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Daniela Klein

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#1 Trick to Making the Best Smoothies

written by Daniela Klein

I have a trick that I use whenever I make smoothies. It really turns them around in terms of flavor and taste. And today I want to share it with you.

And I won’t keep you hanging on a cliff, because it is a really, really simple trick. It does not involve any expensive ingredients, or freezing the smoothie, or a snazzy blender. It is one ingredient.

If you have a look at a few different smoothie recipes, you will probably notice that this ingredient pops up in most recipes. However if you are making your own smoothies from scratch, it is easy to overlook this ingredient. And the vital smoothie ingredient for great flavor and health benefits is……

 

 

Adding Healthy Fats to Your Smoothies!

This might seem too simple to be a game changer when it comes to making smoothies – but it really is. Trust me : D. If you want to take a smoothie from flat and a little bland, to yummy, creamy and delicious, then include a healthy fat into it. Even if it is a green smoothie. Actually particulary if it is a green smoothie. It really does transform the smoothie, and not only that, you also get the added health benefits from the healthy fats. These  include enhanced absorption of certain fat soluble vitamins such as A, D, K and E. These vitamins dissolve in fat, so without the presence of fats in your smoothie, you will miss out on the full uptake of these.

Additionally, including a healthy fat into your smoothie ensures that it keeps you fuller for longer. This is a great attribute when it comes to smoothie ingredients. Most of us are making smoothies to help us get through busy days, while still getting in decent amount of fruit and greens to keep us healthy and energised. If we are fainting from lack of fuel during the day – then all this smoothie making sort of defeats the goal of reaping more energy and vibrance.

So what kind of healthy fats can I incorporate into my smoothie?

Here are some examples of healthy fats work well in smoothies:

  • Coconut milk / cream
  • Melted coconut oil
  • Avocados
  • Nut oils or butters eg. almond butter or cashew butter
  • Olive oil

Of all of these healthy fats, coconut oil is my favorite one to add to smoothies. Firstly it is very neutral in flavor – which means that you can use it all the time without your smoothies tasting always of coconut.

And the second reason is that coconut oil has some pretty exciting health aspects to it!

 

Coconut Oil as a Healthy Fat Source for Your Smoothies

Coconut oil is an incredibly special oil in that it is a healthy saturated fat which is plant based. Today we are lucky enough to be able to buy it the world over, usually at a reasonable price. Coconut oil keeps well, and as mentioned above is neutral in taste. Meaning you can use it in any smoothie you want, and not have them all tasting of coconut.

Coconut Oil is Not Readily Stored by the Body as Fat –
It is converted to energy straight away

It appears that one of the top reasons why coconut oil is so good for our bodies lies in the type of fat that it is made up of. coconut oil is made up of over 90 percent short chain healthy saturated fat. This fat can be broken down by the body in 3 steps. Unlike other plant derived fats which are broken down in 26 stages!

What this means ultimately is that the fat in coconut oil can be taken up by the body and converted to energy immediately. Short chain fats are processed in the liver, which means pretty much a one way street to energy production.  There is much less chance of coconut oil being stored in fat cells within the body, because it can so easily be converted to energy. Whereas other plant based fats can take so long to convert that they can end up being stored along the way.

Adding Coconut Oil Into Smoothies Can Assist With Weight Loss

If you are interested in shedding a few pounds, or simply maintaining a certain weight, then coconut oil is a great choice in healthy fats. This is because of the fact that it is not easily stored in the body as fat, and tends to get burnt up right away. This means that:

Adding coconut oil to smoothies is a weight loss friendly thing to do, because it is not easily retained by the body in fat cells. It also makes your smoothie more filling, which means that you can go for longer on it before feeling hungry again.

Adding Coconut Oil to Your Smoothie Can Act as An Excellent Source of Energy

This special ability of coconut oil to be broken down into energy in only 3 steps makes it a great source of energy. If you add coconut oil to your smoothies, it will help to keep your energy levels high for longer, with minimal fat storage.

If you are using your smoothie to act as an on-the-go light meal, then it is important that it has ingredients in it that will keep you energized.

 

Kale & Orange Smoothie Recipe

 

How to Add Coconut Oil to Your Smoothies

There are three things to know when it comes to adding coconut oil to smoothies.

How Much Coconut Oil Should I Add?

Usually I find that one can add a little more coconut oil than one thinks to smoothies. I used to only add a couple tablespoons, but I have now upped that to roughly 1/4 cup for a smoothie which makes roughly 1.5 – 2 glasses. This might seem like a lot, but if you are skipping any other kind of ingredients which contain fat – then this will distribute through your smoothie and make it deliciously creamy.

A good rule of thumb when making a smoothie and wanting to add coconut oil is to stick to this rough ratio:

7 parts volume of smoothie:1 part coconut oil
                                    or
For every 250 ml of smoothie that you make, add in 30 ml (just over 2 tablespoons) of coconut oil.

 

You Might Have to Melt Your Coconut Oil

Coconut oil tends to harden in temperatures below 76 degrees F. Above this temperature it is in a liquid form. If your coconut oil is in liquid form, then great, you can simply add it into your smoothie.

If however your coconut oil is in its solidified state, then you will need to melt it before incorporating it into your smoothie. If you do not do this, what can happen is that one can get lots and lots of little solid bits of coconut oil in your smoothie – no matter how much you blend!

How to Melt Coconut Oil for Using in Your Smoothies

To melt the coconut oil, simply put the required amount into a saucepan and put this over a very low heat for about 1/2  a minute. The coconut oil will melt almost instantly.

The important thing is to not allow your coconut oil to overheat. It must just get warm enough to melt into its liquid state. If it is sizzling hot, then it will make your smoothie warm when you add it in, and probably denature some of the raw ingredients in the smoothie.

 

Blend Everything Else, Then Add the Melted Coconut Oil While the Blender is Still Running

Once the coconut oil is melted, all you need to do is add it to your smoothie. Take note however that if your smoothie and its ingredients are very cold, then the oil could solidify into clumps again when you pour it in. To avoid this, do the following.

  • Blend and process all of the other ingredients in your smoothie until it is smooth and creamy looking.
  • Now slowly pour in your melted coconut oil, while the blender is still running. This will evenly incorporate the coconut oil into your smoothie, so that even if it is cold, or goes into the fridge, no oil clumps will appear in the smoothie.

