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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As it is now officially spring, I have been really craving my beloved thai spring rolls. It is my favorite appetizer at Thai restaurants, but I actually prefer to make them myself. As it is getting warmer and sunnier outside, these spring rolls are such a great light lunch idea. They are so quickly prepared, and you need no fancy equipment or ingredients to make them. I know that many of the recipes on my blog can be quite pricy, but this one definitely falls under the „eating on a budget“ category.

All you need are some raw veggies of your choice, rice paper and rice noodles which you can already get for one or two Euros at Asian supermarkets, peanut or any kind of nut butter and some condiments that you probably already have in stock. Summer rolls are also a great work lunch, because you eat them cold, and you can prepare them the night before.

  
The peanut dipping sauce is also divine. Even though I have switched from peanut butter to almond butter a long time ago, this peanut sauce will really blow your mind. It is so creamy and delicious, packed with healthy protein and fats, and really gives this recipe a special touch. I know that many of you are allergic to peanuts, which is why I am working on a second dipping sauce without any kind of nuts in it. I will share the recipe with you as soon as I declare it approved.

Health benefits in these delicious thai sommer rolls:
– biotin (important for blood sugar balance and skin health, necessary to build healthy fats that keep the skin moist and soft)
– copper (important to building strong tissue, maintaining blood volume, and producing energy in your cells)
– 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)
– magnesium (important for a healthy nerve system, muscle health, energy production)
– manganese (for nerve health)
– mono-unsaturated fats (decreases risks for breast cancer, important for heart health)
– potassium (lowers cholesterol levels and blood pressure)
– protein (important for a healthy metabolism, immune
systems, production of enzymes)
– vitamin B5 (important for energy production; lowers cholesterol and blood pressure)
– vitamin K (important for blood clotting and healthy bones)

Serve with the sauce.

Enjoy!

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If you’re planning a trip to the local farmers market today, then why not take some brussels sprouts home with you? Yes, brussels sprouts. I admit that these are not everybody’s favorite little veggies. In fact I only know a handful of people who like them. This used to be a pity for me, because for some reason I have always belonged to the minority of people who absolutely loved them, but could not share my passion for them with anyone. But fortunately for me, and for you as you will now find out, I have found a way for everybody to fall in love with brussels sprouts. You don’t believe me? Then read on.

The secret is not to steam or boil them, but to roast them. To make it even better, we are going to coat them in heavenly creamy honey before we place them in the oven. And to top it all, we are going to add some balsamic vinegar to give it kind of a sour touch. If you want to omit eating refined sugar, you will have to substitute the balsamic vinegar with apple cider vinegar. You need to trust me on this, even if you haven’t liked brussels sprouts at all, you are going to love these. The honey makes the sprouts unbelievably sweet, and takes away their significant bitterness. The vinegar makes the outsides heavenly crispy, and the insides nicely moist.
Just try it and be amazed by how easy it is to transform brussel sprouts into something you will want on your table every day from now on.

Health benefits in these honey roasted brussels sprouts:
– fiber (important for heart health, lowers cholesterol levels)
– folic acid (important for a healthy heart; prevents certain cancers)
– manganese (for nerve health
– vitamin C (good for your immune system, tissue health)
– vitamin K (important for blood clotting and healthy bones)

INGREDIENTS

 Serves 4
– a bag of brussels sprouts
– 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar (substitute with apple cider vinegar for a refined-sugar free option)
– 2 tbsp honey
– 1/4 pomegranate
– sea salt

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C (360 °F) Wash the brussels sprouts and remove potential brown leaves. Half the sprouts and place them into a large bowl.
2. In a separate smaller bowl combine the vinegar, honey and sea salt and stir well with a whisk until the honey is completely dissolved.
3. Pour the sweet mix over the brussels sprouts and mix well with a spoon until the sprouts are evenly covered.
4. Spread the brussels sprouts on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and roast for about 20 minutes until the outsides are nicely crispy.
5. Remove the seeds from the pomegranate and sprinkle them on the roasted sprouts.

Serve as a side dish.

Enjoy!

The post Honey Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pomegranate Seeds appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

These sweet potato chickpea enchiladas are probably my most favorite satisfying dish ever. The recipe is adapted from the first “Oh She Glows” cookbook, but I modified it to make it even healthier and tastier. It’s hard to believe that it is actually good for you, since it looks like such a comfort food, but it is really packed with nutrients.

All you need for this recipe is a good chunk of my all time favorite sweet potatoes, a red bell pepper, chickpeas and/or  black beans, tomato paste, and quite a variety of different spices. As this is a Tex-Mex cuisine inspired dish, there’s also a simple Guacamole recipe that I love with the enchiladas.

