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.

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.

*Ad. This post is sponsored by Klara.

Hi friends. I am back. I took quite a long break from my English blog, as I am writing on my second cookbook. Oh and I also got married a few weeks ago. We had the absolute perfect wedding, and I still cannot believe what a wonderful day it was. I think I will share some photos on social media soon, we’ll see. So do follow me on Instagram, if you do not already do so.

Now on to today’s recipe and topic. I know, I know, hay fever and allergy peak season is long over as we are approaching late summer. On paper this may be true, but try telling that to my nostrils. With August comes weed pollen season and this means itchy eyes and throats, blogged airways and sneezing attacks for many people including me. Ever since I can remember, I have suffered from allergies in spring and summer. It’s become a sort of normality for me, and I have gotten used to it by now, but it is still annoying. My hay fever even played a role in the selection of the wedding month. April and May are the worst months for me, so we picked June. I feel like everyone I know has pollen allergies, so this is definitely a topic for the masses.

Because of my wedding, I started researching more about holistic approaches to easing hay fever symptoms. I also researched foods that can alleviate the symptoms to some degree. Of course, no food can cure hay fever – but some compounds in certain foods can clear the airways, alleviate inflammatory processes in the body or reduce the release of antihistamines. During my research I also came across a free allergy app called Klara. But more about that later.

Foods that can help with pollen allergy symptoms**:

– Broccoli. The tasty cabbage is already a super healthy vegetable. But it also contains the antioxidants glucosinolates, which can clear the respiratory tract. This can relieve inflammations and irritations and free the nasal sinuses.
– Lemons. Researchers have found that vitamin C can relieve symptoms of hay fever. Therefore, foods containing vitamin C are ideal for allergy symptoms. These include, of course, all citrus fruits but also peppers or green leafy vegetables.
– Green leafy vegetables. A classic. Due to the high nutrient density, green leafy vegetables are the number one health food on the planet. Green leaves, such as spinach, kale or chard, contain a large number of carotenoids and antioxidants that can fight inflammations in the body.
– Onions and garlic. Yes, after you’ve read this report, you’ll be annoying your colleagues in the office not only with sneezing, but also with bad garlic breath. But onions and garlic contain the active ingredient quercetin, which can act like an antihistamine. Eat a lot of garlic and onions and you might be able to fight off those allergy symptoms.
– Apples. Apples are also rich in quercetin. One more reason to enjoy “an apple a day”.

Note: Unfortunately, there are also foods that should be avoided at high pollen levels. These include white wine, salami and cheese.

This year I added something new to my hay fever repertoire: the free allergy app Klara. I discovered Klara this year when I was looking for holistic tips to combat the symptoms of hay fever. You can easily download the app from the App Store and Google Play for free and instantly feel like you’re not alone in this battle. What does Klara do? Basically Klara is an information app for people suffering from pollen allergies. Like me. You get extremely accurate, location-specific pollen counts, air quality levels and 3-day forecasts of pollen exposure. In comparison to the normal pollen charts of weather apps, you get your pollen information location-specifically. This feature is unique in the world and quite impressive.

If you feel like it, you can also keep an allergy journal to keep log on your symptoms. Of course, you will also find tips to alleviate symptoms, tips to avoid pollen pollution and much more. I also love how they answer basic allergy-related questions: what are antihistamines, what is in nasal spray, what are steroids and what are the natural alternatives to tiring hay fever medicines like cetericine, etc.? I love the holistic and natural approach of the app. Moreover, the “Recommended activities” feature helps users to decide what indoor – and outdoor activities to do at a given time. It takes today’s pollen count, air quality level, and the users’ specific location into account.

I’ve really used the app many times this year and recommended it to many friends suffering from allergies. The free app is currently only available in the UK and Germany. You can download it here. Klara is free and a great little companion for all hay fever sufferers.

Since I’ve been suffering from hay fever ever since I can remember, I’ve acquired a small repertoire of household remedies over the years that really give me relief. You probably already know many of those tips, but I still wanted to share them nevertheless.

