WARMING CURRY PUMPKIN CREAM

As we are slowly coming to the end of summer and the days are becoming colder I thought it is the right time to share my ultimate curry pumpkin cream soup. A while ago I have shared carrot cream soup and I still love it, however, this recipe has a much more define and interesting taste. 

To be honest I was surprised how well it turned out, a bit spicy yet still flavorful and with a little bit of sweetness to it. I would only recommend to use a well sharped knife and same goes to the vegetable peeler to peal the pumpkin. The skin tends to be very hard and without using one the process can be very dull and annoying - I tired and trust me it was no fun until I found my knife sharpener..  If you are really lazy you could use ready pumpkin puree but the taste will be much more blunt, hence I’d say it is worth the extra effort. 

HEALTHIER SPINACH FALAFEL - baked not fried

I have never been a big fan of falafel, back in school it was served tasteless and with basically no spices. This experience made me very skeptical for years, until I tried it in a simple, probably very unhealthy takeaway - all it needs is a bit of spice to it! Now as I learned how easy it is to do it yourself and I have it at least once a week. It is so convenient you can make it into little bites, like the once I did for this recipe, or into burgers. 

Falafel can be made with so many variations, with spinach, plain, with peppers, olives literally whatever you fancy and therefore it does not get boring quickly. It is the biggest alternative for vegetarians in so many places, sometimes so over priced thus I reckon it is good to know how to make it at home. Besides that, chickpeas are very high in protein and fiber - best of both worlds. In addition it has a low GI (=30) so it is safe for diabetic and the fiber itself regulates glucose level in the blood. 

AVOCADO & ROCKET PASTA

The typical tomato pasta sauce can be boring at some point and trust me I know, I've been there. I am guilty of being a massive spaghetti pasta lover and eating it definitely too often... Hence, I though of changing something in my "regime", knowing the benefits of avocado I tried using that delicious fruit. And it worked! For a more defined taste I also add arugula as it has a little bit of a kick in its flavor. 

 

My favorite part of that dish is you actually eat less then when having the traditional, as avocado is a load bomb of good fat (unsaturated fat) so it keeps you full for longer because the breakdown of it is quite time consuming process.  

Apple Mash Breakfast - Vegan

I am starting to get bored with eating yogurt and muesli for every breakfast. Yes, sometimes I switch things up and add strawberries on top in stead of a banana but all in all the base is always the same - yogurt, muesli and chia or/and flax seeds. 

Recently, I though why not try something different. It is apple season and I have found a store where I get a great deal on apples, 10 for 1 pound! And what is best it also applies to green apples which I prefer over the red once. However, for this recipe I would strongly suggest using the red fruit as it is sweeter. So what is the breakfast I am talking about? A simple apple mash. Great for autumn mornings as it can be served warm.

Warming Carrot Cream Soup

To be fair I have never been a fan of soups. I did not like the fact it is simply water with vegetables inside, how can you even get full eating that? My opinion has changed after trying cream soups. They are way more filling and it seams like the taste is much richer. 

As you probably know, here in UK, it is quite common that it is raining, it is windy and generally the weather is not the greatest at all times. Since I moved to Leeds, there were more days when I have been ill then days where I felt OK. Probably I just have to get used to that climate but that is not what I want to share. There is nothing that warms me better then a delicious cream soup. It helped me to feel better and warm up on these rainy days. 

Green Lunch Mix

Recently I have moved out of home and begun my university life in Leeds students halls. As you can probably guess it is much harder to prepare a lovely meal full of fancy ingredients and spices because when living on your own it is your responsibility to buy everything! Also not to lie some foods might be very expensive and hard to get. 

Tofu Scramble - Vegan breakfast

Are you vegan? Or you cannot eat eggs? Or maybe you simply don’t like the taste of eggs? Well, I have a delicious proposition for you! Mornings can be hard and there is nothing that wakes you up better than a large, fulfilling yet healthy breakfast. 

In today’s post I would like to present you Tofu Scramble, an alternative to regular, often boring and known for years scrambled eggs. To be honest it took me a while to try this idea out, sometimes tofu can be tasteless but if you will prepare it well it’s really luscious. My biggest tip is to drain as much water from it as possible. If you have time leave it for half an hour wrapped up in paper towel (obviously it is not necessary but in my opinion it brings out a better taste). 

