Cinnamon, Banana and Coconut Oil Hair Mask

Rainy Sundays are best for DIY beauty treatments. Today being a rainy Sunday, I decided to try a nourishing hair mask for my very hungry hair. Most natural foods you have lying around the house have some sort of beauty benefit, all it takes is a little research and experimentation.

Cinnamon:
According to http://www.benefitsfromcinnamon.com , cinnamon promotes hair growth and blood circulation to the scalp

Bananas:
The creamy, rich fruit has many benefits for hair, including strengthening, hair loss control and moisturizing of the scalp

Coconut oil:
Moisturizes and conditions hair, adding shine and treating damage

Ingredients

2 bananas (good way to use over ripe bananas too)
4 tbs coconut oil
2 tsp cinnamon

In a bowl, melt the coconut oil in the microwave until is its completely liquid. Add the banana and cinnamon and blend into a very smooth paste.

Directions for use:

Apply to dry hair, thoroughly coating the entire scalp all the way to the ends. When massaged into the scalp, it tingles for a few minutes, so test it on a small area if your scalp is sensitive. Leave in for 15-20 minutes, then shampoo and condition as normal.

This makes enough for medium length hair. For short hair, half the recipe. For long hair, add 1 banana, 2 tbs coconut oil and 1 tsp cinnamon.

Enjoy the fragrant experience! xxx

EDIT: I mashed the mixture with a fork, but I would strongly recommend using a blender to get it very smooth. The little banana chunks got stuck in my hair and I had to comb them out :) Other than that, my hair feels great! xxx

Peanut Butter + Cinnamon Oats with Seeds

This is one of my easy, go-to breakfasts full of good stuff to keep me going for the day. 

30g rolled oats
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 heaped tsp natural peanut butter
1 tbs pumpkin seeds
1 tbs chia seeds
1 tbs sunflower seeds
1 tsp xylitol
1/3 cup soy milk

Place the oats, cinnamon, xylitol and peanut butter in a bowl and cover with cold water. Microwave for about 2 minutes, or until it is soft. Top with the seeds and serve with chilled soy milk.

xxx

Thai Style Summer Rolls

Summer rolls are so ridiculously tasty and the easiest/quickest thing in the world. I love making them for a quick dinner before going out, or as a starter if I have guests. They also make a good lunchbox treat!

They're a great way to use bits of fresh veggies that need to be eaten. You can pretty much put anything in them, and as long as you have a good dressing, they are guaranteed to be delicious!

My favourite way to do them is with a Thai dressing with strong peanut, chilli and garlic flavours. It's also always good to add some seeds or nuts for extra crunch factor.

Ingredients:

3 rice paper sheets
10cm cucumber, sliced into sticks
2 medium carrots, julienned or sliced into sticks
1/2 tin red kidney beans, drained
1/4 green pepper, sliced into sticks
1 handful washed coriander
1 tbs sunflower seeds + 1 tbs pumpkin seeds, toasted

*To toast seeds, toss them in a dry, non-stick pan on high heat for 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown

For the Dressing:

1 heaped tsp natural crunchy peanut butter
2 tbs low sodium soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp dry chilli flakes
1/2 tsp xylitol
1 tsp lemon juice
Place all ingredients in a small bowl. Use a fork to whisk the dressing so that the peanut butter combines with the rest of the liquids.

Prepare all your vegetables first, and lay them out on a cutting board. Wet one of the rice paper sheets under the tap, making sure the water runs over the entire sheet, back and front, and place it on a dinner plate. The sheet will absorb the water and when it is sticky to the touch (after about a minute), its ready. Place your veggies in the bottom third of the sheet, leaving space to fold the bottom and side edges in. First fold the bottom edge up, then the sides in, and then roll it until it's sealed, tucking the fillings in as you go. Repeat with the remaining sheets.

Slice the rolls in half and serve with a bowl of dipping sauce on the side. Alternately, you can pour the sauce onto the fillings before rolling - good for packed lunches.

Enjoy! xxx

Mushroom, Kale and Bacon Quiche (without the bacon!)

I feel like a LOT of my cooking involves tofu lately, but I am really enjoying learning about its amazing versatility every day. Tonight I made a divine quiche that even the man of the house didn't turn his nose up at. Of course there is no bacon in the quiche, but some lovely roasty mushrooms, sauteed kale and a touch of liquid smoke.

I didn't do a crust for this quiche because I really just wanted to make a quick dinner, but if you have some time, there are plenty good vegan crust recipes out there. One I read about earlier involved grated potato to create a 'rosti' type crust - sounds yummm!

Also note, my pie dish is quite large, so this is a large recipe. You could always downsize it to fit a smaller dish. 

Ingredients:

6 blocks tofu (150g each)

2 tbs B-Well vegan mayo (available at Pick 'n Pay)

2 tsp liquid smoke

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp coriander powder

1/4 tsp chilli flakes

1/2 cup soy milk

1 heaped tbs cornflour

1 x 400g punnet chopped mushrooms

4-6 large kale leaves, finely shredded

1/2 purple onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 green pepper, diced

2 tbs olive oil

Himalayan salt

Turn your grill on to 250 degrees Celcius. Toss the mushrooms in 1 tbs olive oil and grill until slightly crisp. I usually drain the liquid from the oven tray halfway through the process. 

