2 Recipes of Healthy and Delicious Pumpkin Pancakes: Sweet Cinnamon and Hot Chili

Autumn is all about pumpkins and squashes! These vegetables are very delicious, healthy, immunity boosting and weight loss friendly. There are million ways to eat them, and I want to share with you two of my favorite ones. One is sweet and fluffy for breakfast and one hot and spicy for lunch, dinner or snacking.

What's so special about squashes and pumpkins?

A little intro. The bright yellow and orange flesh of these wonderful autumn vegetables is essentially beta-carotene in action. Beta-carotene is converted into an active vitamin A in your body, which is a very powerful antioxidant and one of those valuable fat-soluble vitamins many of us are often deficient in. Vitamin A plays a huge role in keeping us healthy. It boosts and maintains immunity, our ability to fight infections and even reduces the risk of some cancers. Vitamin A is essential for maintaining healthy skin, bones, eyes, brain and reproductive system.  Squashes and pumpkin also contain Vitamin C, potassium as well as calcium, iron, and magnesium.

These truly health-boosting veggies are also perfect for anyone who wants to lose weight. Their carbohydrate level is very low, so you can enjoy these veggies without any risk of piling up unwanted pounds. They also have a very vibrant rich taste, so enjoyable tasty meals are not compromised! So squashes and pumpkins are definitely an awesome autumn veg choice if you want to become healthier and slimmer!

My personal winner is a Kuri squash (pictured above), which is probably the most delicious and the yummiest squash variety I have ever tried! I am seriously in love with it! And what's more - thanks to London Farmer's Market I can get it fully organic from Wild Country Organics. Definitely pay them a visit, if you're a Londoner. ;)

Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin Pancakes  

This version is amazing for satisfying a sweet tooth without increasing your waist or bum circumference. It is wheat free, refined carb free and sugar free meal. And once you try them you'll discover that none of those are really necessary! Cinnamon does all the magic.
Perfect for that no-rush cozy weekend breakfast. 

Ingredients:
(makes approx 23 small pancakes)

♥ 250g pumpkin or quash of your choice (I used Kuri squash), peeled and de-seeded
♥ 70g oat bran
♥ 2 free range organic eggs 
♥ 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
♥ optional: 1/2 teaspoon all spice
♥ 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda and few drops of organic apple cider vinegar
♥ optional: some salt
♥ non-stick pan and some olive oil 

Method:

1. Make a puree. You can make it after steaming slices as those on the second picture. However, as I like to cook veg as little as possible I decided to make an experiment. I cut these slices into smaller ones, threw them into a chopper (any food processor or blender will do the job just as fine), added some filtered water and voila! The taste of the pancakes was a also bit richer if you make a puree from raw squash.

2. Transfer your squash or pumpkin puree into a medium bowl.
3. Here's what I do to make the pancakes extra tender. I take 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda and add a few drops of apple cider vinegar. The soda will start to bubble and foam. Don't be alarmed, this is what suposed to happen. Count to 8 and stir it in.
4. Add cinnamon, oat bran, eggs and salt if using. Mix all ingredients well.
5. Heat a non-stick frying pan. Grease with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil.
6. Fry with a covered lid for 2 minutes on one side, and them for 1 minute of the other.

 Serve with lightly steamed apples sprinkled with ground cinnamon.

Hot Chili Pumpkin Pancakes  

These pancakes go amazingly well with fresh vegetable salad, yogurt, beans, chicken. They taste amazing when you spread cottage cheese or put avocado or low fat cheese slices on top of them. They are light yet satisfying and if you're ever in a situation when you dine late, these are a perfect option! Also I always make loads of these pancakes well ahead, cause they are amazing both hot and cold and do an amazing job in being a quick snack.