 

Savory Kale & Kefir Green Smoothie Recipe

 

When Not to Use Coconut Oil

As you can see, coconut oil is a really awesome healthy fat option for adding to your smoothies on a daily basis. It is neutral in flavor, and is weight loss friendly, but also provides lasting energy thanks to the ease with with coconut oil is turned into energy by the body.

There are however some instances when you might not want to use coconut oil in your smoothies, and rather use one of the other healthy fats available.

You Are Making a Savory / Gespatchio Style Green Smoothie

If you are making a gazpacho style smoothie, then you may wish to use an oil such as olive oil as your healthy fat. Olive oil has a beautiful savory flavor, and can really make a green smoothie taste delicious and extra savory. Olive oil has its own set of health benefits, so you won’t be missing out. : )

You Are After a Certain Flavor in Your Smoothie

Sometimes you may want to use a fat source in your smoothie which has a stronger flavor than coconut oil. For example, if you want to make a smoothie which tastes like coconut, do not use coconut oil. Rather use coconut milk or cream, as that will bring the signature coconut flavor.

Another example might be that you want to make a peanut and chocolate flavored smoothie. Then again, ditch the coconut oil and use peanut butter instead, just in a slightly larger quantity.

Try This Trick!

If you have been making your smoothies without healthy fats as an ingredient – try this trick! I am sure that you will be happy with the results you see and taste in your smoothie.

If you try this and what to share, post a pic of your smoothie creation on instagram and tag me! The tag is @rebels.kitchenpics.

For now, all the best with your smoothies, and hope everybody is enjoying the long weekend. : )

 

Pomegranate Overnight Oats Smoothie Bowl Recipe

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Best Quick Thin Crust Focaccia Recipe
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Best Quick and Thin Easy Focaccia Bread

written by Daniela Klein

Today I have my focaccia recipe for you guys.

I love making focaccias because these are so easy and have so much style even with such simple ingredients. My favorite focaccias are the super thin ones, full of flavor from the garlic and herbs, and super crispy thanks to the generous coating of olive oil. This is exactly the focaccia I have here for you.

The other thing that is great about this recipe, is that it is very quick to make. Because I used Jessica’s Merchant’s no rise needed pizza dough recipe, you do not have to calculate in any rising time.

If I do have time and are planning ahead, I let this dough rise anyway. I like the idea of the yeasts colonising and converting the flour abit. But if I am in a rush – and need to make and bake immediately, I can skip the rising part no problem. I cannot say I notice much of a difference with letting the dough rise, versus not rising it.

 

Best Quick Thin Crust Focaccia Recipe

If you are wondering when is a good time to make a focaccia – anytime! For lunch / brunch, snacking in between, as an appetizer, or even as part of a simple supper.

I think that where focaccias really shine is as part of a drinks and snacks setting. You can mix up the dough and the olive oil  herb and garlic topping beforehand. When you want to make the focaccias, rolling them out and putting them into the oven is very quick.

Because this focaccia dough does not need to rise, this makes this recipe a good option to keep up your sleeve for those times when people come over unexpectedly. You know when the conversation is so good, and you don’t want anyone to go away because they are hungry. Making a couple of focaccias in this situation is perfect! : )

 




Best Quick Thin Crust Focaccia Recipe

 

Another great time to make focaccias is if you want to make a simple and light lunch or brunch, but do not want to serve up sandwiches. What I would do in that case is make enough focaccias to feed everyone, and pair them with a salad.

Are Focaccias Healthy?

I do not eat or make focaccias everyday, seeing as they mainly consist of white flour. White flour is highly refined and does not contain enough fibre or nutrients for it to be a nutritious food. Most white flour has also gone through bleaching processes, might possibly be genetically modified, and of course contain pesticide residues.

However, a homemade focaccia is of course a lot healthier than a take out one from a fast food outlet. You can control what goes in. In you use organic flour which is unbleached, then your homemade focaccia or pizza will be a lot less unhealthy than a ready made one.

Also, if you serve your focaccias with things like salads or vegetable sides, then this will also provide a source of fibre to help one’s digestive systems to process the refined flour.

The Power of the Inclusion Based Diet

I have been wanting to touch on this for some time – because it is fundamentally the philosophy that drives this blog and these recipes.

I believe that if you include a broad selection of nutritious and healthy foods in your diet, then eating something which is less nutrient dense once in awhile is totally ok.

I have been following the inclusion based eating approach for a couple of years now, but only recently discovered the science behind my practice.

The Subconscious Mind Struggles to Hear Negatives – Particularly Related to Food

Apparently, our subconscious brains have difficulty processing negatives. How often have you said something like “don’t forget to pick up milk on your way home”, and it seems like the person only hears “forget the milk”, and promptly comes home without the milk.  This works in a similar way when we try to make decisions about not eating certain foods. “I will not eat cake”……. Subconscious mind hears, “eat cake!”

So this explains why we often fail when trying to follow diets which direct us to cut out certain foods. It also explains why when trying to lose weight, one sometimes gains weight. There one is, thinking “I will not eat until supper” – and immediately we are hungry, because we are thinking about food and that will stimulate appetite. Also, we have just told our brain “eat, until supper” !!

 

Actionable Commands are Easier to Follow than Non Action Based Commands

The other piece of the puzzle came to me from observing small children. Ever noticed how if you tell a small kid to stop being ________________ (insert unwanted behaviour) it often just continues or gets worse?

If on the other hand one gives a child something positive and concrete to START doing, instead of telling it to STOP doing something, the situation can diffuse pretty quickly!

Although as adults we might be more capable of STOPPING to do something, we still naturally do better when given something to START doing. This is particularly applicable to food and healthy eating.

Including Healthy Foods You Like, Until There is Less Space for Unwanted Foods

There are a lot of healthy foods. Not all of us like all healthy foods. But most of us probably like certain foods which also happen to be healthy, have good levels of nutrients, fibre, etc.

There is also only so much space in one’s diet. We say, ‘Oh, I could etc xyz food all day long’. But physically, this is not necessarily true. It can get uncomfortable at some point.

If you combine these two things, by incorporating the healthy foods that you like, into your daily diet (which has limited space), you will find that you will slowly start to have less room for unwanted foods. The reason why this can work easefully, is because it is an actionable plan, which does not contain subconscious wrong-eating bait, and is something where you actually have foods to eat.

