Ok, here’s the thing: The German cuisine is not really known for its healthy twist, and that, my friends, is not a prejudice, it’s a fact. If you ever visit Germany, and you happen to leave any of the larger cities, chances are slim that you will find a vegetarian, let alone a vegan meal. Of course, times are changing in Germany as well, but Bratwurst, Currywurst, and other meaty dishes are still the most common traditional dishes you’ll find in my country.

There are exceptions, however. One of them is the traditional so-called “Frankfurter Grüne Soße”, which translates to “Frankfurt Green Sauce”. This local dish originated in the Frankfurt area and has become quite popular in the entire country. Green Sauce is an herbed sauce that uses seven different herbs, which are pureed with yogurt, cream, eggs, and some other ingredients. While you could argue that the ingredient list of the original version is not exactly healthy, given the amount of heavy cream in it, the amount of herbs found in this sauce is, however, noteworthy.

It is noteworthy because the German cuisine is unfortunately not known for its excessive use of fresh or dried herbs. This is also true and not prejudice. The greatest amount of herbs are often found on the plate as a decoration, and frankly, most Germans leave them to be decoration. So the Frankfurt Green Sauce really stands out.

Obviously, I am slightly exaggerating right now. While our traditional dishes are not really high in nutrients, or fresh vegetables and herbs, many of my fellow Germans love good food and know how to cook delicious, and nutritious meals. Since traditional German foods aren’t really popular amongst younger folks, and health-loving peeps (like me) anymore, many Germans eat quite international these days. I don’t have any statistics to complement my statements, but from a feeling, I would say that the Mediterranean cuisine is the most popular one here, but the French, Thai, Vietnamese and American cuisine are also quite popular.

Back to this sauce. My version is plant-based, of course, and therefore I would say that it is definitely lighter than the original version. I used coconut yogurt, instead of cream, and I’ve omitted the boiled eggs completely. So really, the taste does not resemble the original recipe at all, but that’s definitely not a bad thing in this case.

Let’s have a look at the seven herbs, that make this sauce so special. You do not need to have access to all of these herbs in order to make this sauce. More about alterations in the recipe below:

• Cress: The little leaves are so much more than just decoration. It contains a multitude of minerals and trace elements and even small amounts can really pay off.
• Pimpinella: This pretty herb is also called “small meadow button” (at least in German) and it is very healthy for the body, especially because of its bitter substances. According to herbology, Pimpinelle has digestive, draining, and antispasmodic effects.
• Sorrel: I was always proud of the fact that I knew early on where sorrel grows and how to identify and distinguish it from other herbs. What I didn’t know then was that it is a medicinal plant rich in vitamin C and iron.
• Chives: No, chives are not just a loveless decoration to garnish your meals. In herbal lore, it is said to reduce spring fatigue. Like most herbs, chives contain vitamin C and iron, but in quite small amounts.
• Borage: In Germany, we call borage “cucumber herb”, my guess is because it tastes delicious in cucumber salad. Borage has very fleshy, hairy leaves, and it grows from May to October. Particularly noteworthy is the high content of gamma-linolenic acid, a polyunsaturated omega-6 fatty acid, which among other things can strengthen the immune system, regulate blood pressure, and accelerate wound healing.
• Chervil: This herb is also called “soup herb” here in Germany. Chervil is harvested from May to September and is recommended in herbology for colds, stress, and headaches.
• Parsley: In the past (we are talking about ancient greek) parsley was much more than just decoration. It was valued as a medicinal herb and was used, among other things, to aid digestion. In the German cuisine, however, it is seldom more than a marginal garnish, something that we should change. Other cultures use parsley as a staple in their dishes (think Fattoush salad), which is so amazing! Parsley is surprisingly high in vitamin K (10 g cover the daily requirement by over 100%). Vitamin K is good for our keeping our bones healthy and it aids blood clotting.

German Green Sauce is traditionally served with boiled potatoes, but I prefer them with roasted “salt and vinegar” & rosemary potatoes. You could of course also serve it with roasted vegetables or simply as a dip.

Enjoy!

xx

Lynn

The post Plant-based German “Green Sauce” appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

*Ad. This post is sponsored by my gluten-free friends from Alnavit.

This recipe is also available in German. / Dieses Rezept gibt es auch auf Deutsch.

