RAW SPIRULINA AND CACAO PROTEIN BALLS
Here comes an easy snack to stay fuelled in between meals! These balls are Robs absolute favourite even though he isn’t a big fan of spirulina so I’d like to think I’ve done a good job masking the algae flavour in these, which I’m sure some of you could appreciate too. Accept for spirulina there are only delicious ingredients in this snack because that’s how I like it; nuts and seeds, dried fruit and cacao. Doesn’t get much better than that really. Except possibly my new addiction which is heaps of peanut butter piled on top of each bite of a banana. This does not really qualify for a recipe though so consider that one a bonus! Let’s focus on the balls though. They’re yummy, easy to make and full of good stuff to take you from breakfast to lunch and further. They would also be a good bite to grab after your workout on your way home. I’m certain you could find a whole lot more ideas for consumption, they do taste like chocolate after all. I will now leave you with the recipe and your imaginations, enjoy!
PORTIONS: 15-20 balls / TIME: 15 min
? cup almonds
? cup brazil nuts
? cup pumpkin seeds
1-2 tbsp spirulina powder (adjust to your palette)
1 ½ tbsp raw cacao
2 tbsp almond butter
8 dried apricots
12 pitted medjool dates (the stickier the better, if too dry soak for 15 min)
To prepare, place almonds and brazil nuts in food processor and pulse until it is a rough meal with small bits of nuts still left.
Add pumpkin seeds, spirulina and raw cacao powder and pulse a couple of times to mix and crush the seeds.
Add the almond butter butter, pitted medjool dates and dried apricots and pulse/mix.
When the mixture is combined but still a little rough, sticking together when you press it between your fingers, remove it from the food processor.
Press/roll into balls, roughly the size of half a golf ball. I
f you wish roll in coconut and keep in the fridge for 5-7 days or freeze for a later date.
Enjoy as a healthy protein packed snack.
QUINOA TABBOULEH W. CRUNCHY CUMIN CHICKPEAS
Hello Sunday and yes, I’m having one of those lazy ones. I wanted to share this very quick and easy recipe with you though, it’s actually perfect for lazy Sundays. I’m sure most of you have had tabbouleh before and maybe even a version with quinoa but here is my version and I love to have it with crunchy roasted chickpeas so at least I hope I’ll be adding that to your tabbouleh experience. The recipe is not just good for Sundays but it’s pretty lovely any day of the week, great for leftovers and a fantastic pic nic addition. I have also tried to make this in a raw version with grated cauliflower instead of quinoa and it worked a treat. Although it might be a good idea to press excess water out of the cauliflower using for example a muslin cloth before mixing with the other ingredients to avoid tabbouleh soup. It does still work without pressing but if you’re keeping it for another day you might get a lot of water in your bowl. I do know people who like to drink their leftover salad dressing though and I say each to their own, haha. Now I’m off to cuddle with my sister and her three Afghan dog babies (not really babies anymore, but you know what I mean). I’ve landed in the idyllic Swedish countryside and I’m pretending that I never have to leave!
PORTIONS: 2-3 / TIME: 35 min
Crunchy chickpes:
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Drizzle of olive oil
1 tbsp cumin
Flaked sea salt and black pepper to taste
Tabbouleh:
½ cup quinoa (I used a mixture of pearl and red) + a little less than 1 cup water
1 tbsp tamari
2 tomatoes
1 small red onion
A handful of fresh parsley
A handful of fresh mint leaves
2 tbsp olive oil
Juice from ½ a lemon
Sea salt flakes and black pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 200’c.
Place rinsed chickpeas on one half of a clean tea towel and fold over the other hald to pat them dry.
Remove any scaly skins and place on an oven tray.
Drizzle with olive oil and scatter with cumin, sea salt flakes and black pepper.
Mix with your hand until chickpeas are coated and place in the middle of oven for 30 min or until crisp and golden.
Rinse quinoa and add to a small sauce pan with the water and tamari.
Cover with lid and bring to a boil.
Reduce to simmer until all liquid has been absorbed, about 15-20 min, and then uncover and fluff the quinoa with a fork letting steam evaporate.
