Ombar Chocolate & Pistachio Pancakes

VEGAN CHOCOLATE & PISTACHIO PANCAKES
Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS:

For the Pancakes:

• 1½ cups plain flour
• 3 tablespoons coconut sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1¼ cups nut milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or extract)
• 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil, plus more for cooking
• 1 x 35g Ombar 72% chocolate, chopped
• ½ cup chopped shelled pistachios

For the Chocolate Sauce:

• 1 x 35g Ombar 72% chocolate, chopped
• Teaspoon of coconut oil

To Serve:

• 1 x 35g Ombar Pistachio Centre
• Chopped pistachios

METHOD:

For the Pancakes
1. Mix together the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Set aside.
2. In a large measuring cup, whisk together the nut milk, vanilla and melted coconut oil.
3. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry, stirring slowly to gradually incorporate. Mix well until everything is combined and don't worry too much about any lumps. 
4. Gently fold in the melted chocolate and pistachios.
5. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat and add a little coconut oil. Once the pan is hot, add the batter in ?-cup measurements for each pancake.
6. Cook until the underside has browned and the batter on top begins to form bubbles, then carefully flip the pancake and cook for another minute or so on this side. Keep the cooked pancakes warm in a 100°C while you cook the rest of the batch.
7. Melt the chocolate with a little coconut oil either in the microwave or a bain marie.
8. Finally, stack the pancakes, drizzle with warm chocolate sauce, sprinkle with pistachios and top with a bar of pistachio Ombar. 

 
 
 
 

from Planet Organic Blog http://bit.ly/2I9Sjo8
via How to Save Money When Buying Organic Foods

Asian Stir-Fry Veggies On Noodles

This is really a quick and easy dinner that tastes wonderful. We enjoy it often.

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

• 16 ounces broccoli, cut in rosettes and small pieces
• 8 ounces mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, de-seeded and sliced
• 8 ounces spicy tofu pieces
• 4 ounces ketchup
• 4 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
• 1 tablespoon oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• Asian (udon) noodles for 4

Directions:

1. Cut the broccoli into rosettes and place in a steamer.
2. Steam the broccoli al dente.
3. Plunge the al dente broccoli pieces in icy water to keep the crunch and color.
4. Slice the mushrooms thinly.
5. Slice the onion.
6. De-seed and slice the red bell pepper.
7. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil.
8. Heat about a tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan.
9. Add the red bell pepper and begin to stir fry until they soften.
10. Add the mushrooms and stir fry until the begin to become golden.
11. Add the onion slices.
12. At last add the broccoli and spicy tofu pieces.
13. Mix the ketchup and sweet chili sauce. and add to the vegetables that are frying.
14. Mix well and turn the heat to low.
15. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
16. Add the udon noodles to the boiling water and cook al dente (3-5 minutes).
17. Drain the noodles and serve the vegetables on top.

Related Posts:

• Stir-fry Savoy Cabbage with Tofu on Buckwheat Noodles
• Creamy Vegan Tortellini with Fresh Veggies
• Sweet Sour Wok Vegetables with Noodles
• Sichuan TVP, Broccolini, Cashew Stir Fry
• Stir-fry Vegan Chickun, Broccoli and Red Pepper

from Vegalicious http://bit.ly/2WwtXOi
via Why You Should Consider Buying Organic Food

Raw Press PBJ Acai Bowl Recipe

2019 is all about adaptogens. ‘Adaptawhat?’, we hear you ask. Adaptogens are natural ingredients that help the body’s autonomic nervous system to adapt to stress or return to homeostasis. As wellness has shifted from an attitude of just looking good to feeling great, both physically and mentally, many cutting-edge brands are focussing on introducing functional products aimed at boosting mental performance or managing stress.

 

Raw Press has recently brought out a range of adaptogenic granolas, exclusively at Planet Organic, where each flavour (BOOST / CHILL / HAPPY / BEAUTY) integrates a variety of functional ingredients, from everyday fruits, seeds and nuts, through to more exotic Ayurvedic or eastern mushrooms and herbs. This delicious PBJ açaí bowl recipe is a signature dish at the Raw Press cafe, and which pairs perfectly with their rose, raspberry and rhodiola rose BEAUTY granola. 

