Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Salted Caramel Dip and Sweet Chili Sauce

This is a fun and delicious way to enjoy Brussels sprouts. It works well as an appetizer or as party food. It can also be a side dish, depending on how you serve it. Presented here today, it was served as party food.

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

1½ lb. Brussels sprouts

for the salted caramel sauce:

• 6 tablespoons non-dairy margarine
• ¾ cup light brown sugar
• ½ cup soy yogurt or non-dairy cream
• ½-1 teaspoon salt

for the sweet chili sauce:

• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger root, minced
• ½teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon hot chili pepper, minced
• 1 teaspoon ketchup
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• ¼cup white vinegar or rice vinegar
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¾cup water
• pinch salt
• 2 tablespoons water to make a paste with the cornstarch

Directions:

to make the caramel sauce:

1. Place the non-dairy margarine in a sauce pan with low heat.
2. Melt the margarine.
3. When the margarine is melted, add the sugar and stir to blend.
4. Once the mixture has melted, remove from the heat and add the soy yogurt, stirring to prevent separation.
5. Add 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of salt and taste.Add more salt as you prefer.

to make the chili sauce:

1. Place the water and vinegar in a saucepan.
2. Add the sugar and heat stirring to dissolve the sugar.
3. Add the ginger, garlic and chili peppers.
4. Add the ketchup and a pinch of salt.
5. Stir well to mix.
6. Taste the mixture and season with any extra flavorings desired.
7. Make a paste from the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water
8. Add the cornstarch paste to the cooking mixture and cook until thickened and clear.
9. Remove the sauce from the heat and allow to cool.

to roast the sprouts:

1. Cut the dried edge of the stem off and either leave the sprouts whole, or slice in half.
2. Pre-heat the oven to 400 (F).
3. Spread the sprouts on a baking sheet prepared with baking parchment.
4. Sprinkle the sprouts with some olive oil.
5. Roast for 25-35 minutes.
6. Test the “done-ness” of the sprouts with a fork.
7. Alternatively you can choose to steam the sprouts Prepare the sprouts and place in a steamer for 15-25 minutes.
8. Test for “done-ness” with a fork.
9. Serve the sprouts with the choice of both dips and some toothpicks or wooden pricks.

Related Posts:

• Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pears and Red Onions and…
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Grape Bruschetta
• Brussels Sprouts and Quince Gratin
• Brussels Sprouts, with Apples, Red Onions and Walnut…
• Baked Pears En Croute Filled with Vegan Spicy Caramel Sauce

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DIY Fermentation Starter Kits

KOMBUCHA, WATER KEFIR & MILK KEFIR

So what exactly are they?

Kombucha is fermented tea made with a kombucha starter culture or SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts). There are many names for the culture including mushroom, mother, scoby, fungi and many more. The mixture is allowed to ferment at room temperature for 5 to 30 days. It can be consumed plain or with added flavouring such as fruit, juice or spices.

Kombucha contains a number of vitamins (particularly B vitamins) and may have a number of health benefits. It contains pro-biotics and as it is fermented lots of lactic acid bacteria.

Water kefir is a probiotic beverage made with water kefir grains. Water kefir grains can be used with sugar water, or coconut water. Water kefir grains harbour a set of bacteria and yeast existing in a symbiotic relationship (this is the same as the Kombucha so is also scientifically termed a SCOBY, the water kefir scoby and the kombucha scoby however contain different bacteria). The term "kefir grains" describes the look of the culture and they can at times be referred to as seeds. They are not seeds in the usual sense and cannot be planted! They are Gluten free and literally only contain bacteria and yeasts.

Milk kefir is the drink, but Milk kefir grains are the “starter kit” that you use to produce the drink. Kefir originated from parts of Eastern Europe and Southwest Asia. The name is derived from the Turkish word keyif, which means “feeling good” after eating. It can be made with cows or goats milk. The Kefir grains are natural symbiotic cultures containing a huge number of natural bacteria that turn the lactose in the milk into lactic acid, so kefir tastes sour like yogurt it has a thinner consistency so it is more smoothie like.

Top benefits: Aids digestion, supports the immune system, good for the gut. Probiotics = Probacteria!




1. SIMPLE KOMBUCHA STARTER KIT

Each Kombucha Starter Kit includes a dehydrated SCOBY & instructions on how to activate and make your own kombucha. Store the dehydrated culture in the fridge until ready to activate.

Equipment

• 1L – 1.5L jar
• Plastic or wooden stirring utensil
• Heat safe container/ pan
• Cloth or paper coffee filter
• Rubber band to secure the cover on the jar
• Kettle
• Measuring jug
• Bottles to store your kombucha

Ingredients

• Dehydrated Kombucha SCOBY
• Water (fluoride free)
• Cane Sugar (unrefined, raw or white)
• Plain unflavoured green or black tea (loose or teabags)
• Distilled white vinegar

Method to activate your Scoby:
1. Combine 500ml of hot water with 40-55g of sugar in a heat safe container.
2. Add 2 tea bags/ loose tea and leave to steep for 8-15 minutes.
3. Remove the tea and leave to cool until below 20C (the heat can kill the culture!)
4. Pour tea into the brewing jar and then add 100-115ml of white vinegar to the mix and add dehydrated SCOBY
5. Dampen the covering cloth with vinegar and then secure it on the jar with an elastic band.
6. Culture your kombucha at 20-25C for 30+ days.

Leave kombucha out of direct sunlight for 30+ days.

The first batch may be too sour and vinegary to drink but now you have your activated SCOBY the process is much quicker.

Brewing
1. Make a batch of 1L of sweet tea using the method above and allow to cool.
2. Add sweet tea to the activation jar.
3. Cover with brewing cloth and leave to brew for 7-18 days.
4. Bottle up the kombucha and chill for a few hours before drinking. Enjoy!





2. SIMPLE WATER KEFIR STARTER KIT

Each Water Kefir Starter Kit includes dehydrated water kefir grains and instructions on how to activate and make your own water kefir.
 
What you will need to activate the grains:
 
Equipment

• 1L Jar
• Plastic or wooden stirring utensils
• Cloth or paper coffee filter
• Non-metal sieve
• Rubber band to secure the cover on the jar
• Measuring jug
• Bottles to store your water kefir

 
Ingredients

• Dehydrated Water Kefir Grains
• Chlorine and Fluoride free water
• Cane sugar (avoid coconut or maple syrup)

Method to activate your Water Kefir Grains:
1. Add 35-40g or sugar to 500ml of water. Stir and leave for 5 mins. Keep doing so until sugar has dissolved.
2. Leave to culture for 3 days at 20-28C
3. The grains will then be activated. Separate grains from liquid using the sieve and place them in another 500ml batch of sugar water.
4. Leave to culture for 2-3 days at 20-28C. 

The grains should now be plump and translucent.
 
Brewing: 
1. Make up your solution of sugar water.
2. Add activated grains and choice of fruits/ flavour (e.g. ginger and lemon)
3. Leave to culture for 24 hours
4. Once the mixture has brewed separate the grains and start the process again.
5. Bottle up the water kefir and chill for 6-12 hours before drinking. Enjoy!





3. SIMPLE MILK KEFIR STARTER KIT 

Each Milk Kefir starter kit includes dehydrated milk kefir grains and instructions on how to activate and make your own milk kefir grains.
 
What you will need to activate the Milk Kefir grains:

Equipment

• Dehydrated Milk Kefir Grains
• Glass Jar or drinking glass
• Cloth or paper coffee filter
• Rubber band to secure the cover on the jar
• Non-metal sieve

Ingredients

• Dehydrated milk kefir grains
• Dairy milk

Method of Activating and Brewing:
1. Empty your milk kefir grains into your jar and add 180ml of milk.
2. Stir and cover with your cloth.
3. Leave to culture in a warm spot at 20-28C
4. After 10-24 hours check the milk texture.

