superfood breakfast

Vegan Green Vanilla Protein Smoothie

February 6, 2016 by Zizi

We tried something new in our breakfast smoothie. We added pea protein to it to make it more nutritional. Pea protein is a natural vegetable based protein which offers a comprehensive nutritional and amino acid profile. It has over 23g of protein per serving which will contribute to the growth and maintenance of muscle mass. It’s also low in fat.

Cashew butter is also great tasting and natural source of healthy protein. Cashew butter is loaded with phosphorus, copper, iron and magnesium, which all present wonderful health benefits both independently and in combined various kinds of food. Cashew butter also contains half less sugar than peanut butter and significantly less additives.

Vegan Green Vanilla Protein Smoothie

Ingredients (serves 3)

– 2 ripe bananas, peeled
– 2 cups hazelnut milk (any other non-dairy milk can be used)
– 4 tablespoons cashew butter
– 2 tablespoons pea protein powder
– 2 tablespoons flax seeds
– 1 tablespoon lucuma powder
– 1 small handful kale, leaves removed and torn into small pieces (spinach and Swiss chard can be used too)
– 1 vanilla bean, split and seeded

Method

Place all ingredients in the blender and process for 5 minutes, until smooth. If you find it too thick, add more hazelnut milk.

Coconut Almond Granola

May 13, 2014 by Zizi

Since Adam was born we have been eating oatmeal or ricemeal (from rolled rice) for breakfast with different kind of toppings (almond butter, fruits, seeds and nuts) but no sugar, honey or any kind of sweetener is added to it. We really love it, Adam also, so we can’t stop eating it!

A few days ago I had the crave for granola… I don’t know about you but I get some serious granola cravings at times. So I headed to the kitchen and made this coconut almond granola which is absolutely the best granola I have ever tasted! It’s so yummy and healthy, I even ate it as a snack with my 70% dark chocolate pieces in the evenings. 🙂

It’s very easy to make and you can bake it in 15-20 minutes. I added a little bit of maple syrup to sweeten but you can make it with honey, rice syrup or without any sweetener.

Coconut Almond Granola

Ingredients

– 2 cups rolled oats
– 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
– 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
– 1 cup almond, roughly chopped
– 1/2 cup desiccated coconut (unsweetened)
– 1/3 cup maple syrup
– 1/2 teaspoon salt
– 4 tablespoons coconut oil

Method

Preheat the oven to 175C (347F) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.

In a bowl mix together the dry ingredients: rolled oats, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds, desiccated coconut and salt. Add maple syrup and coconut oil. Mix all the ingredients together and spread the mixture evenly on to the baking tray. Bake for 6-8 minutes, then turn everything around with a wooden spoon. Bake again for 8-10 minutes until golden brown.

Store in an air-tight jar!

Superfood Breakfast: Vegan Banana Chia Pudding

September 9, 2013 by Zizi

I love my superfood breakfasts. I wish I could have time every morning to make one of them. In real life I usually eat one or two pieces of seasonal fruit (nowadays it is an apple) and have a quick bite a bit later: most of the times it’s a piece of toast with almond or cashew butter and my mom’s sugar-free plum jam on top.

Chia seeds and chia pudding is getting more and more popular. The seeds are native to South America and have been a staple in Mayan and Aztec diets for centuries. The word chia is derived from the Nahuatl word chian, meaning oily.

I’m trying to eat as much as I can because of its nutritional benefits:
– they can help your diet by making you feel full (it’s because they absorb 10 times their weight in water, forming a bulky gel)
– they are the richest plant source of Omega-3
– chia seeds slow down how fast our bodies convert carbohydrates into simple sugars, studies indicate they can control blood sugar
– they are an excellent source of fiber, with a whopping 10 grams in only 2 tablespoons
– chia seeds are rich in antioxidants that help protect the body from free radicals, aging and cancer
– chia seeds contain no gluten or grains
– the outer layer of chia seeds swells when mixed with liquids to form a gel (this can used in place of eggs to lower cholesterol and increase the nutrient content of foods and baked goods)
(More info here.)

I used chia seeds before but mostly to place an egg in vegan cakes. Chia seeds are very similar to flax seeds – if they are mixed with water its consistency becomes gel.

Don’t miss this pudding, it’s not only a healthy choice for breakfast but it tastes divine!

Vegan Banana Chia Pudding

Ingredients (serves 2)

– 2-3 ripe bananas, smashed with a fork
– 4 tablespoons chia seeds
– 1 and 1/4 cups almond milk (you can use rice, oat or soymilk too)
– 1 vanilla bean, split and seeded
– hazelnut

Method

Prepare your breakfast a day before. In a bowl mix chia seeds with almond milk and let it rest in the fridge for the night.

The next day toast the hazelnut in a dry non-stick pan for 7-8 minutes and chop them roughly.

Mix together the chia almond milk pudding with the smashed bananas and vanilla. Serve in little bowls with the toasted hazelnut.

