Today I’d like to introduce you to Niki, one of my first foodie friends on Instagram. Niki is from England, and fills her blog Rebel Recipes with love and healthy food recipes. Niki’s account and blog are extremely popular not just in the U.K., but around the globe. I think more than 90.000 followers speak for themselves, don’t they? Her most popular dishes include anything breakfast-realted, but I love her savory creations even more. Her account is absolutely stunning, and I’d recognize her photos between a million others. I was thrilled when she agreed to contribute a recipe to this series. To celebrate my first blog birthday, Niki brought this quick black bean chili, which I can’t wait to try. 

Black beans are also one of the healthiest legumes in the world. They are packed with fiber, which helps decrease cholesterol level, and helps stabilize blood sugar levels. They also contain a less commonly known trace mineral called molybdenum, a compound of the enzymes in our body that produce uric acid as a waste product of our metabolism. For example, this trace mineral plays a role in detoxifying preservatives such as sulfites, that are commonly added to preserved foods in places like cafeterias or salad bars.

If you want to know more about Niki, there’s an interview with her below the recipe.

An Interview with Niki from Rebel Recipes

What’s your name and what do you do?
My name is Niki and I have a plantbased food blog called Rebel Recipes. I love creating delicious and accessable plant based food. I’ve always loved cooking and eating food that makes me feel great Ie packed with fresh veg and seasonal and organic where possible. My recipes are really easy to follow as I’m completely put off by an exhaustive ingredient list and complicated instructions. It’s all about inspiring people with accessible and ultimately delicious plant based food. I have been blogging for just over a year ago now and it’s been crazy busy juggling everything but I’ve loved every minute of it and have made some incredible connections and had some amazing opportunities so far.
Where do you live?
I live in Birmingham in the UK with my husband Andy and two cats.

What inspired you to eat healthy? 
I’ve always been into healthy eating. I had some eating issues when I was younger so you could say I was a little too obsessed with healthy eating. I’ve found being plant based quite liberating as I used to have a million ‘diet’ rules to live by but now I eat anything and everything as long as it’s real food, i.e. mostly vegetables, fruit, pulses, nuts and seeds and organic. I don’t worry about fat or carb content anymore and truly feel great.

Why is eating healthy and wholesome important to you?
It’s an old saying but ‘you are what you eat’ in ever sense. If you’re not putting the right things into your body you can’t expect it to function properly. Everyone is different and different diets suit different people but if you focus on eating real food I think you can’t go too far wrong.

What’s your all-time favorite dish that you could eat every day?
Can I cheat and have two? Firstly a big Middle Eastern mezze, hummus, flatbread, salads, olives, babaganosh etc
And a big Indian Thali including dhals, veggie curries, lots of pickles, and a plain dosa on the side to mop it all up.

Savoury or Sweet?
Savoury for sure. Refer to the answer above. 😉

Breakfast or dinner?
No question, always breakfast. I have no rules and nothing is off limits.. I’m happy to eat sweet or savoury. Smoothie bowls, savoury pancakes, overnight oats, and peanut butter anything! I actually dream about breakfast quite often.

Thank you, Niki, for this lovely interview!

The post Heavenlynn’s Friends: Quick Black Bean Chili by Niki appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

Today I’m starting a new section of the blog called “Heavenlynn’s friends from around the world”. As my blog is approaching its first blog birthday on the 1st of March, I asked some of my blogger and Instagram friends to join my birthday party by contributing a healthy recipe or anything else health-related. If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve probably noticed that I am quite active on this social media channel. Instagram has really helped my blog grow over this past year, and it has allowed me to connect with like-minded, health-conscious people from around the world.

One of these people is the lovely Kathrin, who was so kind to share this gorgeous looking and heavenly tasting eggplant curry with us. Kathrin is one of the first people that I connected with through Instagram, and her feed is absolutely stunning and you need to check it out asap if you have Instagram. Almost 50,000 people follow Kathrin’s healthy journey, and her style is so unique that you could recognize her photos amongst thousands. I am so honored that Kathrin agreed to sharing one of her favorite recipes with us today, and let me tell you, this curry is such a flavorful dish that I could eat it every night. The roasted chickpeas make this curry so unique and add a nice unexpected crunch to the meal. If you haven’t roasted chickpeas before, you need to give this a try, because they aren’t just the best snack, but also a great topping for salads or soups. The number of spices (9!) that Kathrin uses for this curry may seem like a lot, but trust me, every single one is worth it, and makes this curry so unique and delicious.

Below the recipe, you’ll find a short and inspiring interview with the developer of this recipe, Kathrin.

