Smoothie Sundays: Avocado & Almond Butter Smoothie for Glowing Skin

April 9, 2017

Two things led to this smoothie: 1) I had bought a bag of avocados that were just perfectly ripe (you DO NOT want to miss that) and 2) I needed some good fats ASAP to nourish my very dry skin. I turns out, that sunburned skin and a very long flight from California to Finland are not a great combination. So as the skin of my face has literally been slowly falling off, I made this very creamy avocado smoothie with banana, almond butter, and fresh dates – a.k.a. all the good-for-you stuff to get that glow!

And with this recipe I also welcome you to my new series on the blog, called Smoothie Sundays! I tend to think that smoothies are too boring to post here, but I make smoothies so often and really love them, so I thought I’d share a few of my favorites here on a irregularly regular pace. And if you guys have any wishes around a method or a specific ingredient, leave a comment below and I’d be happy to come up with ideas for you!

Before we get to the recipe, I’ve got a tip to share as well. During our trip I noticed how a lot of the restaurants and cafes were not serving plastic straws, but paper straws instead. And knowing how bad plastic is for our environment, I felt a bang in my heart, as I tend to drink my juices, filtered water thanks to our new water filter which you can get from shop for Whirlpool brand at Discount Water Filters website, or whatever cold drinks with a straw, and often with a plastic one. Giving up on that plastic use doesn’t really require much of an effort, so from now on I’m going to be sipping only through a glass straw. As a bonus, glass straws are easy to wash (you can put them in the dishwasher too!) and they’re also much prettier than the plastic ones. The straws in the photos are from Granit, and they’ve got six straws in each box, but you can get individual straws from Nature’s Design too. So cheers to glass straws and to more environmentally friendly smoothie times!

And hey, in case you didn’t notice, I’ve got a new logo, hooray! I felt like making a tiny facelift to my site, and in addition to the logo, there are other fun things, book stuff, and bonus recipes coming your way soon, so make sure you follow the blog on Facebook, Instagram or Bloglovin to be the first to know! :)

Avocado & Almond Butter Smoothie for Glowing Skin

notes: I like mine quite thick, almost spoonable, so I add about 1 1/2 cups of almond milk. If you like your smoothie thinner, add more almond milk. If you feel like making this more of a dessert, a tablespoon of raw cacao powder would be divine.

serves 2

1 ripe avocado
1 big frozen banana
1 tbsp almond butter
2 fresh dates, pitted
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 – 2 cups almond milk
a few ice cubes

METHOD:

Scoop the avocado to a blender. Add all other ingredients and blend until smooth. Taste, and add more dates or almond butter, if you feel like it. Pour into glasses, serve and enjoy!

Let’s Party: Veggie Snack Platter & Vegan and Gluten-free Chocolate Mud Cake

March 29, 2017

this post is in collaboration with GoGreen & Asennemedia.

I think we’ve all been there. We’ve decided to invite some friends over for a drink, throw a bigger party, or host a weekend brunch for our girlfriends. Maybe one of your friends is a vegetarian, another is gluten-free, someone’s vegan, and you’re all overwhelmed and don’t know what to serve. Trust me, I’ve been there! I’ve always loved to organize all sorts or gatherings, big and small (and cook all the food!), but there are times I get really stressed about cooking for others. It feels so tempting to just grab some apples and grapes, a couple blocks of cheese and a bag of chips from the store, but then again, do I really want to serve those again? Not really. So to keep things interesting for myself and for all the friends we’ve invited over, I’ve been trying a lot of different stuff over the years and there are a few things that have become party food staples in our kitchen. And I thought it would be nice to throw a little veggie-inspired party here on the blog and share a couple tips with you!

