Elderberry & Blueberry Jam on Homemade Essene Bread

Look delicious? I’ll be posting my recipes for Elderberry & Blueberry Jam and a recipe for Homemade Essene Bread very soon!

HFL x.

Elderberry Bread (Spelt) & Butter Pudding

 

Elderberry Bread & Butter Pudding

Lavendar Cordial, Sweet Syrup & Ice Tea

            

I bought a 50g of organic lavendar flowers so I thought making a cordial would be a lovely way to have it! I also made a Sweet Lavendar Syrup (inspired by Ani Phyo’s lavendar syrup) and a beautiful fizzy purple ice tea!

 Lavendar Cordial

A collection of videos with Sandor Ellix Katz

For those of you who enjoy eating and/or making your own fermented foods with Wild Fermentation, you may enjoy these videos of Sandor Ellix Katz. Sandor Ellix Katz is the author of a great book and resource titled Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foodsand another book which reveals underground food revolutions and revivals called The Revolution Will Not Be Microwaved: Inside America’s Underground Food Movements.

The Videos 

In this video: Sandor introduces himself and tells us all about his fetish with wild fermentation! 

In this video: Sandor illustrates how easy it is to make your own fermented veggies and includes some good tips aswell!

In this video: Sandor talks about whether or not you can get botulism from eating wild fermented foods.  

In this video: Sandor talks about our attitude and actions toward bacteria in society today.

You can find out more about Sandor Ellix and discuss Wild Fermenation with other like-minded people at his website: http://www.wildfermentation.com

Basil Herb & Veg Chicken Soup with Quinoa

Basil Herb & Veg Chicken Soup (with Quinoa): 

serves: 3-4

You will need:

• 2-3 chicken breasts, diced (preferably organic & free range)
• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, washed
• 2 carrots, diced (peeled if not organic)
• 1 zucchini, sliced thinly
• 3 mushrooms, sliced or 1 cup of shiitake mushrooms, soaked for 15 minutes
• 1/2  purple onion, sliced thinly
• 1 celery stick, sliced
• 3 asparagus spears, chopped along the spear
• 2 tbs. golden sage
• 1 tbs. rosemary, crushed
• 1 cup quinoa, washed and sprouted (soaked)
• 1 tbs. thyme
• 4-5 cups of chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 strip kombu, cut into squares
• 1 tbs. mekabu
• a pinch of pink salt and black pepper
• optional: 2 chillis, sliced

In a pot combine onion, carrot, zucchini, mushrooms, celery, asparagus, stock, herbs (all except basil), mekabu, kombu and chilli if using. Cook this on low heat until all vegetables, mushrooms and sea veg are soft (around 35 minutes or so). 

Add the chicken, sprouted quinoa and herbs and cook until chicken is cooked and the soup is fragrant and tasty.

Notes:

• This stores really well in the freezer. Freezing in individual containers speeds up defrost time and is great for nights when you don’t feel like cooking!

Enjoy,

HFL.

Chocolate Avocado Ice Cream!

This is really nice creamy chocolate ice cream! It’s a far healthier ice cream than store bought and it’s one that doesn’t use dairy or eggs but instead uses avocado to produce a creamy frozen treat. It would be great for those who can’t have, don’t like or are allergic to dairy or eggs (or even for someone who wants a nutritious treat!) It contains cacao and has a slighty nutty flavour from the walnuts. I made this without an ice cream maker, however if you have one you can use it.

Chocolate Avocado Ice Cream

You will need:

• 1/2 a ripe avocado
• fresh walnuts (rancid walnuts don’t taste nice!), amount adjusted to consistency 
• 1/2 a cup of cacao powder
• 1 teaspoon of homemade vanilla extract (or store bought)
• 1/4 cup of avocado oil
• water, adjusted to consistency
• a pinch of himalayan salt to help increase flavour
• optional: 1-3 tablespoons of rapadura sugar or maple syrup
• optional: cacao nibs to make it like a chocolate chip ice cream

How to:

