Sunday ‘coffee and cake’ (Kaffee und Kuchen) is a thing here in Germany. While it has become less common to invite people over for “coffee and cake” on Sundays, I still love this tradition. ‘Coffee and cake’ has a “hygge”-character, which means that it creates a cozy environment. It’s a nice way to cherish the last day of the weekend by spending time with lovely people, and enjoying a nice piece of cake and a delicious coffee at the same time.

Today’s cake is perfect for a spontaneous late summer get-together with your loved ones. Obviously I’m writing this during the COVID-pandemic, but at least here in Germany, you can meet friends and family again.

Back to the cake. The ingredient list is short, and the ingredients are all pretty affordable. What I’m most excited about is the fact that it is only sweetened with dates. I wasn’t sure if this would work, but it worked incredibly well. Another plus is that you don’t even need a food processor, because it is possible to make a date paste with a fork only. The only fancy ingredient is soft, Medjool dates, that are necessary to make a creamy date puree.

For the oil, I used the Swedish Alba oil. I know, this is a flavored oil, so it probably can’t be considered healthy. But I always stress that neither I nor this blog wants to be perfect. My understanding of the word ‘healthy’ is that you eat a balanced diet rich in nutrients and flavor, but to never be restrictive. Healthy eating is not a diet, and it should always be pleasant and joyful.

When I made this cake, I happened to have apricots waiting on the counter, so this cake become an apricot cake. For the second attempt, I used damsons (plums), but you could probably also use cherries, peaches, or other stone fruit. Apricots are not super sweet, so if you prefer sweet cakes, I suggest using plums.

Heavenly for body and soul, because …

… this cake contains zero refined sugars. Of course, it is not sugar-free, as it contains dates and apricots, but these are natural sweeteners that still contain fibers and even minerals. The flour mix consists of light and wholegrain spelt flour as well as ground almonds, which contains a lot more nutrients than white wheat flour. Of course, this is still a cake, not a meal, so treat and enjoy it as such.

I haven’t made this cake in a gluten-free version yet, but I’ve included some suggestions down below in the recipe card. If you’ve made a gluten-free version of this cake, please let me and the other readers know in the comment section below.

Have a lovely weekend!

xx

Lynn

The post Healthy apricot coffee cake appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

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.

Before writing this recipe I had to google what the English word for today’s root vegetable is. Surprisingly I learned that kohlrabi is actually quite a German thing and most common in German-speaking countries. That’s why the word kohlrabi was apparently incorporated into the English language. Correct me if I’m wrong. The dictionary says that kohlrabi is also less commonly known as cabbage turnip or stem turnip, so I will stick with kohlrabi in the hope that non-German speakers will understand what I am talking about.

Kohlrabi is a small cabbage that I vividly remember from my childhood. It’s one of those vegetables that we would always eat raw as children, alongside with carrots or cucumbers. Since it has quite a mild and juicy taste, I still love nibbling on it. However, I never really cook with it. Or at least I haven’t until recently. A kind reader asked me the other day why there are no recipes with kohlrabi on my blog or in my cookbook. I messaged her back that this was not intentional, but that I simply never cook with kohlrabi. Since I am constantly looking to expand my horizon and my skills in the kitchen, I took on the kohlrabi challenge the other day and that’s how today’s blog post started.

Making kohlrabi fries is probably not the most creative way to cook with the small cabbage, but it is a realistic and easy way to incorporate more veggies into your diet. As kohlrabi needs less time in the oven, it is also a simple and super quick lunch or dinner recipe. I bake it in avocado or coconut oil as these are two plant-based oils that can withstand higher amounts of heat. As I am a huge fan of cajun spice I added it to the kohlrabi along with a little bit of flour to get a nice crust. Obviously I am not deep-frying the kohlrabi, therefore the fries are not super crunchy.

I served it with my go-to mayonnaise made with white almond butter, apple cider vinegar, and a couple of other staple ingredients. It comes together in about a minute and requires no food processor or blender.

Heavenly for body and soul, because …

… kohlrabi is easier to digest than other cabbages. You cannot really compare it to broccoli or Brussels sprouts in terms of nutrient density, but kohlrabi does contain quite a high amount of Vitamin C. 100 g of kohlrabi contains about 60 % of the daily recommended amount of Vitamin C. In terms of minerals, kohlrabi contains a good amount of potassium, which is especially important for people with cardiovascular problems. Besides potassium, kohlrabi also contains a fair amount of calcium, magnesium, and iron. The purple versions are especially rich in anthocyanins, which are plant-compounds commonly found in blue or purple foods such as blackberries or blueberries. Anthocyanins are powerful antioxidants, which is why I usually go for the purple kohlrabi. Unfortunately, you have to eat the peel when you want to benefit from the antioxidants, which can be hard later in the season as it can get quite hard the longer it is stored. But if you find fresh, organic purple kohlrabi, you can definitely eat the peel.

When is kohlrabi in season?

