By the time you read this I’m on a plane to India! I’m very excited! So there will be a little of a blog vacation here. But hopefully I will be back with loads of food inspiration for you (I’m actually going to take a course in Ayurvedic cooking!). If you have any good India tips for me feel free to comment or e-mail me! I’m mostly going to be in Delhi and around Jaipur (and in a small village in Rajasthan). Take care and see you soon!

(photo souce)

Sorry about the crappy mobile photo. But I improvised together this dressing at work today and it turned out so good I thought I’d share it. It’s a very fresh-tasting dressing and would be great on any salad or maybe to marinate some pasta or beans in. Simply do like this:

Take your vitamix or food processor and mix the following ingredients…

- 3 big handfuls of fresh parsley (with stalks and everything)

- 0,5 cup olive oil

- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

- 0,5 cup water

- Zest of one lemon and half of the juice from it

- 1 pear (diced)

- 2 pieces of garlic

- 2 tsp raw wheatgrass powder 

- 1 tsp of agave. But I used something called “Sweet Freedom” which is a kind of fruit syrup containing only concentrated apples, grapes and carob. 

- Salt and pepper to taste 

These babies are pretty awesome. Chocolate and raspberries are meant for each other! This recipe will give you around 30 small truffles;

- 1,5 cup organic raw cashews

- 0,5 cup dried organic raspberries (soaked for at least 10 min)

- 3 tbsp organic virgin coconut oil 

- 5 tbsp raw unroasted organic cocoa 

- 1 tsp organic vanilla powder 

- 3 tbsp organic raw agave syrup 

Process the cashews slowly in a blender until flour-like. Then add the raspberries (without the soak-water), cocoa, coconut oil, vanilla powder and agave. Process again to a firm dough. Roll into small balls and dust over some cocoa powder. Now, put them in the fridge and let set for at least one hour! This is a very important because it is in the fridge they’ll transform into truffles. You MUST try this recipe! 

1. They contain the most lauric acid of any plant source. Lauric acid is a powerful anitviral substance and helps to fight of (bad) bacteria. Coconuts boost your immune system!

2. If you combine your omega-3 intake (flax, hemps, algae, etc.) with some coconut oil the coconut oil helps the body to use the essential fatty acids more efficiently. Taken together they are actually twice as affective! WOHA!

3. According to Ayurveda the coconut has karshan properties - meaning it supports the body to increase metabolism and stay slim. Coconuts can’t be stored as fat i the body. So, WIN-WIN!

4. They support cardiovascular health and are practically cholesterol free.

5. Coconut oil is great for the skin since it restore the natural saturated fat levels. It can also be used directly ON the skin as a hydrating mask. It’s ideal for dry, rough and wrinkled skin.   

6. They improve absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, amino acids as well as the right kinds of calcium and magnesium ions.

7. They consist of more than 90% raw unsaturated fat - a rare and important building block of every cell in the human body.

8. They help to stabilize blood sugar levels and regulate hormones in the body.

9. Coconut oil has strong antioxidant properties and reduces our need for vitamin E.

10. It’s is DELICIOUS in any form; coconut meat, water, oil, cream, shredded. YAM YAM YAM!

And that’s just 10 out of 1000 reasons why to love and eat coconut folks! Tomorrow I’ll share a yum yum recipe including coconut. Coconut love!

Ombar is a raw superfood chocolate bar that comes in various flavors. They’re sweetened with coconut (palm) sugar and some of them is even enriched with healthy probiotic bacterias. I think my favorite is still the acai and blueberry-version but this coconut flavored one was really creamy and “milk chocolaty”. Before I’ve only seen them in the UK but now they’ve come to Sweden. Yay and yums! 