Ingredients:
(makes approx 20 small pancakes)

♥ 250g pumpkin or quash of your choice (I used Kuri squash), peeled and de-seeded
♥ 85g oat bran
♥ 2 free range organic eggs 
♥ 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda and few drops of organic apple cider vinegar 
♥ 1/2 large red onion
♥ 1 red chili pepper, deseeded
♥ optional: some salt
♥ non-stick pan and some olive oil 

Method:

1. Finely chop onion and red chili in a  chopper or food processor. Transfer to a medium bowl.
2. Make a pumpkin or squash puree.
3. Transfer your pumpkin or squash puree into the bowl with chopped onion and chili.
4. Slake soda, by adding few drops of vinegar onto a 1/2 teaspoon baking soda. Count to 15 and stir it in your puree.
5. Add oat bran, eggs and salt if using. Mix all ingredients well.
5. Heat a non-stick frying pan. Grease with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil.
6. Fry with a covered lid for 2,5 minutes on one side, and them for 1,5 minute of the other.

A small afterword...

I used to hate autumn when I was a teen and the thought of summer coming to an end made me literally deeply melancholic. That was the case for many years, until one year I have finally decided to break that cycle. I decided to try to see the beauty of autumn season instead of focusing that the summer was gone. I realised I enjoyed the fresh crisp air. My morning run was actually times easier and more refreshing than in summer. I loved it! I loved the bright colours of foliage, longer evenings with new enjoyable activities, for example, rejoining with a family when it rained outside. Exciting new clothes to wear and different make up and hair trends, when dark lips and deep bright colours are so in. New delicious fruit, veg and yummy meals to cook. I learned to appreciate it all and shame I didn't do it earlier! I think I now love autumn more than summer! If you are just like I used to be, oh well I hear you...  But try to find what you could enjoy, brainstorm, maybe even look for ideas by asking your friends or Google for inspiration. Don't deprive yourself from an opportunity to enjoy these cold months and be happy. Life goes on and it is beautiful! Go live and embrace every moment! xx 

The Perfect Banana Bread - Vegan, Fat-Free, Wheat-Free, Nut-Free

As the days are getting colder, it's a perfect time to get baking! I've been experimenting with making banana bread several times before posting this recipe to make sure the proportions are perfect. Also, the challenge was to make my banana bread as healthy and as guilt-free as possible as opposed to so many recipes out there overloaded with fat or made of wheat flour. But now with each bite of a flavorsome, fluffy, perfectly moist slice of this banana bread, I get more and more proud that I finally nailed it! I decided to make it fruity and added nectarines, also because I love them a lot! But you can also take peaches or small apples of your choice instead.

For those who never tried or not familiar with banana bread, this is not strictly a bread that you have with soup or to make a sandwich. :) Banana bread is rather a moist pie/cake to go with your morning coffee or tea. You can spread peanut butter or blend of few strawberries and quark (fat-free cottage cheese) on top of it, or just have it on its own. Best served, chilled.

INGREDIENTS:
(makes a loaf approx. 22.5cm long and 10cm wide)
♥ 270g wholemeal buckwheat flour
♥ 300g mashed overripe bananas (peeled weight)
♥ 3 nectarines (or medium size apples)
♥ 1 teaspoon baking powder
♥ 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
♥ 1/2 teaspoon salt
♥ 1 teaspoon cinnamon, plus some for dusting
♥ 4 tablespoons of filtered water

METHOD:
1.  Pre-heat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
2.  Mash peeled bananas with a fork or puree in a blender. Add water before doing so.
3.  In a separate bowl, mix buckwheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
4.  Finely (or not so finely:)) dice 2 nectarines and put them into a bowl with dry ingredients.
5.  Add pureed bananas to dry ingredients with diced nectarines and combine everything well.
6.  Make 15-17 slices of nectarines.
7.  Pour your mixture into a silicone loaf mould . Top it with nectarine slices and sprinkle ground cinnamon as much as your want.
8.  Turn the temperature down to 180 degrees Celsius and put the banana bread inside the oven.
9.  Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 60 - 65 minutes.
10.  Let cool for 15 minutes before taking the bread out of the loaf mould.
11.  Before slicing and serving, let the bread cool completely for a couple of hours.

Enjoy! xx

Healthy Cabbage, Pea and Tahini Slaw

 

It's never a wrong season for a salad, but as we are now getting into warmer weather, cold crispy and refreshing meals are a perfect option. Today I'm sharing a super easy recipe of an absolutely delicious and clean slaw / salad with a rich combination of flavours, is super healthy and perfect for weight-loss, mild detox and that healthy pick-me-up boost. I love this salad so much, it never stays in my fridge for too long, even if I do batch cooking for later!

♥

INGREDIENTS:
(makes a big bowl, servings quantity depends on your preference) 

For the salad

♥

♥ 1/2 head of fresh medium size white cabbage
♥ 250g of snap peas or snow peas
♥ 40 - 50g spring onions
♥ Optional: 2T of sesame seeds or crushed peanuts to sprinkle on top

For the dressing

♥ 250ml of organic plain fat-free yoghurt
♥ 3T of tahini (sesame seeds paste)
♥ Optional: 3 cloves of garlic


METHOD:

 1. Shred the fresh cabbage and finely chop the spring onions. You can also cut the peas if you want or simply leave them whole as I did.
2. In a large bowl, mix cabbage, spring onions and peas.
3. In a separate bowl mix yoghurt and tahini. Optional: add finely chopped garlic.
4. Now pour the dressing over the salad. Optional: sprinkle some sesame seeds or peanuts on top.
5. Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving. 



ENJOY! xx

Delicious and Healthy Granola Bars ♥

By far the best recipe I've tried! I started making these granola bars as a healthy snack that is high in fibre and is free from trans fats and refined gunk. Turns out with time I became so advanced at making these yummy bars, that they may well become your next healthy dessert alternative! Here's the ingredients list and the method that will make you say: "Mmmmm!"...

I'll also share with you a secret how to make your granola bars either crunchy or soft and chewy depending on you like.

PHOTOS OF DRY & CRUNCHY GRANOLA BARS

PHOTOS OF SOFT & CHEWY GRANOLA BARS

 INGREDIENTS:
(Makes approx. 16 bars) 

♥

♥ 70g organic unsalted butter (or 3 tablespoons of coconut butter for vegan version)
♥ 115g organic rolled oats ground to a flour texture
♥ 150g organic whole rolled oats
♥ 100g whole hazelnuts
♥ 260g mashed ripe bananas (roughly equals 2 medium and 1 large bananas)
♥ 100g organic prunes and dried apricots
♥ 30g honey or 50g brown sugar (or 1,5 tbsp of stevia for a version much lower in sugar)
♥ 1/4 tsp vanilla powder
♥ 1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla powder

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C degrees.

2. In a chopper or food processor blitz 115g of rolled oats until flour texture. Transfer ground oats to a large bowl, add ground vanilla, cinnamon and stevia. (I normally go for stevia to keep my blood sugar level under control). Take time to mix everything well.


3. Add chopped dried fruit, crushed nuts and whole rolled oats. Mix well.

4. In a food processor, chopper or blender puree bananas with coconut butter if you're using one.

5. If you're using dairy butter, then at this point put butter onto an oven-safe bowl or baking tray and place it into the oven for approximately 2 minutes until the butter melts. (skip this step if you are using coconut butter)

6. While your butter is melting, take a large spoon and start mixing banana puree with the dry ingredients in your large bowl. 

7. If using dairy butter, take out the melted butter and stir it in your mixture. Stir everything thoroughly.

8.  Time to choose your granola texture!
FOR DRY & CRUNCHY GRANOLA BARS:

If you want your granola bars to be crunchy, take non-stick baking paper and line a baking tray with it. Transfer the mixture onto the baking paper and with your clean hands form a log. Mine is usually about 21 cm long and 9,5 cm wide and 2,5 cm high. But you can make it as long, wide and thick as you like. After all these are your bars! ;)

FOR SOFT & CHEWY GRANOLA BARS:

If you want your granola to be almost like a pie, take a silicone bread loaf mould, transfer the mixture into it and even out the top with a back of a tablespoon.

9. Bake for 20-25 minutes until light golden. If you prefer DRY & CRUNCHY granola bars, bake for 30 minutes.

10.  
FOR DRY & CRUNCHY GRANOLA BARS:
Take your log out of the oven and while it's on the tray cut it into bars using a sharp knife. Leave to cool before removing.
FOR SOFT & CHEWY GRANOLA BARS: 
Take out your bread mould and allow to cool on baking or greaseproof paper for at least 15 minutes. Transfer onto a chopping board and using a sharp knife cut into bars.

11. For longer life, store granola bars refrigerated in an airtight container.

ENJOY! xx

♥

♥

INGREDIENTS:
♥ 80g of cooked buckwheat (preferably organic)
♥ 2 organic free range eggs
♥ Sprinkle of cinnamon
♥ Optional: 1/4 tsp of salt - See more at: http://nataliasfruitycorner.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Healthy%20Recipes#sthash.boi03BLi.dpuf

INGREDIENTS:
♥ 80g of cooked buckwheat (preferably organic)
♥ 2 organic free range eggs
♥ Sprinkle of cinnamon
♥ Optional: 1/4 tsp of salt - See more at: http://nataliasfruitycorner.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Healthy%20Recipes#sthash.boi03BLi.dpuf

INGREDIENTS:
♥ 80g of cooked buckwheat (preferably organic)
♥ 2 organic free range eggs
♥ Sprinkle of cinnamon
♥ Optional: 1/4 tsp of salt - See more at: http://nataliasfruitycorner.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Healthy%20Recipes#sthash.boi03BLi.dpuf

INGREDIENTS:
♥ 80g of cooked buckwheat (preferably organic)
♥ 2 organic free range eggs
♥ Sprinkle of cinnamon
♥ Optional: 1/4 tsp of salt - See more at: http://nataliasfruitycorner.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Healthy%20Recipes#sthash.boi03BLi.dpuf

INGREDIENTS:
♥ 80g of cooked buckwheat (preferably organic)
♥ 2 organic free range eggs
♥ Sprinkle of cinnamon
♥ Optional: 1/4 tsp of salt - See more at: http://nataliasfruitycorner.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Healthy%20Recipes#sthash.boi03BLi.dpuf

INGREDIENTS:
♥ 80g of cooked buckwheat (preferably organic)
♥ 2 organic free range eggs
♥ Sprinkle of cinnamon
♥ Optional: 1/4 tsp of salt - See more at: http://nataliasfruitycorner.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Healthy%20Recipes#sthash.boi03BLi.dpuf

High-Protein and Gluten-free Buckwheat Pancakes Recipe ❤

A perfect breakfast solution for those who are either watching weight, are gluten intolerant but still looking to maintain adequate fibre intake or are following high-protein diet for many different health reasons. These delicious pancakes have a smooth nutty taste and are quite easy to make too! If you never tried buckwheat before, I personally strongly recommend you give it a taste and chances are you fall in love with it! It goes very well with most vegetables (both raw or cooked) and even berries. It also is very weight-loss friendly and a healthy cocktail of fibre, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, vitamin B6, niacin and folate.

INGREDIENTS:
♥ 80g of cooked buckwheat (preferably organic)
♥ 2 organic free range eggs
♥ Sprinkle of cinnamon
♥ Optional: 1/4 tsp of salt
♥ Optional: 2 tbsp of organic plain low-fat yogurt. If you don't eat dairy use oat cream like this one - http://tidd.ly/39dcb167
♥ 1 tsp of organic virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS:
1. Combine all ingredients either in a food processor or in a chopper. Alternatively, in a bowl beat eggs with a fork and then combine with all remaining ingredients. Mix well.
2. Pre-heat a non-stick pan on a low heat. Add a teaspoon of olive oil and using a spatula spread it quickly over the pan
3. Now it's time to transfer mixture onto a pan! I use a tablespoon to form small pancakes, usually 1 tablespoon gives 1 pancake.
4. When the top of a pancake start to lose moisture (usually around after 4 minutes as we are frying on a very low heat), lift and quickly flip a pancake over. Leave for approximately another 2 minutes.
5. Serve with berries defrosted overnight.

