Here are the ingredients:

1 package of firm tofu

50 -100 g natural sweetener of your choice

2 cm vanilla pod, scraped seeds or 2 tsp vanilla extract, optional

3 tbsp flour. Use buckwheat for the gluten-free version but otherwise, I like to use spelt, oat or wholewheat flour.

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1tsp grated lemon zest

Organic ingredients are always recommended.

Method:

Blend all cake ingredients until smooth in Vita-Mix, blender or food processor. Then pour into greased (I use coconut oil) cake form and bake in a preheated oven 180C for about 20-30 mins or until set. When baked, cool and refrigerate. You can serve it plain or with the following topping.

Topping:

200 g fresh fruit (I used raspberries), washed and green parts removed

1 tbsp agar flakes (sea vegetable gelling agent)

2 tbsp water

2 tbsp maple syrup or any natural sweetener.

Blend all topping ingredients until smooth in Vita-Mix, blender or food processor. Pour into a saucepan and cook until the mixture has thickened (about 5-10 mins). Taste for sweetness and add more maple syrup if needed. Pour the mixture over the cake and return it to the fridge to cool and let the topping set firmly before serving.

Enjoy and let me know how did it go! 

The post Berry Tofu Cheese Cake (vegan and gluten-free) appeared first on Lenka Pagan.

Just check out these 3 easy healthy plant-based Christmas cookies! They are gluten-free (the first two recipes) and delicious.

Which ones are you going to make?

1. CHRISTMAS COOKIES (gluten-free)

These cookies are very nutritious and filling due to the rich consistency of the dates and tahini.

What is tahini? Tahini is a Middle Eastern paste or spread made from ground sesame seeds (either raw or toasted) and is high in calcium. If you go for raw tahini and raw cocoa or carob powder, you will get a very nutritious, super healthy, raw cookie.

Ingredients:

1/2 jar of tahini (about 130g)

2 cups dates, pitted

2-3 tbsp cacao or carob powder

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

¼ tsp cardamom powder

Pinch of sea salt

Optional: raisins

Organic ingredients are preferable

Preparation:

1. Process all the ingredients in a food processor.
2. Spoon the batter into 1-inch balls and either leave as is or roll balls in extra shredded coconut or chopped nuts, if desired.

Store in a container in the freezer or fridge. They can be eaten frozen. Enjoy!:)

2. ALMOND COOKIES (gluten-free)

Ingredients:

2 cups almonds

½ cup maple syrup or raw unfiltered honey

Dried coconut

Organic ingredients are preferable

Preparation:

1. Grind almonds in a food processor.

2. In a bowl mix the ground almonds and maple syrup or honey into a sticky dough. Make balls or log shapes and roll them in coconut.

Store in the fridge to chill before serving. Enjoy!

3. OAT COCOA COOKIES

These cookies are yummy.  Lots of people who tried them ask for a recipe.:-)

Ingredients:

230g wholegrain flour (I use organic spelt flour from Doves Farm)

1/2 tsp baking powder (I use one from Doves Farm)

30g cocoa powder

150g natural sweetener (I use coconut sugar or Xylitol)

100g vegan margarine or coconut oil, melted (I use coconut oil from Vita Coco)

100g porridge oats (I use organic rolled wholegrain jumbo oats from Waitrose)

Optional: 2 tbsp coffee alternative (I use organic from Whole Earth)

Organic ingredients are preferable

Preparation: 

1. Preheat the oven to 160 C – 180 C, depending on your oven. Line a large baking sheet with baking paper (I use the brown one).
2. Put together the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder in a large mixing bowl. Add the sweetener of your choice and combine thoroughly.
3. If using coffee alternative, dissolve it in melted margarine or coconut oil and then stir into the bowl.
4.  Add the oats and mix well to form a soft dough. If needed, add a bit of water in order to get the desired consistency.
5. Form the mixture into small balls, place on the prepared baking sheet and flatten slightly. Leave spaces between the cookies as they will expand during baking.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes or until crisp. Transfer to a wire rack to cool and leave to cool completely. Store them in an airtight jar for up to 5 days. Enjoy!:-)

Have a wonderful Christmas!

The post 3 Plant-Based Christmas Cookie Recipes appeared first on Lenka Pagan.

But in recent years I have prepared it in various ways and with my son we really enjoy it. I hope this article will inspire you enough to give this sturdy brassica a try.

Check out how nutritious cauliflower really is:

Cauliflower is considered a superfood because of its nutrient-rich content. Cauliflower is naturally high in fibre and vitamins C, B and K and minerals such as magnesium, potassium, manganese, phosphorus and other important nutrients.

Cauliflower has a group of substances known as glucosinolates. As you chew and digest it, these substances are broken down into compounds that may help prevent cancer, they help protect cells from damage and have anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antibacterial effects.

• Helps Reduce Cancer Risk
• Fights Inflammation
• Provides High Levels of Vitamins and Minerals (Especially Vitamin C and Vitamin K)
• Aids in Weight Loss
• Preserves Eye Health
• Helps Balance Hormones
• Improves Digestion and Detoxification
• Decreases Risk for Heart Disease and Brain Disorders

Caution: High-fibre foods like cauliflower may cause bloating and gas, especially for people with conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Crohn’s disease, or ulcerative colitis.

