I have really been craving raw, nutritious salads recently. I know it’s February, but somehow I am so ready for spring, colorful foods and sunshine. That’s why this salad is bright, raw and comes with a delicious and creamy almond butter dressing.

Before I lived in the United States, I had no idea that you could eat broccoli raw. I always associated broccoli with watery, bland side vegetables so I was never a big fan. Eating broccoli raw has changed my perception of the green cabbage drastically. I have become a real fan and will never boil my broccoli ever again.

Though this salad may seem boring at first glance, it’s actually pretty amazing and so delicious. If you take a closer look you’ll see that although it only contains three main ingredients, these three ingredients are huge health boosters. Broccoli contains more vitamin C than any other cabbage, quinoa is one of the best plant-based protein sources out there and almonds are not only rich in proteins, too, they also contain viral fatty acids. Furthermore, almonds are a real beauty food due to their high vitamin E content, which is said to give us the beauty glow, aka glowing skin, hair and nails.

So basically this salad is not only prepared in no time, it’s also just what you need in stressful times. No excuses, people!

If you don’t have almond butter in stock, worry not! I make my own almond butter, so it’s my preferred choice of nut butter. But you could also use peanut, cashew or sunflower butter as well as tahini as a substitute. You could also leave it out, if you have neither avaiable in your cupboard. Then your dressing won’t be as creamy as it can be, but still delicious. It’s really up to you.

So what are you waiting for? Go to the store, buy the fresh ingredients and get cooking!

Enjoy!

Have you tried this recipe? Then take a photo and share it on social media using #heavenlynnhealthy.

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*This post is sponsored by Honeycrunch.

I have been blogging for almost three years now, but I am always blown away by how many visitors my blog gets in January. It’s by far my busiest month of the year. That’s why I love January. Not because of my blog visitors, but because I love the feeling that’s in the air after New Year’s Eve. It’s a feeling of a new beginning. The feeling of a fresh start. The feeling of joy and excitement for life and the new year.

I’ve been getting lots of questions if I couldn’t do a January challenge. Such as a „30 days of no sugar“ or „30 days vegan“ or „30 days of healthy recipes“ or „30 days being dairy-free“. But somehow, that doesn’t feel like me. I don’t like challenges. Never have, never will. They feel so much like diets.

And diets is something that we definitely do not like.

The problem with diets is that they are bound on a certain amount of days. I dream of a world, where I can encourage people (you!) to make long-term changes in their diets. Or at least change their perception and understanding of diet and health. Once it clicks that diet and medicine are closely related, then everything will fall into place.

If you love challenges and if you need challenges, then I challenge you to eat Heavenlynn Healthy recipes for 30 days. Then you’ll have it all at once: plant-based, dairy-free, gluten-free, sugar-free and vegan. And if you’ve been health-conscious for a while now, then you’ve probably been living a year-long healthy eating challenge last year.

To continue your healthy eating progress in January, I brought you this delicious cauliflower apple power salad. It’s loaded with vitamins, minerals and nutrients, and it tastes incredible due to the addition of Honeycrunch* apples. Honeycrunch is a new apple  that originated in France, but that is now also grown locally near my home. As lover of apples, I love testing new breeds, and Honeycrunch really is bursting with flavor, balancing the art of being sweet and tangy at the same time.

This salad definitely is an aromatic explosion – I know I tend to exagurate sometimes, but trust me on this. You need to make this salad asap! Adding Honeycrunch to really adds the … well … crunch! Seriosuly! If you want the whole apple experience then you need to make the apple sauce dressing, too! It’s like the fuji apple salad from Panera minus all the artificial add-ons. Natural and simple and made only with local ingredients, at least most of them.

So who’s making this salad this weekend?

Enjoy!

*This post is sponsored by Honeycrunch. All opinions are my own. Always. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep me dancing in my kitchen (oh and cooking, too!).

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This quick mexican-inspired salad is perfect for a summer BBQ potluck.

„We’re having a BBQ potluck – can you bring a salad?“

Panic. Sweat. Heart attack.

It’s BBQ season and along comes the yearly salad-contest.

