Vegan Glutenfree, Sugarfree Christmas Cookies

I really wanted to bake with Faye this year for the fun and also start the tradition of Christmas baking with a rolling pin and cookie cutters.
I know so many great, healthy recipes but they don’t have the right consistency for cookie cutting.

It took a little trial and error and searching the internet until I found a realtively healthy-ish version that worked. I used Banana Flour and Date Syrup and also added some spice :)

Here it is:
(inspired by this recipe at Unconventional Baker)

INGREDIENTS

½ cup coconut oil, softened

½ cup date syrup

½ tsp pure vanilla extract

½ a vanilla bean pod scraped out

a dash of salt

1/2 teaspoon of Cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon allspice  

2¼ cups gluten-free flour blend you can buy a ready made blend or make your own.
I used: 1 cup Organic Rice Flour, 1 Cup Banana Flour, 1/4 cup corn flour

Instructions

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. 
Prepare a rolling area with two additional sheets of parchment paper
cookie cutter(s) .

1. Place coconut oil in a large mixing bowl and whip it with a mixer until it’s creamy.
   Add sweetener, vanilla extract and bean, and salt and mix  once again to combine. Add in flour and use a wooden spoon to mix. Then get in there with your hands and mix everything together by working the  dough until you can shape it into a ball {note: the consistency of the dough should not be sticky but should press together  when pinched — be sure to knead it really well first for some time — if it’s a little sticky, add a little more flour (try 1-2 tbsp); if it’s a little dry add a little more sweetener (try 1 tbsp)
   Shape the dough into 2 balls and then flatten each into a disk.

2. Roll out one of the dough balls between two sheets of parchment  paper to ¼” thickness {or thinner or thicker depending on how you want  your cookies to turn out}. Use a cookie cutter to cut out the cookies.  Carefully transfer to a prepared cookie sheets, spacing them ½” apart  {they won’t spread as they bake}. Gather up any dough scraps and repeat  until all dough is used up. Repeat the process with the second dough  ball.

3. Bake in a pre-heated oven for approximately 11-13 minutes, until the edges just begin to become golden. Remove from oven and place on a  cooling rack. {Note: cookies will harden a little within minutes of cooling, so don’t overbake}.
   Allow the cookies to cool for 10 minutes  and enjoy!

Happy Raw Choc Chip Cookie Dough / High-Fibre High-Protein

I told you, I am having a sweet tooth lately.
While I mostly satisfy it with ripe Mangoes, Bananas & Melons, I am also really craving chocolate, so I have been experimenting with healthy vegan choc recipes and came up with this one which is super good for you. It's based on Chickpeas!!! Yes, just trust me on this one, it tastes really good!

Why this is SO good for you:

• They're a High-Fiber Food

• Chickpeas Are Folate-Rich

• They're a Vegan Source of Iron

• Chickpeas Are High in Protein

"As a legume, chickpeas are considered both a vegetable and protein food, helping you hit two important food groups at once. These nutty beans are rich in a number of important nutrients that keep you well -- including protein, vitamins and minerals -- and they provide fiber too. Including chickpeas in your diet may play a role in reducing your risk of a number of chronic illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
A 1-cup serving of boiled chickpeas has 270 calories, 45 grams of carbs, 4 grams of fat, 15 grams of protein and 13 grams of fiber. That same 1-cup serving also meets 70 percent of the daily value for folate and 26 percent of the DV for iron. It's also a good source of a number of other minerals including manganese, magnesium, zinc and copper, as well some other B-vitamins, including thiamine and vitamin B-6." (via livestrong.com)

Happy Raw Choc Chip Cookie Dough Recipe

Makes enough for 2 people as dessert or snack
Ingredients

1 tin organic chickpeas (well rinsed)
1/2 cup organic rolled oats
1-2com piece organic vanilla pod
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp. organic tahini
2-3 organic dates
1/3 cup rice milk (or Mylk of your choice)
1/2 tsp. Himalayan salt
1 tbsp. cacao nibs
1/2 a bar of "Happy Thoughts" Raw Vegan Chocolate by The Chocolate Yogi

 Just blend all ingredients except cacao Nibs & Chocolate in a high speed blender or food processor until smooth then mix in the Cacao  Nibs & chopped up chocolate!

Enjoy! We ate ours straight with a spoon! 

This recipe was inspired by The Wellness Fox

Bounty Bliss Bowl

I have had a bit of a sweet tooth lately and really felt like chocolate!  As in Chocolate everything! 

Did you know that Cacao is really good for the skin? Researchers found cacao boosts skin health by increasing blood flow and improving skin density and hydration. But that's not all...
It’s packed with Antioxidants & boosts well-being and mood!
It can actually protect the nervous system. That's why it makes perfect sense that we are craving chocolate in times of increased stress!  And that’s why I called this a BLISS bowl. :)  

 IMPORTANT: Don’t confuse Cocoa with Cacao!!!
Raw cacao powder is made by cold-pressing unroasted cocoa beans. The process keeps the living enzymes in the cocoa and removes the fat (cacao butter). Cocoa looks the same but it’s not. Cocoa powder is raw cacao that’s been roasted at high temperatures. Sadly, roasting changes the molecular structure of the cocoa bean, reducing the enzyme content and lowering the overall nutritional value.