“Oh She Glows” is one of my two favorite healthy cookbooks that I cannot live without. Angela is my hero, and all of her dishes look completely amazing. So amazing, that you would never believe it’s healthy. I also love her story of becoming vegan and how a healthy lifestyle has not only transformed her body but also her overall well-being, satisfaction, and happiness. If you’ve got a minute or two today, then please do yourself a favor and stop by Angela’s blog “Oh She Glows” and simply browse through all of her recipes and healthy lifestyle tipps.

Health benefits:
Most prominent nutrients that you treat your body with by eating this dish:
– Vitamin A (antioxidant powerhouse, anti-aging benefits, maintenance of good eye-sight)
– Vitamin C (good for your immune system, tissue health)
– Protein (important for a healthy metabolism, immune systems, production of enzymes)
– Iron (important for healthy red blood cells that transport oxygen through your body)
– Manganese (for nerve health)

I simply love how much goodness these enchiladas give your body so I eat them at least once a week. You will also not miss the cheese, because the sweet potatoes provide enough creemy sensation and fill you up pretty fast.

Ingredients:

Note: This recipe is adapted from the glorious cookbook Oh She Glows: Vegan Recipes to Glow From the Inside Out. Copyright 2014 by Angela Liddon. Published by Avery.
Serves 4
For the filling:
– 2 cups (500 g) sweet potatoes
– 1 red bell pepper
– 1 can of chickpeas
– 1 can of black beans (or 2 cans of chickpeas if you do not like black beans)
– 2 large handfuls spinach
– 1 red onion
– 2 cloves garlic
– 1 lime
– 1 tsp chili flakes
– 1/2 tsp ground cumin
– salt and pepper to taste
– 6 (gluten-free) tortilla wraps

For the sauce:
-2 tbsp (30 g) rapeseed oil
– 2 tbsp (30 g) buckwheat flour
– 2 tsp chili flakes
– 1 tsp garlic powder
– 1 tsp ground cumin
– 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
– 1 cup (250 g) tomato paste
– 1 3/4 cup (425 g) vegetable broth
– sea salt to taste

For the guacamole:
– 1 ripe avocado
– 1 large handul cilantro
– 1 lemon
– sea salt

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease a large baking dish with coconut oil.
2. Start by making the homemade enchilada sauce. In a mid-size saucepan heat the oil. Add the flour and stirr well until a thick paste forms. Add the chili flakes, cumin, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Next, add the tomato paste and the vegetable broth and bring to a quick boil. Lower the heat to medium low and cook for 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and set aside.
3. Peel and cut the sweet potato into bite-size cubes. Place them into a saucepan and cover with water. Bring the water to a boil and then lower the heat and cook for about 5-7 minutes until fork tender. While the sweet potatoes cook, cut the red pepper into bite-sized pieces, chop the onion and mince the garlic.
4. Next, heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic and sauté for 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Now add the cooked sweet potato, red pepper, chickpeas (and/or black beans) and spinach.  Raise the heat to medium high and cook for about 5-7 minutes until spinach is wilted. Turn down the heat and add 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the homemade enchilada sauce, the juice of one lime, chili flakes, cumin and salt. Remove from the heat and set aside.
6. Cover the bottom of the baking dish with 1/2 cup (125 g) of the enchilada sauce. Place the wraps into the oven for 2 minutes until they are soft enough to fold without breaking. Put 3/4 cup (175 g) of  the sweet potato mix into each wrap and place them next to each other in the baking dish. If you did not already eat all of the left-over filling, place it on top of the wraps. Finally, cover the enchiladas with the remaining sauce.
7. Bake the enchiladas for about 20 minutes until heated through.
8. While the enchiladas bake, make the guacamole: Wash the cilantro, and dry it with a paper towel, then place it into a food processor. Add the pitted avocado, juice of one lime, and the sea salt.

Take the enchiladas out of the oven and serve with the avocado guacamole.

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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I admit that there has been an insane hype regarding green smoothies the past year. But it’s actually really unfortunate that there has been so much negative press on them. Of course if you add a banana to your smoothies it contains a lot of sugar, but it’s definitely better than eating a snickers bar. I am a big fan of the green deliciousness, and I enjoy the smoothies as a healthy treat. Eating your greens raw as a salad can get boring and especially during the cold winter months I’d much prefer a hot meal over salad. Drinking a green smoothie a day is therefore a great way to add valuable nutrients to your diet without having to rely on salad. This recipe is one of my favorite smoothies and I actually eat it like a smoothie bowl because it is so rich and creamy.