Quick Mushroom Sauce

Probably everyone knows how to prepare a mushroom sauce, however, I decided to share my recipe with a tiny twist. Due to several health issues my diet has to be based generally on low-fat meals and hence I try to avoid products such as thick cream, which is a common ingredient in mushroom sauces. To replace it, I used unsweetened yoghurt. On the other hand if you are vegan you might try this recipe by substituting milk-based product with soy milk!

What is more, I cherish spicy food thus to add more flavor to this sauce I added some chilli peppers but if you prefer softer tastes just omit this step!
Hope you will enjoy it :)

Superfood mood-boosting vegan cookies

As you know, yesterday USA celebrated the  National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day (probably one of the best national food holidays, maybe except of National Whipped Cream Day and Ice Cream For Breakfast Day). Due to this how so important event, we connect with our American fellows by preparing those little black beauties - maybe not EXACTLY choco chip cookies, yet I believe a really nice (and healthy) variation of them. Vegan, gluten-, sugar- and guilty-free. Moreover, they contain the whole range of superfoods, which benefits are summarised below: 

COCOA

One of its most appreciated values is the antidepressant effect, which is due to the presence of phenethylamine - a mood-boosting neurotransmitter. Cocoa is also the source of magnesium, essential for proper functioning of muscles and nerves). It is also rich in dietary fiber, improving digestion and, hence, beneficial in terms of weight loss.

GOJI BERRIES

They contain all of the essential amino acids, contain 15 times more iron than spinach and are loaded with vitamin C and dietary fiber. Moreover, goji berries have the highest protein concentration of all fruits - and these are only a few of their numerous health benefits! They really are superfoods, aren't they?

BANANAS

They contain tryptophan - amino acid which is turned into serotonin, a neurotransmitter responsible for good mood and happiness. They are also a source of vitamins and minerals: vit. B6, vit. C, magnesium, potassium and dietary fiber. Due to the presence of natural sugars (sucrose, fructose and glucose) they are perfect energy-boosters.

WALNUTS

Apparently, even though containing pretty large amount of kcal / 100g, walnuts aid in weight loss, as their consumption results in satiety. This is due to large amounts of fats, proteins and fiber they contain. They are also a great source of antioxidants, which prevent heart diseases, as well as of omega-3 fatty acids, which help in stress reduction and brain functioning. Eating walnuts also aids proper sleep, as they increase the amount of melatonin in your organism .

COCONUT OIL

The benefits of coconut oil surely need a separate post to fit in, but these are some of the most important (and interesting) ones: it helps fat burn (YES, we couldn't believe that either at first), prevents infections, reduces LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, increasing the level of HDL (good) cholesterol at the same. 

If you are looking for more recipes which can positively affect your health and naturally elevate your spirits, check out our smoothie of happiness as well.

Roasted, gluten-free and vegan doughnuts / Pieczone, bezglutenowe i wegańskie pączki

If you leave in Poland you have to know what Tłusty Czwartek is. If not then it's the best day in the year, you can eat a lot of sweet things and have no limit. Doughnuts are very popular during that day and therefore we tried to prepare slightly healthier version of them. At least they are not fried in oil but roasted! (They also are vegan and gluten-free) We hope you will enjoy them! 

Merry Tłusy Czwartek! ღ

Ingredients

for ca. 25 doughnuts

Mood boosting smoothie / Koktajl poprawiający humor

Yum

Ingredients

2 big bananas (or 3 small)

0.5 cup plant milk (I used rice one)

1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

Preparation

1. Peel off and chop the bananas.
2. Put all of the ingredients into a blender and mix until receiving an even mass.
3. Pour into a glass and...

...enjoy!

Kakao jest nazywane "pokarmem bogów" nie bez powodu - poza bogactwem składników mineralnych takich jak potas, wapń czy fosfor, zawiera również anandamid - endorfinę wytwarzaną naturalnie podczas wysiłku fizycznego. Ponadto wpływa na produkcję serotoniny, będącej hormonem szczęścia, a także uzupełnia niedobory magnezu, niezbędnego w walce ze stresem. Banany z kolei zawierają tryptofan - aminokwas także uwalniający serotoninę. Nie jest więc niespodzianką, że mieszanka tych dwóch produktów wpływa zbawiennie nie tylko na wygląd, ale również samopoczucie.

Składniki

2 duże banany (lub 3 mniejsze)

0.5 szklanki mleka roślinnego (ja użyłam ryżowego)

1 łyżka niesłodzonego kakao

Przygotowanie

1. Obierz i pokrój banany.
2. Włóż wszystkie składniki do blendera i miksuj aż do uzyskania gładkiej masy.
3. Przelej do szklanki i...

...smacznego!

Vegan oatmeal-banana bars / Wegańskie batoniki owsiano-bananowe

Ingredients

3 cups of oatmeal

3-4 bananas

1-2 tbsp of coconut oil

1 tbsp of flaxseed

1 tbsp of sunflower seeds

1 tsp of cinnamon

0.5 tsp of nutmeg

Preparation

1. Mix all of the dry ingredients in a vessel.
2. Skin the bananas and mash them with a fork or a blender.
3. Add mashed bananas and coconut oil to the vessel.
4. Mix everything together (you can use your hand).
5. Cover the baking sheet with baking paper or oiled foil (we used the second one).
6. Put the oatmeal-banana mass onto the baking sheet and form a rectangular shape of approximately 1.5-2 cm hight.
7. Bake for 25-30 min in 180 degrees.
8. Take the baking sheet out of the oven and, after cooling down, cut the baked mass into nice, rectangular bars.

This is a perfect solution when you are in rush in the morning and you don't have enough time for a proper breakfast or if you get hungry between meals. Putting one or two bars into your handbag can proven you from eating junk food suffused with fat, salt and sugar.

Enjoy!

Składniki

3 szklanki płatków owsianych

3-4 banany

1-2 łyżki stołowe oleju kokosowego

1 łyżka stołowa siemienia lnianego

1 łyżka stołowa pestek słonecznika

1 łyżka stołowa cynamonu

0.5 łyżka stołowa gałki muszkatołowej

Przygotowanie

1. Wymieszaj wszystkie suche składniki w misce.

2. Obierz banany i rozgnieć je za pomocą widelca lub blendera.

3. Dodaj rozgniecione banany i olej kokosowy do miski.

4. Wymieszaj wszystko razem (można użyć rąk).

5. Na blasze połóż papier od pieczenia lub natłuczonej foli (my użyłyśmy tego drugiego).

6. Na blasze ułóż masę bananowo-owsiankową, formując równy prostokąt o wysokości około 1.5-2 cm. 

7. Piecz w 180 stopniach przez około 25-30 minut.

8. Wyjmij formę z pieca i po ostygnięciu pokrój w małe regularne prostokąty.

Jest to świetna alternatywa gdy rano nie masz czasu przygotować porządnego śniadania lub jeżeli zgłodniejesz między posiłkami. Wrzuć dwa lub trzy batoniki do torebki, a uchronisz się przed jedzeniem fast food-ów pełnych soli, cukru i tłuszczu.

Sugar and gluten-free vegan banana bread / Bezcukrowy i bezglutenowy wegański chlebek bananowy

Ingredients

5 ripe bananas

2,5 glass of corn flour

0,5 glass of walnuts

3-4 tbs of coconut oil

1 teaspoon of: 

cinnamon

nutmeg

baking powder

baking soda

additionally: coconut oil and gluten-free breadcrumbs for a drip pan

Preparation

1. Heat the oven to 180 degrees.

2.Mix all of the dry ingredients in a glass or plastic vessel.

3. Use a fork or a blender to mash the bananas. 

4. Add the bananas and coconut oil to the vessel.

5. Mix everything together until you receive an even mass.

6. Smear the drip pan with coconut oil and sprinkle with gluten-free breadcrumb.

7. Put the drip pan into the oven. Bake for around 30 min. (the dry stick rule).

Enjoy!

Składniki

 5 bananów

2,5 szklanki mąki kukurydzianej

 0,5 szklanki orzechów włoskich

3-4 łyżki stołowe oleju kokosowego

1 łyżeczka: 

cynamonu

gałki muszkatołowej

proszku do pieczenia

sody 

dodatkowo: olej kokosowy i bezglutenowa bułka tarta

Przygotowanie

1. Nagrzej piekarnik do 180 stopni.

2. Wymieszaj wszystkie suche składniki w plastikowej lub metalowej misce.

3. Użyj widelca lub blendera aby rozgnieść banany. 

4. Dodaj olej kokosowy i rozgniecione banany do suchych składników .

5. Mieszaj wszystko do uzyskania jednolitej masy.

6. Posmaruj keksówkę olejem kokosowym i posypać bezglutenową bułką tartą.

7. Przełożyć masę do keksówki, wstawić do piekarnika i piec przez 30 minut. 

Po upieczeniu poczekać aż wystygnie i...

 ...Smacznego!