 

INGREDIENTS 
 

BASE:

- One 100g sachet of açaí sorbet

- 1 frozen banana

- 1 cheek (roughly 75g) of frozen or fresh mango

- A small handful of raspberries (say, 3-5 raspberries) 

- 1 tbsp of peanut butter 

 

TOPPINGS: 

- 50g (1/2 cup) of Raw Press Beauty granola 

- Another small handful of berries to your personal taste 

- Berry chia jam (see below) 

- 1 further tbsp peanut butter 

 

BERRY CHIA JAM:

- One punnet of berries (125g) 

- 25g chia seeds 

 

BLUEBERRY WAFFLE (makes 2 waffles): 

- 150ml almond milk

- 1 tsp maple syrup

- 1 tsp cider vinegar 

- a drop of vanilla essence 

- 100g buckwheat flour

- 20g ground almond

- 15g blueberries 

- 2g baking powder 

- 2g chia seeds 

- 1g cinnamon

- 1g sea salt

- 1g cornflour

- 5g aquafaba (whisked chickpea water - optional) 

 

METHOD 
 

- For the waffles, separately combine the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients, other than the blueberries, and then slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry, mixing in as you go, until you have a smooth batter. 

- Add in the blueberries, and for a lighter texture, whisk up some chickpea water until it forms soft white peaks, and fold this in; chickpea water (otherwise known as ‘aquafaba’) is a great and innovative vegan alternative to whisked egg whites. 

- Cook in a waffle maker until dry and light brown. For ‘toasts’ to go with your PBJ bowl, cut a quarter or a half of a cooked waffle through the centre (to create thin pieces like Melba toasts) and then toast until crisp! 

- For the açaí bowl, blend all ingredients together in a blender or with a stick blender. 

- Top with the granola, berries, a couple of wedges of the blueberry waffle toast, and finally decorate with alternate drizzles of nut butter and your chia jam. 
 

 

The perfect breakfast bowl for all PBJ addicts!! 

from Planet Organic Blog http://bit.ly/2VDTHTN
via How to Save Money When Buying Organic Foods

Rhubarb Barbecue Sauce

This makes a very nice barbecue sauce or even a nice chutney to enjoy as an accompaniment to a tasty meal.

Yield: 1½ cups

Ingredients:

• 2 cups rhubarb, chopped
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 3 tablespoons white vinegar
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2-3 teaspoons mustard
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• splash soy sauce or tamari
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Sauté the onion in a small saucepan.
2. Add the chopped rhubarb and lightly sauté.
3. Add the the other ingredients and bring to a soft simmer.
4. Let simmer until thickened. Allow to cool, and refrigerate until needed.
5. Warm just before using.

Related Posts:

• Almond Rhubarb Tart
• Grilled Vegetables with a Rhubarb and Mango Salsa
• Vegan Rhubarb Coffeecake with Walnut Streusel Topping
• Corn Pancakes with Blackcurrant Sauce
• Beet Waffles with Raspberry Sauce

from Vegalicious http://bit.ly/2vSzD5m
via Why You Should Consider Buying Organic Food

London's First Sustainably Sourced and Organic Sushi Bar with Maido Sushi

Something very exciting is coming to Planet Organic Tottenham Court Road.
 
From 14^th May, the skilled sushi masters of Maido Sushi will be slicing, shaping and rolling at London’s first sustainably sourced and organic sushi bar at Planet Organic Tottenham Court Road. Using the best quality ingredients, everything is free from preservatives, MSG or artificial additives and when we haven’t been able to find non-organic ingredients, we’ve decided to make them ourselves in our certified organic kitchen.
 
We’ll be using only organically farmed fish or fish from Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified sustainable fisheries. We’ve taken extra care to ensure all tuna is caught using short fishing lines to protect dolphin populations. 
 
Handcrafting an extensive range of sushi including nigiri, handrolls and chirashi, choose from the infinite menu at the live sushi bar and your order will be made fresh in front of you, or find the most popular sets freshly made in the takeaway fridge. 
 
We’re also proud to say that the plastic-free packaging is sustainable and 100% compostable.
  
Find Maido Sushi’s counter at Planet Organic Tottenham Court Road from Tuesday 14^th May, open Monday to Saturday, 9am until 7pm.

from Planet Organic Blog http://bit.ly/2LvYxlV
via How to Save Money When Buying Organic Foods

New Summer Salads

With winter coats edging towards the back of the wardrobe and temperatues (hopefully) on the rise, we’ve updated our mix and match salads to celebrate some of our favourite seasonal ingredients. All of our new summer salads are vegan, wheat-free and are made using fresh organic vegetables.
 
Chickpea Tabbouleh
Think couscous is reserved for gluten-eaters? Think again. We use chickpea flour gluten-free couscous and mix it with chopped peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes and an abundance of fresh parsley, mint and coriander before dressing with lemon juice and olive oil for a vibrant take on a classic tabbouleh.
 
Summer Pea Salad
This fresh garden pea, raw courgette, shaved fennel and celery salad is a celebration of all things summery, with plenty of parsley, lemon and garlic for added zing.
 
