*Ad / Werbung. This post is sponsored by California Almonds.

Diesen Beitrag gibt es auch auf deutsch.

Are you already in the Christmas mood? Slowly but surely, I am getting into the Christmas spirit, even though December is the most stressful month of the year. These days, I often light a candle, pause for a moment and remember the beautiful moments in December: the beautiful smells or the Christmas lights, which help to keep a sunny mood even in this dark season. Packing presents, watching a Christmas movie and nibbling on Christmas-flavored snacks is my perfect way to spend an afternoon in December. It makes me so happy when the whole apartment smells of Christmas spices and Christmas music is playing.

Do you love Christmas-inspired treats too? For those who do not feel like making a mess in the kitchen but love quick prepared and tasty snacks you can feel good about, I have this super simple, delicious recipe for Christmas-spiced roasted and caramelized almonds that will get you in a sunny disposition, too.
Ok, basically these are not real roasted almonds, but rather caramelized. Traditionally, German roasted, and caramelized almond recipes call for as much sugar as almonds. Delicious, but not really in line with my food philosophy. In this recipe, 100 g of almonds are mixed with 1 tablespoon of rice syrup and 1 tablespoon of coconut blossom sugar, which is why they contain significantly less sugar than regular roasted almonds. They are also only pan-roasted briefly so that they still contain all the health benefits like pure almonds.

I am often asked what I can recommend as healthy snacks. The first thing I always tell everyone is almonds. Almonds are really my go-to snack in every situation and year-round. Not only because you can easily transport them, but also because of their many health benefits. Especially the delicious Californian almonds*, taste fantastic because of their mild sweetness. In addition, they give you a quick energy boost, ideal for the sometimes so stressful pre-Christmas time. They keep you going between meals without weighing you down and put me in a sunny mood. They also put you in a good mood as they are sustainably grown in a very sunny area. You can definitely taste this in their sweetness and delicious flavor and I think that Californian almonds taste sweeter and more aromatic that other almonds do which is probably due to the Californian sunshine.

Almonds are heavenly for body and soul, because …

• They contain nutrients like plant protein, healthy fats and fiber which helps to stay on track.
• Pure or in combination with fresh fruits and spices a handful of almonds (28 g or approx. 23 pieces) almonds are an easy-prep snack.
• They are a nutritious, tasty and versatile snack for every season.
• They are portable, crumb-free and grease-free, making almonds perfect for on-the-go and for the office or college.
• They contain vitamin E which is one of the best antioxidants ever (in addition to Vitamin C). It protects our cells from oxidative stress caused by free radicals. One serving of almonds (28 g or approx. 23 pieces) already provides you with 60 % of the recommended daily dose of vitamin E.
• They are a high source of magnesium that contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue which often come up during the dark season.
• They are rich and light snack you can feel good about because they are nutrient-rich and help to tide you over to the next meal without weighing you down.

By the way, rice syrup is not only suitable for people with fructose intolerance. It is less sweet than other sugar alternatives and does not raise blood sugar levels as much as table sugar. Also, coconut blossom sugar is my favorite choice for granulated sugar because it is gentler for the blood sugar level as well. Oh, and cinnamon – yes, cinnamon is my favorite spice for blood sugar anyway. The spice which is popular during the Christmas season stabilizes the blood sugar level, so I always add a bit of cinnamon to my breakfast or – in this case – to my almonds. Therefore, these Christmas-spiced roasted and caramelized almonds are a great and delicious combination bringing a bit of Californian sun to the German winter.

Now I’m curious: are these roasted almonds known in the U.S.? Or is that a German Christmas market thing only? If my American readers could let me know in the comments below, I would be more than grateful!
So, when you smell the scent of roasted almonds on the (German) Christmas market next time, remember this delicious recipe and go make your own Christmas-inspired roasted almonds alternative with less sugar but the same pleasure.

Have fun with the recipe, happy holiday season and #SnackTheSun!

Enjoy!

