Warming Turmeric & Cauliflower Broth

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Warming Cauliflower & Turmeric Broth

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Yield: 1 Large Stock Pot

Warming Turmeric & Cauliflower Broth

Warming Turmeric & Cauliflower Broth
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 shallot, diced
  • 1 garlic clove, diced
  • 5 tsp yellow Lupin Miso (I don't use Soya products as I strongly believe these increase inflammation in the body). You can omit this ingredient and just flavour more with salt, pepper, stock, and coconut aminos or lupin sauce.
  • 1 tsp anisseeds
  • 1 fingerlong fresh root of turmeric, minced
  • 1 inch fresh ginger, minced
  • 1/2 cup of water
  • 200g brown button mushrooms, chopped
  • quarter head cauliflower, chopped into florets
  • 1 medium zuchini, chopped and diced
  • 1.5 litres vegetable stock
  • 6 tsbp cocos aminos
  • 3 tsp powdered turmeric
  • one chicoree head, sliced
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • brown rice noodles (I use king soba noodles)
  • juice of 1 and 1/2 lemon

Instructions

  1. To a large stock pot, add the shallot, ginger, the fresh turmeric, garlic and aniseeds (ground in pestle and mortar). Add half a cup of water, and stirr occasionally, cooking on low heat until the shallot and garlic become fragrant and translucent for a about 5 minutes.
  2. Stirr in the lupin miso and cook for another 2 minutes.
  3. Stir in the chopped mushrooms and keep cooking on low heat for another 5 minutes, stirring occassionally.
  4. Stirr in the chopped zuchini and cauliflower and cook for another 2 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally.
  5. Add the vegetable stock to the mushroom mix, stirring well.
  6. Add the cocos aminos and the turmeric powder.
  7. Bring to the boil, then lower heat to a simmer.
  8. Simmer for 15 minutes, lid on.
  9. Add the chicoree and simmer for another 5 minutes, plus add salt and pepper to taste.
  10. In the meantime boil the rice noodles according to instructions in a seperate pot.
  11. Stir the lemon juice into the broth and let it sit off the heat for 1 minute.
  12. Ladle the broth into bowls and serve with the rice noodles.
  13. Voila!
© jayjagger
Cuisine: Vegan

Vegan Mushroom Gravy

Creamy Vegan Mushroom Gravy

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Creamy, delicious mushroom gravy. Super easy and quick to make in just under 3 minutes. Great as a topping for roasted vegetables,
chicken, beef, or on top of roasted potatoes or fried mushrooms.

Vegan Mushroom Gravy

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Creamy Vegan Mushroom Gravy

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Creamy Vegan Mushroom Gravy

Vegan Mushroom Gravy

Creamy, delicious and super easy to make mushroom gravy. Great as a topping for roasted vegetables, chicken, beef or on top of roasted potatoes or fried mushrooms.

Prep Time 1 minute
Cook Time 2 minutes
Total Time 3 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 button mushrooms
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 3 cups of oat milk 
  • 1 tsp powdered vegetable stock
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • pepper to taste
  • 1 tsp arrowroot powder
  • 1/4 tsp ground rosemary
  • 1/4 tsp ground thyme

Instructions

  1. Add the garlic, oat milk, button mushroom, stock powder, herbs, salt and pepper to a high speed blender (I use a Nutribullet). Blend on high until everything is mixed into a smooth sauce like texture
  2. Pour the mixture into a small cooking pot, and add the arrowroot powder.
  3. Place on cooker and slowly increase heat to a boil, whilst continously stirring with a whisk.
  4. The sauce will thicken quickly, and will reach a great creamy consistency once boiling.
  5. Once at a boil, keep srirring and take off the heat.
  6. Pour into a sauciere.
  7. The sauce will keep well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
  8. Enjoy!
© jayjagger
Cuisine: Vegan

Gut Healing Turmeric & Mushroom Curry Soup

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Get stuck into a bowl of bubbling, warming, yellow-goodness
and enjoy the healing powers of turmeric, ginger and shitake mushrooms.

This healthy but yet tasty yummy broth will help your body fight bacteria and inflammation, boost your immune system,
and to keep those pesky bugs at bay (always good in a corona crisis!).