Meanwhile chop onion, tomatoes, parsley and mint leaves very finely and mix together in a bowl.
When quinoa has cooled of a bit add it to the bowl along with olive oil, lemon juice, sea salt flakes and black pepper.
Mix and serve topped with crunchy chickpeas.
PURPLE KALE AND BERRY PROTEIN SMOOTHIE
It was so hot during our last week in Berlin that I thought I’d share this smoothie recipe for all of you who are like me and prefer to drinking eating your meals whilst you’re melting away. But now that I’m finally posting this I’m in Sweden and it’s raining. I haven’t had perfect timing with anything really since we’ve been travelling but I hope you will still enjoy this nutrient rich thirst quencher. And maybe we can agree that later is better than never? The smoothie is a winner, that’s all you need to know and I hope you will trust me and give it a try. If you prefer a thinner smoothie in the heat simply add more liquid and maybe even swap the almond milk for coconut water or just tap water if you prefer. And remember that high speed blenders deal with vegetables like kale better so be prepared for some bits if your blender is less powerful. Enjoy!
Remember to tag your photos of my recipes with #mygoodeatings so that I can see what’s cooking, and find more of you guys on social media.
MAKES: 1 large glass / TIME: 5 min
1 small ripe banana
¼ large or ½ small avocado
½ cup frozen mixed blueberries and raspberries
2 kale leaves, I used purple, stems removed
1 tbsp, or more, hemp protein powder
1-2 tsp chia seeds
¾ cup almond milk
Optional: 1 tsp flaxseed or hemp oil
Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend/pulse until smooth.
MOROCCAN INSPIRED CARROT AND LENTIL SOUP
I am still in Berlin, enjoying myself in a city I dreamed of living in for years. It is still lovely and maybe one day I will live here although the itch is not as itchy as it ones was. Today the sun is shining though and I always find myself more in love with most places when that happens. Even though today is going to be full of sunny rays I’d like to share this soup recipe with you for a rainy day to come. Because we all know they will, at least in this part of the world. It’s a lentil and carrot soup inspired by images and recipes from Morocco, another place I’d like to visit some day. You know I love soups so it’s hard to say which one is my favourite because they all are but let’s just say this is one of my favourites and I hope you’ll try it on that rainy day. But for now I’m going to head out into the sunshine and enjoy it while I can!
PORTIONS: 4 / TIME: 35 min
Granola topping:
1,2 – 1,5 l water
2 brown onions
3 garlic cloves
½ cup red lentils
5 medium sized carrots
1 tbsp boullion powder (I like Marigold)
2 tsp cumin
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp dried parsley
3 dashes of cayenne pepper
Salt and black pepper to taste
Olive oil
Optional: fresh parsley to serve
Roughly chop onions and slice garlic cloves.
Add a generous splash of olive oil to a large sauce pan and place over medium heat, sweat the onions under lid for about 5 min.
Peel and cut the carrots into coins and rinse the lentils.
When onions are looking shiny and transparent add all spices (not boullion) and mix in with onions over the heat until fragrant and mixed, 1-2 minutes.
Add carrot coins, lentils, 1,2 l water and boullion.
Bring to a boil and then lower heat to a rough simmer.
Leave for 15-20 minutes until carrots and lentils are soft.
Blitz with a hand blender until smooth, if the soup is to thick add more water until it has reached preferred consistency (if water is added adjust seasoning accordingly).
Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and some fresh parsley.
CANNELINI BEAN MUFFINS W. CINNAMON AND APPLE
Long time, no see but finally I am set up in one place for longer than a few days. I’ve had a fantastic time travelling around and am looking forward to sharing some of my journey with you guys in future posts. You might also have noticed that I’ve been changing the design of my blog and I still am doing work on the posts to make it uniform in the new design so please bare with me as I do the last of my labour of love. Anywho, in the mean time I’d like to present to you my new favourite sweet treat! These muffins are made with cannelini beans which might seem a little odd but it works really well, I promise. I kept seeing sweet recipes around made with beans so I wanted to play around with it myself and after a few failures this recipe was formed. I decided to make them with apple and cinnamon because to me that’s such a traditional and classic pairing and I thought I’d bring something more familiar in with the more unfamiliar bean base. I hope you give these a try and if you do share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #mygoodeatings, I’d love to see your creations!
Also, last thing! I’m now on bloglovin and if you would like to keep updated with new recipes please use the link below:
MAKES: 10-12 / TIME: 35 min
Granola topping:
⅓ cup pure oats
1 ½ tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp cinnamon
Muffins:
1 can cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
2 tbsp almond butter
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 small ripe banana
1 ½ tbsp milled linseed + 4 tbsp water
¾ cup almond milk, or prefered plant milk
¾ cup almond meal
¾ cup buckwheat flour
½ cup coconut sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp ground vanilla
2 tsp cinnamon
1 apple
Preheat oven to 200’c.
Mix the milled linseed and water and set aside.
Grease a muffin tin with a little coconut oil or line a baking tray with muffin cups.
Prepare muffin topping simply by combining the ingredients in a small bowl and set aside as well.
Core the apple, cut in half, slice and divide the slices in two and set aside.
Add beans, almond butter, maple syrup, coconut oil and banana to a food processor and mix on highest until smooth.
Add the linseed mixture which should be a sticky gel and the almond milk and process again until combined.
In a mixing bowl combine all the dry ingredients with a whisk.
Keep mixing whilst adding the wet mixture from the processor.
Divide mixture into muffin tray or cups, stick 3-4 pieces of apple into each muffin and top with the oat topping.
Place in middle of oven and bake for 17-20 min or until golden on top.
EATING OUT: NAMA ARTISAN RAW FOODS, NOTTING HILL
Raw food eateries have become really popular in London but there are still only a few well known places out there, I visited one of them and fell a little bit in love. Nama artisan raw foods is based in Notting Hill and has a menu full, and I mean full of good stuff – it definitely has something for everyone. Enjoy this photo bomb of a post and soak up those raw food colours.
As already mentioned Nama has a fun filled super food packed menu. I’m pretty sure anyone can find a favourite here! For breakfast you can choose between dishes like pancakes, porridge or a savoury crepe. The lunch and dinner menu include things like kale salad, seaweed salad, falafel wrap, thai coconut curry, pizza, sushi, chilli, and the list goes on. Most of the dishes, as you can probably tell, are a spin of different cultures’ cuisine staples and I think it’s refreshing to get a new take on the classics. It also makes it easy for those who are new to raw food to get somewhat of an idea of what they’re getting when ordering. The staff is also fantastic and will happily give advice and recommendations. I found they also have great knowledge of the dishes and will fill you in on what’s in each dish.
On my visit I tried the pancakes to start and then went on to the lunch menu, I spent a few hours there to make sure I could try as many things as possible (haha). The pancakes reminded me of gingerbread cookie dough which I used to love as a child so they were definitely hit the spot. They are served with banana ice cream and a few berries which are great additions to the more dense pancakes. Moving onto lunch Rob and I shared the cheese platter which both of us could die for, the Thai coconut curry and the kale salad. That cheese platter really got in the spotlight of our meal with three different flavoured nut/seed cheeses. My favourite was the chilli one. The whole thing was completed with crackers, olives, figs and caperberries. Not to forget the other dishes the curry with cauliflower rice was very creatively made and had lots of flavour and a beautiful yellow colour. And as far as kale salads go Namas is delicious, the best part id probably that the kale is shredded really finely and then combined with sundried tomatoes, sesame and sunflower seeds. Rob and I both really enjoyed the food and couldn’t recommend it more, I would say it is more of a lunchy restaurant though with its bright and minimal design but in the summer I wouldn’t say no to a raw food dinner at the table on the sidewalk. I tried various sexual enhancers, including Cialis. This medication has certainly proved its worth. Many men say that it works approximately the same as Viagra does. My experience with it shows the same. However, its effect lasts much longer, usually up to 36 hours, which is a very long time, while the effect of the other drugs never lasted more than 4-6 hours.
