Gluten-Free Sweet Canolis with Creme Patissiere and Zilli Green

Since I was completing my yoga teacher training course this week (I am now done, yay!), I didn't have much time to post (although I have been cooking and experimenting a bit).
One of the recipes that my fellow yogis really enjoyed were the gluten-free Sweet Canolis that I made this week. It was quite fun rolling and 'cutting' out the canolis out of the flaxseed dough:

I dehydrated the canoli base over night, but you could easily just bake the bake the base at 180 C/350 F if you prefer.

After, I made Creme Patissiere (dairy-free and SO easy to make). Once the canolis were wrapped and baked, I filled a pipping bag with the creme and filled the canolis:

 

Last night Sam and I went to Zilli Green, (http://www.zillirestaurants.co.uk/green/menu/bites-and-starters/) a vegetarian/vegan restaurant in Soho (thanks Eva :). The food was amazing. Particularly, the burger and  Homemade Chocolate & Cherry Liqueur Brownie with Ice Cream. It is the BEST brownie that I have ever had- so moist, yet chewy with a lot of texture (not to mention that it is vegan and gluten-free!). The accompaniment of ice cream (vegan as well) really topped it off on this warm night:

I HIGHLY recommend that anyone in London go to Zilli Green, if not for the food, then for the brownie at least!

Is purchasing a Vitamix REALLY worth the cost?

When talking to others about food preparation I often get questions such as, 'Is the Vitamix REALLY worth buying?' ' Is it really THAT different from a regular blender? If so, how?'

It was not long ago that I also wondered the same things. After all, its only been two months since I've invested in one so I do not claim to be a Vitamix 'expert'. However, through online research and through practical experience, I may be able to provide some insight about the infamous 439 pound blender (or around 400 or so dollars if you live in the US).

I  toyed with the idea of purchasing a Vitamix for a long time. I couldn't bring myself to fork out the money to buy one so I decided to buy a  2-in-1 blender and food processor. For my purposes, the 2-in-1 machine was still not cutting it ( literally as well!). And so, shortly after, the Vitamix research began. When considering the purchase I considered purpose, frequency of use and cost.

Purpose-   I was tired of having my green smoothies (yummy smoothies with fruit and green veggies) to feel as if I was drinking a salad. The motor and blades from my blender were not powerful enough to finely blend all of the fruit and vegetables to a smooth consistency. Additionally, making other items such as almond butter, chopping ice, grinding flaxseeds, etc was nearly impossible as  they were not blended properly.
Frequency- As I consume a smoothie or protein shake nearly everyday, I knew I would definitely get a bit of use out of it.
Cost-  Although the price of 439 pounds was difficult to stomach, I discovered the blender has a full 7 year warranty for parts and replacement.

After considering all of the above for quite some time and convincing myself, I decided to go for it and buy one. In a matter of seconds and with ease, I can now make ridiculously well blended smoothies and protein shakes by sticking whole fruits and vegetables (stems and cores included). Nut butters, sorbets, and vegan ice creams, cheeses and sauces are no longer an issue to make and I no longer have to buy these items at the store which often contained preservatives ans were expensive. When I feel like it, I can even cook fondues and soup in the machine- it saves me a lot of time and clean up on the stove. For me personally, the Vitamix is the most valuable appliance and best kitchen investment that I have ever made- it is extremely user-friendly as well.

Although I have not experienced this myself, I have been told there are other blenders (other than the Vitamix) that work really well such as the Kenwood Model below:

If you are still unsure about the difference between a Vitamix versus a regular blender, the chart below  compares some key features of both (from http://girlonraw.com/):

Additionally, here is the link to watch the uses/video demonstrations of the Vitamix: https://www.vitamix.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=85&Itemid=103

So back to the original question, 'Is purchasing a Vitamix REALLY worth the cost?' Well I guess that's up to you :)

Donut Holes

As I knew I was returning to the last part of my yoga teacher training (7 days left!), I knew I had to bring some snacks to share to give us energy during our long days. So yesterday, I decided to make some 'Donut Holes':

The recipe was created by Ani Phyo (one of my favourite vegan and raw chefs) and came out of Ani's Raw Food Kitchen:

The Donut Holes contained very simple ingredients- almonds, dried pineapple, shredded coconut, pitted dates, vanilla and sea salt:

After making the Donut Holes I got a bit hungry and decided to make myself a Canoita (an inspiration from my father, a chef himself). I took a plantain (a type of banana used in Caribbean and Latin American cooking), cut it lengthwise and then grilled it in the oven for a short time. While the plantain was grilling, I made some Melty White Vegan Cheez. Once the cheez was made, I took the plantain out of the oven, filled it with the cheez and re-grilled the entire thing:

The results were delicious, just like my daddy's!