This party is all about colorful veggies, bean dips and a dessert, that’s one of my absolute favorites: a vegan and gluten-free mud cake, that is sinfully delicious thanks to the cashew chocolate frosting on top. The cake turned out to be so good, that I recommend inviting a few friends over just for a piece of cake, ha! And no one will ever guess that the cake is mostly made of black beans… yes, black beans! It might sound weird, but black beans and chocolate actually make a very tempting combo and give a wonderfully dense texture (hence the name mud cake) to a cake. And as my version is sweetened with only dates, it’s a real good-for-you treat – and for your guests too! This is the kind of snack you’ll enjoy when you’re playing games, like 해외축구갤러리, together with your friends.

Besides making some kind of dessert, different dips and spreads are my go-to party foods, probably because they’re really easy (and very affordable) to make and I just love a good dip. A few weeks back I got to choose a couple different products from Go Green for this post and I headed straight to the legume section with the dips in mind. I always have a jar of organic chickpeas around, as they’re the key to a great hummus and hummus just happens to be great for any party.

This time I decided to try something new and made a green power hummus with avocado, spinach, and fresh basil, which make really nice and super creamy hummus. Besides the hummus, I made a sun-dried tomato and white bean dip too, and I love it on top of some bread or with some veggie sticks. And I made some rosemary fries too! They go really nicely with the dips and together with some fresh vegetables, olives and chips you’ve got yourself a wonderful snack platter, that’s both delicious and very pretty to look at. And even if you don’t have a party coming up, I strongly recommend trying out the cake, as there’s always time for a little get-together with a piece of chocolatey goodness.

Sending happy vibes to all of you out there! xo

For more inspiration, follow me on Instagram and tag photos of my recipes with #tuuliablog so I can see!

Oven-roasted Rosemary Fries

4 big potatoes
1 sweet potato
1/4 cup fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
salt & black pepper

METHOD:

1. Preheat the oven to 400F / 200C degrees. Rinse and dry the potatoes and sweet potatoes carefully. Cut both into tall slices and place in a large bowl. Add the olive oil, rosemary, salt and pepper, and mix well.

2. Cover a baking tray with parchment paper and spread the fries evenly on the tray. Bake for about 30 minutes until the fries have a beautiful golden brown color. If you’d like to have a crispy crust, change the oven to broil for the last 5 minutes.

Sun-dried tomato & White Bean Dip

2 cans (á 285 g) organic white beans
1-2 garlic cloves
5 bis sun-dried tomatoes (in oil)
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/3 cup olive oil
a handful of fresh basil
1 tsp cumin
salt & black pepper

METHOD:

Open the cans of beans and rinse and drain the beans thoroughly. Chop the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes into small pieces. Add all ingredients into a blender and puree until smooth paste. Or you can puree the ingredients in a large bowl with a hand blender. Taste, and add more spices if necessary. Scoop the dip into a bowl and place in the fridge for a moment before serving.

Green Power Hummus

1 can (á 290 g) organic chickpeas
1 avocado
1 clove of garlic
1 tbsp tahini
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup olive oil
a handful of fresh basil
a handful of fresh spinach
salt & black pepper

METHOD:

Rinse and drain the chickpeas. Chop the avocado and garlic into smaller pieces. Add all ingredients into a blender and puree until smooth paste. Or you can puree the ingredients in a large bowl with a hand blender. Taste, and add more spices if necessary. Scoop the dip into a bowl and place in the fridge for a moment before serving.

The Best Ever Vegan and Gluten-free Chocolate Mud Cake

into a 20 cm / 8-inch cake pan

2 cans (á 285 g) black beans
20 fresh dates, pitted
1/3 cup unsweetened cashew milk
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
a tiny pinch of salt
1/2 cup raw cacao powder (or unsweetened cacao powder)
2 tsp baking powder

For decorating:
chocolate cashew frosting
fresh blueberries
coconut flakes
chocolate shavings

Chocolate Cashew Frosting

3/4 cup raw cashew nuts, soaked
1/3 cup unsweetened cashew milk
2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
2-3 tbsp coconut syrup
1 tbsp raw cacao powder (or unsweetened cacao powder)
1 tsp vanilla extract

METHOD:

1. Preheat the oven to 375F / 175C degrees and cover the cake pan with baking paper. Rinse and drain the black beans thoroughly.

2. Add the black beans, dates, cashew milk, coconut oil, vanilla extract and salt in a blender and puree until smooth. Use the tamper or mix the dough with a spoon every now and then in order to get the batter smooth. Or if you prefer, you could also puree the ingredients in a big bowl using a hand blender.

3. Scoop the dough into a bowl, add the cocoa powder and baking powder and stir until smooth. You can taste the dough and add some more cacao powder or sweetener, if you like. Spoon the mixture into the cake pan and bake for about 50 minutes. Prepare the chocolate frosting in the meantime.

4. Rinse and drain the cashews. Add all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Start by adding as little liquid as possible in order to get a really thick frosting. Taste, and add more cacao or sweetener if necessary. Scrape the frosting in a small bowl and place in refrigerator for a moment to thicken.

5. When the cake is done, take it from the oven and allow to cool thoroughly. The longer it cools, the better it will be and it’s best to store in the fridge for at least a few hours before serving. Once you’re ready to serve, decorate the cake for example with the chocolate frosting, fresh blueberries, coconut flakes and chocolate shavings. Serve, and enjoy!

Savory Oven Pancake w/ Greens & Feta

March 13, 2017

Hi from Vancouver! We flew to Seattle a bit over a week ago and started our month-long roadtrip here on the west coast. From Seattle we continued to Vancouver Island, which was a stunning place. We stayed in a small surf town called Tofino and it instantly felt like home. The vibe was just so cozy, the beaches were gorgeous, and our airbnb had a hot tub, where we relaxed staring at the stars and drinking kombucha. It totally reminded me of those vacation rentals in North Myrtle beach that we rented last year. Now that is what I call life!

Being on vacation feels needed after spending two months without an apartment and living out of boxes. And I finally get to try all the yummy things I’ve been drooling over on Instagram for ages, like the very cool (and very expensive) superfood lattes. In a couple days we’re heading back to the States and we’ll spend the rest of month driving towards southern California. I cannot wait for the strawberries and the sunshine there. But before that there’s a billion places to see and try, as eating in great places is the best way to get to know a new city, right? So if you’ve got any tips to Portland, San Fransisco, LA, or a must-see place in between the cities, let me know!

Before we left for our trip, I made this savory oven pancake to take with us for the flight. I’m known for bringing snacks with me pretty much anywhere I go, whether the trip takes two hours or two days. I’ve been eating five meals a day as long as I remember, so I get hungry every three hours, no joking here. So snacks are a must for me. Our trip took almost 24 hours so I packed a lot of stuff with me to beat the hanger. My favorite snacks to pack are fruits (bananas, apples, grapes and mandarines are all easy to eat anywhere), gluten-free crackers, snack bars, and nuts. I always pack a few tea bags too (green and herbal tea) and for longer trips, something more filling: a salad, a sandwich or a smoothie. (One time I brought an omelette with me to the plane, which was a bit weird). When you pack the snacks into a lunchbox and rinse or peel fruits beforehand, they’re easy to eat on the road. And if you make a smoothie to go, just drink it before the security check.

This time I packed some veggie stick, a couple avocados, crackers and a few slices of this savory oven pancake, that did the job as a breakfast and snack both in the airport and on the flight. The pancake is really easy to prepare and you can use pretty much anything as a topping, so it’s a great base for any leftover veggies hiding in the fridge. You can have it as it is, or top it with some avocado and hummus, which make it more of a yummy meal already.

I hope you enjoy the pancake and for more travel stories, check out my Instagram! :)
Big hugs!

For more inspiration, follow me on Instagram and tag photos of my recipes with #tuuliablog so I can see!

