Spring has finally arrived in Germany and that means you see people wandering around with ice cream scones in their hands everywhere. Ice cream reminds me of summer, warm weather, vacation, ice cream dates, and barbeque with friends. Since the temperatures have been gradually increasing these past few weeks, I have been craving ice cream myself, which is why I went back to my favorite snack last summer: frozen bananas. This may sound strange but it was my go-to-snack in the United States when I was writing my bachelor’s thesis, and it kept me sane during that time. It’s the healthiest ice cream you will ever find, and completely free of nasty additives or refined sugars. It also has only one ingredient, which I think is great.
While banana ice cream is amazing, I wanted to add a little extra touch of goodness to it. Fortunately rhubarb is in season right now, and I love rhubarb. I literally cannot get enough of it, which is why you will see me posting lots and lots of rhubarb recipes soon.
For this ice cream you will really only need three ingredients: rhubarb, strawberries, and bananas. You also won’t need an ice cream maker, which is another great feature of this recipe. All you need is a blender, and it doesn’t even have to be a very strong one.
You will also never believe how much goodness you can give your body by eating this ice cream. Bananas are basically nature’s candy, so sweet, creamy and delicious. They are packed with vitamins and minerals, the most prominent being potassium. Potassium is important for a healthy heart as well as blood pressure, which is my excuse to eat this ice cream even for breakfast. Potassium is also an important mineral for active people, because it can cure muscle cramps. Rhubarb is another one of those healthy fruits that we do not eat enough of. It’s a good source of calcium and vitamin K, which is vital for blood clotting. As most fruits, rhubarb is a great source of lycopene, an antioxidant that helps prevent heart disease. Note that only cooked rhubarb contains this antioxidant, you will not get it into your system if you eat it raw, which I wouldn’t recommend anyways because raw rhubarb is pretty sour in taste.
This really is the healthiest ice cream you will ever find. It is simply amazing! I would love to hear your thoughts on it in the comment section below.

Health Benefits in this Rhubarb Strawberry Banana Icrecream:
– calcium (important for bone, teeth, muscle and nerve health)
– manganese (for nerve health)
– potassium (lowers cholesterol levels and blood pressure)
– vitamin C (good for your immune system, tissue health)
– vitamin K (important for blood clotting and healthy bones)

Ingredients:
– 3 frozen bananas
– 2 cups (200g) rhubarb
– 6 strawberries (or more if desired)
– 1 vanilla pod/bean (optional)
– 2 tbsp agave

Before you make this ice cream, you need to cut the bananas into pieces and freeze them for at least 5-6 hours.

Once the bananas are frozen, wash and cut the rhubarb into small pieces. Add them to a small saucepan together with the vanilla pod and agave, and cook it for about 10-15 minutes until it is completely broken down. Remove the saucepan from the stove, pour the rhubarb into a separate bowl, remove the vanilla pod (important!) and allow it to cool for at least 20 minutes.
Now add the cooled rhubarb to the blender together with the strawberries (stems removed) and the frozen bananas. Blend until you have a smooth ice cream. Add more agave or strawberries if desired.

Serve immediately and enjoy!

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I am in love with this breakfast parfait. Waking up to such a beautiful breakfast makes your morning so much better. Just looking at the beautiful colors makes me smile. Of course it tastes just as amazing as it looks. The mango gives this parfait an exotic touch and the banana adds natural sweetness – the perfect combination to get you going in the morning. As everything chia related, this breakfast inspiration is also packed with valuable nutrients, which I have listed below because the list of vitamins and minerals in chia seeds seems to be endless. You really can’t go wrong with this breakfast as it keeps you satisfied for hours, and gives you enough energy to master anything in the morning. It’s also a great post-workout meal because it is packed with potassium and magnesium which is exactly what your muscles need to regenerate. Of course you can also enjoy it as a healthy snack or dessert – anything that makes you happy and healthy. I really hope you like it or at least enjoy the pretty picture. I would love to hear what you think in the comments below.