If you’ve ever been to a summer BBQ slash potluck, you’ll know what I’m talking about. Of course for the men it’s all about the grill, but for me, it’s all about the salads. And if we’re being completely honest, it’s always a bit of a „who brings the craziest, most exciting salad to the event“ kind of thing.

Am I right?Of course, we’re all busy, independent, working ladies, mothers or grandmothers – but when it comes to food, we want to show-off. I consider myself an emancipated woman, but when I go to a BBQ, it’s like back in the 1900s with the women chatting near the buffet and the men gathering around the host’s newest Weber-BBQ. That’s just how it is, and I guess BBQing takes us back to the time when the men were the hunters and the women were collectors.

If you don’t already have your grandma’s secret ingredient salad in your back sleeve, then this salad is all you need to wow a crowd. It’s simple, requires no super special ingredients, and can be whipped up in thirty minutes. Probably even less, if you pre-boil the brown rice.

All in all, whenever I make salads, I tend to make sure to create macro-bowls containing all three essential macro-nutrients: carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats. This bowl contains all of the above, as well as vital micro nutrients such as magnesium, folic acid, potassium and even some iron. So you can even call it a macro and a micro bowl.

Yet another reason to take this salad to the next potluck BBQ.

If you want to upgrade it, here are my top-choices to get the most out of this Mexican-inspired salad:

• Jalapenos (the number one ingredient that makes you the master of all BBQ salads)
• Cilantro – for me not an optional ingredient, but some people do not like cilantro.
• Carrot Strips
• Roasted veggies such as sweet potatoes, carrots, red bell pepper or fennel
• Other beans or pulses such as back or white beans, black eyed peas, cannellini beans or even lentils

Don’t let my suggestions stop you from getting creative yourself!

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.

Merken

Merken

Merken

Merken

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4Summer is for salads, so I thought I’d show you my go-to summer salad this season: my tamari sautéed mushroom salad with mole dressing. I have been playing around with chocolate in my food a lot lately, I love adding cacao nibs to my breakfast granola, in chilis such as this buckwheat chili, and recently I have become a real fan of chocolate dressings. Don’t worry, this salad does not taste like a sweet dessert at all, the chocolate flavor rather complements all the ingredients. Combined with the saltiness of the tamari sautéed mushrooms, and the sweetness of the tomatoes, this is a salad that everyone in your household will love.

I created this tamari sautéed mushroom salad with mole dressing for Delinero*, a German online delivery store, who asked me to get creative with some of their ingredients. Since I love discovering new things for the kitchen, I spend hours in their highly exclusive store, before deciding on ingredients for a new recipe. What instantly caught be eye was their raw honey selection. Since honey is kind of a difficult topic, I thought I’d take this opportunity to talk a little bit more about raw honey and its benefits in this post.

 Why should you consume raw honey?

The answer is easy. Raw honey still contains all the enzymes and nutrients that turn it into the antibacterial superfood that it is often claimed to be. However, if you go into most supermarkets, you’ll find cheap, refined honey, which is basically just pure fructose with a little bit of colorants to make it look like honey. This honey, which usually comes in the form of plastic bears, is also often full of antibiotics, which is something you absolutely do not want on your dinner table. Of course any kind of honey contains large amounts of fructose, and it is definitely not a low calorie substitute for sugar and should be eaten in moderation. But I love using honey in my recipes, as I believe it’s much tastier than sugar and comes with some health benefits that table sugar has never heard of.

What are the benefits of raw honey?

Raw, cold extracted honey contains a number of nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc. Of course the amount of these nutrients is minimal, as you cannot eat large amounts of honey, but honey is proven to have antibacterial properties, and is even used to cure wounds. There is a reason why our grandparents and parents gave us tea with honey when we were sick as kids, there’s nothing better for a sore throat. My personal favorite is to use honey as a lip balm for sore lips. Just apply it at night before you go to bed and you’ll wake up with heavenly smooth lips in the morning (if you don’t lick it off immediately).

Besides from choosing the raw honey, I also ordered a delicious extra-virgin olive oil, some herb infused apple cider vinegar and the cutest little sea salt box, which I think is the perfect gift for your next dinner party host. I am especially in love with the little wooden spoon that comes with it, since I am a sucker for these little details. I was super content with the delivery, and amazed by the delivery time of just one day. Therefore, I could not recommend Delinero* more. If you don’t live in Germany, then you can of course use any other raw honey, olive oil or apple cider vinegar.