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: gluten-free baking. Ever since I started baking gluten-free bread and cakes, there have been plenty of ups and downs. At the beginning of this journey I wanted everything to be 100 % perfect, whole-grain, no white starch added. Obviously it did not take long before I realized that I needed to change my approach, and loosen up a little. Before I keep going, let me quickly explain to you why I dabble in gluten-free recipes. My sister May is a celiac, which means she has a severe form of gluten-intolerance.

It’s for her that I try to make all of the recipes on this blog gluten-free or provide gluten-free options at least. Because of her I also know how lucky I am that I do not have an intolerance, because choosing and having to live gluten-free are two completely different things. While I can easily eat gluten-containing foods while I’m on the go or on vacation, my sister cannot or else she gets really, really sick (like, literally).

So, as I said, in the beginning, I wanted my gluten-free recipes to be 100 % whole-grain. Most packaged or processed foods that are labeled gluten-free often contain nasty additives, and an insane amount of corn or potato starch, which is anything but healthy. I wanted to do things differently. And I succeeded, however, there is a fine line between a recipe being healthy and whole-grain and a recipe being … tasty. Many of you can probably relate that not all whole-grain bread, cakes, or muffins are also enjoyable. That’s when I had an epiphany, and I started to give up on wanting to be perfect, and instead, I started to combine healthy and tasty. Adding a small amount of corn or potato starch to gluten-free flour mixes really makes the outcome more fluffy, and therefore more enjoyable.

When it comes to gluten-free flour, and bread mixes, I often come back to my friends at Alnavit. I’ve been working with them for over three years now, I sometimes consult the product development team with my expertise and experience, which is why I know for sure that they are really trying to combine gluten-free and healthy in their products. A quick look into their ingredient lists reveals that their products are prioritizing promoting healthy living and well-being since the majority of them are whole-grain.  To ensure a pleasurable taste, their products contain a minimal, but necessary amount of corn or potato starch. However, starch is never the first ingredient on the list, which is a great sign of quality. The order of the ingredients indicates the amount of those ingredients, from the largest to the smallest amount.

Today’s gluten-free pizza sticks are made using Alnavit’s new country-style bread mix. I’m afraid, but Alnavit is mainly sold in German-speaking countries, so it will be tricky to get it in other countries. I have provided a homemade gluten-free bread mix in the recipe below, however.

The pizza sticks were such a hit in my household, aka with my husband. When I first made them, I had 7 of them, which kind of equals a whole-pizza. But they were just too good not to eat them all. After my first attempt, I also make a version with spinach pesto to increase the number of nutrients. Both versions were super tasty, and the gluten-free dough was really easy to handle.

You can serve these at a BBQ dinner with friends, at a kid’s birthday party, or simply make them as a fun dinner instead of pizza. No matter how you choose to enjoy them, be sure to snap a picture and send it to me via social media.

Enjoy!

xx

Lynn

The post Gluten-free & plant-based pizza sticks appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

During the summer months, I’m craving more and more Mediterranean dishes. We also eat olives almost daily, dip some delicious sourdough bread in high-quality olive oil, enjoy crispy salads, and the occasional non-alcoholic beer. These things remind us of former vacations, and they instantly put us in a good mood.

Did she really just say bread, oil, and beer?

Often, people can’t imagine that these things have a place in a balanced diet. Healthy eating is often only associated with abstinence and dieting, but the exact opposite is the case. With my recipes, I don’t want to take anything away from anyone, but rather encourage people to eat more. To integrate more vegetables, try out more unfamiliar things, and to eat more things that are good for the body.

It all comes down to a healthy balance. As long as we regularly supply our body with nutritious food, for example with vegetables, fruit, nuts, and oilseeds or pulses, we can consume all of the less-nutritious foods without hesitation. Now, that doesn’t mean that bread isn’t good for you. A high-quality organic loaf of sourdough bread with a high proportion of whole grains contains an enormous amount of fiber. These complex carbohydrates are good for the intestinal flora because they nourish our good intestinal bacteria. Therefore, I have no interest in the demonization of carbohydrates. For me, life is too short for low carb.

That is why today’s recipe celebrates old bread. Panzanella is in fact a Tuscan bread salad that is basically a leftover food. If we have some bread leftover, I like to fry it in a pan to make croutons. It is a small but significant contribution to prevent food waste. But Panzanella is more than just recycling leftovers. The bread salad shows how seemingly simple ingredients can create an incredible taste experience together. Of course, Panzanella is a traditional Tuscan dish, and I am in no way trying to take credit for it. All credit goes to the beautiful area of Tuscany and its friendly people.