One of the biggest pitfalls with an exclusion based approach to eating and health is that if one is making a big change, and cutting out many items, you are literally left with nothing to eat. And nothing to eat is a recipe for extreme hunger, then a stressed based food decision, and finally overeating.

Because all us have different tastes and different goals, creating an inclusion based eating plan will look different for everyone. But the way to start is to pick out your top favorite foods which are good for you, and start to buy them, make them, eat them and celebrate them!

It get’s really good, I promise you. : )

Best Quick Thin Crust Focaccia Recipe

On a Personal Note

Up about 2 years ago, I used to try and exclude all sorts of things from my diet (maybe it’s part of being a teenager and young adult), and now that I have finally come to follow an inclusion based diet – food and eating is a non issue. I eat what I want, get excited about healthy foods, and I am supremely happy that the days of cutting out this then that are over. My weight maintains itself really well, and I feel great. In fact, I weigh less than I did before, and I have more energy. I feel like I have narrowly escaped a life of eating disorders and food based stresses.

I know that there are many people out there who really HAVE to cut out things like dairy and wheat. I understand this.

But I also understand that scientifically, for a person without intolerances or chronic illness, saying to oneself – I won’t eat gluten or I won’t eat dairy, or I won’t eat junk – often ends up in one eating lots of that thing that we said we were not going to have!

Whereas if we say things to ourselves like “oh, I think I am going to start eating lentils, because they are so nutritious and satiating” then it is an actionable thing. And if one starts to say this about a lot of healthy foods and incorporate them into meals – then there starts to be very little space left for the unhealthy things.

And then what happens, is we get to a point where we can make and eat a focaccia or a pizza no problem! With no guilt, no stress. Because we know that tomorrow we are going to be enjoying green smoothies, or bowls, or salads, or nutritious soups, or whatever is your favorite choice of healthy food. : )

Reach Out to Me

I really would like to be a support to anybody who is looking to turn their diet into an inclusion based healthy eating habit. Please, if there is anything I can do, particular recipes you would like, or even just to chat – please please do not hesitate to reach out.

This is the main reason why I run this website and share these recipes – so do not think that contacting me with questions, requests, ideas or simply to talk is an intrusion in any way. I want to know what you need to get to the place you want to be with your cooking, eating, weight, healthy and emotions around food. Hit me up! : )

Oh and in case you were not here for a information overload on inclusion based eating  – we are finally at the recipe for this delicious and classy focaccia.

Cia! x

 

Best Quick Thin Crust Focaccia Recipe




Best Quick and Thin Easy Focaccia Bread

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Serves: Makes 2 medium sized focaccias Prep Time: Cooking Time:

Ingredients

  • For the dough:
  • 3 cups white flour
  • 1 cup lukewarm water
  • 2 teaspoons honey (you can also use sugar)
  • 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
  • For the topping:
  • 2/3 cup olive oil
  • 5 large cloves of garlic
  • 2 tablespoons dried thyme
  • 4 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano (or 2 tablespoons if dried)
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2-3 teaspoons nutritional yeast (you can also swop this out for a light sprinkling of grated parmesan cheese)

Instructions

How to Make the Focaccia Dough:

First off, it’s time to put the dough together. As I said above, this dough is a no rise recipe, so you can simply make it and roll out your focaccia bases. Or you can make it ahead of time and let it stand – either way.

  1. Combine lukewarm water, honey and yeast in a large bowl.
  2. Leave to sit until the surface is slightly foamy (about 15 minutes).
  3. Now add in flour, salt and dried rosemary. Mix together until combined.
  4. Grab the dough and form a ball in your hands.
  5. knead for about 10 minutes, or until the dough has an elasticated consistency. At this point you can either let the dough sit (if you only want to bake the focaccias later), or you can proceed to the rolling out.
    If you are going to let the dough sit for awhile, coat the ball with some oil. This will prevent the surface from drying out. You can also wet a dish towel and drape this over the top of the bowl that the dough is in. This is a good idea if the humidity is very low where you are. 

How to Make the Herb Topping

If you like, you can simply brush the olive oil over the top of your rolled out focaccias, and then sprinkle on the herbs, crushed garlic, salt and nutritional yeast. However what I like to do is to mix this all together in a small bowl and then spread it on. That way the garlic and herbs flavors and infuse a little into the olive oil and make for an even tastier focaccia!

  1. Peel and crush the garlic.
  2. Chop the oregano if fresh.
  3. Combine all topping ingredients except for the nutritional yeast into a small bowl, and stir.
  4. Allow this to stand while you roll out your focaccia bases. You can also make this ahead of time if you are prepping your focaccias for a dinner or party. Extra standing time will not do any harm.

Rolling Out the Focaccias, Topping them and Baking

This is very simple:

  1. Preheat your oven to 450° F or 230 ° C. This is important, you want to get the focaccias into a nice hot oven.
  2. Flour a decent sized amount of counter space, as well as a rolling pin and your hands. If you do not have a rolling pin, an empty wine bottle also works great.
  3. Divide the dough into two equal portions and make into balls with your hands.
  4. Roll out the balls until you have two rounds of rolled of dough which are nice and thin.
  5. Carefully slip these rounds onto two sheet pans, or pizza stones.
  6. Spoon the olive oil, garlic and herb mix over the two focaccia bases, and try to spread it out evenly over them with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle on the nutritional yeast.
  7. Place the two pans into the oven and bake for about 10 to 15 minutes or until they start to become golden. Keep a close eye on things, because they can over bake quite quickly.
  8. Once done, slip them onto a wire rack to cool, slice and serve!

 

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Pomegranate Overnight Oats Smoothie Bowl Recipe
Breakfast ideasCooking HacksFast Healthy MealsSmoothiesVeganVegetarian

Pomegranate Overnight Oats Smoothie Bowl

written by Daniela Klein

This the best smoothie bowl I have ever come up with! Granted I do not make that many smoothie bowls, but I do make a fair amount of smoothies – and this bowl is just delicious. And I am not really tooting my own horn here as a smoothie bowl maker – the deliciousness factor is actually thanks to the gorgeous tang of the fresh pomegranate juice.

