Natural Always

After some cold and grey days, the sun just came back and it seems to get warmer and warmer. Springtime calls for fresh and crispy bread like My Sunflower-Spelt Bread which can be topped with fresh ingredients directly from the garden. The bread is easy to make and just so delicious. The special thing about this bread is that it contains carrots and zucchini which provide the bread with extra moisture. With only clean and fresh ingredients, this bread is very healthy, vegan and provides your body with lots of nutrients. I love to top my bread slices with some fresh avocado, halved cherry tomatoes, fresh sprouts, a little sea salt and freshly grounded pepper. What I also love to do, is a classical "Avo on Toast" with basil pesto, freshly ground pepper, sea salt flakes, some chili flake, tiny splashes of olive oil and fresh basil. Try it yourself, I'll promise you it will be very satisfiying.

My Sunflower-Spelt Bread

Ingredients
300g spelt flour
200g whole spelt flour (or any other flour)
150g carrots, grated
100g zucchini, grated
150g rolled oats (glutenfree)
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 tbsp maple syrup (or: yacon syrup)
2 1/2-2 tsp himalayan salt
21g fresh yeast
300ml warm water, filtered
sunflower seeds as a topping
coconut oil for greasing

Preheat the oven (200°C) and grease a baking pan with coconut oil.
Resolve fresh yeast in warm water and mix until everything is liquid.
Add all ingredients into a mixing bowl and combine everything well. Spread some flour on a clean kitchen surface on which you knead your mixture to a dough using your hands.

Put dough into a baking pan and top with some sunflowers.
Bake dough for ca. 50 minutes in the oven (200°C).

Cool down a bit, top it with fresh ingredients and instantly enjoy!

(Makes: 1 bread; Preparation time: 1h 10min)

I wish you all a happy day and a lot of sunshine!

Lots of love, Fabienne.

It's nearly end of November and December is on it's way. Christmas markets are already welcoming their guests with hot beverages such as mulled wine (called "Glühwein" in Switzerland), hot chestnuts and other delicacies. I really love the cosy atmosphere in December with magical lights, beautiful fragrances of mandarines and spices, warming teas and cosy hours with friends and family. Obviously, December as the last month of the year is also a time where overall a lot is going on, most of us are running from one place to the other to get everything done and organised before the new year. However, it's very important to take a break from all of that even if it's for a very short time. I usually take this breaks to do something good for me and my surrounding. I love walking outside in nature, reading a book, listening to some music, having coffee and tea with good friends and doing sports or yoga. Or how about baking a few handsome Little Vegan Santas?

On December 6 we celebrate "Santa's Day" in Switzerland. On this particular day, "Samichlaus" and his companion "Schmutzli" emerge from their cottage in the woods to visit children at their homes. In comparison to the American version, where Santa is flying on a reindeer-pulled sleight, our Santa walks through the snow with his dear donkey. When Santa visits the children, they are expected to make a promise to behave better in the upcoming year and recite a poem. In return, "Samichlaus" and "Schmutzli" will leave a bag full of peanuts, walnuts, mandarines, ginger breads, chocolates and of course Santas made out of bread called "Grittibänz". Based on this tradition, Swiss bakeries always sell "Santas" during this time of the year and especially on Santa's Day.

My Little Vegan Santas are made easily and the perfect match to your favourite cup of tea and juicy mandarines. On top of that, they are vegan and a bit healthier than the usual Santas bought somewhere. For these Santas I used spelt flour (Type 630) because I love spelt a lot and you should try it too. Of course you can also use any other flour. Sometimes I also mix different types of spelt flour to have a slightly darker, more whole-grain-dough, but it depends on whatever you like. Additionaly I use coconut oil in this recipe, because of its healthy properties. As an alternative you can always use plant-based margarine, but please watch out not to buy the ones with palm oil on the ingredient list (Thanks!). But honestly, there is no reason to change this lovely ingredient in my recipe.

These little beautiful Santas were coming right from the oven. Can you imagine this incredible smell?

Little Vegan Santas

Ingredients
500g spelt flour (Type 630)
300ml soy milk (or other plant-based milk)
60g coconut oil, melted (alternative: plant-based margarine)
2 tsp himalayan sea salt
2 tsp coconut blossom sugar
20g fresh yeast

Coating:
a pinch of turmeric
some extra soymilk
dried fruits (raisins, cranberries etc.)
sugar crystals

Put the flour into a big bowl, add the coconut blossom sugar, salt and mix. Melt the coconut oil. Meanwhile dissolve the fresh yeast in the soy milk. If everything is ready, pour the coconut oil and soy milk with the dissolved yeast into the prepared bowl. Then with your clean hands knead the dough until smooth for at least 5 minutes – with a lot of love. The longer you knead, the better it will be in the end. After this exercise, put the dough back into your bowl and cover with a damp (not wet!) and warm towel. Place the dough somewhere warm, maybe in your bathroom and let it rest for about 2 hours until dough doubles in its original size.
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Mix a pinch of turmeric with some soymilk. After that, separate the dough into four eqaul-sized parts. Then use your imagination and creativity and form little beautiful Santas, using scissors to form the arms and legs. As a next step, use a brush to cover the Santas with the prepared coating (turmeric & soymilk) and decorate with dried fruits and sugar crystals. Put Santas in the preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes until dough is golden brown.
Cool Santas on a rack for a bit and serve immediately while still a bit warm.
Enjoy with love!

(Makes: 4 Santas; Preparation time: 30min; Resting time: 2 hours; Baking time: 20-25min)

On Santa's Day these Little Vegan Santas are best with some mandarines and nuts, a cup of tea and a couple of good friends – what a combination. Enjoy with love!

And remember: it's very important to take a break from stressful moments in every day life – even if it's for a very short time. So happy baking and relax.

Lots of love, Fabienne.