plant-based – Nat's Ladle

Carrot Cake Bliss Balls {vegan, gluten free, nut free, refined sugar free}

Published on December 29, 2016 by nathaliejasmin20193 Comments

The other day, I got upset at my hubby for buying expensive Medjool dates instead of those dry, hard, brittle dates from the drygoods section that are indefinitely cheaper. (When you have a midget and a mortgage, you tend to worry about financials.) How wrong of me! One bite and it was bliss all the way. I just could not get over that wonderful caramel taste. It reminded of the most exquisite butterscotch toffees. Then, that luxurious velvety texture…I had to admit once more that hubs had been right all along, and that he had hit the jackpot with these beauties. Bliss. Seriously. And what better way to make use of a blissful ingredient than bliss balls? Carrot cake bliss balls it was.

I am not a newbie to bliss balls (see here), but have always been reluctant to splash out on Medjool dates rather than dried dates. The latter, obviously, require some soaking before you can do something bliss ball-y with them, so not having to soak the Medjool dates was another win for lazy, I mean, busy me. It so happened that I had some carrots to use up, too, so something in my head screamed “carrot cake”. While I don’t have a particular sweet tooth, I have a bit of a weakness for carrot cake (as can be seen here, here, and here).

What I love about carrot cake is that you can fix your 3.30 snack attack without the sugar rush as the carrots and nuts in carrot cake provide for some fibre and protein to soak up the carbs that would otherwise wreak havoc in your bloodstream. Plus, the wintery spices give it a bit of a festive and mysterious touch. In short, I figured that Medjool dates+carrots+oats+a few spices and a bit of coconut might be worth a try. Yes, even the precious Medjool dates could not be precious enough for some healthy experimenting.

I have to say that this is one of my recipes I am most excited about, if I dare say so myself! I can’t believe just how good these are, with none of the guilt! And as they are low in fat and refined sugar free, they are even material for a kid’s party – none of the kids will notice they are devouring something healthy, and you don’t have to worry about the sugar crash. They are also nut free, as coconut is botanically not a nut and most people who are allergic to tree nuts can safely eat coconut. Coconut also provides vitamins and magnesium, with the carrot adding a beta carotene and fibre boost and the dates being an excellent source of iron, manganese and long-lasting energy.

These balls are so easy to make with just a few ingredients, so there is no reason not to make these today and fight the munchies!

Carrot Cake Bliss Balls {vegan, gluten free, nut free, refined sugar free}

Makes 18 (possibly more if you don’t eat as much of the batter as me! :-D)

2 large carrots, grated
10 Medjool dates, pitted
1 cup oats
3 tbsp desiccated coconut
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp molasses or coconut syrup
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Just blend all ingredients in a high powered blender until you reach a malleable consistency. Shape into walnut sized balls and enjoy straight away or store in the fridge.

Enjoy!

Golden Mango and Turmeric Smoothie Bowl

Published on October 30, 2016 by nathaliejasmin2019Leave a comment

Sundays are for smoothie bowls (actually, every day of the week is), and with “golden milks” featuring turmeric and other delicious spices being all the rage right now, it was only a matter of course for me to create a golden smoothie bowl! A golden mango and turmeric smoothie bowl, to be precise. Turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and cayenne fire up your digestion in the morning (or make for a great pick-me-up in the afternoon), while kale, banana, and mango provide fibre and micronutrients and the vegan protein powder makes sure you last until lunch!

This smoothie bowl is not only pretty to look at, it is also insanely creamy and delicious, very filling and warms you from the inside out. No need to pick up a sugary chai latte from your local Star****s! I always keep a stash of frozen mango, banana, and kale in my freezer, which means that it takes less than a minute to throw everything together! ~~And if you don’t post it on instagram you don’t even need to decorate it!~~ The toppings are completely optional, but apart from completing the look, I find they always add a nice crunch and textural variation to the smoothie bowl – not to mention that they also provide you with extra nutrients!

Golden Mango and Turmeric Smoothie Bowl

1 large smoothie bowl

1 cup plant milk
30 g vanilla-flavoured vegan protein powder
frozen banana
1 cup frozen mango
a handfull of kale
1 tbsp psyllium, LSA or flaxmeal
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch cardamom
1/4 tsp ginger
pinch of cayenne
toppings (optional) such as goji berries, nuts, seeds, granola, fresh or dried fruit, chia…

Blitz everything bar the toppings in a high-powered blender, transfer to a cute bowl and top with your favourite toppings.