Bon Appétit and have a wonderful day ahead!
Natalia

♥

Nourishing and Tasty Avocado & Egg Sandwich Filling

Time to upgrade your old egg mayo sandwiches to a new healthy level! This simple high protein sandwich filling will satisfy hunger, keep you full longer and give your body nutrients, vitamins and minerals it will be thankful for. Avocado is not only a great taste companion here, but also a wonderful fruit that is a source of healthy monounsaturated fats, magnesium and potassium. Of course, I didn't forget about the greens, the super-food mother nature grows for us! This is a great example how the increase your green leaves intake - just add a little to your meals as often as possible!

INGREDIENTS:
(Makes 3 portions)
♥ 2 hard boiled organic eggs
♥ 1/2 avocado
♥ 2 tablespoons of organic fat-free plain yogurt
♥ Rocket leaves to taste
♥ Spring onions to taste
♥ Ground pepper to taste
♥ Sea salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:
♥ Slice eggs, avocado and spring onions as on the picture above.
I use this great little helper for slicing boiled eggs and avocado. Slices in seconds and saves tons of time!

♥ In a bowl, mix them with yogurt. 
♥ Put rocket leaves on organic wholegrain bread slice and top it with the mixture
♥ Season with ground pepper and a little tiny bit of salt

Here's a takeaway friendly option (made for my husband as a healthy alternative to airport takeaways):
♥ Put low fat cheese slices on top of each sandwich and wrap sandwiches around with foil.

And voila!
Hope you enjoy this one!


With Love,
Natalia

Cinnamon Pancakes with Warm Apples - Wheat, Sugar and Dairy Free

It is a beautiful autumn season when apples are most delicious, sweet and flavoursome. I absolutely love the taste when apple meets cinnamon and that's why this is one of my favourite recipes! These little pancakes are wheat, sugar and dairy free and are high in protein and fibre. They will keep you full until lunch and are perfect for a healthy start of a long working day! Magnesium and vitamin B12 will also help keep those autumn blues away by improving your mood and keeping you calm and happy. Also these pancakes pose no threat to your figure and help lose excess weight.
So now you have no excuse not to try them! :)

INGREDIENTS:
♥ 2 free range eggs
♥ 2 tablespoons of either coconut cream (http://tidd.ly/e8723d4b) or, if you eat dairy, organic plain low fat or fat-free yogurt (http://tidd.ly/d340d454)
♥ 3 tablespoons of organic oat bran
♥ And here's a trick to get a delicious taste without adding sugar - 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon (http://tidd.ly/2e62fc8a)

♥ Small organic apple of your choice or half a big one

DIRECTIONS:

♥ Core an apple and cut into 1-1.5 cm thick slices

♥ Put apple slices onto a pre-heated pan. Add 2 tablespoons of water, cover with a lid and leave on a low heat for 3 minutes. After that turn off the heat, but to keep apples warm leave them covered with the lid.

AND THE PANAKE MIXTURE:

♥ Beat eggs with a fork just to blend whites and yolks together

♥ Add yogurt, oat bran and ground cinnamon and mix them all together

♥ Pre-heat a non-stick pan on a low heat. Add a teaspoon of olive oil and using a spatula spread it quickly over the pan

♥ Now it's time to transfer mixture onto a pan! I use a tablespoon to form small pancakes, usually 1 tablespoon gives 1 pancake.
♥ When the top of a pancake start to lose moisture (usually around after 3 minutes as we are frying on a very low heat), lift and quickly flip a pancake over. Leave for approximately another 1.5 minutes.

Serve with warm soft apples which you can also sprinkle with cinnamon if you like! :)

Enjoy and be healthy!

Love,

Natalia xx

Delicious Low-Fat Cheese Cake [wheat-free and refined sugar-free!]

This light baked cheesecake has won a golden medal in my family! Being low fat yet nutritious and filling, not too sweet and not too sour, having soft texture and delicious flavors - all of that makes it a perfect breakfast idea. It is a safe dessert alternative for those who watch their weight, follow a low-sodium diet, healing a stomach from gastritis, have irritated stomach lining or other abdominal distress. And kids love this cake too!

I am happy to say straight away that preparation is very easy and no advanced or even intermediate baking skills are required!

INGREDIENTS:
♥ 500g of low fat cottage cheese or quark
♥ 4-5 large ripe bananas (4 for a thinner filling as on the second picture above)
♥ 130g of rolled oats
♥ Optional: 2-3 tablespoons of sugar-free low-salt peanut butter or cashew nut butter
♥ Optional: 1/2 tablespoon of vanilla powder
♥ Coconut butter to smear a baking tin

METHOD:

♥ Preheat an oven to 180C degrees.
♥ Very lightly smear the inside of your pie tin with a thin coating of organic butter or coconut butter (no margarine)

Cake base:
♥ Take a standard coffee mug of steel-cut or rolled oats (not 'easy-cook' or instant oats)
♥ 2 large ripe bananas
♥ Optional: If you don't suffer from nut allergies and if you are not prone to migraines - 2-3 tablespoons of organic sugar-free low-salt peanut butter. If you add peanut butter, you can safely reduce the amount of butter or coconut butter you smeared your pie tin with

♥ Process the base mixture in a chopper or anything else that does the same job - chopping and blending everything well together :) Any food processor will do! Here's a picture of the one that I use and it came within a hand blender set. By the way, it's better to process ingredients in parts if they don't all fit into your food processor's container at one time.

Hello, I'm a chopper! :)

♥ Now line the bottom of a pie tin with the base mixture ans smooth it out with the back side of a tablespoon. Bake it for 12 minutes.

♥ Clean the chopper or food processor's container as you'll need it again to make the filling.

♥ After 12 minutes have passed, take the cake base out from the oven and let it cool down a little. It need not be too soft of too crusty, just somewhere in between is perfect!

Cake filling:

♥ Take approx. 500 g of low fat organic cottage cheese

♥ 3 large ripe bananas (or 2 for a thinner filling, see 2nd picture from the top)

♥ Optional: 1/2 tablespoon of vanilla powder (if you can get it organic - that's great!)

♥ Blend it all together in a food processor. I just use my good old chopper you now are introduced with. :) In the UK cottage cheese usually comes a bit watery and grainy, so if you are using a dry/drained cottage cheese, you might want to add some water (about 7 tablespoons) or organic plain yoghurt or kefir, so that a consistency or your mixture resembles a pudding.

Raw mixture before cooking: 

♥ Pour the mixture over your base and bake for 30 - 35 minutes at 180C degrees.

♥ Take it out, let it cool until room temperature and then unclip the sides of your pie tin to serve.

You can also do a layered version with blueberries.❤

1. Bake your oats & banana cake base (instructions as above) for 10 minutes.
2. In a food processor or chopper process 140g of frozen or fresh blueberries with 80g of cashew nuts. The consistency should not be too watery, but should look rather like a thick yogurt. Pour the mixture over the base and bake it for another 20 minutes.
3. Follow the instructions above on how to make a cake filling and pour it over the blueberry layer. Bake for another 30-35 minutes. Let cool and enjoy! 

 Bon Appétit!

Perfect Morning Wake-Up Smoothie! Hello Sunshine, Au Revoir Coffee!

Some of you may know that I am not a fan of cleansing diets or strict detox regimes as these can cause great complications on your health an put your body under unnecessary stress. So instead I suggest a mild and natural way that purifies your blood, strengthens your liver and promotes healthy digestion - nourishing smoothies and fresh vegetables salads high in fibre vitamins and minerals.