Savory Oven Pancake w/ Greens & Feta

notes: you can top the pancake with all sorts of vegetables, so you can adapt this recipe based on what you have at hand. you could also try adding some pesto on top or mix it to the dough! other gluten-free flour could be used as well, for example oat, teff or sorghum work well instead of the buckwheat and brown rice, but I recommend using a blend of at least two flours to get a nice flavor.

into a 24 x 30 cm / 10 x 12 inch pan

4 organic eggs
2 cups oat milk (or other plant-based milk)
3/4 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp organic butter (or olive oil)
cherry tomatoes
baby spinach
broccoli florets
sun-dried tomatoes
feta cheese
black pepper

METHOD:

1. Add the eggs and oat milk to a blender and blend for about a minute, until frothy. Measure all the dry ingredients into a big bowl and mix well. Add the wet mixture and mix carefully, so that there are no climbs. Let the dough sit for 15 minutes.

2. Preheat the convection oven to 400F / 200c (regular oven 215c). Grease the baking dish with butter or olive oil and set aside for a moment.

3. Chop all the vegetables into smaller pieces. Pour the dough to the baking dish and spread the vegetable evenly on top. Crumble the feta cheese on top and finish with a hint of black pepper. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown. Take out from the oven and let cool for a moment. Serve as it is, or with some salad and a dip, and enjoy!

The Glow Bowl: Raw Buckwheat Porridge w/ Nectarines & Raw Cacao

February 24, 2017

In the beginning of my food and nutrition awakening around five or six years ago, I had a phase with raw food. It began with smoothies and continued to raw treats, porridges and pastas. Thanks to lovely Outi, raw porridges became my favorites and breakfast staples. So there was pretty much always something soaking in my kitchen and I always packed a raw porridge with me to work. After reading so much about raw food I momentarily thought it was the one and only way to eat, but luckily I realized that living here in the coldness and having a very sensitive stomach did not match well with the raw food diet. But every now and then I miss that enthusiasm and passionate, open-minded attitude towards new things that was deeply rooted in me back then. And naturally those raw porridges are missed too, as I haven’t been making much of them lately having been more into warm and cooked bowls in the morning. But luckily I received a gentle nudge towards that old passion, as I received my copy of Anni Kravi’s new porridge book and I’m officially back in the soaking game!

I got Anni’s book in Finnish but it’s out in the UK and States as well under the name Porridge. The book is sweet and beautiful, and looks just like its author. There are porridges for every taste and feel: sweet warm ones, cold raw porridges, savory porridges, and toppings and other goodies. Even though winter decided to come back here with the snow, I wanted to make something fresh with all the spring vibes. So I went for the raw buckwheat porridge with nectarines and raw cacao. It definitely isn’t the season for nectarines yet, but after seeing a few ones in our grocery store, I just had to pick a few of the juicy ones. So despite being early in the fruit season, I transported myself to warmer days and lighter feels with these beautiful bowls, that literally make you glow.

But while we wait for the warmer days and tastier fruits, you can whip up a raw porridge and take a part to my giveaway! I’ve got an extra copy of the book in Finnish to surprise one of you with, so just say hello and leave a comment below and you’re in. The giveaway ends on Wednesday the 1st of March at 9 pm and is open for people living in Finland only.

Sending you light, love and good vibes! xo’s!

For more inspiration, follow me on Instagram and tag photos of my recipes with #tuuliablog so I can see!

Raw Buckwheat Porridge w/ Nectarines & Raw Cacao

from Porridge: Oats + Seeds + Grains + Rice by Anni Kravi

notes: the original recipe had whole flaxseeds but I used ground flaxseed instead. I also added one fresh date to bring a bit more sweetness, so I recommend tasting the porridge while making it and adding sweetener if you feel like making this more sweet.

makes one big or two small bowls

1/2 cup raw buckwheat groats
1/2 cup cinnamon cashew milk (recipe below)
(1 tbsp leftover pulp from making the nut milk)
3 small juicy nectarines, stones removed and cut into small pieces
1 tbsp ground flaxseed
1 tsp raw cacao powder
(1 medjool date, pitted)

+ raspberries, nectarines, banana & dried mulberries for serving

METHOD:

1. In the evening, rinse the buckwheat groats thoroughly with both cold and hot water. Place in a bowl, cover with water and soak for 8 hours.