Health benefits in this Mango Chia Parfait:
– calcium (important for bone, teeth, muscle and nerve health)
– fiber (important for heart health, lowers cholesterol levels)
– iron (important for healthy red blood cells that transport oxygen through your body)
– magnesium (important for a healthy nerve system, muscle health, energy production)
– omega-3-fatty-acids (prevents heart disease, lowers cholesterol and blood pressure)
– protein (important for a healthy metabolism, immune systems, production of enzymes)
– vitamin A (antioxidant powerhouse, anti-aging benefits, maintenance of good eye-sight)
– vitamin C (good for your immune system, tissue health)
– zinc (important for growth, skin, and a healthy immune system)

Ingredients:
Serves 2
– 1 ¼ cup (about 300 g) almond milk (or any other milk at hand)
– 2 tbsp chia seeds
– 4 tbsp (gluten-free) oats
– 1 mango
– 1 banana

Simply mix the almond milk, chia seeds and oats in a glas or breakfast bowl and let it soak overnight. The next morning, peel the banana and mango and blend it together until smooth. Now begin layering the parfait with the chia-oat mix on the bottom, then a layer of the mango-banana blend on top. Go on like this until you’ve reached the top. Sprinkle with more mango on top if desired.
If you want a quicker way, then simply mix the mango banana puree with the chia seeds, oats, and almond milk, mix it all together and let it soak over night. It may not look as pretty but it will taste just as amazing.

Enjoy!

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I absolutely love bread. It’s my favorite thing in the entire world, and my day just isn’t complete without a piece of bread in it. I also love eating plain bread, there is just nothing better than the end-piece of a freshly baked wholegrain bread with lots of seeds in it. Not eating bread, or carbs in general, means not living in my opinion. Bread simply makes life better.
This bread is both hearty and sweet at the same time. It is the perfect bread for a Sunday breakfast or brunch, because it tastes delicious with sweet spreads such as jam or my healthy Nutella but also with savory spreads like cheese. The bread is not a low calorie food, but I am not even going to try to combine bread and low calorie. If you want to enjoy bread, then calorie counting simply isn’t allowed. Instead of counting calories, I count nutrients, and this bread gives me plenty of them. For example, the “good” fats from the walnuts keep my heart healthy. The figs are a good source of potassium which is great for high blood pressure patients like me, and fiber which leaves you satisfied for hours. You really need to try this bread as soon as you can, because it is one of the best recipes on the blog so far. It also looks pretty impressive, so why don’t you go ahead and give it a try this weekend. I am sure you will be amazed.

Nutrients in this Wholesome Fig and Walnut Bread:
– calcium (important for bone, teeth, muscle and nerve health)
– fiber (important for heart health, lowers cholesterol levels)
– iron (important for healthy red blood cells that transport oxygen through your body)
– magnesium (important for a healthy nerve system, muscle health, energy production)
– omega-3-fatty-acids (prevents heart disease, lowers cholesterol and blood pressure)
– potassium (lowers cholesterol levels and blood pressure)
– protein (important for a healthy metabolism, immune systems, production of enzymes)
– zinc (important for growth, skin, and a healthy immune system)

Ingredients:
– 2 cups (500g) whole wheat flour or brown rice flour
– ¼ cup (60ml) maple syrup
– 1 x 7g (gluten free) dry yeast
– 1 ¼ cup (300g) warm water
– 1 tsp cinnamon
– ½ cup (150g) dried figs
– 1 cup (100g) walnuts
– pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 200 °C (390 °F) and grease a loaf tin with coconut oil and set aside.

Combine the warm water, the dry yeast and the maple syrup in a medium sized bowl and set it aside for 10 minutes until it is bubbling and frothing.
In a separate larger bowl combine the flour, cinnamon and salt. Add the yeast mixture and mix everything with your hands until you have a sticky dough. Cover the bowl with a towel and allow it to rise for at least an hour.

In the meantime cut the dried figs into small pieces and roughly chop the walnuts.

Once it has hopefully doubled in size, add the chopped figs and walnuts, and knead the dough on a floured surface for 5 minutes. Place it into the baking tin and bake for 10 minutes. Then reduce the temperature to 180 °C (360 °F) and bake for another 30-35 minutes until you can pull a knife out the center of it clean.

Allow it to cool for at least 10-15 minutes. I know, this is the hardest part…

Enjoy!

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Ever since I was a kid I loved snacking radishes. It was probably because they were so pretty, and fit right into your mouth. I have kept the love for the tiny veggies, which is why I have included them in this recipe. Normally you find radishes in salads, but today we are going to make a fine soup with it. The funny thing is that I actually used the green leaves, which you would ususally just through away, for this recipe. Talking about an organic lifestyle, huh.
The radish leaves are a great alternative to commonly used greens such as spinach or kale. They have a wonderful lemon-y taste and give the soup something really refreshing and cleansing. You can also use them as greens in your next salad – they are unbelievably versatile. Come to think of it, they are probably also amazing in a green smoothie. And there goes my next recipe…

Health benefits in this cleansing radish soup:
– calcium (important for bone, teeth, muscle and nerve health)
– iron (important for healthy red blood cells that transport oxygen through your body)
– potassium (lowers cholesterol levels and blood pressure)
– vitamin A (antioxidant powerhouse, anti-aging benefits, maintenance of good eye-sight)
– vitamin B1 (important for nerve health)
– vitamin B2 (needed to extract energy from carbohydrates, protein and fats)
– vitamin C (good for your immune system, tissue health)

Ingredients:
Serves 4
-2 bunch radishes
– 1 sweet onion
– 4 potatoes (300g)
– 3 ¼ cup (800g) vegetable broth
– 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
– 4 tbsp coconut milk
– ½ lemon
– ½ tsp ground nutmeg
– salt and pepper to taste

Start by separating the radishes from the leaves. Wash the leaves thoroughly. Set some aside for decoration purposes, and cut the rest roughly. Safe 4 pretty radishes as a soup topping and indulge in the amazing taste of the others (eat them ☺).

Peel and cube the sweet onion. Wash the potatoes and peel and cube them as well.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan, and sauté the onion and radish leaves for about 2 minutes while stirring well.
Now add the potatoes and the broth and cook for about 20 minutes on medium to low heat.
In the meantime, juice the lemon half. Wash the radishes that you have set aside and cut them into very thin slices. Leave the skin on as it contains all the nutrients.

Now blend the soup in a blender until smooth. Pour it back into the saucepan and ad the coconut milk. Bring to a quick boil one more time and remove from heat. Finally add the spices and 2 tablespoon of the lemon juice. Add some more spices and lemon juice if desired.

Garnish with the sliced radishes and leaves.

Enjoy!

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I have always loved spaghetti with meat sauce. It’s one of my favorite comfort foods, especially during winter when it’s cold and you need something warm and comforting. It’s also my favorite dish after a long day skiing in the alps – there is nothing that re-energizes you more, except for a green smoothie maybe.  Ground meat, however, is something that even some meat lovers have difficulties eating because you just cannot be sure what you’re getting. That’s why spaghetti with plain tomato sauce is probably just as popular as it is with meat sauce. However, I think that plain tomato sauce can be quite boring that’s why have to spice it up a little so it tastes more special. This lentil bolognese with zucchini noodles has this little special touch. It is also packed with amazing goodness. The lentils give it a nice texture, as well as iron and protein. The red pepper provide a touch of vitamin C, and the basil lets it taste so fresh and delicious. The sauce is especially great over any kind of pasta, but I like to enjoy it over zucchini noodles which give me an extra serving of fresh veggies. The whole dish is also so great on the eyes – look how beautifully the colors compliment each other. Just try this recipe next time you are craving pasta – you will be amazed.