Oh and the other thing. This is a 3 ingredient bowl. Pomegranate juice, a cup of oats, and a 1/3 cup coconut oil. Really, really simple.

The last thing, quick note on the overnight oats smoothie bowl concept. I tried making overnight oats at some point, but I still found that even with the overnight soaking, the oats still tasted rawish to me. So I decided to blend the oats, the night before. This way they soak up more water in the finer state, and do not taste so raw. At least to me : D.

Here is my other overnight oats smoothie bowl style recipe if you want to take a look.  I often feel weird posting simple recipes like this, because it seems like it is not complicated enough to be a recipe. But this seems to be a silly concept because this is one of my most popular recipes. : )

Let me know if you try this, and what you think of the flavor!

x

 

Pomegranate Overnight Oats Smoothie Bowl Recipe Pomegranate Overnight Oats Smoothie Bowl Recipe




Pomegranate Overnight Oats Smoothie Bowl

Print This
Serves: 1 Prep Time:

Ingredients

  • 1 cup oats
  • 1 1/4 cup pure / fresh pomegranate juice
  • 1/3 cup melted coconut oil
  • Optional: A handful of granola for topping

Instructions

  1. The night before, combine the pomegranate juice and the oats. Blend until mainly smooth. If your oats is very absorbent, you might need to add a little extra pomegranate juice.
  2. Leave to stand overnight, covered.
  3. In the morning, add in the coconut oil and blend once more, or simply mix it in. Be sure to melt the coconut oil if it is in solid form. This is important, because if it is solid, even if you blend it in you will still get little ‘bits’ of hard oil, and the smoothie will not taste all smooth and creamy. Trust me – I have had this a few times, thanks to trying to shortcut the melting.
  4. Once you have incorporated the coconut oil, spoon the mix into a bowl, add a little granola for crunch factor if you like, and enjoy!

Pomegranate Overnight Oats Smoothie Bowl Recipe

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How to Make the Best SOup
Cooking HacksHow To'sSoups

How to Make the Best Soups

written by Daniela Klein

Soups are a wonderful way to incorporate healthy foods into your meals. Vegetables, pulses, grains like barley, split peas…. Soups are easy vehicles for just about any healthy food you can think of. They can also allow you to include a variety of different things into one meal, without the hassle of cooking each thing as a separate dish.

There a millions of tasty soup recipes out there, but sometimes you might find yourself not wanting to follow a recipe – because you are trying to use what you’ve got, and not have to run out to the store for a set of called-for ingredients.

Also, even if you are following a recipe, it is a great to be able to know how to adjust the seasoning to make the soup the tastiest version of itself! : )

How to Make Tasty Soups Everytime

The secret to making amazingly tasty soups is to create what hot shot chefs call a ‘flavor balance’. The main way to do this is to play with the quantities of these below tastes / ingredients which determine the balance of flavor:

  • Salt
  • Sweet
  • Acid (usually vinegar or wine)
  • Fat (cream, butter, olive oil etc)

Besides these basic four, there are also two other flavors which can lift your soup to even tastier heights:

  • Umani
  • Heat

Note: I have not included herbs here, because they are usually part of the more ‘core’ ingredients to a soup. However if you want me to add in a section on herbs – let me know!

 

Step 1: Adding the right amount of salt!

The first thing I do when beginning to flavor, is to incorporate the salt. Adding the right amount is very important. Too much, and the soup will taste terrible. because of this it is tempting to just put in a little salt, and allow everyone to add their own if they want more. This does not always work, because many people might not even realise that the soup needs salt – and not add any. Also, remember that some people are scared to add salt to food someone else has cooked for them, because it can be thought of as rude. Like, ‘this is so blandddd, please pass me the salt’!

The way to get the salt amount right is to add a little, and taste. Keep adding and tasting until you reach a point where the soup tastes more flavorful than before, but not yet to where one can actually taste ‘in your face’ saltiness.

Tip: If you do accidentally over salt your soup, the way to fix this is to add more liquid. This might mean that you also have to add something to re-thicken your soup, like some cornstarch mixed in a bit of cold water to form a slurry. 

Step 2: Add an acid (vinegar, wine, lemon juice etc.)

This is one of my favorites way to make a soup taste delicious. You have to add an acid! Most soups do not contain any acidic tasting ingredients. Adding something like apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar, red wine vinegar, or a red or white wine itself, will usually do wonders for the flavor of your soup.

How much to add? Usually more than your think. Of course do not go crazy, simply add a little vinegar or other acid a little at a time, tasting along the way until it you think it tastes good.

Of course there are some soups, like a tomato soup which can be pretty acidic already. In this case, do not add more acid! Rather, focus on step 3 below.

Step 3: Do you need extra sweet?

Most soups get enough sweetness from their vegetable components. Carrots, onions, peas, cabbage, are all slightly sweet in taste – and provide the perfect hint of sweet that a soup needs. So usually you do not have to add any sweetening. However there are certain soups which do need it on occasion. Examples of these are some tomato soups, or soups which do not contain many vegetables.




Step 4: Do you need extra fat?

Fats in soups can take the form of things like cream, sour cream, oils, butter etc. Cream is one of the most popular fats for soups, and is usually added towards the end, at the flavoring stage of a soup. The amount of extra fat which you add to your soup at the end, is also something which should be done so that it is in balance with the soup. Too little fat and the soup will taste like boiled up stuff. Too much, and it will be overly oily / rich and not yummy.

So taste your soup, and add a little cream / sour cream oil etc. Taste again, add more if desired, until the soup is perfectly creamy! : )

Step 5: Adding Sources of Umami

Something that all soups should have is an umami flavor. Umami refers to what we term ‘savory’. If you have used a stock in your soup, you might not need to extra things for umami, especially if it is a meat based stock.

However, if you have not used stock, or have used a vegetable stock which is not very savory in taste, then you might want to add something to up the umami factor of your soup.

These are some things which you can use to add umami flavor to soups:

  • Fish oil (just a drop or two!)
  • Nutritional yeast (you can be generous)
  • Dried and powdered mushrooms
  • Miso paste
  • Parmesan
  • Soya sauce

My personal favorite out of these is the nutritional yeast. Its full of B vitamins which is really great if you do not eat meat.

