Raw Raspberry-Coconut Birthday Cake

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Happy Birthday Natural Always!
It's already one year ago since Natural Always was founded. This one year was great, obviously hard work and at the same time a lot of fun and filled with lots of new experiences! I can't wait for the future to come, to share with you all the new recipes I created and still have in my mind. I'm totally looking forward to continuing my mission of showing you how to find happiness through a healthy plant-based lifestyle step-by-step and in an easy way. On this occasion I especially want to thank all my lovely subscribers and readers for sharing their love and passion with me and for reminding me of doing the right thing. I also want to thank all those of you, who believe in and support me in doing what I'm passionate about and love to do. Thank you all very much!

For this special celebration I present you this Raw Raspberry-Coconut Birthday Cake, which is my favourite desert consisting of only simple ingredients which I absolutely love such as raspberry, coconut, cashew, almonds and dates to name the main ones. Trust me, each bite will melt in your mouth, it's soooo heavenly delicious that you always want to make this cake for any occasion to come! Although there is some time needed for preparation as the base and the whole cake need to go in the freezer for some time, it's so easy to make. Moreover, this Raw Raspberry-Coconut Birthday Cake is filled with only healthy and natural ingredients – as always. 

Raw Raspberry-Coconut Birthday Cake

Ingredients
Base:
45g desiccated coconut
150g fresh dates, pitted
70g raw almonds
1 tbsp raw cacao powder
a pinch of sea salt

Filling:
250g raw cashews (soaked overnight or for 3 hours in hot water)
50ml raw honey (vegan option: agave nectar/maple/date syrup)
125ml coconut oil, melted
200g coconut yoghurt without flavour (my favourite brands: harvest or coyo)
50ml fresh lemon juice
1 tsp bourbon vanilla powder
200g fresh raspberries (if frozen raspberries are used: thaw them completely before use)
fresh raspberries or figs, sliced (for decoration)

Line the base of a springform (20cm) cake tin with baking paper.
Combine all ingredients for the base in a food processor and blend. If mixture is too dry, add a little water (be careful: only a little!). If everything is well combined, press mixture firmly into the cake tin until mixture is evenly spread and base becomes level. Then put the cake tin into your freezer.

In the meantime start preparing the filling: warm the honey and coconut oil in a water bath until well combined and liquid. Drain and rinse the soaked cashews and place them together with the honey-coconut-oil-mixture, vanilla powder, lemon juice and coconut yoghurt into your food processor. Blend on high level until mixture becomes a creamy and smooth consistency. 
Pour half (only half!) of the filling over your base using a spatula. Add fresh raspberries to the remaining half of the filling and blend again on high speed until smooth and creamy. Then gently spread the second half of the mixture on top of the first layer and level with a spatula. Place the cake tin again into the freezer for 3-4 hours. Depending on your schedule it's also possible to leave it in the freezer overnight.

Take out the cake tin from the freezer half an hour before serving. Decorate the cake with extra raspberries – sliced figs are delicious as well. 
Try to lose the cake with a sharp knife running around the edge. Before cutting the cake into slices, make sure to run a sharp knife under hot water. 

Serve, smile and enjoy because life is wonderful!

Note: Another positive thing besides its great taste is that you can store this Raw Raspberry-Coconut Birthday Cake in your freezer for up to 3-4 weeks.

(Makes: 12 slices; Soaking time: min. 3h/overnight; Preparation time: 45min; Freezing time: 3-4 hours)

Happy Birthday Natural Always and thanks a lot to all my dear readers and lovely friends – I'm so grateful and happy!

Lots of love, 
Fabienne.

 

Raw Carrot-Hazel Dreams

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The last couple of weeks I spent a lot of time in my kitchen experimenting and creating wonderful new recipes. As I want my recipes to be perfect I take my time and the time they need to be completed to perfection. 

My recipes not only need to be delicious, I strive them to be healthy and good for your body at the same time. Most of the time I try to include magical superfoods with lots of different properties. Today I present you my Raw Carrot Hazel-Dreams which you need to try out because they are simple to make and so delicious. On top of that they give you energy which lasts long and prevents sugar cravings.

