Cook with me: Healthy Strawberry Shortcake Protein Pancakes

Hello everyone,

when was the last time you had eaten a stack of delicious pancakes? A long time ago? I bet you are craving them, am I right? You know you want them. Because you love pancakes. And strawberries, too? Even better! Then, you have to make these healthy, protein-loaded, sugarfree and dairyfree strawberry shortcake pancakes for tomorrow's breakfast. Here comes the recipe...
(Recept je tudi v slovenščini!)

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Recipe (for 4-6 pancakes):

Ingredients:

1/3 cup wholegrain flour

2 tbsp oats

1 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

1 scoop whey protein (optional)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp maple syrup

1/3 cup dairyfree milk

1 tbsp coconut oil, melted

1/3 cup fresh strawberries, chopped *

* frozen strawberries can be used too (in this case, mix them into the batter right away)

Preparation:

1. Mix together all dry ingredients, then add the wet ones.

2. In a blender, mix all ingredients (except the strawberries) into a batter.

3. Add strawberries to the batter.

4. Cook the pancakes in a non-stick pan on medium heat, about 2 minutes each side.

5. Add desired toppings; I used: peanut butter, greek yogurt, a banana, a sprinkle of chia seeds and a drizzle of maple syrup.

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Recept (za 4-6 palačink):

Sestavine:

1/3 skodelice polnozrnate moke

2 žlici ovsenih kosmičev

1 žlička pecilnega praška

ščepec soli

1 merica sirotke (po želji)

1/2 žličke vanilijevega ekstrakta

1 žlica javorjevega sirupa

1/3 skodelice mleka (riževo, mandljevo, kokosovo)

1 žlica kokosovega olja, stopljeno

1/3 skodelice svežih jagod, narezane *

* lahko se uporabijo tudi zamrznjene jagode (v tem primeru jih takoj vmešamo v testo)

Priprava:

1. Najprej zmešamo vse suhe sestavine, nato jim dodamo mokre.

2. V blenderju zmiksamo vse sestavine (razen jagod) v testo.

3. Dodamo jagode.

4. Palačinke pečemo v teflonski posodi na srednjem ognju, vsako stran približno 2 minuti.

5. Čas za dodatke - npr. arašidovo maslo, grški jogurt, banana, chia semena in javorjev sirup.

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Have a nice Sunday,

Vanja

Cook with me: Healthy Peanut Butter Nicecream

Hello everyone,

how do you like the new appearance of the blog page? It was under construction one week ago. 
Anyway, I prepared a new, very easy recipe for you. My parents bought a new robot food processor last week (it's so cool!) so I could finally make homemade icecream made of bananas and peanut butter - peanut butter nicecream! Not necessary to emphasize it's super healthy, right? Also, it's vegan and sugarfree. I made this wonderful dish this morning for breakfast and I instantly decided to share it over here.
(Recept je tudi v slovenščini!)

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Recipe:

Ingredients:

3 bananas, frozen

3 tbsp dairyfree milk

1 tbsp peanut butter

(click here to see the recipe for homemade peanut butter)

Preparation:

1. In a food processor, blend the bananas into a thick cream.

2. Add the milk and peanut butter. Blend again. Serve.

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Recept:

Sestavine:

3 banane, zamrznjene

3 žlice mleka (riževo, mandljevo, kokosovo)

1 žlica arašidovega masla

(recept za domače arašidovo maslo)

Priprava:

1. V multipraktiku zmiksamo banane v kremo.

2. Dodamo mleko in arašidovo maslo in ponovno zmiksamo. Serviramo.

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The nicecream can be topped with whatever you like - fruit, nuts, cereals... I used homemade cinnamon-strawberry granola and cacao powder. Now I'm off to cook lunch and bake some yummy muffins!

Have a nice day,

Vanja

Cook with me: Healthy Raw Bounty - Chocolate Coconut Bars

Hello everyone,

yesterday, I posted a photo of homemade raw Bounty bars on Instagram and Facebook and so many people have been asking me for the recipe. I made them for the first time and it was a total success! I think it is necessary to emphasize that these bars are super healthy, raw, vegan, sugarfree, glutenfree, dairyfree and nutfree. But let me tell you that they taste almost the same as the original Bounty. 
Now scroll down for the recipe! (Recept je tudi v slovenščini!)

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Recipe (for 12 bars):

Coconut filling:

175 g coconut flour

60 mL (4-5 tbsp) coconut oil, melted

3 tbsp maple syrup

1 tbsp honey

1/4 tsp salt

2 tbsp water

4 drops vanilla extract

Chocolate cream:

90 mL (6-7 tbsp) coconut oil, melted

30 g cacao powder

2 tbsp maple syrup

pinch of salt

Preparation:

1. Coconut filling: In a bowl, mix coconut flour with water, and in another bowl, mix together coconut oil, maple syrup, honey, salt and vanilla extract. Add the liquid mixture to the coconut flour and mix well. Transfer the filling into a small baking pan, lined with some plastic wrap, and press firmly. Put it in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.

2. Chocolate cream: In a double boiler, mix coconut oil with maple syrup, then add cacao powder and salt.

3. Remove the filling from the freezer and cut it into bars. Dip them into the cream, take them out with a fork and place them on baking paper. Put the bars into the freezer for 15 minutes, then dip them again. Drizzle the rest of the cream over the bars. Let them chill in the freezer for at least 1 hour before serving.

