15 LichField Road556835 Singapore
So it is that time of the year, when you feel like you need to be surrounded by softness, put a large wool jumper, socks, and enjoy a big cup of tea reading a good book by the fire… except if you live in Singapore 🙂 but IG is full of wintery posts and my European roots still feed me that urge to get in the comfy autumn mood. So today I decided to make myself an almond milk chai latte and spend some time reading my cookbooks at home with some easy listening lounge music 🙂 If you are not vegan you can also use dairy milk of course, though I would recommend you try a vegan alternative to see if it is easier to digest …. Did you know that it is estimated that 70% of the population is lactose intolerant ? some don’t experience symptoms but for many it results in stomach pain, bloating, …. If you really want to keep your dairy, try goat or sheep milks which are also rich in proteins, and minerals but contain less lactose.
Chai spices blends are available in most well stocked healthy stores but you can easily make you own blend, so sharing with you my recipe below.
Don’t wait any longer, pour yourself a big cup and enjoy !
Chai spices blend mix:
- 4 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 3 tbsp ground ginger
- 1 tbsp black pepper grounded
- 4 tsp ground cardamom
- 3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 3/4 tsp ground cloves
Blend all spices together in an airtight jar and that’s it ! Can keep for a few months (in my wine cabinet in SG 🙂 ) and be used in your cakes, smoothies or to make delicious chai latte !
For the latte, just mix in your mug: 2 tsp water + 1/2 to 1 tbsp maple syrup + 1 tsp chai mix (adjust to taste). Stir well, then pour into the mix, 1 cup hot vegan milk. I like almond or cashew for an even creamier and more indulgent variation. Stir well, and even better if you have a small blender, use it to blend and get some foam :). That’s it !
Hello ! Feeling you need a little “cheer me up” this morning for breakfast ? Then think about chocolate 🙂 But not the nasty “N….a” spread you put on toasts or hot choc you drink with marshmallows 🙂 I am talking about real chocolate benefits, ie raw “Cacao”. Do you actually know the difference between cacao and cocoa ?
Simple: raw cacao comes from cold-pressed un-roasted cacao beans. It keeps all the goodness of cacao, which are numerous: living enzymes, antioxidants, magnesium (which can help reduce stress :), potassium, and iron). And lastly it is rich in alkaloids which interact with our neurotransmitters and help us feel good !!!!….
Cocoa comes from the same beans but they have been roasted at high temperatures, hence less nutritional benefits. However if you can’t find raw cacao, cocoa is still a valid option for this smoothie. Healthy enough and will also put a big smile on your face 🙂
Recipe so simple you have no excuse not to make it as I am sure you have everything you need in your pantry ! ENJOY and share your comments !
Serves 1:
1 frozen banana (not too ripe if you want to reduce sugar level)
1/4 cup GF oats
125 ml almond milk (adjust to consistence level you like)
1 tbsp raw cacao
1 tsp chia seeds
1 to 2 soft dates (adjust to your sweet tooth)
1/2 tsp real vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt
Blend everything in your high speed blender / thermomix until smooth. Pour less / more milk wether you want to drink or eat it. If eaten as a smoothie bowl top with extra seeds, quinoa puffs, cacao nibs, more dates or fresh fruits. YUM 🙂
I was raised with apple tarts !
My parents had a huge garden with many apple trees and in autumn we would go and pick up all the apples from the trees we would stock up and eat throughout the year 🙂
I miss those 100 % organic and so flavorful apples. Today apples are such a controversial fruit. “An apple a day should keep the doctor away”, right ? but when you learn that apples rank as the 4th worst fruit to eat given all the chemicals they are sprayed with, to grow and last longer… I am always careful when I buy and use some, and probably eat much less apples then I used too …
But today we were in the mood for apple tart. It is freezing (Singapore style, ie 22/24 degrees 🙂 ) and so grey that comforting treats have to be on the menu !
This tart is quite healthy as the crust is GF and vegan, and the apples are just lightly brushed with lemon and maple syrup.
Recipe just below so you can also spoil yourself with this delight.
Enjoy 🙂
INGREDIENTS
CRUST:
- 90 grs GF oat flour
- 130 grs almond flour
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
FILLING:
- 4 to 5 apples (I used pink ladies).