Health benefits in this lentil bolognese
– calcium (important for bone, teeth, muscle and nerve health)
– fiber (important for heart health, lowers cholesterol levels)
– folic acid (important for a healthy heart; prevents certain cancers)
– iron (important for healthy red blood cells that transport oxygen through your body)
– potassium (lowers cholesterol levels and blood pressure)
– protein (important for a healthy metabolism, immune system, production of enzymes)
– vitamin K (important for blood clotting and healthy bones)
– zinc (important for growth, skin, and a healthy immune system)

Enjoy!

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Nutella is probably my favorite food on a cheat day. I love it on bread, crêpes, pretzels, on everything. Even though my family has always led a healthy life, Nutella was always part of our breakfast. We all love it. No hazelnut spread can compete with it, nothing tastes like it, there is simply nothing like Nutella. As we all know, Nutella cannot really be considered healthy, but that’s ok because nobody is perfect and we can allow ourselves to eat it from time to time. If you’re such a big Nutella junkie like my family or my boyfriend, however, I am talking about going through one jar a week, then this healthy version of Nutella is perfect for you.

It is so creamy and sweet, nutty and chocolaty, and it even convinced the most sceptical Nutella lovers in my family. It is the best Nutella substitute you will find, and the best thing is that you can easily make it yourselves. All you need is a good food processor, hazelnuts, almond milk, maple syrup and a touch of vanilla. My favorite part is that it is also really good for you as it contains many important nutrients and minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and zinc which actually make it an antioxidant power spread. The hazelnuts also contain the important vitamin E which is important for healthy skin, hair and nais. The tiny nuts also regulate the blood pressure, which is my excuse to indulge in my healthy nutella all the time. It’s really the perfect healthy guilt-free version of Nutella you will ever find.

Health benefits in this heavenly healthy Nutella:
– calcium (important for bone, teeth, muscle and nerve health)
– iron (important for healthy red blood cells that transport oxygen through your body)
– magnesium (important to maintain bone integrity, manages blood pressure and cholesterol levels)
– mono-unsaturated fats (decreases risks for breast cancer, important for heart health)
– potassium (lowers cholesterol levels and blood pressure)
– vitamin B (lowers blood pressure, important for healthy nerves, and energy production)
– vitamin E (antioxidant against free radicals, prevents skin ageing
– zinc (important for growth, skin, and a healthy immune system)

Enjoy!

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This is an amazing variation of my Best Hummus recipe. The taste of the roasted beets combined with the amazing flavor of chickpeas and tahini is simply divine. It is also really great on the eyes because it has this pretty pinkish color. My aunt told me that kids love to eat anything red so I’m sure that even kids would like their veggies with this hummus.

If you’re worried about the typical earthy taste of beets, I can assure you that the distinct hummus taste still prevails. For everyone who wants to add some extra iron into your diet (shout out to all ladies out there) this is your recipe. The chickpeas, tahini, and beetroot together are basically an iron bomb. Combined with the protein and fiber, it gives you so much goodness that you will hardly find in any other dip. Although it does take longer to make than the regular hummus, it is still a quick recipe that I am sure you will love.

Health benefits in this roasted beetroot hummus:
– calcium (important for bone, teeth, muscle and nerve health)
– fiber (important for heart health, lowers cholesterol levels)
– iron (important for healthy red blood cells that transport oxygen through your body)
– magnesium (important for a healthy nerve system, muscle health, energy production)
– potassium (lowers cholesterol levels and blood pressure)
– protein (important for a healthy metabolism, immune systems, production of enzymes)
– vitamin E (antioxidant against free radicals, prevents skin ageing

Enjoy!

