Sun dried tomato and cashew nut pesto

Posted in: DF, N, S, SF, Uncategorized, V, WF

Delicious with just about anything, this is a grazing plate and BBQ’d burger’s best friend. But given our monsoon weather, maybe opt for the slathered over toasted sourdough, avocado and / or bacon option. The ‘clarted over courgetti’ (or pasta) variety makes a regular appearance on my instant healthy supper table. With jamón and cold meats; stirred through tomato dishes to give them, well… more. I’m sure my tips are superfluous, I doubt anyone’s a stranger to pesto. Add parmesan if you want but the flavour’s so good, it really isn’t necessary. This lasts for weeks, I make a big batch ensuring I’m never without.

Screen Shot 2016-06-30 at 13.34.36

INGREDIENTS

200g sun dried tomatoes
2 tbsp cashew nuts
4 tbsp olive oil – I use the oil from the tomato jar.
1 tsp dried red chillies. Or 1 tsp Kema Kulo if you have it.
1 clove garlic – optional.
Pinch sea or Himalayan pink salt
1/2 tsp turmeric – untold health benefits

METHOD

Add all ingredients to a blender, Magimix or Vitamix and blitz until you a have rough paste. Basically as you would pesto.

IMG_3644

Store in the fridge in an airtight jar or container for as long as you would sun dried tomatoes. My guess would be you’ll eat it long before it goes off.

Cacao nut energy bites

Posted in: DF, Featured, N, S, SF, Uncategorized, V, WF

Another relentlessly popular snack worthy of a re-post. Packed with nothing but (seriously) good stuff, these were a crowd pleaser at a recent Lululemon event and an energy staple on my Tarifa Yoga Holidays. They’re even a winner at parties, in fact, energy bites are fast becoming the new chocolate brownie of cafes. Nutritionist colleague, Kate’s added her recipe to our Gather & Gather meetings and snack range. So much more productive than a sugar or crisp crash and burn ‘pick me up’. This is my version.

Energy-balls

I’m not a huge fan of overly ‘datey’ flavours so have given options for (wholesomely seductive) maple syrup and added a pinch of sea salt for a healthy take on salted caramels. Think: protein, fibre, antioxidants, no refined sugar, raw, coconut oil, dairy and gluten free etc etc. I’ve used cup measures to save scale faffing; they really are very easy.

Makes 15 balls or 20+ bites

INGREDIENTS

1 cup (6 tbsp) pumpkin & sunflower seeds
1 dsp linseed and / or chia, split 50/50
1.5 tbsp cacao powder
1 tbsp almonds or almond butter
2 tbsp maple syrup or 3/4 cup pitted dates, I find most people prefer maple syrup
2 tbsp dried cranberries – adds a tart sweetness… that’s not datey 🙂
1.5 tbsp coconut oil
2 tsp maca (for added energy) – optional
Pinch Himalayan or sea salt
1 dsp desiccated coconut for coating – if making into balls

METHOD

Blitz seeds (including linseed / chia) and almonds until they resemble chunky breadcrumbs – around 30 secs. If using almond butter, add this with other ingredients after whizzing seeds. Sorry Vitamix, but I find Magimix infinitely more efficient on drier recipes.

Making-energy-balls

Add remaining ingredients and mix for a couple of mins until you have a sticky dough. Roll into pieces smaller than a golf ball and coat in the desiccated coconut set aside earlier.

Or for ease, you can press into a tray and slice into squares after chilling. Either way, put straight to the fridge to retain the shape.

They keep for a while so I make double quantities and store for pudding or as a snack to tide me through exercise. Indulgence doesn’t get more virtuous.

 

Cranberry & lemon amoretti

Posted in: DF, N, S, SF, V, WF

Thanks to your calls to action post my supper clubs, fitness events and yoga holidays, this superhero stars again. Almost 2 years after I first shared the recipe, it really is a good one. True Wholesome Seduction: a super tasty snack that’s healthy, low carb and protein packed. These mini morsels are even vegan, dairy, gluten and refined sugar free and still somehow taste of un-compromised indulgence. Ideal for pre / post exercise; a (very buff) friend now keeps them at the ready for his relentless triathlon training hunger. Groan! If iron man fitness doesn’t float your boat, they’re perfect with coffee.