Of course, there are no strawberries in the traditional Panzanella recipe, so it’s more accurate to call this salad a bread salad with strawberries. The reason why I added strawberries is my love for seasons and for these incredible local berries. I often put them in green salads, so adding them to my bread salad was a given for me. If you want the real Tuscan-experience, book a trip to Tuscany (difficult at the moment) or omit the strawberries in this recipe.

No matter how or where you enjoy this bread salad, I hope you can enjoy it with someone you love.

Take care,

xx

Lynn

The post Summer strawberry panzanella (Tuscan-inspired bread salad) appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

This recipe is sponsored by Sweet Potatoes from North Carolina.

This recipe is also available in German. / Dieses Rezept gibt es auch auf Deutsch.

“What’s for dinner?”. I’m not gonna lie, I hate this question. Although my husband and I share all household tasks equally, more often than not, it’s me who has to answer it. Part of it is due to my job, obviously. However, when I return the question to my husband, I always get the same answer: sweet potatoes. For him, sweet potatoes are not a side dish, but a main course.

Sweet potatoes often form the center of our plates, just as it used to be the case with meat. When it comes to nutrients, the orange-colored tubers are also quite impressive. They are rich in antioxidants, which can protect the body from free radicals and thus may prevent heart disease, strokes, cancer, and even Alzheimer’s disease. Sweet potatoes are also rich in potassium, which is important for healthy heart function. In addition, sweet potatoes are a very good source of fiber and keep you full for a long time. The high fiber content ensures that the blood sugar level is stabilized, which is why sweet potatoes are also great for diabetics.

On warm summer evenings we very often eat roasted sweet potatoes with a delicious dip and that’s it. Well, from us on, there is also a green salad in addition, but it is made in a hurry.

For today’s recipe, I teamed up with my partner Sweet Potatoes from North Carolina. North Carolina still feels like my second home, and it is, interestingly, also one of the largest sweet potato-growing areas in the United States. I went to college in North Carolina from 2012-2014, where I got my bachelor’s degree. North Carolina is also where my dietary change began, which was the cornerstone of this blog. Until recently, I visited the southeastern state and my friends in Raleigh every other year.  Let’s hope that worldwide travel can resume sometime in the near future. If so, I can really recommend North Carolina as a destination in the United States. The coastal areas are a dream.

If you live in the United States, chances are high that your sweet potatoes come from North Carolina. The same applies to Germany, however. Most sweet potatoes in our supermarkets in Germany are also from North Carolina. In the Tar Heel State, the soil has a great texture, and the slightly humid, subtropical climate offers ideal conditions for growing the orange-colored tubers. The sweet potatoes from North Carolina can be recognized by their pointed shape, the light brown to pink skin and their orange flesh. They taste very sweet and slightly nutty, similar to pumpkin.

This time I roasted the sweet potatoes in a peanut marinade, which is really something different. The tamari (soy sauce) and apple vinegar harmonize perfectly with the sweetness of the sweet potatoes and thus create a completely new sweet potato taste experience. Since everything gets better with a dip, I also created a super simple green tahini dip. A blend of tahini and three fresh herbs – coriander, parsley, and dill. The combination may sound strange, but trust me. It’s delicious. Alternatives to the herbs can be found in the recipe below.

As the dip contains good fats, proteins, and even a good portion of herbs, today’s dish can very well be considered a whole meal. After all, it doesn’t always have to be a four-course meal, right? A green salad rounds it off perfectly. After all, you can’t get enough greens in your system now, can you?

Enjoy these sweet potatoes!

xx

Lynn

The post Tamari-roasted sweet potatoes with green tahini dip appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

This recipe is also available in German. / Dieses Rezept gibt es auch auf deutsch.

I know, I’m pretty late to the party, but one-pot-pasta has been my lifesaver recently. It’s one of those recipes that you can easily make when you don’t feel like cooking. Or when you’re just about to order takeout, but actually feel like something nourishing and comforting.

Now, if there are any Italians among you, please do not report me to the pasta police. I understand that cooking pasta in one pot WITH the sauce goes against every single Italian cooking rule. Therefore, I am not saying that this is an Italian recipe or even a recipe with Italian origins. To be honest, I do not know who invented it, but the Internet is full of one-pot-pasta recipes, so I’m guessing it must have been a blogger. Some sources say that it was Martha Stuart, but I’m not sure that she invented this type of dish.