The last two options, parmesan and soya sauce I would use discerningly. This is because while they are both full of umami, they are also full of their own signature flavor. The parmesan of course has strong cheese tones, and the soy sauce’s flavor is associated with eastern food. Of course if you want a cheesy flavor, like in a potato, onion, cauliflower soup, or tomato soup, then parmesan is a great choice. And if you are making a eastern style broth, then soya sauce is definitely a must.

 

How to Make the Best SOup

Step: 6 Adding Heat

Adding heat (in the form of spice / pepper) to your soups is a great way to make them even more mouth watering. I usually use black pepper, white pepper, or chilli pepper like dried cayenne.

The Trick: Do not add too much heat – unless you specifically want a very hot / spicy soup. Soups are a great conductor of heat from peppers / spices. A little goes a long way. I find that for most soups, the best is to use a small amount of pepper, most often freshly ground black pepper.

And that’s my list of tips for how to make the tastiest soups! Don’t hesitate to comment if you have any question. I also want to do a post on the different ways to construct a soup – is this something which would be useful to you my reader?

In the meantime – enjoy the soups! : )

 





 

 

 

 

 

 

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Cooking HacksFast Healthy MealsSoupsVegetarian

Easy Leek & Onion Soup

written by Daniela Klein

Soups are one of the best ways to eat extra vegetables – or to eat a totally vegetable based meal. Soups are also a dish to make if you want to cook a low carb meal for yourself, while still providing carbs for your partner / family / kids etc. Simply serve up some whole grain toast or soft bread, you can have as much soup as you like – and they can have as much bread or toast as they like.

This leek and onion soup is one of my favorite current soups. There is a school of thought that the fewer ingredients one incorporates into a dish, the more impact it will have because one’s taste buds can zone in and concentrate on the star ingredients.

I think this is why this soup is so nice – the leek and onions are both alliums, so they are inherently similar to the taste buds. But also different enough to add complexity. There is also a generous amount of garlic. Because of these three antiviral powerhouses, this soup is a great one for winter months when you want make sure that viruses will have a hard time taking hold.

Before I give you the recipe, I just want to touch on an important topic. I want to write a proper post on this, so that if you find it useful you can share these tips with a friend, but for now bear with me. : )

How to Create a Perfect Balance of Flavor in Soups

When making a soup, one of the most important stages is flavoring the liquid well. There will be some flavor from the big ingredients that you are using, in this case alliums which have a fair amount of their own flavor.

However, the key to making a soup which is hearty and full of flavor lies in balancing a couple other flavors.

The Four Flavors / Ingredients to Tweak in Your Soups

The four ingredients which make up the flavor balance of a soup are as follows.

  • Salt
  • Acid (usually vinegar or wine)
  • Sweet
  • Fat (cream, butter, olive oil etc)

If you strike a perfect balance of these four, you will probably have the perfect soup. Let’s take a look at each of these elements and how much or how little to use of them roughly.

Salt

Salt is a key component to most food, especially things like soup and stews. If you oversalt a soup, it will be awful. Every spoonful with be unpleasant. However if you under salt a soup, the person you are serving it to might not think to add salt of their own accord.

They simply think, oh, quite a nice soup, and eat it. Not knowing how dynamic the soup would have been if a tiny bit more salt were added. So it is very much up to you as the cook to gauge this.  Remember, some people are also shy to add salt to food that someone else has cooked, because it could be seen as an insult ‘Oh this food is flavorless, where is the salt shaker’.

So, when you are adding salt to your soups, do it in small increments, tasting along the way. In my recipes, I always put ‘salt and pepper to taste’. Firstly I cannot dictate to you how much salt and pepper you like. Personally I am heavy handed on the pepper because I love it, and very picky about how much salt to add. This could be slightly too much for some, or not enough for others. Secondly, ‘to taste’ is the actionable bit. You must taste! If you do not taste your soup as your are making it – it would be like painting a picture blind!

Ok, that sounds a bit over the top. But I am sure a real chef would agree ; P.

Acid

Acids in cooking are all the things which are acidic in ph, and in soups this would usually be things like vinegar, lemon juice, red or white wine, and tomato.

It might seem strange to put vinegar into a soup, but trust me, it makes all of the difference.

The aim of the game is not to make the soup sour, but simply to lift it. For some reason adding an acid to a dish usually makes it taste more savory.

Again, the key to getting the amount right is to add in increments and taste in between. I usually put the exact amount of acid ingredient in the ingredients section for my recipes, but if say your vegetables are slightly more than mine, then this amount will be thrown out. So always taste.

Hint: You usually need a little more acid than you think.

Sweet

Although part of The Four I very rarely add sweetening to a soup. Usually the vegetables are enough, and all sweetening can come from them. There is one exception, and that is in a tomato soup. You might find that in tomato soup you need a little sugar, because the acidity of the tomatoes is overly high and the soup tastes too tart.

Fat

A form of fat in soups is very important. Of course there is a limit, but generally a fat free soup will lack complexity and wow factor. Even a small amount of a fat will elevate a soup. If you are vegan, and prefer to boycott dairy, simply use extra olive oil, or other oil of your choice. I always specify the amount of oil, butter or cream in my recipes, but again it is always good to do a taste check.

When your soup is finished cooking, give it a last taste, and if it needs extra richness and body, simply add a little fat of your choice.

Phew! For an easy soup I have really bombarded you with the info! But this flavor balancing is actually simple, and it is indeed the easiest and most sure fire way to consistently make killer soups.

 

 




Easy Leek & Onion Soup

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Serves: 4 Prep Time: Cooking Time:

Ingredients

  • 600 grams baby onions - you can also use regular onions
  • 500 grams leeks - tops and stems
  • 50 grams butter - substitute for olive oil for vegan options
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 5 - 6 cups stock or water
  • 5 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 3 large cloves garlic
  • 4 teaspoons dried basil
  • 2 sprigs fresh marjoram - or 3 teaspoons dried

Instructions

  1. Start off by peeling the onions and garlic. Crush the garlic and set it aside. Chop the onions and leeks up finely. The finer the better, within reason.
  2. Now heat up the 50 grams butter and the 1/2 cup olive oil in a large pot.
  3. Add the onions and toss a few times. Add the leeks.
  4. Keep on tossing this for a about 1/2 minute.
  5. Now add the 1/3 cup flour and toss until the flour has browned a tiny bit.
  6. Add the 5 -6 cups water or stock and stir.
  7. Add the remaining ingredients – 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast, 3 teaspoons dried basil, 2 sprigs fresh marjoram, crushed garlic, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste – and remember to taste to adjust your flavor balance.
  8. Allow to simmer on low until the leeks have softened – about 15 – 20 minutes.
  9. Serve and enjoy.