1. Place avocado, avocado oil, vanilla, cacao powder and sugar/syrup in a blender or food processor and blend until very smooth.
2. Add walnuts and water- you want a thick mixture so adjust these two ingredients accordingly. 
3. The mixture might warm up a bit in the blender if so leave to cool on the counter. When cool, pour into your container to freeze. A good option for a container is a pie dish that you can cling wrap (preferably earthenware type-dish- if it’s metal or a nonstick you don’t want that to get that scraped your icecream- or even just a plastic container with a air-tight lid. Cover the container tightly with a piece of cling-wrap before putting the lid on. (Use two pieces if using a dish and secure with tape). This helps to prevent unwanted flavours lurking in the freezer to develop in your ice cream.
4. After the first 45 minutes or so, take the ice cream out and either mix with a stick blender or a fork to help break up the ice crystals. Make sure you scrap the sides and bottom of the container as those areas crystalize there the most.
5. For the first 3-4 hours keep breaking up the ice crystals every hour or so until the ice cream becomes a smooth texture.
6. Freeze until it reaches the desired consistency.
7. Once thick, smooth and frozen you can serve! Scoop out with an ice  cream scoup or a deep rounded spoon.

Notes and variations:

• I put the sugar as optional, but it is needed to help lower the temperature of the ice cream in the freezing process and also add a nice sweetness- you can add more or less than the amount I used if you wish.
• Cacao nibs would give it a nice chocolately crunch.
• You can use rice, almond or soy milk instead of water.
• Frozen raspberries would be nice mixed in as its freezing.
• You could try substituting macadamias, cashews or almonds instead of walnuts. Soak the walnuts for a few hours before hand and blanch and skin the almonds (you can skin them by pulling on one end of the almond- blend the almonds when cool).
• You could use macadamia oil instead of avocado oil or maybe even like to use coconut oil.
• If you choose to use coconut oil you may like to add a few tablespoons of coconut flakes or desicated coconut for a more tropical tasting ice cream.
• Instead of using cacao powder and avocado oil you can use the combined amount of coconut-cacao butter, if you have it.
• How long will this last? Well if not eaten, then in the freezer it can last, or rather stay fresh, for about 2-4 months.

References:

The recipe is my own, however I used these sources as references:

• How to make Ice Cream Without an Ice Cream Maker (a blog post by David Lebovitz)
• On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen (a very useful food-chemistry book by Harold McGee).

Enjoy,

Michelle.

I submitted this post to Food Renegade’s Fight Back Friday November the 2oth. Please check back there for more food loving posts!!

Healthy Rosemary and Seaweed Salt

Healthy Rosemary and Seaweed Salt

Whole Watermelon Juice

Whole Watermelon Juice

You will need:

• A watermelon cut into slices- rind kept on, but peel off the green part.
• Water
• Ice

Blend the watermelon and water to a juice consistency and serve!

Variations:

• Add a few strawberries when blending.
• Add a few sprigs of mint when blending.
• You can add bananas and a little less water than for a juice and make a smoothie!
• Instead of ice use frozen coconut water.
• Instead of water use young coconut water.

Enjoy,

Michelle.

Strawberry Kale Smoothie

I’d thought I’d share with you my breakfast this morning. It was a Strawberry Kale Smoothie!

I know ‘kale’ and ’strawberries’ aren’t two words you would usually think of together in a smoothie…but it isn’t actually too bad at all! It’s rather tasty and very nutritious! The red pigments of the strawberry helps to disguise the green colour of the kale, So I can imagine giving this to kids (or anyone who doesn’t like greens) would be much easier than a plain green smoothie.

Strawberry Kale Smoothie

Yield: Makes 4-5 small cups

You will need:

• 1 handful (or more) of Kale, uncooked
• 6-10 strawberries
• 1 banana
• Water, to thin out (use less for a thick smoothie, if desired)
• 1 tablespoon of cold-pressed flax seed oil
• 1 tablespoon of lecithin granules
• 1 teaspoon of crushed or whole almonds, for garnish

How to:

In a high speed blender, blend all the ingredients together until it forms a smooth pour-able smoothie.

Tips:

• If it is too much for yourself, keep in a jug in the fridge for later and shake or stir when drinking again.
• If you freeze bananas ahead of time this can give the smoothie a creamier texture.
• If you buy organic strawberries you can blend them with the green tops! 

Enjoy,

Michelle.