Superfood Breakfast: Vegan Sugar-Free Almond Cashew Walnut Coconut Porridge

February 11, 2013 by Zizi

Sunday was all about snow. The whole city was white and pretty so we decided to walk around in the City Park and take winter photos.

City Park (Városliget) is a public park in Budapest, close to the city centre. It is located in the 14th district of Budapest. Its main entrance is Heroes’ Square (Hősök tere), one of Hungary’s World Heritage sites. The first trees and planified walkways were established in 1751 and after the public park was created in the first decades of the 19th century the present-day name, Városliget was accepted and it became the first public park in the world.

City Park was the main venue of the 1896 millennium celebrations of Hungary, by which time Andrássy Avenue, Millennium Underground and the Grand Boulevard were built. City Park has the largest artificial ice surface in Europe; and it is also the home of the Vajdahunyad Castle, the Gundel Restaurant, the zoo and grand circus and the famous Széchenyi Thermal Bath.

The park was calm and quiet. We could only hear the snow crackling under our feet. I don’t know why but I love this sound.

Our mission was (in addition to take photos) to visit the city park lake and feed the ducks. The lake has warm thermal water so during winter it is the home for these cute birds. I knew that feeding the ducks with bread, chips, crackers or popcorn can lead to excessive weight and malnutrition for the birds as well as many other problems. To avoid this you can buy proper duck food from a machine next to the lake.

It was so much fun to feed the birds who were brave enough to come out of the lake and get closer to me.

Back to the superfood breakfast… This is a ‘must try’ porridge. I have to tell you… you can’t live without trying to make and eat it. It’s so healthy, nutritious, delicious and a good source of antioxidants. And something else… it is not only sugar-free and vegan, it’s gluten free and paleo too.

Don’t miss it! I promise, you will love me for this recipe! 🙂

Vegan Sugar-Free Almond Cashew Walnut Coconut Porridge
(Recipe inspiration: Against All Grain)

Ingredients (serves 2)

– 1/3 cup walnut
– 1/3 cup almond
– 1/3 cup cashew
– 1 ripe banana, peeled, cut into slices
– 1 cup coconut milk (or any other non-dairy milk)
– 2 tablespoons desiccated coconut
– 1 teaspoon cinnamon
– 1 teaspoon salt + pinch of salt

Method

Place the nuts in a bowl, add 1 teaspoon salt. Fill the bowl with water until the nuts are completely covered and soak overnight on the kitchen counter.

The next morning drain the nuts and rinse them a couple of times until the water is clear.

Place the drained nuts into a food processor, add sliced banana, coconut milk, desiccated coconut, cinnamon and pinch of salt. Blend all together until it is smooth (about 8-10 minutes). If you find it very thick, you can dilute with a bit more coconut milk. You can serve as it is or put the porridge in a pot and heat over medium heat for 5-6 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped almond, cashew and coconut chips.

Superfood Breakfast: Spicy Pumpkin Granola

December 3, 2012 by Zizi

Last Friday evening I was listening to this song (a few times) to get in the Christmas mood. Of course the cinnamon, almond, walnut and chocolate aroma in the flat also helped me. So hello December! You’re more than welcome!

I brought you a breakfast recipe that is excellent choice for cold, misty winter mornings. It also can be a Christmas gift idea – I bet success will be guaranteed if you give this as a present. In the last couple of years I always gave homemade gifts for my family and friends. All the time they were amazed how much time, love and energy I put to make everything. I think homemade gifts in a jar are always perfect idea for gift giving. Add a ribbon, a nice tag, wrap it in a rustic paper and whoever gets it, he/she will be impressed.

Granola is a breakfast or snack food, consisting of rolled oats, nuts, honey / maple, rice or agave syrup, and sometimes puffed rice, that is usually baked until crisp. Dried fruits, chocolate, coconut flakes are also can be added. See another sugar-free granola recipe on my blog.

Spicy Pumpkin Granola
(Recipe: Sara Forte – The Sprouted Kitchen)

Ingredients

– 2 cups rolled oats
– 1/3 cup pumpkin purée (home baked is the best)
– 1/2 cup walnut
– 1/4 cup maple syrup (rice and agave syrup can be used too)
– 3 tablespoons sesame seeds
– 2 and 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil
– 1 teaspoon cinnamon
– 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
– 1/8 teaspoon ground clove
– 1/2 teaspoon salt
– 1/4 cup dried cranberries

Method

Preheat the oven to 160C (320F). Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

In a bowl mix together rolled oats, walnuts, sesame seeds, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and salt. In another bowl mix together pumpkin purée, coconut oil and maple syrup. Mix all the ingredients together and spread the mixture evenly on to the baking tray. Bake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown (half time turn everything around with a wooden spoon).

Add dried cranberries, let it cool before serving it with almond/oat/rice milk or store in an air-tight jar in the fridge for 7 days.

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