food culture is quite traditional in Hungary which means that a lot of places are not vegan friendly. But don’t despair there are many lovely places to eat well on a vegan diet in Budapest. You will enjoy full flavours and big portions often served with pride and love. Another positive thing about eating out in Budapest is that as Western tourist food is very affordable, as is almost everything, which means that you can maybe afford to try a few more things than if you were to visit more central or North European cities.
Partly because we visited during a public holdiay and partly because we enjoyed going the markets we ate a lot ‘at home’ in our Air Bnb during our stay. Therefore there are very few restaurants on this list but please scroll down to find three guides I found useful when planning our visit with lots more ideas.
Napfényes Étterem
Rózsa utca 39 and Ferenciek tere 2.
There is a reason to why this is listed first here and it is because we ended up eating at this restaurant on Rózsa utca several times during our week long stay. This restaurant has everything; veganised Hungarian specialities, pizza, pasta, raw food, veganised Hungarian pastries, ice cream and home made smoothies and fresh juices – both fruit and vegetables. Everything is vegan, everything is delicious, trust us because we’ve tried almost everything on the menu. You might think that with doing so many different things none would come out that good but not here, enjoy!
Naspolya Nassolda
Káldy Gyula utca 7.
This is a raw cafe with a lovely interior and equally lovely owners. When we visited they had just started their business and were only serving cakes, sweet snacks and drinks but were in the middle of planning their lunch menu. The cakes were delicious but their chocolate drink took the gold.
Macska
Bérkocsis utca 23.
This bar/pub is a quirky local place in district 8 that serve up some simple vegan fare like soup and houmous with vegetable sticks. They also serve all the traditional Hungarian drinks like Palinka which is a schnapps, fruit beers and wines. The place has a ‘hippie air’ and is a great place to chill out after a long day walking the streets of Budapest.
Szimpla Kert
Kazinczy utca 14.
This is a very popular ruin bar with a very quirky interior and a courtyard at the back. Here you can try Hungarian craft beer and other localities. My favourite event at the bar is however the farmer’s market which takes place on Sundays where you’ll find locally produced fruit and vegetables, pickles and krauts, spices and sauces and much more. If you visit in summer you must try Hungarian strawberries, they are full of flavour (almost as good as Swedish, haha).
Portéka Bolt
Horánszky utca 27.
This small delicatessen has the most friendly vegan owner and the best range of local traditional goods. Enjoy a vegan snack/dessert as you browse the shelves for presents for your loved ones. We bought some palinka her as well as a variety of spices and spreads. You will also find some good quality nut butters here which are hard to find elsewhere in Budapest.
Nagy Vasarcsarnok (The Central Market Hall)
Vámház krt. 1-3.
The central market is a huge market hall with an abundance of fruit, vegetables, spices and other Hungarian foods. You will also find lots of stalls selling traditional Hungarian dress and home wares. I bought some beautiful wooden utensils here but really it is more something to see and enjoy then a place to shop. The vegetables are not necessarily of the highest quality and some of the spices etc can be found at supermarkets at a cheaper price.
Szimpla Kert bar and farmer’s market spot.
DO AND SEE
There are a whole bunch of things to do and see in Budapest. There is a lot of intricate history here and if you are into that enjoy visiting some museums as well as historical sites. There is also a lot of forgotten, and sometimes remembered, glamour in this city and this is another thing I really enjoyed. Look up to see the beautiful architecture, visit the thermal baths and go to the opera.
Uránia Nemzeti Filmszínház
Rákóczi útca 21.
This cinema built in the late 19th century is a sight to behold. It is definitely the most glamorous cinema I have ever been to. On a rainy day this is your perfect Budapest pass time. They show modern films but also fringe cinema and Hungarian classics, we were lucky to catch one of the latter ones with English subtitles. The staff is friendly and will help you find a film that suits you, they are also happy for you to have a little wander around if you just want to see the building itself.
Gellért Thermal Bath
Kelenhegyi útca 4.
The thermal baths are one of the most famous attractions in Budapest. I visited two during my visit and this one was my favourite (I would not recommend visitng the Széchenyi baths). It is very clean and has a beautiful art deco interior. Enjoy this rare treat.
Magyar Állami Operaház
Andrássy útca 22.