10 Ways To Get More Dark Leafy Greens In Your Diet (other than salad)!

10 Easy Ways to Get More Leafy Greens in Your Diet (other than salad)!

In no particular order they are:

1. Putting your leafy greens in a whole meal flat bread wrap can be a tasty way (and disguised) to have them! (Chopping them finely works really well and not as tough to chew). 
2. Add them to soup (or make them the main part of a soup). See Janella Purcell’s Spinach, Lentils and Lemon Soup.
3. Make Spinach Brownies (the spinach is added as a puree).
4. Make a Green Smoothie (kale would work best In my opinion as it doesn’t have such a strong flavour). Try my Strawberry and Kale Smoothie!
5. Have them with eggs for breakfast: add them to a omlette!
6. Add them to casseroles or stews.
7. Pickle them: I really like sauerkraut! It can be added to many things including wraps and soups! (I know not a dark leafy green but healthful none-the-less! You could also add thinly sliced kale to your next batch of sauerkraut for extra goodness).
8. Have them as chips! A now favourite snack of mine is plain Kale Chips or Spicy Kale Chips!
9. Sautee your greens with garlic and olive oil and serve with beans on whole-grain toast!
10. Puree them and add them to pasta sauce or add to a stir-fry!

There you go, those are my 10 ways to get more dark leafy greens in your diet (other than just salad)!

Hope you liked them! Do you have any creative ideas to eat more leafy greens? I’d love to hear your suggestions- please write me a comment below! 

Kale & Mango Salad with Avocado Dressing

This is a really nice sweet and refreshing summery salad!

Janella Purcell’s Spinach, Lentil & Lemon Soup

Janella Purcell’s Spinach, Lentil & Lemon Soup

I saw Janella Purcell make this on her and Gary Mehigan’s show ‘Good Chef/ Bad Chef’ on the Lifestyle Food channel.  It is full of darky leafy greens so I had to make it!

After making it tonight for tea (dinner), I will definitely have to make it again another time! It’s a great way to get a lot of dark leafy greens into your diet! And it’s really tasty! Sometimes I find salad too cold or a bit bitter, but this soup is neither! 

Some tips on making this soup:

• Soaking your lentils before hand in water with a strip of kombu for 12-24 hours helps to decrease their cooking time and to help increase their digestibility.
• You can use spinach or silverbeet interchangeably in the recipe.
• When you puree the soup try to make it a very smooth texture as this helps to give the soup a creamy and buttery, texture & taste.

To see the recipe click on this link: Janella Purcell’s Spinach Lentil & Lemon Soup.

Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

HFL

Spicy Kale Chips

These have a bit more of a kick than the original kale chip recipe, which is fine by me as i’m quite fond of spicy and hot foods! These little kale chips might not look like it but they have a lot of flavour!

Honey Toasted Ancient Grain Granola

This uses honey, vanilla extract and various grains and seeds to create a yummy, crunchy and nutritious breakfast!

Kale Chips: Crunchy Crispy Greens!

Banana Prune Spelt Bread

Kale, Grain & Spicy Pink and Purple Salad!

Spicy Pink & Purple Sauerkraut

Spicy Pink & Purpe Sauerkraut

Sweet Spelt and Prune Porridge

This is a really yummy warming breakfast. It uses the grain spelt instead of oats to create a creamy porridge. Spelt is ancient form of wheat that is said to be much better for you than wheat. 

Whole Lemon and Strawberry Jam!

10 Quick, Easy and Nutritious Breakfasts!

These are my TOP 10  FAVOURITE BREAKFASTS as they are really quick, easy, tasty and nutritious (and most of them aren’t too expensive)!

10. Homemade Muesli Bars. If you make these yourself they can be much more healthier than the store-bought ones. You can make them at the start of the week and you can make enough for the whole week (you can freeze some of the bars) so all you need to do is grab and go! Great for those busy times!

9. Bircher Muesli or Granola. Bircher Muesli is a cereal made up of raw nuts, seeds, grains and dried fruit that is soaked with milk or fruit juice overnight. Granola is made up mostly of oats and other seeds and nuts which are baked (or dehydrated) usually in a sweet liquid such as honey or maple syrup which can be served with milk or yoghurt. Try my Honey Toasted Ancient Grain Granola.    

8. Fresh Fruit Salad! This can be had all year round with different fruits according to season. The more colours your fruit salad has, the more nutrient dense it will be!  It is also easy digested.

7.Warm Cereals. It’s nice to have a warm breakfast to get you going on a cold morning! Try cooking whole grains such as quinoa, buckwheat or brown rice. You could try cooking them with a bit of cinnamon or dried fruit such as dates for a sweet brekkie or add some fresh fruits and nuts. My Sweet Spelt and Prune Porridge is really nice on a cold morrning! Or a Congee (Rice Porridge) could be great aswell if you feel like something savoury.

