My take on a healthier veggie “club sandwich”

So so yummy

I love the bite of a crispy, toasty sourdough bread, with melted cheese and flavorful veggies to it. That’s why I made this veggie sandwich, my take on a “club sandwich”. It’s healthier as I’ve replaced the mayonnaise with red pesto instead, mushrooms as meat replacement and adding one more veggie to it; oven baked pumpkin. The flavors altogether are really good, such a nice combo! I hope you will enjoy my version of a club sandwich as much as I do, so let’s get to it!

Ingredients

• Sourdough bread

• Pumpkin

• Mushrooms

• Salad

• Red pesto from https://www.helios.no

• Cheese (edamame or vegan)

• Avocado

• Garlic powder, oil, salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Cut the pumpkin into slices and drizzle with oil before putting them in the oven on hot air at 200 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
2. Pour a little oil on a frying pan and fry the mushrooms with a little garlic powder, salt and pepper for approx. 5-7 minutes on medium heat.
3. Cut two slices of bread and sprinkle with a little olive oil, when the mushrooms are cooked, place the slices on the frying pan and “toast” them until they get a slightly golden color.
4. Then spread red pesto on top of the bread, put on avocado slices, and the rest of the ingredients and finally put the other slice of bread on top.

Close up on the layers!

Enjoy a healthier, veggie sandwich for lunch guys:)

With love & care, Melanie x

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Tasty dressing to your salad!

I know how salads can be boring, but that’s why it’s important to have a delicious salad dressing to it which makes the difference! Also know how to build your salad into becoming nutritious and interesting! Start off with a base, it can be rucola, iceberg salad, spinach, kale. Then add your veggies like shredded/cut beetroot, carrots, cucumber. Next up, mix together either oven baked sweet potato or whole-wheat/gluten-free pasta for healthy carbs. Let’s not forget the protein, I added soybean based chicken as a plantbased meat alternative. Lastly perfect it with the tahini salad dressing!

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp tahini

• 1 tbsp maple sirup / honey works too

• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard

• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

• If too thick and you want it more runny, add olive oil. Taste with salt and pepper and squeeze some lemon in the end over your salad!

Enjoy a healthy, nutritious, balanced plantbased salad!

With love & care, Melanie x

Glutenfree veggie pizza

Full of flavor!

Are you ready to take pizza to a different level? I challenged myself by making it gluten-free and testing out new food combos together. I love the sight of it, so colorful that it immediately gives you good vibes right? So you just gotta be open to it, but I promise, one thing for sure is that it’s full of flavors! Aaaand it’s healthier, so cheers to that!

Ingredients

Pizza dough gluten-free

• 400 grams dark gluten-free baking mix from http://www.helios.no

• 3,5 dl lukewarm water

• 25 gram dried yeast

• 1/2 tsp salt

Toppings

• Red pesto from http://www.helios.no

• Créme frâiche (plant based or dairy)

• Butternut squash

• Beetroot

• Artichokes

• Green olives

• Pine nuts

Instructions

Pizza dough gluten-free

1. Mix together the gluten-free baking mix together with the dry yeast, salt and stir in the lukewarm water. See if you need more flour or liquid as you want to knead the dough by hand. Therefore, it cannot be so sticky or runny that it’s impossible for you to do that!

2. Let the dough rise beneath a plastic film roll for a about 1 hour.

3. Roll the dough and put it on a baking tray with parchment paper.

4. Let the dough rise for another 30 minutes before you add the creme fraiche base and put the pizza in the oven on 180 degrees for 20 minutes.

Toppings

1. Peel of the skin of the butternut squash and beetroot before you cut them in thin slices and drizzle some oil before being put in the oven on 200 degrees for about 25 minutes.

2. Then when the pizza and veggies are cooked ready, add your toppings on it. First you smear red pesto on the pizza base, then decorating with the oven baked butternut squash and beetroot, and let’s not forget the olives, artichokes and pine nuts on top too! A tip is to drizzle some honey or agave syrup as it harmonizes the flavors.

I hope you enjoy this vegan, dairyfree and glutenfree pizza and don’t worry, you can easily make it vegetarian with some cheese added as that makes completely sense too, hehe. What I only hope is that you will feel inspired to eat a healthier version of a pizza with more vibrant colors and veggies on your plate!

With love & care, Melanie x

Green defence smoothie

I promise it’s worth to make this one a try!

I know it’s hard to believe me when I say green smoothies can actually taste good, but that is the truth if you make this one. Usually we relate green smoothies being hard to swallow, that we only drink them because we must, since they are healthy. However, guess what! You will on the contrary enjoy this one as it has a citrus taste, yet sweet because of the banana and dates. Altogether it balances off the greens and the super foods; chlorella and spirulina which by itself I admit isn’t nice at all. Oh, and let’s not forget another star ingredient; the defence drink from Vitamin Well! It contains B12 which prevents you from fatigue and tiredness, and is flavored with elderflower. I came up with the idea that this drink must be a good fit to the greens and I was right about that after I tasted it.

