The "Baby it's cold outside" soup

The other day it was pretty chilly and miserable outside and all I could think about as I was shivering on the train platform, was how much I wanted to curl up on the couch with a hot, heart-warming and delicious bowl of soup while watching one of my favourite movies..

As soon as I got home I turned on the fairy-lights in the living room and headed straight to the adjacent kitchen to get cooking.. My evening Jazz playlist on and I was ready to get started.

This recipe, as most of the ones you'll find on this blog, is very easy and quick to prepare. If it's already 7.30pm and I had a double shift...I don't really want to wait over 40 minutes to eat...

And this is how long this soup takes, 40 minutes. It gave me time to have a shower, get in my comfy clothes and choose which movie I wanted to watch: Crazy Stupid Love. Go on, judge me..

In your warm bowl of goodness you'll find a protein source from the legumes and immune boosting action of garlic, onion, ginger and turmeric (the last two are also anti-inflammatory ingredients. Boom.)

Anyway, let's get to it!

INGREDIENTS

1 CAN OF COOKED CHICKPEAS (you could easily have the dried ones and soak them the night before if you planned this in advance. Soaking legumes will make them easier to digest).

1 CUP OF DRY LENTILS ( I love Puy lentils but I only had regular green ones so I used those, however if you can choose...Go Puy all the way. And you should soak these too if you can but this soup was not planned...)

1 CHOPPED RED ONION (you can also use white ones)

1 CHOPPED GARLIC CLOVE

1 THUMB SIZED PIECE OF PEELED AND CHOPPED GINGER ROOT

1 HANDFUL OF CHERRY TOMATOES CUT IN HALF

1 TBSP OF BOUILLON POWDER

1/2 LARGE BAG OF SPINACH

1 TBSP EXTRAVERGIN OLIVE OIL (plus a swirl to add raw as a topping)

1/4 TURMERIC POWDER

1/4 GROUND CUMIN POWDER

SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE (use Himalayan or sea salt as regular processed table salt won't get you any useful minerals...)

NOW GO AND DO IT...

Turn the heat on to medium and start boiling some water in a kettle on the side. In a pan add the oil, onion, garlic and ginger till soft. Add turmeric, cumin, salt and pepper and mix everything up. Cook for a further minute before adding dry lentils, tomatoes, bouillon and hot water. Bring to the boil and then down to a simmer for about 30/40 minutes (check the cooking time behind the pack of your lentils). Then add your chickpeas and cook for 5 more minutes before adding the spinach and cooking for a further minute. Done.

Pour in your favourite bowl, add a swirl of olive oil and go curl up on your couch. Keep warm and enjoy.

Love,

xxx

Foodolina

Cacao Strawberry Pancakes

I whipped up these pancakes last week as I needed a filling breakfast that felt naughty but was actually good for me...

They are made with half buckwheat and half brown rice flour which means 1) protein 2) fibre and 3) gluten free goodness..

And because I wanted them to be truly scrumptious... I added cacao and fresh strawberries. Boom! Winning combination!

It doesn't take longer than 5 minutes and these are a great option as a pre workout breakfast, say an hour before or a post workout brunch ( ideally you'd want to eat within half hour of training to help muscle recovery).

So what do you need and how do you make these yummy pancakes?

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup buckwheat flour

1/2 cup brown rice flour

2 tsp baking powder (or use 3 tsp arrow root instead)

1 tbsp ground linseeds ( anti inflammatory plant omega 3 action)

2 tsp cinnamon ( helps balance blood sugar)

2 tbsp raw cacao (antioxidant action and energy fuel)

1tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp honey (or raw honey)

1 egg

1 cup almond or any other unsweetened dairy free milk

1/2 cup sliced strawberries

coconut oil ( I use a cold pressed one from Lucy Bee) for frying in the pan

Toppings

Smooth Almond butter (no added sugar)

a few more sliced strawberries

HOW TO DO IT....

It's very complicated...Pop all the ingredients in a bowl and mix till get a smooth batter, about 30 seconds. I know, are you sweating yet?