How to store cauliflower:

Store your cauliflower in the fridge with the leaves on until cooking. As for all foods, it is best to eat it within a couple of days after purchase, although it will be fine for up to a week.

How to prepare it:

If the leaves are fresh, especially those near the core are sweet, cook them as well. The outer leaves may need to be discarded. The stalk can be used in most dishes – cut into slices and cook with the rest of the florets.

Cauliflower is versatile and can be prepared in several ways:

Raw – It is delicious on its own, in salads or as a cauliflower couscous.

Cauliflower Couscous (raw or roasted)

Pulsing the curds in a processor until you have what resembles couscous (don’t over-process it or you will end up with a paste). You can also grate it instead for a chunkier texture. You can leave it raw or roast it lightly by thinly spreading it out on a baking tray in a hot oven for about 10 mins, until lightly toasted. You can add some spices like cumin, coriander, garam masala, chilli, ginger and garlic.

This goes well with curries but avoid lots of liquid so it will not become a soggy cauliflower. This dish makes a trendy alternative to pasta, rice or couscous. It is especially good for low-carb diets.

Steam it – The simplest way is to steam it, about 3-6 mins depending on the size of florets. You can steam the whole head or cut it into florets. Steam the whole cauliflower, about 10 mins, and then grate it into a rice-like texture.

Boil it – You can also boil it, but do not overcook it, it should have a nice bite. I personally don’t boil my vegetables; except in soups of course, as I prefer steaming instead.

Roast it – Cut the head of cauliflower into steaks or florets, spread them on a cooking sheet, drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Roast for 10 mins in the oven or until just starting to brown at the edges.

Puree it – Once cauliflower has been steamed, it can be pureed until it’s smooth. Some people use it as a substitute for cream sauces.

Mash it – Boost the nutrition value of mashed potatoes by steaming some cauliflower and mashing it into them. Or skip the potatoes and opt for low-carb mashed cauliflower instead. Just add some plant-based milk, season well and serve. You also can mash cauliflower into pizza dough for a lighter crust.

Cauliflower works well with spices such as cumin, turmeric and coriander. Also, with mustard, vinegar, citrus, chillies, olives, nuts especially hazelnuts and pine nuts.

Below are 3 recipes from my book called Plant-Based Recipes for Healthy Living available here https://lenkapagan.com/plant-based-recipes-healthy-living/:

Potato Cauliflower Dish 

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp vegetable oil (I use coconut oil)

1 onion, peeled and diced

2 garlic cloves, chopped

5cm piece of fresh ginger, grated

1⁄2 tsp ground turmeric

1⁄2 tsp ground cumin

1⁄2 tsp ground coriander

1⁄2 tsp curry powder

1⁄2 cauliflower, cut into small florets

1 tomato, diced

1⁄2 lemon, juice

4-6 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 handful of fresh coriander leaves

1 handful of frozen peas

Sea salt

Naan bread or brown rice to serve

PREPARATION:

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add onion and fry for a few minutes.
2. Add all spices and keep stirring for a few minutes.
3. Then add cauliflower, tomato, a splash of water and lemon juice. Cover and cook on a low heat until the cauliflower is tender (about 10 minutes). Keep checking and stirring occasionally so it will not burn. Add a bit of water if needed.
4.  In a separate pot boil or steam potatoes until just tender. Drain and set aside.
5. When the cauliflower is almost tender, add peas, the potatoes, sea salt and cook for a couple of minutes.
6. Serve with brown rice or naan bread and sprinkle with fresh coriander leaves.

Roasted Cauliflower with Lemon & Cumin

INGREDIENTS:

1 cauliflower, small pieces

1 lemon, juice

2 tbsp oil (I used coconut oil)

2 tsp cumin seeds

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 handful of roughly chopped coriander or parsley leaves

Sea salt and cayenne pepper for seasoning

Optional: 1-2 parsnips

PREPARATION:

1. Heat the oven to 180 ̊C. Season the cauliflower with sea salt and spread it out with coconut oil (melted or solid) in an oven dish/roasting pan. Let it roast for about 12 minutes until lightly golden.
2. Now turn the oven off, stir in the cumin seeds and lemon juice, close the oven and leave it in for further 3-5 minutes until tender.
3. Remove the oven dish from the oven and serve with cooked buckwheat (pictured), rice or potatoes and sprinkle with chopped coriander, parsley or spinach leaves.

Brown Rice with Cauliflower & Carrots

INGREDIENTS

1 cauliflower

1 carrot

1-2 tbsp coconut oil

3 tbsp wholegrain oats

Brown rice

A few tablespoons of water or rice/oat milk

Sea salt

Turmeric

Nutmeg

Fresh parsley

PREPARATION

1. Cook brown rice according to the instructions on the package.
2. Wash cauliflower and cut into florets. Put them on melted coconut oil into a frying pan and stir fry for a few minutes.
3. Add a few tablespoons of water or milk of your choice, grated carrot, oats, sea salt, turmeric and ground nutmeg.
4. Stir frequently so it will not burn and until the cauliflower is tender (about 5-10 minutes).

Serve with brown rice and sprinkle with fresh parsley.

Enjoy!