Cranberry-&-lemon-amaretti

Makes 10 – 12 amoretti.

INGREDIENTS

200g ground almonds, bought or home made (skin off almonds)
zest of one lemon
20g / 1 tbsp dried cranberries, rough chopped
2 medium egg whites
2 dsp maple syrup, raw honey or agave

METHOD

Pre-heat oven to 150C. Mix almonds, lemon zest, almond extract and cranberries and set aside.

Lemon-zest-amaretti

Whisk together egg whites, agave and honey until you get soft peaks. Fold in almond mix. You should have a sticky dough.

Cranberry-amaretti-dough

Break off chunks and roll into pieces slightly smaller than a golf ball. Coat with icing sugar (optional) and place on greaseproof lined baking tray.

Cranberry-&-lemon-amaretti-dough-balls

Bake for 12 – 14 mins until lightly browned on top. With a knife, unstick the bottom and transfer to a cooling rack.

Cool before eating and store in an airtight container.

Yoga, food, surf & sangria – back by popular demand!

Posted in: Uncategorized

We love yoga. We also love food, Tarifa, understated luxury and a chilled vibe (with Spanish gin measures). So we planned a holiday.

Tarifa-Yoga2nd

Our Tarifa yoga holiday is back by popular demand. 22-26th October 2015. Click here for all info including what you’ll be eating, where you’ll be staying, cooking classes, food tours, and prices. And on The Essentials, for why you say you love us, getting there, check-in and what to bring. Alternatively, scroll through the Travel & Yoga page, where you’ll also find reviews on Tarifa and the palace that awaits you, Riad Lolita.

Kale superfood salad. And Dolly.

Posted in: DF, LF, S, SF, Uncategorized, V, WF

Quick, packed with flavour, antioxidants, iron and filling energy, this is my year round Go-to recipe. When rubbed with olive oil, salt and lemon, raw kale breaks down into a super delicious (honestly) and meaty salad leaf; rocket now seems pretty insubstantial by comparison. Sesame & rosemary spice was made for this, the chilli meatiness sticks to the leaves and is seriously tasty. Use as a base for any of your favourite toppings for lunch, supper or take-away.

Superfood-salad

Serves 1

INGREDIENTS

Base

1 good handful kale, chopped
1 dsp olive oil
Squeeze lemon juice
Pinch Himalayan pink or sea salt
2 dsp Sesame, rosemary spice – optional but worth the effort!

Optional toppings

1 tbsp cooked quinoa = complete protein, fibre + all essential amino acids.
1/2 avocado, chopped = potassium + heart healthy unsaturated fats.
1 dsp feta, crumbled = calcium flavour kick with reduced lactose (I’m addicted).
1 cooked chicken breast, chopped = filling lean protein.
1 dsp hummus = great sub for meat protein or Middle Eastern deliciousness with chicken.

And some more

Goji berries = sweet tanginess + antioxidant and skin loving beta-carotene.
Rocket leaves = peppery green crunch.
Sticky sweet potato wedges, chopped = low GI filling sweetness
Poached egg = #addictedtoeggs
Balsamic vinegar = adds a tangy sweet contrast to the nutty and creamy salad.

Kale-&-Dolly

METHOD

Using a large bowl, rub the olive oil, salt and lemon into the kale. As you do so, the volume will reduce by half and the stalks pop to the surface – there’s no need to painstakingly remove beforehand.

It’s up to you if you want to include in the salad or discard; Dolly eats mine as I’m prepping. #wholesomeseductiondog

Top with the Sesame & rosemary spice, followed by any other ingredients from the list. The flavours all complement each other, so you can add as many or as few as you like. It goes without saying that you may want to reduce quantities if opting for all eight…

This recipe tastes even better on day two, so make a big batch for instant eating.