Heat up a tablespoon of coconut oil in the pan, then use a ladle and pour a little bit of your mix in, don't fill the ladle to the top, do half otherwise you won't be able to fit many pancakes in at the one time..

When they start to bubble on the top, flip them over and leave for another minute. Place them in your favourite plate, add some more coconut oil if you haven't got much left in the pan and pour more batter till all your mix is gone.

I made these pancakes today as well, and 6 came out  but that's because I made three in the shape of Mickey Mouse head...Yes, 36 years old and that's what makes me happy...

So if you make regular medium sized round pancakes you'll probably get 8 or 10 out of this.
Stack them up and sprinkle with more strawberry slices and swirl around some almond butter too for extra flavour, texture and protein.

I can honestly say they taste delicious and the protein content keeps your tummy fuller for longer!

So there you go, enjoy this guilt-free treat. From me, to you.x

Five questions with...Joe Kaye from Caffix.

About a month ago as I was strolling around the Goodge street area on my lunch break, I found myself in Newman Street, in front of a cute coffee shop called Caffix, and a sign that said :

EVERY ITEM £1.

What?!?! How was that possible? Surely it would be full of cheap precessed unhealthy food..
The same stuff I would probably find in Poundland..

Boy was I wrong.

As I walked in and looked on the refrigerator shelves, I could not believe I was looking at quinoa and kale salad pots, chickpea salads, bean salads, lovely sandwiches filled with chicken, ham...

And even  protein pots of boiled eggs, just like pret a manger...but everything was £1.

And should the weather turn cold..They also offer two different soups choices.

They even had fresh juices, water bottles and for the naughty ones..fizzy drinks like Cocoa Cola cans.

I was intrigued and kept looking around when I saw delicious muffins (some are even gluten and dairy free) and snacks like nuts and trail mix.

All this is in addition to coffees, hot chocolate and teas!


I needed to know how this was possible and found the man behind it all: Joe Kaye.

Here's what Joe told me about his little gem in the heart of London:

1. When did you open and how has the public's response been so far?
We opened at the end of May so about 6 weeks ago now. The public's reaction has been amazing. We have had so much interest from the local workers in the area as well as from people far away in the rest of London and the UK. We have even had people from the USA, Hungary and other parts of Europe come visit us while they have been in London as they read the reviews and saw the publicity in the papers.

2. Is all the food freshly made in your kitchen, juices included? 
We freshly make each day the majority of the food including baking some of the cakes including the flourless muffins and banana bread. A few items such as the hummus and falafel we have made for us by a specialist dedicated supplier. Yes all the juices are made in store.

3. How did you get the idea?
Prices for food in London and the UK are high, we have been wanting to expand our existing coffee shop in Finchley Central (Bites Coffee House) and thought we will try a different approach, giving people real value and choice. That is the essence of the Caffix concept, low price for good fresh quality food, and the ability to construct your own meal as you wish to taste it.

4. Where do you source your ingredients?
We try as much as possible to source locally so for example we use UK breed chicken, ham and beef. We use free range eggs in our egg pots and fresh market salad ingredients.
Our suppliers are highly reputable and industry leaders.

5. What is the most popular item? 
Our Apple lemon and ginger juice, jalapeño hummus and falafel pots, kale & quinoa pots, and in this hot weather our iced coffee frappe a are the most popular items.

6. Does the menu change? Is it seasonal?
We change the menu slightly every week, and are always looking at new items we can add. So we are currently developing a range of wraps, and fruit pots.



So, ladies and gentlemen, if you find yourself in the area do yourself a favour and check out Caffix, all products are single sized portions so if you wish you can pick and mix sort of like tapas.

Living in London is expensive enough and I believe a coffee shop with such affordable home-made food is nothing short than a breath of fresh air.


Love,

Foodolina



Caffix
45 Newman Street
W1T 1QE London
Open: Mon-Fri 7.30am-5.30pm

Laura's Coconut Crème Caramel

I am FINALLY on summer break from Uni!!!Whoop! This means I can now dedicate more time to Foodolina as I have neglected this blog too much due to  being overwhelmed with assignments at school...

So, the first post of summer season is this ridiculously good recipe by my fabulous friend Laura.
She's a my classmate, a strong, gorgeous, smart woman and incredibly talented cook.

A couple of weeks ago, some of us girls from class, went to Laura's house to revise for our exams.

(This is Truffle. Laura's dog, nothing to do with recipe itself but too cute not to include in the post..)❤️

After our morning session, our host showed us inside for lunch, she had prepared the most amazing dairy free dishes and added a gluten free twist to some of them so I could try them too :)

Everything was so tasty and light and nutritious and so colourful!I was in foodie heaven..

After I had a second serving of almost everything (I'm tiny but you have NO IDEA of how much I can eat..) Laura served us dessert. WOW.

A dairy free coconut crème caramel that left us all speechless (we were too busy eating it..) and oh so happy!

When I posted a picture of this delicious treat on Facebook I got a few recipe requests and Laura has kindly shared her recipe with me so here I am passing it on to you.

Because life is too short not to have dessert.

Enjoy!


COCONUT CRÈME CARAMEL

INGREDIENTS

1 x 400ml can coconut milk

5 egg yolks

Agave syrup to sweeten the mixture to taste

Juice of half a lime + grated rind

FOR THE CARAMEL

3 tbsp coconut sugar
1tbsp water


Put coconut sugar in a pot heat with 1 tbsp of water. Shake pot to mix sugar with water, do not stir.
When it begins to look like caramel turn off the heat. It should only take a few minutes.
Spoon into individual ramekins or teacups and set aside.


Now whisk egg yolks and add agave syrup, lime juice and rind and finally coconut milk.
You can add a little water to increase the liquid if need be.

Add hot water to a roasting dish.
Fill the ramekins with coconut filling but do so delicately without upsetting the caramel in the base.
place the ramekins in the roasting dish, cover with foil and cook in the oven at 170c for 20 minutes until the top is springy to the touch.

Best chilled overnight.x

BANANA CASHEW MILKSHAKE

This is going to be a very quick post not only because I have an assignment to finish but mainly because this milkshake is ready in 2 minutes for you drink up!

I needed a quick snack that was sweet but also had a protein kick plus some cinnamon to get my blood sugar balanced for longer so that I wouldn't get cravings till dinner.

It was absolutely delicious.

INGREDIENTS

1 Frozen Banana (i slice ripe ones and pop them in individual freezing bag so they are always ready)
1 handful raw cashews
1 tbsp protein powder (I use brown rice protein by Pulsin)
1 tsp coconut oil (I use Lucy Bee)
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp bee pollen (help immunity and circulation)
1 tbsp ground linseeds (plant source of Omega 3 fats. anti inflammatory, immunity boosting and much more)
1cup Brown Rice Milk (I use Rude Health)

Pop everything in the blender, whizz it up till smooth and drink immediately if not sooner! Yey!x

PS: I just want to remind you that I'm writing the brands I am using not because I get paid to do it but because they work for me and my taste. There are many other brands out there but if you are starting out using these foods, it might help to at least have an idea of what I go for. When I started reading food blogs I was curious to know which brands worked for the bloggers so at least I would have known in which direction to go when I went to the supermarket to look for types of foods I had never heard of before...xxx

Banana, Cinnamon, Walnut Porridge

Spring is definitely on its way but we've still had some pretty chilly days here in London.
On those windy mornings I like to have a warm comforting breakfast that feels just like a giant hug..
And that's exactly what this simple, quick delicious porridge is like. It takes 5 minutes, it's nutritious and the smell of cinnamon always makes me feel instantly happier. It's the perfect way to start my day.

Oats (I use gluten free ones) are complex carbohydrates that will prevent your blood sugar levels from spiking and then quickly dropping, leading to cravings for sugary snacks.  They are also a source of soluble fibre which will help keep you full for longer and that can also be beneficial if you are interested in losing some weight.

I use Brown Rice milk as I am currently off dairy but you can use regular milk (preferably organic) or almond milk or any other type you might prefer.