In terms of drinks there is lots to choose from and it wouldn’t be a raw food hot spot without a load of juices and smoothies on the menu. There’s also coffee, tea and for that summer evening on the curb there’s even wine and beer. On my visit I tried the mango lassi smoothie and the green dream juice. Both delicious but the food really stole the show. If you are looking for a healthy pick me up in the Notting Hill area though this is a great place to grab a juice or smoothie as they are already bottled and kept in the fridge ready to grab and go. You can also grab one of the many desserts and bars from the fridge to take home as well which is really convenient. In terms of dessert I would really recommend the fermented blueberry cheesecake. Rob and I shared the assorted dessert platter but couldn’t resist the temptation of this incredible looking cheesecake and I’m glad we didn’t because if I had to choose again I would have stuck with the cheesecake no doubt.
The vibe at Nama is warm and friendly. There are lots of people walking in and out and some dogs too which always puts a smile on my face. I sincerely recommend this restaurant and I’d say it’s worth a trip even if you are not in the immediate area. Now before I leave you to plan your visit I’d like you to meet the owners of Nama, Irene and Richard, and see what they have to say about the place they’ve created and the food they love!.
What inspired you guys to engage in a raw food lifestyle?
Irene: My interest in raw food began through searching for better health and more energy. Now I dedicate my life to helping others find the same! Prior to Nama I had already started two other raw food ventures – offering juice cleanse programmes and sweet treats, both of which are now part of Nama. When I’m not at the restaurant, I remain dedicated to the raw food lifestyle, spending my days working in the kitchen, developing exciting new recipes.
Rich: I have always had a passion for food and nutrition, and I’m a firm believer in the value of a healthy diet for body, mind, and spirit. Previously I worked as raw food chef at Down To Earth in Kensington, before I realised my dream was to offer these health benefits to others. Now I am Head Chef at Nama and I’m also currently enrolled on the prestigious Matthew Kenney Cuisine Academy, focussing on the fundamentals of raw food and the art of preparation.
How did Nama come into being?
We are both chefs and plant-based food enthusiasts and we opened Nama with the sole aim of spreading our knowledge of and passion for raw food to a wider audience.
Why raw?
Leading a raw food lifestyle has incredible benefits for your health, body and mind. Consuming food in its natural raw form allows you to really reap the nutritional rewards that foods offer and are truly required for a healthy body. We find leading a raw food lifestyle also promotes higher energy levels as the body has ingested genuine raw nutrients – for example, that heavy bloated feeling we have all experienced after a big meal does not exist after any raw meal, no matter how big it is.
Find out more about Nama artisan raw foods here.
CREAMY AVOCADO, MINT AND LIME SMOOTHIE
This smoothie was inspired by a visit to the Peruvian restaurant Andina just around the corner from me here in Shoreditch, London. When I tried it I knew I had to try to recreate it or at least create my own version and this is it. The Andina original is made with pear juice but I decided to use the whole fruit to get all the beneficial fibre in the fruit and I think it tastes pretty great too. It is important though to use a sweet pear variety and a ripe fruit to get all the flavours and sweetness. The avocado makes it thick and creamy which I balance with coconut water but tap water will work too. What I like the most about this smoothie is that it is really refreshing and creamy at the same time. And the fact that it is ridiculously easy to make and that’s probably one of the main reasons why I love smoothies in general, haha.
PORTIONS: 1-2 / TIME: 10 min
1/2 large avocado
1 lime, juice or peeled and whole if using a high speed blender
1 ripe sweet pear
Leaves from 2 mint sprigs (8-10 large leaves)
3/4 cup coconut water (more or less depending on your preference)
Remove peel from lime and avocado and remove pear core. Then simply place all the ingredients in a (preferably high speed) blender and blitz until smooth.