That’s why I am so excited to share with you guys this recipe, as it will benefit you with better health and well being, but the bonus being that it’s tasting good for you to also enjoy it! Let this be a new, fresh start on how you relate to green smoothies and may this be the first of many for you to make!

Ingredients

• 1 banana

• 2 dates

• Half an avocado

• One handful of frozen mangoes

• 4 cubes of frozen spinach

• 1 tsp chlorella https://www.super-nature.no

• 1 tsp spirulina https://www.super-nature.no

• Half a bottle of defence from https://www.vitaminwell.com/nb/product/defence-2/

• 2 dl plant based milk

• A squeeze of lemon juice

Instructions

In a blender, mix all ingredients and blend until smooth.

Ps: if you want it less thick, add more liquid like orange juice or the defence drink. And if you want it lighter, change the ratio on plant based milk with less and more of the defence drink!

Enjoy your dairyfree, glutenfree and refined sugar free drink, which only promotes good health for you.

This smoothie yields for 2 portions so you can easily save up the rest for the day after (hurray for saving time and cleaning up the day after) or make the other portion of smoothie to your partner, friend or family member. Let them be a part of this prosperous and wealthy lifestyle!

A great way to start your day and boost your immune system

With love & care, Melanie x

Raspberry & mango smoothie bowl

Reminds me of the tropics!

I absolutely love this smoothie bowl version. It reminds me of being in a tropical country and the bright colors just makes me immediately smile. Also I adored the combo of dried apricots on top, haven’t had that with my smoothie bowl before and I’m so happy I tried that! So so good.

Ingredients

• Fist size of frozen raspberries

• Half a fist size of frozen mango

• 1 banana

• 1 tsp of “energy bomb” superfood powder by http://www.yoursuper.eu

• 1 tsp of rice bran powder ~ https://www.super-nature.no/rice-bran

• 200g coconut yoghurt or 100 ml coconut milk

Instructions

Blend all ingredients together in a blender and have your favorite toppings with it! I had on mine, hemp seeds, goji berries, almonds and dried apricots.

Enjoy and have a blissful morning when you eat this smoothie bowl!

With love & care, Melanie x

Honey mustard kale salad

Rainbow salad

You immediately start feeling good when you treat yourself with care and serve yourself a nutritious meal. It also affects you positively when seeing a colorful salad with all the colors of a rainbow. It’s so easy to make it and you only need lots of vibrant colored veggies, plus a good salad dressing that does the trick. Remember, the more colors of vegetables, the better the variety of nutrients you’ll get:)

Ingredients

• Kale

• Rucola

• Red cabbage

• Carrots

• Paprika

• Avocado

• Zucchini

• Sweet potatoes

• Sprouts

• Oil, lemon, salt and pepper to taste

The salad dressing

• 1 tbs dijon mustard sauce

• 1 tbs honey

• Juice of half a lemon

• 1 tbs extra virgin olive oil

• Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Put the oven on 220 degrees and bake your chopped sweet potatoes and cut slices of zucchini for about 20-30 minutes. Before putting them on a baking tray with parchment paper, mix them with a bit of oil and they are ready when soften and golden brown.

2. Make the salad dressing and “massage” it with the kale & rucola by hand. That way the flavor enhances and the kale is more softer to eat.

3. Chop your other vegetables like red cabbage, carrots, paprika and avocado.

4. When all is done, put everything together in a bowl and plate it up. Top the salad with sprouts and enjoy a tasty, colorful rainbow salad!

With love & care, Melanie x

Matcha yoghurt Breakfastbowl

Far from boring guys

It’s so easy to put flavor into your natural yoghurt. And my favorite these days is matcha. I use the superfood powder “power matcha” from https://www.yoursuperfoods.eu/products/organic-power-matcha-mix. This mix is all natural and organic, a nutrient-dense blend of greens and brain boosting superfoods to optimize your focus! It’s an excellent source of antioxidants and is high in vitamins, iron and potassium. Instead of swearing to your coffee with caffein in the morning, give it a try with this breakfast bowl instead which even contains a serving of your daily greens! Far from boring guys. And with only health advantages to offer you.

How to make it

1. You’ll need Greek or dairy free yoghurt version like coconut. Mix it with 1 tsp of matcha and blend well together.

2. Add your favorite toppings with it. I used raw honey to sweeten it up, cashew nuts, cacao nibs, hemp seeds, flax meal and blueberries!

Enjoy your wholesome breakfast bowl, with a tasty, healthy, nutritious and interesting yoghurt to kick start your day!

With love & care, Melanie x

Red curry noodle soup

Thai inspired dish that is plant based and gluten-free!

When it’s cold and grey outside, it’s nice to warm your body and soul with a delicious soup. And moreover, when it’s Thai inspired reminding you of the tropics and warmer places! It’s truly an escape and the perfect solution when it’s difficult to travel abroad these days.

Make yours and get into the Thai spirit at home!

