juice detox

last week i tried a juice detox. i fancied doing this for a while now and since it was – 20%, i finally made it a reality. besides there are 1-2 persistent kilos that i can’t seem to shake, so it was the perfect point in time.in spring i already researched the huge variety of juice detox offerings. felt like one was more expensive than the other though. and to top it off most of them are mainly fruit based which in my mind means a lot of fructose, so a lot of calories. nonetheless i decided on the 3 day package from urban monkey, although there is only 1 green juice in it.

peach mint coconut shake

the other day i was invited to a nice dinner event by tupperware. i’ve known their products my whole life, basically having grown up with them and you can find a variety of their containers, bowls, etc in my kitchen. that’s why i just had to confirm my participation and was very excited about that evening. it had the motto “twist & shake” – the combination of their products speedy boy and shake it. there was a station with 2 easy, quick recipes for everyone with which you could test the power duo in real life conditions. it really was a cheerful and relaxed evening. my enthusiasm for tupperware did rise again (and no i’m not getting paid by them). the products are simple but very well designed with a lot of attention to detail e.g. the cap for the opening in the lid of the shake it is designed so that any contents that might have collected in it while shaking will drop back into the container without spilling anything. astonishingly you still only can buy tupperware at a designated party, there is no online shop or mail order. this is quite a novelty in our digital ager. hmm who knows maybe i’ll throw a tupperparty soon 😉

green smoothie with matcha

this smoothie is perfect for the start into spring. it boosts your metabolism and tastes really yummy! the combination of mango, spinach, coconut water and matcha just gives you a kickstart in the morning.

fermented drinks – water kefir (sponsored)

the third and last post in the series of homemade fermented drinks. after milk kefir and kombucha, today i want to introduce you to water kefir. i have to say this one is my favorit. water kefir is slightly bubbly (just right, since i am not a big fan of carbonated drinks) and sweet in taste. really a perfect refreshing drink and good alternative to juices and the likes.

known under a variety of names like japanese water crystals, australian bees, ginger bees. i have to admit neither name meant much to me and so i was excited to see what water kefir actually is – no surprise since you can buy ready water kefir in a shop, so you have to make it yourself. contrary to milk kefir and kombucha here you have small jellylike crystals which through fermentation with water, sugar and dried fruits produce a sparkly drink. the crystals look a lot more appealing than the milk kefir ones and also the fermentation process is more appetizing than the milky version. besides that water kefir is naturally vegan.

dried fruits are a major part for fermentation, as they are providing the necessary nitrogen. all the more important it is to use natural finished fruits without sulfur. as in terms of taste just try different kinds, whichever yield the best result for you. the added sugar provides the rest of the needed energy. but don’t worry, most of it will be fermented so you won’t be drinking a sugar bomb. also depending on when you are stopping the fermentation process (1-3 days), more or less sugar will have been converted.

during the fermentation you don’t see much change on the outside. the longer you have the jar sitting there the more carbon dioxide bubbles up and also the dried fruits swim to the top. other than that i couldn’t see much change.

water kefir 24h

water kefir 60h

since we are talking fermentation here, the ready kefir contains some alcohol, but just a teeny tiny bit. the lemon balances out the sweetness with something sour.

so you see the it is quite ease to produce water kefir, you just need some patience. you can comfortable order the water kefir crystals at eg natural kefir drinks and if you don’t have all the necessary jars, sieves etc just order the starter set with everything you  need.

i can only recommend to try your hand at fermenting drinks yourself. it is fun, you experience something new in taste every time, you know what’s in it and you’ve got the perfect alternative to conventional sugary drinks/sodas. if you want to dive deeper into the subject of kefir and kombucha, check out natural kefir drinks – you’ll find a whole bunch of interesting information there.

homemade kombucha (sponsored)

in november i introduced you to homemade milk kefir. today i will be reporting about komubcha. i knew kombucha better than kefir, since i was already drinking this tea drink when i was a teenager. back then this hype startet around it and even then i already had to try everything 😉 i think you could/can get it in different flavors and i did quite like it. all the more interesting to produce it myself according to my likes. however kombucha isn’t something that was invented a few decades ago, but has been around for more than 2000 years, predominantely in china.

hot chocolate with chai spice

what’s better in this drab, rainy weather than to cozy up on the couch with a hot cup of cocoa? ever since i was little i am a milk or rather cocoa child. i still have the taste of my bottle of cocoa from my earliest childhood in my mind (regretfully haven’t tasted it since). although now my morning ritual is tea, i have to have a nice cup of hot chocolate every once in a while. since i still had some chai sugar from the chai cookies, i just added some of it to my cocoa the other day. you can’t imagine how good that was! the mixture of ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves is an amazing combination in the hot chocolate and gives it this extra kick. since this was such an explosion of taste, i can’t deprive you of it and that’s why you’re getting the recipe to today. for a rich, creamy taste i usually mix milk with cream (so it tastes more like the swiss hot chocolate, wherein the spoon almost stands by itself), but of course you can also only use milk.

shakes with fresh coconut water

as you might remember i got an amazing test package with coconut products from dr goerg at the beginning of the year. now i got a batch of fresh, young coconuts (they aren’t always available, so if you’re interested here’s your chance now). i know and love the still green coconuts from asia. the first time i saw them in vietnam. in one of the cooking classes we made this amazing coconut shake (recipe below). since you need the coconut water and the still soft flesh, after years i finally was able to make it again. in bali there is no way around fresh coconuts – there are numerous stalls selling kelapa (coconut) on the streets and also cafés and restaurants have them on their menu. the first time i tried coconut water i wasn’t particularely fond of it, but over time it grew on me and now i love it!

