Raw Date Sweets

Ingredients
- for 1 bar or 5 rolls

Base:
4 dried dates
1 tbsp crated coco
6 almonds
½ tbsp raw cacao powder

1 tsp cacao nibs

tiny pinch of salt

Directions

Blend all ingredients into a doughy consistency - hold back one date if they're very moist. A little raw coco oil can be added for moist and richness as well, but is not necessary. Chopped nuts and seeds can be be added for extra crunch.

Flavoring and variations

Chili: add a pinch of red chili powder and roll in grated coco.

Ginger: add a pinch of freshly grated ginger or a pinch of dried ginger powder.

Lime: add lime zest and a little lime juice and an extra tsp grated coco.

Chai: add tiny pinches of ground cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, cardamom, liqorice, fennel seeds and fresh or dried ginger.

Liqorice: add liqorice powder.
Chocolate: add chopped raw chocolate, roll in cacao nibs or powder.
Nuts: replace almonds with walnut, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, macadamia or other nuts, add chopped ones also and roll in chopped nuts.

Fruit and berry: add dried fruit or berries like banana, apple, pineapple, abricot, mango, cherries, blueberries etc.

Kombucha - my first brew :D

Kombucha is fermented tea said to have a million and two health benifits. It's got a tangy flavour and is slightly sparkling. I love it because it tastes great and makes me feel good.

In NYC i kinda got addicted to kombucha. I used to buy these in health food stores:

 

Now i'm brewing my own and just bottled the first batch.

Green Tea Kombucha with Strawberry

As I am incapable of following instructions or recipes, I ended up following different tips from a million places.

This is what I did:

1) Got my hands on a kombucha SCOBY (Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast) and starter. You can buy it online or get it free from somebody who's brewing.

2) Brewed 2 liters black and 2 liters green tea - as i wanted to try both out.

3) Added 150 grams of sugar to each tea batch.

3) Let the tea cool.

4) Poured the tea into two big glass jars, making sure to leave room for some starter.

5) Added the kombucha scoby and the starter - covered with clean cloth, sealing with a rubber band.

6) Went away for a week and came back to the most delicous sparkling kombucha. The parents had made two beautiful kombucha babies.

7) Added strawberrys to some, ginger and rhubarb to some and left some without flavouring.

Any handling of the scoby and the clean utensils must be done only with clean hands. Hygiene is important to avoid other bacteria to invade the kombucha.

There's a lot of videos on youtube and webpages with detailed instructions and tips and tricks.

Thai Style Yellow and White Carrot Salad

Ingredients

Salad:
Carrots - of any colour
Garlic
Ginger
Unripe black pepper
Roasted sesame seeds
Red chili
Coriander leaves
Spring onions
Roasted cashew nuts or peanuts

Dressing:
Rice vinegar
Mirin
Lime juice
Sesame oil
Salt

Directions

Thinly slice the carrots and finely chop the chili, garlic, ginger, onions and fresh coriander leaves.
Mix the dressing with pepper, chili, coriander leaves, onions, garlic and ginger.
Add carrots and give it all a good toss.
Sprinkle with cashews and sesame seeds.

Seasoned Black Quinoa

Ingredients

Black quinoa
Lemon juice
Tamari
Chopped parsley

Directions

Cook the quinoa - directions are on the bag/box.
When cooked, add lemon juice, tamari and chopped parsley.

Raw Blackberry and Raspberry Cup Cakes - my first ones ever!

Ok, so this is the very first time making raw cakes - and cake making is really not what I'm best at.
Measurements are potentially a bit off - I didn't write anything down going along...

Crust:
4 dried dates
2 tbsp rolled oats
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp raw cocoa powder

Blend all and shape into cup cake wrappers

Blackberry and Raspberry filling:
1 dl soaked cashew nuts
3 dl defrosted black- and raspberries - squeeze and save the juice

½ tsp soy lecithin
2 tsp agave syrup or other raw sweetener
½ tsp psyllium seed husks (optional)

Blend all and fill into crusts.

Coconut and mint sprinkles:
Dried shredded coconut
Mint leaeves

Chop, chop, chop...

Whipped cream:
½ dl soaked cashew nut
1 tbsp coconut oil
½ tsp soy lecithin
1 tbsp juice from berries
½ tsp psyllium seed husks (optional)

Vanilla - seeds or extract to taste

Blend - holding back juice gradually until smooth.
Decorate - and serve immediately.

Final decoration:
Mint leaves

Cucumber Kimchi

Ingredients
2 big or 6 small cucumbers for Pickling
sea salt

4 scallions
1 very small yellow or white onion
3 tbsp of sesame seeds
3 - 4 red pepper flakes 고추가루
2 tbsp Save-The-Fish Sauce (or some salt)
1 tsp of sugar
2 tsp finely chopped ginger
4 cloves of garlic
1 tsp of sesame oil

Directions
Cut the cucumbers into chunks, slices or do like Aeri.
Rub/coat the cucumbers in salt and leave to sit.
While waiting mix the rest of the ingredients.
Rinse cucumbers thoroughly when ready after 20 - 30 minutes.
Mix everything together and store in glass jars in the fridge.
Can be served immediately but is best after a day or two.

Wakame and Mushroom Salad

Serves 2 - me and my quest star cook - providing wakame brought back from Korea

Ingredients
2 handful of soaked and quickly simmered wakame
3 handful of fried mushroom - we used yellow oyster, common oyster, button and shitake
Roasted sesame seeds
Sesame oil
Rice vinegar
Mirin
Salt to taste

Directions
Mix and serve.

DIY Yogurt

In the summertime:

Heat soy milk until lukewarm (40° C). Remove from heat. Add probiotics. Pour into thermo jug and leave over night.

or use same procedure as above and leave in a warm spot during the day (6-8 hrs), no direct sun though.

Wintertime:

Mix soy milk and probiotics. Leave on the radiator over night.

Store in the refrigerator.

Serving directions:

Stir really well before serving until smooth - add frozen fruit for flavor and to cool if eaten right away. 

Note: U can get probiotics in health stores.

Strawberry and Raspberry Smoothie

Ur everyday average afternoon smoothie

Ingredients:

Vanilla Soy Milk
Frozen Strawberries
Frozen Raspberries

Directions:

Blend

Variation:

Add protein powder for a good 'after work out shake'.

Green Energy Vegetable Juice

Ingredients:

1 dl water
1 apple
6 cm cucumber
6 large spinach leaves
1 small bundle wheat grass
1 tbsp lime or lemon juice
Small peace of ginger

Directions:

Proces in juicer or blend and pass through cheese cloth.

Drink within 15 minutes for optimal nutritional value!

This is how little pulp that comes out doing it low-fi: