*Werbung / Advertisement. This post is sponsored by Weleda.

Today is all about creativity. After I finished my first cookbook a few months ago, I fell into a creativity low. Since I was never a creative mind as a child, I had the worst of my grades in art and crafts back in school, I did not really know how to beat this creativity low. So after sending the final edits to my editor, I felt empty and exhausted.

But after taking a creative break (I pre-planned a few blogposts these past weeks), and after a small vacation, I felt the energy and the creativity coming back to me. I started redecorating my home office, cleaned out cupboards and planned a bedroom update. It’s incredible what a few weeks off can do to your mind.

So when I received the new Weleda „Feel Good Shower“ as a PR-Sample, my mind came up with so many new creative ideas. Creating a recipe based on natural cosmetics was something I always wanted to do, because I love the idea that you can eat your skincare. Obviously, you cannot eat the Feel Good Shower, but at least it inspired this recipe. Ginger, sesame oil and lemon – all of these ingredients shaped this cold gazpacho. However, I used lemon instead of citronella (lemon grass), because I preferred the freshness of the lemons in this dish.

Creating this recipe was a blast, which boosted my creativity. It was so much fun combining the ingredients of the shower. Since it brings refreshment, relaxation and nourishment onto the body, I wanted to bring these things into the body. Due to the high temperatures at the moment, the recipe today had to be fresh and light. Let’s examine the two main ingredients in depth:

Ginger:

• Ginger is rich in nutrients such as potassium, calcium and magnesium, folic acid and vitamin C.
• Ginger soothes arthrosis-symptoms.
• It is supposed to stabilize and decrease blood sugar levels.
• Ginger reduces pain such as menstrual pain, it helps with nausea and soothes the stomach and intestine.

Sesame:

• Sesame is one oft he best beauty foods.
• It strengthens beautiful hair and skin.
• Sesame is a complete protein, meaning it contains all essential amino acids.
• The amino acids methionine, cysteine and tarine, which aid the production of collagen, which is one of the most important proteins for beautiful skin, hair and nails.
• Sesame oil has always been used as massage oil in the Ayurveda treatments. It is very well absorbed by the skin, aids skin regeneration and is said to have sun-protecting properties.

Since you know that I only cooperate with companies that I trust, that share my values, that I use myself, I am super excited to have teamed up with the traditional German company. The Feel Good Shower is a special edition, because it has a completely new design than what we usually see on Weleda products. I love the summer-design by French illustration artist Marion Bonnet. According to the artist, she was inspired by a walk through her childhood when she drew the design. Since I was never able to draw even a decent elephant, I am always in awe of artists such as Marion Bonnet. The shower leaves your skin smelling fresh like ginger, it is vegan and Natrue-certified. It really brings you the summer feeling into the shower!

By the way, if you live in Germany, then hop over to the German version of this article, where I am having a giveaway for the Feel Good Shower and a Lanius x Weleda 100% organic cotton foulard scarf.

For everyone else, I present to you, this summer’s refreshing avocado-ginger-soup.

Enjoy!

*This post is sponsored by Weleda. All opinions are my own, always. Please support the brands that keep me dancing through my kitchen all day long to create new recipes for this blog.

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It was perfect.

“Wanacasa”, or “Forest in the mist”

Glow – the Como Shambhala Restaurant

The Kedara came pretty close to my definition of “heavenly”…

COMO Cookbook Giveaway

In order for you to try the COMO Shambhala Cuisine, I am super excited to be able to give away one of their amazing new cookbook “The pleasures of eating well”. All of the recipes that we enjoyed at the resort can be found in the cookbook. It’s not exclusively plant-based, as it also contains a section for fish and meat, so if you’re vegan, then this cookbook is probably not for you. However, a good half of the recipes are completely plant-based, so even if you do not eat fish or meat, you will love the plant-based recipes.

Here’s how you can win:

1. Leave me a comment underneath this post until Thursday, August 3rd, 11:59pm and tell me about your favorite summer 2017 memories so far.
2. Please leave your name and a valid-email address so I can contact you in case you’re the lucky winner.
3. That’s it. You’re in and good luck!

Unfortuntely, the giveaway is only for Germany-based readers. You have to be 18 to enter the giveaway, or have the permission of a legal guardian. The cookbook is in English.

The giveaway is closed. The lucky winner is Lisa (from the German version).

Now that I’ve told you all about Como Shambhala and the glow, I did not come empty handed. I’m excited to tell you that COMO has given me the permission to publish one of their recipes, which we actually enjoyed while we were there. So you can bring a piece of the glow into your kitchen: the cacao mousse with fresh raspberries and pistachios (or in my case, coconut flakes).

