Cook with me: Banana Strawberry Chocolate Cake (raw, vegan, dairy-free)

Hello everyone,

I'm finally back with a new post. For this special occasion, I'd like to share with you a recipe that I came across within the past days. Get excited for the Banana Strawberry Chocolate Cake! It is raw, vegan, dairy-free and it tastes deliciously! 

This was my first time making a raw cake and it definitely won't be the last one. I never imagined a raw cake being so tasty. The ingredients couldn't be more healthy - it is a perfect dessert for everyone who eats clean (including myself).

Recipe (adapted from Malinca.si):

Base (1st layer):

100 g mixed nuts (walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts)

100 g oats

50 g coconut flour

50 g coconut palm sugar

200 g medjool dates, pitted

2 tablespoons coconut oil (not melted)

Filling (2nd layer):

250 g strawberries, chopped

3 bananas, chopped

Chocolate cream (3rd layer):

150 g medjool dates, pitted

1/2 cup water

50 g raw cocoa powder

2 tablespoons coconut oil (not melted)

Preparation:

1. For the base, mix all ingredients in a food processor into a dough and press it firmly into a cake tin.

2. Add the chopped bananas and strawberries on top of the dough. 

3. For the chocolate cream, mix the dates in a food processor until you don't get a lump. Next, add water to get a thick, creamy consistency. The last step is to add cocoa powder and coconut oil to the mixture. Then, put the cream over the fruit layer.

4. Let the cake cool down in the fridge for about 2-3 hours before serving.

I bet everyone can master this recipe (cooking-dummies included!). It takes less than an hour to make. Will you give it a try?

I have a lot more healthy recipes on my menu to share with you since I've been into clean eating for almost a year now. Healthy food has become an important part of my lifestyle besides regular exercise. So, for the future posts expect even more healthy and easy food recipes! For more food inspiration, you are invited to follow my Instagram account (@crayonsandbeads). Now I'm off to studying Internal medicine and Surgery, finals are coming too quickly!

Until then,

Vanja

Cook with me: Bruschetta

“Always start out with a larger pot than what you think you need.” - Julia Child

Hello everyone,

have you ever been in a situation when you were home alone and hungry? When you didn't want to eat junk food or any kind of food out of the tin, but actually prepare yourself something delicious and healthy? That happened to me a few days ago. The fact is I like to eat clean (as much as possible) because this makes me feel better and look better (besides regular exercise). That's why I like to cook by myself - I know exactly which ingredient was used.
Now onto the dish I decided to share with you. It is called bruschetta, an Italian dish. But this is not the original recipe, it is modified a little bit. It is easy to make and no skills are required except you should know how to use an oven!

Ingredients (which I used):

cherry tomatoes

paprika/peppers

parsley

grilled chicken

olive oil

salt and pepper

slices of bread

cheese

(There are no numbers because the amount is not fixed.)

Method:

1) Preheat the oven to 150 degrees C. 

2) Chop veggies and grilled chicken into small pieces, put them into a bowl, add a little bit of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix everything together.

3) Bake the slices of bread in the preheated oven for 5 minutes, then take them out of the oven and cover them with the mixture and cheese. Put them back into the oven and bake for 5 minutes or more.

The other time, I added prosciutto instead of grilled chicken (picture here). Yum!

Keep in mind that you can add whatever ingredients you prefer! This versatile dish is perfect for experimenting with unknown flavors.

Good luck,

Vanja