*Advertising/Werbung. This post is sponsored by California Almonds. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep me dancing through my kitchen all day

The post Christmas-spiced & roasted almonds appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

Healthy Christmas Bakery Swaps:

• Coconut blossom sugar: to be used like normal sugar but with a slightly caramel taste. Coconut blossom sugar is not per se healthier than other alternatives, but it does not allow the blood sugar level to spike as quickly as regular sugar does.
  
• (Whole Grain) Rice Syrup: The best choice for fructose-intolerant people and for others, rice syrup is a good choice because it does not raise blood sugar levels that much.
• Maple Syrup: Maple syrup does not necessarily contain less sugar, but at least a few more minerals. Its strong caramel note is e.g. great for speculoos.
• Birch sugar: great as a powdered sugar substitute (for example for decoration). However, it works in larger quantities laxative and is not tolerated by all people. Therefore, I use it only for decoration purposes.
• Mashed banana or apple sauce: for me the healthiest of all sugar substitutes, as bananas and apples exist in their natural form in nature and do not need to be extracted industrially. I like apple sauce and banana mush to sweeten cakes especially.

Cow’s milk alternatives:

You can use any plant-based milk instead of cow’s milk in Christmas recipes 1:1. I love the subtle sweetness of oat milk, but almond or hazelnut milk works especially well in Christmas bakings.

Butter alternatives:

• Extra-virgin coconut oil: I love coconut oil and therefore use it in many recipes. If you’re scared of coconut oil because you’ve recently seen some particular video, then I recommend reading this article by Wellcuisine. Coconut oil is not necessarily healthier than other fats, but it’s also not damaging. As with everything: it depends on the quantity you consume. Chosing high-quality coconut oil is therefore of the utmost importance.
  
• Nut butter: my favorite alternative for cookies. Almond flavor tastes great in cookies. However, it can only be used in recipes that contain soft butter in the original, as almond cream is relatively fluid at room temperature.

Why I don’t eat margarine (vegan butter):

Wheat flour alternatives:

• Ground Nuts: Traditionally, the Christmas bakery uses a lot of ground nuts anyways – which is great! Since nuts contain lots of nutrients and fiber, they are also my favorite alternative to wheat flour. Go crazy with almonds, hazelnuts, pecans or walnuts.
  
• Buckwheat flour: Not everyone likes the taste of buckwheat flour, but I love it! Buckwheat flour is naturally gluten-free, contains various nutrients and is easy to process into cookies and cakes. Make sure to use certified gluten-free flour when purchasing, as some buckwheat flour is produced in gluten-processing factories and may be contaminated.
  
• Brown rice flour: A fine flour that I always use in combination with arrowroot starch (or other starch) and other gluten-free flours.
  
• Arrow root powder: Starch loosens up the gluten-free dough and makes it fluffier. I like to use arrowroot powder because it is not as strongly processed as corn or potato starch.
• Gluten-free baking mixes: due to the gluten-free hype, there are lots of ready-to-use gluten-free baking mixes on the market. The problem with many of these is the high proportion of starch (starch acts like white flour in the body by causes the blood sugar level to rise faster). I recommend buying from companies that do not have starch on first or second position in the ingredients list. My favorites are Alnavit or Bauckhof.
• Whole-grain spelt flour: not gluten-free, but a better alternative to wheat flour. If you are not gluten-sensitive, whole-grain spelt flour is the best choice for baking Christmas cookies.

Egg alternatives:

• Chia egg: one ground tablespoon of chia seeds mixed with three tablespoons of water replaces an egg in the vegan Christmas bakery. You need to let it sit for about 10 minutes before incorporating it into the cookies dough.
  
• Flax egg: Just like with the chia eggs, mix one tablespoon of ground flaxseed with two to three tablespoons of water to make a flax egg. Personally, I find the binding power of chia eggs better than flax eggs, but flax is the more eco-friendly choice.
  