Banana is a good source of potassium and it helps sweeten this meal, cinnamon is not only delicious but it's an extra help in balancing blood sugar and it's also anti-bacterial and helps with digestion too.

Walnuts add an extra crunchy texture and are a good source of zinc (helpful in boosting the immune system) and a vegetarian source of Omega 3 essential fatty acids (they help the cells in your body to work more efficiently and they also make your skin look more radiant) which our body does not produce and need to take in from food.

Lately I started adding nut butter (yummy protein anyone?), more specifically, my latest obsession: Biona's Hazelnut Butter which reminds me so much of Nutella (and if you add some cacao powder to it that's exactly what you'll get, only a much healthier version)...

I also add some coconut oil (a saturated fat with a structure called medium chain fatty acids, this type of molecular structure is used instantly for energy rather then be stored as fat in the body) to give me an extra energy boost and help digestion. I love Lucy Bee Organic Coconut Oil and I generally buy a big jar and use half of it in the kitchen for cooking and half is in my bathroom as body lotion as it makes my skin incredibly smooth.

Lastly, I love to add some bee pollen (my favourite one is the Gfm Organic one) to strengthen my immune system and some maca powder (I love the Organic Burst Maca Powder) to improve my stress levels as it works on the adrenal glands (where your stress hormones are made).

Now, remember you DO NOT have to add all these quirky little ingredients if you don't want to but I am a massive foodie mixed with a nutritional therapy student and as I do not drink or smoke, I love to spend my extra cash on these type of foods to give my body lots of love..

Now, after all these information overload...Let's get down to it!

INGREDIENTS
1 cup Brown Rice Milk ( I love the Rude Health one)
1/2 cup oats
1 small banana (sliced)
1tbsp coconut oil
1tsp cinnamon
1tbsp hazelnut butter
1 handful chopped walnuts

OPTIONAL
1tsp maca powder
2tsp bee pollen

Warm up your milk and add your oats, stir and take to a light simmer then add cinnamon, coconut oil and nut butter, mix all together until smooth and creamy.Turn the heat off, pour in your favourite bowl and add your chopped walnuts, maca and bee pollen. Curl on the couch and enjoy..

Love,

Foodolina.x

Speedy Quinoa with roasted cod, fresh tomatoes and capers

When I work long hours and I come home around 8pm, the last thing I want is spending ages cooking dinner so I always try and find the quickest way to prepare a meal that will be both delicious and nutritious.. This recipe was a happy discovery one night when I didn't have much left in the house except for some leftover cooked quinoa (I like to cook a batch of it on Sundays and just add different ingredients during the week for a "take away" lunch), two medium tomatoes, garlic and some capers. Plus, I remembered I had one piece of frozen cod left in the freezer (ideally you want to defreeze it beforehand but I was desperate). 

Here's how I did it: with my coat still on I turned the oven on at 180C . Placed the cod in the tray with a squeeze of lemon, some olive oil, paprika and herbs (but you can use anything you've got, only herbs, only paprika, only lemon...), and put it in the oven with my timer on for 20 minutes.

Quickly undressed and put PJ's on (yes, I know, I'm a sexy beast...) then, with 10 min left on the timer I washed and sliced the tomatoes and popped them with a couple of chopped garlic cloves and a little oil in a pan. Medium heat and just stir them once, add some salt, pepper and about two minutes before the end, add your capers.

Now, cod was ready, fresh tomatoes cooked, all you need to do is assemble! I added the quinoa and cod directly to the pan with the tomatoes and mixed everything on low heat for 1 minute, maybe less because I was really hungry.... DONE.

It was a comforting meal, full of flavour and packed not only with proteins from both quinoa and cod, but also the phytochemical lycopene from the tomatoes (great for cardiovascular health and also skin). Finally, and you have read this before on my blog as I use it a lot, Garlic! Natural antibiotic, contains sulphur and is therefore really helpful for your liver!

All of this goodness in 20 minutes. That's right.

Now you go and do it.x