(Paleo) pumpkin seed and cranberry bircher

Posted in: Uncategorized

I’ve been a fan of traditional (oatie) bircher for many years, so initially only developed this lighter, crunchier paleo version for the sake a visiting friend. Given I sometimes find the classic recipe a little heavy and, dare I say it, potentially gloopy, I was keen to experiment. As it turns out, the fresh, tangy apple against nutty, popping seeds is pretty damn fine. And as a bi-product, we have another paleo breakfast.

Paleo pumpkin seed & cranberry bircher

Paleo pumpkin seed & cranberry bircher

INGREDIENTS

1 apple, grated
1 tbsp ground almonds
1 tbsp toasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds
1/2 dsp linseed / flax (much cheaper than chia!)
1 tbsp desiccated coconut
2 tbsp natural bio yoghurt
1 dsp dried cranberries

For Non Paleo / Oatie bircher, add:

2 tbsp porridge oats
1 tbsp yoghurt (additional to above)
2 tbsp cow’s, almond, coconut or rice milk

METHOD

Add ingredients in order listed above to a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Set aside for an hour for the flavours to develop fully. Stir and serve as is. Delicious and nut

Making-bircher

This recipe keeps well in the fridge so I do a bigger batch, setting me up with Breakfasts-to-Go for a busy week.

Avocado with feta and soft boiled egg

Posted in: S, SF, Uncategorized, V, WF

This is one of those dishes you have in mind and are pleasantly surprised to find surpasses even your own vastly optimistic imagination. In fact, so pleased was I with the result, I ate double that of my brunch party. Developed for impatient post workout fitness holiday groupies, a faff-free recipe was imperative. I find swapping for soft boiled eggs over poached so much easier and just as tasty. I’ve written quantities for 1 but this equally feeds 2, depending on your level of avocado gluttony. If doing for larger groups, drop to 1/2 avo per person with a little extra.

Avo,-feta-&-egg

Feeds 1

INGREDIENTS

2 eggs
1 avocado
25g feta
1 tbsp chopped coriander
1 dsp olive oil
Squeeze lime juice, 1/4 – 1/2 a lime
1/2 tsp Kema Kulo or 1/2 chopped chilli – optional

METHOD

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, mashing roughly with a fork – you want to keep chunks of avo and feta as opposed to creating a pulp. Delicious with toasted rye or spelt and topped with a soft boiled egg.

For perfect, fail-safe boiled eggs (see above pic) courtesy of yoga guru Stewart Heffernan:

Set water to boil in a pan. When lightly boiling, add eggs for 5 mins.

Remove and eat immediately. If serving to a group in the middle of the table, crack the top of each egg to stop cooking.

 

Cauliflower & truffle pureé

Posted in: S, SF, Uncategorized, V, WF

It’s almost wrong how faff-free yet tasty this is. I’m not sure there’s an easier tap dancing addition to the Christmas feast; the perfect last minute option for those who err towards party participation over planning. And for the complex carb fascists and paleo people out there, you can still have your mash and eat it.

Cauliflower-&-truffle-puree

Feeds 4 – 6

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cauliflower, steamed.
1/2 cup milk of your choice – cow’s, coconut, soya. Or water from steaming.
3 tbsp olive oil
25g (good) Grana Padano or parmesan
1 dsp / drizzle white truffle oil
Pinch sea or Himalayan pink salt and black pepper

METHOD

Steam cauliflower for 10 mins, or until soft but retaining a bite. Puree all ingredients until super smooth with a blender or Vitamix. Re-heat when you’re ready to eat.

That’s it. Happy Christmas!

Tip: 50/50 turnip and cauliflower’s also delicious.

Maple roasted roots with Stilton & walnuts

Posted in: N, S, SF, Uncategorized, V, WF

Loaded with winter goodness, this is a crowd pleaser for carnivore and vegetarian guests alike. Served at room temperature, it has a particularly special place in my heart for allowing me to prep in advance so I can focus my efforts on the perfect mulled wine. I’ve done a mix of veggies here, but you can equally double up on sweet potatoes and drop all other roots. I’ve opted for an orange dressing with stilton and walnuts for a nod to the festive season, but feel free to sub for your favourites.