Raw means they haven't been heated at all and its ingredients still contain their natural properties. The recipe consists of the main ingredients such as carrots, almonds, hazelnuts and cashews. A special ingredient is the yacon syrup. You might have heard of or come across it in other recipes of mine. Yacon is a large plant that is mainly grown and cultivated for its roots. Yacon syrup is commonly used as healthy replacements for sugar as sweeteners in various recipes. At the same time this sweetener is a real wonder elixir because of many reasons:

Yacon syrup regulates sugar levels, helps with weight loss, improves liver health, lowers "bad" cholesterol and blood pressure and is known to prevent certain types of cancer. On top of that it boosts digestive health and strengthens the immune system. The majority of the carbohydrate sugars contained in yacon syrup cannot be digested by the body, which results in a very low calorie intake and low sugar level coming into the bloodstream. It also helps the body to absorb vitamins and minerals of other foods while it's rich in potassium, calcium and phosphorous.

You're crazy about your health? Go nuts – seriously! 

Cashews: are packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Vitamins such as E, K and B6 come along with minerals like copper, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, selenium and zinc. These components are all very important for maintaining good health and are required for the body to function properly. According to research, eating more nuts such as cashews can lower your risk for cardiovascular disease by reducing blood pressure and "bad" cholesterol levels while potassium, vitamins E and B6 help to fight heart disease. The copper and iron work together to help the body form red blood cells which in turn keeps blood vessels, nerves, bones and the immune system healthy and functioning properly. Replacing the animal fats and proteins with the mono-and polyunsaturated fats found in cashews is an excellent way to manage your weight and reduce stored fat in the heart.

Hazelnuts: contain as cashews as well heart-healthy fats that can protect the health of your heart. Hazelnuts have a high amount of vitamin E in addition to B vitamins and folate. Vitamin E is especially important in maintaining healthy skin, hair and nails, while B vitamins are important in energy metabolism. Hazelnuts as a rich source of minerals such as potassium, calcium and magnesium, provides many health benefits such as regulating a healthy blood pressure. 

Raw Carrot-Hazel Dreams

Ingredients

Filling:
2 organic carrots, peeled and grated roughly
30g flax seeds, grounded
140g almond meal
450g fresh dates, pitted
2 tbsp psyllium husk
50g desiccated coconut
1 tsp cinnamon
a pinch of cardamom

Icing:
200g raw cashews, soaked before about 3 hours
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp yacon syrup (other option: maple syrup; non-vegan option: raw honey)
1 1/2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
ca. 80-90ml water
a handful of hazelnuts, chopped and toasted
a handful of shredded coconut, toasted

Combine all ingredients into your blender. Blend until mixture is combined together well.
Then pour the mixture into your muffin tins with a spoon. Pay attention that the mixture sticks together in the muffin tins by pressing down the mixture with a spoon. Depending on the size of your muffin tins you will get about 12-18 muffins out of the mixture. After this step you should put the tins into the freezer while you prepare the icing.

For the icing you only need to blend all ingredients listed above until mixture becomes smooth. While blending, pour the water at the same time into the mixture to be distributed evenly. Take the muffin tins out of your freezer and spread the icing over the muffins. Sprinkle the toasted hazelnuts and desiccated coconut over these little beauties. Then freeze them again for about half an hour until the icing sets on top of the muffins.
Serve and enjoy these Raw Carrot-Hazel Dreams!

(Makes: 12-18 depending on size of muffin tins; Preparation time: 60min)

I wish you all a great weekend and stay happy & healthy!

Lots of love,
Fabienne.

Heart-Warming Banana Bread

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These days the weather is quite grey, wet and not very welcoming to going outside into the cold. Nevertheless fresh air is always a good idea, especially in the morning hours. On top of this, it's always a great feeling to return into a cosy and warm home, especially when there is something special waiting for you. Or can you imagine anything better than coming home to the overwhelming smell of freshly baked banana bread after a morning run in the forest? I can't, and that's exactly why I share this wonderful recipe with you in order to feel with me, smell it yourself and treat yourself to something special on a cosy Sunday.

This recipe is completely vegan, therefore doesn't contain any eggs. The chia seed mixture serves as an egg replacement and adds as a real superfood some fabulous health boosting properties.

As another great thing the banana bread is absolutely gluten-free, but could be adapted the other way round if you prefer to use an other particular flour which contains gluten (see Other options). I experimented a lot until I have found the right flour mixture which consists of buckwheat, almond and a little coconut flour. For the dates I used fresh Medjool dates, which provide together with the grated apple an extra touch of moisture and softness to the dough.

