Life-changing plant-based lasagna is a thing and you’re going to love it. Ha, life-changing plant-based lasagna – what a subtle title, Lynn. You crazy person. Now, the stakes are incredibly high for this recipe to wow you. But I know it will. It’s changed mine.

Why – will be the obvious question here. Because it has turned me into a lasagna lover. I was never really into lasagna. It made be bloated, it made my blood sugar crash and it made me feel so low in energy that I was just not willing to sacrifice this for a big piece of delicious lasagna. I know, I know, you’re going to tell me now that I’ve been eating the wrong kind of lasagna. For sure, I did. For sure. But my history with lasagna was just not a good one, so I never really felt the urge to give it another shot.

This lasagna, however, is on point on so many levels.
A) it’s plant-based, so no dairy was used.
B) it’s gluten-free because I used the amazing green lentil lasagna sheets
C) it’s filled with nutrient that keep us going rather than slow us down.

I’ve posted this recipe in German last week already, but did not have time to write the English version. So this recipe had a head-start in Germany, and let me tell you: the Germans love it. I’ve never gotten so much feedback on social media for any other recipe. That’s why I know you’re going to love it.

Heavenly for body and soul, because:

• this lasagna is completely free from wheat products as I have used lasagna plates made from lentils. And you cannot taste the difference at all. Promised.
• Green lentils contain a lot of plant-based protein and fiber, which keeps us energized longer and our blood sugar level steady.
• It contains nourishing spinach, which – even if no one believes it anymore – actually contains iron. Not as much as it was believed at Popeye times, but still enough to fill the iron storage of both women and men.

Also, why I’m writing this, I’m enjoying my jet-lagged self in the United States. I’m back in North Carolina for two weeks and love being back in this beautiful place. However, I got to say that I already miss my kitchen. And this lasagne. Ha!

Enjoy!

The post Life-changing plant-based lasagna for everyday life appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

Let’s celebrate spring with this super speedy quick and easy tomato spinach pasta! If you’re just as sunburned and happy faced as the rest of us, then chances are you live in Germany. These past two weeks have been crazy (amazingly) warm. Not just warm. Summer-like temperatures reaching all the way up to 28 degrees celcius. If you live in the U.S.: I used to be super good at converting celcius to Fahrenheit, but now I’m even too lazy to convert it. Let’s just say it was flip flop, shorts and stay out late while BBQ-ing weather.

It was amazing and I hope this wasn’t the only week of 2018 where Germany will be blessed with summer weather. Yup. If you consider moving to Germany. Think twice, because giving up U.S., South American or Australian weather for German weather is mental. Full stop. Don’t know what that has got to do with my quick and easy tomato spinach pasta, so let’s head over to the actual recipe.

On a different note, especially now that the days are longer and you can actually spend time outside again, we are craving super easy, delicious yet nutritious meals. That’s why I’ve come up with a new idea for the past couple of weeks: under 30 minute nutritious meals. Today marks the start, and I got an amazingly tasty yet super simple tomato and spinach pasta for you. I eat pasta probably two or three times a week for lunch or dinner, so I’ve got some great tips how to pimp your pasta and make it even more nutritious.

Here are my kitchen hacks for quick and nutritious pasta dishes:

• Freeze pre-chopped onions and garlic. This saves you loads of time when you want to make the actual dish. I tend to peel a few onions every month, freeze them already chopped and then use them up within a month. Best thing ever.
• Use tinned tomatoes. I know this isn’t super sexy, but tinned tomatos are life-savers in my kitchen.
• Use lentil, buckwheat, brown rice or quinoa pasta instead of pasta made from grains. They are richer in protein and fiber and taste delicious.
• Up your Greens: Freeze your own baby spinach. It is the best addition to any meal. Also keep frozen peas in the freezer at all times. They are the easiest green energy booster.
• Up your protein: always add a bit of nut butter or sunflower seed butter to your sauces. The protein and fat in the butter will keep you satisfied longer while adding well-needed nutrients.
• Sprinkle some chopped nuts, seeds, hemp seeds or fresh herbs over your pasta. A quick way of adding more nutrients.

I hope you’ll find these tips helpful. They safe me tons of time and sweat when I don’t know what to cook. And I hope you will enjoy this quick and easy tomato spinach pasta!

Enjoy!

The post Quick and easy tomato spinach pasta appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

* This recipe is sponsored by Alnavit.

Have you ever tried finding 100% buckwheat noodles in a regular supermarket or asian store? I’ve tried and failed misreably. All “buckwheat”-noodles that I found had a 20% buchwheat and 80% wheat label. To say that I was frustrated is probably and understatement. Sometimes labels are just so misleading. That’s exactly why I try to make most of my dishes with 100% natural ingredients. Making pasta, however, is simply too time-consuming, so I have to rely on high-quality brands that use the least amount of ingredients with the highest amount of flavor and nutrients.

But like I said, those brands can be so hard to find. One brand that I found and trust is Alnavit*. It’s a small almost family-sized business near Darmstadt, specialized in allergy-friendly and wholesome foods such as pasta, flour, bread mixes and gluten-free (and healthy!) snacks. I found Alnavit a few months ago, and I have been a big fan of their pasta products ever since.

If you’ve been following me for a while now, you know that I do not make recommendations light-hearted. If I recommend something – be it a company, a recipe, a blogger or a kitchen gadget – then I truly and with all of my heart support that brand and their mission. Alnavit is one of those companies, and I am 100% confident that you will feel the same way about their products as I do. The product that introduced me to Alnavit was their 100% buchwheat spaghetti, and I am so happy to have created a recipe featuring their signature pasta.

What makes this pasta recipe truly special is the combination of buckwheat and miso – a combination that is very common in Japan. Studies show that some of the oldest and healthiest people on this earth live in Japan, and most of them even follow a holistic natural wholesome diet. Now, I don’t know if buckwheat noodles and miso will let you live longer, but I do know that the taste will bring you joy. At least, it did for me!

The miso-cashew-sauce really has the potential to kick my peanut-lime sauce of its throne – that’s how good it is. Miso is a fermented paste traditionally made of soy beans, but you can also make miso with rice, lupins or peas. Miso is very rich in nutrients and it contains all essential amino acids – making it a complete plant-based protein. It’s become one of my stable foods and I could not recommend it more.

As I am writing this, I am already craving these buckwheat spaghetti with miso-cashew-sauce again, but before I will share the recipe, I have a very exciting giveaway for all German, Austrian and Suisse readers:

Alnavit Pasta Party Giveaway!

Together with Alnavit, I am giving away three pasta party packages including the following products:

Pasta

• Print
  Easy buckwheat miso spaghetti

  ---

  5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

  No reviews

  • Author: Lynn
  • Total Time: 35 minutes

  Print Recipe

  Pin Recipe

  Ingredients

  For the miso-cashew-sauce:

  • 4 tablespoons of cashew butter or 50g of cashews
  • 2 tablespoons of water
  • 4 tablespoons of tamari
  • 2 tablespoons of white or yellow miso paste
  • the juice of 1 lime
  • 2 tablespoons of coconut blossom sugar
  • 1 clove or garlic
  • 2cm of fresh ginger
  • ½ to 1 teaspoons of chili-flakes (depending how hot you like it)

  For the buckwheat-spaghetti:

  • 250g of buckwheat spaghetti, I love Alnavit
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 200g of red cabbage
  • 200g of spinach
  • 250g of mushrooms
  • 2 teaspoons of extra-virgin coconut oil
  • fresh basil or cilantro
  • 2 of spring onions
  • 50g of cashews for topping

  Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

  ---

  Instructions

  For the miso-sauce:

  1. If you use cashews, you need to soak them for at least 4 hours. If you do not have enough time, you can boil them for 10 minutes as well. Soaked or boilt, drain them before you use them for the sauce. Simply blend all ingredients for the sauce (cashew butter or cashews) until a smooth sauce forms. Set aside.

  For the buckwheat-spaghetti:

  1. Bring about 1.5 liters of water to a boil. Add the buckwheat spaghetti and cook for about 8 – 9 minutes until they are al dente.
  2. Wash and cut the vegetables in small sized pieces. Wash and dry the spinach. Cut the spring onions in rings and rouhgly chop the cashews.
  3. Heat the coconut oil in a pan on high heat. Quickly sauté the vegetables and spinach until the spinach is wilted. Reduce the heat and add the drained buckwheat spaghetti and the miso-cashew-sauce. Mix until all of the spaghetti are covered with the miso-sauce.
  4. Serve with the spring onions, fresh basil or cilantro and chopped cashews.