   

If you live in America or England, lucky you, because you will probably be able to buy fresh spinach or kale all year around. If you live in Germany like me, then kale season is only from October until February so you need to rely on the frozen one. Kale is an amazingly versatile green, and its packed with goodness. Spinach is also one of the most nutrient-rich foods on the planet, so adding it to your smoothie is such a goodness-booster. The avocado in this smoothie is important because the fat is needed to absorb some of the vitamins. If you’re not sure about whether you will like this smoothie or not, just add some more banana to it to make it sweeter.

Health benefits:
– fiber (important for heart health, lowers cholesterol levels)
– manganese (for nerve health)
– 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 C (good for your immune system, tissue health)
– vitamin K (important for blood clotting and healthy bones)

Enjoy!

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I love the Middle Eastern cuisine. Tabbouleh has been one of my favorite salads as a student. It is so easy and not at all expensive to make. Since the original Tabbouleh recipe includes bulgur, celiacs cannot eat it, which is why I found an alternative that tastes just as amazing, and is even great for your skin: millet. Millet has almost been forgotten these days, but the little grain is packed with nutrients that are enormously important for a healthy body.

Health benefits in this salad:
– copper important for the development of the myelin sheath that surrounds the nerves; important for the transformation of melanin which is involved in the pigmentation of hair, eyes and skin)
– magnesium (important for a healthy nerve system, muscle health, energy production)
– manganese (for nerve health)
– zinc (important for growth, skin, and a healthy immune system)

Ingredients:
Serves 2
– 1 cup (200 g) cherry tomatoes
– ½ cucumber
– 2 large handful of fresh parsley
– 50 g millet
– 1 tsp cinnamon
– 1 tsp ground cumin
– 1 tsp coriander
– 1 tsp agave
– 1 tsp olive oil
– 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
– 1 tbsp lemon juice
– salt and pepper to taste

Start by rinsing the millet thoroughly under water, and add it to a saucepan filled with 2/3 cup (180 g) of water, and 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low and let it cook for about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and let it soak for about 15 minutes. In the meantime, wash the tomatoes and the cucumber, cut them into bite-sized squares and add them to a bowl. Chop the parsley, and add it to the other ingredients. Add all the remaining ingredients, and mix well.

Serve as a side or a main dish with (gluten-free) bread.

Enjoy!

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Red cabbage used to not be on my grocery shopping list. I associated it with fatty German foods, because Germans eat their red cabbage traditionally cooked with lots of meat. Ever since I discovered that you can eat it raw, however, I have been in love. It’s a great alternative to regular green salad, and it has so many nutrients, you simply have to try it. The combination of pear and walnuts in this salad is heavenly. It’s once again a salad to impress – your body and your friends. Of course it’s loaded with many vitamins and minerals as well. The anti-inflammatory benefits and antioxidants content of red cabbage is higher than in any other cabbage. The pears provide fiber, and the heart healhty benefits of walnuts are mostly due to their high omega-3 fats. So it really is the perfect winter salad.

Health benefits in this red cabbage pear and salad:
– copper (important for the development of the myelin sheath that surrounds the nerves; important for the transformation of melanin which is involved in the pigmentation of hair, eyes and skin)
– fiber (important for heart health, lowers cholesterol levels)
– manganese (for nerve health)
– omega-3-fatty-acids (prevents heart disease, lowers cholesterol and blood pressure)
– 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)

Enjoy!

The post Red Cabbage and Pear Salad with Walnuts appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

This recipe has quite a sentimental story behind it. I had this salad at my graduation dinner with my parents and some of my close friends in this amazing restaurant in Raleigh, North Carolina, called “Irregardless”. We had such an amazing night there, eating and dancing; it’s such a happy memory. The salad is probably the best thing I have ever eaten, so I tried to recreate it once I came back to Germany, so I can eat it whenever I want. Of course it is not nearly as good as the one they serve at “Irregardless”, but it’s still pretty tasty and amazingly colorful, and of course packed with lots of our favorite nutrients.

Health Benefits:
– calcium (important for bone, teeth, muscle and nerve health)
– copper (important for the development of the myelin sheath that surrounds the nerves; important for the transformation of melanin which is involved in the pigmentation of hair, eyes and skin)
– fiber (important for heart health, lowers cholesterol levels)
– iron (important for healthy red blood cells that transport oxygen through your body)
– manganese (for nerve health)
– mono-unsaturated fats (decreases risks for breast cancer, important for heart health)
– 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 B5 (important for energy production; lowers cholesterol and blood pressure)
– vitamin C (good for your immune system, tissue health)

I could go on and on, but you get the point: it’s pretty healthy.

Enjoy!

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