Meanwhile, in a pan, sautee the onions, green pepper and garlic in a tbs of olive oil. When soft, add the kale, chilli and coriander powder and stir fry until the kale is wilted. Add the mushrooms to the pan and season with salt. Remove from heat and turn the oven to 180 degrees, with both top and bottom elements on. 

Place all 6 blocks of tofu in a large mixing bowl and smoosh them up with your hands, as if kneading bread dough. Add the soy milk, turmeric, corn flour, liquid smoke, 1/2 tsp salt and mayo and blend with a stick blender until smooth. Stir the vegetables into the tofu mixture. Place it all in a non-stick pie dish and bake for approximately 30-40 minutes. The top and edges will be golden brown when its ready. 

Serve with a fresh salad and tomato sauce xxx

Tofu Scramble with Coconut Bacon and Balsamic Glazed Tomatoes

We went on a beautiful hike in Newlands forest today. This delicious vegan breakfast gave me all the energy I needed to get to the top of the mountain and run all the way back down!

For the tofu scramble:

1 tbs olive oil
150g soft tofu
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 tbs light soy sauce
salt to taste

Pop all the incredients in a hot pan and scramble away!

For the coconut bacon:

20g coconut flakes
1 1/2 tsp liquid smoke
1 tbs soy sauce
1 heaped tsp xylitol

Mix all the ingredients, using only 1 tsp of the liquid smoke, in a small bowl until the coconut is well coated. Spread the flakes evenly on an oven tray. Place under the grill on about 180 degrees Celcius for about 5 minutes. Watch it closely, as it burns quite quickly. Its ready when it is golden brown. Return to the bowl and add the remaining 1/2 tsp of liquid smoke.

For the cherry tomatoes:

1 tsp olive oil
5 cherry tomatoes
1 tbs balsamic vinegar
2 tsp xylitol
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Fry the tomatoes in the olive oil on high heat until they are softish. Take the pan off the heat and add the vinegar, xylitol and garlic powder. Stir and return to the heat until the xylitol is dissolved and the vinegar is slightly caramelized.

Serve it all up on a slice of vegan friendly toast and a dollop of tomato sauce on the side for a fabulous brekkie!

xxx

Sprouted Bean Curry

Growing sprouts is one of the most rewarding forms of gardening, especially for impatient people like me. In only two or three days, the little shoots of young energy start showing and in another day or two they are ready to be eaten. I often sprout a variety of beans and seeds at once and then have to give them away because they are so abundant.

Today I made a deliciously hot curry with all my sprouts for the week. 

I also recently discovered how beautifully bean curry is complimented by coconut flakes and raisins. I think its my new favourite combo!

Ingredients:

1 tsp olive oil (I am monitoring my oil intake, but you could increase this to two tbs for more flavour)

1 small onion

5-7 sliced chillies, seeds included (adjust to your hotness preference)

5 cloves garlic, sliced

1/2 tsp jeera powder

1 tsp jeera seeds

1/2 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp turmeric

1 1/2 tsp Himalayan salt

1 cup red split lentils, well washed (the water should run clear)

1 cup sprouted chick peas

1 cup sprouted mung beans

1 cup sprouted adzuki beans

1 tin tomato onion mix

3 cups hot water 

coconut flakes and raisins for topping

On medium heat, fry the onion, garlic, chillies and spices for approx. 5 minutes. If you are using only a tsp of oil, you may need to add a spoonful of water to emulsify the spices. Add the sprouts and lentils and continue to fry for another 5 minutes. Add the tinned tomato and bring to the boil in the pan. Add the hot water a cup at a time, allowing it to cook with the lid on until the beans turn soft. 

Honestly, I actually did not measure the water I used, but use those cooking skills to make sure you have enough to cook the beans but not so much that it becomes too watery. Remove the lid when the beans are cooked and allow the sauce to reduce to a nice thick gravy. 

Makes 4-6 servings. Top with coconut flakes and raisins for extra deliciousness! 

xxx

Tofu Protein Balls

I've started a new little challenge in my life, well a big challenge actually. Besides committing to full veganism, I am also doing a 12 week strict strength training program with the high hopes of being Summer-body-ready(ish). Doing a regular strength routine requires that you get enough protein, along with all the other important nutrients, so I've been doing a lot of research into vegan sources of protein. As it turns out, there are plenty of them, despite the myth that you can't get enough protein from plant only foods. Here is a little recipe I created to help me feed my muscles and keep me full after training.

Ingredients:

250g soft tofu
2 tsp xylitol
1 tsp cinnamon
20g chia seeds
35g Muscle Works Vegan Protein (or any vegan protein supplement)
30g unsweetened shredded coconut
16 raw almonds

In a medium sized bowl, blend the tofu, cinnamon, xylitol and protein powder with a stick blender until smooth. Add the chia seeds and stir them in thoroughly. Leave the mixture to stand for about half an hour so that the chia seeds absorb the excess moisture. Pour the coconut into a shallow bowl for dipping. Use a teaspoon to scoop the mixture and drop it into the coconut. Add an almond and mold the ball around it. Roll it in the coconut to seal it. You should get about 16 x 20g protein balls.

The mixture is quite sticky, so I found it easiest to roll it in the coconut a little before molding the shape. Have fun! x