• No egg: many recipes do not even need eggs to work. It all depends on the recipe on the texture of the dough.

Healthy cinnamon and almond stars

Healthy almond & cinnamon stars

“What a fantastic recipe. Delicious and so easy and quick. My son loves these! I didn’t have vanilla power so substituted with 1 tsp vanilla essence and the consistency was perfect. Love the chewy almond texture.” Niki

Healthy gingerbread cookies

“Dear Lynn, thanks for this great recipe! I have a histamine intolerance and cooking and baking is always a special challenge. But I tolerate your healthy speculum excellently and even I have something to snack on during the Christmas season! And then they taste great too … I’ve already tried the cinnamon stars – but did not have enough almonds and then filled the rest with ground pumpkin seeds, which tastes really great! I’m really thankful for your many great recipes. Keep it up! Best regards, Alma”

Healthy vanilla crescent cookies

“Hi Lynn, what an amazing recipe. We’ve baked these cookies a lot last December with our kids. Thank you! Martina”

Healthier German Stollen “Christmas bread”

“Hello, I have one question..Is it possible to make one big stolen? I’m worried it would turn out too dry, because it is from whole spelt flour? But…I did made little ones a week ago and the recipe is just fantastic. We all love it. Thank you! ” Nina

Chocolate crescent cookies

Healthy Christmas Peanut Butter & Jelly Cookies

Gingerbread energy balls

Healthier Choco-Crossies

Not really cookies, but these cakes are also Christmassy and delicious:

Spiced apple chocolate cake:

Chai Waffles

Healthy Mince Pies

Wishing you all a lovely and not so stressful Christmas time!

xx Lynn

The post Healthy Christmas Bakery & lots of healthy Christmas cookies (refined sugar-free, plant-based & gluten-free) appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

It doesn’t always have to be cookies. With this in mind, I thought about my November column during an autumn walk. My blog already features healthier Speculatius, cinnamon stars and two kinds of vanilla croissants. The classics. But I wanted to find alternatives to the classics for my column. Stefanie of OhhhMhhh contributed to the idea of the waffles. Her love for energy balls also inspired me to create these Christmas energy balls. And the Choco Crossies are one of those sweets I always loved as a child. With some coarse sea salt on top, they’re definitely a hit.
What’s really great: all recipes are so incredibly simple, you will laugh at me. But that’s exactly what we need in December. Simple, uncomplicated recipes that naturally sweeten the Christmas season. Speaking of sweetening: of course all recipes are free of household sugar and sweetened only with dates, maple syrup or coconut blossom sugar. Nevertheless, they taste as delicious as their conventional counterparts. The waffles, for example. I already imagine how you bake them together with your children or your dearest friends, then maybe quickly clean the shoes for Nikolas tradition (is that only a thing in Germany?)  or watch a Christmas classic like “The Holidays”. Oh wow. Am I ready for Christmas.

And the Christmas energy balls. There is no easier or faster way to make gingerbread. I hope to get as many photos on Instagram as I did with the first set of energy balls I shared. Since then, not a day has passed without being sent a great picture of you. The christmasy Energy Balls are my favorite of all three recipes. They taste just like gingerbread. The dates make them just sweet enough, the apple chips give them an unexpected crunch and the gingerbread spice gives the balls a dreamlike Christmas taste. By the way, I also rolled the balls in raw cacao. This gives them a slightly bitter note on the first bites, which is then quickly transformed into a heavenly sweetness. For children I’d rather leave out the cacao coat, but for us adults it’s just mhhh.

The Choco-Crossies are one of my secretly beloved sweets from childhood. For me Choco-Crossies are one of those things that you never buy yourself, but always love to nibble on when you’re invited to a friend’s home or party. Homemade Choco-crossies can also be spiked with other healthier ingredients such as almond sticks. You can also make the chocolate yourself, if you like. Of course you can also use bought dark chocolate. Whatever is your jam.