For something similar without lifting a finger, try The Good Life Eatery’s Good Life Bowl.

 

Yoga, food, surf & sangria: The Essentials

Posted in: Travel, Uncategorized

GETTING THERE

Getting-there

Airports Gibraltar (40 mins away) and Malaga (1.5 hrs away) run countless daily flights at very reasonable prices, particularly if booking in advance. I find Skyscanner the easiest for flight and car hire options.

You’ll need to cross the boarder to Spanish La Linea (5 min walk – follow the crowds or ask at the info desk) for all transport links and most car hire.

Taxi:

A taxi from Gibraltar takes 40 mins and costs around 50 euro each way. Cross to La Linea and the rank’s on the right as you exit security. Malaga’s 1.5 hrs away so probably prohibitively expensive in a taxi.

Car hire:

Hiring a car often works out cheaper (10-15 euro per day, half that from Malaga) and gives you the freedom to go to the nearby surf beaches. You don’t need a car for the (giant and beautiful) town beach so you’re in no way stranded if you taxi it.

There are ample car hire places in Malaga airport. Only Budget and Avis are actually inside Gibraltar airport. Although all companies quote ‘airport pickup’, they lie. The others are in La Linea, which is fine, provided you know in advance. Cross the border, passing through security and the taxi rank; the offices are lined along the pedestrianised road straight ahead.

Goldcar are pretty cheap and have someone in the office from 10am – 10pm, although don’t quote me, this is Spain. Europecar are more inclined to their siesta. Best to book in advance through Skyscanner. I don’t need to tell you to check the small print, they may be cheap but they still make their money.

See below for directions and maps.

Bus:

Buses are reasonable and fairly frequent, depending on the time of day, although you’ll need to change at Algeciras. Allow at least a couple of hours, all in. You’ll find the bus station in La Linea, as you exit security. For timetables, see the links below:

Buses La Linea (Gibraltar) – Algeciras
http://siu.ctmcg.es/es/horarios_lineas_tabla.php?from=1&linea=4

Buses Algeciras – Tarifa
http://www.click-gibraltar.com/bus-destinations/how-to-get-to-tarifa-from-gibraltar/

DIRECTIONS FROM GIBRALTAR (you pass Gib on the same road if travelling from Malaga):

From La Linea, follow signs for Cadiz all the way until you get to Tarifa. It really is that easy.

  1. Take CA 34. This will lead onto E 15, then N340, or just follow signs to Cadiz.
  2. Continue all the way to Tarifa – 30 mins.
  3. When you come over a hill and see Morocco a sangria spit away, you’re 5 mins from Tarifa – Paradise is at the bottom of the next hill… after Lidl.
  4. Take the first exit in to Tarifa town. It’s on the top of the hill and not particularly well signposted so don’t worry if you miss it; there’s another at the bottom and only two roads into Tarifa so you can’t really get lost.
  5. When you hit Tarifa’s only traffic lights, look for somewhere to park. The link below shows free parking but I’d suggest staying near the lights until you’ve dropped your bags as Riad Lolita’s a 1 min walk inside the roman gate / Puerta de Jerez.
  6. At Puerta de Jerez, the entrance to the old town, you’ll see Bossa bar on the left and Tarifa.com on the right.
  7. Take the right fork onto Calle Jerez, Riad Lolita is number 18 on the left. There’s an antique wooden bench and plant in the entrance hall.
Map links:

Directions, Gib-Tarifa: https://goo.gl/e94037
Tarifa parking: https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=z9ccHFpQBFxk.kQiUGrEONbhs

TIMINGS

Tarifa-Yoga2nd

Check in: 2pm

We can arrange for someone to meet you if you need to drop bags before. We’re aiming for a welcome supper around 8pm, depending on all your ETAs.

Check out: 11am

The owners have allowed us to have brunch which runs past check-out, we just need to make sure all rooms are vacated by 11am so they can start cleaning.