Maple-roasted-roots

Feeds 6 as side

INGREDIENTS

3 sweet potatoes
4 medium sized carrots
4 beetroot
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp turmeric (for anti-bacterial gut health)
Pinch sea or Himalayan pink salt
70g stilton or blue cheese
Fistful / 50g walnuts, lightly dry toasted in a pan or oven – a couple of mins
1 tbsp dried cranberries

Dressing

Juice of 1/2 orange
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp maple syrup
Himalayan pink or sea salt and black pepper
1 tsp crushed, dried chillies – optional

METHOD

Pre-heat oven to 200C. Slice carrots and sweet potatoes lengthways into wedges and beetroot into quarters. Line, skin side down onto a baking tray and roast for approx. 35 mins, gently turning the veg a couple of times throughout. You’re aiming for crispy wedges; soft in the centre with slightly charred edges.

Roast-veg-prep

Set aside the veg to cool slightly – you don’t want them to turn to mush by adding the citrus and olive oil too quickly. Mix the dressing ingredients.

In a large bowl gently combine the dressing with the veg (I use my hands). At this stage, you can set aside in the fridge for the flavours to develop.

When ready to eat / prep, transfer veg to a large platter, layering with the cheese, cranberries and nuts. Topping with parsley also adds colour and freshness.

Serve as a main for vegetarians and / or alongside your turkey or meat of choice.

Raw chocolate & Cointreau mousse

Posted in: DF, N, S, SF, Uncategorized

No refined sugar options seem to be the latest health trend consuming the nation, so what to do at Christmas? Super creamy and chocolate rich, this is seriously delicious; your taste buds will feel in no way cheated – I can’t quite stress this enough! Thanks to the lack of nasties and abundance of good stuff (vitamins, minerals, unsat fats etc), it won’t leave you in a food coma or relentlessly scrambling for the Quality Street bucket. It also takes 10 mins to make, tops. Although not obligatory, the addition of Cointreau comes highly recommended.

Raw-chocolate-&-cointreau-mousse

Feeds: 6 – 8

INGREDIENTS

2 avocados
2 tbsp cacao powder
4 tbsp / 100g cashew nuts
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp coconut oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
300ml water
1 tbsp Cointreau or juice and zest of 1/2 orange

METHOD

Blitz all ingredients in a blender or Vitamix until smooth and creamy. Transfer to small glasses or bowls and set aside in the fridge until you’re ready to eat. Beware, it’s pretty rich; chocolate shots are probably the way to go…

Easiest Christmas ever. Ho ho ho.

Coconut & cumin mung bean thoran

Posted in: DF, LF, S, SF, Uncategorized, V, WF

Mung beans can have a bad rep, often associated with flower-powering, free-loving, sixties stoners. This is a little unfair, I feel. When cooked, mung beans are as versatile as a toddlers bowl of penne pasta, with enough bite to woo the most discerning Italian. They’re also insanely good for our digestion. In fact, this thoran (a traditional recipe wouldn’t have garlic) was developed specifically for my lethargic Indian stomach by Keralan (medicinal) chef, Raheem – Delhi belly’s just one Indian holiday affliction apparently. Packed with cleansing and anti-bloat ingredients, this is my go-to skinny stomach smoother. It’s also a supper club and yoga holiday favourite; I’m yet to feed it to anyone who doesn’t go back for seconds, hence blogging it here.

mung-bean-thoran

Feeds 4 – 6

Ingredients

200g mung beans
2 tbsp coconut oil
4 tsp mustard seeds
4 tsp cumin seeds
2 red onions, chopped
4 – 6 cloves garlic, chopped, depending on your taste
100g spinach, chopped
6 tbsp desiccated coconut
½ tsp turmeric
Salt to taste, I like Himalayan pink or sea salt

Method

Soak mung beans overnight. When ready to cook, set to boil until tender yet still with a bite. Add salt when water comes to boil, not before. Set aside.

In heated coconut oil, fry mustard seeds over a medium heat until begin to pop. Follow with cumin, garlic and onion, turn up the heat and sauté until onions turn translucent and start to brown.

Tip in desiccated coconut, followed by mung beans and turmeric. Fold through spinach, cook for a couple of mins and serve. I like this as a light supper or lunch, just as it is, or alongside other salads or my Prawn, coconut & tamarind curry.