Enjoy!

Vegan Lentil Bolognese

Published on September 7, 2016 by nathaliejasmin20194 Comments

The idea of making a vegan “Bolognese” with legumes has been at the back of my mind for some time, and while the concept is not exactly new, I think I have come up with quite a cracker vegan lentil bolognese recipe which will convince even the most ardent meat lover! At the point of making this, I had run out of diced tomatoes in my pantry (yes, it happens). I had neither the time nor the inclination to run out to the shops and get some so I used the last bit of Maggie Beer tomato sauce we had in the fridge.

The result was divine, which is the best proof that you don’t need a tin of tomatoes or a jar of marinara sauce if you make bolognese (you’ll be hard-pressed to find a recipe for bolognese on the net, vegetarian or not, which doesn’t include a tin of tomatoes or a jar of marinara sauce).

Back to the vegan bolognese – you won’t miss anything in here. My husband, an avid meat eater, loved it and simply couldn’t believe there was no meat in it. This is comfort food at its best, and at the same time full of goodies while being very low in fat. Your vegan/vegetarian and omnivore friends will be raving alike. Serve it with gluten free pasta like I did (photo) or “voodles” (spiralised vegetables) and it’s gluten free as well. So what inspired me to make a lentil bolognese?

While mushrooms or quorn mince would be an obvious choice, there had to be a more cost-effective solution. I love the effect legumes have on my blood sugar and satiety levels – I don’t so much love their effect on my gut. However, I found the “smaller” the legume the more easily digested, hence lentils are usually my legume of choice. (They taste friggin’ delicious too.) I love kidney beans and chickpeas, but if I have too much of them, they just about kill me (or rather, my bowels). Of course I know the spiel about soaking and phytic acid and blabla, but I couldn’t find a huge difference between soaking dry lentils and just rinsing organic tinned ones very well, and if in doubt, I always opt for the easier and quicker option but it is of course up to you if and how you prepare your lentils.

With all this being said, you would assume that lentils are the hero of this dish, but they are actually not…it’s celery! What the…? Well, I have to admit I’ve never liked celery all that much, especially in its raw version. In fact, celery is probably the only vegetable I couldn’t eat raw to save myself (something I inherited from my mum). So while I have recently found a new organic box delivery service which I really like, their inclusion of celery in the last box was a bit of a letdown for me at first. But an unknown vegetable for the amateur chef is like a new country to the devoted adventurer, so I knew I had to experiment. My internet search about the uses of celery only yielded raw salad recipes – three strikes, I was out. Had to do it without the help of Uncle Google.

Soups and stocks usually contain traces of celery. I figured if I just cooked it long enough, maybe it would act a bit like vegetable stock without imposing the (imho yucky) raw flavour of celery. Bingo! This bolognese tasted so rich and just had this certain “je ne sais quoi”, and since I don’t cook with onions, I knew it had to be the celery which lended this dish “a depth of flavour”, according to my hubby.

So I’ll be sure to include celery more often in my creations. You never stop learning, do you?

Vegan Lentil Bolognese

2 generous portions

1 garlic clove, minced
2 carrots, grated or finely sliced
2 celery stalks, very finely sliced
1 tin organic brown lentils, drained and rinsed very well (or sub other legumes)
a dash of tomato sauce or tomato paste or diced tomatoes (amount depends on your preferences)
250-350 ml good vegetable stock
basil, oregano, salt, pepper and any other herbs and spices of choice
other vegetables of choice (optional) (mushrooms are a great choice)
nutritional yeast (optional)

Make sure to have all the ingredients readily prepared. You don’t want your garlic to burn while you are still slicing the celery! Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the garlic and fry for a few minutes until soft. Add carrots, celery and lentils and heat through for another few minutes, than add the tomatoes and stock, bring to the boil and simmer until the desired consistency is reached. Adjust the amount of stock according to your preferences. Stir in the nutritional yeast for a lovely cheesy flavour. Season to taste and serve with gluten free pasta or voodles. (I’ve got no idea how long this stuff lasts and if it tastes better the next day – we finished it in one sitting!)

Enjoy!