For all readers from no matter where you’re from, I also have a code “COMOSocial”, which will get you 10% of the best COMO rate in any COMO hotel around the world. My tip: the COMO Hotels in Thailand, the COMO Point Yama and the COMO Metropolitan in Bangkok are pretty affordable as they start at 100 Euros/night for a room. Maybe that’ll be something for your next Asia layover.

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The post Healthy Cacao Mousse, a holistic resort & a cookbook giveaway appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

This quick mexican-inspired salad is perfect for a summer BBQ potluck.

„We’re having a BBQ potluck – can you bring a salad?“

Panic. Sweat. Heart attack.

It’s BBQ season and along comes the yearly salad-contest.

If you’ve ever been to a summer BBQ slash potluck, you’ll know what I’m talking about. Of course for the men it’s all about the grill, but for me, it’s all about the salads. And if we’re being completely honest, it’s always a bit of a „who brings the craziest, most exciting salad to the event“ kind of thing.

Am I right?Of course, we’re all busy, independent, working ladies, mothers or grandmothers – but when it comes to food, we want to show-off. I consider myself an emancipated woman, but when I go to a BBQ, it’s like back in the 1900s with the women chatting near the buffet and the men gathering around the host’s newest Weber-BBQ. That’s just how it is, and I guess BBQing takes us back to the time when the men were the hunters and the women were collectors.

If you don’t already have your grandma’s secret ingredient salad in your back sleeve, then this salad is all you need to wow a crowd. It’s simple, requires no super special ingredients, and can be whipped up in thirty minutes. Probably even less, if you pre-boil the brown rice.

All in all, whenever I make salads, I tend to make sure to create macro-bowls containing all three essential macro-nutrients: carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats. This bowl contains all of the above, as well as vital micro nutrients such as magnesium, folic acid, potassium and even some iron. So you can even call it a macro and a micro bowl.

Yet another reason to take this salad to the next potluck BBQ.

If you want to upgrade it, here are my top-choices to get the most out of this Mexican-inspired salad:

• Jalapenos (the number one ingredient that makes you the master of all BBQ salads)
• Cilantro – for me not an optional ingredient, but some people do not like cilantro.
• Carrot Strips
• Roasted veggies such as sweet potatoes, carrots, red bell pepper or fennel
• Other beans or pulses such as back or white beans, black eyed peas, cannellini beans or even lentils

Don’t let my suggestions stop you from getting creative yourself!

Enjoy!

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE OR HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?

Feel free to leave a comment below, and don’t forget to tag your creations on social media using #heavenlynnhealthy.

I’d love for this blog to be a dialogue.

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As this past week has been so beautiful with lots of sunshine and spring temperatures, I thought I’d post another BBQ recipe today. Bruschetta is one of my favorite BBQ side dishes, and I could actually just eat it until I’m full. Instead of grilled bread (which is obviously my #1 choice) I used grilled avocados in this recipe, and oh my, I didn’t even miss my beloved bread. The avocado base almost turns it into a salad equivalent – fresh and light. 

After I found out that you can actually bake avocados, I desperately wanted to try to grill them, too. It gives them kind of a smokey flavor that only a BBQ can achieve, and I think it tastes absolutely terrific. Of course if you don’t have a grill or it’s too cold for a BBQ, you do not have to grill the avocados at all, but I think it adds a nice delicious touch to it. I did a little calculation the other day and realized that I am spending more money on avocados in a month than I spend on going out with friends – foodie problems I guess. But hey, what can I say, I just love my avocados. They are the best way to get healthy fats into your system, and to protect your heart from chronic diseases. I consider my avocado intake as a form of health insurance, so I might as well spend some money on this.

What are your thoughts on avocados? Do you love them? Do you think they’re o.k., or do you actually do not really like them? I think I’ve never met someone who doesn’t like avocados, but I’d love to hear your thoughts about it in the comments below.

I hope you’ll love this bruschetta variation just as much as I do. It will definitely bring your BBQ game to a whole new level.

Enjoy!

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Many of you have been asking for healthy BBQ recipes, and with this recipe, I am officially starting a new series called “Healthy BBQ”. I agree that these harissa spiced sweet potato wedges are not exactly prepared on the grill, but I think they are a great side dish that you can easily prepare in advance. Combined with the creamy and spicy avocado dip, these sweet potatoes will amaze everybody. Harissa is a Maghreb spice mix, which is actually a paste made out of chili, garlic, cumin, cayenne pepper and other delicious spices. I used the powdered version in this recipe, as it is the easiest way to get the significant harissa taste. 

The avocado dip also tastes incredible with grilles vegetables, and will hopefully also please the meat loving crowd. As harissa is already pretty spicy by itself, you might want to reduce the amount of chili flakes in the avocado dip if you or the people you cook for are sensitive to spice.

You can buy harissa in most well sorted grocery stores as well as in Middle Eastern Stores. The ladder will probably serve harissa as a paste – I haven’t tried these potatoes with the paste version, so I can’t vouch for this to be a success. There are many supermarkets that sell it these days, too. I know Sainsbury’s has it, and WholeFoods does, too. If you live in Germany, then you can get it from a brand called JustSpices, they can be found in all major supermarkets at the moment. With the code ‘justlynn’ you can even get a free spice at the moment.

My recipe testers already approved this recipe at my second cooking class yesterday. We had so much fun making these last night, along with the buckwheat chili with dark chocolate, the green spring smoothie and a so far unpublished recipe for snickers brownies. So much goodness to come in the next few weeks. Let me know if you are anyone you know would be interested in a cooking class somewhere in Germany. I am planning a few set dates especially in the Hamburg and/or Munich area.

Enjoy!

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Spring is finally here! Nothing makes me happier than the first warm sunbeam on my soon-to-be freckled nose. Going to the Saturday farmers’ market without a winter jacket felt so good that it even made me buy the first strawberries. I know, you’re not supposed to buy them yet, but I just could not resist. And don’t they look absolutely delicious on this photo? Well, I paired the strawberries with something just as delicious – healthy chocolate mousse with avocado and mint. As it turns out, chocolate mousse makes a great strawberry dip. Given that this mousse au chocolat only contains avocados, bananas, raw chocolate and cacao nibs, it really is a guilt-free Spring weekend snack. 

Did you know that avocados contain more than 25 essential nutrients like Vitamins A, C, E & K or potassium and magnesium? Even better, the healthy fats in avocados increase the nutrient absorption of the other vegetables or fruits that you eat with it. I think that’s one of the best reasons to have an avocado a day, because it really does keep the doctor away.

Besides being a super cool way to sneak in greens into your kids’s dessert, this mousse can be thrown together in literally 5 minutes, 10 minutes with cleaning up all the probs. All you do is throw everything into a food processor or blender, and ready is the healthy chocolate mousse. It’s very important to use both ripe avocados and bananas, otherwise the recipe won’t work.

This mousse is also a great light dessert for spring or summer BBQs. Your guests will not believe what it’s made of when you tell them.

Enjoy!

Have you made this dish? I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below or tag me on Instagram or Facebook #heavenlynnhealthy.

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The other day, I got an email from a lovely reader, suggesting that I needed to mix avocado with almond milk, because apparently it turns into pudding. And I don’t mean the British kind of pudding, which I learned means dessert in general, but I mean the gel-like dessert that comes with different flavors like chocolate or vanilla. So of course I was so touched that I now get recipe tips and suggestions from my readers, that I had to give it a try immediately. Simply mixing avocado and almond milk, however, didn’t taste that exciting, so I added some other ingredients to make it even more nutritious and delicious. 

So I added the insides of a fresh vanilla bean, one tablespoon of raw honey, chia seeds, and a superfood powder for an extra touch of healthiness. And oh my, was I amazed by this avocado vanilla pudding! This is the kind of thing that you never knew you needed in your life until you actually tried it. I have mixed avocado, banana and chocolate countless times, and the idea to give it a completely different taste, never occurred to me. I believe that if you love bananas, you can even add these instead of the honey, but since every plant based sweet recipe includes banana, I left it out in this recipe.

In terms of health, this recipe only includes ingredients that nourish and strengthen your body. Avocado is a great source of healthy fatty acids, almond milk is rich in vitamin E, which is great for our nails, skin and hair, raw honey comes with amazing anti-bacterial properties, chia seeds contain basically every vital mineral or vitamin, and vanilla adds the final touch of deliciousness. If you have some kind of green superfood in your kitchen like matcha, kale or other alkalizing powders, then be sure to add a teaspoon of these too, because you can never have enough nutrients in your pudding.

Enjoy!

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These baked avocados were literally the biggest hit on Instagram when I posted them last week. I didn’t even think about it, but the fact that you could actually eat avocados warm, apparently surprised many of you. I first realized that you could actually bake avocados when I saw this post by Ella Woodward in the Telegraph. I have to admit that I was a bit sceptic at first, because I had only ever eaten avocados raw, but after I tried it for the first time, I was instantly in love. A whole new world opened up to me, and I think I never want to eat another appetizer ever again. Speaking of appetizers, I realized that I didn’t really post that many appetizers yet, so I am going to try to change this in the future. I doubt, however, that I will ever find something more delicious than these little baked avocados. 

