Two weeks ago, I held a workshop for one of my partner companies, Alnavit. We had a blast together cooking a three-course meal, which – I was so relieved – was a big hit with the crowd. The workshops that I hold are independent from the blog, so I do not tell you or bore you with them here on the blog. Just the other week I held a healthy snacking workshop with a bunch of ladies from a company, which was so much fun! I usually use already existing recipes for my workshop, but I also create new ones especially for them, just like I did in this case. And if a recipe is a real hit, then I would feel guilty not sharing it with you. The publication of this recipe was not part oft he workshop agreement I have with Alnavit, so I am not getting paid to post this. But I thought you might all appreciate this delicious recipe, so here we go.

Of course you can use any other kind of noodles or spaghetti for this recipe, but I especially love the buckwheat spaghetti in this recipe. I know buckwheat is not exactly indian, but I just love all of the health benefits associated with it. If you cannot find 100% buckwheat noodles where you live, try using whole-grain spelt (not gluten-free) or brown rice noodles. I know Germany is soooo way behind food trends, so if you live in an English speaking country, you’ll probably thinking “what is she talking about – there are buckwheat noodles in every supermarket, where I live”. Oh how I wish I lived in the UK or in the US sometimes. Really miss the variety of healthy foods there.

I also wanted to share a little story with you concerning buckwheat. I was at a wedding two weeks ago, and there was a buckwheat cake for dessert. Not a healthy dessert, obviously, but buckwheat is very popular in the area that I live. Even before the health scene made buckwheat a thing, this area has grown buckwheat and is known for their special buckwheat pancakes. Kind of makes me proud to say that. Anyways, we all sat on a long table, and suddenly this group of friends that I didn’t know, started talking about buckwheat. Asking questions and basically guessing their way around the buckwheat topic. Oh man, I wanted to join their conversation so so badly. Wanted to say “did you know that buckwheat is actually not a grain, but related to rhubarb”. Obviously, I didn’t, first of all, because they were much older and way cooler than I am, and second, I did not want to stand out as a know-it all. So I thought that my readers might appreciate this knowledge, so here you go:

Buckwheat is a completely grain-free and therefore gluten-free pseudo grain that is related to rhubarb – I know, right! It lowers blood pressure, blood sugar levels, helps with varicose veins, and regulated cholesterol levels. Talk about local superfoods, you guys!

So enough with the talking, on to the recipe!

Enjoy!

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A Spiced Holiday Buckwheat Cake by Bianca from Kirschbiene Kocht as my Christmas blog tipp.

It’s only two days until Christmas, and I wanted to end this year by giving back some love. That’s why I’ve not only got a delicious recipe for you today, but also a heavenly blog tipp. The other day I really needed a quick and delicious cake recipe for my best friend’s birthday. I did not feel like being creative that day so I remembered this chocolate buckwheat cake that I saw over at Bianca’s from the blog Kirschbiene Kocht. I only made a few modifications to the recipe and it turned out absolutely terrific. Not only does it taste incredibly Christmassy, it also makes your whole kitchen smell like it, too. 

Bianca was so kind to allow me to post her recipe as part of my Christmas blog tipp, and I am really excited to share her blog with you today. I do not read many German food blogs frequently, but Bianca’s blog is one of the few that I visit at least every week. Not only are her recipes absolutely delicious, they also always turn out just the way they are supposed to be, which is not always a given.

The cake itself is naturally gluten free and plant based and refined sugar free, yet it tastes like the most decadent and unhealthy cake ever. Except that it is not.

Those are definitely the best cakes. Don’t you think?

Another reason why I love Bianca’s blog is her writing. I love reading the words behind her recipes, because they are so kind, and funny, but also honest and sometimes deep. Bianca’s blog is one of the first German food blogs that I ever read and it feels like home to me. I hope that I can one day meet her in person, because we have so many similarities.

Now on to this cake. The spiced holiday buckwheat cake is a mix of protein-rich buckwheat flour, ground almonds and lots of warming holiday spices. It is naturally sweetened with banana and maple syrup and the highlight is the pear that makes it super moist. I don’t think that you will find anyone who doesn’t like this cake, so if you still feel like baking for Christmas, this is your recipe.

This will be my lost post before Christmas, and I just wanted to thank you all for your support, all of the kind comments, messages and social media posts. I feel very blessed to have such amazing readers, and I am looking forward to an exciting year 2017.

The original recipe is by Bianca from Kirschbiene Kocht, and I simply modified it slightly. Be sure to stop by Bianca’s blog if you speak German. If not, you can also enjoy her beautiful photos. 

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.