The Hungarian state opera is gorgeous with all that neo-renaissance flair. Sometimes there’s ballet on the schedule as well if you cannot deal with the opera itself. This is a very affordable pleasure in Budapest in comparison to many other cities where it can be rather extortionate to visit the opera. This is a pleasure few of us give ourselves in our day to day life so if you are visiting Budapest take the opportunity to get dressed up and visit this gem.
Magyar Nemzeti Múzeum
Múzeum krt. 14-16.
This is Hungarys national museum dedicated to the history of the country. It is situated in a beautiful building and contains many artefacts and lots of information. I really recommend this to anyone looking to learn more about the country.
St. Istvan Basilica
Szent István tér 1.
Over the past year or so I have found myself in various religious buildings on my travels, something I never thought I would enjoy but have totally become a lover of. The St. Stephen Basilica in Budapest is one of the most ornate I’ve ever seen, it is beautiful. Another amazing feature is that you can climb into the dome and step out onto a balcony which wraps all the way around it to view the city around you.
Szechenyi Lanchid (Chain Bridge)
This gorgeous bridge will take you between Pest and Buda with views of the palace and the parliament building and much more. It was recommended to us as the most beautiful bridge in Budapest and we haven’t seen all of them but it is very grande and does give an air of greatness.
Guides I found useful: vegannomnoms.net, indefiniteadventure.com, welovebudapest.com
1, Tram in Buda. 2, Tram tracks on Pest side next to the Danube. 3, A green street in Buda overlooking the Liberty Statue on Gellért Hill.
BAB LEVES – HUNGARIAN BEAN SOUP
PORTIONS: 3-4 portion / TIME: 90 min
1 large or two small brown onions
2 x 400 g cans kidney beans or equivalent soaked and cooked
6 medium/large carrots
1 small head celery
1 large tomato
1 – 1 1/2 l vegetable stock, or water and a tbsp stock powder
Frying oil, such as rapeseed or good quality sunflower
3 garlic cloves
2 heaped tbsp corn flour
1 tbsp smoked paprika
Soya yoghurt, other plant yoghurt or plant creme fraiche
Parsley
Roughly chop onion. Peel and cut carrots into large chunks (see image). Clean and cut celery into similar length pieces. Drain kidney beans if using canned.
Place a large sauce pan over medium heat and add onions. Once translucent add beans, carrots, celery and the whole tomato. Cover with vegetable stock or water and stock powder. Place lid on top and bring to the boil. Once boiling turn down to a simmer and leave to cook for 45 min.
Make a rue by adding frying oil to a small frying pan, to cover the bottom, along with the flour. Mix until no lumps and heat through, be careful not to burn or catch. Once heated through mince the garlic into the pan and add smoked paprika powder. Mix and leave on the heat for another minute until very fragrant. When fragrant add enough water to make a thickish paste like consistency. At this point you might think it looks too liquidy to make a pasty texture but trust the process, when you add the water the mixture will thicken. Add the finished rue into the soup pot.
Mix the rue into the soup and let simmer for another 15 minutes before serving. Serve with a dollop of plant yoghurt or plant creme fraiche and some parsley.
TENDER GREEN VEGETABLES AND RICE W. MISO GARLIC DRESSING
It might be a little late in the season for green beans but I can still find them at the farmer’s market and it’s one of my favourites so here it is in my new go to dish. It is a dish which ties the late summer together with the new autumn for me; I’ve mixed in warmer and earthier flavours through the rice and miso paste whilst keeping it fresh with lightly cooked green vegetables. There is no pretending that this dish is not inspired by Asian flavours and although I’ve never been to this part of the world I always find myself drawn to the ingredients which stems from that part of the world. Miso paste is quite a new discovery and addition to my cooking but I have fallen in love with the saltiness of the brown rice miso paste which now has its own place in the fridge. The fact that it is fermented is an added bonus for me as I try to add more fermented foods to my diet for a healthier gut. Be careful though not to overeat on this yummy paste as its quite high in sodium, like salt, but this also makes it a great substitute to this kitchen staple but with more flavour.