SQUASH SOUP W. ROASTED PEPPER AND TOMATO
Butternut squash soup is a dish which me or my partner make almost every week, we both love it and enjoy trying different additions. This one has a sweet and warm flavour which reminds Rob, my partner, of Hungarian flavours and he should know as his mother hales from Hungary. This summer I’ll be visiting Hungary myself and can’t wait to try the food and see the beauty of Budapest. Rob and I will be travelling from mid-April onward this year with no real plan on where to land at the end or when that will be. It’s exciting and a bit scary and definitely the beginning of a new chapter as we’ll be moving away from the UK to search for and settle somewhere else in the world. But let’s go back to talking food now! I think one of the main reasons this dish is a reminder of Hungarian food is the fact that peppers are included and that I spice it with smoked paprika, both staples in Hungarian cooking in my understanding. The flavours do come together really well making a sweet and smoky creamy soup with some acidity from the tomatoes. It also has the most beautiful colour as the orange of the butternut squash and reds from the tomatoes and peppers blend. I hope you enjoy it!
PORTIONS: 3-4 / TIME: 35 min
1 medium sized butternut squash
5 medium tomatoes
1 large red bell pepper (orange or yellow will work as well)
2 brown onions
1 small red onion
3 garlic cloves
0,8 l water
1 tbsp vegetable stock powder
1 tsp smoked paprika (more if you are using a milder or sweet paprika powder)
A pinch of hot chilli flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil
Lemon wedges and toasted seeds for serving
Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius.
Quarter your tomatoes and cut the pepper into long inch wide strips and place on an oven tray. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and black pepper, mix and place in the oven for roughly 25 min. Make sure to give the veggies a flip halfway through.
In the mean time chop onions and garlic roughly. Place a large sauce pan over low heat, add a splash of olive oil and sweat the onions under lid .
Whilst the onions are sweating peel the butternut squash, removing the seeds and then cutting it into half inch wide chunks. When the onion is transparent and fragrant add the squash as well as the water, stock powder and spices to the pan and bring to a boil.
Once boiling turn down to medium heat letting it boil gently for roughly 15 min or until the butternut is soft. Then remove tomatoes and peppers from oven and simply poor them into the pot along with all the juices from the pan.
Blitz the soup with a hand blender until smooth and serve with your favourite soup toppings or plain. I like seeds and a drizzle of lemon juice.
THAI INSPIRED GREEN PAPAYA AND GLASS NOODLE SALAD
At the beginning of the year I visited Dubai where I had some of the most amazing food. Dubai is quite an absurd place for someone who grew up in the Swedish country side but they do bring all the food of the world to one place and they do it well. This dish is inspired by a lunch salad I probably had three times at the local restaurant where we stayed at my partner’s parents’ house. The flavours were similar to a thai green papaya salad but with some tweaks and added goodies. Before I moved to London my spice vocabulary only reached to about salt, black pepper and what we call ‘grill spice’ which is mainly salt and a mix of other spices suitable for barbecuing. Luckily my eyes have been opened and now I love all the flavours of the world, particularly the ones used in Asian cuisine like tamari, ginger, garlic (this one I did use before, I wasn’t completely lost) and chilli. In this recipe all of these come together with some coconut sugar and lime juice to make a yummy dressing for thin rice noodles, or glass noodles if you wish, and strips of green papaya. I have tried to recreate the salad I found and loved and I hope you will too.
On another note I’d just like to say that this recipe is not at all seasonal and never will be in the part of the world I live in as green papaya wouldn’t grow in a climate like Britain’s. I mention this because I often strive to be aware of what is in season when I cook and plan my meals, it’s important for the environment and it tastes better too. Either way I still like to change things up ones in a while and I don’t want to always withhold the inspiration I find in other places in the world and their cuisine. With that said I hope you, like me, stay aware of what you put on your table but that you also treat yourself to something special ones in a while!
PORTIONS: 2-3 / TIME: 30 min
75 g fine rice noodles (I used 0,8 mm) or glass noodles
2 cups green papaya, julienned
1 small carrot, thinly sliced with for example a potato peeler or cheese slicer
10 mangetout pods
6 fine green beans
5 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 romano pepper
4 tbsp tamari/liquid aminos
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 lime, juiced
2 small red thai chillies (or equivalent)
1 tbsp coconut sugar
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated, or ground ginger
A few coriander leaves and crushed peanuts for serving (optional)
Follow the instructions on your noodle packet and prepare, I soaked mine in tapped water for 20 min.