Resources:

Plant-Based Recipes for Healthy Living by Lenka Pagan available here https://lenkapagan.com/plant-based-recipes-healthy-living

Autumn and Winter Veg by Guy Watson

www.draxe.com

The post Cauliflower: health benefits, preparation & recipes appeared first on Lenka Pagan.

What are the health benefits?

Purple sprouting broccoli is packed with vitamin C and is a good source of carotenoids, iron, folic acid, calcium, fibre, vitamin A and B. It also contains the phytochemical sulforaphane, thought to help prevent cancer and which may provide resistance against heart disease, osteoporosis and diabetes.

Sulforaphane has been shown to have antimicrobial properties, and it also kills cancer stem cells, which slows tumor growth. This sulfur compound also normalizes DNA methylation, which plays a role in a number of diseases, including hypertension, kidney function, gut health, and cancer.

Sulforaphane also increases enzymes in your liver that help destroy cancer-causing chemicals you may consume or be exposed to in your environment. This compound has even been called “one of the most powerful anticarcinogens found in food.”

How to store purple sprouting broccoli?

It keeps for 4-6 days in a bag in the fridge, but like most greens it is best eaten as fresh as possible.

How to prepare purple sprouting broccoli?

It does not need much trimming, the florets, leaves and stem are all edible and delicious. Just pick off any discoloured leaves and towards the end of the season, trim the bottoms of the stalks if they seem woody.

What are the cooking methods of purple sprouting broccoli?

It is like with asparagus, the less you do it the better. You can boil, steam, stir-fry, roast or griddle to intensify its taste.

• Boiling – should take no more than 5 minutes to boil in an unlidded pan. Lift them out with tongs or a slotted spoon to protect the delicate florets.
• Steaming – will hold in more nutrients and takes about one minute longer than boiling.
• Roasting – will intensify its distinctive flavour, also allows you to add aromatics. Heat the oven to 200C and toss it in a roasting pan with a little oil. Season well with sea salt and pepper and roast for 8-10 minutes.
• Frying – young, tender spears on a medium heat in oil for about 5 minutes. Or cut into small pieces and add to stir-fry.
• Raw – rich in iron, vitamins A, B and C and eating it raw preserves these nutrients well. It is best to eat the smallest, most tender shoots and dress with sea salt, pepper, olive oil, lemon juice or balsamic vinegar a few minutes before serving.

Purple sprouting broccoli works well with sesame (seeds, oil, and tahini), nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, and peanuts), mustard, ginger, citrus (lemon and orange), chillies, black pepper…

Here are five meals with purple sprouting broccoli I have made recently:

1. Oven roasted potatoes with falafel and steamed purple sprouting broccoli

2. Oven roasted potatoes with falafel, steamed purple sprouting broccoli and pumpkin sauce

3. Tofu with stir-fried vegetables (purple sprouted broccoli, tomato, onion, sweet corn, and green beans)

4. Tofu, stir-fried vegetables (purple sprouted broccoli, tomato, onion, sweet corn, and green beans) with millet and pumpkin sauce

5. Steamed potatoes with stir-fried vegetables (purple sprouted broccoli, onion, red pepper, green beans, and beetroot) and tofu

Resources: https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/05/18/broccoli-sulforaphane-pill.aspx

https://foodandtravel.com/food/in-season/purple-sprouting-broccoli

Autumn and Winter Veg by Guy Watson

The post Purple Sprouting Broccoli – health benefits, cooking methods & 5 dish ideas appeared first on Lenka Pagan.

The best carrots are those grown in a dry year with the sunshine and slow growth, leading to a great intense flavour. Due to not having enough moisture in the soil, carrots can occasionally get to their customers a little floppy but don’t reject these as they are often the sweetest.

Carrots have a reputation for improving your eyes due to a large amount of beta-carotene they contain. They also contain vitamin C – excellent for the skin and immune system. Also, alpha-carotene, protecting us against heart disease and cancer.

Yes, they also contain sugar, fructose, which makes them sweet and ideal for cakes, carrot cake, and often used in soups, stocks, stews…

How to store carrots?

Don’t worry too much about a little softening, this means in most cases that they have been grown slowly and without irrigation.  Washing carrots can damage their protective skin so therefore they are best stored muddy, in a paper bag in a cool place for several weeks. If they are washed, they are more likely to deteriorate faster and are best kept in the fridge up to a week.

Storing bunched carrots with their tops on, twisting them off to avoid water being sucked from the roots, keeping the tops fresh in a glass of water, just like cut flowers, and using them sparingly in a garnish or in your salads, are some of the best methods to retain the nutrients

Before preparing my carrots I always scrub them with a small brush, I never peel them as the skins contain lots of nutrients.

The best cooking methods

The best way to maintain carrots’ natural sweetness is to keep them away from water.

• Steaming carrots is one of the healthiest options and takes just about 10 minutes to steam, depending on how soft/hard you like them. We enjoy eating them crunchy.
• Stir-frying is my other preferred cooking method. I like to mix them along with other vegetables such as green beans, bell peppers, tomatoes, peas, corn, broccoli, courgette, mushrooms and of course onion and garlic. Don’t forget dried herbs and spices – they are never missed in my food preps. Before serving add some fresh herbs and voila, a nutritious and delicious dish is created.

Other cooking methods are roasting, braising and boiling (for example soups).