Weekly Recipe

Gut Healing Turmeric and Mushroom Curry Soup

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Yield: One Large Pot of Broth

Gut Healing Turmeric & Mushroom Curry Soup

Gut Healing Turmeric & Mushroom Curry Soup

Inflammation calming, immune-boosting, gut healing yellow turmeric curry soup.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 tsp sesame oil (leave out if on a cleanse, or if this is your evening meal, leave in).
  • half a shallot, chopped finely
  • 1 tsp anisseed
  • 1 tablespoon thai yellow curry paste (try and find a curry paste without added fats, maltodextrin, natural or unnatural flavourings, etc.)
  • 1 thumb size knob of fresh turmeric, sliced finely. If you haven't got fresh, use 2 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 thumb-size knob fresh ginger, minced
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds, grind small in a pestle and mortar
  • 1/4 tsp dried thyme
  • 2 stalks of celery, chopped
  • 1 bok choi, chopped 
  • 1 zuchini, chopped
  • 200g shitake mushrooms, fresh or dried (important if dried: soak at least for 5 hours beforehand. If you can't get hold of shitake, brown button mushrooms work as a replacement)
  • toasted sesame seeds to garnish
  • 1.5 liter vegetable stock
  • 6 tbsp cocos aminos or lupin sauce, or both, depends how strong you like your flavouring.
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • juice of 1 lime (if you haven't got limes lemon juice works ok as well)
  • handful of fresh coriander, chopped
  • gluten free brown rice noodles, cooked to your liking
  • toasted sesame seeds or toasted nuts of your choice to garnish (leave out nuts and seeds if on a cleanse)
  • spinach or other leaves to garnish

Instructions

  1. Grab a large stock pot, and add about 3 tablespoons of water to the bottom.
  2. Add the sesame oil and place cooker on a low heat (skip this step if on a cleanse).
  3. Add the chopped shallot, minced ginger and chopped garlic. Mix well with the oil and the water. Add the yellow curry paste. Keep heat on a low setting and cook for 5-10 minutes, until onion is translucent and onion and garlic flavourful.
  4. Add the anisseeds, turmeric, thyme and fennel and mix in well. Up cooker to a medium heat and cook for another 5 minutes stirring frequently.
  5. Add the sliced celery and zuchini, stirr in well with the onion spice mixture and cook on medium heat for a few minutes.
  6. Add the vegetable stock and bring to a boil.
  7. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
  8. Add mushrooms and cocos aminos. Cook for another 10 minutes.
  9. Add the sliced bok choi, the lime juice and half of the coriander and cook for another 5 minutes.
  10. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Depending on what you used (cocos aminos, lupin sauce, or both), taste the broth and add more of what you feel is needed. I usually can't get enough of the cocos amino taste so I always add a bit more of that at the end.
  11. Serve the soup over gluten free brown rice noodles (or any other asian style noodles of your chosing), sprinkle with the rest of the coriander and top with sesame seeds, nuts or chilli flakes.
  12. Enjoy!
© jayjagger
Cuisine: Asian

Gooey Apple and Cinnamon Cupcakes

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Sometimes you just need something that satisfies you.
Something that is sweet, tasty, and if possible, has that gooey, tasty sensation to it.
Something that, when you put in your mouth, reminds you of autumn, of your mum’s home baked apple cake,
of gardens and of late summer blooms.
Something that when you eat it, gives you that warm fuzzy feeling,
that peaceful feeling that everything is ok.

And what better way to give into this craving, than with these pretty much guilt free, goeey apple and cinnamon cupcakes?!
Low in sugar, fat, gluten free and vegan, and plenty of apples for your 5 a day. What’s not to like?

Of course I have added plenty of spice again:
cardamom and cinnamon to help you stabilize your blood sugars, to calm you and to nourish you, every little ‘gooey’ bite at a time.

Enjoy!