Has it started to thicken or changed texture?

If YES… stir the mixture and strain the grains from the milk and reuse the grains in fresh milk increasing the amount to 250ml.

If NO after 24 hours…stir the mixture and strain the grains from the milk and then put the grains into fresh milk and repeat as before.




 

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Mamalina's Planet Organic Family series

Hello! 
 
So for those of you that followed my Pregnancy series, I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy back in June. Sonny arrived earthside after a wonderful water birth - we are totally in love and I am so happy to say that he, along with big brother Jack, are doing super well. For those of you that don't know me, I'll re-introduce myself briefly. I'm Emma, I live in London and I'm mum to Jack and Sonny and wife to Sam. I love travel, yoga, the outdoors and have a thing for the color green and am a coffee addict.
 
As a mum, it matters to me more and more what foods I put not in just my own mouth but in my kids' and husband's too so I have decided to do something about it. I'm going to be continuing working with Planet Organic to bring you the best of Organic food for you and your families. I'm no 'foodie', I'm not a health obsessive and I'm definitely not an expert; I'm just a mum who wants to feed her family nutritious and tasty food without slaving away in the kitchen or breaking the bank. And that's the other thing - did you know that every month Planet Organic cut the prices of 500 of their products? I'm going to be highlighting some of those and doing some meal planning around these foods. Eating organically should be for everyone, and it shouldn't be intimidating or costing the earth.
 
I'll also be covering gift ideas ahead of Christmas, sharing nutritional expertise on which vitamins we should all be taking and looking at a detox for January to kick start the year. 
 
I'm really excited to be running this series, and if there's anything in particular that you want me to cover, leave me a comment here or drop me a line on mamalinauk@gmail.com - I'd really love to hear from you. 
 
Peace, hugs and all that shizzle.
 
Emma x

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?Berry Cheesecake'

Blogger Jenna Hope shared her mouth-watering recipe for Berry Cheesecake with us.
It’s packed full of healthy fats like pecans, cashews and coconut and is topped with luscious berries and our Super Berry Paleo Granola – we can’t wait to dig into this delicious treat! 
 
Ingredients:
 
Base Layer

• 200g raw pecans
• 250g medjool dates

 
Filling

• 200g soaked cashews (6-8 hours)
• 100g creamed coconut
• 200ml coconut milk
• 3tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 250g frozen berries
• 250g Planet Organic Super Berry Paleo Granola

 
 
Method:
 
1. Grease an 8’’ tin with coconut oil.
2. Pulse the pecans in a food processor (just until they are broken down into small chunks).
3. Add in the dates and blend until a sticky dough forms. Press the dough into the base of the tin and set aside in the freezer whilst you make the filling.
4. Place the cashews in the food processor and blend until broken down.
5. Add in the creamed coconut, coconut milk, maple syrup, vanilla and salt. Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
6. Take half the mixture out and pour it onto the base, allow this layer to set for at least an hour and a half in the freezer.
7. Pour the berries into the remainder of the mix and blend until smooth.
8. After an hour and a half smooth this layer over the first and then pour on the Planet Organic Super Berry Paleo Granola to cover the entire cheesecake. Return to the freezer for 6-8 hours.
9. Slice up and enjoy!


 
Bio: My name is Jenna Hope. After completing my undergraduate degree in Nutrition and Exercise I went on to do a masters in Human Nutrition. I gave up refined sugar 6 years ago and after seeing the effects on my physical and mental health I became fascinated by the way food impacts the body and the mind. I feel it is really important to eat well and exercise regularly. I love food and thoroughly enjoy experimenting with recipes! Feel free to follow me on Instagram @jennahopenutrition and keep up to date with my blog http://ift.tt/1U7s3Zy
 

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GIVEWAY - The Girl On The Train

Enter the competition now - ends on the 29th midnight
The most anticipated thriller of the year The Girl on the Train is in cinemas from Oct 5, and to celebrate we’re offering one lucky winner a pair of tickets to a private preview screening of the film on Friday 30th September 2016 in Central London.  

All you need to do is like our Facebook page, and tag the name of your plus one in the comment section below. Winners will be drawn at random, good luck! 

Enter the competition on Facebook

Watch the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5_Iiu_uWI8




 

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4 Fall Produce Picks to Boost Immunity

Are you getting enough of this crucial vitamin? An antioxidant, vitamin C promotes wrinkle-free skin, supports good immunity, and may help the body protect itself against some diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Oranges and other citrus aren’t the only sources. These fall/winter vegetables offer ample amounts too. With cold and flu season around the corner, now is a good time to revamp your crisper drawer with these fresh picks.

Cooking tip: Vitamin C can be easily lost in the cooking process, particularly when veggies are boiled and drained. To retain more nutrients, cook into soups or stews, or lightly steam or microwave. Roasting or broiling results in less vitamin retention than other methods, but the results are very delicious. Frying virtually obliterates vitamin C and other volatile nutrients. Our advice? Avoid frying, vary other cooking methods, and enjoy.

Broccoli

Broccoli provides about 100 mg vitamin C per cup (chopped), plus sulforaphane, a potent antioxidant studied for its anticancer effects.
Serving idea: Try lightly steaming and dressing with lemon juice (more C!), olive oil and salt.

Cauliflower

A cup of cauliflower contains approximately 93 mg vitamin C. Bonus: You’ll also get several grams of fiber.
Serving idea: Steam cauliflower, then mash with miso, sesame oil and ginger; or garlic, olive oil and herbs.

Kale

A cup of kale contains tons of vitamin A (twice your daily value), vitamin K, trace minerals and 80 mg of vitamin C.
Serving idea: Remove tough stems, chop, and massage with lemon juice, olive oil and a little garlic until slightly wilted. Let this sit at room temperature. Excellent add-ins: toasted sliced almonds, chopped hazelnuts, parmesan cheese or apple slices.

Brussels Sprouts

The tiny cousins of green cabbage, Brussels sprouts contain 48 mg vitamin C per half cup.
Serving idea: Steam lightly and toss with hazelnut or walnut oil, a touch of maple syrup, and sea salt. (Roasting is a favorite cooking method because it brings out Brussels sprouts’ sweet flavor, but you’ll get less vitamin C.)

[via Organic Connections]

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Review: Broccoli & Lentil Salad with Turmeric Yogurt Dressing

Did you know that Canada is the leading lentil producer in the world? The “lentils-Canada” blog is one of my favorite go to sites for wonder delicious, healthy recipes. They have a whole page of free downloadable magazines called “Lentils for Every Season”. Not all of the recipes are vegan, or vegetarian, but almost all can be adapted to be vegan just like this delicious salad we had today.

It was merely changing the Greek yogurt to non-dairy yogurt, and using soyanaise instead of mayo. This is a really great tasting salad and full of nutrition.

Recipe: http://ift.tt/2dgCOxD

Related Posts:

• Summer Vegetables with an Orange, Turmeric and Raisin…
• Review: Healthy Vegan Asian Broccoli Salad
• Review: Red Cabbage Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
• Review: Pasta Man-Salad (Malad) With Peanut Butter Dressing
• Review: German Potato and Lentil Salad

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This 5-Ingredient Autumn Juice Recipe Might Fix Everything

Step aside sugar-loaded pumpkin spice latte, this autumn juice recipe takes seasonal drinks to a whole new level. Unlike PSLs, this  juice is made with real food ingredients that perk up the immune system and fill your body with vital nutrients all while embodying the flavors of the season.

Juice, often best served green after a sweaty yoga or barre class, can also be filled with autumnal flavors and seasonal ingredients. Leave it to our favorite rooted and grounded fruits and vegetables to get you feeling balanced, brightened, and rejuvenated in these cool fall months.

