Homemade Fruit Tea Recipes

I love fruit tea, preferring to create my own homemade fruit tea recipes, over those who you can find in most grocery stores, simply because most of them have either green or black tea. I am a purist when it comes to fruit teas. I like the recipes simple and easy, and adjustable. With small changes, like adding some spices like cinnamon or coconut flakes to the mix, you can create interesting flavor combinations without all of the unnecessary additives and fillers many commercial tea blends and mixes have.

Here is a great base recipe you can work from

250 grams of strawberries
Organic pears, apples and peaches – five each
10  organic oranges
10 organic lemons
2 sticks of lemon grass

Remove stems and seeds from the pears, apples, and peaches, cut all fruit and lemon grass in same size, small pieces
and place into a dehydrator. Dehydrate according to the manufacturers instructions.

Mix well and place into an sealed container, storing it for up to 6 months in a dry and cool place.

To prepare:

Place 1 heaping tablespoon of the tea mix into an infuser, reusable tea bag, or your favorite tea ball. Steep until desired
strength is reached, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the infuser, tea bag or tea ball, or strain. Sweeten with your favorite
sweetener.

Variations:

Add a half of cup of dried coconut flakes and a half of cup of dried pineapple to the mix for a Hawaiian flavor.

You can also add extra flavor like cinnamon, or ginger.

Add a handful each of your favorite dried berries to the mix, for a berry blend.

You can also skip the citrus and add a cup of dried hibiscus leaves to the mix instead.

 

Available on Amazon now!

I highly recommend this beautiful tea cup with enclosed infuser/strainer from Teaveli decorated with ancient Chinese symbols this pretty cup makes a perfect tea. I love the fact that it has a lid, which keeps the warmth of the water, while the tea is brewing. This cup is perfect for homemade fruit tea blends, or any green or black tea. It is dishwasher safe, microwavable, and comes with a saucer. Makes a great gift for birthdays, or just any day! Buy it on Amazon today!

Disclaimer: I have received this cup for free in return for an honest review.

5 Facts About Mortar And Pestles You Might Not Know

——– The following post may contain affiliate links ——————–

Mortar and Pestle are not a beautiful but also a functional pair of tools to have in your kitchen, especially if you do
a lot of cooking with herbs and spices. But as you already know, I always want to know more about the tools I use, so I
decided to dig up some facts about this interesting contraption you might not have known before:

5 Things You May Not Know About Mortar And Pestles

1. Did you know in some places there were used for meat preparation? Large stone mortars with wood pestles were used in West Asia to grind meat for a type of meatloaf called kebbeh as well as a type of hummus called masabcha.

2.Here is a non-food use of the mortar and pestle: It is traditional in various Hindu ceremonies such as weddings and
upanayanam to use the mortar and pestle to crush turmeric.

3. Mortar and Pestles are a big part of Thai history: The Thai mortar and pestle dates back to the Sukhothai period which was the 1st Kingdom that was founded in 1238 A.D. and was used to grind foods and medicines.

4. the results of your grinding depend on the material of the mortar and pestle. I will get more into the details of that
in a moment.

5. The oldest mentioning of the mortar and pestle stems from Ancient Egypt, in a medical manuscript called the
Papyrus Ebers, which dates about 1550 BCE.

What are the best Mortar And Pestle material for which use?

Ceramic:
stains easily used to create powdered substances

Stone/Granite:
very heavy, durable and sturdy, look for a not so porous mortar for best use. Good for general cooking uses

Wood:
best for griding seeds and salts. Do not use with moisture. Never leave in water so it won’t warp. Delicate.

Porcelain:
Easy to clean, usually dishwasher safe, need salt in order to make grinding easier. General household use

Marble:
the heaviest of them all. Easy to clean, very sturdy, easiest to use. does not absorb odor.