Heart-Warming Banana Bread

Ingredients
120g buckwheat flour & 30g coconut flour (*see Other options)
100g almond flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp bourbon vanilla powder (or content of one vanilla bean)
1-2 tbsp sesame seeds

2 tbsp chia seeds + 7 tbsp water
80g walnuts, roughly chopped (or a mixture of nuts to your taste, e.g. macadamia, almonds)

3-4 mashed ripe bananas (ca. 375g)
1 big apple, chopped or grated (for a special texture I like to cut them into small chunks)
65g chopped dates (fresh if possible)
6 tbsp coconut oil
A little more coconut oil: to grease cake pan

*Other options: if you don't have coconut flour handy, just add up the buckwheat flour to 150g. I just love the bread to have a hint of coconut flour in it, but feel free to experiment according to your personal preference. Moreover, if you prefer and don't mind the bread to contain gluten you can also use any other flour such as whole wheat or spelt flour. However, I would still recommend to stay with the 100g almond flour for sure and adapt the remaining 150g using another flour of your choice.
(Makes: 1 loaf; Preparation Time: 1.5 hours)

Preheat oven at 150 degree Celsius. 
Line a loaf pan with baking paper or grease it with some coconut oil.

Mix chia seeds with water, stir well and leave it aside until mixture is gooey.
In a  bowl mash the banana and grate/chop the apple.
In a separate big bowl combine dry ingredients without walnuts (flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, bourbon vanilla, salt) and mix everything together. Add the chopped dates and stir well until the dates are separated evenly. I usually use a spatula to mix everything together. Now add the prepared chia seed-water mixture, mashed banana, chopped/grated apple and coconut oil. Finally add the roughly copped walnuts to the mixture. If all ingredients are combined together well, leave the dough-mixture as it is and don’t stir for too long. The dough should be smootly and not at all liquid, so don’t add any additional water.

Pour into the greased loaf pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top.
Bake until it’s well risen and golden on the outside. Baking time depends on your oven, mine takes about 45-50 minutes. Make sure to check bread regularly after 30 minutes. The bread is cooked when a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Cool down the bread or enjoy when it's slightly warm with a cup of your favourite tea!

You'll believe me how good this Heart-Warming Banana Bread is, the latest you have tried it yourself and your neighbours are start knocking on your door. Happy tea time!

With lots of love, Fabienne.

Going Nuts: How To Make Your Own Nut Milk

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There is only one way to top the Good-For-You Granola with this heavenly delicious nut milk! This recipe shows you how to do this in a quick and easy way. Just soak your nuts overnight, and you will be able to quickly do your own nut milk the next morning without any hassle. The only thing you need is the nut you love, water, a blender and a sieve. As a sieve you can even use an old t-shirt, of course a cheesecloth or even a nut milk bag is the luxurious way to go, but anything similar will do a great job as well. So everyone can be the creator of her/his own nut milk according to its personal choice and taste. You can even delicately sweeten and flavour your milk with some dates, agave nectar and natural spices. It will never ever compare to the one you might have bought in a shop. You’re in full control of the ingredient list, so your nut milk will be free of any bad stuff and totally raw, additive-free, preservative-free and sugar-free. This creamy nut milk with its wonderful rich flavour will be full of goodness and the best choice for your body and soul – natural always.

The nut milk is especially lovely with my homemade Good-For-You Granola, to pour over porridge, to use in smoothies, for baking or to drink on its own.

Today I'm happy to show you my first video. I’m excited about your feedback, so please feel free to use the comment section below to tell me how you like it and what I can do better for the next video.

My love for nut milk evolved when I started to find out about my lactose-intolerance and was therefore looking for alternatives. Some years ago I was only familiar with soy milk, which was perfectly fine for me at the time as I have found an alternative to diary milk. As I educated myself more and more about food and its properties I came across a more natural and healthy substitute of soy milk, namely nut milk. For a while I was trying different store-bought brands with different variations in nuts and flavours. The one thing which disturbed me the most was the endless list at the back of most packages. I don’t understand why you put sugar in a natural product such as almond milk, when it doesn’t need any or could be substituted by a natural sweetener? Not to mention adding any additives and preservatives. Well, for me it was clear this wouldn’t be a longterm solution, so the obvious step was to create my own nut milk. Although I imagined it to be quite time-consuming and difficult, I was surprised how easy and quick it all went. Even better, you can decide what will be in your nut milk and vary the taste according to your taste butts.