Raw preparation is the best option to preserve its nutritional value and original texture. I often cut them into matchsticks and give them to my son to put in his lunch box or add to my raw salad along with other veg such as cabbage, beetroots or even an apple with raisins…

Raw carrots are ideal for juicing. I usually buy a 5 kg bag/box from organic farmers (Riverford or Abel & Cole) and use it up in a week. I love fresh vegetable juice!

Carrots are the main vegetables in the juice I have, almost every day. It is the base of all vegetable juices. Carrots contain vitamins A (beta-carotene), D, E, K, C and minerals such as calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium and other minerals and trace elements.

Carrot juice acts as a liver cleanser and therefore you may experience your skin turning a slight tint of orange in the palms of your hands when you first start drinking fresh carrot juice daily. It’s nothing to worry about, it doesn’t last long and there is no permanent skin discolouration! I too experienced this discolouration on my skin as I drank a lot of pure fresh carrot juice every day. If you turn too orange, just lower the volume of carrots and juice them along with other vegetables such as kale, spinach, celery or apples.

Why does such discolouration happen? Well, it is a good sign. It means your body is getting rid of accumulated toxins from your liver – it’s simply detoxing.

Lenka’s Favourite Juice 1 (from my book Healing Beverages page 21)

It makes about three glasses of juice. This is a very nutritious, alkaline and energetic juice! 

1kg of carrots

1 cucumber

1 pack of celery

1 apple peeled if not organic

1 handful of kale and/or spinach

  ½ lemon, peeled                                                                                                                                                                

2 cm of ginger root

A few leaves of mint

A few leaves of parsley

Put all ingredients through a juicer and strain. Drink immediately.

I hope I inspired you about carrots a little bit. If you like to find more nutritious recipes with or without carrots, check my ebooks: Healing Beverages https://lenkapagan.com/product/healing-beverages-book/ and Plant-Based Recipes for Healthy Living https://lenkapagan.com/product/plant-based-recipes-for-healthy-living/

Happy Autumn!

Lenka x

The post The benefits of carrots and why I love them! appeared first on Lenka Pagan.

I have personally tried and enjoyed various kinds of pasta made of spelt, buckwheat, brown rice, corn, and of course whole-wheat flour. There are also less common kinds made of millet, quinoa and lentils.

Good quality brands I can recommend to you are King Soba, Biona, Doves Farm, Seeds of Change, Garofalo, Mr Organic, etc. Just as for any other products, you get what you pay for and you will see that the cheaper pasta does not taste as good as it becomes flabby in texture when you cook it.

Here are a few tips for cooking your pasta:

• Cook pasta in plenty of water, add sea salt and make sure you never add your pasta until the water is boiling fast.
• Right after you add pasta into the boiling water, mix it with a spoon and cover the pot until the water comes back to the boil.
• You do not need to add any oil to the boiling water unless you cook a large quantity of filled pasta.
• Cook your pasta according to the instructions and try a piece when nearly done. When it is soft enough to eat but still has a little bite, drain and rinse in a colander.
• Add it to the pot with sauce, mix it and voila, your pasta is ready to be served.

You may find just pasta with sauce a boring dish and I would agree with you as I like to eat pasta with either steamed vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, asparagus, carrots, corn, peas. And or stir-fry veg such as the vegetables above or bell peppers, kale, asparagus, courgettes, tomatoes, mushrooms, Savoy cabbage, tofu and more.

You can also flavour it with herbs, spices, and seaweed (Arame is my favorite) like I do. It is so much more colourful, tastier and definitely more nutritious with all these delicious toppings.

For an inspiration, below are some simple variations of pasta dishes I like to prepare with:

• Tofu with asparagus,  porcini mushrooms, and peas

• Stir-fry vegetables (courgette, carrot, and peas)

• Steamed carrots and peas with butternut squash gravy

• Peas and corn with tomato sauce

• Soya pieces with green peppers and tomatoes

And many more depending on season and accessibility of ingredients at the time of food preparation

What are your favorite pasta dishes?

The post A few words about pasta appeared first on Lenka Pagan.

Honey has a lower glycemic index than table sugar, making it a sweet substitute.

What is the difference between the regular honey and raw organic honey?

Regular honey is a processed honey, quite cheap and available in most supermarkets and is far from the health-promoting raw unpasteurized honey. Honey is filtered, heated and sometimes watered down and then forced at high pressure through extremely small filters to remove pollen.

This kind of honey contains little to no pollen and all live enzymes are destroyed by heat. Also, it may contain antibiotics and to provide higher yields the flower nectar is substituted by HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup) commonly derived from GMO corn which is linked to obesity, diabetes, hypertension, liver damage…

Raw organic honey is a bit more expensive, has not been heated past pasteurization, which is usually around 95 degrees; therefore, all nutrients are intact. It has a cloudy yellow colour. It contains propolis and pollen and anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and antiviral properties as well as many enzymes, vitamins C, B6, and minerals like iron, calcium, and copper. It strengthens the immune system and it’s an excellent remedy for skin wounds and infections. Raw organic honey is a great source of carbohydrates, high in calories, increases blood sugar levels, improves digestive functioning, and is a powerful antioxidant.

What a huge difference, isn’t it?

I personally prefer to buy a locally produced raw organic honey in a glass jar, not in plastic, from the health food shop, every winter mainly as a sweetener for some herbal teas or unbaked nut cookies, especially for Christmas.