An interview with Kathrin

Who are you and what do you do?

Most of the day I am an online editor, social media manager and consultant at a PR firm in Hamburg. The rest of the day, you can find me in either in my small kitchen, practicing Yoga, or spending time with my friends. I am 28 years old (every time I write this, I think to myself: “Oh wow, that’s already really old!” :)).

Where do you live?

In Germany’s most most beautiful city, Hamburg. I live in an exciting small neighborhood with many restaurants, cafés and boutiques close to the river Alster.

What inspired you to eat healthy? 

I’ve always loved to eat and to cook. When I was a child, my mom used to incorporate lots of vegetables and fruit into my diet, and I was a child that basically ate anything (spinach was my favorite thing in the world). So when I moved out when I was 19 to go to university, I started eating even more consciously, paying closer attention to regional food that I bought on the farmers’ market. Most of my meals (well, except for the school cafeteria food) were already healthy back then. About a year and a half ago, I started eating even more consciously, and some awesome blogs like Nutrition Stripped and Green Kitchen Stories introduced me to this clean, holistic way of eating. After I started my Instagram account about a year ago, my passion for healthy food grew even more, because I was exposed to so many more great accounts, that inspire me every day to eat healthy and consciously.

Why do you care about the healthy, holistic way of eating? 

When I was a child, I used to have problems with allergies and skin irritations, which forced me to cut certain foods like milk or wheat out of my diet, to test if they were the reason for my problems. These health issues still follow me today, and I’ve come to notice that I can really help my skin by restricting myself from eating milk or wheat. This kind of diet also significantly improved my immune system and mood. For me eating healthy means eating balanced and consciously.  I eat a lot of vegetables and fruit, legumes, spelt or whole wheat products, but I also can’t say no to pizza, pasta or sweets all the time. I think it’s important to find the right balance, and then you don’t need to restrict yourself from eating certain foods. However, I try to cook most of my meals from scratch, and I avoid packaged foods and ready-to-eat meals.

What is your all time favorite meal that you could eat every day? 
Smoothies, definitely. Greens, beeries, mango or banana. I love smoothies. And almond butter. When it comes to savory dishes, I’d say definitely sweet potato fries and avocados.

Savory or sweet? 
Principally, I love to eat savory. Except for breakfast, them I like it sweet.

Breakfast person or dinner-lover? 
Breakfast is the most important meal for me. I even get up at 6am sometimes, to fit it into my busy schedule. But I could never go to bed without having had dinner.

Thank you for this lovely recipe and the interview, Kathrin. 

The post Heavenlynn’s Friends: Eggplant Curry with Roasted Chickpeas by Kathrin appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

This rice is heaven. I am not gonna lie, it’s the perfect dish for the changing season because it’s a really light dish, yet it already comes with warming spices that remind you that fall is just around the corner. Although I am a huge carb lover, and my day isn’t complete without at least one slice of bread, I do like to have a low-carb dinner every now and then. This one’s perfect because you honestly do not even realize that you’re missing out on the carbs. The cauliflower really does its best to fill in for the rice that you would usually suspect in a dish like this. But honestly, it tastes so much better with cauliflower because let’s face it – rice tastes pretty much like nothing, and it doesn’t have nearly as many health benefits as cauliflower. Cauliflower-containing diets have been linked to cancer prevention, especially breast and colon cancer.
The cancer preventing properties result from cauliflower’s anti-inflammatory and detoxifying properties and its antioxidant system. It’s an excellent source of vitamin C, which strengthens the immune system and its one of the most commonly known antioxidants. Antioxidants lower the risk of oxidative stress that can cause chronic illnesses such as cancer. Cauliflower is also a great source of vitamin K, one of the best anti-inflammatory nutrients. Inflammation is the cause of many chronic diseases in the body, especially cardiovascular disease.

Ingredients:
Serves 2:
– 1/2 cauliflower head
– 1/2 cup raw cashews
– 1 cup frozen peas
– 1 can chickpeas
– 2 tbsp coconut oil
– 1 tbsp tahini
– 1 tbsp tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
– 1 tsp curry powder
– 1 tsp turmeric powder
– 1 tsp cumin
– 1 tsp paprika
– 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
– salt and pepper to taste