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These overnight oats have been my go-to-breakfast for probably about a year now. Since breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, I am already looking forward to it the minute I wake up. The oatmeal is so filling and gives me the right amount of energy to make it through the morning.
I’ve been eating this since my time in North Carolina where it helped me to get through all my finals and my bachelor’s thesis. Most of the nutrients in this breakfast dish come from the chia seeds, which are probably the most versatile and healthiest little seeds you will ever find. I am going to write a whole post on chia seeds soon, because they deserve lots of attention.

Health benefits:
– calcium (important for bone, teeth, muscle and nerve health)
– fiber (important for heart health, lowers cholesterol level)
– iron (important for healthy red blood cells that transport oxygen through your body)
– magnesium (important for a healthy nerve system, muscle health, energy production)
– manganese (for nerve health)
– omega-3-fatty-acids (prevent heart disease, lower cholesterol and blood pressure)
– protein (important for a healthy metabolism, immune systems, production of enzymes)
– zinc (important for growth, skin, and a healthy immune system)

Enjoy!

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My love for jam is probably based in my German roots. Us Germans cannot imagine a life without jam. Traditionally we enjoy it on bread or toast, over a thick layer of butter or cream cheese. Unfortunately the traditional jam that my grandma still makes contains a whole lot of processed sugar and gelatin so it’s not really healthy. This recipe is probably one of the best recipes on this blog as it turns jam into something healthy. Who knew jam could be be healthy? Instead of gelatin I use chia seeds, which are the world’s healthiest super food imaginable, and I substituted the white sugar with maple syrup. Of course you could also use rice syrup to reduce the fructose content. The alternative to processed sugar is packed with minerals and vitamins, such as calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and zinc. It’s pretty amazing how healthy maple sugar is, isn’t it?

Health benefits
– calcium (important for bone, teeth, muscle and nerve health)
– fiber (important for heart health, lowers cholesterol levels)
– iron (important for healthy red blood cells that transport oxygen through your body)
– magnesium (important for a healthy nerve system, muscle health, energy production)
– omega-3-fatty-acids (prevents heart disease, lowers cholesterol and blood pressure)
– potassium (lowers cholesterol levels and blood pressure)
– protein (important for a healthy metabolism, immune systems, production of enzymes)
– vitamin C (good for your immune system, tissue health)
– zinc (important for growth, skin, and a healthy immune system)

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 Healthy Chia Jam appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

As you have probably already noticed, I am addicted to basically three foods: beetroot, chickpeas and chia seeds. I add chia seeds to everything, and I am completely fascinated by their gel-like consistency when you add them with anything liquid. So naturally you can make pudding with them! This chia pudding is a simple breakfast alternative that will get you functioning for hours.

Chia pudding is one of the healthiest breakfast recipe you’ll find. It’s an absolute power breakfast recipe that will keep you satisfied for hours and hours and gives you so much energy. If I have a long and exhausting day ahead of me, I usually make a big portion of chia pudding the night before so I can provide my body with all the nutrients it needs in the morning. Of course you can play around with the flavors, and add all your favorite toppings like banana, apple, frozen or fresh berries and some seeds like pumpkin or sunflower seeds. It’s also a great afternoon pick-me-up when you need quick energy to get you out of mid-afternoon holes. I also like to add some vanilla powder, some orange juice and some almond butter for an extra protein booster. Chia pudding is really one of the greatest things that I discovered since I changed my diet so drastically, and I am so glad that I found it. 

Enjoy!

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When I was strolling over the local farmer’s market last Saturday, I immediately eyed the beautiful striped eggplants. I mean just look at them. I think they really belong to the most beautiful vegetables out there. They were almost too pretty to eat them!
I had some sweet potatoes left and amaranth from a granola recipe testing, so I decided to stuff these beauties with both the sweet potatoes and the amaranth. Since I am a big fan of sauces and creams, I added an avocado sauce which made the outcome amazing.

All you need for this recipe is amaranth, which is a gluten-free grain alternative also known as a “power grain”. It is widely known among athlets because it is commonly found in engery or protein bars. Amaranth is packed with protein, amino acids such as lysin which is important for healthy skin and bones, and minerals such as calcium, magnesium or iron. It is pretty great to add to your diet. In combination with the sweet potatoes and the avocado basil pesto, it is a real power dish that I am sure you will love.