Even though this recipe might have an ingredient or two that you don’t usually keep in your kitchen I assure you that this is a fool proof dish that can become a staple in any household. It is very quickly put together and brings lots of flavour to the table. It tastes great paired with some baked smoked tofu or tempeh which can cook away in the oven whilst you prepare this recipe. It also tastes great cold in the lunch box and this is always welcome I think. Enjoy!
PORTIONS: 3-4 portion / TIME: 35 min
3/4 cup red or wild rice + 1 1/2 cup water + 1 tbsp tamari
250 g fine green beans
250 g tenderstem broccoli
150 g frozen or shelled peas
5 spring onions
3 tbsp pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp brown rice miso paste
1 lime, rind and juice
2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1-2 cloves garlic (depending on preference)
Black pepper
1-3 tbsp water
Rinse the rice until water runs through clear. Drizzle a little oil in a saucepan and stir the rice in it on medium heat for a minute. Add water and tamari and place lid on the pan. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. When all water has evaporated take off the heat.
Make the dressing by placing miso paste, sesame oil, minced garlic, lime juice and rind, black pepper and a little water in a cup and mix together. If the dressing seems too thick simply add a little water.
Remove ends of the beans and broccoli. If using frozen peas, take them out of the freezer and set aside. Fill a saucepan halfway with water and bring to a boil, when boiling reduce heat to low and place broccoli and green beans in it. After 5-10 min the vegetables should be tender (but not soft), add the peas for a minute before draining.
Chop the spring onions into small ringlets.
When the rice is ready, vegetables tender, spring onions chopped and dressing has been made layer the components on a serving dish. Drizzle the dressing over the top and sprinkle with seeds.
TRAVEL: A VEGAN GUIDE TO BERLIN, GERMANY
I am sorry it has taken me this long to write this post but when you see the size of it I think you might understand why. In addition I have been busy working on a new site together with Rob and I’m excited to let you know that you can visit it now and enjoy a bomb of photos from our travels here. But let’s get back to this photo bomb of a post and why we’re really here: Berlin! My love for this vegan friednly city is immense and I am excited to show you why. Below I have gathered all my vegan experiences from the month I spent in Berlin below and divided the post into specific areas of the city, so it should be easy to navigate, and at the end I have added some places I would have loved to visit but didn’t find the time for. Now go ahead and delve deep into my first post on vegan travelling and the amazing city that is Berlin!
No 58 Speiserei.
NEUKÖLLN
Our Air Bnb was located in the heart of Schillerkiez, a lovely area in this buzzling part of the city. Neukolln is well connected and probably the fastest developing area in the city at the moment with all the pros and cons that entails. Either way it’s a haven for vegans with many nice, and often trendy, cafes and restaurants. Enjoy the Middle Eastern influence and find lots of fresh fruit and vegetable shops as well as falafel.
No. 58 Speiserei
Weisestraße 58.
The place we managed to become locals at and somewhere I look forward to visiting again soon. Healthy vegan food, glutenfree bread, smoothies, juice, raw cake, what more can a girl ask for? Try their tofu scramble, it’s amazing.
Mos Eisley
Herrfurthplatz 6.
If you are an icecream lover like me you have to try the icecream at Mos Eisley, in particular the ‘crunchy peanut’ and ‘chocolate and hazelnut’, the latter tasting exactly like frozen nutella. Do what the locals do and take your cone to Tempelhofer Feld for an ice cream picnic.
Pele Mele
Innstraße 26.
Another place we only had a glimpse of but I heard they have a nice weekend brunch and I gathered from the menu that they have good lunch options. It also seems like a great spot to get some work done if you’re visiting for a longer period and need some alone time with you laptop.
Let It Be
Treptower Straße 90.
A vegan creperie although I never made it past the burgers on the menu, sorry! They have glutenfree buns and the galettes are also glutenfree. Try the ‘Omar Rodriguez-Lopez’; it’s a Mexican feast of a burger. I also liked the ‘Mike Tyson’ with barbecue sauce. This is not a place where you find healthy choices, just enjoy the junk factor.
Azzam
Sonnenalle 54.
This is the only Middle Eastern eatery we made it to in Berlin, it was that good! It was also the first place I tried ‘msabaha’; a hummus dish mixed with whole chickpeas, tahini, oil and herbs. If you are visiting Berlin on a budget I suggest you find a seat and never leave.
