Heart-Warming Banana Bread

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These days the weather is quite grey, wet and not very welcoming to going outside into the cold. Nevertheless fresh air is always a good idea, especially in the morning hours. On top of this, it's always a great feeling to return into a cosy and warm home, especially when there is something special waiting for you. Or can you imagine anything better than coming home to the overwhelming smell of freshly baked banana bread after a morning run in the forest? I can't, and that's exactly why I share this wonderful recipe with you in order to feel with me, smell it yourself and treat yourself to something special on a cosy Sunday.

This recipe is completely vegan, therefore doesn't contain any eggs. The chia seed mixture serves as an egg replacement and adds as a real superfood some fabulous health boosting properties.

As another great thing the banana bread is absolutely gluten-free, but could be adapted the other way round if you prefer to use an other particular flour which contains gluten (see Other options). I experimented a lot until I have found the right flour mixture which consists of buckwheat, almond and a little coconut flour. For the dates I used fresh Medjool dates, which provide together with the grated apple an extra touch of moisture and softness to the dough.

Heart-Warming Banana Bread

Ingredients
120g buckwheat flour & 30g coconut flour (*see Other options)
100g almond flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp bourbon vanilla powder (or content of one vanilla bean)
1-2 tbsp sesame seeds

2 tbsp chia seeds + 7 tbsp water
80g walnuts, roughly chopped (or a mixture of nuts to your taste, e.g. macadamia, almonds)

3-4 mashed ripe bananas (ca. 375g)
1 big apple, chopped or grated (for a special texture I like to cut them into small chunks)
65g chopped dates (fresh if possible)
6 tbsp coconut oil
A little more coconut oil: to grease cake pan

*Other options: if you don't have coconut flour handy, just add up the buckwheat flour to 150g. I just love the bread to have a hint of coconut flour in it, but feel free to experiment according to your personal preference. Moreover, if you prefer and don't mind the bread to contain gluten you can also use any other flour such as whole wheat or spelt flour. However, I would still recommend to stay with the 100g almond flour for sure and adapt the remaining 150g using another flour of your choice.
(Makes: 1 loaf; Preparation Time: 1.5 hours)

Preheat oven at 150 degree Celsius. 
Line a loaf pan with baking paper or grease it with some coconut oil.

Mix chia seeds with water, stir well and leave it aside until mixture is gooey.
In a  bowl mash the banana and grate/chop the apple.
In a separate big bowl combine dry ingredients without walnuts (flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, bourbon vanilla, salt) and mix everything together. Add the chopped dates and stir well until the dates are separated evenly. I usually use a spatula to mix everything together. Now add the prepared chia seed-water mixture, mashed banana, chopped/grated apple and coconut oil. Finally add the roughly copped walnuts to the mixture. If all ingredients are combined together well, leave the dough-mixture as it is and don’t stir for too long. The dough should be smootly and not at all liquid, so don’t add any additional water.

Pour into the greased loaf pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top.
Bake until it’s well risen and golden on the outside. Baking time depends on your oven, mine takes about 45-50 minutes. Make sure to check bread regularly after 30 minutes. The bread is cooked when a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Cool down the bread or enjoy when it's slightly warm with a cup of your favourite tea!

You'll believe me how good this Heart-Warming Banana Bread is, the latest you have tried it yourself and your neighbours are start knocking on your door. Happy tea time!

With lots of love, Fabienne.

Going Nuts: How To Make Your Own Nut Milk

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There is only one way to top the Good-For-You Granola with this heavenly delicious nut milk! This recipe shows you how to do this in a quick and easy way. Just soak your nuts overnight, and you will be able to quickly do your own nut milk the next morning without any hassle. The only thing you need is the nut you love, water, a blender and a sieve. As a sieve you can even use an old t-shirt, of course a cheesecloth or even a nut milk bag is the luxurious way to go, but anything similar will do a great job as well. So everyone can be the creator of her/his own nut milk according to its personal choice and taste. You can even delicately sweeten and flavour your milk with some dates, agave nectar and natural spices. It will never ever compare to the one you might have bought in a shop. You’re in full control of the ingredient list, so your nut milk will be free of any bad stuff and totally raw, additive-free, preservative-free and sugar-free. This creamy nut milk with its wonderful rich flavour will be full of goodness and the best choice for your body and soul – natural always.