So besides from the mind blowing fact that you could actually bake avocados, this recipe also has another amazing ingredient that I discovered recently: za’atar. Za’atar is a middle eastern spice blend that is most commonly mixed with olive oil and spread on flat bread. It’s also often used in dips or to marinate vegetables or meat. In this recipe it is a wonderful addition to the black rice and chickpea filling and gives this appetizer the final, and most delicious oriental touch. You can buy za’atar in any middle eastern market, but many supermarkets with a well sorted spice isle will also carry it. However, I prefer to make my own, as it is much cheaper and absolutely fun to make it yourself. The secret ingredient in za’atar is sumac. In case you haven’t heard of sumac yet, you need to listen carefully now. Sumac is a ground deep red berry that grows on the sumac bush in the Middle Eastern regions. It has a nice tangy flavor, similar to lemons, although it is much less tart than lemon flavor. You can sprinkle it on literally anything that needs a balanced tangy touch. I think it goes really well with hummus or even tabbouleh.

Combined with the chickpeas, the delicious black rice, sweet cherry tomatoes, fresh lemon juice and fresh parsley, it creates the most wonderful kind of salad, that I almost always end up eating out of the bowl before I have a chance to scoop it into the avocados. I strongly encourage you not to follow my example, because combined with the warm avocados, it tastes even better.

Enjoy!

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This Watercress, Beetroot and Avocado Salad with Beluga Lentils is such a soul food and definitely not boring at all. The combination of the healthy ingredients really melts in your mouth, literally throwing a little foodie party in there.
I have never really had watercress until this summer when I was in this amazing restaurant in North Carolina that sprinkled the most delicious vegan pad thai with a huge amount of watercress. The moment I tried it, I was instantly hooked. If you can’t pick watercress yourself, then try the farmer’s market. If they don’t sell it then they can certainly get it for you somewhere. I always ask at my favorite stand at the farmer’s market and pre-order it for the next market day. 

Watercress along with most leafy greens contains a very large amount of dietary nitrate which has been shown to lower blood pressure. It is also a rich source of many vitamins and minerals, particularly vitamin K, which is a bone-building and strengthening vitamin, and vitamin A, which is important for eye health. Beets are a great source of iron, which helps transport oxygen via our red blood cells. Like watercress, beets are also high in nitrate, which relaxes our blood vessels and helps our blood flow more easily through the body – resulting in a decreased blood pressure. This salad is a basically a real blood pressure lowering salad if you will.
The lentils add some nice texture and protein to the whole dish, making it a complete meal that fills you up, because the fiber in the lentils will keep you satisfied for hours. It’s really the perfect satisfying autumn-y salad that I’m sure you’ll love just as much as I did.

Enjoy!

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This salad will change your perception of salads, because it’s anything but boring. It’s filled with amazing goodness from the broccoli, avocado and rocket (arugula) and the delicious strawberry mint dressing. The avocado and broccoli are so completely different in texture and taste,which makes this salad both crunchy and creamy at the same time. The true hero of this dish, however, is the strawberry mint dressing. The strawberries are not only heavenly sweet, they also add valuable antioxidants to the salad. Antioxidants help protect the body from free radicals, which destroy our cell from within our body. By fighting free radicals, antioxidants help prevent chronic diseases and keep our body and also our skin healthy. The sweetness of the strawberries is underlined by the freshness of the mint leaves. Together, they make the most exciting dressing you’ll ever eat. I promise, it tastes incredible. It also makes the dressing heavenly creamy so you won’t miss cheese at all. As I mentioned, the broccoli gives this salad a crunchy texture, but it also adds a variety of vitamins and minerals to the summer dish. Broccoli has amazing health benefits. One of them is related to the unique fibers that broccoli contains. The fiber binds a certain „bile acids“ which can form cholesterol, thus broccoli can decrease cholesterol levels. Broccoli is also one of the best sources of vitamin C, containing 100% of the required amount in just one cup. You’ll also get 100% of the daily intake of vitamin K, which is important for a healthy bones. Besides strengthening your immune system and bones, it also contains a high level of potassium, which is essential for a healthy heart and a normal ranged blood pressure.
I guess it’s safe to say that broccoli is one of the healthiest vegetables on the planet, and a good reason to make this salad as soon as possible.