Packed with sweet potato, apple, ginger, turmeric, and carrot, this autumn juice is filled with whole food superstars. We don’t mean to play favorites, but the sweet potato in this recipe is a total winner. More than just vegetable mash and fries, sweet potatoes are an easily juiced vegetable that deliver ample amounts of nutrients.

Sweet Potato Health Benefits

This orange-fleshed beauty is one of our favorite grounding vegetables. Along with providing nutrient support to the body, sweet potatoes are easily grown across the world and considered an environmentally stable crop.

Fun fact: NASA thinks these potatoes are pretty stellar too. The tubers were chosen as a candidate crop to be grown and incorporated into menus for astronauts on space missions due to their (crazy impressive) nutritional value.



Besides being astronaut-approved, sweet potatoes are a great source of easily digestible fiber, minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants such as beta-carotene. Sweet potatoes also contain bioactive compounds such as phenolic acids and anthocyanins, which contribute to the bright orange color of their skin and flesh and boast health benefits as well.

Just one cup of sweet potato provides 214 percent daily value of vitamin A, 52 percent daily value of vitamin C, 50 percent daily value manganese, as well as impressive amounts of copper, vitamin B6, B3, B1, potassium, and biotin.

With their ample nutrients plus bioactive compounds, sweet potatoes have been widely studied for their abundant health benefits. Numerous studies have shown that sweet potato consumption is linked to anti-cancer properties, reduced inflammation, antimicrobial activity, hormone-balancing abilities, and extreme free-radical-scavenging powers.

This autumn juice recipe also boats other orange-skinned superfoods such as carrots and turmeric. These whole foods deliver impressive amounts of vitamins A and C along with a wide variety of other vital nutrients. Turmeric is especially nourishing and has been shown to reduce inflammation, be protective against certain cancers, and soothe stomach issues. Just a tip, always consume your turmeric with black pepper, which makes its beneficial compounds more bioactive.

Sip the flavors of fall with this seasonal and nutrient-rich autumn juice. We know it will be your new favorite festive drink. Buh-bye, PSLs.

Autumn Juice

Serves 1-2

Ingredients
1 large sweet potato
1 crisp apple, such as fuji or honeycrisp
1-inch nub ginger
1-inch nub turmeric
4 large carrots
Pinch of black pepper

Directions
Run all ingredients through a juicer and finish with a pinch of black pepper. Drink autumn juice immediately or store in the refrigerator in a sealed glass jar for one to two days.

 

[via Organic Authority]

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Warm Buddha Bowl

Recipe taken from the book Good Life Eatery


Serves 4-6/
makes about 24 meatballs

Ingredients 
For the meatballs

• 500g minced beef fillet
• 25g mint leaves, finely chopped
• 40g parsley, leaves and stems finely chopped
• ½ red onion (about 50g), peeled and finely chopped
• 1 egg
• finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed or finely chopped
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil, for frying
• 1 quantity Tomato Sauce 

For the Tomato Sauce

• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed or finely chopped
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 400g plum tomatoes, finely chopped
• 300g cherry tomatoes, halved
• ¼ fresh red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• a pinch of salt
• ½ tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

 
For the brown rice

• 300g brown rice
• a generous pinch of salt

 
4–6 tbsp Greek yogurt, to serve

Method
1. For the meatballs, put all the ingredients, except the oil, into a large bowl and mix together well until combined. Using clean, damp hands, roll the mixture into 30g balls, about the size of a golf ball.
2. Make or heat the Tomato Sauce in a large saucepan over a low–medium heat.
3. Heat a large frying pan with a splash of olive oil over a medium heat.When hot, add the meatballs and cook for 10–12 minutes until they are lightly browned all over. Put the cooked meatballs into the tomato sauce and leave to simmer gently for 20–30 minutes while you prepare the rice.
4. To cook the rice, put the brown rice into a large saucepan, add enough water and a generous
pinch of salt and bring to the boil. Cover with a lid, reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until rice is tender.This is a super-simple brown rice and doesn’t need much flavour as everything else has lots of flavour.
5. To serve, put a large spoonful of brown rice into a bowl.Top with 4–6 meatballs per person, some tomato sauce and a tablespoon of Greek yogurt. Garnish with the remaining parsley.