Alaska Bar
Reuterstraße 85.
We only managed to have a drink at this lovely vegan bar but they also have vegan pop up dinners here each Thursday and brunch at the weekend. Very nice staff and atmosphere.
Dr. Pogo Veganladen Kollektiv
Karl-Marx-Platz 24.
A lovely collectively run vegan health food store with most things you need to stock up your Air Bnb kitchen. I particularly enjoyed the pay by weight seeds, nuts and grains; you simply sccoped as much as you wanted into a bag and they weighed it at the till, perfect for travelling!
1-2, No 58 Speiserei. 3-5, Alaska Bar. 6-7, Let it Be.
KREUZBERG
This is the hip and trendy’s strong hold in Berlin but is now also full of tourists milling about. It’s a great place for bars and cafes as well as restaurants. The Landwher Kanal runs through this neighbourhood and if the weather’s good I’d recommend a stroll or a pic nic by the water. Here you will also find the famous Turkish Market, with heaps of fresh fruit and vegetable stalls, and a textile market on Saturdays.
Langano Ethiopian Specialties
Kohlfurter Straße 44.
Grab a friend who likes to share and order the vegan tasting platter, in the menu it says vegetarian but I asked and it’s completely vegan (and gluten intolerance) friendly. You will be served a basket with a tray inside, on the tray you will find the injera (a fermented flat bread/pancake) spread out as another plate and on top the different ‘curries’ and salads. It is delicious and it’s not to be missed!
No Milk Today
Fichtestraße 3.
Find your afternoon raw cake fix here or try a milkshake if that’s your jam. A very cosy cafe tucked away on a tree lined street. Serves simple lunches like salad or quiche (not glutenfree) but I would come here for a ‘fika’ (Swedish for coffee, cake and a chat).
Eissalon Tanne B
Eisenbahnstraße 48.
Another ice cream parlour with creamy vegan options as well as sorbets. Go wild!
Turkish Market
Maybachufer, closest tube stop: Schönleinstraße.
This market seems to be an institution among the trendies and hungries of Berlin. Find a whole bunch of vegetable and fruit stalls (some are organic), Turkish/Middle Eastern antipasti, nuts and seeds, spices and lots of people. There is not much ‘ready to eat’ food but there’s a stall selling Turkish food and another selling Jamaican which both have vegan options. On Tuesdays and Fridays.
Markthalle Neun (Street Food Thursday)
Eisenbahnstraße 42-43.
This is one of the few remaining traditional grocery market halls in Berlin. Daily you will find the stalls open for commerce although I visited on a Thursday afternoon/evening for Berlin’s largest street food event which happens every Thusday. There are not many vegan options but look around. If all fails with the temporary stalls there is always one dedicated to vegan burgers, smoothies and raw cakes.
1, 4, Langano. 2, No Milk Today. 3, a photo booth. , 5-8, Markthalle IX.
PRENZLAUER BERG
This is an area that has undergone a huge change since the wall fell as it is located in the former East Berlin. It used to be cheap and artsy and is now very clean and tidy, with a lot of expats it seems. Either way it is a lovely area to walk around in and also has many vegan places to visit. It is very lush and a little plush.
Cat Tuong
Brunnenstraße 164.
This was a nice surprise for us on one of the last days in Berlin. A completely vegan Vietnamese restaurant with delicious juices and smoothies. The food here is delicious too and the staff friendly. We tried a seaweed parcel, which is the closest to eating fish I’ve some levitra generic since jumping on the vegan train, and a noodle salad but all the dishes sounded fantastic.
Liquid Gardens
Stargarder Straße 72.
This is green smoothie heaven. You will only find green smoothies on the menu and the one I tried definitely passed the taste test.
Jute Bäckerei
Schönhauser Allee 52A.
A completely glutenfree and vegan bakery. I bought a delicious loaf of buckwheat sourdough here. It is not a budget bakery but worth the pennies.
Chaostheorie
Lychener Straße 4.
We found this vegan bar in the heat and I indulged in a seriously decadent ice cream milkshake. We also ordered some seriously decadent nachos with soya mince and vegan cheese. Most people come here for the vegan cocktails and other beverages though, enjoy not having to ask what beer is vegan!