Start my roasting the chickpeas and cashews. Drain the chickpeas and wash them thoroughly, preferably rubbing them through some paper towels to remove their shells. Place them in a bowl and add 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon paprika and 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes. Mix well until the chickpeas are evenly coated.
Place them on a baking tray that you covered with baking paper and roast them for about 10 minutes.
After about 5 minutes, place the cashews on a second baking tray or in a small casserole dish and roast the them for about 5 minutes. They will turn brown really quick so be sure to watch them carefully.
Take the chickpeas and cashews out of the oven and set aside.
Now make the cauliflower rice. Cut half a cauliflower in small pieces, removing their greens as you go. Place the florets into your food processor and pulse for a few seconds until it is broken down nicely, but still has some texture.
Heat the coconut oil in a large saucepan. Once the oil begins to form bubbles, add the cauliflower rice and sauté it for about 1 minute. Then add the frozen peas and the curry powder and turmeric, and thin. Fry everything for about 3 – 5 minutes or until the peas are nicely soft. Finally add the roasted chickpeas, cashews and tamari, and stir for another minute or so.

Serve as a side or as a main dish.

Enjoy!

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While seemingly everyone is spending the summer somewhere in Asia, I am loving the hot summer sun in my little flat in Germany. The sad thing is that even my favorite Asian fusion restaurant around the corner is closed for the summer vacation, which forced me to make lots of my favorite thai summer rolls and healthy pad thai myself the last couple of days. I wasn’t sure if healthy pad thai even exists, but honestly this version is so much better than the original. It is completely egg-free and also doesn’t use fish sauce, so it’s technically not traditional pad thai, but it nevertheless tastes amazing. There are also so many veggies in this dish, which give you so much goodness in terms of vitamins and minerals. I spiralized the veggies because I love veggie noodles and because this enabled me to add more veggies and reduce the amount of noodles at the same time. More nutrients, less carbs! You can use whatever vegetables you still have in the fridge of course, but I used zucchini squash and carrots because I find them the easiest to spiralize.
My recipe calls for peanut butter, because I just love the taste of peanuts in the Thai kitchen, but you could of course use almond butter instead. If you’re allergic to nuts, then the recipe will still work without any nut butter at all. I recommend using something creamy like tahini instead to add the desired creaminess.

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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! 

The post Classic Guacamole appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

This salad is truly heavenly. It combines all of my favorite ingredients: quinoa, chickpeas, sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, and rocket (arugula). The quinoa and chickpeas have a more nutty flavor, while the sun-dried tomatoes add a more salty, savory flavor, which perfectly rounds up this summer salad. It is also packed with protein from the quinoa and chickpeas. Quinoa contains all essential nine amino acids, which makes it a complete protein equal to meat or dairy! It’s also a great source of fiber, which keeps us satisfied for hours, regulates our blood sugar and aids digestion. It’s also a great source of iron, which is vital for the transportation of oxygen through the body. The lack of iron leads to fatigue and exhaustion, so quinoa is a very important energy booster when you don’t eat meat or dairy.
Combining chickpeas with quinoa may seem a bit odd in the beginning, but I’ve tried it and let me tell you – it tastes amazing. The two proteins compliment each other so well, and the delicious sun-dried tomatoes, rocket and cucumbers add the desired freshness to the salad. The light lemon-vinaigrette gives it an extra sprinkle of freshness and healthiness, and turns the whole salad into a delicious and filling summer dish. It’s perfect for a barbecue and can also be easily boxed and enjoyed the next day at work. So what are you waiting for? Give your body some much needed protein, iron and lots of minerals and vitamins with this summer quinoa, chickpea and sun-dried tomato salad.

Ingredients:
Serves 4
– 1/2 cup (100g) quinoa
– 1 can chickpeas
– a handful (125g) sun-dried tomatoes
– 1/2 cucumber
– 1/4 cup (30g) pine nuts
– 2 handful rocket (arugula)
– 1/2 avocado (optional)

For the dressing:
– juice of 1/2 lemon
– 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
– 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
– 1 tsp honey or agave
– salt and pepper to taste

Start by rinsing the quinoa under hot water, then place it into a large enough saucepan (pot) and add about 1 cup (250ml) water. Bring to a quick boil on high heat, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 20 minutes.

In the meantime, rinse the chickpeas under running water and place them into a salad bowl.
Cut the sun-dried tomatoes into stripes and add them to the chickpeas.
Rinse the cucumber, cube it, and also add it to the bowl.
Wash and dry the rocket and give it to the other ingredients.
Now heat the pine nuts in a small skillet on medium to low heat. Be sure to stir them frequently and do not leave them unattended, because they burn quickly. Once they have a golden-brown color, remove the skillet from the heat and pour the pine nuts over the salad.

Once the quinoa is done, drain it into a sieve and allow the water to drip off completely.
Add the quinoa to the salad bowl.

To make the dressing, simply combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk it with a spoon. Pour the dressing over the salad and serve.

Enjoy!

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