In Germany, Austria, and Switzerland kohlrabi is locally grown from June to September. It is quite affordable, similar to potatoes I would say. In the winter months, kohlrabi is imported from Italy and Spain. You can also enjoy the leaves similar to the leaves of beetroot. I usually add them to stir-fries.

Since kohlrabi season is just about to start, do try today’s recipe for a seasonal and local snack.

Enjoy!

xx

Lynn

The post 20-minute kohlrabi fries appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

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

Do we really have to make our own tahini when we can just go and buy it at the store? Of course not, but it’s fun, super easy and also cheaper. Since I love to experiment in my kitchen, making tahini has been on my list forever. Tahini is sesame butter and it is made by grinding sesame seeds until the fat is released from the seeds. It’s the same method used to make nut butter.

After reading a couple of articles about homemade tahini on the Internet, I realized that it would be hard to make tahini by only grinding sesame seeds by themselves. Since you do not need almond oil to make almond butter, I thought it would be the same thing with tahini. I did manage to make tahini without additional sesame oil, but only with the help of my Vitamix. Since I know that this kitchen tool is quite expensive, I also tried it with my Magimix (food processor). It worked really well, however, everyone was on the Internet was right: I did need sesame oil to achieve the desired texture. This does not diminish the quality of the tahini, just make sure to use high-quality cold-pressed organic sesame oil.

Since I am a big fan of Amy Chaplin’s books, I followed her advice and toasted my sesame seeds before turning them into sesame butter. This is supposed to reduce the phytic acid content. Phytic acid is a compound found in almost every plant seed. It is supposed to prevent the seed from sprouting too early. In the human body, phytic acid may prevent the absorption of certain minerals and nutrients, which is why our grandparents used to soak their grains and beans before cooking them. This process eliminates most of the phytic acid and makes grains, beans, and pulses better digestible.

If you have never tried tahini, you might be surprised by its slightly bitter taste. Many people do not like tahini because of its bitterness, I really love it. There is a huge difference between tahini made from hulled sesame seeds and unhulled seeds. Tahini from hulled sesame seeds is a lot milder in taste and it has a brighter color. Sesame butter made from unhulled seeds has a stronger taste and bitterness and it is a lot darker. Of course, tahini made from unhulled seeds contains more nutrients as they are found in the outer layer of the sesame seeds.

Heavenly for body and soul, because …

… sesame seeds are a gift of Nature. The small seeds contain up to 50 % of fats, of which up to 90 % are unsaturated. Sesame seeds are therefore a great source of high-quality fats. It is especially rich in omega-6-fatty acid linoleic acid, which is needed for a healthy cholesterol level and it is part of the intestinal mucosa. Sesame seeds are also a good source of protein as it contains all eight essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. As mentioned, unhulled sesame seeds contain a lot more nutrients than hulled seeds. However, even hulled sesame seeds are still a very healthy addition to your diet.

Perhaps the most important minerals contained in sesame seeds are calcium and magnesium, in the perfect ratio of 2:1. This ratio is perfect for absorption. An interesting fun fact is that sesame seeds contain a lot more calcium than cow’s milk. It is, therefore, a perfect addition to the vegan diet.

Have fun making your own tahini! If you’ve tried it, be sure to leave a comment or tag me on Instagram.

xx

Lynn

The post Homemade tahini 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.

This week it’s all about rhubarb on my blog! At least today, because I am still working on the perfect rhubarb muffins for Easter weekend. I really hope to have them on the blog by Thursday or Friday. Rhubarb is one of those foods that divides people. Either you love it or you hate it. I’m definitely team rhubarb.
If you have always wanted to buy the pretty red sticks but don’t know exactly how to prepare them, you’ve come to the right place. In this post, I’ll cover rhubarb preperation, the deal with oxalic acid and ways to use rhubarb.

When is rhubarb season?

In Europe, rhubarb is available from the beginning of April to the end of June at the latest. Traditionally, it is only harvested until the 26th June (a former German Holiday), as the oxalic acid content is too high by then. More about this in a moment.

Is rhubarb healthy?

Rhubarb is not really susceptible to pesticides, which is why it does not need to be sprayed at all or only slightly. So you don’t necessarily have to buy it in organic quality. Rhubarb is rich in fibre, contains a lot of vitamin C as well as iron, potassium and phosphorus. It is also very low in fructose, which also gives it its acidic taste.

What about the oxalic acid?

Rhubarb is often called unhealthy because of its high oxalic acid content. Oxalic acid is found in many green foods such as spinach leaves, chard or parsley. Since some kidney stones consist of the calcium salt of oxalic acid (calcium oxalate), green smoothies, for example, are often said to cause kidney stones. It is indeed true that oxalic acid can inhibit the absorption of calcium and also iron. For this reason, foods with a high level of oxalic acid should not necessarily be eaten in huge quantities. But be honest: someone who eats a balanced and healthy diet is definitely on the safe side. The formation of kidney stones is not caused by oxalic acid only. In most cases, many other factors are responsible for this, such as an unhealthy diet with too little water, too few minerals (especially magnesium and calcium), too much table salt and consequently dysbiosis and hyperacidity.