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Recept (za 12 ploščic):

Kokosovo polnilo:

175 g kokosove moke

60 mL (4-5 žlic) kokosovega olja, stopljeno

3 žlice javorjevega sirupa

1 žlica medu

1/4 žličke soli

2 žlici vode

4 kapljice vanilijevega ekstrakta

Čokoladni obliv:

90 mL (6-7 žlic) kokosovega olja, stopljeno

30 g kakava v prahu

2 žlici javorjevega sirupa

ščepec soli

Priprava:

1. Kokosovo polnilo: V eni posodi zmešamo kokosovo moko z vodo, v drugi posodi pa kokosovo olje, javorjev sirup, med, sol in vanilijev ekstrakt. To tekočo mešanico nato dodamo h kokosovi moki in dobro premešamo. Zmes prenesemo v manjši pekač ali posodo s plastično folijo in trdno pritisnemo na dno ter damo v zamrzovalnik za vsaj 30 minut.

2. Čokoladni obliv: Nad vodno kopeljo (v spodnji posodi imamo vročo vodo, v zgornji posodi pa pripravljamo obliv), najprej zmešamo kokosovo olje in javorjev sirup, nato dodamo kakav in sol.

3. Kokosovo polnilo vzamemo iz zamrzovalnika in ga razrežemo na poljubno velike ploščice. Potopimo jih v čokoladni obliv, odstranimo jih z vilico in položimo na peki papir. Za 15 minut jih damo v zamrzovalnik, nato jih še enkrat potopimo. Preostanek čokoladnega obliva prelijemo preko ploščic. V zamrzovalniku jih pustimo vsaj 1 uro, preden serviramo.

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Expect more yummy recipes very soon!

Good luck,

Vanja

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

Hello everyone,

my food-loving-cooking-baking-creating side is at its best form these days. I started to write down all the recipes that caught my eye, some of them were already recreated and many more are still waiting in the line! Blame the holidays or too much free time, but I like this mood. And anyone who tried my food creations (especially desserts) likes it even more.

I've totally fallen for raw food where no cooking or baking is required, just combining ingredients and mixing them together. About a week ago, I made my second raw cake - a healthy Chocolate apple cake - vegan and dairy-free! It is pretty similar to the Banana strawberry chocolate cake. And as always, it is so easy to make!

Recipe:

Base (1st layer):

100 g mixed nuts (I used walnuts and 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):

2-3 apples (medium size), grated
1 tsp cinnamon
3 tbsp coconut flour

Chocolate cream (3rd layer):

170 g medjool dates, pitted

1 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. Mix together the grated apples, cinnamon and coconut flour. Add the mixture 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 apple layer.

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

Believe me, raw cakes taste as good as ordinary baked cakes if not even better (oh yes, they do)! Still in doubts? Well, then you seriously need to make one or two!

By the way, there is still some time left to enter my GIVEAWAY (previous post) which ends today at 8 PM! The winner will be announced on Facebook no later than tomorrow.

Have a sunny week,

Vanja

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

Cook with me: Healthy banana pancakes

"I want pancakes! God, do you people understand every language except English? Yo quiero pancakes! Donnez-moi pancakes! Click click bloody click pancakes!" - Stewie Griffin

Hello everyone,

I don't know about you, but I love eating pancakes. Especially if they are healthy. I found the following recipe two months ago but didn't have time to try it out. The best thing about it is that there are only two ingredients required to make these healthy pancakes! And they taste very good. So why not share it?

Ingredients:

- 1 banana

- 1 egg

Method:

1) Mash the banana in a bowl, then add the egg and mix until you get a homogeneous consistency.

2) With a ladle, put a small amount of the mixture on a preheated pan (I didn't add any oil, butter or cooking spray) and bake on each side until it turns golden or even dark brown.

And why are these pancakes so healthy? Bananas contain fiber, minerals (potassium, manganese, magnesium), vitamins (B6 and C), and are very low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. Eggs are a great source of protein, minerals, vitamin B12 and healthy fats. Just the best for you.

Bon appétit!

Vanja

Cook with me: Summer smoothie

"Part of the secret of success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside." - Mark Twain

Hello everyone,

it is getting hotter day by day here in Slovenia. Perfect weather for going to the seaside. But, there is one problem - when the temperature rises, my appetite falls. It is hard to eat the same kind of food that we consume during wintertime, right? 

From my experience, the best thing to keep my stomach full for a while is a freshly prepared smoothie. It contains a lot of vitamins (which is super good for the body) and its taste is also delicious. This is why I decided to share with you my favorite smoothie recipe which I named the Summer smoothie - I bet you don't know why I named it like this!

Ingredients (for 2 smoothies):

5 to 8 ice cubes

2 cups of milk (regular, soy, coconut, almond, rice etc.)

1 banana

1 cup of raspberries (fresh or frozen)

1 tablespoon of oatmeal

Method:

Just mix all ingredients listed above in a blender for a minute or two and it is done! Serve in a glass jar and enjoy your creation.

(Donkey likes this smoothie too as you can see.)

What do you like to eat/drink during hot summer days?

Best wishes,

Vanja