When you do your own nut milk it’s very important to soak the nuts with a pinch of salt. And here’s why: Raw nuts contain substances which lock up all of its nutritions inside to prevent the nuts from sprouting and becoming a plant. Two of these substances are called phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors. If we consume phytic acid it binds to minerals in the digestive system which makes it impossible for our body to absorb the valuable minerals inside the nuts. Moreover, phytic acid can even cause mineral deficiencies. While enzyme inhabitors prevent our bodies enzymes from breaking down the food we are eating. In order to absorb the minerals, vitamins and proteins containing in nuts you should always soak the nuts in warm water with added salt to get rid of these substances.

Almonds: Out of all nuts, almonds are the highest in calcium and fibre. Countless studies have proven that almonds are the perfect source for weight loss, regulating blood sugar and lowering cholesterol. Because almond milk doesn’t contain any cholesterol or saturated fat at all, it’s the perfect daily choice for people who are looking after their heart.

Cashews: Cashews are bursting with vitamins, minerals and fibre. In a vegetarian diet, cashews serve an excellent choice as they contribute a good level of protein and are a useful source of minerals such as iron and zinc. They’re also rich in magnesium, which improves brain function and is important for good health and vitality. As a special property, cashews are very high in the heart-healthy monounsaturated fat named “oleic acid”, which helps to reduce bad LDL cholesterol and increase the good HDL cholesterol.

Hazelnuts: Hazelnuts are a good source of vitamin B and E, as well as a good source of folate, which prevents heart problems and conditions such as Parkinsons.

Brazil Nuts: are highly nutritious nuts with a rich source of selenium, which helps prevent cellular damage from free radicals that contribute to the development of chronic diseases such as cancer. The brazil nut is a rich source of calcium and magnesium, needed for healthy nerve and heart function, iron for red blood cell production, and zinc for a strong immune system. They’re also a good source of vitamin E and vitamin B needed for energy production. 

Homemade Nut Milk

Ingredients
180g raw nuts (almonds, cashew nuts, hazelnuts, brazil nuts or pecans etc.) or 150g whole oat groats
1 litre water
pinch of fine sea salt
1 tsp spices you like (as whole pieces or grounded: cardamom seeds, cinnamon sticks, vanilla bean etc.)
Sweetener to your taste: 2-3 pitted fresh dates or a couple of spoonfuls of agave nectar
Equipment
1 large jar
1 litre sealable bottle
1 piece of cheesecloth or a fine sieve
(Makes: 1 litre; Preparation time: 10min; Soaking time: 6-8 hours or overnight)

The process of soaking the nuts in advance is crucial and absolutely essential for doing nut milk. Put the nuts in a container, cover with water and add the right amount of salt depending on the nuts you soak (see note below). Soak for 6-8 hours or overnight .
Drain the nuts and rinse well. Add the nuts to a blender with 1 litre of fresh water, add dates if you wish, blend on high speed for about a minute until milk becomes smoothly. 
Place the cloth or sieve over a jar. Strain the milk until only pulp is left and squeeze the rest of the liquid out with your hands.
Pour the strained milk into a sealable bottle. Add a punch of fine sea salt. If your using the ground spices and extra sweetener such as agave nectar add them to the milk and shake the bottle. Another option is to just add the whole spices to the milk bottle before placing into the fridge. Store in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Note: Salt amount for soaking the nuts: Soft nuts such as cashews, walnuts, pecans require 1 tsp of fine sea salt, while hard nuts such as almonds and hazelnuts need 1 1/2 tsp of fine sea salt.

Watch my video for inspiration and have fun creating your very own nut milk!

Stay happy and healthy.
With lots of Love, Fabienne.

Powerful and Energizing Protein Bars

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Many people were asking me about the recipe of those powerful protein bars I'm snacking on these days. So here it is!
I can proudly announce it to be my absolute favourite snack on the go, while travelling, as a power fuel in the middle of the day or during work. It's also a perfect post-workout recovery snack after an intensive sports session. Those bars are not only very powerful in providing good and long lasting energy, they are also very healthy and packed with superfoods.

If you want to increase your daily intake on protein and would rather not rely on animal protein, this powerful protein bar is perfectly made for you! When I was younger I used to think that protein only comes from animals, but this isn’t true. Plant-based sources provide us with so much protein, we just need to eat and include them in our diets. 

The main source of protein in this bar is provided from the hemp protein powder. This green magical powder doesn’t only capture your eyes, it contains lots of health benefits and brings your taste butts on a special nutty journey.

Hemp protein powder is made from hemp seeds. Hemp seeds contain a high amount of omega-3-fats which help to calm any inflammation in the body. The branch-chained amino acids in hemp, which are needed for repair and growth of lean body tissue are extraordinary for post-workout recovery. Especially for people avoiding animal products, hemp seeds are a great alternative, as they contain a very high amount of quality protein. The protein and fibre found in hemp helps to slow down digestion, which in turn prevents a blood sugar spike and therefore sustains your bodies energy for longer periods.