Prepare the vegetables; chop the chilli finely, julienne papaya, slice carrot, cut pepper into thin strips, halve tomatoes and cut beans into inch long pieces.
Prepare the dressing by placing coconut sugar in the bowl of a pestle and mortar, along with the minced garlic, chopped chilli, cherry tomatoes, mangetout and green beans. Give it a bash and continue adding the tamari, the lime juice and ground ginger. Mix.
Place the green papaya in a bowl and pour the dressing with vegetables over it.
Set aside and when your noodles are softened and ready to be eaten mix them into the papaya and serve with a few coriander leaves and some crushed peanuts if you wish.
EATING OUT: RAW DINING CLUB, LONDON
When I saw that Simon and Paula who are the chefs behind Raw Dining Club was looking for someone to attend their event and share their experience I jumped on board. Can’t say no to trying new things! It was held in Saint Paul’s Church in central London which offered a lovely ambience for the chatty bunch at my table and the other guests too I’m sure. The whole meal was raw, vegan and gluten free – right up my street.
I was twenty minutes early, I never seem to be on time whether that means I’m early or late, but I felt very welcome and at ease even though I probably caused some stress. I think the hosts did a great job at greeting people as they arrived and guiding them through the meal. On arrival we were all welcomed with a drink made from red grapes and pineapple which set the night off to a good start. The drink was alcohol free and the rest of the evening was accompanied by whatever drink people brought themselves, that way everyone could have their personal favourites. Everyone at my table was having wine, except me and one other guest, which was apparently quite unusual at the event I was told by the chefs but everyone was encouraged to do their thing which was nice.
I went to the event on my own but as soon as we sat down everyone started chatting with each other and it was a great sense of community at the table. There were a group of expats from the USA to my left who had never tried raw food before but from their smiles and excited exclamations I could tell that they were happily surprised. They had been worried that they wouldn’t be full at the end of the evening but when the dessert was served we all had trouble finishing. To my right were a mixture of people both having tried raw food and not and overall it was a mix of ages and occupations. Opposite me was another solo cheap ambien novice who welcomed a new experience and was very curious about the sauces and pastes wondering what was in them, which I myself was not always certain of, but the important thing was that they were all tasty which we agreed on. I can honestly recommend the Raw Dining Club to anyone after my experience.
The menu offered a whole bunch of dishes which is great as we all came wanting to try something new and as many people had not tried raw food before this was a great way to taste a range of foods. My favourite was probably the beetroot ravioli filled with a creamy nut paste which was served with a yellow pepper sauce. A very clever idea I thought. The pecan nut and ‘bacon’ salad was also delicious with pear and spinach. The ‘bacon’ was very well executed dehydrated aubergine, it was thin and very crisp. As I’m a sucker for kale chips they were of course one of my favourite too, they were smokey and had a ‘cheesy’ flavour to them. I had half the bowl I think, luckily (for me) one of my table mates were not so keen on that particular appetizer. The biggest dish was the Mexican chilli plate with dehydrated cracker nachos, ‘sour cream’, guacamole and a pineapple salsa. This was very much appreciated at my table and I was impressed with the raw chilli and wished that I could take a bag of the crackers home.
Dessert was a raw chocolate brownie which was more crunchy than gooey which was accompanied by pineapple in three variations; sorbet, dehydrated and fresh. A great combination as the sweet and sour flavour of the pineapple did a good job at cutting through the richness of the rich chocolate. After dessert we all chatted and enjoyed some good tunes delivered to us by the ‘in house’ dj. My experience at the Raw Dining Club was lovely and I was happily full and cheerful when I left. Thanks to Simon and Paula, and my table mates, for a lovely evening!
This is a regular event happening the last Friday of each month, find more info at Raw Dining Club.