I want to share with you several recipes that me and my family love, so that you can pick and chose which ones you like best.  ❤   

Why it is good for you:

I love this morning smoothie for its waking-up, hydrating, invigorating and refreshing properties! It does it job so well, you'll forget about your morning coffee. ;)

      ♥ It strengthens your stomach lining and cleanses your digestive tract too.

      ♥ It is also perfect if you have a sore throat and it greatly boosts your immunity to keep those colds and flu away!
      ♥ This smoothie does not spike your sugar level (therefore doesn't make you tired or sleepy!), but at the same time being rich in fibre, vitamin C and beta-carotene (when adding carrots), water and potassium it kick starts all processes in your body to get you ready for the day!

Ingredients:

      ♥ 1/2 large green apple
      ♥ 1 tablespoon of fresh peeled ginger
      ♥ Optional: 1 heaped tablespoon of kale
      ♥ Either half a pear or 1 kiwi or few slices of any citrus fruit or any berries of your choice -  Whatever your heart desires on that particular day! :) If you suffer from stomach problems, add a half of a medium size banana.
      ♥ Filtered water to fill in your glass in between the fruit pieces
      ♥ Blend everything in your smoothie / milkshake maker for about 10-15 seconds. Shake well and enjoy!

Or a second option:

Another variation of this smoothie is to add carrots and kiwi. 
When you add carrots, slice them into small bits so that the blades of your drinks maker can go through them easier. ;)
 

As always remember - add citrus fruit if your stomach can tolerate them, otherwise if you have a sensitive stomach - add half of a medium size banana. ;)

With Love,
Natalia xx

Homemade Organic Fermented Milk Drink

I'd like to share a very simple recipe of a very popular fermented milk drink in Russia and all former Soviet Union states ! It is very similar to yoghurt, but is much better for drinking.

There are loads of production ways, but I want to share a very easy way of how to do it at home!

1. Bring to boil organic semi-skimmed milk. Cool it down. Pour it into any glass container.

2. Take a small piece of organic dark german wholegrain rye bread (like a Schneider Brot / German Vollkornbrot) and put it into the milk. For 1 pint of milk you'll need a bread slice only 4х4 cm big.

3. Close the container or cover with a saucer. Leave to stand for 1,5 or to days.

4. Enjoy with fresh cucumbers seasoned with dill and rye bread! It is suitable for any part of the day and your kids will love it too.

Bon appétit!
Natalia xx

In Russian / По-русски:
 
Всем любителям простокваши посвящается! ♥
Если вам в Англии тоже сложно найти кефир или простоквашу по душе, вам очень понравится такой способ! Вам не понадобятся специальная грибковая закваска, которую используют для приготовления кефира. Зато такая простокваша домашнего приготовления совсем не уступает по вкусу настоящему кефиру!

1. Берем натуральное Organic Semi-Skimmed Milk (полуобезжиренное), доводим до кипения. Снимаем с огня и остужаем. Когда молоко стало хотя бы комнатной температуры, разливаем его с стеклянную баночку.

2. Чтобы молоко прокисло, добавляем в него маленький кусочек черного хлеба (примерно 4х4 см на 560 мл / 1 пинту), обязательно корочку. Я брала Organic German Wholegrain Rye Bread - плоский Schneider Brot / German Vollkornbrot. Можно добавить ложку Organic Probiotic Yoghurt для более "кремовой" текстуры.

3. Закрыть баночки и на 1.5-2 дня поставить на подоконник. И ГОТОВО!

Для последующего приготовления хлеб уже не понадобится - достаточно будет добавить в кипяченое и остуженное молоко две-три ложки уже готового напитка.
 

Только вот весь свой я уже выпила - очень уж соскучилась по кефиру с огурцами!! :)

Всем приятного аппетита! 

Наталия хх