So why are the cookies and waffles good for us? Well, on the one hand, you should definitely listen to your favourite Christmas music during the preparation. That will instantly result in a more relaxed  you. Also, none of the recipes contain refined sugar, but healthier sugar alternatives and only a little of them. Because also alternative sources of sugar are to be enjoyed in moderation.

But the true health aspect of these recipes is that we enjoy them together with our loved ones. Because with all the talk about superfoods, nutrients and time-for-me, we often forget how important social contacts are for our well-being. Time with your loved ones is a big pillar of a healthy lifestyle.

If you’re looking for even healthier biscuits, take a look at last year’s healthy Spekulatius, vanilla crescent cokies, chocolate vanilla crescents, cinnamon stars or Rudolph cookies. Oh yes, I also have a healthier Stollen on the blog. It’s one of the most traditional german recipes, which you should definitely give a try. It’s really heavenly!

I wish you all a lovely pre-Christmas season and hope that you can enjoy it to the fullest.

xx
Lynn

Enjoy!

The post 3 healthy Christmas desserts – Chai Waffles, Choco-Crossies and Christmas Energy Balls appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

Brussels Sprouts. Pumpkin. Pecans.

That’s my “secret” whenever I want to surprise someone with a simple yet delicious meal. Well, actually it’s more of a side dish, but combined with a delicious salad and quinoa, it may very well serve as a main dish.

I served this combo to friends that we had for dinner yesterday, and even though they thought they didn’t like brussels sprouts, they ate it all. Happens all the time, I secretly wanted to say.

This dish is the perfect addition to any Christmas buffet as it can be enjoyed by anyone – health-conscious or not. The combination of crunchy sweet & satly brussels sprouts paired with the sweet pumpkin and the caramel-like pecans is absolutely insane. I first ate a dish similar to this in the United States at Thanksgiving, and I have been wanting to recreate it ever since.

If you’re allergic to pecans, you can swap them for any other kind of nut or even pumpkin seeds. However, if you can have nuts, then pecans are definitely your best bet this Christmas.

Speaking about Christmas. Do you know the Christmas feast dilemma? We’re not a family of traditions, so we have something different for Christmas every year. Partly because we love food so much, and partly because we all have different taste. You have my dad who wants the traditional German dishes, my sister who is the biggest raclette fan, my other sister who has special dietary requirements and then my mom and I who want anything but ordinary. So last year we made one of Jamie Oliver’s dishes from his book “Superfoods”, which wasn’t a big hit with the others unfortunately. This year will be more relaxed with a miso salmon soup, and lots of delicious winter salads and sides such as these winter roasted brussels sprouts.

How to survive the Christmas festivities in a healthy way

I’ve been getting this question a lot lately, and I have to be honest: I don’t think Christmas is the time to stress about food and health. For me, Christmas is not about the food, but about spending time with your loved ones, destressing, recharging those batteries before another year knocks on the door. My family always goes for a run in the mornings, no matter what the weather, so we got the exercise part covered together. Then we like to have a long breakfast with lots of oats, granola and fruit, so we usually skip lunch anyways. For dinner, we try to incorporate as many fresh veggies as possible, so it’s not really like you have to be afraid of food komas.

My tip is always to prepare something healthy and delicious yourself and then bring it along if you’re invited for lunch/coffee/dinner. The host will greatly appreciate it, if he or she does not have to think about all the guest’s dietary restrictions, which can be quite overwhelming. And instead of saying, “I’ll bring this vegan, gluten-free, refined sugar-free salad”, you could just say “I’m bringing a winter roasted brussels sprouts salad with pumpkin, pecans and maple-dressing.” Do you hear the difference? Exactly. Sometimes it’s the choice of words that make the difference.

Do you have any tips to survive the upcoming Christmas madness? Let me know in the comments below.

Enjoy!

The post Winter Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Pumpkin & Pecans appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

Christmas is a wonderful time full of joy and secrets.

But do you know the secret behind what makes Christmas so special?

MOMS.

Moms, working their asses off. Cooking, wrapping, decorating, and shopping.

Unfortunately, this quote is not by me, I took it from the movie, Bad Moms 2, which is all about the Bad Moms breaking free this Christmas and doing what they enjoy. If you’re looking for a feel-good movie with your girlfriends, go see this movie. It has some awesome lignes such as:

Moms don’t enjoy, they give joy. That’s how being a mom works.

I know, I am not a mother, but I nevertheless know that my mom also worked her butt off to give us the best Christmas festivities every year. I don’t know how she did it, but she always managed to bake the christmas bread in time, set-up the tree and create a five-star Christmas menu for the entire family all while looking faboulous. Oh and of course she also baked cookies with us. For about a minute – then we got distracted and she had to cut out kilos of cookie dough all by herself.

Today I know, how much work Christmas cookies mean, so I brought you this easy peasy Christmas thumprint cookies recipe with homemade raspberry jam. No cutting out. No unhealthy ingredients. No stress. Too good to be true? Well, you’re welcome.

The cookies are made with whole-grain spelt flour (or buckwheat flour for a gluten-free option), peanut butter, ground almonds, flax seeds, a bit of honey and coconut oil. Add a bit of gingerbread spice for a Christmassy taste, and you’re good to go. What makes these cookies awesome, however, is the homemade raspberry jam filling. No refined sugars, no additives, but still so delicious. The secret to the jam are flax seeds, who make it thicken. The only downside to my version is that it’s not a preserved jam, so you need to eat it quickly.

You can easily enjoy these cookies with a mug of healthy hot superfood chocolate or some hot mulled beetroot juice.

Have a wonderful second Advent!

xx

Lynn

Enjoy!

The post Healthy Thumbprint Cookies appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

Are you in Christmas mood yet? With the first snow of the season, I could not be more excited that it’s finally December!

If you’re not in Christmas mode yet, then this recipe will hopefully help you get you into that Christmas spirit.

But before I continue, I’d like to thank all of you for just being awesome!My Christmas get-together on December 10th was sold out after a day, and the waiting list is already filled with many beautiful souls. Santa came early this year – at least for me! Thank you all for your lovely support – it means the world to me!

I am beyond excited to meet so many of you face-to-face for the first time! It will be an afternoon full of joy and lots of Christmas cookies. I’m excited to meet you all, and to hear your feedback on the blog and perhabs even points of potential improvement. It’ll be amazing!

Ok, back to these healthy christmas cookies. Before you mention it in the comments: I am well aware that they look a little bit strange. We all know what they remind us of – but, come on people, it’s Christmas cookies! There is nothing more innocent than that, ok?

Good, so now that we’ve covered the uncomfortable part, let’s go back to talking Christmas. If you were to get a glimpse into my kitchen these past days, then it’s very likely that you would have seen me dancing, baking and singing at the same time.

Here are my current top 3 Christmas songs:

1. “You make it feel like Christmas” by Gwen Stefanie und Sexiest Man Alive Blake Shelton (haha)
2. “Underneath the Tree” by Kelly Clarkson
3. “Santa Tell Me” by Ariana Grande

If you didn’t know it before, then you know it now: I have the worst taste in music. I’m all about that mainstream pop – gimme all the Taylor Swift, Ed Sheran and Maroon 5. Anyone else with me?

So these cookies by the way – total Christmas winners. They are so easy to make, plant-based, gluten-free (option), refined sugar free, AND delicious. You also won’t have to roll out any batter or cut out anything. Just use your fingers to form little cresents and that’s it. Easy! And then you’ll whip up some homemade white chocolate and sprinkle it on top. No biggy.

These cookies are the perfect Christmas treat as they are only made with ingredients that are good for your body. Almonds are an amazing beauty vitamin, so you might want to call these cookies “glow cookies”, flax seeds provide some skin boosting omega-3 fatty acids and maple syrup adds the little extra touch of subtle sweetness. It’s Christmas magic, you guys!

Have a wonderful first week of December!

Enjoy!

Did you make these cookies? Share a picture of them on social media using #heavenlynnhealthy. I love seeing your creations!

The post Healthy Chocolate Vanilla Crescent Christmas Cookies appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

*This post is sponsored by Alnavit.

It’s Thanksgiving week, so naturally, this winter spiced apple chocolate cake is just what you need to for a healthy Thanksgiving dessert. Every year, Jannis and I plan on having a Friendsgiving dinner, but then somehow we always forget about Thanksgiving. I suppose it is because it’s just not our tradition to have, though both of us have lived in the United States for a considerable amount of time.Maybe next year. Maybe.

But this cake is not just a delicious Thanksgiving treat, it’s absolutely suitable for every Sunday cake get-together in December. I made it with my all-time favorite Alnavit* organic basic gluten-free flour mix, because it is one of the few flour mixes that is made with whole-grain ingredients: brown rice flour, millet flour and a little bit of corn starch, and it’s guaranteed that your gluten-free cake will be a success.

Also, do you remember my hot superfood chocolate from last year? Alnavit basically sells this Superfood hot chocolate in a box now, it’s called KakaoGenießer (organic drinking chocolate) and it’s made with raw cacao, turmeric, ginger and cardamom. When I told Steffi from Alnavit about my winter spiced apple cake idea, we both instantly loved the idea of using the cacao powder mix in this cake. So easy, so good!

I know that many people keep asking me, where to find Alnavit products. I am quite lucky, because I live right next to a Budni and a Müller supermarket, which both sell the products in Northern Germany. Recently, Lüneburg also got a brand new Alnatura supermarket, which carries the entire Alnavit product range – good for Alnavit, bad for my wallet… You can find a whole list of shops with Alnavit products in their shop finder.

Now, what makes this cake a healthy alternative to traditional cakes? First of all, it’s made only with natural ingredients such as whole-grain flour, which stabilizes your blood sugar level and keeps your energy levels up. The opposite would be that commonly known food low, which many of us experience about an hour or so after an empty carb-excessive lunch, when we start craving sweets due to a drop in blood sugar levels. This cake is also naturally sweetened with a banana and coconut bloosom sugar, which also keep your blood level steadier than refined sugar. However, just because this cake contains healthy ingredients, does not mean that it’s a free pass to finish it all by yourself. Even healthier treats should be enjoyed in moderation for them to actually have a healthy effect.

On a last note, I just wanted to tell you that I have sucessfully passed my exam to become a holistic nutrition and health coach. Thank you all so much for your support these past weeks, especially on social media. Now enjoy this cake and let me know if you’ve made it on social media using #heavenlynnhealthy.

Enjoy!

Did you make this recipe? Tag me with #heavenlynnhealthy on social media.

The post Winter Spiced Apple Chocolate Cake appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

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.

Healthy Mince Pies filled with a heavenly mince meat with apples, pears, raisins and tonka bean.

My sister trip to London this past summer definitely proofed that all sayings about the British cuisine are rubbish. Of course I can only speak for London, but this city is definitely the culinary capital of Europe. We had some of the best foods in the city, visited great cafes and delis and literally all we did was eat. We also stayed with my sister’s roommate in her parents’ house near Watford for two days and we were served some of the best foods I have ever eaten, including the British broccoli that I am so totally jealous of. Can someone please import British broccoli to Germany? Asap, please!

My sister told me about the Mince Pies that her flat mate’s Dad always makes, so of course I was curious about these little British pies. Seeing them all over Pinterest, I just had to make them, and they turned out amazingly. Of course this is nowhere near the original mince pie recipe as I used completely unconventional ingredients, but the mince meat is always a mix of fruits, some dried fruits and Christmas spices. In England you can even buy “mincemeat” jars in every supermarket. It’s definitely the equivalent of the German “Stollen”, except it’s much tastier, fresher and tastes so much more like Christmas than cookies or Christmas bread.