  • Prep Time: 20
  • Cook Time: 15

  Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 2

  Enjoy!

  *This post is sponsored by Alnavit. All opinions are my own, always. Thank you for supporting the brands that make hour-long recipe testings in my kitchen possible.

  Merken

  Merken

  Merken

  Merken

  Merken

  The post Easy buckwheat miso spaghetti and an Alnavit* giveaway! appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

  ]]> https://www.heavenlynnhealthy.com/easy-buckwheat-miso-spaghetti/feed/ 3 https://www.heavenlynnhealthy.com/creamy-pumpkin-alfredo-cashews-sage/ https://www.heavenlynnhealthy.com/creamy-pumpkin-alfredo-cashews-sage/#comments Mon, 24 Oct 2016 05:55:10 +0000 https://www.heavenlynnhealthy.com/?p=3805

  It’s pumpkin season, in case you haven’t noticed, so I’ll start pumpkin season with this creamy pumpkin alfredo sauce with cashews and sage. This recipe is actually really special to me since it is the first recipe in my new healthy eating column on the German lifestyle blog OhhhMhhh. Unfortunately the column is written in...

  Read More

  The post Creamy Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce with Cashews and Sage & My New Monthly Column appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

  ]]>

  It’s pumpkin season, in case you haven’t noticed, so I’ll start pumpkin season with this creamy pumpkin alfredo sauce with cashews and sage. This recipe is actually really special to me since it is the first recipe in my new healthy eating column on the German lifestyle blog OhhhMhhh. Unfortunately the column is written in German only, so I thought I’d just share it here in English with you guys. Well, basically, it’s nothing other than what I usually write about my recipes, but with a fancy title and published on one of Germany’s most well-known lifestyle blogs. Just a tad bit intimidating. But hey, a girl’s gotta go conquer the world at some point, right?

  So what makes this pumpkin alfredo so special. Well, for starters it’s absolutely cream and dairy free, which is already a big win for all the lactose intolerant, vegans and health conscious out there. Instead of cream, I used soaked cashews, which not only add heart healthy fats to the sauce, but also give it an unbelievable creaminess that you wouldn’t even get with regular cream. Not that I checked, but this sauce really is absolutely creamy. Of all nuts, cashews are actually the ones that are lowest in fats, but highest in the amount of unsaturated fats. Almost 80% of the fatty acids found in cashews are unsaturated, which is super cool, don’t you think. So cashews make for the best cream substitute ever, no matter if you’re plant based, vegan or simply want to eat a little healthier.

    

  Besides cashews, the sauce contains sage, which is a completely underrated herb if you ask me. It actually grows pretty fast, so it might be a great herb to add to your herb growing collection at home. I really don’t have a green thumb, but my sage really grows like weed. Sage has a nice fragrant aroma with a warm flavor, which is why it is perfect for a fall comfort food like this pumpkin alfredo sauce.

  If you haven’t already done so, now is the time to prep and freeze pumpkin puree. Literally, this is all I’ve been using lately and I can’t have enough pumpkin puree in my freezer at the moment. I  use it for pumpkin spice latte, healthy pumpkin squares, in my morning porridge and obviously in this pumpkin alfredo sauce. Pumpkin is also super healthy as it is low in calories, but high in nutrients such as beta carotin. This antioxidant is transformed into vitamin A in our body, which is vital for a healthy vision.

  What are your favorite ways to use pumpkin puree? What’s your all time favorite pumpkin recipe? The recipe was first published exclusively for OhhhMhhh, if you’re interested, here’s the full (German) column.
  