Recipe taken from the book Good Life Eatery, available here

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?The good life Salad

Recipe taken from the book Good Life Eatery,


Serves 4
Ingredients 

• 200g Puy lentils
• 2–3 sweet potatoes (750g), peeled and cubed
• 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for roasting
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 5–6 handfuls of kale (300g), stalks removed and leaves chopped into small pieces
• ½ pomegranate, kernels removed
• 150g cooked red or black quinoa (optional)
• 60g walnuts, chopped
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
• For the orange and tahini

Dressing

• finely grated zest of 1 large orange
• juice of 2 oranges
• 100g tahini
• 75ml olive oil
• salt and freshly ground
• black pepper

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.
2. Put the lentils in a saucepan and add 600ml water to cover the lentils completely. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 25 minutes, or until tender. Drain in a colander and run under cold water to stop the cooking process, then leave to cool. Set aside.
3. Put the sweet potatoes into a large bowl, add the olive oil, salt and pepper and toss well until the sweet potatoes are coated.Transfer the sweet potatoes to a roasting tin and roast in the hot oven for 15–20 minutes. Leave to cool.
4. To make the dressing, put all the ingredients into a blender and blitz until smooth or whisk by hand. Set aside.
5. Put the chopped kale leaves into a large bowl, add 1 tablespoon olive oil, and using your hands, massage the oil into the kale.
6. Once the sweet potato and lentils have cooled, add them to the kale then add the pomegranate kernels. If using quinoa, add this now. Pour in 150ml of the dressing, or to your liking, and toss until everything is coated in the dressing.Top with the chopped walnuts and nutritional yeast flakes and serve.



Recipe taken from the book Good Life Eatery, available here

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?3 easy ways to revitalise your skin and achieve a fresher look

Do some facial yoga daily: this only takes 2 minutes and costs absolutely nothing. Just make sure you schedule this into your daily routine to help keep facial muscles firm. Here’s two fast and effective exercises.
 

FOR HORIZONTAL FOREHEAD LINES

Place the side of your forefingers gently but firmly against your forehead, allowing your thumbs to rest on your cheeks. Raise your eyebrows against the resistance of your finger. Hold for 6 seconds and repeat 10 times.

 

FOR VERTICAL FOREHEAD LINES

Place the underside of your forefingers flat against your forehead, just above your eyebrows. Pull gently towards the temples. Hold for 6 seconds and repeat 10 times
 

Boost your anti-oxidant intake to fight signs of ageing
Make sure you are eating at least 5 a day of fruit and veg - and follow all the rules about a range of colours. Great choices are peppers, berries, broccoli, kale, citrus fruit and green tea due to their high content of vitamins A, C, E and K – all beneficial antioxidants. These will help to fight free radical damage – a major factor in skin ageing.

Apply anti-oxidants topically to your skin for the best protection against pollution and ageing:
Aim to use at least one product daily which is rich in antioxidants. Applying this directly to your skin will ensure these antioxidants are rapidly absorbed to improve your protection against pollution. Try a Vitamin C serum morning and night – for example Nourish Protect Serum will give your skin a boost as well as stimulating collagen production. Or start the day with Kale Enzymatic Exfoliating Cleanser to give your skin fantastic protection and a fresher look.



BUY THE RANGE HERE

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Why I choose organic skincare

By Ella Mills, Best-Selling Author and Food Blogger

As I became more conscious about what I was putting into my body, I started thinking more about what I was using on my skin. If my recipes contained only natural ingredients, then why shouldn’t my skincare?

 

I started to use organic alternatives, including some bits from Neal’s Yard Remedies. Most people don’t realise that some of what we put on our skin can be absorbed, so choosing products that are of a high organic standard was a no-brainer for me.