Here is a simple recipe for you which takes about 5-10 minutes to make:

RAW ALMOND COOKIES

Ingredients:

2 cups almonds

½ cup organic raw honey

Dried coconut

Optional: If you don’t have raw honey, you can use organic maple syrup, agave nectar or coconut nectar instead.

Organic ingredients are always recommended!

Preparation:

1. Grind almonds in the food processor.
2. In a bowl mix the ground almonds and honey into a sticky dough. Wet your hands and make balls or log shapes and roll them in coconut. Store in the fridge to chill before serving. Enjoy

You can find a good quality (raw) honey in many health food stores or online.

The post Is regular honey the same as raw honey? appeared first on Lenka Pagan.

What are the health benefits of beetroot?
While beetroot contain more sugar than any other vegetable on the table, they are low in calories, fat, and cholesterol.

They are also an excellent source of fibre, vitamin C, magnesium, and folate, which helps make and maintain RNA and DNA cells and prevent anaemia.

Beetroot also contain potassium, which is necessary for building muscle and regulating the heart’s electrical activity, and manganese, which helps maintain muscle and nerve function, build bone strength, regulate blood sugar levels, and promote a healthy immune system.

Betaine, an amino acid in beetroot, inhibits the formation of cancer-causing compounds and is protective against colon and stomach cancer.
 
How to prepare beetroot? 
Clean your beetroot with a scrubbing brush and water. Do not top and tail them with a knife as they will bleed from cuts, losing flavour and colour. If using raw in salads, just peel them with a vegetable peeler.
 
A little tip: Wash your cutting board, especially wooden one, immediately after cutting beetroot to save it from being dyed purple.
 
For the best shelf life, leave the roots muddy and store in a paper bag in the fridge or somewhere cool and dark, this way they will keep for several weeks.
 
Cooking beetroot?
You can roast, boil, bake or pickle it, but I prefer to stir-fry it along with onion, carrots or parsnip and serve it with brown rice or potatoes.

Beetroot just as spinach, rocket and lettuce is also high in nitrates. Research suggests that cooking significantly reduces the available nitrates. Therefore, eating raw beetroot is the best.
 
Eating beetroot raw?
You can peel, grate or cut into matchsticks or small cubes and use in salads (dress with lemon juice, cider vinegar or olive oil). You can also combine beetroot with other vegetables such as carrots, apples, parsnip, swede, celeriac and cabbage. I love juicing beetroot along with carrots, spinach, kale, ginger, parsley and/or lemon.
 
Why not to try this recipe below which is from my new book Plant-Based Recipes for Healthy Living and you can download it here: https://lenkapagan.com/plant-based-recipes-healthy-living/

Download this book for only £2.99!
Get £5 off with this promo code DECEMBER. Hurry, this offer expires this Wednesday 13th Dec.

Download your book here:
https://lenkapagan.com/plant-based-recipes-healthy-living/

Resources:
Autumn and Winter Veg book by Guy Watson and http://foodfacts.mercola.com

Do you like raw beetroot as well? If so, how do you prepare it? Please leave your comments below.

The post Beetroot: benefits, preparation & juice recipe appeared first on Lenka Pagan.

I am excited to introduce you my new book!

In this book Plant-based recipes for healthy living you will find some of my favourite recipes that I have learnt to make over the years – either on my own or by adjusting other people’s recipes. You will notice that some common ingredients are missing from the recipes – sugar, table salt, tinned foods, simple carbohydrates such as baking products made of white/refined/flour, white rice, etc. Instead I use good quality natural sweeteners and seasonings such as sea salt and complex carbohydrates…

Find here over 90 mouthwatering plant-based recipes from smoothies to cashew cheese spread, to seasonal treats and even raw cookies. Plant-based recipes for healthy living has the recipes that will keep you and your family happy, healthy and well-nourished.

I have witnessed many people who have cured themselves of a variety of health issues – some minor and some serious –  thanks to the food they eat and lives they live.

I am living proof of this. Thanks to a plant-based diet and yoga, I healed myself of multiple sclerosis (MS), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), high levels of cholesterol, Candida, female disorders, serious dehydration – kidney failure and other annoying health issues.

2004 was my transformational year when I became vegetarian. I removed meat from my menu and three months later I stopped eating dairy and eggs so that I was mainly eating plant-based foods – mostly organic wholefoods. I watched the magic happen as my health dramatically improved…

“The greatest mistake a person can make is to remain ignorant when he is surrounded, every day of his life, by the knowledge he needs to grow and be healthy and successful. It’s all there. We need only to observe, read, learn and apply.” – Paul C. Bragg

DO YOU AGREE THAT YOUR HEALTH IS YOUR WEALTH?
Here is the fact – we accept illness as a normal part of our life instead of dealing with the cause of the problem. We ‘treat’ symptoms with artificial pills as a quick fix. Too often we feel the need to seek out the physician, whom we have been taught has the cure for all of our health problems.

Prevention and maintenance are much easier and so much more cost effective and will certainly produce satisfying results such as looking and feeling great.

The post PLANT-BASED RECIPES FOR HEALTHY LIVING appeared first on Lenka Pagan.

Ingredients for cake shell:

1 cup dates, pitted

1 cup almonds, soaked overnight

4 cm vanilla pod, seeds OR 1 tsp vanilla extract

Ingredients for binder:

About 15 medium strawberries

2 bananas, ripe

6 dates, pitted

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Ingredients for fruit filling:

1-2 palms of fresh strawberries, cut into quarters

strawberries for decoration, optional

Method:

1. Soak the almonds in water for about 8-12 hours. Discard the water and rinse nuts with fresh water.
2. Grind the nuts in a food processor until finely chopped. Add dates, vanilla and blend well and press thinly into a cake/pie form to form the shell.
3. Now, let’s make a binder. Blend all ingredients for binder in food processor or blender until well mixed.
4. Now, put about 1-2 palms of strawberries into prepared cake shell and pour over the binder we made in step 3.
5. Leave it as it is or decorate with quartered strawberries. Cover and store in the fridge. Chill before serving. Enjoy!

As always, organic ingredients are always recommended!

The post No Bake Strawberry Banana Cake appeared first on Lenka Pagan.

This cake is sugar-free and is still sweet thanks to xylitol, excellent alternative to sugar. Made from birch and beech wood, xylitol is a natural sweetener suitable for diabetics and unlike sugar it is tooth-friendly. It can also be considered a weight loss friendly sweetener, since it contains 40% fewer calories than sugar.

Rhubarb is now in season, so don’t forget to put some into your shopping basket and if you make a cake with it, let me know how you get on.

•  Researchers at the U.S. Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, at the University of Alberta, Edmonton, found that rhubarb is also effective in lowering bad cholesterol.

The post Sugar-Free Rhubarb Cake appeared first on Lenka Pagan.

Despite the name, buckwheat is not related to wheat, as it is not a grass. Instead, buckwheat is related to sorrel, knotweed, and rhubarb. Because its seeds are eaten and rich in complex carbohydrates, it is referred to as a pseudocereal. The cultivation of buckwheat grain declined sharply in the 20th century with the adoption of nitrogen fertilizer that increased the productivity of other staples.

The name ‘buckwheat’ or ‘beech wheat’ comes from its triangular seeds, which resemble the much larger seeds of the beech nut from the beech tree, and the fact that it is used like wheat. The word may be a translation of Middle Dutch boecweite: boec (Modern Dutch beuk), “beech” (bhago-) and weite (Modern Dutch weit), wheat, or may be a native formation on the same model as the Dutch word.

Source: Wikipedia

Buckwheat contains no gluten  so it may be eaten by people with Coeliac disease or gluten allergies. Many bread-like preparations have been developed. Buckwheat, quinoa, or amaranth eaten in moderation apparently do not cause problems for most Coeliacs. So, it can be a good substitute for wheat, oats, rye and barley in a gluten-free diet.

I have given my son these delicious organic buckwheat crackers (http://www.amisa.co.uk/product-474-2.html) since he was a toddler. They make an ideal nutritious snack and he loves them!

Energising and nutritious, buckwheat is available throughout the year and can be served as an alternative to rice or made into porridge. Buckwheat is a very good source of manganese and a good source of copper, magnesium, dietary fibre and phosphorus. Buckwheat contains two flavonoids with significant health-promoting actions: rutin and quercitin. The protein in buckwheat is a high quality protein, containing all eight essential amino acids, including lysine.

 Buckwheat Muffins

You wouldn’t guess that these muffins don’t contain dairy or egg.
They are so moist and delicious and eaten very quickly every time
I bake them.

Ingredients

70 g unrefined sweetener (I used Xylitol)

2 tsp molasses

100 g coconut oil

130 g buckwheat flour

2 tsp baking powder

4 tsp cocoa powder

10 tbsp water or more

Method

1. Put the sweetener, molasses and coconut oil into a bowl and mix well.
2. Add the buckwheat flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and water. Mix well. The mixture should have a very soft dropping consistency. If not add a little more water.
3. Pour the mixture into paper cupcakes and bake in a pre-heated oven 160-180C. Depending upon your oven, they should be ready in about 10 minutes. If you’re unsure insert a toothpick into the middle of a cake – if it comes out clean, they are ready.
4. Store in the airtight container. Enjoy.

Have you made anything with buckwheat yet? I’d love to hear from you if you have.

The post Buckwheat – a gluten free staple appeared first on Lenka Pagan.

Prepare cabbage according to your recipe. Generally, a good cabbage (red, white, green or hispi, the pointed cabbage) is great to eat raw in salads or coleslaw where you shred it or slice it as thinly as you can. Larger leaves (raw or cooked) can be used as wrappers for rice, grains and other vegetables. Read more about cooking methods, storing cabbage and one more cabbage recipe here.

Raw Beetroot Salad with Cabbage and Pear

2 beetroots, scrubbed, peeled and cut into fine matchsticks

2 ripe pears (or apples), peeled, cored and cut into matchsticks

1 lemon, juice of

1 large handful of sunflower seeds

1 large handful of spinach leaves

Sea salt and pepper

Optional: Balsamic vinegar

1. Put the lemon juice into a bowl, add the beetroot, pear, sea salt and pepper.
2. Mix well and divide the salad onto plates, sprinkling over with sunflower seeds.
3. Add a drizzle over balsamic vinegar if you are using it. Enjoy.