Natural home remedies for hay fever:

– Inhaling with table salt. A tried and tested remedy that really brings relief. Simply dissolve one or two teaspoons of table salt in boiling water and inhale. It clears the respiratory tract and moistens the mucous membranes.
– Nasal rinsing with table salt. A tip from my grandma. You have to get used to it, but then it brings such nice relief. Simply dilute a teaspoon of table salt with 250 ml of water (not hot! I like it lukewarm) and flush it into a nostril with a little nose jug (pharmacy) and let it run out again on the other side. Sounds disgusting, but it’s not that bad.
– Inhaling with essential oils. Essential oils are perfect for respiratory diseases. Depending on the symptom different oils can help. Eucalyptus or peppermint, or Manuka and Melissa have an anti-allergic effect and cedar wood or Ylang Ylang have an anti-inflammatory effect.
– Room fragrances with essential oils. Here I prefer peppermint (not suitable for children) and eucalyptus. In times of high pollen load I use my diffuser daily.
– Showering and washing my hair in the evening. In spring and late summer I have got used to washing my hair in the evening (instead of in the morning). That way I don’t take the pollen from my hair to bed with me. Yes, I often wash my hair daily in the spring and summer. That might be the reason why my hair is so damaged. But washing my hair at the peak pollen seasons really makes a difference to me.
– Hydrate. Water moisturizes the mucous membranes and strengthens the pollen barrier.

Now, of course, I have also brought along a delicious recipe, which I have created from the above-mentioned foods: the – in my opinion – best 10-minute broccoli salad. With a super creamy honey mustard dressing with a secret ingredient: white almond butter. The salad is so incredibly simple, but all the more ingenious. You’ll have it on the table in less than 10 minutes. No joke! And it contains everything that makes for a good salad: vegetables, proteins, fiber and healthy fats. Let’s get cooking. Alternatives to the ingredients can be found in the recipe.

Let’s have a look at the recipe.

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‘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.

Ad. Changing your diet for good is not as hard as it may seem in the beginning. This salad with four main ingredients is definitely proof that healthy eating does not have to be boring, expensive or time-consuming.

I know it’s cliché, but man, this year is already rushing in by full speed. I have the feeling that it will be summer again in a blink of an eye. January is almost over and I have actually already bought the first tulips, because I can’t wait for it to be summer again. As soon as the Christmas decoration were down, I got inspired to bring some spring-vibes into my home. As the weeks pass by, many have long forgotten their ambitious good intentions for the New Year come February. That’s why I believe it should be less about good intentions in January, but more about long-term, holistic dietary changes.

Here are some tips to make the long-term dietary change a little easier:

Clean the pantry

Anyone who wants to eat healthier in the long term, should start with the pantry cleaning project. This is where a diet change starts, because we need to eliminate health betrayers, and stock up on all of those good ingredients. The former include all industrially processed products containing unhealthy amounts of sugars, saturated and industrial-hardened fatty acids, flavor enhancers, coloring or preservatives. Instead, a healthy pantry should contain various legumes, pseudo-cereals such as quinoa, millet or buckwheat, pasta made from spelled, wholegrain rice or buckwheat, as well as almonds, nuts and seeds. So you do not even feel tempted to grab those things that you know will make you feel not your best.

Tide over to the next meal

If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you know what’s coming. You may smile, but both my fiancé and I swear to always have a few snacks in our purse – or in his case the football bag. We love almonds pure, combined with some fruit or dried fruit. Almonds are the ideal portable snack for in between and a handful of almonds (28 g) contains healthy fats and fibre to keep going us through the day and between meals. No more temptations to grab those unhealthy snacks! By the way, a handful of almonds contains 60% of your daily recommended amount of vitamin E, the beauty vitamin, as well as providing calcium and a high source of magnesium. Magnesium is especially noteworthy because it can contribute to reducing fatigue and exhaustion. It is recommended to eat a handful of almonds daily (about 23 pieces or 28 grams), which already contain 6 grams of energising plant protein . As a light energy boost, they keep you going through the day without weighing you down and are a clever snack choice. The nutrients in almonds are perfect to keep your energy levels high between meals, which is why they are one of the most often recommended snack by nutritionists

In addition, I always have the feeling that Californian almonds bring summer to my kitchen – responsibly grown in the Californian sun, they contain a bit of sun in every bite, putting you in a sunny disposition. Whether pure or roasted, they taste so sweet and delicious and are a snack you can feel good about! And don’t we all need some sunshine in this cold winter weather?