My Mom was completely in love when she first tried them, and I also think that it’s one of the best Christmas desserts ever! It’s really moist, rich and flavorful, and something very different than anything I’ve ever tried. Another big plus is that they are just so freaking pretty! I am a sucker for pretty food, so these healthy mince pies will definitely make your Christmas table look so much fore festive.

Instead of vanilla, I used the tonka bean, which is an ugly black bean from the tonka tree, which is originally grown in South America. You only need a bit of tonka beans, which are commonly ground with a small grinder, for a rich flavor that reminds me of vanilla. It’s very common in upscale restaurants around the world, so it’s about time that we use it in our own homes, don’t you think?

This is the last item on my Christmas menu this year, and I hope it inspired you once again to eat a bit healthier during the Holidays. It’s definitely possible to eat healthy at Christmas, and it does not require deprivation or starvation. Healthy Holidays are so much fun, and I hope that these healthy mince pies, my sweet potato and parsnip soup and the stuffed butternut squash proofed how delicious and healthy Christmas can be.

Enjoy!

*A Big Thank You to REWE Feine Welt for sponsoring this post. And thank you, readers, for supporting the brands that make hour-long recipe testings 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 Christmas menu dessert: Healthy Mince Pies appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

Holiday Stuffed Butternut Squash with Lentils and Kale as part of my 2016 Christmas Menu.

It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas this week. I wrapped up most Christmas presents already, sent off my Secret Santa package yesterday, and I am getting ready to completely fall into Christmas mode by Sunday. Well, I still got some school stuff to finish, but then I am ready for the Holidays. Which means that now I can think about the really important things: what’s for dinner on Christmas Day? This Holiday Stuffed Butternut Squash with Lentils and Kale is a Christmas menu dream and should go on your potential Christmas dinner list asap. 

I’ve created this dish as a REWE Feine Welt* Christmas ambassador, and I could not be prouder as this is such a cool job.

“Excuse me, I got work to do as a Christmas ambassador.” Yes, I could get used to this.

Jokes aside, this lentil and kale filling can easily challenge any stuffing you’ll ever eat. It’s rich, it’s fresh, it’s delicious. And it’s completely plant based, gluten free and refined sugar free. How can this be, you may ask? Well, turns out, nature is amazing and has so much delicious and healthy produce to offer. I am definitely hooked by the kale and the edible flowers in this filling. I never thought about adding edible flowers to my dishes, but I think it’s so much fun and they are just too precious just to be used as a porridge topping.

Whether you enjoy this filling by itself or combined with the baked butternut squash, you will treat your body to some much goodness such as minerals and vitamins from the pomegranates. Eating it with the butternut will provide some extra beta-carotene, which protects the eye-sight and the immune-system when converted to Vitamin A in the body.

If you’ve enjoyed this main dish, then you might like my appetizer suggestion sweet potato and parsnip soup with truffled popcorn. I’ve also collected some other healthy Christmas ideas in my post 21 Heavenly Healthy Christmas Recipes. I hope you’ll find some healthy inspiration for the upcoming Holidays. Also, I cannot wait to share my delicious dessert suggestion as the last part of this menu on Sunday! Stay tuned!

Enjoy!

*A Big Thank You to REWE Feine Welt for sponsoring this post. And thank you, readers, for supporting the brands that make hour-long recipe testings 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 Christmas menu entrée: Holiday Stuffed Butternut Squash with Lentils and Kale appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

Festive healthy gingerbread crumble because crumbles are amazing!

It’s mid-December, which means it’s time for my new monthly column on the lifestyle blog OhhhMhhh. Today it’s all about this gingerbread crumble, which I am so excited to share with you. There is something about crumbles that makes them the perfect desserts for any festivities, don’t you agree? This one will make your whole house smell like Christmas, I promise!