As there are a few things that you need to be aware of before getting into the one-pot-pasta game, I’ve summarized everything you need to know about this special kind of pasta dream:

• Basic recipe: For 250 g of pasta, you need 500 ml of water and 400 g (one can) of chopped tomatoes, so a total of 900 ml of liquid. The cooking time of the pasta is crucial. It is important that it has a cooking time of 9-11 minutes. My attempts with six-minute spaghettini have failed miserably.
• What kind of pasta should you use? I recommend using small noodles like fusilli or penne. It also works with spaghetti, but I have always found that one-pot-pasta works best with small noodles.
• Keep stirring. Of course, it would be a dream if the pasta could just simmer on the stove, while you have time for other things. Sorry to disappoint, but you need to stay close to the stove to keep stirring continuously. But only for about ten minutes – you can do it!
• The pot size is crucial. The pot should not be too small or too big. It even works best in large, deep pans, where the water can evaporate perfectly. My pot has a diameter of 26 cm and the recipe works really well in it. You could also double the portion in my dutch oven.
• Freestyle? Sure, but with one-pot-pasta you should stick exactly to the quantities the recipe calls for, as the amount of liquid is proportional to the amount of pasta.
• Fancy more veggies? Then stir-fry them briefly in the same pot before you cook the one-pot-pasta, put them aside, and add them again after cooking. The reason for this is that the pot should not be too full in order for the noodles to cook properly.
• Variations: You can also replace parts of the liquid with (vegan) cream or crème fraîche. Of course, you can use whatever vegetables you fancy, just keep in mind sure that hard vegetables like carrots take longer to cook than soft ones like zucchini or broccoli. Not vegan? I don’t need to tell you that you can cover the pasta with parmesan at will, am I right?
• No need to drain.  The recipe is exactly designed so that you will end up with a creamy sauce and no excess liquid to drain.

And that’s basically all you need to know. Today’s recipe is super simple, yet contains two ingredients that make it taste super fancy: sun-dried tomatoes and capers. Those two really add flavor to the recipe, making it taste just like a summertime pasta dream come true.

Also, please be sure to follow the instructions very carefully, as I am adding the vegetables into the pot a little later than the pasta. If you have time and the ingredients at hand, do not skip the plant-based sunflower seeds “parmesan”. It’s the best part and makes this one-pot-pasta anything but boring.

Enjoy!

xx

Lynn

The post Summertime 20-Minute One-Pot-Pasta appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

This recipe is also available in German. (Dieses Rezept gibt es auch auf deutsch.)

This recipe was supposed to be the first one in my new book. But due to Coronavirus, things are uncertain. So I thought this recipe might bring some joy into your life in social isolation or quarantine. I’m usually quite hesitant to drop catchy titles, but I just love this tofu, and I’m 99% sure that you will too.

Tofu is not a regular in my diet, but we do enjoy a little bit of tofu every now and then. My husband really loves smoked tofu, and I like it in my Asian-inspired dishes such as Thai curry noodles or summer rolls. We’ve never made tofu the center of our plate, however. At least until I’ve started experimenting with different tofu techniques. There are plenty of tips on the internet, and since I’ve had a little time on my hands during social isolation, I’ve tried a couple of them. And what can I say: some made a HUGE difference. Life-changing, to be exact. Now I’m a tofu girl, and I’m never going back.

1. Squeezing excess liquid out of the tofu.

I own a tofu press, and I am not ashamed of it. Just kidding, but I really never thought that pressing tofu would make such a huge difference in taste. Why? Because pressing tofu squeezes the excess liquid out of it, which makes the texture less watery. The tofu will therefore later taste less bland, and it will absorb the flavor of the marinade much better. Before you invest in yet another kitchen tool, however, note that you do not need a tofu press to achieve this. All you need is a kitchen towel (a paper towel works too, but is less sustainable), two plates, and lots of heavy books. You simply wrap the tofu into the towel, place it between two plates, and then weight it down with heavy books. This will do the trick. Let the tofu sit like that for at least 30 minutes, preferably longer.