If you prefer savory snacks, then you can even have a small portion of this salad between two major meals. The ingredients like almonds or chickpeas and beetroot fill you up without weighing you down.

Homemade food instead of take-out

If your healthy pantry is in place, our body and our wallet will be happy if we cook our meals ourselves as often as possible. This allows us to know exactly what is in our food – and what is not. Inspirations for recipes are nowadays in abundance. Not only on my blog, but also on Pinterest or Instagram or on other blogs. So how about trying some of them? Starting with today’s fast chickpea beetroot salad with almonds and dill of course – perfect as a meal or for snacking on throughout the day.

Meal Prep like a pro

At the beginning of my diet change, it was extremely helpful for me to create weekly plans. So I always knew exactly what I had to cook and when and I was not even tempted to order take-out or eat at my college dining hall. Here and here you will find two of my already created weekly meal plans. You can also find a plan for an entire week in my book on pp. 224/225. I know, it sounds dreading to think about what you want to eat next Friday, when it’s only Saturday. But will you find out how liberating it can be to have answered the miserable question of “What do we want to eat” ahead of time.

Find simple, affordable and delicious recipes

Incidentally, the following recipe is the best proof that healthy eating is neither boring, expensive, nor time consuming. The salad consists of four main ingredients: chickpeas, beetroot, dill and almonds. You can get all of those ingredients in every supermarket. There is also a light dressing containing of extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar and fresh lemon juice, sea salt and pepper. That’s it. In terms of taste, the salad is surprising in spite of its short list of ingredients, which is due to the fresh dill and the California almonds. An unusual combination with a big wow effect. If you’re not a dill fan, you can replace the dill with chopped basil. For me there is nothing better than fresh dill in the salad.

I hope these tips will help you to change your diet for good, or at least make the transition a little easier. The change to a healthy diet is, as I said, something long-term and does not happen over night for most people. Always remember: it’s a marathon, not a sprint. So do not stress if you do not completely stick to your intentions. Personally, I do not always eat well, even though everybody expects that I do because I have a healthy food blog. But you quickly realize that after you change your diet for the good, you will no longer crave anything but wholesome, natural foods.

Have fun with the recipe and the implementation of the tips and thanks to this recipe’s sponsor California almonds #SnackTheSun.

Enjoy!

*Werbung / Advertisement. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the partners that keep me dancing through my kitchen all day.

The post Almond, chickpea and beetroot salad with dill + tips on how to make long-lasting dietary changes appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

This post is also available in German.

As I announced in my trend forecast, this year will be all about female health, femininity, fertility, hormones and cycle syncing. The concept of cycle syncing was first introduced by Alisa Vitti, whose book I devoured last year. She really is a pioneer in this field. I was also inspired by hormone expert Laura van de Vorst, whom I met last year. I admire her work and as I know how many women (and men) are struggling with their hormonal balance, Laura’s and Alisa’s work is of such immense importance. So I began to dive deeper into the world of hormones last year because I find this whole topic fascinating.

Today I brought you this bowl that consists of wonderfully delicious ingredients, all of which have a positive effect on our hormonal balance. The idea behind cycle syncing is that our body and needs different foods depending on the cycle phase it is in. This simplified overview might give you an idea what cycle syncing is all about:

– In the follicular phase (7-10 days) the concentration of all hormones is rather low. Therefore, we can (basically) eat anything as long as it is fresh and full of nutrients. Think aats, avocados, citrus fruits, beans and lentils, as well as cashew nuts or brazil nuts.
– During ovulation (3-4 days) women should eat lighter grains such as amaranth or quinoa, but still enjoy plenty of vegetables such as red bell peppers, eggplants, spinach or endives (to name just a few examples) and fruit with high antioxidant levels such as berries.
– During the luteal phase (10-14 days), when many women suffer from PMS symptoms, Alisa recommends vegetables and fruit with lots of fiber such as sweet potatoes, squash or apples. They help to stabilize our blood sugar, which helps eliminate mood swings.
– In the last cycle phase (3-7 days), the menstruation, it is important to eat foods with a high nutritional content that are low in sugar and have a high water content. The female body is renewing in this phase and so we must be particularly supportive of our bodies in this phase.