Ingredients

• 2 portobello mushrooms

• 1/2 onion

• 2 garlic gloves

• Shredded ginger

• 2 tbs red curry paste

• 2 tbs Helios peanut butter

• 2 tbs tamari soy sauce

• 200 dl boiled water with 1/2 vegetable broth

• 250 ml Helios coconut milk

• Broccoli

• Rice noodles

• Lemon juice, coriander, salt, pepper & chili flakse to taste

Instructions

1. Prepare the rice noodles in a boiling pot for 8 minutes.

2. Then in another pot fry the cut portobello mushrooms with some coconut oil and sauté until golden brown.

3. Add the chopped garlic, onion and shredded ginger, and sauté for about 3 minutes.

4. Add the red curry paste, tamari and peanut butter. Stir and cook to enhance the flavor to work together. Then let the cooking cool off a bit with the vegetable broth. After pour in the coconut milk and let it simmer together with the broccoli petals.

5. Squeeze some lemon juice and flavor it with Helios chili flakes to your liking.

6. In a bowl, have your cooked rice noodles together with the soup and top it off with some coriander and enjoy!

Click on the links below to check out their products to make this recipe.

https://www.helios.no/produkter/glass-og-hermetikk/helios-kokosmelk/

https://www.helios.no/produkter/palegg/helios-peanottsmor-fint-usalt/

With love & care, Melanie x

Tasty spaghetti

Avocado coriander pesto, rucola, pine nuts, zucchini & mushrooms

I love when you can just cook spontaneously and creatively out of what you’ve got left of ingredients in the kitchen. And so this happened, a tasty spaghetti I didn’t think of making before getting my hands on it. More so, I enjoy cooking when you don’t know how it will turn out and you just need to stay present in the process of making it. Luckily, the end result turned out to be a nice surprise full of flavors in harmony together. We all know how wrong it can go, and that’s not the right timing for it when you are hungry. Anyways, that was not the case and I can happily share this recipe with you!

It’s gluten-free, plant based and healthy. Quick to make when hungry and don’t know what to cook, this is certainly the right dish for you.

Ingredients

• Glutenfree spaghetti

• Mushrooms

• Zucchini

• Avocado

• Pine nuts

• Ruccula

• Garlic

• Chili flakes & oregano

• Lemon juice

• Olive oil

• Coriander

• Nutritional yeast

• Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In the oven on 220 degrees, have your sliced zucchini on a baking sheet with oregano and oil. Bake until they are golden brown and soft, around 20-30 minutes.

2. Boil water in a pot before adding your spaghetti. Cook around 8-11 minutes as it’s gluten-free unless you want it al dente!

3. In a pan, add some oil and fry your cut mushrooms until they are soft and well cooked. Ps: save the saucy juiciness left in the pan from cooking these mushrooms. This enhance the flavor to your dish in the end.

4. In a food processor, add half an avocado, a handful of coriander, one garlic glove, around 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast, juice of half a lemon, taste to salt and pepper, and blend well!

5. In a bowl, add rucola salad, your gluten-free spaghetti, the avocado and coriander sauce, the oven baked zucchini, the mushrooms, then pour the sauce from the pan for extra flavor and mix it all together! For a finishing touch toss some roasted pine nuts and give it a punch with chili flakes.

Voila, enjoy and swirl your tasty spaghetti into your mouth.

With love & care, Melanie x

Delicious green smoothie bowl

A huge boosting effect to your day!

You know when you get into something and can’t get fed up on it, you’re like obsessed with it? Well, that’s the case with me and smoothie bowls at the moment. I adore the idea that you can combine them with so many different varieties and be so creative! Also the idea of blending in superfoods and have it as toppings too, makes it simply the most awesome breakfast to have. I guess at this point you get me why. The one of many varieties is the green smoothie bowls like above. This one has lots of healthy greens in it, superfoods like chlorella, spirulina, hemp seeds and cacao nibs. A huge boost effect to your day! Tempting right, both in flavor and to be the most energetic you? Well, what are we waiting for then, let’s make a boosting breakfast to start out your day best way possible!

Ingredients

• Half an avocado

• 1 fist size frozen spinach

• 2 handful frozen mango, banana and pineapple mix (If you don’t find this mix in store, choose one of the fruits instead)

• 2 tbs coconut yoghurt

• 1 tsp chlorella superfoods powder from super.nature

• 1 tsp power matcha from yoursuper. Click on the link and it will direct you to this product: https://www.yoursuperfoods.eu/products/organic-power-matcha-mix

• 1/2 dl almond milk or any other dairy free kind

• For topping, use superfoods like hemp seeds and cacao nibs from super.nature

Blend all ingredients in a smoothie blender and enjoy!

Here are the super.nature products and my favorite superfoods toppings!

https://www.super-nature.no/chlorella

https://www.super-nature.no/hampfr

https://www.super-nature.no/kakaonibs

Facts about these superfoods

Chlorella is a multivitamin, rich on vitamin A, K, B1, B2, B3 and B6. It offers lots of good nutrients which contributes to a healthy immune system and supports the body’s internal processes.

Hemp seeds are rich on magnesium, vitamin E, fiber, protein and omega-3. Oh, and these seeds are super sustainable!

Cacao nibs are raw and unprocessed. They contain lots of good nutrients like magnesium, protein and fiber. Now, say goodbye to feeling guilt about chocolate since cacao is a health enhancer!

With love & care, Melanie x