#5 In My Basket

Eggplants, zucchini, basil, parsley, organic free-range eggs, dark free-trade chocolate, fromage blanc, goat’s cheese, garlic.

Aubergines, courgettes, basilic, persil, oeufs bio de appellation « libre parcours », chocolat Free Trade, fromage blanc, fromage de chèvre, l’ail.

This chocolate is really worth it. I got it at Franprix.

Ce chocolat vaut vraiment le coup, il est très très doux. Je l’ai acheté à Franprix.

Coconut, lime, ginger cocktail.

Coconut, lime, ginger.

Ayurvedic Spiced Rice Pudding for Breakfast

Spices are a great way to perk up some of the more traditional desserts. This soothing creamy rice pudding is made extra special with the simple addition of ginger. Being mostly vata, I need a soft and easy to digest breakfast because if I go without breakfast I get hangry (hungry + angry = hangry) which is typically vata! Plus it keeps me going until lunch. I served this with a few fresh blueberries for added vitamins and sweetness and chia seeds because I love them!

Ingredients

150g/7oz rice (I used half basmati rice and half pudding rice)

500ml/17fl oz milk

500ml/17fl oz water

4 tbsp unrefined sugar, or jaggery

3 small lumps stem ginger

1 heaped tbsp lemon zest

5 pods of cardamom, powered cinnamon and whatever other spices take your fancy

Put the rice into a heavy-based saucepan, pour in the water and milk and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down so that the rice simmers gently and leave for 15 minutes, partially covered with a lid. Add the spices. When the 15 minutes have elapsed and the rice is soft and sticky, tip in the ginger and zest, along with the sugar. Turn off the heat and put the lid on allowing the spice to infuse gently for five minutes.

To find out what dosha you are you can take a free online quiz on the Dosha Guru.

In other news, I am doing a big sale on clothes I’ve never worn: here are the first items.

Sweet Potato Risotto

Our Spring here in Paris has been around 12 degrees and rainy for the past month, meaning I’ve been making myself dinners that are not too heavy but nourish me nonetheless as this Winter to Spring transition is not easy! For those of you that follow Ayurveda, my vata dosha has been run down. But since really sticking to a very vata-friendly diet, I’ve been feeling a bit better. Thank goodness for my trip to Istanbul tonight for 5 days of 30 degree weather.

If you want to read more about doshas and your body type, you can do a free online quiz here on the Dosha Guru website and every week you’ll receive a little update with tips for your body type. I find them very useful!

This recipe was light and nourishing. Sweet potato is great for vata dosha and as all the ingredients are well cooked not difficult to digest. Remember to not eat too late at night because it creates a build-up of toxins in the body and digestive track.

Enjoy!

You’ll need, for 2 people:

1 sweet potato
1 1/2 cups of risotto rice
1 zucchini
a spoon full of crème fraîche
coconut oil
half a cup of chia seeds.

Heat the coconut oil in a heavy bottomed saucepan. I used an assortment of spices to add flavour: ginger, asafetida, turmeric and some rock salt. Add the sweet potato, peeled and cut into small pieces and let simmer down. Add the zucchini, cut in thin slices and then add the rice. Stir until the rice has been covered fully and mixed in then start adding cups of water, each time waiting until the water has been absorbed. You can also use stock in the place of water. As I had added spices it was flavoursome enough but if you prefer you can add stock. Keep repeating this unti the risotto is done. Add the chia seeds at the end and let them sit for around 5 minutes before serving so that they are soft.

I served with a little side of water cress and Indian lime pickle. Add a sprinkle of coriander as it gets rid of heavy metals in the body.

A healthy mashed potato

It’s been the coldest Spring in France for 30 years. I got out my big saucepan and made soups again last weekend. I whipped up this delicious healthy version of your regular mashed potato and ohmygoodness it was good.

Here is how you do it: (for one person)

4 small potatoes
half a cup of quinoa
one grated zucchini

boil the potatoes until soft. Peel them and set aside.
Rince the quinoa and boil it until cooked. Drain.
Grate the zucchini and simmer in coconut oil, ghee, mustard seeds, half a teaspoon of turmeric, sea salt, pepper and some fresh ginger. Add the quinoa and potatoes and toss together until the spices are evenly mixed. Then purée with a hand-mixer.

I served mine and decorated with fresh water cress, sesame seeds, paprika and a splash of extra virgin olive oil.

Side note: Yes, I know, I have a Simpsons bowl. I only have one- promise, and it’s not actually mine 🙂

Almond milk energy drink

I made this for breakfast yesterday and have been dreaming of it ever since. The almond makes it thick and the date sweet and the cardamom warming.

Almond milk contains more nutrients than other dairy milk alternatives like rice milk. The health benefits provided by this option even match dairy choices. Almond milk works as a great alternative for those with soy and lactose allergies. It is high in protein, Vitamin E, magnesium, potassium, selenium, manganese, and iron. While many dairy farmers have made strides to ensure that their cows are rBGH-free, the practice of injecting dairy cows with growth hormones and antibiotics has not been completely eradicated. If you make your own almond milk from organic almonds you are sure to be avoiding this!

Fresh dates, despite being very sweet, are actually healthy. Everything in measure, I say! Dates contain B-complex vitamins and vitamin C. Dates also contain a good amount of minerals, including potassium, copper, sulfur, iron and magnesium. Dates are a particularly good source of calcium, which helps promote strong teeth and bones. Another health benefit of dates is that they are low fat. In 100 g of dates, only a fraction of a gram is saturated fats. Saturated fats can raise serum cholesterol and lead to blood vessel and heart disease, so eating foods low in these types of fats is part of a healthy diet.

Fennel, known as jeera in India, is recommended to be used in cooking daily. Its actions are: carminative, antispasmodic, stomachic, stimulant, and diuretic. It has proven useful in conditions of: indigestion, abdominal pain, including cramps and gas, diminished ama (which refers to the build-up of toxins in Ayurveda).

You can click here to read about the benefits of cardamom.

Basically, this almond drink is one big vitamin burst and you’ll love it in the morning. Be sure to have a glass of warm water half enough before to get your digestion going.

Here is how you do it:

Soak 12 almonds overnight and peel them in the morning.
In a separate bowl, soak 2 fresh dates, a teaspoon of fennel seeds and around 6 cardamom pods. Pit the dates and get the seeds out of the cardamom pods and discard the pods and blend it all up until everything is completely smooth and even the cardamom seeds have been blended. If you like vanilla you can add some vanilla too.

This is so delicious you won’t look back!

Enjoy xoxoxox

Basil Hummus

I must say, this idea, which came out of nowhere, was genius. The apartment smelt of sweet fresh basil and it was just what I needed for a weekday dinner. The good news is, it’s easy!

Soak a cup of chickpeas overnight before boiling them as it makes them quicker to cook. Boil until they are very soft and add 4 tablespoons of tahini, as much olive oil as you need until it’s soft, a bunch of basil, sesame seeds, a clove of garlic, a spoon of yoghurt, sea salt, pepper and mix it, baby!

Served on some sourdough bread- nothing better!

Aztec Hot Chocolate

A home-made hot chocolate is gooooood, but an Aztec hot chocolate is much better! One of my all time favorite drinks for the colder season is hot chocolate. We love classic hot chocolate but here’s a fun way to spice it up!

For one cup of joy, here is what you need:
– 1 cup of fresh organic milk
– 1/2 a cup of water
– 1 teaspoon of an Indian masala spice mix
– as much cocoa as pleases you
– a sprinkle of cayenne pepper
– rock sugar or unrefined sugar

Put everything in a saucepan. Bring to the boil and let simmer for a minute or two then serve. This one will surely warm the cockles of your heart.

#3 In My Basket

With Spring arriving, but it still being quite chilly, the wintery fruits like pears, apples and rhubarb are still around.

I went to market on Sunday, which is still my favourite activity of the weekend (obviously), and got Swiss chard, rhubarb, pears, fresh basil, sourdough bread and fresh milk.

Tonight I’m going to make Swiss chard grattin. Last night I made basil hommus which was wonderful Sunday soul food – I’ll post the recipe this week.

Weekend Bliss

Spring arrived this weekend- at long long last. I pulled out my lace tops and sunnies to celebrate and got some flowers to decorate the apartment.

While Spring is here, it’s still important to keep looking after our immune systems as our bodies are adjusting to the change. This is why I had lots of spicy chai tea and an immunity smoothie. For this smoothie you’ll need:

Frozen berries, organic
a cup of fresh green tea
super greens
matcha
a chunk of fresh ginger
turmeric
a spoon of raw honey
a few spoons of yoghurt

Turmeric needs either honey or some kind of “fat”, like yoghurt, for it’s properties to be activated. It’s a fantastic blood cleanser and is an anti-inflammatory. It’s good for everything really!

I’m Australian- vegemite on toast goes without saying.