(Source: Womancode of hormone expert Alisa Vitti)

Of course, a diet rich in complex carbohydrates, fats, vegetable proteins, lots of fresh vegetables and fruits is already very beneficial for a balanced hormone balance. However, I find it very exciting to take special care of my body during ovulation or during menstruation. Isn’t it exciting to have a list of foods to prefer during a special phase? It makes the decision of what to cook on any day so much easier, don’t you agree?

Let’s examine this dish in detail:

– First we have quinoa. The pseudo-cereal (which by the way is already grown in Europe and in parts of Germany), contains a lot of fiber, which are important for a healthy intestine. The good intestinal bacteria feed on fiber and therefore quinoa promotes intestinal health. Because our hormones are produced in the intestinal areas, fiber should be on the menu at every stage of our cycle.

– Next we have sweet potatoes, which score with their high fiber content, too. In addition, sweet potatoes contain magnesium, zinc and B vitamins, which are especially recommended during the luteal phase. During the third phase of the cycle, so-called estrogen dominance plays a major role. If estrogen and progesterone are in a disbalance (too much estrogen, too little progesterone), PMS symptoms can occur. Unfortunately, this is almost normal these days as our stressful lives, processed meals or the anti-baby pill promote this imbalance. B vitamins in turn help stimulate the production of progesterone. Other good B vitamin sources are almonds, walnuts, sesame, asparagus, sprouts or mushrooms.

– The avocado in this dish represents the importance of fats in the diet. Maybe some of you remember the “low-fat” madness in the 2000s and also noticed how the nails got softer, the hair got thinner? Many women even got their periods more irregularly? These are all symptoms of a low-fat or fat-free diet. Since our sex hormones consist of fats only, one can easily imagine the effect of a fat-free diet on our hormones.

– Turmeric also helps to bring our hormones balance back into balance. It is be a strong testosterone booster. And no, that’s not bad. Because often women actually suffer from a testosterone deficiency, which can be expressed in depressed mood and lack of energy.

– Kale is a very local food that should be eaten especially in the luteal phase as well as during our period. Kale is only an example of dark, leafy green – other great options are spinach, chard, rocket or herbs such as parsley. Kale scores particularly with its favorable combination of calcium and magnesium, which counteracts water retention during the luteal phase.

What do you think about this way of thinking about food? Let me know in the comments below.

Enjoy the recipe

xx
Lynn

Enjoy!

The post Hormone Balancing Bowl and what you should know about cycle syncing appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

Do you take time to plan a new Christmas menu every year? Or are you more traditional with regards to the food you serve on Christmas Eve and the Holidays? My family definitely belongs to Type 1 and with four women and a man at the table, choosing the right menu is not always easy. It must be gluten-free for one of my sisters and preferably full of plant-power for me. My dad hardly dares to say it, but he would not say not to a little meat. Yes and one of the sisters has a bit of a sweet tooth, so dessert is a must in my family as well.

That’s why our Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve consists of many smaller dishes, which we try to prepare already on December 23rd. Here in Germany, Santa already brings presents on Christmas Eve, so that’s when all the magic happens. We also all love a big, fresh salad, as well as oven vegetables and some other vegetable side dishes. For dessert we usually keep it simple and classic with a fruit salad. But last year we had prepared small mini-crumbles, which we all enjoyed very much. That’s why they are also part of today’s Christmas menu.