Picture credit: Monika Grabkowska

Weekly Recipe

Gooey Apple and Cinnamon Cupcakes

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Yield: 12

Gooey Apple & Cinnamon Cupcakes

Gooey Apple & Cinnamon Cupcakes

Delicious and gooey apple and cinnamon cupcakes, vegan & gluten free

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup coconut oil
  • 1/4 oat milk ( or other plant milk of your choice)
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinnegar
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 8 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 1 and 1/2 cup ground almonds
  • 2 cups gluten free flour blend (I use Bob's red mill)
  • 2 heaped tsp gluten free baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda (bicarbonate soda)
  • 3 tbsp apple sauce home made or store bought
  • 3 medium size apples, diced and cored
  • 1 tbsp flax egg

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 190 degrees celsius .
  2. Make the flax egg: add 1 tablespoon flaxseeds to a small bowl and add 3 tbsp warm water. Mix well. Put to one side.
  3. Melt the coconut oil in a saucepan.
  4. Once melted, mix the oil, the milk, the vinegar, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom, salt, ground almonds and apple sauce together in a mixing bowl.
  5. Add the flax egg and mix well.
  6. Sift in the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.
  7. Mix well, adding a tiny splash more milk if it’s looking too dry.
  8. Add the apples and carefully stir in.
  9. Transfer the mixture between muffin cases in a muffin tin.
  10. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes until risen and an inserted skewer comes out clean.
  11. The cupcakes should still have a very soft and gooey consistency. I usually eat one fresh and warm (mhmmm, so good) and place the rest in the fridge, they will harden a bit more and keep for up to a week.

Notes

Dust off the Cupcakes with some icing sugar or top with a nice vegan frosting.

Nutrition Information

Yield

12

Serving Size

12 cupcakes
Amount Per Serving Calories 212Total Fat 8gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 25mgSodium 19mgCarbohydrates 30gFiber 4gSugar 24gProtein 1g

Please note that nutrition information is based on averages and can therefor not always be accurate.

© jayjagger
Cuisine: Apple cake / Category: baking

Healing & Nourishing Asian Style Broth

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This is my go-to soup recipee when I simply need something warming, nourishing, and simply healing:
when you had a stressfull day, when you are feeling run down or when your boss has just simply driven you up the wall:
This broth will pick you up, give you a hug and will fill you with a
warm feeling telling you that everything, really, is ok.

Particularly good for people with digestive issues
and sensitive bellies (bloating, gas, etc.), this recipe is a winner.
Fennel and anissed will soothe your digestion and flush out toxins,
garlic will help to clear your mucus membranes and kill of any pathogens,
and plenty of greens assist in moving foods through your sensitive digestive tract.
You can replace the vegetables used in this recipee with anything you might prefer.
Choose any leafy greens of your choice, and along the zuchini,
try it with added carrots, sweet potatoes or any other root vegetable.

This soup always works in any combo!

Picture credit: Mae Mu 

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Asian Style Healing Broth

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Yield: 1 Pot of Broth

Healing & Nourishing Asian Style Broth

Healing & Nourishing Asian Style Broth

This is my go-to soup recipee when I simply need something warming, nourishing, and simply healing:when you had a stressfull day, when you are feeling run down or when your boss has just simply driven you up the wall:This broth will pick you up, give you a hug and will fill you with a warm feeling telling you that everything, really, is ok. Particularly good for peope with digestive issues and sensitive bellies (bloating, gas, etc.), this recipe is a winner. Fennel and anissed will soothe your digestion and flush out toxins, garlic will help to clear your mucus membranes and kill of any pathogens, and plenty of greens assist in moving foods through your sensitive digestive tract.You can replace the vegetables used in this recipee with anything you might prefer. Choose any leafy greens of your choice, and along the zuchini, try it with added carrots, sweet potatoes or any other root vegetable.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil (leave out if on a cleanse, or ok for the evening meal).
  • 3 shallots diced (or use half a red onion instead)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
  • 1.5 litre vegetable broth
  • 1 tsp aniseeds (grind in pestle and mortar)
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds (grind in a pestle and mortar)
  • 4 x tablespoons cocos aminos (or lupin sauce or both).
  • 2 tsbp miso (I use soya free miso made from lupins)
  • 1.5 heads bok choi OR kale OR chard OR substitue any other green leaf of your choice
  • 1 zuchini, chopped
  • juice of half a lemon
  • half a fennel bulb, sliced
  • 1 pack of rice noodles
  • sesame flakes for topping
  • red pepper flakes for topping