RASPBERRY AND LINGON BREAKFAST SMOOTHIE
Finnberrys wild nordic super berry powders have taken over my kitchen since they sent me some samples, especially at breakfast time. For me they are such a taste from home and the powder I used in this recipe especially, lingon. Don’t worry if you don’t have this particular ingredient though as this smoothie is delicious anyway. This has been my breakfast a lot for the last couple of weeks and I’m quite excited to share the recipe with you.Smoothies really are a great way to get a lot of goodies in the morning all in one glass. I love smoothies, I will admit it, I could have smoothies for every meal. At least since we got a new high speed blender which has really changed my smoothie making game.
A friend of mine, Caitlin who writes this blog, was raving about her new Nutribullet and how smooth her smoothies were now. Yes these are the things we talk about when we meet up, we share a love of food related articles, haha. She said it was so great for frozen fruit and even root vegetables. I was tempted, especially since our blender has seen its glory days, and was talking about this enough for my partner to get me an early birthday present. More than a month early, I think I was maybe talking about it a bit too much. Rob went for a Nutri Ninja though after doing some research and I must say it’s a great machine. Enough about blenders though. This smoothie is great for a morning pick me up and to up the nutritional value I add some oats and nut butter to get that extra bit of protein and some healthy fats too. I hope you guys will give it a whizz, I’m sure you’ll love it as much as me.
PORTIONS: 1 / TIME: 5 min
1 banana
Heaped 1/2 cup frozen raspberries
2-5 tbsp oats (after preference)
1/2 tbsp cashew butter
2 tsp lingonberry powder
1/2 cup coconut water (or filtered tap water)
Place all the ingredients in a high speed blender and pulse a few times, then let it whizz for about 30 seconds.
Pour into a glass and that’s it really!
EATING OUT: TIOSK, BROADWAY MARKET
I have found my new favourite food spot and lucky me it’s in east London for ones! (Yay!) Tiosk opened only a few months ago and is now supplying Broadway Market with clean Scandi design and clean food. They specialise in teas and serve their hugh range in the most beautiful glasses or glass pots. Get ready for a photo bomb here because this place really got me clicking and don’t forget to scroll all the way down to meet the owner!
I don’t know what is the best thing about this place because it’s all good but the fact that it serves good quality vegan and gluten free food which is actually really affordable makes it the new place to be for me. The chef Nicky Clinch is a trained macrobiotic chef who makes clean natural food which focuses on in season foods. I brought my partner to help me test the menu and we couldn’t decide which plate was the best. So we decided all of them! We had a lentil and vegetable soup, a dahl with rice and black sesame seeds as well as a beautiful salad plate filled with rice and black sesame, steamed mangetout and chinese broccoli, smashed avo, leaves, nuts and seeds and a yummy portobello mushroom with crispy sage.
Tiosk don’t just do lunch, they also serve breakfast like bircher muesli pots and smashed avo on toast. I’ve not yet tried it myself but the bircher pots look amazing. They have three different flavoured bircher mueslis which are topped with coconut yoghurt and a homemade compote, when I visited it was rhubarb. Each pot also has a topping suitable to the bircher flavour. So far there is no gluten free bread for the avo toast but I was informed that they are tasting away to find a suitable match. I will be hanging on the door when they do.
Now, let’s talk about the tea. Tiosk don’t serve coffee but are focusing on tea instead and it’s health benefits. They do make matcha lattes though for all of you out there who need an energy fix. For me this is perfect as I’m not a coffee lover but even if you are there is such a large amount of lovely loose leaf teas at this place that you’ll be able to find at least one (if not 30) that suit your palette. They also sell The Pressery mylks and Crude juices. A variety of natural sweeteners and three different milks are on offer; cow, soya and almond. Thumbs up for the almond milk! I tried the milk oolong and the green tea called Gyokuro which was a real winner, my partner wanted to take the whole jar home.
I think you have realised that this place has it all (except coffee, sorry coffee lovers) if you’ve gotten this far, I have no complaints! It’s a 5 out of 5 for sure and I am very excited to tell you that I got the chance to speak to part owner Natasha Kelly who answered a few of my questions about the place and her favourites on the menu. Below are all her answers!
Find out more about Tiosk here.