Oo, sorry for the bit of silence here. The last days before christmas were heeectic. Lots to do at work and no time to spend in the kitchen. But on christmas all I did was messing around in the kitchen so I guess it kind of evened out :-)

On the 25th I made, among other things, this tasty quinoa salad with saffron to my family. I thought I’d share the recipe! This dish has EVERYTING. Something sweet, salty and sour. And if you’re a big fan of saffron as I am you’re gonna looove it!

Saffron Quinoa Salad With Herby Dressing (serves 4-6)

- 2 cups of cooked white quinoa (cook in vegetable bouillon) 

- 1 large head of broccoli 

- 1 fennel 

- 1 large carrot

- 1 orange

- 1 lemon

- 0,5 cup of toasted sunflower seeds (almonds would work as well)

- 0,5 cup of raisins

- The seeds of one pomegranate

- Baby spinach

- Rocket salad

- Fresh parsley

- Fresh mint

- 0,5 grams of saffron

- Olive oil

- Salt & pepper

How to make it: Mix the saffron with the cooked quinoa and stir around until the quinoa is completely yellow. Set aside and let cool (this dish should be served lukewarm). Divide the broccoli and fennel into small pieces and roast with lots of olive oil and salt and pepper in a hot oven until soft. Mix the roasted vegetables with the quinoa. Add the zest of one orange and one lemon. 

On a large serving plate toss the baby spinach and rocket salad with the quinoamix. Decorate with shredded carrot, thin pieces of lemon, roasted sunflower seeds, raisins, pomegranate seeds and leaves of fresh parsley and mint. Drizzle some olive oil on top and season with salt and pepper.  

Drizzle some more…(if desired) a herby dressing on top: 

- 1 handful of fresh parsley

- 1 handful of fresh mint

- Juice of one lemon

- 2 cloves of garlic

- 2 tbsp of honey

- 2 tbsp of water

- 0,5 cup of olive oil

- Salt and pepper

Mix everything well until green and smooth. Serve to the salad! 

That’s it for now!

1. Unlike processed dark chocolate, antioxidants as well as vitamin c are preserved in raw cacao. By weight raw cacao contain more antioxidants than red wine, blueberries, acai, pomegranates and goji berries COMBINED! 

2. Raw Cacao contain phenethylamine, a feel good neurotransmitter responsible for the feeling of love! Phenethylamine also increases focus and alertness.  

3. It’s the highest whole food source of magnesium (one of the most deficient mineral in the diet of modern cultures). Magnesium supports the heart, bowel, it relaxes muscles, build strong bones and increases alkalinity.   

4. Raw cacao is also a great source of iron, fiber, chromium (helps balance blood sugar), manganese, zinc, copper and omgega-6.  

5. It’s also very high in sulfur. A “beauty mineral” that builds strong hair, nails, healthy skin and detoxify the liver. 

6. Raw cacao contain large quantities of the essential amino acid tryptophan. Which is a powerful mood-enhancing nutrient. In other words, raw chocolate is pure happiness!  

7. Research has shown that raw cacao is helpful in reducing the risk of both heart disease and diabetes.

8. Raw Cacao is one of nature’s most amazing superfood! It’s so nutrient dense that it benefits every function of the body! 

Eat: Raw cacao powder, raw cacao bits (nibs), whole cacao beans, cacao butter(Remember that this is only a few of all the benefits of raw cacao!) :)) 

WOHA! These raw treats are sweet, FILLING and decadent with lots of rich chocolate flavor. Something for the christmas dessert table! Next time I’m making them a little bit smaller though :-)

Recipe for 12 big och 24 small treats

-  1 cup of walnuts

-  1 cup of pre-soaked dried plums

- 5 tbsp raw cacao

- 3 tbsp raw cacao nibs

- 1 tbsp raw mesquite

- 1 tsp real vanilla powder

- 5 tbsp maple syrup or raw honey

- Small pinch of himalayan salt 

First, process the walnuts into a fine flour. Then add the rest of the ingredients. Process again to a firm dough. Add some of the soak water if it feels to dry. Make into small balls and coat with raw cacao nibs and bee-pollen. Let set in the fridge for one hour. Voila, ready to serve!

No christmas without saffron buns! Instead of sugar I used agave syrup and the buns turned out just as sweet and delightful - and FLUFFY! Here’s the recipe:

-125 grams of vegan butter

-2 cups of oat milk

-50 gr baker’s yeast

- 0,5 tsp salt

- 0,5 cup of agave syrup 

- 1 gram of saffron

- about 6-7 cups of spelt flour 

Melt the butter with the milk to 37° C (100° F). Crush the saffron (to maximize flavor) before you mix it with the luke warm milk. Pour the saffron milk over the baker’s yeast in a large bowl until it dissolves. Add remaining ingredients and mix into a smooth dough. Add more flour if it’s too sticky. Cover the dough and let it rise for 30-40 min.

Knead the dough, divide it into pieces and roll them into S-shapes. Decorate with raisins. Let the buns rest and rise again for 30-40 min. Then bake them for 5-10 min in an oven at 250° C (475° F) until golden. Yum away!

Recipe for two beer glasses of sweet pink beetroot juice;

- 2 peeled beetroots

- 2 carrots

- 3 red apples

- 3 stalks of green kale

- 1 inch of stem ginger

- 1 lime

- 1 tbs organic aloe vera 

Juice everything in a juicer and drink straight away!!

These taste better than snow! To make them, toss following things into a food processor;

- 1 cup of raw almonds

- 0,5 cup of raw cashews 

Process until you have a flour with a few chunks in it.

Add;

- 1 cup of pre-soaked raisins

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

- 1 inch of stem ginger

- 2 tbs raw almond butter

- 1 tsp cinnamon

-1 tsp cardamon

- 2 tbs agave nectar

- Pinch of real vanilla powder

Process to a chunky dough. Make them into little snowballs and roll them in Lucuma-powder (or “snow”). Lucuma is a sweet superfruit with lots of nutrients. Perfect in raw desserts like these!  

1. Goji berries are one of the most nutritionally dense food on the planet.

2. They are LOADED with powerful antioxidants. 2-4 times more than blueberries. 

3. Goji berries are anti-aging! Because they help stimulate the human body to produce more human growth hormone. This is very unique for a food! 

4. Gojis are a complete source of protein! They are packed with 18 amino acids (containing all of the 8 essential amino acids). 

5. In Chinese Medicine goji berries have been recommended for thousands of years to improve eyesight.

6. Goji berries are an excellent source of…copper, iron (more than spinach!), zinc, calcium, beta carotene (more than carrots!), vitamin b1, b2, b6 and E.

7. They have been used for thousands of years in Tibetan and Chinese medicine to treat kidney and liver problems, skin problems, allergies, insomnia and more. 

8. Goji berries contain a phytochemical called Solavetivone which is very anti-fungal and anti-bacterial. 

9. They provide you with five different types of fatty acids; including two essential - linoleic acid and alpha linoleic acid.  

10. One serving of goji berries can contain 6 grams of protein and 7 grams of fiber. So snack away! (one serving is about a handful). 

Love being back in Sweden though. Christmas is coming up and it’s my favorite season. Prepare for loads of christmasy post here the following weeks! xx