Now on to this tamari sautéed mushroom salad with rocket and mole dressing. It is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. Haha, seriously, you’re going to love the mixture of spices, the savory flavor of the mushrooms, and the dressing is simply divine. Obviously you can play around with the fresh ingredients in this the salad. I think roasted sweet potatoes or red bell peppers would go really well with it, too. I have a spice mix for mole in my cupboard, which you should be able to get at well-sorted supermarkets, but for those who cannot find a mole spice mix, I’ve added a recipe 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.

*This is a sponsored post by a brand I trust, the online shop Delinero.de. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make hour-long recipe testings in the Heavenlynn Healthy kitchen possible. 

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I am the biggest fan of middle eastern, north african and asian foods (especially vietnamese). Ok, I realize that those cuisines are all completely different from each other, but  if I had to chose a restaurant I could go to for the rest of my life it would probably be one of the three. Recently, I’ve played around with the north african spices such as za’atar, ras el hanout and or the spicy paste harissa, and I feel like they complement most of my dishes very well. That’s why I added za’atar to my quinoa tabbouleh the other day, and it was such a game changer. 

If you don’t have za’tar at home, don’t worry, the salad will taste just as delicious without it. However, it’s really easy to make your own za’atar, as I will write down in the recipe below. The only thing that you will probably need to buy is sumach, a unique spice, with a tangy, lemony flavor. You can get it at most middle eastern or turkish stores, as well as online.

Tabbouleh is one of my favorite salads, as it is so easily prepared, and the ingredients are cheap and always in stock at any grocery store. All you need is fresh parsley (lots of it!), cucumbers, tomatoes, and some kind of starch, such as couscous, bulgur, millet or quinoa. I prefer quinoa lately, as it contains all essential amino acids, which makes it a full protein. Parsley is becoming the new kale, by the way. You can easily find it locally grown, and it is one of the cheapest herbs in the produce isle. Like most greens, it contains a great amount of vitamin K, which is important for blood clotting and healthy bones. It’s also an amazing source of antioxidants, which protect our cells from free radical damage, thus prevent chronic diseases.

This quinoa tabbouleh with za’atar really is one of the easiest salads to prepare for a barbecue, a picnic, or simply as a side dish. It’s such a fresh salad, too, with all the parsley, cucumber, tomatoes, and fresh lemon juice. Trust me, you’ll never want to buy tabbouleh again, after you’ve tried this recipe.

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 Quinoa Tabbouleh with Za’atar appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

This Watercress, Beetroot and Avocado Salad with Beluga Lentils is such a soul food and definitely not boring at all. The combination of the healthy ingredients really melts in your mouth, literally throwing a little foodie party in there.
I have never really had watercress until this summer when I was in this amazing restaurant in North Carolina that sprinkled the most delicious vegan pad thai with a huge amount of watercress. The moment I tried it, I was instantly hooked. If you can’t pick watercress yourself, then try the farmer’s market. If they don’t sell it then they can certainly get it for you somewhere. I always ask at my favorite stand at the farmer’s market and pre-order it for the next market day. 

Watercress along with most leafy greens contains a very large amount of dietary nitrate which has been shown to lower blood pressure. It is also a rich source of many vitamins and minerals, particularly vitamin K, which is a bone-building and strengthening vitamin, and vitamin A, which is important for eye health. Beets are a great source of iron, which helps transport oxygen via our red blood cells. Like watercress, beets are also high in nitrate, which relaxes our blood vessels and helps our blood flow more easily through the body – resulting in a decreased blood pressure. This salad is a basically a real blood pressure lowering salad if you will.
The lentils add some nice texture and protein to the whole dish, making it a complete meal that fills you up, because the fiber in the lentils will keep you satisfied for hours. It’s really the perfect satisfying autumn-y salad that I’m sure you’ll love just as much as I did.

Enjoy!