The post Spiced Holiday Buckwheat Cake appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

I’ve had some exciting few weeks, which is why it has been a bit quiet on the recipe side, but today, I’d like to introduce you to a German specialty: plum cake with buckwheat & spelt dough. The original dough is obviously not made with buckwheat or spelt, but normal white flour, but white flour isn’t really nutritious, so whole-wheat it is. Germans eat their plum cake with a yeast dough – now, this might seem very strange to non-Germans, but trust me, it’s divine. The dough is similar to that of bread: flour, yeast, almond milk and a bit of coconut oil, and you simply top it with fruit, but you normally only see it with plums, or damsons, a special and very sweet kind of plum that we get over here. 

The real hero of this post, however, are my new plates and mugs from Broste Copenhagen*, one of my favorite interior and pottery brands. It’s funny, but you would think that I have a large cupboard of plates and bowls and could host a large number of people. However, I do have plenty of bowls and plates, but never more than two matching ones. So when Broste Copenhagen sent me this generous gift with their Nordic Sand collection, I did a long happy dance, because I am now finally able to host more than four people with matching plates and bowls. And look at how beautiful they are. I am madly, deeply in love with this brand. I already had a few of their items before, but I am now so proud of my collection – what a big step towards being a grown-up.

So now that we’ve briefly discussed my love for pretty tableware, let’s get back to this plum cake with buckwheat & spelt dough. Plum cake brings back so many childhood memories. For me it means family time in my grandmother’s garden. It means bees swirling around the cake, it means kids birthday parties, barefoot handstands and wheels on the grass. Those were the perfect summer days, and I remember it like it was yesterday. Now, unfortunately my grandmother is no longer with us, but I still feel the urge to make a plum cake every late summer according to her recipe.

Of course the traditional recipe has been tweaked to healthify it: instead of white flour I used a mix of buckwheat and spelt flour to give it more fiber and protein. The dough is also made of delicious coconut oil, almond milk, rice syrup (or raw honey) sparkling water to make it fluffy, as well as yeast. All recipes add up to a warming, but not overly sweet base, which, topped with sweet plums make for the perfect goodbye-summer and hello fall cake.

Now, to all my non-German friends, this plum cake with buckwheat & spelt dough is something to get used to, and they are not for everybody. I just wanted to tell you this straight up front, so you know not to expect a normal sweet cake dough. If you do decide to give it a try though, I promise that you will try something that you have never tried before.

Enjoy!

*A big Thank You goes out to Broste Copenhagen for equipping the Heavenlynn Healthy kitchen with a generous amount of their beautiful plates and bowls. Thank you, Sarah, for the wonderful gift!

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.

The post Plum Cake with Buckwheat & Spelt Dough appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

Today I’d like to introduce you to a new breakfast favorite of mine: raw strawberry peach buckwheat porridge. As we are getting closer to summer, I feel myself craving something other than oats for breakfast, because everyone needs a change sometimes, right? I’ve tried raw buckwheat porridge a couple of weeks ago, and instantly fell in love. Buckwheat is such a wonderful pseudo grain, that keeps you satisfied for hours! I knew buckwheat was a wholesome, protein-rich pseudo grain, but I had no idea it keeps you that full. Say good-bye to mid-morning cravings and sugar lows – this raw strawberry peach buckwheat porridge will be your new best friend in the morning.

When you try raw buckwheat porridge for the first time, it’s important that you pair it with something sweet and delicious like strawberries and peaches, apple or banana or fresh summer berries. Strawberry and peach is my favorite flavor combination in the summer, it brings back so many great memories of great vacations, home made ice cream and the beach.

Buckwheat has amazing health benefits such as the ability to lower blood pressure and cholesterol. It also contains all 9 essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. The high protein and fiber content are responsible for keeping you satisfied for hours, giving you lots of energy for a successful morning. I like to prepare the raw buckwheat porridge at night, so it can soak over night. In the morning, all you have to do is to throw all the ingredients into a food processor. You can easily put it in a jar and take it to work with you, too.

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.

The post Raw Strawberry Peach Buckwheat Porridge appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

I realized the other day that my blog lacks a good waffle recipe. Which is crazy, given that I love all sorts of waffles. Being German, I normally don’t have waffles for breakfast, but rather for dessert, but as I have lived in the United States for a decent amount of time, I’ve come to appreciate hot and delicious blueberry waffles in the morning as well. I’ve recently developed this recipe for SodaStream*, and I thought that it would definitely be a great fit for the blog as well. 