Tip: It’s said that turmeric loses it’s medicinal powers (anti-bacterial) when burnt or overcooked, always add at the end of a recipe.

 

Cacao nut energy bites

Posted in: DF, Featured, N, S, SF, Uncategorized, V, WF

Another relentlessly popular snack worthy of a re-post. Packed with nothing but (seriously) good stuff, these were a crowd pleaser at a recent Lululemon event and an energy staple on my Tarifa Yoga Holidays. They’re even a winner at parties, in fact, energy bites are fast becoming the new chocolate brownie of cafes. Nutritionist colleague, Kate’s added her recipe to our Gather & Gather meetings and snack range. So much more productive than a sugar or crisp crash and burn ‘pick me up’. This is my version.

Energy-balls

I’m not a huge fan of overly ‘datey’ flavours so have given options for (wholesomely seductive) maple syrup and added a pinch of sea salt for a healthy take on salted caramels. Think: protein, fibre, antioxidants, no refined sugar, raw, coconut oil, dairy and gluten free etc etc. I’ve used cup measures to save scale faffing; they really are very easy.

Makes 15 balls or 20+ bites

INGREDIENTS

1 cup (6 tbsp) pumpkin & sunflower seeds
1 dsp linseed and / or chia, split 50/50
1.5 tbsp cacao powder
1 tbsp almonds or almond butter
2 tbsp maple syrup or 3/4 cup pitted dates, I find most people prefer maple syrup
2 tbsp dried cranberries – adds a tart sweetness… that’s not datey :)
1.5 tbsp coconut oil
2 tsp maca (for added energy) – optional
Pinch Himalayan or sea salt
1 dsp desiccated coconut for coating – if making into balls

METHOD

Blitz seeds (including linseed / chia) and almonds until they resemble chunky breadcrumbs – around 30 secs. If using almond butter, add this with other ingredients after whizzing seeds. Sorry Vitamix, but I find Magimix infinitely more efficient on drier recipes.

Making-energy-balls

Add remaining ingredients and mix for a couple of mins until you have a sticky dough. Roll into pieces smaller than a golf ball and coat in the desiccated coconut set aside earlier.

Or for ease, you can press into a tray and slice into squares after chilling. Either way, put straight to the fridge to retain the shape.

They keep for a while so I make double quantities and store for pudding or as a snack to tide me through exercise. Indulgence doesn’t get more virtuous.

 

Cranberry & lemon amoretti

Posted in: DF, N, S, SF, V, WF

Thanks to your calls to action post my supper clubs, fitness events and yoga holidays, this superhero stars again. Almost 2 years after I first shared the recipe, it really is a good one. True Wholesome Seduction: a super tasty snack that’s healthy, low carb and protein packed. These mini morsels are even vegan, dairy, gluten and refined sugar free and still somehow taste of un-compromised indulgence. Ideal for pre / post exercise; a (very buff) friend now keeps them at the ready for his relentless triathlon training hunger. Groan! If iron man fitness doesn’t float your boat, they’re perfect with coffee.

Cranberry-&-lemon-amaretti

Makes 10 – 12 amoretti.

INGREDIENTS

200g ground almonds, bought or home made (skin off almonds)
zest of one lemon
20g / 1 tbsp dried cranberries, rough chopped
2 medium egg whites
2 dsp maple syrup, raw honey or agave

METHOD

Pre-heat oven to 150C. Mix almonds, lemon zest, almond extract and cranberries and set aside.

Lemon-zest-amaretti

Whisk together egg whites, agave and honey until you get soft peaks. Fold in almond mix. You should have a sticky dough.

Cranberry-amaretti-dough

Break off chunks and roll into pieces slightly smaller than a golf ball. Coat with icing sugar (optional) and place on greaseproof lined baking tray.

Cranberry-&-lemon-amaretti-dough-balls

Bake for 12 – 14 mins until lightly browned on top. With a knife, unstick the bottom and transfer to a cooling rack.

Cool before eating and store in an airtight container.

Yoga, food, surf & sangria: The Essentials

Posted in: Travel, Uncategorized

GETTING THERE

Getting-there

Airports Gibraltar (40 mins away) and Malaga (1.5 hrs away) run countless daily flights at very reasonable prices, particularly if booking in advance. I find Skyscanner the easiest for flight and car hire options.

You’ll need to cross the boarder to Spanish La Linea (5 min walk – follow the crowds or ask at the info desk) for all transport links and most car hire.

Taxi:

A taxi from Gibraltar takes 40 mins and costs around 50 euro each way. Cross to La Linea and the rank’s on the right as you exit security. Malaga’s 1.5 hrs away so probably prohibitively expensive in a taxi.

Car hire:

Hiring a car often works out cheaper (10-15 euro per day, half that from Malaga) and gives you the freedom to go to the nearby surf beaches. You don’t need a car for the (giant and beautiful) town beach so you’re in no way stranded if you taxi it.

There are ample car hire places in Malaga airport. Only Budget and Avis are actually inside Gibraltar airport. Although all companies quote ‘airport pickup’, they lie. The others are in La Linea, which is fine, provided you know in advance. Cross the border, passing through security and the taxi rank; the offices are lined along the pedestrianised road straight ahead.

Goldcar are pretty cheap and have someone in the office from 10am – 10pm, although don’t quote me, this is Spain. Europecar are more inclined to their siesta. Best to book in advance through Skyscanner. I don’t need to tell you to check the small print, they may be cheap but they still make their money.

See below for directions and maps.

Bus:

Buses are reasonable and fairly frequent, depending on the time of day, although you’ll need to change at Algeciras. Allow at least a couple of hours, all in. You’ll find the bus station in La Linea, as you exit security. For timetables, see the links below:

Buses La Linea (Gibraltar) – Algeciras
http://siu.ctmcg.es/es/horarios_lineas_tabla.php?from=1&linea=4

Buses Algeciras – Tarifa
http://www.click-gibraltar.com/bus-destinations/how-to-get-to-tarifa-from-gibraltar/

DIRECTIONS FROM GIBRALTAR (you pass Gib on the same road if travelling from Malaga):

From La Linea, follow signs for Cadiz all the way until you get to Tarifa. It really is that easy.

  1. Take CA 34. This will lead onto E 15, then N340, or just follow signs to Cadiz.
  2. Continue all the way to Tarifa – 30 mins.
  3. When you come over a hill and see Morocco a sangria spit away, you’re 5 mins from Tarifa – Paradise is at the bottom of the next hill… after Lidl.
  4. Take the first exit in to Tarifa town. It’s on the top of the hill and not particularly well signposted so don’t worry if you miss it; there’s another at the bottom and only two roads into Tarifa so you can’t really get lost.
  5. When you hit Tarifa’s only traffic lights, look for somewhere to park. The link below shows free parking but I’d suggest staying near the lights until you’ve dropped your bags as Riad Lolita’s a 1 min walk inside the roman gate / Puerta de Jerez.
  6. At Puerta de Jerez, the entrance to the old town, you’ll see Bossa bar on the left and Tarifa.com on the right.
  7. Take the right fork onto Calle Jerez, Riad Lolita is number 18 on the left. There’s an antique wooden bench and plant in the entrance hall.
Map links:

Directions, Gib-Tarifa: https://goo.gl/e94037
Tarifa parking: https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=z9ccHFpQBFxk.kQiUGrEONbhs

TIMINGS

Tarifa-Yoga2nd

Check in: 2pm

We can arrange for someone to meet you if you need to drop bags before. We’re aiming for a welcome supper around 8pm, depending on all your ETAs.

Check out: 11am

The owners have allowed us to have brunch which runs past check-out, we just need to make sure all rooms are vacated by 11am so they can start cleaning.

WHAT TO PACK

  • Yoga mats, belt and blocks if you have them. Please let us know if you don’t have a mat so The Dream Team can try and squeeze into their cases.
  • Cosy shavasana clothes and / or jumper – the evenings can get chilly (really).
  • Shower gel, shampoo and sun block – we’re virtually in Africa, the sun’s very HOT.
  • Bikini / boardies and beach towel. Or, like everyone who comes here, you can buy super chic and practical Moroccan beach ‘sarongs’ / towels next to the house for 20 euro.
  • Earplugs. The joys of being in the town centre with noisy Spaniards.

WanderlustSamayama

WHAT YOU SAY ABOUT US

Dear Clare,

I haven’t thanked you enough for the amazing holidays in Tarifa so I would like to thank you once again for organizing this. It was all perfect and was one of the best trips I have ever done, I really enjoyed everything and fell in love with Tarifa- it really is a very special place! Thank you for sharing it with me!