Instructions

  1. Heat the olive in a large stockpot over medium heat.
  2. To the oil, add the diced shallots and mix well.
  3. Cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, or until the shallots turn translucent and turn to soften. Stir often.
  4. Add the minced garlic and minced ginger to the shallots and mix. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 1-2 minutes or until garlic and ginger are fragrant.
  5. Add the ground anise and fennel seeds to the onion mix, stir and cook until lightly toasted (1-2 minutes)
  6. Then add the chopped fennel and coat the fennel pieces evenly in the onion and ginger mix.
  7. Then add the vegetable stock and bring to a simmer. Add the cocos aminos and the miso, and stirr everything well to combine, then add the chopped courgette.
  8. Cover and continue to simmer for 10 minutes.
  9. Afterward add the bok choi (or other leafy green) and the rice noodles. Cook everything for a further 5-8 minutes (until the vegetables are tender and the noodles are cooked through). Add the juice of half the lemon, stirr in, then turn off the heat and leave for 1-2 minutes to sit before you serve.
  10. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  11. Divide soup between bowls and season with toasted sesame seeds and red pepper flakes if you wish.

Nutrition Information

Yield

6
Amount Per Serving Saturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0g

Please note that nutrition information is based on averages and can therefor not always be accurate.

© jayjagger
Cuisine: Asian

Cleansing and Calming Cardamom

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Have you ever tried this wonderful green powder, referred to in Ayurveda as ‘the queen of spices‘?
Well if you already have, thumbs up, and if you haven’t read on about the amazing health benefits of cardamom, and hopefully it’ll inspire you to buy some next time you walk past your spice isle.

I dare you adding a teaspoon of yummy cardamom into your morning coffee (I recommend adding a bit of cinnamom too)!
Or try it on sweet stewed fruit (apples, pears, bananas), in baking (cardamom cookie recipe here), or in savoury dishes such as curries.

There are actually two types of cardamom: the one most commonly known and used here in the West are the green pods, but there’s also black cardamom.

Green and black cardamom are actually from the same plant family. Green cardamom is harvested before it reaches maturity and the pods are often used whole. Black cardamom is dried for longer and the seeds are extracted. 

Green cardamom is more often used to flavour sweet dishes and black cardamom is used for a more pungent flavour in savoury dishes.

Although used in the West, cardamom is mainly used in India & Middle Eastern cusines in desserts, tea and coffee for its sweet flavour. People from India often chew on the pods after a meal for its breath freshening properties!

Healing Benefits of Cardamom

  • Cardamom can clear toxin built up (called Ama in Ayurveda) from the body:
    Toxins can block internal circulation and reduce energy levels, which can cause illness and disease. Cardamom’s warming and detoxifying effects aid in reducing the accumulation of these toxins, and guide them gently out of the body. This is called a diuretic effect (helps the body elimate waste through the kidneys).

  • Cardamom has a very high antioxidant capacity:
    studies have shown that cardamom protects cells from free radical damage that can cause inflammation & premature aging.

  • Supports respiratory health:
    Cardamom can soothe coughs and colds by lubricating the respiratory pathways (drink that warming chai tea when you have a cold!)

  • Aids digestion. Reduces indigestion, gas and bloating:
    Many studies have shown its great benefits in reducing stomach ulcers by stimulating the secretion of digestive enzymes. Great to drink in a tea (or chew on the seeds) after a meal. It makes heavy and acidic foods much easier to digest. In middle eastern societies coffee is often brewed with some cardamom to offset the negative effects of the acidic coffee (and increases flavours).Try it out! Cardamom also supports healthy cholesterol & tryglyceride levels as well as helping the body to burn fat more effectively.

  • Antibacterial & antimicrobial:
    The essential oils found in cardamom have shown to support good oral health. They fight bad breath and aid in healing mouth ulcers. Furthermore studies have shown that cardamom extracts are very effective against bacterial infections such as strepptococus mutans and candida albicans (a common yeast infection that can cause numerous digestive issues and leaky gut).

  • Supports kidney & bladder health:
    Due to its diuretic effect, cardamom supports cleansing toxins from the urinary tract, kidneys and bladder.

  • Supports healthy blood glucose levels:
    Cardamom is a rich source of manganese, which can play a role in managing blood sugar levels.

  • Gives a good night sleep:
    having trouble sleeping? Try adding half a teaspoon of cardamom to a mug of warm plant milk and maybe some honey before bed-time. Warm milk with cardamom has been shown to support a more restful night sleep.