Another tip is freezing the tofu. Once you take it out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature, the de-freezing process will drain all excess water out of the tofu. The only downside of this method is that it takes a little longer. However, if you know you want to eat tofu for dinner, then take it out of the freezer in the morning, and place it into a bowl in the fridge. When you come home you can immediately start making the recipe below.

If you want to invest in a tofu press, then start googling. I own this one*, but it’s a plastic one and not of the highest quality. It gets the job done, however.

2. Do not cut the tofu, tear it.

I’ve found this dip on a website of a tofu brand. In my noodles dishes, I’ve always broken down the tofu into a texture that slightly resembles minced meat. But I’ve never tried it with pan-fried tofu. By tearing the tofu with your fingers into random shapes, it gets bumpy edges. This enables the marinade to stick to the tofu much better. Honestly, I doubt I will ever go back to cutting my tofu with a knife. Though I haven’t figured out how I will do this when I grill tofu.

3. Add the marinade after pan-frying, not before.

This makes SUCH a difference. I used to marinade my tofu in the sauce before pan-frying it because I always thought it makes the tofu absorb the flavors better. However, when I added the sauce last, it clung and stuck to the tofu in such a delicious way, that I will never go back. Granted, this method only works with thick and creamy marinades on a nut butter base. So whenever you use nut butter or tahini in your marinade, try adding the sauce after pan-frying. This gives the tofu a crispy outer layer, and it almost resembles nuggets. I do not like using this comparison, but I cannot find a better way to describe it.

4. The best marinade

I’ve always used a nut butter-based marinade, but recently, I’ve worked on the sweet-acid-balance a little more. This recipe has been my favorite for quite some time, but I’ve changed it up a bit. Instead of using lime juice only, I added apple cider vinegar, which gives it a little more of a tangy flavor. Of course, you could also use garlic and ginger, but I tried to keep it as simple as possible by only using nut butter, apple cider vinegar, tamari, and a dash of lime juice.

Is tofu healthy?

Tofu has gotten a bit of a bad reputation over the last decade. This is mainly due to the genetic manipulation of the soybean in countries such as the United States. Growing genetically modified soy is, however, banned in Germany and to my knowledge, in the entire European Union. When I buy soy products, I only buy them in organic quality, preferably with one of the trustworthy organic labels. Also, I only buy tofu from German or Austrian crops to make sure it is GMO-free. So look for organic, GMO-free tofu when you buy your next batch. Tofu is an excellent source of plant-based protein, so it can definitely be regarded as healthy food when eaten in moderation.

If you suffer from a thyroid condition such as Hashimoto or other chronic illnesses, you might want to consult your doctor first. An excess amount of soy products is not recommended for people with thyroid conditions. However, eating tofu in moderation is normally considered unproblematic. Even people suffering from thyroid conditions can eat tofu in healthy moderation. Nobody eats tofu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner seven days a week.

The post Life-changing Tofu appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

Hello! I know it’s cliché but it would not feel right to start this first blogpost of the year without a proper greeting. I hope you’ve all had lovely, cozy and stress-free Holidays. While I’m generelly not the New Year’s resolutions kind of person, I do have one resolution for 2020. It’s finally doing things that will make my life and work easier. The things that I have somehow always accepted as the status quo, but that drive me crazy every time. Examples of this include super boring things such as a missing hair pin that I need when I curle my hair occaisionally, the fact that I do not have enough storage space on my computer or that I only own one battery for my camera. Somehow I have managed without all these things in the past, but imagine how much more productive I’d be when I actually fixed some of these “problems”. While some fixes will be expensive, some cost as little as 1 Euro. Mostly it’s just my own laziness that prevents me from tackling these things, and that’s why I have decided not to let laziness define this year. Which brings me to today’s recipe.

When it comes to cooking healthy meals it is usually not laziness that prevents us from getting creative in the kitchen. It is decision fatigue and a lack of ideas. If this relates to you, then today’s 15-minute meal prep couscous salad is definitely your kind of recipe. All you need to do is invest 15 minutes into your health a week, and you’ll have a delicious lunch waiting for you in the fridge four days in a row. Cook once, eat four times! Now if that does not sound promising, I do not know what does.

While I’ve shared quite a few meal prep recipes on the blog already, this one if by far the simplest. It’s one recipe that you’ll divide equally into four lunch boxes. This might sound boring in the beginning, but meal prepping is mainly about a) great taste and b) simplicity. The more complicated a meal prep recipe is, the less likely we are to actually give it a try.