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Easy Leek & Onion Soup Recipe

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Chocolate Chickpea Fudge Recipe
Breakfast ideasCookies and TreatsGluten FreeSnacksVeganVegetarian

Chocolate Chickpea Fudge

written by Daniela Klein

This recipe is a remix of the nutmeg ladu fudge which came onto the blog a couple weeks ago. I lovedd that fudge – I was so so impressed by the flavor, consistency – and the nutritional value. Chickpea fudge is definitely something which you can eat as ‘fuel’ not just as a treat.

I decided to try out a chocolate version of the nutmeg fudge. And it is absolutely the bomb!
Oh and by the way…

Kid test – passed
Man test – passed 
Grandpa test – passed 
Dad test – passed 

Can I have a round of applause please? It is not often the one can create a sweet good which is as nutritious as this one – and pass all of those testers. : P With flying colors too I might add.

Ok, let’s talk a little bit about this yummy chickpea fudge is so delicious, and then we can get to the recipe.

SO What’s in this Chickpea Fudge?

The main components of this chickpea fudge are of course chickpeas, coconut oil, dates and ground pecan nuts.  All of these are things which one can and should eat on a semi  regular basis.

Health Benefits of Chickpeas

Chickpeas are a wonderful pulse to sneak into sweet goods because their flavor works well with sweeter things, and they are excellent at aiding the body to regulate blood sugar levels. So no sugar spikes when chickpeas are in the mix!

Chickpeas contain high amounts of fibre which means that they aid digestion, and also increase levels of satiety. Meaning you will be fuller for longer after eating a food containing chickpeas. Making sure that your snacks have a high satiety score can lead to better weight management, as you will feel fuller for longer on less. Great formula for shedding a couple pounds!

Chickpeas are also a great source of plant based protein. If you are vegetarian or vegan, then chickpeas can be a valuable component of your diet.

Besides containing high levels of fibre and protein, chickpeas are also rich in manganese, folate, copper, phosphorus, iron, magnesium and zinc. They also slightly lower concentrations of thiamin, vitamin B6, selenium, calcium, vitamin K and riboflavin.

 

Chocolate Chickpea Fudge Recipe

 

Health Benefits of Coconut Oil

Coconut oil has been making headlines over the last few years for a its health benefits. But I was shocked to read on Dr Axe, that there are over 1 500 published studies ‘proving coconut oil to be one of the healthiest foods on the planet’. I went and checked this, because you can’t believe everything you read. However there are literally 1 775 published studies on NCBI alone. Needless to say, I did not have time to check through each study – but I do not think science would invest so much time and money investigating a food which did not have some seriously significant elements.

Coconut Oil is Not Readily Stored by the Body as Fat –
It is converted to energy straight away

It appears that one of the top reasons why coconut oil is so good for our bodies lies in the type of fat that it is made up of. coconut oil is made up of over 90 percent short chain healthy saturated fat. This fat can be broken down by the body in 3 steps. Unlike other plant derived fats which are broken down in 26 stages!

What this means ultimately is that the fat in coconut oil can be taken up by the body and converted to energy immediately. Short chain fats are processed in the liver, which means pretty much a one way street to energy production.  There is much less chance of coconut oil being stored in fat cells within the body, because it can so easily be converted to energy. Whereas other plant based fats can take so long to convert that they can end up being stored along the way.

Coconut Oil is a Brain Food

Another interesting facet to these rare short chain healthy fats is that they are literally brain food, and help with the production of serotonin!

Coconut Oil is an Immune Booster

Coconut oil is also antimicrobial and antifungal. This is great for balancing the gut flora and keeping things like Candida overgrowths at bay. Because 80% of the immune system is made up of the gut bacteria, this will boost your immune system as well.

Health Benefits of Dates

Dates are full of fibre, which makes them nature’s perfect sweet for us. This is because while dates have a high sugar content, the fibre which they contain ensures that the release of this sugar into our systems is very slow. Which makes dates a very low GI sweetener!

Dates are also rich in the following vitamins and mineral:

  • Iron
  • Potassium
  • B vitamins
  • Vitamin A
  • Vitamin K
  • Copper
  • Magnesium
  • Manganese

Health Benefits of Pecan Nuts

I think we all know by now that nuts are super healthy – but I was shocked to find out that pecan nuts contain more than 19 different vitamins and minerals, and Shape even wrote an article with the title ‘Pop and Pecan not a Pill – Can Pecans Replace Your Multivitamin’.

Pecans are also a source of more healthy fats, some fibre and protein.

How to Make this Chickpea Fudge

Before I leave you with the recipe – I just wanted to say don’t let all this reading about nutritional powerhouse ingredients make you think the recipe is all difficult and complicated.

IT IS THE EASIEST THING EVER.

So go make these. And tell me what you think.

x

 

Chocolate Chickpea Fudge Recipe




Chocolate Chickpea Fudge

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Prep Time:

Ingredients

  • 300 grams cooked/canned chickpeas
  • 200 ml melted coconut oil
  • 150 grams chopped dates
  • 1 cup ground or powdered pecan nuts
  • 4 heaped tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla essence
  • pinch salt

Instructions

  1. If you have not done so already, melt the coconut oil at a low heat until it is in liquid form.
  2. Then combine all ingredients in a food processor, or use a stick blender, and process until smooth. If you have an electric coffee grinder, you can do the pecan nuts in this to get them really fine, and then add them to the food processor with the other ingredients.
  3. Once processed fully, spoon into a small baking pan and flatten down with a spoon.
  4. Place pan in the freezer and allow to stiffen.
  5. Cut into squares, place in an airtight container to store. Keep in the freezer between eating.
  6. Enjoy!

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Chocolate Chickpea Fudge Ladu Recipe

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Savory Kale & Kefir Green Smoothie Recipe
SmoothiesSneaking in the VeggiesVegetarian

Savory Kale & Kefir Green Smoothie

written by Daniela Klein

Say hello to the newest savory gazpacho style smoothie on the blog. : ) The other one is this Detox Chickweed Smoothie.

