There’s simply nothing better than creamy, spicy guacamole with a side of crispy crackers or yummy sweet potato fries. I could eat guacamole with anything. I  love it in my salads, on top of a veggie burger, or on my chia superfood bread or swedish crisp bread. It’s also so easy to make and the secret is that there is not secret. There are a few basic ingredients like avocado obviously and fresh lime juice but other than that you can individualize your guacamole however you like. I love adding veggies like red bell pepper and cherry tomatoes, but I guess green bell pepper or carrots might work just as well. Classic guacamole is the best dip that you can enjoy with anything, but the healthiest way is to use it as a veggie stick dip. Think carrots, celery, cucumbers, broccoli or cauliflower. Every vegetable tastes better when dipped in fresh guacamole. The Mexican dip is also really good for you as it combines only healthy ingredients. Avocados are the best plant-based source of omega-3-fatty acids you’ll find. They have awesome anti-inflammatory benefits, are packed with vitamins and minerals such as vitamin A, C or K, and iron, magnesium and potassium. The fat in avocados also increases nutrient absorption of the vegetables that you enjoy it with. So the avocado actually helps the body absorb all the goodness from the red bell pepper and cherry tomatoes. If that’s not a good reason to dig in then I don’t know what is.

Ingredients:
– 4 ripe avocados
– 1 cup (150g) cherry tomatoes
– 1/2 red bell pepper
– 2 limes
– a handful of fresh coriander (cilantro)
– 1/2 red onion (optional)
– 1/2 tsp chili flakes (optional)
– 1 jalapeno (optional)
– salt

Cut the avocados in halves, remove the stones and scoop out their flesh with a spoon. Place the flesh into a bowl and mash it with a fork. Leave some avocado chunks for texture.

Then wash and dice the tomatoes (I like to cut them in quarters) and do the same with the red bell pepper. If you are using a jalepeno, then cut it into very tiny cubes. Remove the skin of the onion and finely chop it. Do the same with the coriander (cilantro).

Squeeze the limes on top of the mashed avocado, add all the other wonderful ingredients, mix it well and sprinkle with some salt.

Enjoy! 

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These red currant and banana muffins are truly heavenly. You won’t believe that they are 100% healthy when you take your first bite. Every single ingredient melts in your mouth and they are all so good for you and have amazing health benefits. Red currants are packed with potassium, which is important for heart health and keeping a normal ranged blood pressure. They also contain lots of magnesium, which not only protects or heart and bones, but also regulated our blood sugar level and blood pressure as well. Even the sugar in these muffins is packed with goodness because it comes from maple syrup and bananas. Even though maple is high in sugars, it is packed with vitamins and minerals such as calcium, which is important for bone health,and iron, which is essential for the transportation of oxygen in our blood. The whole composition of hearty buckwheat flour, creamy bananas, ground almonds and apple purée is so tasty that I almost ate the entire batter before baking them.

The red currents give the sweet dough a nice fresh and almost sour touch that compliments the other ingredients so well that you’ll definitetely want to eat more than just one. But that’s ok, because they are really good for you, so you can enjoy them guilt-free. I promise. These muffins are the perfect pick-me-up snack when you’re craving something sweet but healthy in the afternoon and you can also enjoy them for breakfast as they are packed with healthy ingredients that will get you through any morning. They also taste even better the next day, so whenever I make them, I’ll always end up having them for breakfast the next day.Ingredients:
Makes about 16 muffins:
– 1 cup (100g) (gluten-free) rolled oats
– 1 1/4 cup (150g) buckwheat flour
– 3/4 cup (100g) almonds
– 2 ripe bananas (250g)
– 1/4 cup (70g) apple purée
– 1/2 cup (100ml) sparkling water
– 2 tsp baking soda
– 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
– 1/4 cup (50ml) almond milk
– 3/4 cup (180ml) maple syrup
– 1 cup (150g) red currants
– a pinch of saltNotes:
– If you’re allergic to nuts, then simply replace the almonds with the same amount of buckwheat flour or oats. I haven’t tried it with sunflower seeds, but they might work as well.
– If you don’t have a food processor, you can use ground almonds instead and replace the oats with more buckwheat flour. Then you can simply pour all the ingredients into a big bowl and stir with a spoon or spatula.
– If you don’t like or have almond milk in the house, you can use any kind of plant milk instead. Oat, hazelnut, cashew milk are all fine. I’m just not a big fan of soy milk.

Start by pre-heating the oven to 180°C (356°F).
Place the oats and almonds into your food processor and pulse them for a couple of seconds until a nice flour forms.
Then add the bananas, buckwheat flour, apple purrée, almond milk and maple syrup and blend until smooth.
Now add the sparkling water, baking soda, salt and apple cider vinegar and blend again for a few seconds.

Pour the batter into a bowl and pour in the washed red currants (be sure to remove the stems completely). Using a spatula, carefully mix them with the dough.

Finally, using a spoon, transfer the batter into muffin trays. Be sure to grease them with coconut oil or vegetable oil if the trays are not non-sticky.

Bake the muffins for about 45-50 minutes until you can stick a knife out of the center of it clean.
Take them out of the oven and let them cool down completely before removing them from the tray.

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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This smoothie has been my go-to-drink for the past couple of weeks. It is a great pick-me-up when you’re feeling tired and weary because it’s filled with amazing goodness such as mango and avocado, which are natural superfoods. Mangos are my absolute favorite fruit at the moment. They don’t just taste amazing, but they are incredibly healthy, too. Research has shown that the high amount of antioxidants in the mango fruit can help protect against several types of cancer such as breast cancer or leukemia. The exotic fruit is also a natural skin beauty booster as it clears clogged pores and eliminates pimples. What a great excuse to eat it every day.

Totally different in taste, but just as amazing and healthy are avocados. I absolutely love avocados and I always have one at home. Avocados are packed with healthy mono-unsaturated fats called omega-3-fats. Don’t worry, this healthy kind of fat does not make your belly grow, but instead helps lower cholesterol and keeps your heart healthy. Avocados are also a great source of protein, which is why I love adding them to my smoothies as they make smoothie so much more filling, and help absorb fat-fat-soluable vitamins such as vitamin K.

Basil is another one of these everyday superfoods that we eat all the time but don’t even bother calling it a superfood. Half a cup of basil leaves provide 98% of the recommended daily vitamin K intake – the vitamin which is mainly responsible for healthy bones and blood clotting.
As you can see, this smoothie is basically medicine in a glas, so I highly recommend you try it out as soon as possible. Let me know what you think in the comment function below.

Health benefits in this Green Mango Basil Smoothie:
– 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)
– vitamin A (antioxidant powerhouse, anti-aging benefits, maintenance of good eye-sight)
– vitamin B5 (important for energy production; lowers cholesterol and blood pressure)
– vitamin C (good for your immune system, tissue health)
– vitamin K (important for blood clotting and healthy bones)

Enjoy!

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Since Easter weekend is around the corner and all of my blogger friends have been eagerly posting healthy and delicious Easter related recipes, I thought I needed to jump on that seasonal trend as well. While I would love to share a Carrot Cake recipe that is actually healthy, I haven’t quite figured out how to make it refined sugar free that’s why today’s post is another incredibly delicious and filling bread. As the walnut and fig bread is one of the most popular recipes on the blog, I thought I’d surprise you with another bread creation. This carrot zucchini bread is so perfect, I ate almost half of it right out the oven so I had to make a new one to take the pictures that you see above. It is really fluffy, but the veggies make it incredibly moist at the same time. I’m sorry it looks so white on top, but that’s what happens when you use gluten-free flour. Even though it may look strange, it tastes incredible. It’s also a healthy alternative to regular bread as it is packed with beta-carotene, the red-orange pigment that changes into vitamin A in your body.

Vitamin A is mainly important for good vision, so we should really watch our daily vitamin intake in order to keep healthy eyes. Beta-carotene is also an antioxidant, which means that it helps our body fight free radicals that destroy our body cells.
The bread is perfect for an Easter Sunday or Monday brunch or as a side on your Easter dinner table. You can also follow my example and eat it all year around, as it is a healthy alternative to store-bought bread. The carrot and zucchini make this gluten-free bread so deliciously moist and it is not as dry as other gluten-free breads. If you are not a celiac and you can eat wheat, I would recommend trying it with whole wheat or spelt flour instead, because then it’s a bit more healthy.
I wish you all happy Easter and I would love to heat what you think in the comments below.

Health benefits in this super moist Carrot Zucchini Bread:
– beta-carotene (antioxidant that improves vision and immune system)
– manganese (for nerve health)
– vitamin A (antioxidant powerhouse, anti-aging benefits, maintenance of good eye-sight)
– vitamin C (good for your immune system, tissue health)

Ingredients:
Makes one big loaf
– 1 carrot (150g)
– 1/2 zucchini (100g)
– 2 cups (500g) gluten-free or whole wheat flour or spelt flour
– 1 pack dry yeast
– 2 cups (150g) (gluten-free) oats
– 1 tsp maple syrup
– 1 ¼ cup (300 ml) warm water
– 1 tsp salt
– 1 tbsp chia seeds
– sunflower seeds to top

Start by preparing the veggies. Wash the carrot and zucchini, peel the carrot and grate both vegetables. If you’re lazy like me you can also just put them into a food processor until they are grated finely.
Now put the flour into a large bowl, add all ingredients except sunflower seeds and knead on a well floured surface for at least 5 minutes until you have a sticky dough. If it is too sticky to knead with your hands, add more flour.
Place it back into the bowl, cover it with a kitchen towel and let it sit for at least an hour until the dough has doubled.

Preheat the oven to 200 °C (390 °F) and grease a loaf tin with coconut oil or any other neutral vegetable oil. Now pour the dough into the loaf tin and sprinkle with sunflower seeds and bake for about 60 – 70 minutes until you can pull a knife out the center of it clean.

Let it cool for at least 15 minutes before removing it from the tin.

Enjoy and happy baking!

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