  • Cancer fighting compounds:
    Many studies have shown that cardamom can increase the activity of enzymes that help to fight certain cancers. Furthermore, it has been found that the body’s natural ability to attack tumours was increased. An interesting study: Researchers exposed 2 groups of mice to a compound that causes skin cancer and fed one group a diet that also consisted of 500mg cardamom per day. 29% of the cardamom group and a whopping 90% of the control group (no cardamom) developed skin cancer!

  • Anti-inflammatory:
    High in antioxidants, cardamom protects cells from damage & stops inflammation from occuring.

  • Anti-anxiety:
    the calming effects of cardamom still haven’t been officially studied, but many ancient traditions such as Ayurvda swear that cardamom has very calmig effects on the nervous system and can therefor be a great healing addition for someone who suffers from depression.

Cooking with cardamom:
Ground cardamom is probably the most used and sugested in recipes: add powdered cardamom directly to recipes that call for cardamom. However, to really get the most cardamom flavour, your best off using cardamom pods.

Simply get some cardamom pods (as in the picture above), and simply open the pods with a small sharp knife and remove the small black seeds.

You can then grind the seeds in a pestle and mortar for best results, or you can use a motorized spice grinder (a coffee grinder works really well).

Hot tipp: toast the green cardamom pods over a dry killet for a few minutes to bring out the flavour, then remove the seeds after.

If adding cardamom seeds to your coffee or other hot drinks, simply grind three to four cardamom seeds and add to a drink of your choice. Alternatively, simply use ground cardamom, between 1/4 tsp and up to a full teaspoon (adjust to your taste!)

Notes:

In Ayurveda, herbs and spices are classified by their qualities, tastes and actions that they have on the body and the mind.

Dosha:

Tri-doshic. Balances Vata, Pitta and Kapha.
Although cardamom is considered tri-doshic (balancing for all 3 doshas) , those with a Pitta imbalance should use it slightly more sparingly as it can also be heating in quality
(i.e. warms up the body which can be too much for a very strong Pitta person).

Taste:

Pungent.

Quality:

Mobile, light, clear, dry, warming.

Cardamomy Nutty Choc Chip Cookies – vegan, gluten free – YUM!

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Ok, I have to admit… I have an addiction… it’s a bad one, and I don’t think I’ll ever be able to stop:

I confess: I am addicted to cookies.
Yes, you heard right: C O O K I E S!
There’s just nothing better than sitting down in the afternoon,
after you’ve done most of your day’s work, making yourself a
big milky chai tea and dipping a fat big
choc chip cookie into it, while you sit back and R E L A X!

As I love incorportating herbs and spices into my foods for healing purposes,
and simply because it makes everything taste just so much better,
these little munchkins here (see recipe below)
are spiked with delicious cardamom and satisfying cinnamon goodness.

Get baking and enjoy!

Picture credit: SJ Baren

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Yield: 14

Cardamomy Nutty Choc Chip Cookies- vegan, gluten free

Cardamomy Nutty Choc Chip Cookies- vegan, gluten free

Delicious nutty cardamomy choc chip cookies

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 tsp ground cardamom
  • 2 cups glutenfree oat flour
  • 1/2 cup ground hazelnuts
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup dairy free chocolate chips
  • 2 tsbp plant milk of your choice, I used oat milk
  • 3 tsbp plant oil, I used olive oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 180 C degrees.
  2. Combine all the dry ingredients plus spices in a bowl and mix well.
  3. Stir in the wet ingredients and form a dough. It'll probably be quite dry at first, so keep stirring (or kneeding with your hands) until a dough is formed. If the dough is too crumbly, add a little bit extra of the milk, until you have a nice smooth and sticky cookie dough consistency.
  4. Once the dough is nice and sticky, form dough balls. You should get about 12 - 14 cookies out of this mixture, or less if you form bigger cookies.
  5. Cover a baking tray with parchment paper and place the cookies with tray in the oven. Bake for about 20 min.
  6. The cookies will still seem a little soft when you take them out. Let them cool for a least 10 minutes on the tray before you touch them.
  7. Enjoy!

Nutrition Information


Amount Per Serving Trans Fat 0g

Please note that nutrition information is based on averages and can therefor not always be accurate.

© jayjagger
Cuisine: Apple cake