This smoothie is a simple and very green smoothie. It contains kale, kefir (you can also use yoghurt), tomato, garlic, lemon juice, cayenne pepper and salt and black pepper. You can also add cucumber in if you would like to dilute the kale a little.

Speaking of which – this is a pretty strong kale smoothie. It contains two whole leaves of kale, so can definitely be diluted if you are not ready to be drinking so much kale all at once, or do not enjoy the strong taste. Because savory gazpacho style smoothies are not fruit based, the taste of the kale can be a lot stronger than in a smoothie which has fruit in it. This is why green smoothies with fruit bases are popular – they can really help you to ‘sneak’ greens into your diet.

However as Blender Girl mentioned, if you are aiming to use smoothies in your diet to consume more and more greens, then at some point you might want to start veering towards smoothies which contain mainly vegetables and savory ingredients. It can take a while to retrain one’s taste buds to a full bodied vegetable smoothie, but they can be pretty tasty if paired with the right flavorings. Salt and pepper are a must, as well as something tart like lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. I also find that a dash of cayenne pepper gives any green smoothie a delicious kick! Garlic is also a tasty addition, however you can leave this out if your are afraid of garlic breath.

 

Savory Kale & Kefir Green Smoothie Recipe

 

Besides these flavoring techniques, I also found a out a trick to ‘manually’ de-bitter a green smoothie which does not involve heat! It goes like this…

How to Debitter a Kale Smoothie

This is a small de-bittering trick for a green smoothie, but one which I have found to be quite effective.

  1. Make your green smoothie as per instructions.
  2. You will probably see a sort of of foam develop after blending.
  3. Take a table or teaspoon and skim off this foam thoroughly.
  4. Drink and enjoy!

I do not know quite why this removal of the foam takes away some of the bitterness in green smoothies. I think it might be along the lines that certain bitter compounds collect in, or as, the foam and removing them then renders the smoothie less bitter. Try it and see. Let me know what you think!

For now, have a lovely weekend everyone. x

 

Savory Kale & Kefir Green Smoothie Recipe

 




Savory Kale & Kefir Green Smoothie

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Serves: 1-2 Prep Time: Cooking Time:

Ingredients

  • 2 large kale leaves
  • 1 large tomato
  • 1 cup milk kefir (you can also use yoghurt, but then add a little extra water)
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 clove garlic
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. De-rib the two kale leaves and peel the half garlic clove.
  2. Combine all ingredients together and blend. You want to process the smoothie well, so that a minimum amount of fibre from the kale remains. Kale is pretty fibrous, so if you do not blend well, you will end up with a lot of bits in your smoothie.
  3. Once you have blended the smoothie, take a tablespoon and skim off any foam from the top. Discard this foam, sprinkle your smoothie with a little black pepper and enjoy!

Take note: you should aim to consume your smoothie within a window period of a few hours if not sooner. This is when the enzymes and live compounds are the most active.

 

Savory Kale & Kefir Green Smoothie Recipe

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Spice Crusted Baked Potato Bites Recipe
Gluten FreeSides & VegetablesVeganVegetarian

Za’atar Spiced Baked Potato Bites

written by Daniela Klein

More potato cubes!

I have another recipe for Spicy Sweet Potato Cubes which is very similar. I like that recipe for sweet potato so much – that I decided to tweak it for regular potatoes.

Cuz I mean potatoes are the best right. But when ever I make potatoes, I do feel like I need to do something different. I mean the average person has probably eaten boiled potatoes thousands of times during their life. How crazy is that?

Anyway, these potato bits are almost as simple to make as a boiled potato – and perhaps even quicker to make. The dominant is the moroccan spice Za’atar. There is also olive oil involved, and of course salt. And when they are done, they are spicy little cubes of flavor.

 

Spice Crusted Baked Potato Bites Recipe

 

You can make this as a side for any meal where you would have had boiled or mashed potato. This potato recipe can also be good option for a potluck  meal or barbecue where you want to bring something different – but don’t have a ton of time to make a dish.

 

Spice Crusted Baked Potato Bites Recipe

 

 




Za'atar Spiced Baked Potato Bites

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Serves: 3-4 Prep Time: Cooking Time:

Ingredients

  • 6 medium sized potatoes
  • Olive oil
  • 5 tablespoons za'atar spice
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  1. Peel and cube the potatoes. If they are organic, you can probably leave the skins on.
  2. Place the cubes into a saucepan and steam until almost soft. About 5 minutes.
  3. Push the potato cubes onto a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil, enough to generously cover.
  4. Sprinkle on the za’atar and toss the cubes lightly if you feel that the za’atar is unevenly distributed.
  5. Place sheet pan into the oven and bake at a medium temperature until the cubes have browned, approximately 20 minutes.
  6. salt to taste, serve with your meal and enjoy. : )

Spice Crusted Baked Potato Bites Recipe

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Sundried Tomato & Creamed Cauliflower Soup Recipe
Sides & VegetablesSneaking in the VeggiesSoupsVegetarian

Sundried Tomato & Creamed Cauliflower Soup

written by Daniela Klein

I love tomato soup, but struggle sometimes to make one which is not overly acidic.

Which is why I came up with the idea of sundried tomatoe soup: D! Ok, and then I looked online and realized half the world is making it. 

The final soup which you have here is a low carb team up of creamed cauliflower paired  with strident sun dried tomatoes. The reason for this is…. While low carb creamed cauliflower soup may be all the rage and look just like potato soup to trick us – I often finds it  tastes a little bit like… ass.

Sundried tomatoes on the other hand do not taste like ass at all, and are quite a domineering ingredient. They interrupt the cauliflower stinkyness beautifully.

To get the most out of my sundried tomatoes, I used the ones which are soaked in olive oil. I then used the olive oil in the soup to richen it up.

How to Make Sundried Tomato Soup

When making tomato soup with sundried tomatoes, it is important to simmer the dried tomatoes until they are soft before blending them. You could do this with all of the other soup ingredients or separately. I prefer to do this separately, as it gives more control over the cooking time of each part of the soup, and give one a chance to make a roux.

This is the method I use to make sundried tomato soup:

  1. Steam the sun dried tomatoes until soft.
  2. Add the cauliflower and steam. Blend.
  3. Make a roux.
  4. Combine the two pots and allow to simmer briefly.