Heritage Tomatoes
Summertime means one thing: beautifully ripe British tomatoes. This salad celebrates just that, so it’s just chopped tomatoes dressed with a black olive and garlic oil to balance the natural sweetness and a sprinkling of china rose radish sprouts to finish.
 
CBD Tahini Carrots
This zingy salad is the perfect partner for anything in our mix and match section and helps up your CBD intake. We dress the shredded carrot with a CBD, lemon, maple and tahini dressing and garnish with hemp seeds and chopped coriander.
 
Quinoa and Kale
A marriage of crunchy kale, pomegranate, seasonal heritage tomatoes and three colours of quinoa, with creamy vegan mozzarella running through it.
 
Summer Slaw
This Asian-inspired slaw is zesty with coriander, chilli, lemon and ginger with plenty of crunch from grated butternut squash, white cabbage, carrot and courgette.
 
Coleslaw with Purple Carrot Mayo
Not your typical slaw, we dress the shredded red cabbage and white cabbage, carrots and spring onions with homemade vegan purple carrot mayo, made with purple carrot juice and apple cider vinegar.
 
Pickled Vegetables
We thinly slice white cabbage, carrot, cucumber and red pepper and quick-pickle it in white wine vinegar, Himalayan salt, coriander seeds, mustard seeds and cane sugar for a tangy, crunchy addition to your plate.

 

from Planet Organic Blog http://bit.ly/2DTpEl0
via How to Save Money When Buying Organic Foods

Dreaming of a Good Night's Sleep?

Balancing the demands of a busy lifestyle in today’s hectic, fast paced world can sometimes feel overwhelming, leaving little time for self-care. We seek new solutions to enhance our wellbeing, to allow ourselves to do more and feel better. We look to eat the right foods, exercise our body and mind, yet we often forget about the one tool we rely on every day: Sleep. There are many factors that contribute to a restful night’s sleep, so the aromatherapy experts at Scentered have put together the ultimate bedtime routine to help you wake feeling well rested.


Create a Sleep Space
Look around your bedroom and ask yourself whether you feel relaxed in this space. Are your blinds letting too much light in at night? Is the room stuffy or well ventilated? Would you sleep better with white noise, or less noise? Assessing these factors before you get into bed start you off on the right foot. Lighting our Scentered Sleep Well Therapy Candle an hour before bed will make the space feel as calming and relaxing as possible thanks to the essential oils of lavender, chamomile and palmarosa.


Reduce Screen Time
We all know the negative effect blue light and overstimulation from our phones and devices can have on our sleep quality. Try leaving your phone outside the bedroom and have a technology-free hour before bed. Replace this screen-time with reading or practicing some light yoga.


Use Aromatherapy to Associate Sleep with Scents
Once you’ve entered your technology-free hour before bedtime, apply our Sleep Well Therapy Balm to your pulse points. When we smell something, it triggers our olfactory nerve and sends a signal to our limbic system and the amygdala, the part of our brain that controls mood and memory. Certain associated smells can instantly impact mood and using this routine regularly will help associate the soothing scent of palmarosa, ylang ylang and lavender with sleep.


Breathe
Release tension and anxiety with deep and conscious breathing coupled with aromatherapy. Our Stop, Inhale and Reset technique is a great tool to use during the day too when you need a few moments to collect yourself.

1. STOP - Apply Scentered’s Sleep Well Balm onto your wrists, neck and temples

2. INHALE - Place your hands on your abdomen. Deeply inhale the therapeutic natural aromas.

Breath 1: Place your hands on your chest, fingertips touching and breathe into them. Feel your fingers part at the deepest part of the breath, exhale mindfully.

Breath 2: Move your hands to your tummy, breathe consciously and deeply fill your lungs, feeling movement beneath your hands.

Breath 3, place your hands onto the lower abdomen and inhale deeply into the whole body, pause, hold your breath here, then exhale as slowly and mindfully as you can.

3. RESET - Observe your calm breathing and relaxed body and mind.


Consider What You Drink
It might seem obvious, but here’s a friendly reminder: Cut the caffeine. Drinking too much caffeine throughout the day or too close to bedtime will have a negative impact on your sleep routine. Replace with herbal teas or water, especially in the afternoon.


Don't Hit Snooze
The average person completes five 90-minute sleep cycles per night and ideally, we wake up between these cycles, not in the middle of one. Being jolted aware by an alarm clock in the middle of REM (rapid eye movement, i.e. deep sleep) sleep cycle can leave you feeling sluggish but even if you're feeling tired, it's important not to hit the snooze button as this begins a new sleep cycle that will inevitably be broken when your alarm goes off again in ten minutes.

from Planet Organic Blog http://bit.ly/2IN2EIc
via How to Save Money When Buying Organic Foods