Stir-fry Cabbage with Carrot

2 tbsp coconut oil

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 onion, diced

Cayenne pepper

Sea salt

2-4 cm fresh ginger root, peeled and finely grated

1 tsp turmeric powder

250 g savoy, pointed cabbage or even spring greens, shredded

2 carrots, peeled and grated

Fresh coriander leaves

1. Heat the coconut oil in a saucepan and add the cumin seeds, turmeric, sea salt and cayenne pepper and fry for about 30 seconds.
2. Add the cabbage, onion and carrots and cook covered over a medium heat for about 5-10 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Add a little water if needed.
3. Serve with brown rice and fresh coriander. Enjoy.

More dishes for your inspiration:

Apple, Carrot and Beetroot Salad (Raw)

Beetroot Salad with Lentil Sprouts (Raw)

Stir-fry Red Cabbage with Green Beans and Onions

The post Healthy Cabbage Recipes appeared first on Lenka Pagan.

When buying a cabbage, choose the firmer ones as they will keep longer. Red and white cabbage can be kept in the fridge for a week or more, though this probably doesn’t do much for their nutritional value. Hispi, the pointed cabbage, should be used within a week and spring greens last only 3 – 4 days!

What type of cabbage is good for what and how do you prepare it?

First, I separate the leaves and then I slice the cabbage into large wedges. I cut out the chunky central ribs and discard them unless you have pets such as guinea pigs, rabbits, hamsters…they love it, even the outer leaves.  Then I rinse it – placing the cabbage into a bowl of cold water and leaving it for a few minutes so that any dirt sinks to the bottom, then I lift it out and drain it.

Then, prepare it according to your recipe. Generally, a good cabbage (red, white, green or hispi, the pointed cabbage) is great to eat raw in salads or coleslaw where you shred it or slice it as thinly as you can. Larger leaves (raw or cooked) can be used as wrappers for rice, grains and other vegetables.

Cooking methods

• Stir-fry

It is the simplest method of cooking cabbage – shred it and use it in stir-fries, soups, stews and curries – heat it over medium heat for about 10 minutes with good oil. I use coconut oil.

• Braise

Red cabbage is great for braising in the winter months. See a recipe below. Even though, Savoy and white cabbage is also good braised and in soups and stews.

• Steam

Hispi and January King cabbage are best steamed  for about 3-5 minutes.

• Boil

Savoy cabbage can be boiled (about 5 minutes) in plenty of salted water. In order to maintain the colour, keep the lid off.

Cabbage works well with the following ingredients:

Onions, garlic, spring onions, chives, apple (for braising), soy sauce, and spices such as caraway, chili, coriander seed, mustard seed, nutmeg, cayenne and black pepper, ginger and juniper.

Braised Red Cabbage

This is a classical recipe which I used to eat along with meat when growing up. It goes nicely with potatoes or even rice (see images below). It is worth making a big pot out of the whole cabbage head as it reheats very well, so good for next day as well.

1-2 tbsp oil (I use coconut oil)

1 large onion, chopped

1 head of red cabbage

1-2 tbsp sweetener (unrefined sugar, xylitol or coconut sugar)

2-3 tbsp cider vinegar

200-250 ml vegetable stock (or use water and 1 tsp bouillon powder)

1-2 apples, grated

1 tsp caraway seeds

Salt and pepper

1. Put oil into large casserole/sauce pan and add onion for about 5-10 minutes until softened.
2. Add the cabbage, sweetener of your choice, vinegar stock, caraway seeds and salt with pepper. Mix it, cover with the lid and cook for about 1 and half an hour. Keep checking it so it will not burn. Add water if needed.
3. At the end of cooking, add the apple/s and cook for about 10 more minutes over a low heat. Serve with potatoes or even rice like I do. Enjoy.

Next: I will post a few simple recipes of various cabbage dishes.

The post The Culinary Potential of Cabbage appeared first on Lenka Pagan.

I also promised you a recipe, so here it is:

Stir-fried Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients:

2 tbsp coconut oil

2-3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 onion, chopped

400-500 g Brussels sprouts, outer leaves removed and chopped

Handful of frozen peas

¼ tsp ground turmeric

Handful of fresh coriander, chopped

1 cup of carrot pulp from juicing OR  2 carrots, grated

Cayenne pepper

Sea salt

Preparation:

1. First heat the oil in a pan, reduce to a medium heat and add the garlic and onion.
2. Add the sprouts, turmeric, cayenne pepper, sea salt, frozen peas, carrots and add a few tbsp of water.
3. Turn the heat down and cook for about 5 more minutes.
4. Serve warm with potatoes and chopped coriander.

Enjoy.

Next week, I will be discussing the culinary potential of cabbage.

The post What to do with a sprout! appeared first on Lenka Pagan.

1. Avoid refined sugar as it weakens the immune system. There are healthier natural alternatives such as stevia sugar/drops, coconut sugar/syrup, date syrup, maple syrup, molasses,  xylitol, agave nectar, raw honey…

2. Drink tea infusions with herbs and spices such as linden flower, elderflower, ginger, thyme, chamomile, lemon balm, fennel, cinnamon… They are particularly good for colds and coughs.

3. Make sure that you include powerful immune system boosters to your diet such as citrus fruits, garlic, ginger, turmeric, spinach, kale, broccoli, red bell peppers…

4. Reduce stress! Stress can contribute to many health problems, such as obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes to name just a few. Meditation, deep relaxation, deep breathing exercises and yoga can be very helpful as they de-stress you and much more.