Its pretty simple, but I thought I would just outline it here quickly because the recipe instructions can make this seem more complicated than it is.

Sundried Tomato & Creamed Cauliflower Soup RecipeSundried Tomato & Creamed Cauliflower Soup Recipe

 

Sundried Tomato & Creamed Cauliflower Soup Recipe

 




 

 

Sundried Tomato & Creamed Cauliflower Soup

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Serves: 4 Prep Time: Cooking Time:

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sundried tomatoes
  • 8-9 cups water or vegetable stock
  • 600 grams cauliflower
  • 1-2 large tomatoes
  • 200 grams chopped onions
  • 50 grams butter
  • 1/3 - 1/2 cup sun dried tomato oil
  • 4 tablespoons flour
  • 1/4 cup red wine
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 cup milk
  • 5 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1 teaspoons dried ground rosemary
  • 4 teaspoons dried basil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. First off place your sundried tomatoes into a large pot with 3 cups of water. Simmer them until they have softened.
  2. While the tomatoes are simmering and softening, chop the cauliflower up roughly and dice the onions, tomato and garlic.
  3. Once the sun dried tomatoes are soft, add the chopped cauliflower to this pot and allow them to steam up until soft. Do not overcook them, as then you can get that stinky ‘overcooked cauliflower’ aroma setting in.
  4. In a separate large pot, heat the butter and tomato oil. To this add the diced onions and fry on high. Add the diced tomatoes and continue to fry. After a few moments add the flour. Stir this through, allowing the flour to brown slightly.
  5. Now add 3 cups of water and stir while this thickens.
  6. Take the cauliflower pot off of the stove and blend this together with the remaining 3 cups of water.
  7. Add the blended cauliflower and sundried tomatoes to your roux pot.
  8. Add all other ingredients including salt and pepper to taste and allow to simmer together for 1 minute. If you think that the soup should be a little richer, you can also add a little extra olive oil.

 

 

Sundried Tomato & Creamed Cauliflower Soup Recipe

Notes

For vegan options: Replace the butter with a generous slug of olive oil. Replace the 1 cup milk with stock or water, or a nut milk. For gluten free options: Replace the flour for thickening with cornstarch by combining 2 tablespoons cornstarch in a small cup with enough cold / room temp water to make a paste. Stir this slurry until all lumps are out with a fork and add this to the soup. You will not add flour to the onions, simply fry them - add water and then add the cornstarch mix and continue with recipe.

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BreadsGluten Free

Gluten Free, Low Carb, Nutrient Dense Flaxseed Breads

written by Daniela Klein

Happy friday everybody!

Today I want to share you my experience making flaxseed ‘breads’. I started out with a recipe with stated that by mixing ground flaxseed and eggs – you could get a pillowy dinner roll.

Needless to say, after I had tried the recipe – I did not have a pillowy bread roll. I had round flat cakes, or ‘breads’.  I felt scammed!

I was highly disappointed and disillusioned, but I ate a couple of my rock cakes anyways.

And they were actually really good. Once I had gotten over the illusion of getting soft doughy buns from ground up flax seeds, I was actually very happy with them. I remade them a couple times, and even used them for what they were intended – in my Blood Building Beet Burgers recipe.

I am now thoroughly addicted to these little flaxseed breads, and just can’t bake enough to last until we next have beet burgers! In the interim I have also discovered a great addition – crushed garlic. It makes them so good. Really savory and delicious.

Besides being savory and fillings, these flaxseed breads are also super nutritious.

Nutritional Density of Flaxseeds

Flaxseeds are incredibly nutritionally dense and are literally packed with fibre and omega 3 fats. They also contain good amounts of protein, vitamin B1, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, selenium and copper.

Flaxseed are very low in carbs, so if you are trying to lower your carb intake as well as follow a gluten free diet – then these might be for you.

Tips on How to Make Flax Seed Cakes / Breads

Before we go to the recipe, I just want to outline a couple tips I stumbled on while making these breads / cakes.

  1. Grind up your flax seeds super fine. This helps to give a bread-like texture. If you leave whole bits in, the cakes will be more chewy, and have a slimy texture to them!
  2. Wet your hands when working with the dough. It really helps to stop the flaxseed mix from getting stuck to your hands.
  3. Always allow some time for the mix to stand before baking. +- 10 minutes.
  4. If you find your mix a little sloppy and not a nice stiff consistency – simple add a little more ground flax seeds until it is closer to a thick consistency. Then allow the mix to stand, this will help to stiffen it further.

Note on the garlic: If you like to eat honey or jam on your regular bread – then you can omit the garlic. However if you like garlic and are happy with a savory bread, it lends itself really well to the flavor of the flaxseed bread / cakes. 

Ok, that is all of my cooking wisdom for the week. Enjoy the weekend everybody!




Garlic & Rosemary Flaxseed Breads

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Serves: Makes 6 'breads' Prep Time: Cooking Time:

Ingredients

  • 150 grams ground flaxseed
  • 1 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Pinch of black pepper
  • 3 large eggs
  • 3 cloves garlic peeled
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 2 teaspoon of dried rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon poppy seeds (for sprinkling)

Instructions

Burger ‘Bun’ Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F – 180 C and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
  2. Mix dry ingredients together.
  3. Add in the butter and press into the ground flax seeds with a spoon.
  4. If you have a stick blender, combine the eggs and the peeled cloves of garlic and whizz until the eggs are frothy. If you do not have a stick blender. beat the eggs with an electric egg beater, and chop the garlic.
  5. Add the water, bicarbonate of soda and apple cider vinegar to the eggs.
  6. Add the egg and garlic to the dry ingredient and allow the mix to sit for at least 5 minutes. This allows the flaxseeds to hydrate and release their stickiness.
  7. Coat your hands with water  and divide the mix into 6 equal portions.
  8. Roll these into balls in you hands, and then place them onto the baking sheet and press them down lightly so that they can form flatter circles.
  9. Sprinkle the tops with poppyseeds and . You can press the seeds in lightly with your fingers, to keep them from rolling off the top after baking.
  10. Place the sheet into the oven and bake for 20-22 minutes.
  11. Once done, remove from the oven and allow the ‘buns’ to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

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Flaxseed bread recipe

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