summer smoothie + vegan chocolate ice cream

today i’ve got 2 vegan recipes, perfect for a nice summer day like today, for you. now that it’s the beginning of the berry season and they finally are ripe and you get local ones, there are plenty of options of what to do with them. so maybe make a breakfast smoothie.

the second one is a chocolate ice cream lolly based on avocado. finally the temperatures are climbing again, so what better then a creamy ice cream in the shade 😉

coco loco

with great pleasure i received my test package from  dr. goerg last week. it contained coconut flour, desiccated coconut, coconut oil and coconut milk. since i spent i lot of time in asia, i miss the exotic flair of the food around here. and what is better to get some bali feeling in vienna then some coconut products? when i opened the desiccated coconut, i was greated with the irresistible and distinctive coconut smell. i haven’t experienced anything like it with the products from the supermarket. so my first impression was already very positive and let me dream of bali.

but now a brief introduction to dr. goerg: the companies places high value on ecology, fairness and commitment for their premium organic coconut products. the coconuts are grown on certified organic plantations in the philippines. the cooperation with the small farmers is formed through fair, resptecfull and transparent working conditions. additionally to the first class quality of the products, they also put emphasis on sustainability and ecology. the slow and in harmony with nature growing coconuts are processed manuelly within 72 hours of harvesting. they are the basis for a variety of products like coconut oil, coconut milk, coconut flakes, … the coconut produts are extremely nutrient-rich, vegan, gluten and lactose free and aren’t only suited for nutrition but also for personal hygiene. for more infomartion about the company and tipps about usage of the products check their website.

desiccated coconut and coconut milk are probably the most common products in our area. but also coconut oil, chips and flour are gaining more and more fans. for everyone that’s not so familiar with these, here is some information about the different products in my test package.

desiccated coconut

they probably are the most common coconut product. already as a kid i rolled rum truffels in it or ate them on top of a sweet foamy merengue (schaumbecher, i think that’s typical to austria). in principle they are well suited to roll all kinds of pralines like chocolate truffles, energy balls in it, you can add them to your muesli (i prefer the larger version as coconut flakes) or muesli bars, sprinkle them on joghurt, creams, etc. or top off the raffaelo cake. you could also spice up the bread crumbs for eg. plum dumplings with desiccated coconut. and classicly nut macaroons – the opportunities are plenty.

dr. goergs desiccated coconut is free of additives like aroma, preservatives and colorants. after the coconut flesh is dried, it is processed grated.

coconut oil

i learned to love coconut oil already in asia at various cooking classes. what i like best is, that you can heat it ultra high (up unitl 234°). it is also very suitable for frying asian dishes like curries and soups. especially in indian and thai dishes i wouldn’t want to miss it. but it also lends the something special to sweet snacks like bliss balls, muesli bars or a smoothie.

but you can not only eat this oil, it’s also very good as a hair treatment. especially when i spend a long period of time in bali surfing, my hair gets extremely dry from the salt water and the sun. put some coconut oil in your hair and best let it do it’s magic over night (before you rinse it with shampoo), for moisture and softness.

coconut oil from dr. goerg is produced from the first cold pressing at under 38°. due to that it is raw quality and all natural nutrients are preserved.

coconut flour

this flour is gluten free, low in carbohydrates and rich in fibers (about 40 %). other than that it contains about 12 % coconut oil and 20 % protein. it is very well suited for baking (about 20 % of the grain flour can be substituted by coconut flour). you can also use it to thicken sauces, add it to muesli or joghurt. since i don’t have any experience with coconut flour so far, i am very excited what it will taste like. look forward to a coconut raspberry crumble.

coconut milk

i’ve been using it since years and wouldn’t wanna miss it. no matter if for sweets or savory stuff, coconut milk just adds a nice exotic flair to everything. be it e.g. ice cream, sweet couscous, asian sticky rice or lentil curry, etc. i will be making an indian coconut chickpea curry and a chocolatey chia pudding – just thinking of it lets my mouth water.

contrary to cream, coconut milk is, with a fat portion of 18 %, rather low in fat. therefore it is a good alternative for figure conscious people. due to it being lactose free it is also suitable for allergic persons.

in the next week i will be posting some recipes with these coconut products. so stay tuned! these 2 drinks will make the introduction:

hot chocolate with coconut milk

• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 cup milk (or almond milk, soy milk,…)
• 1,5 ridges chocolate in pieces
• 3/4 el cocoa (to get an even richer chocolate flavor, you don’t have to use it though)
• optional: cinnamon, cardamom
• optional: desiccated coconut for sprinkling

slowly heat all ingredients in a pot. occassionally stir until chocolate is melted, so it doesn’t burn on the bottom. let boil, then pour into your favorite mug and sprinkle with desiccated coconut.

exotic coconut shake

• 1/2 ripe mango, peeled
• 75-100 ml coconut milk
• depending how thick or thin you want the shake, use milk or almond milk,… at least though same amount als coconut milk
• thumb sized piece of ginger, peeled

put all ingredients in a blender, blend well, taste. if the mango is not sweet enough you could add e.g. some agave syrup. pour in a glass and enjoy. of course you can also use other fruits like peaches, passion fruit, strawberries,…

 

green smoothies – mango spinach

the mango looked sooo good, but of course i forgot about her and she turned a bit over ripe. hmm, what am i going to do with it now? i could make a smoothie. googled for some ideas and that’s the result: