Moroccan Inspired Cinnamon Spiced Chia Pots with Fig and Pistachio Crumb

I have been working in the events industry for a decade, but hosting a memorable dinner or event is in my blood. My family are an eclectic bunch of creative, passionate and colourful personalities and for as long as I can remember we have gathered over hearty and lengthy meals to laugh, support, bicker, confide and celebrate. For me, the dinner table is a place where hosting friends and family is done with consideration, warmth, good humour and grace. 

I really hate to jump on the complain train, but winter is a hard slog. Or at least it can be, not only for your mind, but also your body. We binge, we indulge, we crave stodgy comfort foods to warm us up and get us through the January blues.  Before we succumb to the depths of despair however, I’m happy to share a quick and easy little recipe that can double up as a breakfast or midday snack, and is both warming, seemingly indulgent but gloriously healthy all rolled into one. It’s a cosy, colourful and nutritious little number that takes inspiration from sunnier climates, a Moroccan inspired dish that is bursting with sunshine in all of its warming spiced glory. I am more than confident that this recipe will restore you with, if not the joys of Christmas, at least the promise of Spring. Enjoy!

 Cinnamon spiced chia pots with fig and pistachio crumb (vegan)
 
 

• 2 x cups of almond milk
• ½ cup of chia seeds (black or white chia work equally well)
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 2 x tsp coconut sugar (honey or agave nectar will work well also)
• 2 x ripe figs
• Small handful of pistachios, roughly chopped
• Pinch of edible dried rose petals (available in the baking section of supermarkets)
• Honey to drizzle (optional)

 

1. Gently heat the almond milk over a low heat in a small saucepan, being careful not to boil
2.  
3. Add the chia seeds, vanilla extract and cinnamon and stir for 3-5 minutes until thickened
4.  
5. Add coconut sugar or alternative sweeteners to taste
6.  
7. Pour into medium glass and allow to cool slightly
8.  
9. Chop the jammy figs into rough chunks and scatter over each pudding with the pistachios and edible rose petals
10.  
11. Drizzle a small amount of honey over the top for shine and extra sweetness
12.  
13.  

About Jenna

Drawing on my experience as an events professional and my personal passions in creating memorable dining experiences for family and friends, Chapel Lane was born.  Chapel Lane represents an imagined destination where like-minded creatives come together to collaborate, create and celebrate. I handcraft foodie experiences to honour those moments in life that call for special attention. Whether it be a dinner party at home, a wedding or a product launch, I take a very tailored approach and offer bespoke experiences to suit every brand or individual.
 
I also hold regular workshops covering home entertaining tips in various locations around Surrey and London, as well as filming for my YouTube channel “Chapel Lane & Friends”, which covers various topics on how to style and deliver wonderful experiences for friends.  I hope to provide insight into the thousand small gestures that collectively make an occasion a special one so you too can spoil your loved ones in the comfort of your own home.

www.chapel-lane.com
@jennalelsby @chapel_lane_events    
YOUTUBE: Chapel Lane & Friends

 

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Chocolate Coco Smoothie

Savour this malty chocolate number from Vega! A protein and fibre-rich start to the day, with a hefty hit of potassium to boot.
Serves 1 | 5 Minutes Prep Time
By Vega®
 
When chocolate meets coconut - is there a better taste flavour…? Let your New Year’s Resolutions include this smoothie recipe!
 
Ingredients
 
375 mL coconut water
1 scoop (36 g) Chocolate Vega® Essentials  
2-3 cubes vegan dark chocolate
30 g coconut flakes
1 frozen banana
 
Preparation

1.  
2. Add all ingredients to a blender, except the chocolate, and blend until smooth.
3.  
4. Add the chocolate and blend lightly to create small chocolate chunks.
5.  
6.  

For more delicious recipes by Vega® make sure to follow them on Instagram, Twitter (@VegaTeam_UK) and Facebook! 

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Super Slaw – Winter Coleslaw with Apples and Dried Superfruits

Coleslaw is one of our favorite salads to enjoy. It’s not just for summertime, picnics and the beach. Winter slaws include apples, or can also use citrus. This time we enjoyed the sale with apples and many dried berries.

Ingredients:

for the salad:

• 4 cups green cabbage, finely shredded
• 2 carrots, peeled and grated
• 2 organic apples, cored and chopped into bite sized pieces
• 6 ounces dried super fruits (blueberries, aronia berries, cranberries, cherries, raisins, goji berries, blackcurrants)
• ¼ cup sunflower seeds

for the dressing:

• ½-¾ cups non-dairy yogurt
• ¼ cup orange juice
• splash lemon juice
• pinch salt
• 3 tablespoons elderflower syrup (or other vegan sweetener)
• ½ tablespoon poppy-seeds
• pinch cinnamon (optional)
• garnished with Aztec sweet herb

Directions:

1. Shred the green cabbage and place in a large bowl.
2. Peel and grate the carrots
3. Chop the apples and gently mix into the sale.
4. Add the medley of dried berries and toss again to mix.
5. Mix the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. If you like a thicker dressing add more non-dairy yogurt, if you prefer it more thin, add a bit more orange juice.
6. Our the dressing over the coleslaw and mix well. It is best eaten right away. If you are taking the salad to a party, it is best to wait with the dressing until shortly before serving.
7. We garnished the salad with a few leaves of the Aztec sweet herb Phyla scaberrima. We have it over-wintering on our windowsill. Any mint leaves would also be nice as garnish.

Notes:

We are fortunate to have elderberry bushes. One can harvest the flowers (also very healthy) as well as the berries. The flowers make a very flavorful syrup very easily so we have that on hand through the winter months.

 

Related Posts:

• Review: Kohlrabi Slaw
• Savoy Cabbage Slaw with Poppy-Seed Dressing
• Tofu, Nut and Dried Fruit Terrine with Orange…
• Asian Slaw Salad with Fava Beans, Cashews and Spicy…
• Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Red Grapes, Dried…

The post Super Slaw – Winter Coleslaw with Apples and Dried Superfruits appeared first on Vegalicious Recipes.

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Mira Manek's 'Winter's Golden Chai'

A steaming hot winter warmer freckled with the flavours of India and pepped up by the healing and energising properties of ginger, black pepper, turmeric and cinnamon
I just have to hear the word chai and I can almost smell the ginger fired cinnamon infused spice. Here, I’ve just spiced up a simple turmeric milk with an enriching blend of healing spices. At home, I have a blend of seven spices which I usually stir into my cup of tea to make an easy masala chai, the first recipe in my book in fact! but there’s simple ways to spice up your brew, grating ginger, sprinkling a little pepper, adding a dash of cinnamon. So here’s something you can easily make at home.
 
1 mug of almond, oat or any milk you prefer
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon grated ginger
tiniest pinch of black pepper
Generous pinch of cinnamon (and cardamom if you have it)
1-2 dates (or, if not blending the mixture, then use 1 teaspoon of brown sugar, coconut sugar, maple syrup or agave nectar)

Boil together all these ingredients so that the flavour of the ginger really comes through, then blend together in a high-speed blender for extra froth and so that the dates and ginger get blended. If not blending then you can use brown sugar or any other sweetener as mentioned in the ingredients. Then simply sieve into a mug (or leave the ginger pieces if you like to chew them) and drink. 


ABOUT MIRA MANEK
Mira Manek is giving Indian food a facelift, making it lighter, brighter and healthier with her cookbook Saffron Soul and her sell-out Indian supperclubs, feasts and yoga brunches in London. Mira’s debut cookbook Saffron Soul is a celebration of flavourful home-cooked Indian food, bringing together her grandmother’s and mother’s traditional Gujarati thalis with her own modern inspired dishes. From beetroot coconut curry and masala grilled aubergine to shiro and saffron lime cheesecake, Saffron Soul covers a whole array of easy to make, beautifully photographed dishes, taking the spice box out of the context of curries and daals and into our modern day life. Mira is all about making Indian spices and food more accessible to all, and Saffron Soul is the start of that!

 

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Vegan Chocolate Brownies

Doisy & Dam put a superfood twist on a classic vegan bake
These vegan brownies are soooo delish. Just make sure you keep an eye on them when cooking as a minute too long is the difference between gooey heaven and spongy cake.
 
Ingredients

·       200g D&D’s Maca, Vanilla and Nibs dark chocolate
·       170g self-raising flour
·       3 heaped teaspoons cocoa powder
·       180 g golden caster sugar
·       Pinch of Sea salt
·       5 tablespoons sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing
·       1 teaspoon vanilla extract
·       230 ml unsweetened soya or almond milk (obv we used Rude Health’s Ultimate Almond as we are obsessed)
·       200g pecan nuts chopped
·       50g cacao nibs raw or roasted
 
 
Method

1. Preheat yo’ oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Line a 20cm square (roughly) baking tin with greaseproof paper, use a little bit of oil in the tin before putting the paper in so it sticks neatly.

2. Place a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the base doesn’t touch the water.

3. Break 150g of chocolate into the bowl and allow it to melt, then set aside to cool slightly/place choc in a microwaveable bowl and give it short 40 second blasts in the microwave stirring each time until it melts.

4. Sieve the flour and cocoa powder into a large bowl, then stir in the sugar and a good pinch of salt.

5. Stir in the oil, substitute milk, vanilla extract and melted chocolate until combined.

6. Dip finger in mixture to try because you just can’t help yourself.

7. Roughly chop and stir in the remaining chocolate and most of the pecans, saving some to make the top look pretty. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin, spreading it out evenly. Sprinkle over the remaining pecans, then place into the oven for 20-25 minutes. Leave to cool for around 5 minutes, turn out onto a wire cooling rack.

8. Gobble them up.
 

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Pancakes With Cashew Mousse And Salted Caramel Popcorn

Salty, caramel-y, pillow-y pancakes anyone?
We LOVE our pancakes. We love them so much that we've had them with every imaginable topping (coconut jam, anyone?), so we decided to up our game and try something more... creative.
 
How about a...
 
Gluten-Free Pancake Stack with Cashew Mousse and Salted Caramel Popcorn..?
 

Recipe for 2-3 people (depending on how hungry you are!)
 

For The Pancakes:
 

• 1 Pack of Morning Dreamers Pancakes
•  3 eggs (or flax eggs) 
• 255ml of your choice of milk 

 
For the mousse:
 

• 1.5 cups of roasted cashew nuts 
• 4 tbsp coconut oil 
• 6 tbsp agave nectar or coconut nectar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla powder (or a cap full of vanilla extract)  
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
•  A pinch of salt 
• 3-6 tbsp water (start with 3 and odd the rest slowly if mixture is too thick)
• Salted Caramel Popcorn

?
Method
 
For the pancakes:
 
Preheat the pan on medium heat, add some vegetable or coconut oil. Whisk together milk and 3 eggs, add Morning Dreamers Pancake mix and mix until well-combined. Use a ladle or a large spoon to scoop the mix and put in the pan. Fry your pancake on one side until the top appears dry, then flip. Once cooked. place on the plate and repeat.
 
For the cashew mousse:
 
Add cashews into a blender and blitz on high-speed for a few seconds. Then add all remaining ingredients and continue mixing. Add water if necessary. The mousse should be smooth without cashew bits.
 
Once the mousse is ready, spread it between the layers of the pancake stack and decorate with some popcorn!
 
Voilà! 

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Sugar: A Sickly Sweet Subject

The word that plagues our headlines, burns our ears, forces the creases between our eyebrows to deepen and yet at the same time, brings with it, an undeniable intrigue – is it really the be all and end all, can we just cut it out, do we even need to cut it out, is that even possible!? Would there be any improvement on our quality of life, our potential longevity or even on our mental wellbeing if we were to cut down our intake? Diana Bell-Irving, one half of the Sugar Free Siblings, gives us the low-down.

Many believe sugar is needed for our survival, to literally keep us alive, this is true in so far as the building blocks of carbohydrates (being sugars) are needed as part of a balanced diet, yet the substance we are referring to here is ‘free sugars’, comprised of 50% glucose & 50% fructose (in general), which are absolutely not essential to life. Examples of these include HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) and Sucrose (table sugar).

 


Over the past 50 years the number of Obese individuals has gone from 1 in 8 to 1 in 3 and the prevalence of Diabetes has increased by 900% from the 1960s to today – these are some big, scary numbers, and if there are lifestyle changes, which don’t ostracise one form society and that may have a positive impact on our health in preventing chronic conditions that our society is currently overcome by, then why not give them a go. Scientists, doctors and researchers have conducted thousands of studies on the addictive, fattening and overall negative impact too many free sugars can have on our health.


When consumed the body will use the sugar as energy; any surplus fructose not needed by the body is stored in the liver as fatty acids (packaged as triglycerides), which becomes problematic when the storage levels are so high that conditions such as NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease), as well as other excess consumption related conditions such as type II Diabetes and an increasing BMI, develop. 

 

Avoidance at all costs is not the advice here, a little here and there will do no harm, to be frank local honey when used to combat seasonal allergies can work wonders! Moderation is the key.

Free sugars have been vilified for many years now, and the debate swings in roundabouts between calories, fat intake, sugar consumption, how much protein one should eat, intermittent fasting, this diet and that – but why so many? For the very good reason that no one size fits all, no one diet will ensure every human reaches their perfect end goal, whatever said end goal may be, and further, because they are difficult, extraordinary so, to stick to. Yet, there is good news, reducing one’s sugar consumption is manageable, stocking up your cupboards at home, your fridge at work, doing some batch cooking, rustling up a storm with your friends, family and flatmates as well as doing a little research into which food delivery companies drop off in your area is key. Making these small changes in your life mean that there is none of that last minute rushing to pick up the convenient, salt ridden, sugar preserved, artificially flavoured & rancid vegetable oil filled ready meal or snack, excuse the lack of restraint but let’s be realistic, anything that has a shelf life of multiple months has to be full of garbage to last that long.

 

So, the solution? Just cut down on it where you can, eat more real food, food that you recognise, food that doesn’t come in a cellophane wrapper with many multiple ingredients listed on the back, most of which you have never heard of or can’t pronounce, buy some new pots and pans / wipe the dust off the ones you already have, get a good cookery book, read some food blogs, be imaginative, meet your local butcher – ask where they source the meat from, which pieces are good for slow cooking and which are not. Stock up those cupboards with herbs, spices, nut butters, coconut milks, seeds, quinoa, wild black rice, jumbo porridge oats, chia seeds and hemp kernels. Fill your freezer with organic berries and chopped bananas, pots of leftover curries, stews & soups, and most importantly, ALWAYS keep the leftovers – they are truly the most wonderful base for the next meal, all you need to do is add some fresh salad leaves, or a pile of pea pasta, some hot roasted tomatoes, a slathering of olive oil, some paprika & a dash of cumin, maybe even a slice or two of avocado or an egg – and hey presto you’ve got yourself another yummy dish which you’ve created. 

 

Incorporating healthier and real food habits can only have a positive impact on our health; experimenting with new veg, difference cuts of meat, funky pastas, foraged herbs and multicoloured foods can be so exciting and they are often so easy to prepare, they can brighten up our kitchens and our cooking, plus, and perhaps even more importantly, they improve the overall health of our gut microbiome. Instead of restricting yourself and thinking too much about what you are, or are not, going to eat set easy goals, for example eat more veggies, or rather eat at least 5 different veggies and 2 pieces of fruit a day. Other ideas include having more wholegrains over white or processed carbs and having a chunk of good quality dark chocolate, some fruit & a spoonful of nut butter instead of a sugary pudding. The harder the goal the more we all drift from it, so smaller achievable ‘can do’ & ‘taking up’ habits are so much healthier and easier to maintain. 

Check out @sugarfreesiblings and the other recipes on our blog for some always delicious, always low-sugar and no-sugar recipe ideas and make 2018 your best year yet.

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Protein Smoothie with Avocado, Banana and Reishi

Georgie Holt from Form Nutrition shares her recipe for the ultimate energising smoothie.

Ingredients

• 1 scoop Form Performance Protein Vanilla
• 1/4 avocado
• 1/2 banana
• 1 tbsp cacao powder
• 1/2 tbsp reishi powder
• 1 + 1/2 cups of hemp milk 

 

Method
 

• Add the hemp milk to your blender followed by the other ingredients
• Blend until smooth & creamy
• Empty the mixture into your favourite glass
• Top with whatever you fancy for an extra nutritional boost - we like fresh fruit, cacao nibs and nuts or nut butter! 

- Thanks to @formnutrition and @fearlessbodies for this gorgeous recipe.

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Raw Himalayan Salted Cacao & Coconut Truffles

An indulgent truffle recipe, perfect for those late night munchies, brought to us by Noble.

Ingredients
 

• 150g medjool dates, pitted

• 50g finely chopped 85% organic chocolate
• 4 tablespoon cocoa butter, melted
• 2 tablespoon Noble’s Himalayan Salted Cacao blend, plus more for dusting
• 1 tablespoon of dessicated coconut
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom (optional)
• 1/4 tsp cayenne (optional)

Directions

Place everything into a food preocessor and pulse everything together into a paste. With lightly oiled hands, roll the paste into small balls and then roll in Himalayan Salted Cacao powder to finish. Leave in the fridge to set. For pure indulgence enjoy with a cup of Noble’s Himalayan Salted Cacao or Roasted.  