5. Drink beverages such as cold-pressed juices, smoothies and tea infusions that can strengthen your immunity. I have included 3 simple recipes below:

Juice for Immunity

(This recipe is taken from my eBook Healing Beverages)

1 orange, peeled

1 clove of raw garlic

2 cm ginger root

1 tsp lemon juice

Dash of cayenne pepper

Juice all ingredients and serve.

Please note: In case you do not have a juicer, this recipe can be also used in a form of smoothie, by adding a little water and blending until smooth. Serve immediately.

Immune Boosting Shake

(This recipe is taken from Bear Grylls book ’Fuel for Life’)

Almond milk (almonds and water – blend and strain= almond milk)

2cm piece fresh turmeric OR ½ tsp dried turmeric

2,5cm piece of ginger, peeled

1 banana

¼ pineapple, cut into chunks

1 tsp vanilla extract

Blend all the ingredients in a blender until smooth.

Winter Tea for Immunity

(This recipe is taken from my book Healing Beverages)

Water

Ginger root, grated (ideally organic or peeled if not)

Fennel seeds

Raw honey to sweeten

Optional: liquorice root, broken in pieces

Boil water in a saucepan and turn the heat off. Add all the roots and seeds. Cover and let it stand for 5-10 minutes. Strain, sweeten with a good quality organic raw honey and drink while it is warm.

Wrap up warm in this cold weather and stay healthy!

I would love to hear about the different ways that YOU boost YOUR immune system.

The post 5 ways To Boost Your Immune System Naturally appeared first on Lenka Pagan.

Ingredients:

Filling

6 large apples, peeled and cored

2 ½ tbsp maple syrup

4 tbsp coconut oil, melted

2 tbsp lemon, juice of

½ tsp vanilla extract

Pinch of sea salt

Optional: 1 tsp of zest from organic or unwaxed lemon

Crust

1 cup raisins

1 cup sunflower seeds

1 cup almonds

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp ground cardamom

Pinch of dried ginger

Pinch of sea salt

About 4 tsp water

Topping

3 tbsp whole or halves of walnuts or pecans

3 tsp maple syrup

Organic ingredients are preferable

Preparation:

1. Cut the apples into chunks and blend into puree in a food processor.
2. Add in all remaining ingredients for the filling and blend until creamy consistency.
3. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and rinse and dry your food processor to get it ready to make the crust.
4. Now blend the sunflower seeds with the almonds until they resemble of breadcrumbs. Add in the remaining ingredients for the crust and blend again before adding the water. You should now have a nice sticky dough.
5. Press the dough into a pie form and then add the filling that you made earlier.
6. Decorate with walnuts or pecans and a drizzle of maple syrup.

Store in the fridge. Enjoy:-)

Tip: For a thicker consistency, I would recommend adding about 2 tbsp psyllium husk powder to the filling ingredients and blend. It should thicken nicely.

The post Apple Pie appeared first on Lenka Pagan.

Quinoa (“keen-wah”)

It is a healthy whole grain that cooks in just 15 minutes, has a nutty taste and it is gluten-free. Quinoa contains anti-inflammatory phytonutrients and minerals such as manganese, copper, phosphorus, magnesium, folate and zinc.

Quinoa is a good source of fibre – one of the key macro-nutrients needed for healthy blood sugar regulation. Strong intake of protein and fibre are two dietary essentials for regulation of blood sugar. It also provides outstanding protein quality, even in comparison to the more commonly-eaten whole grains. Because chronic, unwanted inflammation is also a key risk factor for development of type 2 diabetes, the diverse range of anti-inflammatory nutrients found in quinoa also makes it a great candidate for diabetes risk reduction.

Quinoa and its uses
Quinoa can be served as:

– Porridge – with fresh fruit, nuts or dried fruits for breakfast
– Sprouted – in salads, tabouli…
– Ground – the flour can be added to bread, muffin or biscuit recipes
– Wheat-free substitute – for bulgar wheat
– An alternative to rice
– Adding to soups, bread spreads…
– Quinoa milk
– Try quinoa pasta or noodles

The post Quinoa Curry appeared first on Lenka Pagan.

This week I have prepared a Halloween recipe for you using giant whole-wheat couscous (I bought mine at M&S) and a small squash or pumpkin. If you can’t get this kind of couscous, you can substitute it with rice, potatoes or pasta.

Squash Curry with Giant Whole-Wheat Couscous

Serves 2

Ingredients:

150 g giant whole-wheat couscous

1 small squash (or pumpkin)

1 handful of frozen peas

1 onion

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 tsp curry powder

sea salt

water

Organic ingredients are always recommended!

Preparation:

1. Cook the couscous according to package instructions (about 8 mins). Drain well, rinse and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, put the coconut oil into a saucepan, add the chopped onion and cook for a few minutes. Then add the curry powder and chopped squash, stirring for a couple of minutes before adding a little water (approx. 1 cup) and leaving to simmer with the lid on.

3. After about 10 minutes, when the squash is soft, add the frozen peas and couscous. Stir well and turn off the heat. Let it stand with the lid still on for about 5 minutes, then serve.

Enjoy!

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