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- a handfull raisins
- cinnamon
DIRECTIONS
CRUST
- Preheat the oven to 170 °C fan forced
- Combine the almond flour, oat flour, salt in a bowl. Drizzle in the coconut oil and maple syrup and stir until you get a dough consistency.
- Spread the dough using your fingers in a pie pan, lined with baking paper or on a baking tray lined with paper. (You can roll it toping it with a second sheet of baking paper to avoid it sticks to the pastry roll).
- Make holes using a fork to avoid getting bubbles and put the dough to bake for 10 min (corners should start getting a little brown)
FILLING
- Peel and cut the apples. Marinate them in the lemon juice and maple syrup combo.
- Spread them on the dough, dust with a little cinnamon, sprinkle some raisins and bake for 25 min. Brush them with more maple and lemon mix and bake again for 15 min
- Take it out, add a little more cinnamon (if you are a cinnamon lover like me 🙂 and eat warm with a scoop of plant based yogurt or cream, or on its own 🙂
A little obsessed with coffee over the past few days, as I am doing a barista training this week end !
So I pulled out this espresso smoothie recipe I had noted many months ago and made one to share with Romain today.
Whaou, so satisfying !!! Very very very good and not so bad from a nutritious standpoint as it is sweetened by date, gets the flavour from a real espresso and raw cacao, and is rich in proteins !
I would suggest to share the recipe below for 2, but after a great workout session it can also be for one only (or if you are super hungry :).
In any case, you should try this killer smoothie 🙂
Recipe:
- 1 espresso (single or double shot depending on how strong you want it)
- 1,5 tbsp raw cacao powder unsweetened (if you love chocolate go for 2 tbsp)
- 2 tbsp vegan protein powder
- 1 tsp chia seeds
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup almond milk (adjust to get the consistency you like)
- 2 ice cubes (or place your almond milk in ice cub tray and use it like that)
- 2 to 3 dates depending on how sweet your tooth is
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp vanilla powder
Put everything in your high speed blender and pulse until the perfect creamy, velvety texture and Enjoy 🙂
Most of the time I will eat my fruits and veggies or blend them in smoothies to keep the goodness of fibers.
But once in a while I go for a homemade cold pressed juice, especially for a good detox juice.
My friend Franziska had told me about this fantastic combo when we were walking in Singapore Botanic Garden and I was craving for it since then 🙂
Don’t be afraid by the beetroot which has a strong earthy flavor. In this blend it is tamed by the apple and twisted with the lemongrass.
So refreshing and subtly flavored. And look at this color !
Trust me if you try it, you could get addicted 🙂
The recipe is as simple as:
- 1 small raw peeled beetroot
- 1 medium red apple (keep the skin if organic otherwise peel it)
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 to 2 2 cm ginger bits (I love ginger but maybe try with only a small amount first)
- 1 to 2 lemongrass sticks (again I put 2 but start with one), use the internal par of the stick that is tender.
Put everything in your cold press juicer, ensuring you put the ginger and lemongrass between the fruits to maximize their juice extraction.
Enjoy (you can try and add more spices / lemon according to taste)
During our holidays I tried lots of new healthy restaurants and cafés in Europe and discovered great recipes I can’t wait to adapt at home !
I also did a lot of staples shopping in the organic shops I love in Paris.
I came home with some Spirulina and couldn’t resist to try a savory recipe with it. So here it goes, I opted for spirulina pesto and used it do dress up a superfood salad.
If you want to try, just follow the link below.
Hope you enjoy, and share your comments with me 🙂
Spirulina pesto superfood salad
I Wish I could spend all my days like that, with my feet in the sand, reading and enjoying the soft touch of the sun on my face.
It s been a while since I wrote on my blog as we have been travelling so much since we landed in Europe !
Also I really felt I needed a break as it had become quite overwhelming lately all that cooking and Instagram activity.
Almost an addiction 😅
So à little detox for me this summer, enjoying beautiful sceneries, great French food, new healthy spots, drinking coffee ….and posting a little about my discoveries.
In my next post I will share some of our best findings in Berlin !
Wish you a beautiful summer Time 😍😍😘😘