The breakfasts you prepared will remain in my memory forever, thank you for everything. Please let me know if ever you decide to organize any other trips!
Emilie.

Hi Clare

A belated thanks for the yoga holiday – Tarifa was fantastic, the house was beautiful and the food delicious.

Thanks so much for all your efforts in bringing the vision together – hope that you enjoyed it also and fingers crossed see you at the Clapham studio in the future.

All best wishes,
Becki

Shout if I’ve missed anything. We can’t wait to meet / see you all!

Besos [kisses],
Clare, Molly and Stewart.

Eating out: The Good Life Eatery’s Top 5

Posted in: DF, Featured, LF, N, Reviews, S, SF, Uncategorized, V, WF

Lunchtime queues have been unavoidable since this shrine to LA and New York clean eating opened its doors 18 months ago. Brainchild of Yasmine Larizadeh and Shirin Kouros, The Good Life Eatery is a long time coming for the ever growing allergy friendly and fitness obsessed hoi polloi. True Wholesome Seduction, recipes include Red Velvet cake made without gluten or refined sugar that tastes better than ‘the real thing’ (trust me), skinny eggs royale (ditto), protein superfood shakes, detox salads and kale, kale, kale! We like kale.

Skinny-eggs-royale-on-sunflower-seed-rye

I may be a little obsessed with this place and as such, have worked my way through most of the menu. I’m pretty sure any of the Top 5 listed in this post will plead my case: click on the images and re-cap at the end.

Where The Good Life Eatery really gets my vote (apart from for its evidently passionate and ingredient savvy staff) is that while raw and vegan fare are standard, meat and eggs are also on the menu. Love an egg. You’re not out of place (or a pain in the ass) if you order a cappuccino, almond ‘mylk’ flat white or a Ninja Turtle avocado and spirulina shake to kick start your day. Hail non-despotic Good Life.

So-Clean-So-Fresh

Almond-milk-flat-white

While I’m not vegan, vegetarian or following a 100% raw diet, I eat a lot of plant based recipes,. I love the passion and relentless creativity inherent to this world. The traditional rulebook of “gourmet cooking” is thrown out; gluten, dairy and (refined) sugar-free are a given and honestly taste better than the real thing. In my opinion. And my dog’s apparently.

The-Good-Life-Eatery

Maybe I’m biased because I feel better when I avoid certain ingredients – sugar is an insatiable drug that instantly sucks me back in. Green juices, and Kale Lime Pie, (Oh yes!) not only satisfy my sweet tooth, they give me energy, make me happier and don’t pile on extra pounds to haul through chataranga. If you’re cutting out certain ingredients, want more energy, or just love food, give my Good Life Eatery Top 5 a go and see for yourself:

The Good Life Eatery Top 5

  1. Skinny eggs royale. The star of the show and the drool shot that pulled you in. As good as it looks.
  2. So Clean, So Fresh. Basically The Good Life bowl for brunch (remember those eggs?). And the most versatile salad staple. For a similar recipe try my Meanest, greenest (& meatiest) superfood salad.
  3. Ninja Turtle shake. Will turn you into a ninja. Obvs. 
  4. Dr Green Love or Drink Your Salad green juices. I can’t pick just one. 
  5. Raw cacao mousse. You’ll be amazed by how good this tastes, and it’s actually super healthy. Think: antioxidants, iron, calcium, potassium, zinc, fibre etc. For a DIY version so easy a toddler could nail it, try my Raw Chocolate Orange Mousse.

There are also a multitude of other creamy protein shakes and tangy energy juices, along with excellent coffee. Every cake I’ve tried has been delicious: The raw cacao brownie bites are happily, without a whiff of date, and the banana muffin is suitably sweet and gooey yet feels like an acceptable breakfast.

Did I mention I was a little obsessed? Said love has seeped into my eating habits and I’m starting to feel so much better as a result. I have more energy, feel lighter and need less sleep – I normally live by the minimum 8 hrs a night dogma. Over the coming weeks I’ll blog my go-to recipes here.

The Good Life Eatery, 53 Sloane Ave, SW3 3DH.

Mon – Fri: 7.30am – 8pm. Sat: 8am – 7pm. Sun: 9am – 6pm.