For those more advanced and experienced cooks, I’ve shared some simple ideas to upgrade this recipe, so you do not have to eat the same thing four days in a row. However, I bet that you’ll still be excited to eat it on day four, simply because it is waiting for you in the fridge. This is my understanding of luxury.

A last note on the lunch boxes. I used glass containers from a well-known Swedish furniture store simply because I’ve had them for ages. You can of course also use old glas jars. It is just very important that you use air-tight containers in order for the salad to stay fresh for up to four days. You do not need fancy tupperware or buy new glass or stainless steel lunch boxes to do meal prep. I do, however, recommend storing the dressing in seperate, small and leak-free glass containers. Use about 3 tablespoons of dressings per salad.

Heavenly for body and soul, because …

… meal prep recipes enable us to eat healthy during busy weekdays. A lack of time is often the number one reason why we fail to eat healthy during the week. That’s exactly where this salad comes in. All you need is 15 minutes to prep a healty lunch for four days.

The post 15-minute meal prep couscous salad appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

This recipe is also available in German./ Dieses Rezept gibt es auch auf deutsch.

The year’s fifth season has begun: late summer. It’s the golden season, and brings back all the feelings in me. I realized this morning how the morning light in my apartment has changed. It’s softer, glowy, and somehow comforting. I will cherish those upcoming weeks and will try to spend as much time outside as possible. Preferably with friends, plant-based BBQs and this best quinoa BBQ salad.

I spent my summer in my kitchen writing and shooting my second cookbook. It was a lot of work, but I’m almost done, and I’m not ashamed to say that I’m really proud of the results. Unfortunately my books are only available in German for now, but you never know what happens. While I created plenty of recipes for the new book, I usually did not feel like cooking at night when we were invited to BBQs this summer. So my husband was in charge of making the potluck-salad, which was amazing. For the past few years he has been bringing basically the same salad to potlucks or BBQs. It’s safe to say that this salad is his signature salad.

The quinoa salad is full of exciting flavors, yet you can get all the ingredients in every normal supermarket. Think mint, pistachios, dates, grilled peaches and hearty sweet potatoes. Simple, yet quite elegant, and something for the eyes. Of course he changes it up a bit every time we make it depending on what’s left in the fridge. You could use any type of nut or seed, but I would recommend giving those pistachios a chance. Somehow they are the perfect crunchy addition to this quinoa BBQ salad.

Let’s have a look at the nutritional value of this salad. The basis of this salad is quinoa, which is my absolute favorite pseudo-grain. It contains all essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. It also contains the amino acid tryptophan, which aids the production of the happiness hormone serotonin. Hence, quinoa can literally make us happy. The high amount of fiber in the sweet potatoes helps stabilize blood sugar levels and therefore keeps us full for longer. Arugula (rocket) contains lots of bitter plant-compounds, which aid digestion.

My secret favorite in this salad are the peaches, which you can add raw or grilled. I love it grilled, when the fruit sugars start to crystalize and caramelize. Yum!

The post The best quinoa BBQ salad appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

‘Tis is the season. The season of strawberries, asparagus and rhubarb aka my favorite time of the year on the farmers market. It comes so naturally to me to only buy certain fruits and vegetables seasonally that I would not even think to buy strawberries in the winter. Also, nothing compares to sun-grown, local strawberries, fresh white and green asparagus and juicy rhubarb. For example, buying strawberries in the winter can mean a lack of taste, nutrients and color due long journeys from overseas or other countries. I therefore celebrate the seasons to the fullest to make sure that I need a break from them until the next year.

When I lived in the U.S. I was surprised that white asparagus was not really a thing over there. You could get some in fancy grocery stores, but green asparagus was the main type of asparagus at least in the placed where I have lived (North Carolina, New York, Texas). Now I have not lived in the U.K., but I remember seeing white asparagus in London last time I visited. So if you read this, please let me know where you are from and if white asparagus is common where you live. Just me being curious. So if you can’t find white asparagus, you can of course use the green one instead.

For me, asparagus season is almost like a Holiday. We really celebrate this time with annual family get-togethers where we serve many pounds of asparagus with potatoes, hollandaise and – traditionally some sort of salty meat. I prefer eating asparagus in a bit more modern way with sweet potatoes, tamari-roasted mushrooms, wild herb salad and a delicious salad dressing. We have been eating this recipe literally every single Saturday and Sunday since asparagus season started and I still have not gotten enough of it.