The oxalic acid content in rhubarb increases over the course of the harvesting period. Therefore, rhubarb should be eaten as early in the season as possible and should not be harvested or bought from June onwards. What I find especially interesting: dark red sticks contain less oxalic acid than the green ones. However, the leaves of rhubarb contain even more oxalic acid, so they definitely belong on the compost and should not be added to smoothies.

Can you lower the oxalic acid content?

It is perfect if you eat rhubarb with calcium-rich foods. However, this is difficult for vegans, because apart from sesame, it is mostly vegetables that are rich in calcium. Also, I don’t think anyone would appreciate a nice broccoli and rhubarb compote. What you can do is add a little bit of sesame to your porridge with rhubarb compote to increase the calcium content. If you eat dairy products, the combination of rhubarb compote and yoghurt or curd is obvious, but it is generally not advisable to eat dairy products in combination with fruit (leads to fermentation in the intestine). Again, some sesame seeds might be the better choice even for vegetarians.

If you are taking iron supplements, it is recommendable that you do so 1-2 hours before eating rhubarb. If you are already suffering from kidney stones, rhubarb is probably not the best choice. At least in large quantities. Also, children should not eat too much of rhubarb.

Do you have to peel rhubarb?

Actually, yes. There’s a lot of oxalic acid in the peel. As you can see in my pictures, I’m not so strict about that. I usually only peel the hard parts of the rhubarb stalks. But when in doubt, always peel them.

Can you eat rhubarb raw?

Yes, you can. Rhubarb is not poisonous when eaten raw. But be aware that it is extremely sour.

How to use rhubarb

Rhubarb compote is, of course, a classic (see recipe below). Rhubarb cakes or tarts are also very popuar. Here is Germany, we’re crazy about rhubarb meringue cake. You can also make rhubarb jam. Less common, but no less delicious, is the use of the red sticks in savory dishes. It can be added to stews, for example, or cut thinly into salads. For seasonal reasons, rhubarb is often combined with strawberries. This is really one my favorite combinations in the spring.

To sum it up

Rhubarb is only available for a short time anyway and if you eat it as a compote, in cakes or salads, there is little danger of eating too much of it. If you eat a healthy and balanced diet anyway, there is no reason not to indulge in it.

To let your rhubarb experiments begin, here is the easy peasy recipe for rhubarb compote.

The post How to cook rhubarb + quick rhubarb compote appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

Hi! How are you guys doing? This is a line that I’ve never used to introduce my blog posts before. But in times like these I am truly wondering how you all are doing. I know there are a few people from all over the world reading my posts, so I thought I’d check in with you all. It feels weird to be posting a recipe these days, so I do not want to be insensitive to the worries of the world right now.

To be honest, I am not ok. Physically I am, but mentally I’ve seen better days. I’m embarrassed to say that my routines were mostly not affected by the Corona crisis. I work from home and most days I only leave our apartment to go for a run, to yoga or to the grocery store. However, I am so deeply concerned about the entire human population and about the uncertainty that we’re all facing right now. The fate of so many local shops, cafés or restaurants is unknown, lots of my friends are worried about losing their jobs and my parents are worried about their family-run business. Reading about people screaming at grocery store employees makes me angry, hearing about women delivering their babies without their partners makes me sad. My thoughts go out to everyone, but especially my readers from Italy. How has the world changed in just a few weeks? (Please note that I am not trying to be insensitive by not mentioning every country affected or every devastating consequence of the outbreak).

To brighten your day a little bit, I am sharing a much-requested recipe today: how to make ginger and turmeric shots without a juicer. Obviously these shots alone won’t strengthen our immune system. And it’s a given that these ginger and turmeric shots are no cure to the Corona virus. It goes without saying, but I’ve read about so many so-called incredible miracle cures against this virus, that I am going to spell it out again: Ginger and turmeric shots are not effective against the COVID-19. What they can do, however, is brighten your day and mood. Drinking them will most definitely involve some funny grimaces; so do drink them with a person you’re currently stuck in your apartment or house with. You’ll have a blast, I promise.

All you need to make these shots is a grater and a citrus press. A specific ginger grater works best, you can get these at Asian supermarkets or of course online. Of course having a blender helps, but it’s not a necessary appliance. Before I’ll give you the recipe, let’s have a look at the nutritional value of these beauties.

Heavenly for body and soul, because …

… ginger and turmeric both have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.

• Turmeric has been used in the Ayurvedic medicine to prevent and treat inflammation. The yellow compound curcumin has antioxidative properties and has been shown to reduce inflammation in several studies.
• Ginger has not been studied by Western medicine in depth, but that does not mean that it is not effective. It is commonly accepted that ginger helps with motion sickness as well as with mild gastro-intestinal discomforts. In the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) ginger is used to treat all kinds of illnesses such as chronic coughs, fever, pain of all sorts, rheumatic diseases, nausea or high blood pressure. So I guess it is safe to say: a little bit of ginger and turmeric never hurts.

The post How to make ginger and turmeric shots without a juicer 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.