New this year are delicious lentil and millet patties. Of course they do not taste like meat, but the high proportion of fried mushrooms, red onions and spices such as rosemary and thyme give them a wonderfully festive aroma. Also, our oven vegetables will get a very special twist this year in the form of Swedish Hassleback potatoes. Maximal visual outcome with minimum input. That’s ‘ma Christmas jam, everyone. By cutting into the potatoes or vegetables, they absorb the aromas of the spices and roasting way better. With delicious olive oil, rosemary and sea salt, the oven vegetables remain simple, yet festive.

My secret favorite, however, is the butternut squash. I was inspired by the simple yet incredibly tasty side dish from my last trip to South Africa. On one evening we were served cooked butternut squash with cinnamon and nutmeg. No more and no less. And since this side dish is very juicy, it perfectly complements the patties and the oven vegetables in this menu.

Heavenlyn for body and soul because…
… well, because it contains so much the concentrated plant power. The colorful salad provides plenty of vital substances such as vitamin K from the kale, which, among other things, ensures healthy bones. The butternut squash is a great source of beta-carotene, called provitamin A, which is converted into vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A is not only important for the eyesight, but also for an intact immune system. Like all lentils, beluga lentils contain a lot of plant-based protein as well as dietary fibers that keep us full for longer. Millet contains magnesium, which is important for our muscles and nervous system, but also iron, which is essential for oxygen transport in the blood. A little bit of vitamin B5 is also found in millet (4% in 100 g millet). The beauty vitamin B5 promotes, among other things, beautiful skin, hair and nails and counteracts stress.

Well, did you feel like a little different Christmas dinner? If you still need some inspiration, then I have the following ideas for you:
– stuffed butternut squash with lentils and kale
– sweet potato parsnip soup with truffled popcorn (so good!)
– festive roasted Brussels sprouts with pumpkin and pecans
– heavenly spiced apple red cabbage
– lentil loaf with cranberry sauce

I hope I could inspire you to try some of today’s dishes this Holiday season.

Lynn

What to prepare the day before:
– the dressing for the salad
– roast the hazelnuts (or you can buy roasted nuts or almonds to save time)
– chop the almonds for the crumbles
– remove the seeds from the pomegranate
– cook millet and beluga lentils
– prepare the cranberry sauce
– free the kale from the stalk

For the winter mini-crumbles:

For the winter kale salad:

For the cinnamon-roasted butternut squash

For the Hassleback-style oven-roasted vegetables:

For the lentil-millet patties with cranberry sauce:

Bon Appetit and Merry Christmas!

The post My healthy Christmas dinner menu 2018 – winter kale salad, lentil patties, hassleback vegetables and mini crumbles appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

August is the season of tomatoes, hence, I made this super quick and easy summer bruschetta the other day. There is something about August, don’t you agree? The air is still warm, but you can sense the change that is about to happen when you go into nature. Every morning, when I run in the forest, I notice how the environment around me changes. It’s little things such as the leaves glowing in the morning sun, the first acorns on the ground and lots of squirrels running around to start to collect them. Yes, summer’s coming to an end, yet it isn’t quite ready to say good-bye yet.

I used to not like tomatoes, to be honest. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I tried my first cherry tomato and really TASTED it. The sweetness. The juicyness. It was something that I will never forget. Having not liked tomatoes my whole life, starting to actually eat them and embrace them was like the start of a new life. Ok, that may be a bit dramatic, but boy, have I missed out all these years!

There seems to be quite a controversy around tomatoes with regards to nutrition, but most of the nutritionists that I talk to agree: tomatoes are a wonderful source of antioxidants. The most prominent being the carotenoid called lycopene. It is supposed to protect our cells from cancer, lower blood pressure, increase blood circulation and reduce the bad cholesterol. Overall, lycopene is supposed to have the ability to reduce our risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.

Besides tomatoes, the secret ingredient to a good bruschetta is extra-virgin olive oil. I just recently listened to a podcast where the guest (I forgot his name) pointed out that the only reason bread even exists, is to eat it with olive oil. I loved this, and I totally agree. Olive oil is one of the best healthy fats out there which protects us from heart disease and also increases the absorption of the fat-soluable vitamins and carotenoids in this dish.