6. A Smoothie. Smoothies can be a really quick way to prepare a brekkie for many people. And you can add almost any type of fruit, yogurt, milk, nut or seeds. Or if you’re feeling adventurous try a green smoothie! (Have a look at this site: greensmoothie.com). 

5. Eggs! Eggs are a great source of protein and can be really quick to make. In fact it only takes 3 minutes to boil one! Scramble eggs only take a few minutes to do aswell! Serve on a piece of whole grain toast or Essene bread (see below). You can also try having a bit of salad with your egg aswell for more of a nutrient dense meal.

4. Puffed Grains and Milk. Puffed grains, such as millet, buckwheat, brown rice, quinoa, spelt, kamut and amaranth are really great alternatives to common cereals based on wheat and corn. And they tasted pretty good too, quite similar to ‘rice bubbles’ but more nutritious! You can mix these grains together or add to whatever cereal you like. You can serve with dairy (or alternative milks) like you would a normal cereal.

3. Essene Bread. Essene bread is basically sprouts that have been minced, formed into a loaf and lightly cooked. They come in different varieties including spelt, wheat, rye and sweet varieties which include dried fruit aswell as the sprouts (my favourite!). You can also toast them and top with whatever you like (I sometimes like cacao-coconut butter or tahini, honey, banana and flaked coconut).

2. Beans. Beans such as baked beans, which are actually Navy beans, can be something really tasty for breakfast. They are a good source of fibre, carbohydrate and protein. But remember to soak them overnight, to help reduce enzyme inhibitors and to help reduce the chances of flatulence! Try beans such as cannelini, navy and kidney beans.  

1. Oats! Oats are generally really cheap and are a great nutritious breakfast. If you soak them overnight, it makes them more digestible and makes them a lot quicker to cook. You can cook them with water or milk. Try having your oats with yoghurt,  honey, fresh fruit, seeds and nuts, or add some L.S.A. (ground linseed (flax), sunflower seeds and almonds).

There you go: my top 10 quick, easy and healthy breakfasts!

What do you like eating for breakfast? Have you tried any of these? Tell me below in the comments section!

Health Food Lover

How to Sprout Sunflower Seeds

It is really quite easy to sprout your own sunflower seeds and by doing so it makes them more digestible, nutritious and delicious! And you don’t even need any fancy equipment!

Chocolate Tahini Bars (Raw)

Who says healthy cooking has to be hard? These are No-Cook Bars!

How to make Tahini (Sesame Seed Butter)

In this post I’m going to tell you how you can make your very own Tahini Paste!

How to make your own Homemade Fermented Tabasco Sauce

For me, making my own food from scratch is really gratifying (and pretty cool too)! It’s really exciting know that you can make something and you don’t have to rely on pre-packaged foods to do that (or anyone else for that matter)! You just need your own two hands and a little know-how!

I worked out the recipe by looking at the official McIlhenny Tabasco Website which states the ingredients: young green chilli Peppers and Salt and then it is fermented for 3 years.

Well I’m here to show you a much quicker  and simpler way (but still pretty genuine way) to make your own Tabasco Sauce)!

You will need:

• 15-20 Chili’s (or less depending on how much you would like to make) (I used red chilis but you can use young green chilis)
• 2. tbsp. Himalayan sea salt
• 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

1. Chuck your chilli’s, the vinegar and sea salt in a blender till the juice from the chilli starts to release and your salt is mixed finely with the chilli and vinegar. The consistency should be about the same as tomato sauce (thick but still pour-able).
2. Then put this all into a small saucepan and boil for a minute or two then put on a low simmer.
3. Add this to a glass container and cap. Leave this for about two weeks to a month and check the flavour every now and again. 
4. Use can use it once the month is over or you can leave it to ferment for much longer (up tp 3 years).
5. Use as you would Tabsaco sauce.

This Tabasco sauce is much cheaper than the store bought and will last from one to two years, but will depend on your batch. My chillis ended up costing about $3.80 dollars and this makes about 2 or 3 times as much in the original tabasco bottles.

Note: It will eventually start to turn a dark orange colour in time. Make sure you check this as it is a fermented product it may rise above your jar so check it often and maybe even loosen the lid or cap a little bit to let out gasses.

You can see how I used my Tabasco Sauce when I made my Healthier and Tastier Homemade Nachos.

Happy Cooking,

Health Food Lover