Juicing is so good but can also be sooo expensive. Because you need large quantities of fruit and vegs (preferable organic ones). One good thing to do is to dilute the juice with some coconut water. It will not interfere with the taste too much only benefit the juice even more! Coconut water is a great source of minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, amino acids and enzymes. And it’s very hydrating for the body. This morning I did a green coconut water juice using:

-1 cup organic coconut juice from Kulau

- 3 green pears

- 1 green apple

- 1 stalk of kale

- 2 handful of spinach

- 1 large carrot

- 1 bit of ginger

- 2 tbsp organic Aloe Vera

Juice all the ingredients in a juicer. Then add the coconut juice. Makes two normal sized beer glasses! Why I named it Green Bowie Juice? Because he had a glass with me this morning;

Nothing’s better than a green smoothie when you want to fill up on nutrients, chlorophyll and fibers. Green smoothies are easy to digest and boost your immune system as well as your energy level. A ratio of 60% fruit and 40% greens in the smoothie is perfect. The sweetness of the fruit dominates the flavor and the greens balance out the taste. This is one of my favorite green smoothie recipes. It’s kind of weird on paper but I promise you it’s good and HIGHLY nutritious. How do you make your green smoothie?

- 1 ripe avocado

- 1 green pear or apple, diced

- 1 peeled orange

- 1 peeled lime

- 0,5 inch peeled ginger

- 1 tsp raw spirulina

- 1 tsp raw nettle

- 1 handful of fresh spinach

- 1 cup of frozen raspberries (optional)

- 1 tbsp maple syrup or agave (optional)

- 250-300 ml organic natural coconut water

Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender. Drink it up!

This raw strawberry tart takes 15 minutes to make. I’m not kidding! It’s the perfect thing to serve when you want to impress without breaking a sweat. Or when you want someting sweet to eat - fast! Here’s my recipe;

Crust

- 1 cup raw almonds

- 0,5 cup raw walnuts

- 0,5 cup raw coconut flakes

- 3 tbsp of maple syrup

- 1 cup of pre-soaked raisins

- 2 tbsp coconut oil 

- Zest of one lime

- Vanilla powder

Process the nuts and coconut flakes to a flour. Then add maple syrup, raisins, coconut oil, lime zest and vanilla powder. Process again to a chunky dough. Press down the dough in a pie plate. Place in the freezer while making the filling! 

Filling

- 1,5 cups of fresh or frozen half-tawn strawberries

- 0,5 cup of fresh or frozen half-tawn raspberries

- Juice of one lime (the one you zested)

- 1 tbsp of raw mesquite flour

- 1 tbsp maple syrup

Mix all ingredients to a “sorbet like” consistency. Take out the crust from the freezer and fill it with the filling. Place in the freezer again and let it set for one hour or two. Decorate the tart with coconut flakes or some fresh strawberries (if you have any left)

I know, I know…fast to make but then you have to have some patience. But it’s totally worth it! The nutty crust goes so well together with the fresh strawberry-sorbet filling. Yummie!

(Photo: Daniel Griffel)

Chia pudding is one of my favorite things to have for breakfast. I love the creamy texture and how it keeps me full and satisfied for hours. Chia seeds can also be used in smoothies, breads, patties, sprinkled on salads AND SO ON. Chia seeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, magnesium, phytonutrients and fiber. They also improve digestion and increase energy levels. In other words - they’re perfect! 

The variations and possibilities when making chia pudding are ENDLESS. The basic recipe is to let 4 tbsp of chia seeds swell in 1 cup of any plant-based milk of your choice for at least 10 minutes. Then add some stevia, agave or xylitol for sweetening. This morning I did things a little different. I made a delicious combination with another favorite - the pomegranate! Here’s the recipe (for one person);

-1 ripe banana

-1/4 cup frozen raspberries

-1/4 cup walnuts

-1 tbsp agave nectar

-Some vanilla powder

-0,5-0,75 cups of water

Mix to a loose “smoothie” and blend with 4 tbsp of chia seeds. Pour into a bowl. Let the seeds swell for at least 10 minutes. Meanwhile you can de-seed the pomegranate without making red splatter in the whole kitchen (HOW DO YOU AVOID THIS?). Then sprinkle the pudding with the pomegranate seeds, some raw cacao nibs, mulberries, and gojiberries. If the pudding gets to “firm” feel free to add some more liquid. Enjoy!