Health benefits:
– calcium (important for bone, teeth, muscle and nerve health)
– iron (important for healthy red blood cells that transport oxygen through your body)
– magnesium (important to maintain bone integrity, manages blood pressure and cholesterol levels)
– fiber (important for heart health, lowers cholesterol levels)
– omega-3-fatty-acids (prevents heart disease, lowers cholesterol and blood pressure)
– protein (important for a healthy metabolism, immune systems, production of enzymes)
– vitamin A (antioxidant powerhouse, anti-aging benefits, maintenance of good eye-sight)
– vitamin B (lowers blood pressure, important for healthy nerves, and energy production)
– vitamin E (antioxidant against free radicals, prevents skin aging)
– vitamin K (important for blood clotting and healthy bones)

Ingredients:
Serves 4
– 2 eggplants
– 1/2 cup (100g) amaranth
– 1 ½ cup (375g) water
– 2 sweet potatoes (400g)
– 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
– 1 tsp cumin
– 1/2 tsp cinnamon
– ½ tsp coriander
– ¼ tsp salt
– 3 tbsp olive oil

For the avocado basil pesto:
Ingredients:
– 2 ripe avocados
– 1 cup basil leaves (a large handful)
– two small handful of pine nuts
– 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
– 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
– salt

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celcius (390°F). Then peel and cut the sweet potatoes into little cubes. Add them to a bowl with 1 tbsp of the olive oil, cumin, cinnamon, coriander and salt and mix well until the potatoes are completely coated. Place them on a baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes.
In the meantime prepare the amaranth. Add the grains to a medium saucepan filled with the water and the apple cider vinegar. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 20 minutes. Take off the stove and let it stand for another 20 minutes.

Now take the sweet potatoes out of the oven and add them to the amaranth.

Next, half the eggplants and take out the inner flesh with a spoon. Place the halves into one large or two medium baking sheets and bake for about 10 minutes.

In the meantime make the avocado basil pesto:
Simply take out the avocado flesh with a spoon and add it to a blender together with all the other ingredients. Blend until smooth and creamy. If your blender is not strong enough, add some water to make it blend easier.

Next, take the eggplants out, grease them with the remaining olive oil, then back into the oven for another 5 minutes. Take them out again, and fill their bottom with the sweet potato amaranth mix. Spread the avocado basil pesto on top and bake for another 5 minutes until everything is nicely soft and warm.

Sprinkle with some more pine nuts and enjoy!

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Ginger Tea is the perfect homemade tea on a cold winter day when you feel the flu or a cold starting to creep up on you. It’s like homemade medicine – packed with anti-inflammatory and antibacterial benefits and vitamin C. It’s also incredibly easy to make. Ginger has amazing anti-inflammatory properties and really helps sore throats. Honey, especially raw honey like manuka honey is highly anti-bacterial, fighting off bacterial infections that result in inflamed throats. I make this tea every time I fell a cold creeping up my back – even when it hasn’t even broken out yet. It’s my go-to homemade medicine, and it tastes amazing and only uses fresh, natural ingredients. Give it a try, next time you’re feeling a bit under the weather.

Health benefits in this ginger lemon tea:
– calcium (important for bone, teeth, muscle and nerve health)
– iron (important for healthy red blood cells that transport oxygen through your body)
– vitamin C (good for your immune system, tissue health)

Ingredients:

Serves 4
– 1 large piece of ginger
– 4 cups (1000ml) water
– 2 lemons
– 4 tbsp (60ml) honey

METHOD

1. Slice the ginger with the skin and put it into a large saucepan filled with the 1000ml water.
2. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer for about 30 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat, and add the juice of the lemons and the honey.
4. Stir well and enjoy hot.

Enjoy!

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