  Creamy Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce with Cashews and Sage

   

  Print

  Prep time

  20 mins

  Cook time

  10 mins

  Total time

  30 mins

   

  Author: Lynn Hoefer

  Serves: 4

  Ingredients

  For the creamy pumpkin alfredo sauce:

  • 100g of cashews, soaked for at least two hours
  • 250g of pumpkin puree
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 5 sage leaves
  • 1 teaspoon of turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon of cumin
  • 250ml of vegetable broth, preferably homemade
  • ¼ teaspoon of black pepper
  • salt to taste

  For the pasta:

  • 1 teaspoon of olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 300g of mushrooms
  • 1 zucchini
  • four handful of baby spinach
  • 500g of whole-wheat or gluten free pasta
  • a pinch of salt
  • more sage or other herbs (coriander, basil...) to serve

  Instructions

  1. Soak the cashews in clean water for at least two hours, preferably longer. Drain them and put them in a strong blender together with all the other ingredients for the sauce. Blend until you have a fine puree.
  2. Cook the pasta according to instructions on the package. Add a bit of salt to the water if you like.
  3. In the meantime, finely chop the garlic or press it through a garlic press. Wash and cut the mushrooms and zucchini as desired. Thoroughly wash the baby spinach.
  4. Heat the olive oil in a large pan and fry the garlic for a minute or so until fragrant. Now add the vegetables and sauté them for about 5 minutes on medium heat. Add the pumpkin alfredo sauce and heat everything until warm and ready to eat. Add the baby spinach and stir until wilted. Finally, add the drained pasta and re-heat for another two minutes or until warm enough to eat.
  5. Serve with herbs such as more sage, coriander or basil.

  Notes

  If you do not want to use cashews, use 120ml of full-fat coconut mil. You can also substitute the pasta for zucchini noodles for a low-carb option.

  3.5.3208

  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 Creamy Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce with Cashews and Sage & My New Monthly Column appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

  ]]> https://www.heavenlynnhealthy.com/creamy-pumpkin-alfredo-cashews-sage/feed/ 1 https://www.heavenlynnhealthy.com/creamy-beetroot-and-turmeric-pasta-sauce/ https://www.heavenlynnhealthy.com/creamy-beetroot-and-turmeric-pasta-sauce/#comments Sat, 17 Oct 2015 07:05:14 +0000 https://www.heavenlynnhealthy.com/?p=2172

  I’m in love with this sauce. When my mom first introduced this sauce to our family we were instantly hooked. There’s no pasta sauce that we love more and everyone that I’ve made this for loved it. I admit that the thought of beetroot and turmeric may sound a bit strange when you hear it...

  Read More

  The post Creamy Beetroot and Turmeric Pasta Sauce appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

  ]]>

  I’m in love with this sauce. When my mom first introduced this sauce to our family we were instantly hooked. There’s no pasta sauce that we love more and everyone that I’ve made this for loved it. I admit that the thought of beetroot and turmeric may sound a bit strange when you hear it for the first time, but trust me on this. You’re going to love this creamy beetroot and turmeric pasta sauce. It’s so warming and delicious and all the ingredients create something wonderful that will provide your body with lots of healthy vitamins and minerals. There’s a lot of beets in this sauce, which really boost your iron storage. Almond butter and almond milk make it heavenly creamy and the turmeric is an additional health booster. Sunflower seeds give it some texture and a nice crunch.

  INGREDIENTS:
  – 1 onion
  – 1 tbsp olive oil
  – 2 medium sized beets (about 200g)
  – 1 cup (200ml) almond milk
  – 1/3 cup (80g) almond butter
  – 1 tsp homemade veggie stock
  – 1/4 tsp pepper
  – 2 tsp turmeric powder
  – 2 tbsp tamari
  – 1 tbsp maple syrup or agave
  – 1/4 cup (35g) sunflower seeds
  – salt & pepper to taste

  – 600-800g spelt or gluten free pasta

  METHOD:

  1. Start by cooking the pasta according to the directions on the package.
  2. Peeling the beets. You might want to use rubber gloves so you won’t run around with pink hands for the next three days.
  3. Cut the beet into small pieces or put them in the food processor and break them down for a couple of seconds.
  4. Chop the onion finely. Heat the olive oil in a pot. Add the chopped onion and sauté for about one minute. Add the beets and fry for about 3 minutes. You may have to add more olive oil if it starts to burn.
  5. Add the almond milk, tamari, maple syrup and spices to the pot, reduce the heat to medium low and let it simmer for about 8 – 10 minutes.
  6. Now add the almond butter and heat to medium high heat for another 3 – 4 minutes.
  7. Finally, add the sunflower seeds and stir well until combined.

  Serve with the pasta and enjoy!