The nut milk is especially lovely with my homemade Good-For-You Granola, to pour over porridge, to use in smoothies, for baking or to drink on its own.

Today I'm happy to show you my first video. I’m excited about your feedback, so please feel free to use the comment section below to tell me how you like it and what I can do better for the next video.

My love for nut milk evolved when I started to find out about my lactose-intolerance and was therefore looking for alternatives. Some years ago I was only familiar with soy milk, which was perfectly fine for me at the time as I have found an alternative to diary milk. As I educated myself more and more about food and its properties I came across a more natural and healthy substitute of soy milk, namely nut milk. For a while I was trying different store-bought brands with different variations in nuts and flavours. The one thing which disturbed me the most was the endless list at the back of most packages. I don’t understand why you put sugar in a natural product such as almond milk, when it doesn’t need any or could be substituted by a natural sweetener? Not to mention adding any additives and preservatives. Well, for me it was clear this wouldn’t be a longterm solution, so the obvious step was to create my own nut milk. Although I imagined it to be quite time-consuming and difficult, I was surprised how easy and quick it all went. Even better, you can decide what will be in your nut milk and vary the taste according to your taste butts.

When you do your own nut milk it’s very important to soak the nuts with a pinch of salt. And here’s why: Raw nuts contain substances which lock up all of its nutritions inside to prevent the nuts from sprouting and becoming a plant. Two of these substances are called phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors. If we consume phytic acid it binds to minerals in the digestive system which makes it impossible for our body to absorb the valuable minerals inside the nuts. Moreover, phytic acid can even cause mineral deficiencies. While enzyme inhabitors prevent our bodies enzymes from breaking down the food we are eating. In order to absorb the minerals, vitamins and proteins containing in nuts you should always soak the nuts in warm water with added salt to get rid of these substances.

Almonds: Out of all nuts, almonds are the highest in calcium and fibre. Countless studies have proven that almonds are the perfect source for weight loss, regulating blood sugar and lowering cholesterol. Because almond milk doesn’t contain any cholesterol or saturated fat at all, it’s the perfect daily choice for people who are looking after their heart.

Cashews: Cashews are bursting with vitamins, minerals and fibre. In a vegetarian diet, cashews serve an excellent choice as they contribute a good level of protein and are a useful source of minerals such as iron and zinc. They’re also rich in magnesium, which improves brain function and is important for good health and vitality. As a special property, cashews are very high in the heart-healthy monounsaturated fat named “oleic acid”, which helps to reduce bad LDL cholesterol and increase the good HDL cholesterol.

Hazelnuts: Hazelnuts are a good source of vitamin B and E, as well as a good source of folate, which prevents heart problems and conditions such as Parkinsons.

Brazil Nuts: are highly nutritious nuts with a rich source of selenium, which helps prevent cellular damage from free radicals that contribute to the development of chronic diseases such as cancer. The brazil nut is a rich source of calcium and magnesium, needed for healthy nerve and heart function, iron for red blood cell production, and zinc for a strong immune system. They’re also a good source of vitamin E and vitamin B needed for energy production. 

Homemade Nut Milk

Ingredients
180g raw nuts (almonds, cashew nuts, hazelnuts, brazil nuts or pecans etc.) or 150g whole oat groats
1 litre water
pinch of fine sea salt
1 tsp spices you like (as whole pieces or grounded: cardamom seeds, cinnamon sticks, vanilla bean etc.)
Sweetener to your taste: 2-3 pitted fresh dates or a couple of spoonfuls of agave nectar
Equipment
1 large jar
1 litre sealable bottle
1 piece of cheesecloth or a fine sieve
(Makes: 1 litre; Preparation time: 10min; Soaking time: 6-8 hours or overnight)

The process of soaking the nuts in advance is crucial and absolutely essential for doing nut milk. Put the nuts in a container, cover with water and add the right amount of salt depending on the nuts you soak (see note below). Soak for 6-8 hours or overnight .
Drain the nuts and rinse well. Add the nuts to a blender with 1 litre of fresh water, add dates if you wish, blend on high speed for about a minute until milk becomes smoothly. 
Place the cloth or sieve over a jar. Strain the milk until only pulp is left and squeeze the rest of the liquid out with your hands.
Pour the strained milk into a sealable bottle. Add a punch of fine sea salt. If your using the ground spices and extra sweetener such as agave nectar add them to the milk and shake the bottle. Another option is to just add the whole spices to the milk bottle before placing into the fridge. Store in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Note: Salt amount for soaking the nuts: Soft nuts such as cashews, walnuts, pecans require 1 tsp of fine sea salt, while hard nuts such as almonds and hazelnuts need 1 1/2 tsp of fine sea salt.

Watch my video for inspiration and have fun creating your very own nut milk!

Stay happy and healthy.
With lots of Love, Fabienne.

Good-For-You Granola

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Did you know where the word “breakfast” is coming from? The word literally refers to breaking the fasting period, as it’s the first meal taken after a night’s sleep. As the body needs energy to powerfully start into the new day after resting, it’s very important to eat breakfast every morning. Skipping breakfast means not fuelling your body for performance, which automatically results in lack of energy and concentration and discomfort. Nourish your body in the morning, when new energy is most needed. Eating breakfast is also one of the best and fastest ways to boost your metabolism and to avoid over-eating during the day. A great way to prevent you running out of the house without eating breakfast is to plan your meal the night before you’re going to bed. Your breakfast should be healthy, nutritious and delicious in order to perform, glance and shine at your best during the whole day.

And here’s exactly where the Good-For-You Granola steps in. This Good-For-You Granola saves you the morning, when you don't have enough time to prepare or just want something simple and delicious. Grab the jar of goodness, fresh milk, smile and you start perfectly and full of energy into the new day. This delicious granola is vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free and only packed with ingredients which are truly good for you. 

You don't need more than 15 minutes to prepare and another 15 minutes to bake everything. The only thing you need to do for this masterpiece is putting all the ingredients together and mix, put them in the oven, add the dried superfoods after roasting and let them cool or still enjoy while warm. It's so simple and easy.

Goji berries: In Chinese medicine these superfood is known as the secret to strengthening the immune system and longevity. Goji berries contain 18 amino acids, including the eight essential ones, and an incredible amount of antioxidants. Antioxidants help lessen the damage caused by free radicals. Superfoods are obviously quite pricey, but it’s totally worth it from what you get out of these superheroes. Only a small amount can provide you with a huge shot of nutrients.

Mulberries: Dried mulberries are a great source of protein, vitamin C and K, iron and fiber. Moreover, they’re a great source of antioxidants and support the immune system.  

Hemp Seeds: contain a high amount of omega-3 fatty acids and are a great alternative for vegans and vegetarians as this tiny seeds contain a very high amount of quality protein. (If you are interested in how to use this protein source in a very efficient way check out my "Powerful and Energizing Protein Bars".)

Walnuts: are a wonderful wholefood packed with nutrients needed to maintain good health, including protein, healthy unsaturated fats, and important vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre. Not only because of their "brain-shaped" appearance, but also because of their excellent source of omega-3 fats they are called "brainfood". In order to function properly, our brain cells need these healthy fats. As omega-3 fats can't be produced by our body we need to make sure to guarantee a regular flow of these into our body. Eating walnuts can improve your cognitive function and memory. Moreover, walnuts are rich in antioxidants which have anti-cancerous properties and help support the immune system.

Good-For-You Granola

Basic Ingredients

275g gluten-free rolled oats
100g buckwheat
2 tbsp chia seeds
100g almonds, roughly chopped
75g walnuts, roughly chopped
20g cashews, roughly chopped
60g quinoa
60g pumpkin seeds
40g sunflower seeds
10g hemp seeds
30g coconut flakes
1 tsp spices (cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, clove)

Liquits For Roasting
6 tbsp coconut oil (melted)
5 tbsp maple syrup (alternatives: apple, agave or date syrup)

Dried superfoods (after roasting)
80g mix (unsweetened: goji berries, aronia, mulberries, evtl. cranberries/raisins)
4 tbsp edible dried flowers

(Makes: 1 big jar; Preparation time: 15min; Baking time: 15min)
Note: Pay attention, you should only add the dried superfoods after roasting the basic ingredients, otherwise they will get burnt.
 

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Combine all the basic ingredients in a large bowl. Pour the liquid ingredients over and use your hands to toss until everything is well mixed and the dry ingredients are coated. Spread the granola mixture out in the baking tray and roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Stir with a wooden spoon a couple of times during roasting to keep it from getting burned.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool before adding the dried superfoods. Add some extra spices if needed.

Store the granola in a sealed glass jar at room temperature. Keeps for at least a month. Enjoy!

To top everything my next post will be my first video where I show you how to do your own nut milk. Trust me, it will be so easy and heavenly delicious!

Stay healthy and perform, glance and shine at your best during the whole day!
With lots of love, Fabienne.

Rainbow Tandoori Masala

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There is nothing better than heading to the market at 8am on a Friday morning. The market streets are already packed with people, the sunshine presents nature’s wonderful produce from its best side. I often first walk through the market and watch where there are the best looking fruits and vegetables and get inspired from the seasonal highlights. This time those colourful peppers, chilis, courgettes and eggplants grabbed my attention. It’s amazing how there are so many different types, shapes and colours of only one single vegetable. Well, I couldn’t resist and had to buy a bunch of those beauties. I already had the perfect dish in mind. 

The dish I thought of was a typical Indian one with lots of different colourful spices, so the perfect match for those beautiful vegetables I bought on the farmers market. Personally, I think it’s very important to buy and eat local – preferably organic – products, on the one hand to support local farmers and on the other hand for ecological reasons. I totally love the atmosphere in the morning on the farmers market, where people seem to be much more relaxed than elsewhere. 

I call this dish "Rainbow Tandoori Masala" because of the vegetables and spices huge variety in colour. The infusion of the different spices from the Tandoori Masala add the highlight to the dish. The central idea of this dish comes from the time when I was travelling. Particularly it was inspired from the wonderful vibrant city of Montreal, where I’ve been living for a while some years ago. Montreal sits at the epicentre of one of the most unique cultural enclaves of North America. Old European charm, contemporary art and design, lovely green spaces and parks, lots of galleries, boutiques and museums culminate in Quebec’s marvellous cultural capital. The great range of different cultures, vibes, ideas and tastes coming all together in one place was what inspired me the most. Exactly this convergence is represented in my "Rainbow Tandoori Masala", where all those different colourful spices and vegetables come together in one single dish and harmonise. Personally, this is one of my favourite dishes and reminds me of the wonderful time I had in Montreal, its people and the different cultures I met and got inspired from. I’m very thankful for that.

This "Rainbow Tandoori Masala" dish is the result of this valuable journey with its heartwarming memories, which I want to share with you. This dish is ideal to cook for family and friends, as it is easy to cook in bigger quantities.

Spices add so much flavour and goodness to your dishes. Their outstanding health benefits should be another reason to include them more often into your cooking. That’s why I suggest you making your own Tandoori Masala Spice Blend in a little bit bigger quantity. Without any effort you can easily use the spice blend in future cooking as well.

Tandoori Masala Spice Blend is a mixture of spices traditionally used in the north Indian and Pakistani kitchen. The spices vary from one region to another, but typically include garam masala, garlic, ginger, onion, cayenne pepper and may include other spices as well. Garam masala again is a blend of different ground spices. The word garam refers to “heat” in the Ayurvedic system of medicine, meaning “to heat the body” as these spices elevate body temperature. The composition of garam masala differs regionally, with many recipes across India according to regional and personal taste. The ingredients of the mix are toasted, then ground together. A typical Indian version of garam masala contain: black and white peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, black and green cardamom pods, bay leaf and cumin. (Source: Ramu Rau, Santha (June 1969). The Cooking of India (Foods of the World)).