WHAT TO PACK

  • Yoga mats, belt and blocks if you have them. Please let us know if you don’t have a mat so The Dream Team can try and squeeze into their cases.
  • Cosy shavasana clothes and / or jumper – the evenings can get chilly (really).
  • Shower gel, shampoo and sun block – we’re virtually in Africa, the sun’s very HOT.
  • Bikini / boardies and beach towel. Or, like everyone who comes here, you can buy super chic and practical Moroccan beach ‘sarongs’ / towels next to the house for 20 euro.
  • Earplugs. The joys of being in the town centre with noisy Spaniards.

WanderlustSamayama

WHAT YOU SAY ABOUT US

Dear Clare,

I haven’t thanked you enough for the amazing holidays in Tarifa so I would like to thank you once again for organizing this. It was all perfect and was one of the best trips I have ever done, I really enjoyed everything and fell in love with Tarifa- it really is a very special place! Thank you for sharing it with me!

The breakfasts you prepared will remain in my memory forever, thank you for everything. Please let me know if ever you decide to organize any other trips!
Emilie.

Hi Clare

A belated thanks for the yoga holiday – Tarifa was fantastic, the house was beautiful and the food delicious.

Thanks so much for all your efforts in bringing the vision together – hope that you enjoyed it also and fingers crossed see you at the Clapham studio in the future.

All best wishes,
Becki

Shout if I’ve missed anything. We can’t wait to meet / see you all!

Besos [kisses],
Clare, Molly and Stewart.

From the streets: Bounce Natural Energy Balls

Posted in: DF, N, S, SF, Uncategorized, V, WF

Bounce’s gluten, dairy and (refined) sugar free balls of protein and goodness have been kicking around in yoga centres, gyms and health shops for a while. But at nearly £2 a pop, I needed some convincing. Until I tasted the Coconut & Macadamia…

Bounce Energy Balls

Thanks to the lovely people at Bounce sending me a truck load of samples I’m now hooked.

A filling protein and energy hit for when you get caught out on the go surrounded only by crisps or Cadburys. This seems to happen to me a lot. On a recent cycle home I inhaled 1/2 kg of dry roasted peanuts. Bounce has since become a handbag staple.

Why I’m hooked:

  • 100% natural (not just a strap line) and made only with stuff that does us good
  • 42 filling grams of protein or fibre
  • Gluten, dairy and refined sugar free
  • No artificial preservatives
  • Under 200 calories
  • Winning flavours: Macadamia & Coconut; Spirulina & Ginseng; Peanut; Cashew & Pecan; Almond… I like them all!

£1.79 from Wholefoods, Holland & Barrett, Waitrose or health shops. Or you can buy boxes of 12 online at Bounce: £19.45.

 

The Anti-diet: Carbs v. protein

Posted in: Uncategorized

I once paid exorbitant amounts of cash to see a fit guru who promptly rigged me up to a mask attached to lots of wires, while making me stretch my poor little heart to breaking point on various apparatus. I only learned calories the year before (goodbye family size trifle) and have zero comprehension of my weight, so this was a little out of character. It was surprisingly useful however: I learned that eating nothing but kumquats can make you fat.

Fat

Apparently, the body likes a little protein with carbs. If eaten in isolation, carbohydrate may as well be a lump of lard, it would seem. OK, maybe this is a slight exaggeration but I find the visual helps me focus.

It’s all down to our blood sugar levels. In the interests of keeping you awake, I’ll abstain from the over convoluted workings of the Glycaemic Index, just heed this: High GI foods (the white stuff: tatties, pasta etc) turn almost instantaneously to sugar in the body, producing insulin (= sugar rush, then slump), which tells your body to store fat. So you see, starving yourself on Snack A Jacks and blueberries will not only make you miserable, devoid of dinner party invites and probably unwell, you’ll gain weight.

Before you frantically renounce all ingredients bar celery, however, we need carbohydrates for energy, and to prevent us being likened to an irritable Devil Wears Prada Diva. All our shrewd bodies crave is a mix of protein, fat, fibre and carbs.

World-Flours-3

Mother nature (and the supermarket World Foods aisle) has fortuitously provided us with a cornucopia of options, not to mention wheat alternatives, if we’re ever so slightly open minded.