 

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Build the Ultimate Meat-Free Burger

Veganuary inspiration from our new vegan burger brand, Roots + Grains.

Build The Ultimate Quinwah Burger:

• Grab a Roots + Grains Quinwah burger (available from any Planet Organic store)
• Top with a yummy vegan cashew slaw - to make the slaw, blitz a cup of cashews with a cup of water and a tablespoon of coconut oil until they form a paste - if too watery add more cashews, if too stiff add more water. 
• Next, julienne your favourite veggies (ours are carrots, cabbage and a little mango in the summer time!) and mix together along with the cashew cream.
• Add salt and pepper to taste and lather all over your patty before sandwiching inside a bun and devouring!

Whip Up The Ultimate BBQ NUT Burger:
 

• Get down to Planet Organic and get your hands on a couple of Roots + Grains BBQ Nut Burger patties 
• Dice some red onions and mix with lemon juice to create a zingy relish
• Thinly slice a large beef tomato
• Grab some BBQ sauce
• Chunk up a ripe avocado
• Squeeze all the above into a bun of your choice (we like a toasted wholemeal number)
• Find a quiet corner with zero distractions
• Enjoy!

 

Concoct The Ultimate SHROOM Burger:
 

• Start with a Roots + Grains Shroom Burger patty
• Slowly grill some oyster mushrooms in some toasty sesame oil
• Team with fresh curly lettuce, a little vegan hoisin sauce and your favourite stir fried veggies
• Sit back, relax, and enjoy the ultimate veg-tastic burger experience!

Recipes have been put together by @rootsandgrains and are perfect for adding a little indulgence to a health-filled January!
 

                                   

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Introducing Planet Special.CBD Oil Coffee.

We’ve used 10% CBD Oil to create London’s only CBD oil coffee.
Combining espresso, butter, coconut oil and CBD oil, our new coffee is a seriously upgraded version of our coconut oil coffee.

CBD is a cannabinoid derived from hemp. It has been proven to have a therapeutic value but is non-euphoric unlike certain strains of cannabis. CBD’s list of reported benefits include; anti-depressive, anti-anxiety, sleep aid, muscle relaxant and anti-inflammatory.
Our CBD coffee contains 5 drops of 10% CBD oil. This is half your entire daily recommended intake as a supplement.



This limited edition coffee will be available for January and February only, so get it while you can!

In January, we’re making several other changes to our drinks menus. First of all there are all our new charcoal drinks which you can read about here.

Secondly we’re keeping some (less Christmassy versions) of the favourites from our Seasonal menu. Our vegan hot chocolate, made with real dark chocolate buttons, moves onto our main menu. We’re also keeping our chai latte and dirty chai speciality coffee. The hot drink menu will look slightly different, hopefully helping you to choose exactly which drink you’re in the mood for.

Obviously all our normal tea and coffee will be available, our speciality drinks remain with a few new recipes and we’ll be introducing a speciality coffee section for when you just can’t pick between the 2. 
 

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Don't be afraid of the dark.

This January try our new charcoal drinks.
In all our drinks we’ve used a pharmaceutical grade, activated charcoal that is made from sustainable coconuts. Charcoal has been found to absorb toxins within the body and so is commonly used as a detox aid. For the same reasons it is also frequently used as a digestive aid to relive gas and bloating.

Charcoal Latte: a creamy, delicious way to get some charcoal into your diet. We’ve combined charcoal with coconut mylk and coconut nectar for a sweet and satisfying black latte.




Charcoal Coffee: we know many of you want to try our super food lattes but when it comes to ordering, the pull of a caffeine fix is just to great! Our charcoal coffee is for you, combining espresso with charcoal, coconut mylk and coconut nectar. You can have it all.




Charcoal Refresher: charcoal isn’t just for hot drinks. We’ve created this super refreshing juice for your charcoal fix as well. Combining cucumber, lemon, manuka honey and charcoal, it is light and hydrating, just don’t be put off by the colour! Ask us if you want a vegan version.


Charcoal Shot: a dose of charcoal in an instant. Our shot is the quickest way to get a charcoal hit. We’ve combined charcoal, lemon, ginger & manuka honey so it will give your immunity a boost as well as the benefits of the charcoal. Ask us if you want a vegan version.  


Be careful and speak to your doctor about taking charcoal at the same time as prescription drugs as the charcoal can interfere with these. 

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