 

Maxam Mortar and Pestle Available on Amazon now

I was recently given the chance to review the Maxam Marble Mortar and Pestle, and here are my thoughts:

My first impression was, that is was as heavy and beautiful as I expected from a marble piece. Of all Mortar and Pestles, I prefer marble as the material, as it is the most functional, as well as aesthetically pleasing, allowing me to leave  in full display, rather than hiding it in the cupboard somewhere. The Maxam Mortar and Pestle is not exception to that rule. With a large bowl,  it is  wonderful to use for the larger patches of spice mixes I tend to make, cutting my work time.  It is almost completely white, with the slight colors I also expect and love from marble. The pestle rests well in my hand and is well balanced, which makes working with this item easier and more convenient. Overall I am very happy with this item, which is available on Amazon at a very reasonable price.

Disclaimer: I was given the Maxam Mortar and Pestle for free in return for an honest and unbiased review.

Stay tuned for some more interesting facts about every day items, you might not have thought about before.

This post is a part of the following blog hops:

Weekend Blog Party

Wednesday Blog Hop

Inspire Me Wednesday

Too cute Tuesdays

Amaze Me Mondays

Vegan Spaghetti Carbonara (Creamy Coconut Leek Sauce)

—- The following post contains affiliate links, see disclosure page for details ——- 

I like eating creamy dishes – which is why I almost always have coconut milk in the house. It is no wonder then, that I had to find a replacement for one of my favorite pasta dishes – carbonara. Not exactly the most healthy meal in its original form,
but yummy enough to break all of the rules.
But now I don’t have to feel guilty about my creamy indulgence anymore because I came up with a carbonara that replaces the real thing. I hope you like it as much as I do, just one warning – it is addicting.

You will need:

1 package whole-grain pasta (you can use gluten-free, or regular whole-wheat, whichever you prefer)
1 leek
2 tablespoon of coconut oil
1 can (about 250 ml) coconut milk (for this do not use the low-fat variety – trust me on this, it is time to splurge)
salt, pepper, and ground nutmeg to taste

Preparation:
Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions. Rinse and set aside.
Meanwhile, cut the white part of the leeks in thin rings. Add the coconut oil into a deep pan, cook until the leek becomes
somewhat translucent, similar to cooking onions. Add the coconut milk to the leek and simmer for 5 minutes, or until
the leak becomes soft. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste.
Top your pasta with the creamy coconut sauce – and you are done!

Another simple, yet yummy meal, that is easy to make, and satisfying enough for a meat eater. If you are participating in the Meatless Mondays’ this is the perfect easy, and decadent meal for you, that keeps you full, energized, and will not make you miss the meat, dairy or any other animal product!
Variety: I have made a variety of this dish by adding broccoli instead of leek to the sauce. It is just as yummy!

CuliChef Silicone & Stainless Steel Spatula Available On Amazon Now

To make the creation of this dish even easier, and keep your food from sticking, use this great CuliChef Silicone & Stainless Steel Spatula that I have recently discovered. I love this heavy duty kitchen instrument, as it can hold some weight, does not stick and can handle heat up to 445 Degrees Fahrenheit (220 Celcius). I have become a fan of anything silicone when it comes to kitchen gadgets, and this spatula is no exception. It has a long handle, which prevents any splattering on your hands, which is great, especially when you are trying to teach children how to cook. As an extra bonus, I found it very easy to clean, no matter what sticky mess I made.  Try it out, it is available on Amazon now.

(Disclaimer: I have received the CuliChef Silicone & Stainless Steel Spatula for free in return for an honest and unbiased review. )

 

Have a wonderful day!

Claudia

6 Raw Vegan Food Blogs You Should Check Out Right Now!

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Happy Belated Earth Day!

Keeping  ourselves healthy, and taking care of the planet can be achieved  by being very selective about what we eat. I have written before about the reasons why raw vegan dishes are a great option for everyone, even if you are not going fully raw, or even fully vegan. During my search for recipes, I have come across quite a few wonderful blogs, 6 of which I want to share with you today. Enjoy!

Julie’s Raw Ambition – A beautiful blog, filled with recipes and some tips, like her recent post on gardening. Well written, and very informative.

Raw Loulou –  There are a lot of recipes to explore – and I mean a lot, from breakfast to snacks, you name it, you can find it here.

The Rawtarian – looking for more than just recipes, but a community who is willing to teach you how to explore this way of eating? Then the Rawtarian is right for you. There are beautifully photographed recipes of course, but there is so much more, so I would suggest that you make some time to dive into this great and large site.

Awesome To Be Rawesome –  confused by some of the ingredients that are asked for in vegan and or raw cooking? Check out Awesome To Be Rawesome for tips on how to use these ingredients to their fullest, and also join a community of people who are interested in the same. A great place to find advice and also wonderful recipes.

Raw On 10 – food and wellness – this beautiful site showcases how food can heal you, and that on a budget. What is not to love!

Sweetly Raw –  the site for raw vegan desserts. If you have a sweet-tooth, like I do, you really should check out this beautiful site. Imagine eating decadent sweets, that are actually good for you? Oh, yeah!

Feeling overwhelmed by all of the tools and gadgets you might need to make raw foods? Actually, you only need two to make most of the recipes you see on the above blogs. I highly recommend getting a high-speed blender (such as the Vitamix), and a good table top spiralizer.

Briefton 5 Blade Spiralizer Available on Amazon now!

While handheld spiralizers are fine for small jobs, I suggest getting a table top spiralizer. My favorite one is the Briefton 5 Blade spiralizer, which makes everything from curly fries (when not eating raw), to zucchini pasta (for those raw days). My favorite feature is how easy is is to clean – the entire thing is dishwasher safe, which is wonderful. It is quite big, once assembles ( the machine needs some assembling before your first use, but it is easy to put together – if I can do it, you can), but not big enough to be a nuisance. I would not want to be without it. But, as a parent I should warn you – this is not a kids toy – the blades are very sharp. Kids should be used to handling machines with sharp parts before using this spiralizer, and should be supervised.

(Disclosure: I have received the Briefton 5 Blade spiralizer for free in return for an honest and unbiased review).

 

Vegan Pink Curry Recipe With Red Beets

Finding something to make for lunch that we can all eat safely, and that fits our different lifestyle choices can be challenging. So I like to experiment not only with different techniques, but also with flavors. which sometimes works, other times ends in total disaster – oh well. This recipe was inspired by my search through German vegan blogs, where someone used a lot of red beets, sometimes in combination with Indian flavors. Which in turn sparked my creativity, and made me come up with this now  family -tested and approved, Pink Curry Recipe With Red Beets. (I love cooking with coconut milk!)

 

Pink Curry Recipe With Red Beets.

 (feeds 2 hungry people) You will need:

1 large or 2 small fresh red beets, cleaned, peeled and diced into small cubes

1 medium size leek, cut into thin rings

1 small onion, finely diced

3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into bite size pieces

1 can of organic coconut milk (our can was 13 oz)

2 cups of veggie stock – use your favorite kind

salt, pepper and curry powder to taste – I like it a little spicier, so i tend to add more curry and pepper, but how much is totally up to you.

Olive oil

Instructions:

Add olive oil, leeks, and onions into the pan, cook until translucent. Add the veggie stock, potatoes, beets, coconut milk and spices, stirring well to combine. Bring to a simmer. Add more spices if necessary. Cook at medium heat for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until all vegetables are done, stirring often during the cooking process.

Serve hot.

______________________________________________

Simple, isn’t it? Yet it has such a wonderful combination of earthy flavors, and powerful spices that made it so delicious, even my husband, who is a dedicated meat-eater did not have a choice but to enjoy. A perfect recipe for anyday, or your Meatless Monday meals.

Have a wonderful, and healthy day!

Claudia

 

P.S. No time to shop and plan a meal? Check out SunBasket’s Vegetarian Menu for this week here! Includes a yummy Lentil dish, that is absolutely delicious and soy free! Also available are gluten-free, and paleo meal options. Find out more here

 

 

 

4 Reasons Why You Should Eat More Raw Meals

This post contains affiliate links – as well as a vegan raw food recipe, so read all the way to the end!

I do not limit my diet to a particular lifestyle, may it be raw vegan, or otherwise, but rather optimize my food that fits my life, and health the best, as long as I eat 95 % clean. I do however add quite a few vegan raw food recipes into my diet, and that of my family with very diverse eating habits (my daughter is vegan, my son vegetarian, and my husband is on a diet to prevent blood pressure issues, while being neither). The raw food diet though, is a concept I have been familiar with since childhood, growing up in Germany. Rohkost or raw food meals were used to treat certain ailments, or just simply made as  a part of our meals. At least, is was in our family.

The cool thing is, that you do not need anything fancy to start incorporating raw meals into your diet, even though many recipes can call for spiralizers and special high-speed blenders. While these are all good to have, for those who want to start out, they are not something you need. Your normal everyday tools  appliances can get you started just as well.

So why should you try to get more raw food recipes and meals into your diet?

1. The nutrients and vitamins stay intact.The main benefit of eating raw is that the nutritional integrity of the food you are preparing stays intact. Cooking foods can  ( and usually does) destroy some of those vitamins, minerals and all of the good stuff you are trying to bring into your diet, by eating more veggies in the first place. None of that occurs when preparing your meals raw.

2. There is no long meal prep.  Most raw meals are rather quick and easy to prepare. So it is easily possible to prepare an entire meal for your family within ten minutes. How cool is that!

3. It is very portable. A bento box full of veggies, and prepared sauces or dressings is a very portable meal, that does not require a microwave or a stove to be enjoyed. Raw meals are perfect for the office, and can be just as balanced as a cooked meal if planned correctly.

4. Increased focus. Many people I have talked to, who added more raw meals to their diet have spoken about their increased ability to stay focused for a longer period of time. I agree with that experience, because when I make a point of incorporating more raw meals throughout the week into my life, my ability to stay longer on task increases noticeably. While I am not aware of a specific study validating that claim, it is my personal experience, and understandably so, considering that my nutrient intake has increased, which also affects brain function positively.

Wondering how to actually turn this into a practice, now that you know why you should?

You can start simple, by a large bowl of fruit for breakfast, or a variety of cut up veggies with your favorite homemade salsa
or hummus as a dip. But you can also make yourself a soup, if you have a blender, like this creamy tomato soup

Creamy Raw Tomato Soup Recipe (Vegan) 

You will need
4 tomatoes
2 medium carrots – peeled
1 to 2 celery
1 tablespoon of your favorite almond butter
1 tablespoon coconut oil
2 -3 dried tomatoes (not in olive oil)
2 teaspoons of dried oregano
1 teaspoon of dried  basil
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste
some water

Place all of the ingredients into a blender, adding water to it, while you blend it all up, until it reaches the desired consitency.
Place into your favorite bowl and granish with arucola, or parsely – whatever you have on hand.

 

 

If you are feeling more adventurous, check out this book by a wonderful Youtuber named Kristina Carrillo-Bucaram, also known as Raw Food Kristina. I absolutely adore her tips on raw foods, meal prep, her raw vegan recipes and now her book, which is a Bestseller on Amazon – for good reason. A great book to start your journey on eating more raw – get it today! Ranging from savory to sweet, there is something for everyone in her book!

The Fully Raw Diet available on Amazon now! 

 

Check out the following blog hops to connect with other bloggers, foodies and more!

Fun Friday Favorites 

Friday Home Link Up

Friday Finds And Favorites

No Rule Weekend Blog Party

Extra Veg April Linky

Be Inspired

How To Make Your Own Cat Food

 

Disclaimer: The following post contains affiliate links, see Disclosure page for details

Upon request of a dear reader, I am writing today about making your own cat food. But before sharing a recipe with you, I would like to take a moment to caution you about making your own pet food. My dogs are fed exclusively on homemade dog food, due to severe allergies. They simply can not eat the commercial stuff without loosing all of their fur, and breaking out.  My cat, on the other hand, is almost exclusively fed on commercial food, because he has no allergies. If you are feeding all of your pets homemade food, do not feed the same food you make for your dogs to your cat. With very different nutritional needs, you would have to cook separately. That said, I make homemade cat food as an occasional treat, which he enjoys very much.

 

There are a few foods that should never be added to homemade cat food. Those are:

 

• Garlic
• Onions
• Raisins
• Raw Egg whites
• Tomatoes
• Grapes

Some people will tell you that garlic keeps away fleas, in both cats and dogs, but it is also poisonous to their system. So stick with the commercial flea protection like Bayer Advantage  and skip the garlic

 

When feeding the amount of homemade cat food, keep the following factors in mind, when giving food:

1. Age
2. Activity level
3. pre-existing conditions
4. size of the cat

 

You should consult your holistic veterinarian for feeding guidelines, or consult books specifically written on the subject.

 

Basic Cat Food Recipe:

 

• 1/4 teaspoon olive oil or salmon oil
• 7 grams of feline vitamin/mineral supplement
• 30 grams of potato, cooked without skin
• 50 grams of carbs (choose one: cooked pasta, white rice, barley, oatmeal, peas)
• 83 grams of cooked animal protein (whole meat chicken, lamb, rabbit, beef, pork, tuna, salmon)

Mix all of the ingredients together (a blender works really well for this purpose) and store the food in the fridge until needed

 

Some of my vegan friends consider feeding their cats and dogs an animal protein-free diet. I personally do not recommend that the same goes for raw diets. Most people making homemade food for their pets will agree that liver should only be fed on occasion as the animal protein given. I completely stay away from liver, as my dogs both seem to have an adverse reaction to it (even though they love the flavor). Every animal will react different to a homemade diet, therefore, your vigilance is required.
Here are two books I highly recommend on the subject:

Dinner PAWsible: A Cookbook of Nutritious, Homemade Meals for Cats And Dogs

available on Amazon now

 

 

 The Ultimate Guide To Cats Food

available on Amazon now

 

 

This post is a part of the following blog hops:

Amaze Me Monday

Manic Monday Blog Hop

Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop

Keeping It Simple

Show And Share 

Book Review: Delicious DIY Coffee Recipes That Will Impress

(Disclaimer: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This post contains affiliate links, see Disclosure page for details)
Book Review: Delicious DIY Coffee Recipes That Will Impress and Bring Out the Home Barista In Everyone: The Home Barista Series: Volume 1 (Delicious DIY Coffee Recipes … In Everyone:The Home Barista Series)

Author: Cut To The Chase Media

Genre: Cooking, Beverages

Rating: 4/5 Stars

The unusual recipes absolutely sparked by attention, especially with ingredients like Nutella and KitKat, which – for a chocolate lover and coffee addict like me, is like a dream come true.
At 22 recipes, this book is way too short, though. From a cookbook, I expect a few more recipes. Also, while some people might like the fact that it has no fluff, it does not even contain any information about the Author, and barely an introduction.

Overall the concept and the recipes are great, and well thought through, but because it was so short, I was somewhat disappointed.

You also may like:

B130 DeskPro Coffee Maker
 my personal favorite machine, when I want a quick cup of coffee.

Book Review: Vegan On The Cheap by Robin Robertson

Title: Vegan On The Cheap

Author: Robin Robertson

Publisher: John Wiley and Sons

ISBN: 978-0-47–47224-8

Eating healthy is a priority in our home. Not wasting our resources is another. Consuming healthy meals while on a budget, without the use of imported and exotic additives is important to stay within our environmentally conscious mindset. “Vegan On The Cheap” is a book that can assist you in achieving just that. That is healthy eating without the guilt! 

Well written, easy to follow and pleasant recipes, in addition to time saving tips, make this book a treasure for those who eat an exclusively vegan diet, or who would like to reduce their meat intake, by adding some more healthy, non-meat meals to their families repertoire. Recipe ideas range from breakfast to dinner, snacks to salads, marked extensively to allow the reader to choose from budget friendly meals the entire family can enjoy. Added “cheap tricks” allow flexibility, while the recipes never make you feel like you are eating budget food. Consuming healthy foods does not always have to be expensive, and Robin Robertson proves this with this volume.

I highly recommend this book for anyone, vegan, vegetarian and health-conscious meat eaters alike!