As our Seducers explain, pulses and quinoa, with their mix of carbs, fibre and protein, are a veritable gift from the Gods to be coveted. They’re also super easy to incorporate into soups, stews, salads and fritters: Quinoa, lentil & feta salad, Courgette & prawn fritters (made with chickpea flour).

Avocado, cottage cheese & vegemite on sourdough

Eggs, olive oil, nuts, lean meats and avocado are not to be avoided on pain of death; they are our friends. In moderation (blah blahhh). Now, I don’t know about you, but I think this is pretty good news.

Some other protein hit recipes: Hummus, Garam masala & tamarind chicken, Bramble Bircher or Almond butter.

For more Anti-diet tips click on the Tags on the right, or type Anti-diet into the Search box at the top of the page.

 

 

From the streets: Seggiano acacia honey

Posted in: DF, LF, Reviews, S, Uncategorized, V, WF

God of taste: flavour and design, Seggiano sourcing is impeccable; scouring the land for the best Italy has to offer. This cold pressed, unfiltered and unpasteurized honey is bottled by beekeeper, Mauro Pagliaccia in Tuscany. The result: Ambrosia that compels you to never again torture your taste buds with the supermarket stuff.

Seggiano-raw-acacia-honey

Why cold press? Heat treating destroys the delicate antibiotics, enzymes and anti-bacterial qualities naturally found in honey. So not only does the raw variety taste infinitely better, it does you good and helps fight infection. True Wholesome Seduction.

In fact, so revered is this product, I blogged it as a stocking filler last Christmas (Please Santa…) and take it as a dinner party gift for my favourite friends.

Available from Wholefoods, Planet Organic or independent delis: £8.50. £1 off at Wholefoods now.

Almond butter

Posted in: DF, Featured, N, S, SF, V, WF

I’m a big Peanut Butter fan. I was practically weaned on Sun-pat and Marmite sandwiches; I dollop Wholenut Crunchy into smoothies and even cram it into Lindt Teddies. Don’t knock it. Apart from the nagging feeling of gluttony, I’m painfully aware that peanuts aren’t great for me – there are better fats out there and I’m cursed with instant bloating on consumption. Almonds on the other hand, are a veritable powerhouse of goodness. And in my opinion, taste even better when roasted, blitzed and topped on toast or oatcakes. Protein and nutrient packed instantness.

Makes: 200ml jar Takes: 15 mins.

Almond Butter it transpires, is Sun-pat on Crack: Keens cheddar over Pilgrims Choice; Chloe over Primark. You get the idea. Inevitably then, shop bought Almond butters don’t come cheap. Hence my super quick and easy DIY version that costs half the price. Try the supermarket World Food aisles for better value sacks of almonds. Get the full health benefits of almonds on our Seducers page.

Ingredients

200g almonds, skins on
¼ tsp sea salt

Method

Pre-heat oven to 200C / 400F / Gas 6

Scatter almonds in a baking tray and roast for 8-10 mins, until nuts start to brown around the edges inside – bite one of the darker nuts in half to test.

Transfer to a food processor, add the salt and blitz for 1 min.

Scrape down the sides and blitz for a further 2 mins, scraping the sides every 30 seconds to a minute.

almond-butter

The nuts will release more oil the longer you blend. You can add groundnut oil to bulk out your mix but there’s no need.

I like a crunchier butter so I remove 1 tbsp of the ground nuts after 1 min and mix back through at the end.

Tip: Be careful not to burn the almonds when roasting or you’ll taint the end result. If when you bite in half, the flesh has turned fully from white to brown, you’ve gone too far.

P/25g (serving): Kcal: 160, Pr: 5.2g, Carb: 1.7g, OWS: 1g, Fat: 14.2g, Sat Fat: 1.3, Salt: 0.3g

P/100g Kcal: 620, Pr: 20.6g, Carb: 6.8g, OWS: 4.2g, Fat: 57g, Sat Fat: 5.0g, Salt: 1g