Kontor Eismanufaktur
Ice cream lovers you are in for a treat! This ice cream parlour is completely vegan and full of goodies, both creamy and fruity. You can also find vegan donuts here, and try a donut ice cream sandwich (not glutenfree).
Avesu Vegan Shoes
Schivelbeiner Straße 35 / Warschauer Straße 33.
Find this vegan shoe shop right next to the Prenzlauer Berg branch of vegan supermarket Veganz or within the same building as the Friedrichshain branch. A great selection of vegan shoes from a variety of brands, there’s something for everyone here.
1-5, Cat Tuong. 6-8, Liquid Gardens. 9-10, Chaostheorie.
MITTE
The city centre of this capital city with all that entails, not my favourite part of the city but if it’s your first visit there’s of course places you should see. Many of the historical sights and contemporary business will be found here and commercial shops and chains too of course. I find the outskirts of the area more pleasant though and it offers a few gems. I’ve only got one in store for you in this guide but it’s definitely worthwhile so don’t miss it!
Daluma
Weinbergsweg 3.
Great smoothies and juices, acai bowl breakfasts, delicious grain and vegetable bowls. I really liked the almond butter dressing and the chocolate smoothie is to die for. A must for healthy food junkies.
Daluma.
FRIEDRICHSHAIN
A very well connected area of the city that I don’t know all that much about. It has the best vegan sight to see in the city though; Veganz a completely vegan supermarket, it’s something you mustn’t miss. Otherwise there are a few vegan cafes around and you will find some nice weekend markets in the area too!
The Bowl
Warschauer Straße 33.
A very sleek looking vegan restaurant on top of the vegan supermarket Veganz. It serves healthy foods in a bowl, I loved the macrobiotic bowl! They also do good juices, smothies and hot drinks like turmeric latte. High on my recommendations list!
Oh La La
Mainzer Straße 18.
Vegan cafe with cake extravaganza. I came for the brunch because this place is completely vegan and glutenfree meaning I could have everything, but when I go back it would be for the cakes.
Goodies
Warschauer Straße 69 and more.
A good covenience chain with healthy vegan takeaway. Smoothies, juices, salads, soups and all the normal lunch stuff. Not a great atmosphere for chilling out but a good option on the go.
Boxhagener Platz Farmers Market
Grünberger Straße.
Great farmers market with fresh fruit and vegetables as well as other goodies. Beautiful flowers too! Only on Saturdays but there’s also a great flea market here each Sunday.
Veganz
Warschauer Straße 33 / Schivelbeiner Straße 34.
This is a supermarket and everything in it is vegan! Pretty amazing if you ask me, it’s a must see. And if you visit the Friedrichshain branch I would recommend lunch/dinner at The Bowl before/after.
The Bowl.
WILMERSDORF
Thai Park
Preußenpark, closest tube stop: Blissestraße or Hohenzollernplatz
This is an amazing event that takes place during the warmer months in Berlin. The Berlin Thai community gather in a park called Preußenpark where they cook up a storm of traditional Thai cuisine. I think the safest bet is to go on the weekend and don’t get there too late as the vendore might run out of goodies. The best part, order som tam, green papaya, salad (make sure to ask for no shrimp or fish sauce) and have it made in front of your eyes with a huge pestle and mortar. Also I heard the sticky rice with mango is to die for, but I got to that one too late.
Thai Park.
SAVED FOR NEXT TIME
This city always keeps me coming back for more! More food, more art, more green city walks, more late nights in cafes. I would recommend anyone to visit this capital city, whatever you are interested in you will find it interesting. With such a rich contemporary history and flux of everything all the time you won’t be disappointed. Here are places I plan to visit next time I go!
Cafe Vux, Neukölln.
A totally vegan cafe, also with a weekend brunch that’s meant to be very good.
Roamers, Neukölln.
A cafe with a beautiful instagram, not sure about vegan options but looks very popular.
Viasko, Kreuzberg.
Meant to be the best vegan brunch in Berlin.
Hallesches Haus, Kreuzberg.
Concept store and cafe, also with a great instagram. Would love to window shop and have some tea here.
Kopps, Mitte.
Not far from Daluma you can find this vegan restaurant.
Cafe Morgenrot, Prenzlauer Berg.
Down to earth vegan cafe.