So while I have you here, I thought I’d share a quick anecdote from our home to yours. We are terrible with getting things done around the apartment. Our hallway still lacks proper lighting, there are posters and picture frames that we were went to hang on the walls and we even have cupboards in our storage that have still not been installed. So imagine how proud we were this week when we actually managed to get this String pocket cupboard on my kitchen wall. OMG – I had been wanting one of these for years and when I finally got it I could not – for the live of me – decide where exactly I wanted it to go. Embarrassing, I know, so if you can at all relate to this, please let me know.

So now that the cupboard is hanging in my kitchen, it feels like it has been here forever. Sometimes, you just need a little push to get things done. What do you think?

So let’s examine this heavely Spring Bowl:

Heavenly for body and soul, because …

… asparagus really is a treasure for our health. It contains a good amount of folic acid, which is not only important for the happiness hormone dopamine, but it is also very important for unborn children. A folic acid deficiency can lead to spina bifida, an open spine, which is why pregnant women are often recommended to eat lots of folic acid containing foods or take supplements.
– Even though asparagus is not red, it contains a good amount of beta-carotene, which is most commonly found in orange or red produce. 100 g of asparagus already contain 30% of the daily-recommended intake of beta-carotene. Given that it’s easy to eat 300-500 g of asparagus at once, asparagus really is a great source of beta-carotene. Combined with the sweet potato, this dish really is great for your eyesight and immune system.
– Another nutrient in asparagus is vitamin E, the beauty vitamin. It is a strong antioxidant and can slow down the aging process and increase fertility.
– Asparagus is also rich in vitamin C and K. Vitamin K is needed for blood clotting and strong bones. Vitamin C is another strong antioxidant that protects the immune system and increases iron absorption.

The post Seasonal asparagus spring bowl appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

Hello friends, I am back from the dead. No really, I am back for good, because I am proud to say that I have finished my thesis, which was the last part that kept me from holding my Master of Science diploma in my hands. To say that I’m relieved is an understatement. Though I am not planning a career in the business world anytime soon, I needed to finish my studies for myself. To know that I could do it. And to know that in case my blog won’t be able to support me anymore, I got options with my degree.

So the other day, Jannis and I discovered that there is a stand on our beloved farmers market that actually sells homemade, vegan Kimchi. I was so thrilled when I tasted it that Kimchi has become a staple in our kitchen. Of course I also love making it myself using this recipe. But sometimes it’s nice to know that you can get quality ingredients locally.

So what’s the deal with Kimchi? Kimchi is fermented cabbage that originates from South Korea. It’s extremely delicious, very healthy and also quite easy to make actually. It’s also quite spicy due to ginger and chili, and a little sour due to the fermentation process. It really goes well with anything – I add it to my avocado toast, to bowls, to salads or to stir-fries. A great staple to have in your household. As it is fermented it also keeps for months, so you can make a couple of batches and store them for when you are ready to eat it.

The other day we added kimchi to our summer rolls and oh my, it was delicious. Of course you can also make this recipe if you do not have kimchi at hand. But it does add a little exciting extra to this dish, I’m not gonna lie. Basically kimchi makes every dish better, so expect to see more of it here soon.

Oh, if you’re living in Germany or in any German-speaking country, I would appreciate it if you could fill out this quick survey for my next book. Since it will only be in German first, the survey is in German only, I’m afraid. Thank you so much for your help.

Now have fun rolling those summer rolls. They really are perfect for spring and summer!

Lots of love,

xx

Lynn

Enjoy!

The post Kimchi Summer Rolls appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

If you’ve been wandering through the streets of Germany recently, you may have noticed the huge amount of faces turned towards the sun. We’ve had quite a lot of dark days recently, so we all crave that extra amount of vitamin D.  It’s almost as if you can feel the positive effect of every tiny ray of sunshine in the body. The mood increases immediately, and there is this amount of gratitude that comes flooding through the veins. Feeling those rays always makes me humble. Still, if you haven’t seen the sun in a while, you might experience mood swings, fatigue and exhaustion. But vitamin D is not the only vitamin whose deficiency leads to fatigue and exhaustion. Iron or magnesium deficiency have similar effects on the body.

Of course, there are many reasons for constant fatigue or exhaustion. Let’s start with the most primitive: when we are tired, we lack sleep. Real REM-sleep that requires a decent amount of hours, not just tiny naps. Therefore, the most basic advice for all those tired souls out there is to get a good night’s sleep. Before someone is tying hate-mail now, let me continue. I’m well aware that sleep is a privilege for many of us, especially for young parents, so this post focuses on the foods that can get help fight fatigue and exhaustion. Because with the right nutrition, we can specifically provide our body with energy. When I changed my diet many years ago, one insight has had a significant impact on my food philosophy:

We eat to provide our body with energy, not to take it away from it.

The post Next-level oven roasted veggies with chimichurri & fatigue-fighting foods appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

If you’ve grown up in Europe, then Pippi Longstocking must have been your childhood idol. At least she was mine. Staying at her awesome house Villa Villakula was definitely high on my priority when I was little. If you’ve been into Pippi Longstocking as well, then I’ve got some great news to share with you: Villa Villekula is real. And you can even stay there! It is located in Plettenberg Bay in South Africa, and you NEED to visit it.

The Eco-Lodge Villa Villekula in Plettenberg Bay

My entire family agreed that Plettenberg Bay, short „Plett“ was our favorite place in South Africa besides from Cape Town. This was mostly due to our beautiful accomodation and the breathtaking landscapes that surrounded it.

The Villa Villakula first opened in August 2018, so it’s a relatively new eco-lodge. Daniela and her husband Willie, both with a culinary background, used to run an antique shop before they found the perfect piece of land for their dream eco-lodge. With a great mountain view and a small lake, the location was perfect to realize the Villa Villekula. Their love for antique is visible everywhere and it is what creates the charm and the real Pippi Longstockings feeling. You can’t create this with generic furniture. Daniela and Willies love for detail is visible in every corner of the eco-lodge: from antique cutlery to the rugs or the towels in the rooms. Everything in this place makes you feel like Pippi might just stop by every minute now.

Just imagine this scenario: you’re driving towards the Villa Villekula and you are stopped by a gate with a sign that says: „Pls. close the gate. We have a wandering donkey“. Behind the sign, the donkey Jennifer awaits you with a big smile on her face. I’m not kidding. I felt like she smiled at us when we arrived. That’s all it took to mesmorize my sisters and I, and just like that we were all 12 again.

What does eco lodge actually mean?

The Villa Villakula really is an eco-lodge. They are almost self-sustaining: energy is derived from solar panels, the rain water is filtered and so far, they have never needed to get water from outside. They grow most of their vegetables and herbs themselves and there is not heating system. The heat in the living room comes from the oven, which created a cozy atmosphere. Since the nights can get quite cold in November, the four rooms have heating blankets, which made the cold nights bearable for us Europeans.

Of course, Daniela and Willie also provided us with delicious food, coffee and tea. Breakfast and coffee and tea are included in the rate and dinner can be booked in advance. If you stay at Villa Villekula, you have to try their dinner menu at least once. It was absolutely fantastic and I would highly recommend it. The Villa Villakula is open for the public for dinner, you just have to call about a day or two in advance so they can plan accordingly.

Have you heard of Chakalaka before?

Daniela was so kind to let me peek into her treasures: her South African cook books. One of the books had a typical South African Chakalaka recipe, which I wrote down. Chakalaka has its heritage in the townships of Johannisburg. It’s a relatively easy, cheap and versatile vegetable stew that you can adapt according to what the fridge holds. Since the recipe in the book didn’t call for any liquid, I added some canned tomatoes and water to turn it more into a stew-like texture. I also added some beans for plant-protein and seasoned it with a squeeze of lemon juice.

You can serve chakalaka as a main dish for vegans or vegetarians with a side of millet, quinoa or brown rice or as a side dish.

If you’re planning to visit Villa Villekula, please say hi to Daniela and Willie, and of course Jennifer, for us. We are already planning our second trip to this wonderful place and we can’t wait to be back. Hopefully soon.

Enjoy and please let me know if you’ve made the recipe. Leave a comment or message me on Instagram. Or post a photo to social media using #heavenlynnhealthy.

xx

Lynn

*Disclaimer: We paid for our entire South Africa trip and were not invited by Villa Villekula. We paid the full price for our stay, breakfast and dinner. We liked our stay so much that I wanted to share it with you.

The post South African Chakalaka & we visited Villa Villekula appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.