Now, what does SodaStream* have to do with waffles, you may think. Let me tell you: a lot! Have you ever baked with sparkling water before? If you haven’t then you’ve definitely been missing out. Sparkling water makes every batter better. Ok, enough with the word games. But seriously, sparkling water adds a nice “fluff” to baked goods such as pancakes or waffles. In the plant based kitchen, it can even substitute eggs as a fluffy-making ingredient. The carbonation vanishes while the goods are baked, leaving a fluffy, and light dough. I use my SodaStream* mainly for baked goods as I prefer to drink still water, but for baking, it’s one of my best friends.

These healthy blueberry buckwheat waffles are obviously made from clean, natural ingredients only. I love the mix of oat and buckwheat flour, as it is a naturally gluten free flour mix, but does not make the waffles as crumbly as your typical gluten free versions. Buckwheat and oats are also a very good source of plant based protein and fiber, which help to keep us full for longer, and prevent our blood sugar levels from spiking. Instead of butter, these waffles contain almond butter, which adds a good amount of healthy fats that protect our hearts from cardiovascular disease. The blueberries then add a welcome touch of sweetness in these otherwise not overly sweetened waffles. Therefore, it is fine to have not one but even two of them for breakfast.

What makes these waffles even better is the berry chia sauce that goes so well with it. Please do not skip the sauce as it is not only a really affordable sauce (if you use a frozen berry mix), but also a really quick one that can easily be prepared while the waffle batter has to sit. The berry chia sauce complements the blueberry waffles so well as it gives it a delicious sweet and sour taste.

I can’t wait for you to try them, because they really are a favorite of mine.

Enjoy!

*This post is brought to you by SodaStream. Thank you for supporting the brands that make hour-long recipe testing sessions in the Heavenlynn Healthy kitchen possible. 

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.

The post Healthy Blueberry Buckwheat Waffles with Berry Chia Sauce appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

I realized that I haven’t uploaded a savory recipe in quite a while, and most of my savory dishes are curries that usually take at least an hour to prepare, so this recipe is first of all not a curry, and second of all, it takes less than 25 minutes to prepare. This quick buckwheat and vegetable stir fry is the perfect lunch or dinner, and can be easily boxed and taken to work. It’s also rich in nutrients such as fiber, protein and healthy fats.

Buckwheat is one of my favorite “pseudo-grains”, because it is not only naturally gluten free, it also contains all nine essential amino acids, making it a complete plant based protein. It is also rich in iron, a mineral that many vegetarians or vegans usually lack, because it is commonly found in red meat.

Besides from buckwheat, this stir fry combines spinach, tomatoes, broccoli and mushrooms, all of which come with amazing health benefits. Mushrooms, for example, are the only vegetable that can produce vitamin D. The D vitamin is important for absorbing calcium, for our cell growth and healthy bones. Spinach is a dark green leaf, which makes it one of the best sources of vitamin K, which is important for blood sugar regulation and healthy bones. Broccoli also contains lots of vitamin K, but also potassium, which is one of the most important minerals for maintaining a healthy blood pressure. Tomatoes contain lots of antioxidants, which help fight free radicals, and help protect against chronic diseases such as certain types of cancer.

Enjoy!

The post Quick Buckwheat and Vegetable Stir Fry appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

This granola is just so perfect for fall, it’s been my go-to-autumn granola for the last two years now, and I still don’t have enough of it. I top my overnight oats or porridges with it or eat it straight from the container. It’s my happy-place-granola and I always have it in the house. Whenever my family pays us a visit, they walk straight to the kitchen to see if I have any granola left and I usually make a batch for them just in case.
I’ve even thought about selling this granola, that’s how much everybody loves it. Maybe I do, depending on how you guys like it. Please don’t hesitate to tell me in the comments below. It’s of course also incredibly good for you as all ingredients are completely natural and packed with nutrients. Of course there’s oats which contain a good amount of manganese, which protects our bones. Oats are also loaded with fiber, which regulate our blood sugar levels and keep us satisfied for hours.
The real hero in this granola is buckwheat though. The little seeds contain all essential amino acids, making it a real protein. It is said to lower blood pressure and cholesterol because of it’s high amount of magnesium. It relaxes our blood vessels which allows our blood to flow better, which in turn leads to a normal blood pressure.

All the nuts and seeds in this granola make it such a great source of protein and fiber, which keep you satisfied the entire morning. The granola also has much less sugar than store-bought granola, which are usually loaded with refined sugar.
Combined with creamy porridge, chia pudding or overnight oats, this buckwheat & pumpkin granola really makes the best breakfast.