But the nutrition side is only one reason why this summer bruschetta needs to make it to your dinner table tonight. The other reason is that it really tastes incredible all the while being super quick and easy to make.

Enjoy!

xx Lynn

Enjoy!

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Summer holidays are almost over (at least here in Germany they are coming to a close), so it’s time to get back to work! But let’s make this year different than the others, shall we? How about buying less lunches? How about skipping dining halls? This year, we could do something crazy and bring our own lunches! Ok, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We could at least try to bring our lunch more often. Not just because it saves money, but because it cares for our body. It means putting our body first.

Ok, this was a bit theatrical, but isn’t true? With just about 90 minutes of meal prepping on Sunday, you can prepare four lunches that might even last until dinner. My boyfriend and I have tried it out, and together we needed less than 40 minutes to prepare it all. If you’re alone, you can definitely make it in under 90 minutes.

So here comes the grocery list that you’ll need to put your body first four times of the week:

Grocery list for four lunches for one hungry or two medium hungry people:

Stored in a mason jar, the salads stay fresh for at least two days. I hate to admit it, but in my case, they lasted from saturaday until thursday. Please trust your instincts more than my fridge situation. The recipes in this post are supposed to fit into a 950ml Ball Mason Jar and hence, are quite generous in size. Jannis and I had dinner with just one jar and a little bit of feta cheese on top. But if you’re really hungry, then go have one jar for lunch. The ingredients won’t have you crashing after two hours, but keep you satisfied for longer.

Let’s move on to the recipes. The ingredients are layered from bottom to top, the exact measurements can of course vary depending on the size of you jar. You don’t need to follow the recipes 100%. Just play around with it, have fun and don’t stress.

For the dressings:

Have fun planning you lunches!

xx
Lynn

The post 4 mason jar salads to go appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

*This post is sponsored by REWE Bio.

I’m so excited to share this recipe with you all as it is sooooo delicious. I’ve once again teamed up with my trusted partner REWE for this recipe. Thank you REWE Bio for always supporting my blog and allowing me to dance through my kitchen every day!

Today I brought you one super delicious beluga lentil salad with the best smoked tofu ever. Ever, you guys. I know, I know. Tofu. Tofu has gotten quite a bad rep lately, due to GMO reasons, but I have actually made peace with tofu a long time ago. Now we’re best friends sometimes, and I know, you will, too. The secret to good tofu is the way it is prepared. And the secret word here is: tofu press. I knooooooow, not another kitchen tool! But there is actually quite an easy method to press the liquid out of the tofu without a legit tofu press. Just wrap your tofu in a kitchen towel, put it between two plates and add books on top, so the books press the liquid out. Add more books after about a hour to make it even heavier. This step is soooo important, you guys!

Whenever I buy tofu, I really pay attention to quality. Organic is a given. That’s why I am so glad that I teamed up with REWE Bio who has one amazing smoked tofu in their range. What I love about REWE Bio is that the products are not only organic, but also taste incredible, are free from yeast extract or flavor enhancers and are even affordable. We all know that organic food can easily break the bank, but not with REWE Bio. Obviously, this post is sponsored by REWE Bio, but believe it or not, I have actually been buying my beluga lentils from their brand in forever. So naturally, I was thrilled to team up with them and to tell you that their REWE Bio products have a brand new look. If you shop at REWE, this is the logo that tells you that the product is from REWE Bio:

Now on to this amazing salad: we have a beluga lentil base, topped with crunchy sauteed vegetables such as green asparagus and snap peas, roasted cashews, heavenly marinated tofu and a few carrot strips. Amazing you guys!

Of course I also have a few food facts for this recipe. We all know that tofu is a super amazing plant-based protein source, but did you also know that beluga lentils are too? All lentils are super amazing when it comes to protein and also fiber, so adding them to your diet is so beneficial. Especially for your gut health as the healthy bacteria in your gut thrive on the fiber in lentils. Also, the fiber keeps us full longer and keeps our energy levels up! How amazing is that?

Now I leave you with this super delicious Asian-inspired salad! Enjoy it!

Enjoy!

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