 

It can be a bit daunting when you start to investigate a new skincare routine – there are so many products on the market that claim to be natural and organic, so how do you know what to choose?

 

Here are some of my tips to help you if you’re feeling as confused as I was!

 

Read the label

It’s important to look at the ingredients of your skincare, just as you would with food. Choose products that contain an abundance of natural, organic and wild grown ingredients. If you come across an ingredient that’s hard to pronounce, it’s probably best to avoid it! This link on the Neal’s Yard Remedies website will help you understand what to look out for.http://ift.tt/2clTuCR
 

Look for Certification

I was so surprised to learn that there’s no regulation around what can be labelled organic when it comes to skincare. Did you know a product can be labelled ‘organic’ even if it contains only 1% of certified organic ingredients? Pretty crazy! That’s why it’s so important to look for certification from an independent body like the Soil Association. That logo on a product means they’ve done all the hard work for you – looking at the ingredient list, making sure the product is non-GMO so you know what you are buying really is organic.

 

Become a Kitchen Beautician

If you really want to know what’s in your beauty products, you can make them yourself! There are so many products that you can create at home in your kitchen using things like coconut oil and avocado. I love exfoliating, so my favourite DIY is making a scrub from coconut oil and brown sugar – the sugar granules gently remove any dead skin, while the coconut oil nourishes and moisturises. Plus, making your own products is a lot of fun.

 

Beauty from the inside, out

Don’t just rely on your skincare products to give you a gorgeous glow. When you’re feeding your body with the best ingredients nature has to offer, you’re also feeding your skin. This doesn’t mean you need to overhaul your whole diet, you can start by adding an extra portion of fruit or vegetables to every meal. It may sound insignificant but it really adds up – over the week you’ll eat an extra 21 portions of goodness, which is great. It will do wonders for your body, from increased energy levels to brighter, clearer skin. After all, when you’re feeling great, you look great too.



Ella's skincare products available here:

• Rose, Cucumber and Lime facial wash
• Rose, Cucumber and Lime facial moisturiser

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Sweet Red Bell Pepper Spread Redoux

We use this delicious spread on rolls in the morning, for sandwiches at lunch and as a dip for veggies.

Yield: 2 cups

Ingredients:

• 1 cup prepared red bell pepper pieces
• ½-¾ cups soy yogurt
• 4 ounces nut meal
• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• ¾teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon vegetable bouillon powder
• 1 pinch garlic powder
• 1 splash lemon juice or fruit vinegar
• 1 splash Tabasco
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. If you use a fresh red bell pepper, de-seed it and chop, then lightly sauté in a tablespoon of oil until the pepper pieces are soft.
   If you are using canned or jarred bell pepper pieces, drain from the liquid.
2. Place the prepared red bell pepper pieces in a bowl (if using an immersion blender, or place in a mixer or in food processor.
3. Add the soy yogurt, mustard vegetable bouillon powder and puree to a smooth consistence.
4. Add the lemon juice (or vinegar), Tabasco, garlic powder and nutritional yeast and puree again.
5. At last add the nut meal and puree.
6. Season as needed with salt and pepper.
7. Place in air tight container and cool in the refrigerator.

Related Posts:

• Orange Bell Pepper Ginger Gazpacho
• Udon Noodles with Eggplant, Red Bell Pepper and Mango
• Walnut Pea Spread
• Vegan Green Pea and Walnut Spread
• Carrot, Pear and Almond Spread

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Hummus & Watermelon Seed Dip

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp of roasted Mello Watermelon Seeds
• 1 cup of chick-peas (ideally soaked overnight)
• ¼ cup of roasted sesame tahini
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 tsp of minced garlic
• ¾ teaspoon of salt
• 3 tbsp of lemon juice
• 2 basil leaves

Method:
1. Drain the chick-peas and add them to a large saucepan with water and bring to the boil.
2. Reduce the heat and simmer for one and a half hours until tender.
3. Drain the chick peas and put aside half a cup of the cooking liquid.
4. Add the chickpeas, tahini, oil, garlic, salt, lemon juice and cayenne pepper to a food processor.
5. Pulse until smooth and add the cooking liquid when needed to thin.
6. Once at the right consistency, adjust seasoning to taste with salt, lemon juice and cayenne. 7. Add to a bowl, create a dip in the middle with a spoon, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle the Watermelon Seeds on top. Garnish with basil leaves & it’s ready to serve!