I think crumbles are awesome, and that’s why I wanted to share my top three reasons, why I think that crumbles rock:

#1: Crumbles can easily be prepared in advance

I know this sounds kind of lame, but crumbles are definitely a time-saver in the kitchen. I love time, especially free time, where I can enjoy a cup of hot superfood chocolate combined with Netflix on the couch. So any dish that is easily prepped in advance is a winner in my opinion.

#2: Crumbles are totally seasonal:

Crumbles can be made with literally any fruit you have, so it’s the best dessert for seasonal produce. In the winter I love me a good apple or pear crumble, in spring I am all about those first strawberries, and in the summer I cannot get enough of juicy peach crumbles. Don’t forget fall with all ist delicious plums. Crumbles taste amazing every season.

#3: Crumbles can easily be healthified.

The real heroes of crumbles are definitely the fruits, and these are already pretty healthy. If you skip the buttery-sugar loaded crumble-topping, and use a healthier oat and ground nuts mix instead, you got yourself a delicious-tasting wholesome dessert. Absolutely guilt-free and allergy friendly. Just switch the nuts for seeds if you cannot have nuts, and you’re good to go.

So there you have my three most important reasons why I love crumbles. Do you love crumbles? And if so, why? Let me know in the commons below.

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 Gingerbread Crumble appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

Stollen is a German Christmas specialty that you will find on every Christmas market in the country. This is a healthy stollen version, which tastes even better than the original.

Does anyone of you have this really old family recipe that you don’t dare to change?

Well, I do have one of these recipes. It’s actually even written on typewriter.

Yup, it’s that old – and I dared to change it.

I am talking about my grandmother’s stollen recipe, which is a German specialty cake that you only eat around Christmas. Stollen is usually already made in November, because it needs time to develop its flavors so it can be enjoyed in December. Ever since my grandma from my Dad’s side passed away, my mom has been taken over her role as CSO – Chief Stollen Officer in our family. She even bakes my grandma’s stollen for my dad’s brothers. Pretty nice of my mom, right?

For this recipe, I teamed up with Delinero* again, an online delivery service and one of my most trusted online supermarkets. Honestly, if you are doing two, three recipe testings a day, you are more than happy when the bell rings and your favorite mail man delivers all your favorite ingredients so you do not have to run to the stores anymore.

I had no idea how much I would ever appreciate online grocery shopping, but it’s been a life saver for me lately. And Delinero carries all my “not so normal” grocery items such as coconut oil or coconut sugar, which is even better.

 What is “Stollen”?

So, if you are not German, then you probably have no idea what a stollen is. I don’t blame you, it’s not like you can get decent Stollen anywhere across our country borders. Stollen is basically a yeast-based fruit cake with lots of sugar, butter, raisins, rum aroma and powdered sugar. Traditionally there is also high fructose corn sirup involved, so not exactly what you would call a healthy treat (but pretty delicious tbh). It tastes very Christmassy and you can get it on many of the famous German Christmas markets, which are my favorite things in the entire world.

Instead of butter and white flour, I used coconut oil and whole wheat spelt flour, which is not only good for blood pressure, it is also full of fiber to keep you satisfied longer. The stollen gets its Christmas flavors from lemon and orange zest, raisins, cinnamon, cardamom and the amazing marzipan-poppyseed-filling.

Oh my, marzipan!

I LOVE marzipan, which is a mix of ground almonds, coconut sugar, and water. Well, the original recipe obviously knows nothing about coconut sugar, but I think it gives marzipan a whole new kick. Also, this home made version of marzipan is totally unrefined, unprocessed and full of healthy nutrients such as fiber, protein and vitamin E, the beauty vitamin that’s great for pretty skin, nails and hair.

If you want to experience a bit of the German Christmas market flair, then make yourself some home made beetroot and apple glögg and prep this healthy stollen – it’ll be just like a visit to a Christmas market.

Enjoy!

*This post is sponsored by Delinero, one of my most trusted online grocery shops. Thank you for supporting the brands that make hour long recipe testings 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 Stollen (German Christmas Bread) appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.