Ingredients:
Serves 2:
– 1/2 broccoli head
– 1 avocado
– a handful fresh rocket (arugula)
– a handful fresh pomegranate kernels
– 1 cup (150g) cherry tomatoes

For the strawberry mint dressing:
– 1/2 cup (100g) strawberries
– 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
– 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
– 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint (about a handful leaves)
– 1 tsp honey or agave if vegan
– salt and pepper

Start by washing and drying the broccoli, then cut it into bite-sized pieces. Steam or boil them for about 3 minutes until they are a little softer but still very crunchy. Take them out of the steamer or saucepan and set aside to cool.

Cut the avocados in half and remove the flesh with a spoon. Remove the stone and cut the flesh into bite-sized pieces. Then put them into a large salad bowl.
Wash and dry the arugula and add it to the avocado.
Remove the pomegranate kernels from the fruit and add about a handful to the bowl, and safe some for decoration.
Wash and cut the cherry tomatoes in half and combine them with the other ingredients in the salad bowl.

For the dressing simply add all the ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until you have a heavenly creamy salad sauce.

Finally add the broccoli to the salad, pour the dressing on top and sprinkle with some pomegranate seeds.

Enjoy!

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Asparagus is in season again and I could not be happier about this since I love asparagus. It is my favorite spring vegetable and once the season has started you will find me eating asparagus at least 2 – 3 times a week if not more. Germans are almost obsessed with asparagus and we even grow three kinds of asparagus: white, green and purple. This Avocado Hollandaise tastes good with any kind of asparagus that you can get.
Traditionally Germans eat white asparagus with potatoes, ham, and hollandaise sauce. This might sound a little strange to non-Germans, but it is actually really delicious. Unfortunately this dish is not really healthy, which is a petty, because asparagus is one of the healthiest vegetables out there. It is highly anti-inflammatory and good for a healthy heart as it contains lots of vitamin K, which helps blood clots. Asparagus also cleans your body from the inside because it removes excess salt and fluids, which is great for people suffering from high blood pressure.
This avocado hollandaise is really amazing. Even though I have to admit that I love a good traditional hollandaise sauce, this version is my new favorite, and I don’t think I’ll ever go back. The avocado hollandaise even persuaded my hollandaise-loving family and friends as it is so rich and creamy that you do not even think that it could be healthy. Of course the sauce is high in fat, but only the “good” kind of fat called omega-3. Do not be afraid to eat this good kind of fat, because it does not make you gain weight, but it will actually help your body manage a healthy body weight.
Even though this dish may sound very strange to people outside of Germany, but trust me on this, it is one of the most delicious ways to eat asparagus.

Health benefits in asparagus with avocado hollandaise:
– folic Acid (important for a healthy heart; prevents certain cancers)
– manganese (for nerve health)
– omega-3-fatty-acids (prevents heart disease, lowers cholesterol and blood pressure)
– vitamin C (good for your immune system, tissue health)
– vitamin E (antioxidant against free radicals, prevents skin ageing
– vitamin K (important for blood clotting and healthy bones)
– zinc (important for growth, skin, and a healthy immune system)Ingredients:

Enjoy!

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This recipe is from my sister May. Since she has the celiac disease (a severe form of gluten intolerance) the recipe is completly gluten-free. If you leave out the feta cheese, it is even vegan.
The recipe is so simple and it has been my boyfriend and my go-to-recipe for the past couple of months. Not only is it easy and fast to make, it is also packed with great nutrients. It’s also a great recipe to make as your work lunch – it will keep you full all afternoon since it contains lots of protein from the chickpeas, but it won’t let you fall into the afternoon hole of fatigue.
 Health Benefits:
– iron (important for healthy red blood cells that transport oxygen through your body)
– lycopene (antioxidant that helps fight various diseases)
– manganese (for nerve health)
– protein (important for a healthy metabolism, immune systems, production of enzymes)
– vitamin C (good for your immune system, tissue health)

The beets are a great source of iron, the red pepper is the world’s best source of Vitamin C, tomatoes are packed with the anti-oxidant Lycopene which helps fight various diseases. The fresh mint adds the extra fresh touch to the recipe.
Even though I admit that the pre-cooked beets do not contain as many nutrients as the fresh ones do, they are a great option for all of us lacking time to prepare whole meals. If you want to make yourself feel better about the packaged beet, use raw chickpeas and soak them over night. That way you eliminate all the preservatives that canned chickpeas contain. But since nobody’s perfect, it is perfectly fine to use the canned ones. None of us is perfect and at least you’re trying to eat better by preparing this recipe.

Enjoy!

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