Dong Xuan Centre, Lichtenberg.
Basically a Vietnamese version of London’s China Town with lots of supermarkets, stores and restaurants.
SWEET DATE AND CREAMY TAHINI OATMEAL
Oatmeal is my staple breakfast and I enjoy trying to invent new cococtions to make a little more exciting. This particular oatmeal is inspired by two of my favourite middle eastern flavours, dates and tahini. I often bring dates back with me when we visit Rob’s parents in Dubai and eat them just on their own, in desserts or use them for a natural sweetener for my breakfast like in this recipe. Stirred into the oatmeal from the start of the cooking they simply blend into the creamy oats and add some sweetness and caramel flavour. I like to pair this with the more dry sesame flavour of tahini. In terms of the amount of each of these you must play around to find what suits your palette, I have suggested how much should be added but this is how I like it – find out how you like it too. Enjoy this breakfast as the days get a little colder and shorter and late summer turns into autumn.
PORTIONS: 1 portion / TIME: 12 min
0,5 cup pure oats
0,5 cup water
0,5 cup oat milk, or prefered plant milk
1 tsp milled flaxseed
1-2 chopped medjool dates, depending on your sweet tooth
1 tbsp tahini
Toppings of your choice, my favourites: cinnamon, almonds, pecans, dried fruit, blueberries etc.
Place oats, water, almond milk, linseed and chopped dates in a small sauce pan over medium heat.
Stir and bring to a light boil, keep stirring until the porridge has thickened and reached your prefered consistency, you might want to add some extra water as the linseed absorb much liquid.
Ladle into a bowl and top with your favourite toppings.
EATING OUT: AN EVENING OF NATURAL FINE DINING
Nicky Clinch’s food first caught my eye when I visited Tiosk on Broadway Market and since then I’ve kept my eye on her to learn more about her work, her food. An Evening of Fine Dining was the first in what I hope and think will be a series of supper clubs focused on both the mind and the body, and of course gorgeous plant based vegan food.
Nicky Clinch is a trained macrobiotic chef and counsellor who understands the healing properties of foods and believes in their energetic power. During the evening, along with each dish, we received cards which explained what properties the different components encompassed and how they effect us as we eat them, both with our eyes and our mouths. Although before sitting down at the beautifully set table on the rooftop at Netil360 we were invited to engage with a led meditation by The Well Garden. As we joined the practitioners on mats, with blankets to keep us warm and an awning sheltering us from the drizzle of a London summer, Nicky was preparing our meal. She believes that to be able to really enjoy, appreciate and digest food we need to slow down and come back into our bodies. As many of the guests at the supper club had rushed over from work this made a lot of sense to me, and it seemed to make sense to the other guests as well. And who would say ‘no’ to a restful reset and some hands on bodywork anyway?
After a summery strawberry iced tea for welcome mingling and roughly an hour of resetting ourselves with The Well Garden’s practitioners we enjoyed cucumber and mint cocktails (or mocktails) and sat down to eat. The first dish was tempeh summer rolls with an orange infused satay sauce, pickled beetroot and sprout salad and salted cucumber cubes in crushed black sesame. It was a feast for the eyes and the taste buds with complimentary flavours and gorgeous plating. I’m glad I was there with my camera at hand because the beauty of the food at this event was something special, and something rarely found in vegan cuisine.
What followed was an equally stunning main course of a miso brown rice risotto with peas and broad beans served with a courgettie tower on top and a fresh herb and garlic pesto dotted around the pumpkin seed and wakame dusted plate. That was a long sentence but I didn’t want you to miss out on all the beautiful ingredients and carefully put together flavours. After the light and rainbow coloured starter this more hearty and earthy main was perfect. Later on in the evening Nicky explained that this line up was no coincidence, this is how she plans a meal. She considers the energy her food will give her guests through colours, textures and flavours and that way she can emotionally guide them through an evening with care through her food.
To finish of our meal we were served a red velvet trifle with strawberries, berry coulis and cashew cream. It was simple and delicious, delivered with love and a rose. After I was thoroughly satisfied and enjoyed the digestive aid of a tea ceremony by Tiosk and a short talk about macrobiotics and Nicky herself.
Find out more about Nicky Clinch and future events and courses here.