 

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How to use the Happy Kombucha Starters

Simple guide to make kombucha, water and milk kefir at home!










Buy the starters HERE

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Morning Maca Turmeric Smoothie

Turmeric shines (literally!) in this smoothie, with its healing, anti-inflammatory qualities. This is so thick and delicious that it can be enjoyed with a spoon
Ingredients

• 280g frozen papaya
• 1 extra-ripe banana
• 250ml coconut water
• 2 tsp maca powder
• 1/2 - 1 tsp turmeric
• 2 tbsp goji berries, to serve

Method
1. Place the papaya, banana and coconut water in a blender and blen on high until smooth and creamy
2. Add the maca and turmeric and blend again to combine. 
3. Pour into glasses, top with goji berries 



Recipe taken from the book Superfoods 24/7 from Jessica Nadel

 

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?Acai Bowl By The Good Life Eatery

Ingredients
(serves 4)

• 100g frozen acai (frozen packs found in any of our stores) 
• 120g whole strawberries, hulled
• 75ml almond milk
• 4 ripe bananas, peeled and roughly chopped
• ½ large avocado or 1 small, peeled, stoned and roughly chopped
• 15g honey (optional)

 
To serve (per bowl)

• 75g Gluten-free Granola
• ¼ of the acai purée (see recipe above)
• 5 slices of banana
• 4 slices of strawberry
• a sprinkle of bee pollen
•  4 blueberries

Method
You will need a Vitamix or high speed blender.

1. Put the frozen acai, strawberries, juice or milk, bananas, avocado and honey, if using, into a large blender and blend until it is a smooth purée.

2. Put the granola into a serving bowl, pour the acai purée over the top, then tap the bowl gently on the work surface to make sure the purée covers the granola evenly. Arrange the fruit on top, with a sprinkle of bee pollen and serve.



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Zucchini Walnut Risotto

This makes an easy, handy and tasty meal for summer nights. The walnuts add flavor, protein and a nice crunch.

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 cup risotto rice
• 2 medium zucchini
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 large onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted
• 2-3 cups vegetable bouillon
• 2 tablespoons mixed Italian herbs and spices
• 3 scallions, sliced
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Clean the zucchini and cut (in half moons or matchsticks).
2. Chop the onion, mince the garlic and slice the spring onions.
3. In a dry pan toast the chopped walnut pieces.
4. When lightly toasted, remove the walnuts from the pan and set in a bowl for later use.
5. Place the vegetable oil in the frying pan used for the walnuts and heat the oil.
6. Add the onion and sauté until soft.
7. Add the risotto rice and mix well to evenly cover the rice.
8. Add 2 cups of vegetable bouillon and minced garlic
9. As the vegetable bouillon is absorbed, add the zucchini pieces.
10. Add water or more vegetable bouillon if the rice is still hard.
11. Continue cooking and stirring until the rice is soft.
12. Add the Italian herbs and spices
13. Shortly before serving add the toasted walnut pieces, the scallions and season to taste with salt and pepper.
14. We garnished the meal by sprinkling a few pieces of toasted walnuts on top and some of the green parts of the chopped spring onions.

Related Posts:

• Risotto with Red Kuri Squash and Spinach
• Review: Roasted Cauliflower Risotto
• Kale Risotto with Spicy Tofu Pieces
• Vegan Zucchini Lasagne Salad
• Review: Zucchini-Banana Bread

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