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This is the easiest lunch bowl ever and the most nourishing too. It only takes a couple of minutes to prepare and you can easily box it and take it to work. If you have this rainbow bowl of goodness for lunch, then I guarantee you that you won’t hit the 2 o’clock low , because this salad, with all it’s vitamins and minerals, will let you feel amazing and energized all afternoon.
The red bell pepper, carrots and tomatoes are my favorite vegetables as they are so sweet and crunchy. The avocado and hummus add the most amazing creaminess as well as important fats and protein to keep you satisfied for hours. The dressing is my absolute favorite because it’s a creamy yet fresh blend of tangy tahini and fresh mint leaves, combined with a sprinkle of lemon juice. Tahini is one of my favorite ingredients for a creamy dressing because it is packed with vital nutrients. It a great source of protein, and it actually contains even more protein than nuts. Tahini is also rich in minerals such as magnesium, potassium and iron which are all essential for healthy body functions including normal blood pressure and the transportation of oxygen.
You can of course change the recipe a bit and add whatever vegetables you still have in your fridge. If you don’t have or like rocket, then spinach or any other green leaf is fine. 

For this recipe you’ll need either classic hummus or roasted beetroot hummus.

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I recently heard someone say that asparagus season is making Germans go totally crazy. I think this is hilarious, and completely true. No other vegetable is having such a huge impact on people’s lives and behavior as asparagus has. But why is that? For once I think that eating asparagus is a very social thing in my country. Eating asparagus the traditional way is an event for the entire family, it almost feels like a holiday feast if you will. Every family has its own unique way of “celebrating” asparagus, and whenever you’re invited to a friend’s house where asparagus is served differently than at your house, something doesn’t feel quite right.
I have to admit that I am 100% German when it comes to asparagus, and I also go totally crazy with the healthy veggie. This past week I think I have literally had it every single day: the traditional way with my family (and my avocado-hollandaise sauce), as a totally delicious vegan asparagus cream soup (recipe coming soon!), and probably three or four times in a salad like this one.
If you don’t like asparagus, then I am really sorry, but you will have to stay away from my blog until the end of May, because I still have lots of delicious asparagus recipes waiting to be posted; starting today with this extremely delicious and healthy asparagus summer salad with strawberries and an over-the-moon mango-vinaigrette. It’s been my go-to-salad these past couple of weeks, and I could truly eat it every day. The salad is anything but boring, because it’s so colorful and sweet and I’m sure you will love it just as much as I do.
Of course it’s also extremely good for you as it is packed with lots of nutrients and vitamins such as vitamin C from the strawberries and mango, which is great to strengthen your immune system. Asparagus is high in anti-inflammatory and detoxifying nutrients, so it may even help protect from or fight various kinds of cancers.
As you can tell, the salad is perfect to welcome summer and to fill your body with amazing goodness.

Health benefits in this asparagus salad:
– manganese (for nerve health)
– vitamin A (antioxidant powerhouse, anti-aging benefits, healthy eye-sight)
– vitamin C (good for your immune system, tissue health)
– vitamin E (antioxidant against free radicals, prevents skin ageing
– zinc (important for growth, skin, and a healthy immune system)

Ingredients:
Serves 2:
For the salad:
– 500g asparagus (white or green, or mixed)
– 250g (about 10-12) fresh strawberries
– 3 handful green leaves of your choice

For the mango-vinaigrette:
– ½ mango
– 2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
– 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
– ½ tsp salt
– ¼ tsp pepper

For the asparagus:
Peel the asparagus and cut off about 1cm of the ends. Cut the asparagus into bite-sized pieces. In a large saucepan, heat enough water to cover the asparagus entirely. Bring to a boil, add a pint of salt and agave, and cook it for about 15 minutes.

While the asparagus cooks, wash the salad greens, and strawberries. Dry the salad and place it into a salad bowl or on a big plate. Cut the strawberries into your desired size and add them to the greens.

For the mango-vinaigrette:
Cut the mango in half and remove the flesh from the skin. Place half the mango into a food processor or strong blender, add the remaining ingredients and blend until you have a creamy salad vinaigrette.

Once the asparagus is tender, drain the water and add it to the salad. Finally, pour the mango vinaigrette over the salad and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

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