Saf in Shoreditch

As requested, the Crunchy Almond Butter Recipe has been posted in the Recipes section. I will be playing around with the ingredients of the Raw Chocolate Blackout Cake to create a recipe and post very soon.

After a very anticipated dinner date, Julie (one of my dearest friends, check out her website: http://juliemontagu.com/) and I went to Saf (Simply Authentic Food) in Shoreditch. Saf is a 100% vegan and partly raw restaurant which caters to vegans and non-vegans alike:http://www.safrestaurant.co.uk/
The restaurant is AMAZING and one of a kind! It has Europe's largest organic wine and spirit bar so we started the night off with a couple of cocktails (or two!):

After we received our drinks we went straight into our mains and both got the tacos which were to die for! The tacos were stuffed with guacamole, salsa, and pineapple and the gluten free shell was made out of dehydrated flax seeds:

After the tacos we got dessert and decided to share the Warm Raw Chocolate Fondue with Fruit and Dehydrated Buckwheat and Cinnamon Crackers:

Of course we couldn't help ourselves and we also decided to share the Raw White Chocolate and Jasmine Tart (with a raspberry sauce)

Finally, we got the Pesto au Poivre (just to show our true British identify) to finish the meal:

This soft cashew 'cheese' had a sage pesto between two layers of cheese with pink peppercorn and chive crust served with flaxseed crackers and a balsamic reduction with grapes. It could have had a bit more salt in it but we were overall pleased with it.
After having another drink, I told Julie about the delicious Raw Rhubarb Cheesecake (on the menu) with 'pearls' on top inspired by a molecular gastronomy process (unfamiliar to me, yet intriguing). So I asked the chef if he could bring us some pearls and he agreed to. The pearls looked similar to this:

While sampling our pearls and finishing our last drink, Julie and I felt inspired to try the Rhubarb Cheesecake (after all, there are only three more days until it's out of season and off the menu!). Luckily for us, the kitchen was closed and we were told that our opportunity to sample the cheesecake was gone. However, we were told that a Berry Cheesecake would replace it in the next few days. Oh well, I guess it gives us a reason to go back soon :)

Crunchy Almond Butter and My Trip to Whole Foods in Kensington

I woke up this morning and wasn't sure what to have for breakfast so I searched my fridge and found an empty container of almond butter. I can't live without almond butter so I decided to make some more.
As I grew up eating Jiffy Crunchy Peanut Butter (an American peanut butter), the 'crunch' in my almond butter was missing in my life. It then dawned on me that I had never seen crunchy almond butter in any store in the UK or US. So, in the 10 minute process of making almond butter in my Vitamix I thought to myself, "Why not make some CRUNCHY almond butter!"
So for breakfast I ended up having crunchy almond butter with a banana, yum! It was almost like eating crunchy peanut butter except this was much more flavoursome(and a lot healthier as well!)

After breakfast, seeing that our nut supply is running low, I decided to cycle to Whole Foods in Kensington (which btw has the cheapest nuts you can buy in bulk in London).
Since I had a 30 minute intense cycle ride (I like to trick myself into thinking that) to Whole Foods, I decided to treat myself to lunch! After exploring many options inside the store and restraining myself from eating at Saf (a lovely vegan and raw restaurant in Whole Foods), I decided to go to the 'Made today' counter to get some lunch. I chose a Cabbage Roulade Wrap and a Quinoa & Sweet Potato Cake:

The wrap and sweet potato cake were fresh, yet mediocre (I could have more something more flavoursome at home). However, the Raw Chocolate Blackout Cake that I chose for dessert ROCKED my world:

Ingredients for the Raw Chocolate Blackout Cake: avocado, agave nectar, cold-pressed coconut oil, raw cacao powder, dates, pecans, vanilla extract, yacon powder, cacao nibs.
Amongst the interesting ingredients that I bought today (to be posted about soon), the ingredients in this cake is something I cannot wait to play around with so that I can make my own raw cake at home.

On a final note (non-vegan related) I also found these HUGE ostrich eggs for £26.99 each, crazy! I didn't know eggs could come this large.

Namaste!

Welcome!

Without even realizing it, my journey to becoming vegan began a couple of years ago when I was diagnosed with several food intolerances (wheat, soy, peanuts, beef, and eggs). Being diagnosed with food intolerances was a blessing in disguise for me because it has guided me towards a more holistic life.
Since the diagnosis, I started incorporating more fresh vegetables and fruit into my diet and eliminating meat gradually, until I was eating a pescatarian diet. And, my journey has never stopped. At the start of my yoga teacher training course a few months ago, I decided to eliminate all animal products from my diet. This included meat, dairy, and fish. Initially, I thought this choice would last only for the first part of my training which was a few months ago. Boy was I wrong- it is going on 3 months. After feeling so amazing, both physically and mentally, I am making this a permanent lifestyle change. So, I invite you to follow me as I embark on my transformation.