  The post Creamy Beetroot and Turmeric Pasta Sauce appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

  ]]> https://www.heavenlynnhealthy.com/creamy-beetroot-and-turmeric-pasta-sauce/feed/ 6 https://www.heavenlynnhealthy.com/wild-garlic-pesto-with-spelt-pasta/ https://www.heavenlynnhealthy.com/wild-garlic-pesto-with-spelt-pasta/#respond Wed, 22 Apr 2015 13:27:59 +0000 https://www.heavenlynnhealthy.com/?p=1114

  I have always been a pesto addict. Spaghetti with basil pesto used to be my go-to-comfort food until I discovered the amazing qualities of avocado pesto. Since I have been eating quite a bit of it lately I was looking for a little pesto change. This wild garlic pesto is simply heaven. It’s so flavorful...

  Read More

  The post Wild garlic pesto with spelt pasta appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

  ]]>

  I have always been a pesto addict. Spaghetti with basil pesto used to be my go-to-comfort food until I discovered the amazing qualities of avocado pesto. Since I have been eating quite a bit of it lately I was looking for a little pesto change. This wild garlic pesto is simply heaven. It’s so flavorful and makes your usual pasta experience so much more fun. The pesto also only takes a couple of minutes to prepare, so it’s one of those dishes that you can easily through together after a long day of work. As most pestos, it is quite loaded with olive oil, so be sure to use high-quality extra-virgin olive oil for this recipe. As with most oils, you can really taste the difference between low and high quality olive oil. You will really be amazed by the difference in taste.
  

    

  Wild garlic is related to the more commonly used garlic, and it tastes as such as well. The great thing about wild garlic is that your breath won’t smell like you’ve fallen into a bowl of tzatziki – so you can indulge in this pesto without the fear of anyone noticing afterwards. Wild garlic is also extremely healthy because of its healing power. It is especially good for blood vessel related maladies such as high blood pressure or cholesterol. It is even said to lower the risk of heart attack and stroke. Beside it’s healing powers it is also very delicious and makes every meal a bit special.
  If you cannot get wild garlic in your country then you can simply switch it fresh basil.
  I like to enjoy this wild garlic pesto over spelt or gluten-free pasta or quinoa. It is simply heavenly delicious.

  Health benefits in this wild garlic pesto:
  – iron (important for healthy red blood cells that transport oxygen through your body)
  – mono-unsaturated fats (decreases risks for breast cancer, important for heart health)
  – protein (important for a healthy metabolism, immune systems; production of enzymes)
  – vitamin C (good for your immune system, tissue health)

  Wild garlic pesto with spelt pasta

   

  Print

  Prep time

  20 mins

  Cook time

  10 mins

  Total time

  30 mins

   

  Author: Lynn

  Serves: 4

  Ingredients

  For the pasta:

  • 600g spelt or gluten-free pasta
  • 4 cups (1 liter) of water
  • 1 tsp salt

  For the wild garlic pesto:

  • Serves 4:
  • 2 handul (80g – 100g) wild garlic
  • 2 handful (30g) rocket
  • ⅓ cup (60g) pine nuts (or almonds)
  • ⅓ cup + 2 tbsp (100g) olive oil
  • the juice of ½ lemon
  • 1 tsp maple syrup
  • ½ tsp salt
  • pepper to taste

  Instructions

  1. Start by cooking the pasta. Pour the water into a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the salt and the pasta and cook on medium heat for about 8-10 minutes or according to the pasta package.
  2. While the pasta cooks, prepare the pesto: Start by roasting the pine nuts in a small pan. As pine nuts release oil when roasted, you will not need olive oil to roast them. This only takes a few minutes so stir them frequently to avoid burning. Once the pine nuts have a light brown color, remove the pan and set the pine nuts aside to cool. Now wash the wild garlic and rocket. Add all ingredients to the food processor and blend until you have a nicely smooth pesto. You may want to add more salt or agave to taste.
  3. Once the pasta is ready, drain the water and serve immediately while hot. Once or two teaspoons of pesto should suffice per serving.

  3.5.3208

  Enjoy!

  The post Wild garlic pesto with spelt pasta appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

  ]]> https://www.heavenlynnhealthy.com/wild-garlic-pesto-with-spelt-pasta/feed/ 0