INGREDIENTS:

– 1 cup (80g) raw buckwheat groats
– 1 cups (80g) (gluten-free) oats
– 1 cup (120g) pumpkin seeds
– 1/2 cup (60g) sunflower seeds
– ½ cup (75g) raw unpeeled almonds (with skin)
– ½ cup (50g) pecans
– 2 tbs virgin coconut oil
– 3 tbs maple sirup
– 3 tsps cinnamon

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180°. Start by putting the almonds and pecans into a food processor and crush for 2-3 pulses until they are broken into pieces. They should not be completely crushed, you still want to be able to identify them as nut pieces.
2. Place the crushed nuts into a large bowl. Add all the dry ingredients except cinnamon, and stir well until the ingredients are combined.
3. Next, melt the coconut oil in a small sauce pan. Add the maple syrup and cinnamon, and stir well until everything is dissolved.
4. Now pour the sweet coconut cinnamon mix over the dry ingredients and mix well until everything is slightly sticky.
5. Pour the granola on a baking sheet which you have aligned with parchment paper, and bake for about 25-30 minutes. After 10 minutes or so, take the pan out and stir well so the outer edges do not get burned. Repeat this every 5-10 minutes for the rest of the time.
6. After 25 – 30 minutes, take out the tray and leave it to cool for about 20 minutes.
   By this time the granola should be nicely crunchy but not burned and your kitchen should smell devine.

Serve with milk, non-dairy milk, (coconut) yoghurt or greek yogurt, and top it with fruits. Stored in an air-tight container it should taste amazing for 3-4 weeks.

Enjoy!

The post Buckwheat & Pumpkin Granola appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

This bread was the first thing I made when I turned completely dairy-free, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free two years ago. As I started researching for a blood pressure friendly diet, I came across different superfood breads from my four favorite health bloggers such as from my heroine Oh She Glows, the Swedish Health Gurus The Green Kitchen Stories, My New Roots, or the amazing Deliciously Ella.  They all have their own superfood bread, and you will find that they are all pretty similar, and almost all of them use something called “psyllium husk seeds or powder” in their recipes. Psyllium husk is a fiber that is commonly associated with helping increase digestion movement in your bowel. However, this recipe uses only a small amount, and in combination with the amount of flour and other ingredients, it barely has the known bathroom effect. In fact, psyllium husk is shown to have a positive effect on heart health and cholesterol levels.

Contrary to many superfood breads, this one is completely nut-free, because I have had several readers message me that they cannot cook many of my recipes, because they all contain nuts. So, my nut-allergic readers: this one’s for you.
The best thing about this bread is that every single ingredient comes with at least one amazing health benefit. There are no empty carbs or blood pressure increasing ingredients in this superfood bread. I promise:

Health benefits in this buckwheat superfood bread:

Chia Seeds: There are about a million amazing health benefits from chia seeds. They are packed with healthy fatty acids called omega-3, which lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Buckwheat: Gluten-free grain, that is full of protein and lowers the risk of heart disease.
Oats: Oats are extremely high in fiber, which aids digestion and stabilizes your blood sugar level. They are also known to lower the risk of heart disease and high blood pressure.
Pumpkin Seeds: High in antioxidants which fight cell-harming free radicals in your body. This way, pumpkin seeds help to prevent chronic diseases caused by cell damage.
Sunflower Seeds: Vitamin E is the most abundant vitamin in sunflower seeds, which is amazing because vitamin E is very important for healthy skin, nails and hair.
Psyllium Husk: The fiber has a positive effect on heart health and lowers cholesterol.
Sparkling Water: Water is the most important resource in the world and it is vital for humans to be healthy and alive. In this bread, however, the baking evaporates the water, but I just wanted to point out once more how important fluids are.
Honey: Since I am not strictly vegan, I use honey for its amazing health benefits. It is highly anti-bacterial and raw honey comes with a long list of vitamins and nutrients such as iron, copper or magnesium which are all important for a healthy and functioning body.
Apple Cider Vinegar: The plant-based cider is shown to lower blood sugar levels, which is great for type 2 diabetics.

Besides from being amazing for your health and well-being, the bread also tastes so good. I almost could not believe that it actually tasted like “real whole-wheat bread” when I tried it for the first time. It made switching to a plant-based diet so much easier. I actually did not even want to eat boring American wheat bread anymore, because this buckwheat superfood bread gave me so much energy. It also filled me up quickly, and a slice or two was enough to get me going for hours. I love the bread with some mashed avocado, tomatoes and a pinch of Sal d’Ibiza (or any sea salt) and a squeeze of lime or lemon juice. It also tastes delicious with almond or any kind of nut butter and bananas. That’s my favorite breakfast besides overnight oats. I hope you’ll love this bread just as much as I do.

Enjoy!

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