Good thing that there is is so much yummy & healthy-ish vegan chocolate out there...
And so it happened that most my smoothies, desserts and snacks involved adding some raw cacao & chunks of raw & sugar-free The Chocolate Yogi's creations. 

So instead of my usual Green Smoothie in the morning, I mixed things up, literally.
This works well as Special weekend brekkie! 

I won‘t recommend having a bar of chocolate every morning!
Yet, this is SO much better for you than regular sugar loaded cereal. 

Here is my recipe:
1 handful Red Kale
1 Frozen Banana
1 tsp chia seeds
1 tbsp Raw Cacao powder
1 tbsp raw vegan protein powder (optional)
Half a bar „Happy Thoughts“ Chocolate by The Chocolate Yogi
1 cup Rice Milk (or Almond or any Mylk of your choice)
Blend all the above on in a highspeed blender until smooth & creamy

Top with:
Dried Coconut
Berries in season
& the other half of your chocolate bar!  

Liv's Radiant Rawnola Recipe

This Rawnola is the perfect snack when you have a sweet craving, a yummy dessert and perfect topping for smoothie bowls!
Best of all it's packed with vital nutrients for radiant skin and overall health.
Oh, and did I mention that it's super quick and easy to make?

If you haven't heard of Rawnola before: It's a cereal substitute for baked crunchy granola.
While it does get crumbly it stays chewy and tastes more like cookie dough. Yummmmmm!
If you prefer more crunch add some "Buckinis" which is Activated raw Buckwheat to the final mixture. As always use certified organic ingredients of the best quality and without any additives or preservatives.

Equipment:
You can use a food processor or high-speed blender. I used my Vitamix. It's important to only use the lowest setting and not to overdo it with the blending! And a jar for storage. That's it!

Ingredients:
1 Cup of Organic Oats
1 Cup of Organic Dried Mulberries
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
2 Tbsp Chia Seeds
1/2 a Cup Coconut Flakes or Shredded Coconut (organic and preservative free)
10 Dates (in the pictures I ran out of enough Dates and added some mixed dried berries instead, you can also use just Mulberries and other dried berries, but Dates are stickier and have the perfect sweetness)

How To:
Basically, you just chuck it all in and switch that thing on. I like to add two dates at a time and blend, add another two and so forth until you have the right sticky/crumbly texture.
Start with the Oats and add Mulberries then add all the other ingredients and 2 dates.
Blend. Add another two dates.... Until done! You might have to give the jug a shake ever so often.

I hope you enjoy! And don't eat it all at once ;)

Probiotic Smoothie Bowl For Healthy Skin

I love my green smoothies for breakfast but it's fun to mix it up every now and then.
Lately, I really got into making myself a smoothie bowl by using my smoothie and adding some delicious toppings.
I have also been adding Probiotics! There are so many great options, from capsules to yummy powders or eating fermented foods. Of course, real foods are always the best option and I do include Kimchi, Coconut Kefir and Tempeh into my diet on a regular basis.
Still, I like to add some probiotic supplement. Like the Pono Probiotics Gorgeous Greens Probiotic Powder (this one is the only vegan one in their range!) it combines the goodness of green superfoods with probiotics. Perfect addition to any smoothie or smoothie bowl.
Probiotics are good for everyone and can make a huge difference on your skin! If your gut is healthy your body can absorb nutrients properly, which will leave you with more energy, glowing skin and a stronger immune system.
During pregnancy and breastfeeding, it's a good idea to keep your gut flora as healthy as possible, probiotics taken by Mum during pregnancy can prevent skin conditions such as eczema and allergies in babies!
(During Pregnancy & Breastfeeding: Always consult your doctor or midwife before taking any supplements!)

My Smoothie Bowl Recipe:

For the Smoothie:
1 ripe banana (frozen)
1/2 Mango (optional, also works well with frozen Mango)
1 handful of organic kale
1 Tbsp chia seeds
1 Tbsp fermented vegan protein powder (optional! see link for my favourite one)
1 tsp Pono Gorgeous Greens Probiotic Powder
1 cup Plant milk of your choice or water (when using protein powder water works well, if you skip the protein powder I recommend using a creamy milk, to get that yummy creamy texture!)

Throw it all into a high-speed blender until smoooooth!

Toppings:
1 handful Buckinis
1-2 Tbsp Goji Berries
Mango (optional)
Get creative! Decorate, Sprinkle and add whatever feels right and looks pretty!

I know my creation is a pretty humble one compared to the artworks I see on Instagram all the time. But this one is real, it's my actual breakfast unstyled for the photo, just the bowl that I actually made for myself.