Rolled Oats: Oats might look pale and boring and remind you of the porridge you had to eat every morning when you were a child. But you might reconsider this little grain as it shows off a huge nutritional profile: only 90g rolled oats provide 6g protein and 4g fibre, as well as manganese. Manganese is a mineral that helps to create enzymes which are responsible for bone building. This nutrient-dense grain is inexpensive and can be used – next to the beloved porridge – in so many different ways. As I always say, it’s only a matter of variety and creativity how you use nature's produce and every little plant on this planet can become your best friend.

Walnuts: I love walnuts. They contain high amounts of omega-3-fats. A serving of 32g walnuts contains over 90 percent of the recommended daily intake of these fatty acids. Additionaly, walnuts are special because they contain predominantly polyunsaturated fats, whereas most other nuts typically contain high amounts of monounsaturated fats.

Dates: Dates are magical and contain too many vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients to list them all. (Phytonutrients is a substance found in certain plants which is believed to be beneficial to human health and help prevent various diseases.) In general, dates increase your overall well-being and are definitely worth eating on a regular basis.

Cinnamon: Who doesn’t love this wonderful spice? Cinnamon boasts one of the highest known antioxidant strengths and works as an excellent source of vitamins and minerals. In fact, one teaspoon of ground cinnamon provides as much antioxidant strength as a 250ml of pomegranate juice. Next to its strong anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties, cinnamon can improve digestive health. Well, by now you surely agree that this sweet little spice is simply wonderful. 

Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract is the liquid form of the vanilla bean and is used both in cooking and for medical purposes. Apparently it should have aphrodisiac properties and is most popularly used to flavour drinks and bakings. The high amount of potassium and trace amounts of essential minerals in vanilla extract help to control blood pressure and heart rate. Grounded organic bourbon vanilla can be used as a substitute and contains the same health benefits and properties.

Powerful and Energizing Protein Bars

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp chia seeds
75ml water
130g gluten-free rolled oats  
150g chopped dates (fresh if possible)
75g chopped walnuts
60g hemp protein powder
50g coconut chips
35g sesame seeds
2 tbsp poppy seeds
2 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of cardamom
half a tsp fine-grain sea salt
3-4 ripe bananas (ca. 375g)
50ml coconut oil (or olive, walnut, sunflower, …)
2 tsp  grounded bourbon vanilla / pure vanilla extract
2-3 Tbsp agave nectar

(Makes: one full baking sheet with ca. 24 medium-sized bars or 12 big bars; Preparation time: 30min; Baking time: 20-25 min)

Begin by soaking the chia seeds in the 75ml water in a bowl. Stir well and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 180°C and put baking paper on a baking sheet.

Combine oats, walnuts, sesame and poppy seeds, chopped dates, coconut chips, hemp protein powder, cinnamon, cardamom and sea salt in a big bowl. In a separate bowl combine the ripe bananas, coconut oil, vanilla and agave nectar. Mash and mix with a fork until everything is well combined and bananas are totally mashed. You can also use a blender or food processor if this works better for you. Then add prepared chia mixture and combine well. 

Pour banana mixture over the dry ingredients in the big bowl and stir until well combined. Spread batter with a spatula onto the baking sheet. Batter should be spread evenly. 

Bake for 20-25 minutes until edges are golden brown. Cool down completely, then cut batter into preferred bar sizes.

Note: Store in an airtight container refrigerated for longer storage life. Bars can also be stored in a freezer for up to one month. Half an hour after taking them out of the freezer, bars can be enjoyed as a powerful snack no matter what time of the day. 

Honestly,  I usually can’t wait until the batter is cooled down completely, this wonderful smell of freshly baked bars is too seducing to wait too long to try them. You will probably experience it yourself! ;)

When completely cooled down – if something is still left – I usually cut the batter into medium-sized bars which perfectly fit into a big jar. The jar can be stored very well in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks. To separate the bars from each other in the jar I usually cut a baking paper in the same sizes as the bars and put them in between, which looks lovely and decorative as well.

Those bars can also be used as a nice present for family and friends, which are always loved from the young and the young at heart.

Yummy…! Serve these with a good cup of tea or coffee.

Let the baking start and fuel your body with lots of energy!

With lots of love, Fabienne.