Tandoori Masala Spice Blend

Ingredients:
20g / 4 tbsp cumin seeds
15g / 3 tbsp ground turmeric
15g / 3 tbsp paprika
10g / 2 tbsp ground coriander
2 whole cloves
5g / 2 tsp ground ginger
5g / 2 tsp ground cinnamon
5g / 2 tsp ground cardamom
5g / 2 tsp cayenne
5g / 2 tsp fresh ground black paper
3g / 1 /2 nutmeg grated
Note: In an airtight jar, stored in a dark place, it can be kept for about 6 months. 

Cayenne: Known for its detoxifying properties it stimulates the circulatory and digestive systems and neutralizes acidity in the body.

Cloves: Garlic can provide some serious health benefits to the circulatory system if consumed in large doses. In fact, it can also function as a protection against certain cancers. Well, we usually don’t consume lots of amounts of garlic, however consumed in small, regular doses garlic still contributes to overall good health. Garlic is low in fat and will help your body to absorb calcium from other sources.

Cumin: Cumin has a slightly nutty flavour and is notably fragrant in whole seed form, rather than grounded. It’s mostly known to be used in Middle Eastern and Indian cuisine where it is celebrated for its taste and its nutritional properties at the same time. Including cumin in your cooking is a fantastic way to get magnesium into your body. Magnesium is helpful for controlling blood pressure as well as essential for optimum heart health. Cumin is also a rich source of iron, which your body needs to carry oxygen to its cells and is known to support the digestive system. 

Turmeric: Turmeric has a bitter but warm flavour and is most commonly used to make curry. It has long been used medicinally for its anti-inflammatory properties. In Chinese Traditional Medicine it’s even used to treat depression. Recent research has also shown it to be a strong antioxidant which can help to control cholesterol levels. 

Fresh Ginger: Whenever I feel to get a cold I always eat ginger or simply include it into my dishes. Ginger is a real immune-boosting food and most commonly known for its ability to fight colds and flu. It not only adds an aromatic flavour in your cooking, it also has effective anti-inflammatory properties. Alongside a long list of minerals, vitamins B6, E and C are the most prominent vitamins. In Chinese Traditional Medicine ginger is being used for over 2000 years to treat various discomfort.

Well the ingredient list seems long, but this recipe is very simple and easy. Just make sure you prepare and chop up all ingredients needed in advance, as the cooking process moves quiet fast once you have started. Same story for the tandoori masala mixture with another advantage: Once you have mixed up all spices together in a bigger quantity as needed for one recipe, you can easily store the tandoori masala in a an airtight jar for up to six months and use them in future recipes.  Well, when you are prepared you’re nearly finished as you only have to through everything into the pan, stir and wait. 

Nutritional yeast: With its nutty, almost cheesy flavour nutritional yeast tends to be a good seasoner for vegan recipes. Nutritional yeast is often high in B12, which is an important vitamin that a lot of people are deficient in. 1 tablespoon a day provides you with the recommended daily intake of B12. Nutritional yeast is also a complete protein, contains other B vitamins, is low in fat and sodium, free of sugar and gluten and contains iron. It’s an inactive form of yeast and should not be confused with brewer’s yeast used for raising bread.

Zucchini: In Switzerland, yellow or green zucchini are available fresh from Spring to mid-Fall. The familiar dark green zucchini, the round scalloped patty pan, and other varieties like the pale yellow are all members of the squash family. The optimal purchasing season of zucchini is from July through September. Select small zucchini, which will be younger and more tender. Fresh zucchini is a good source of vitamin A and C. It is a very good source of potassium, an important intra-cellular electrolyte. Potassium is a heart-friendly electrolyte and helps bring the reduction in blood pressure and heart rates by countering pressure-effects of sodium.

Eggplants: There are several varieties available on the Swiss farmers markets. The most common variety has a deep purple colour. Other varieties include the round violet-colored variety from Italy, which has a very white flesh, and the small white eggplants, which are originally from Asia. The optimal season to purchase eggplants reaches from August to September, where this vegetable can be bought at its very best quality. Look for firm, but not hard texture. Smaller eggplants will almost always be the least bitter in flavour. Like many other vegetables they are a great source of dietary fibre which aids in digestion. Since eggplants contain almost no fat or cholesterol, it’s a very healthy food for people trying to lose weight due to its fibre content which is very filling. Additionally eggplants are also a great source of antioxidants. Having high levels of antioxidants in your body will protect the organ system in your body from harmful infections and diseases, including cancer and heart disease. They also contain vitamin C, which is a key part of the immune system which stimulates the production and activity of white blood cells. The list of benefits can go on and on. Eggplants are also wonderful sources of phytonutrients, which have long been known as boosters for cognitive activity and general mental health – so to speak as a “brain food” – whereas they increase blood flow to the brain for boosted power of memory.

Bell Peppers: Bell peppers range in color from pale to dark green, then from yellow to orange to red. Some peppers range from green to purple to brown to almost black. The flavors can vary from bland to sweet to bittersweet. Bright red or orange peppers are more mature fruits. They will have a sweeter flavor and higher nutrient content. Green and purple peppers are immature and have a more bitter taste. Always try to purchase peppers grown in your region. Although bell peppers are available year-around, the best quality and freshest flavors occur from July through October. Look for firm peppers with richly colored, shiny skin. The sweet pepper is one of the most nutritious vegetables. They are an excellent source of vitamin C – up to 10 times more than lemons. They also contain significant quantities of vitamin A and Vitamin B, along with calcium, phosphorous, iron, thiamine, riboflavin and niacin.

Chickpeas: Chickpeas are high in protein, fibre and iron. Chickpeas are great for digestive health, consuming a small amount each day can also lower levels of bad cholesterol and improve heart health. With its complex and valuable antioxidant composition provides a serious boost of goodness.

Coconut milk: I’m in love with coconut, even more with the creamy milk made from the flesh of the coconut. Coconut milk is an amazing alternative for diary and very nutritious at the same time. It contains a whole fortune of vitamins such as B, C and E. Additionally this treasure is rich in iron, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium. I usually use coconut milk to soften and to increase the creaminess and thickness of a dish.

Rainbow Tandoori Masala

Ingredients:
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 shallot, diced
1 big clove fresh garlic, minced
10g fresh ginger, minced
1 small chilli, finely chopped (optional)
1 1/2 tbsp Tandoori Masala Spice Blend
1/2 tsp fine-grain sea salt, add more if needed
800-900g diced fresh tomatoes with their juices (or 2 cans diced or whole peeled tomatoes)
400g cooked chickpeas  (or 1 can organic chickpeas), drained and rinsed
2 medium zucchini, diced
1 eggplant, diced (250g)
2-4 mini bell peppers (200g)
1 1/2 tbsp nutritional yeast
Splash of coconut milk
For serving:
200g uncooked basmati rice
Fresh cilantro
Fresh lemon juice
(Serves 4; Preparation Time: 20-30min; Cooking Time: 30min)

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large saucepan. Check if a drop of water fizzles when dropping onto the pan. If so, add the shallot, garlic, ginger and (chilli: optional). Cook for a few minutes. Add the prepared tandoori masala mixture and salt, cook for another 2 minutes.

Add the diced tomatoes and their juices and stir everything well with a wooden spoon. Raise heat a bit more, add nutritional yeast, chickpeas, zucchini, eggplant and bell peppers and simmer mixture for about 10 minutes or more. During this time mixture can thicken, vegetables cook and flavours develop. When vegetables are cooked and mixture seems thickened, add a splash of coconut milk to smoothen everything a bit (optional). If you want it to be even thicker, add some more nutritional yeast. Add additional salt to taste and vary the spice of your dish with extra Tandoori Masala Spice Blend if too mild.

Meanwhile cook basmati rice if preferred on the side. Serve rice beneath or on the side. Decorate with chopped cilantro, some freshly squeezed lemon juice and here it is: our freshly made "Rainbow Tandoori Masala".

Grab your fork, smile and enjoy!

Thanks to the lovely ladies from Family "Vollenweider Gemüsebau Nigelsee" at the farmers market for their helping hand and lovely presentation of their products, which made taking photographs much easier. Their vegetables are simply beautiful and very tasty!