2. In the morning, rinse and drain the groats again and add to a blender. Add the cashew milk, leftover pulp, nectarines, flaxseed and raw cacao and blend until creamy and very smooth. Taste, and add one medjool date, if you’d like some more sweetness. Enjoy straight away or let cool in the fridge for a while. Serve with fruits, berries and dried mulberries, and enjoy!

Cinnamon Cashew Milk

notes: I sweetened this with a fresh date but you can use the coconut syrup as well. I don’t usually strain cashew milk but it can be strained and the leftover pulp is great in raw porridges or in smoothies.

1 cup raw cashews
3 cups water
1 tsp ceylon cinnamon
a small pinch of salt
1-2 tsp coconut syrup or 1 medjool date, pitted

METHOD:

1. Place the cashews into a big bowl, cover with plenty of water and soak for at least 4 hours, or overnight. Then rinse and drain thoroughly and place to a blender.

2. Add water, cinnamon, salt and the coconut syrup or fresh date to the blender and blend until very smooth. Depending on your blender, this might take 1 to 2 minutes. Use a nut milk bad or a sieve and drain the milk. Squeeze the nut milk bag so that all the milk is pressed out and the pulp is left in the bag. Save any leftover pulp for the porridge.

3. Store the milk in the fridge in a glass bottle or jar for up to 3 days.

Savory Carrot & Zucchini Muffins (gf + v) + exciting news!

February 8, 2017

Last week I got so excited about returning to blogging, that I totally forgot my manners. You see, I meant to say a huge thank you for all the great comments on my giveaway a few weeks back. You gave me SO many ideas that my mind is just spinning with all the things I wanna make for you! So thank you sweet friends for letting me know what you like!

This post is all about answering those desires and announcing some very exciting news. From this past Monday onwards I‘m teaming up with a London-based food delivery service Statera Foods, which means that you’ll be able to order 12 of my favorite recipes straight to your home! In short, Statera is a superfood recipe kit service on a mission to enable healthy balanced living. They partner with food bloggers (like me!) & chefs to deliver the exact ingredients required to make your chosen meals. I’m beyond excited about this new project and for being able to serve all you readers living in London, as this is something I would definitely use daily if I just lived there :) Currently Statera delivers in West London with free delivery when you spend £45 or more and you should order by midnight Wednesday for Saturday delivery. Let me know if you end up ordering some of my meals, I’d love to know about your experience!

Now, onto the recipe! A lot of people wished to have more recipes for savory snacks and it got me intrigued instantly, as snacks are essential for me. I usually go for the sweet snack, like a smoothie, chia pudding, or just fruit, so making something savory is a welcomed change. I came up with the idea of making savory muffins, as they’re easy to take to work / school, they store well in room temperature, and you can make a bigger batch, which will save you from multiple hanger attacks. So here they are, my latest crush: the savory carrot and zucchini muffins!

I wanted to make these both gluten-free and vegan, so that they would cater to a big bunch. Besides the veg, I added some sun dried tomatoes and fresh thyme, which make them really delish and if you’ll have cheese, I imagine some crumbled feta would be great too. And I also like to top these with some very big chunks of avocado to bring some added flavor to the picture :)

This recipe will be available to order in Statera next week, but in the meantime there are 12 other good ones waiting for you! Cozy times and happy vibes to all of you out there! xo

For more inspiration, follow me on Instagram and tag photos of my recipes with #tuuliablog so I can see!

Savory Carrot & Zucchini Muffins

notes:the chia seeds can be replaced with ground flaxseed, they’re both great vegan replacements for eggs. you can try adding some chopped olives, pesto and other herbs in these too, if you like!

makes 6-8 muffins

2 tbsp chia seeds + 6 tbsp water (or two eggs)
1 cup grated carrot (3 big carrots)
2/3 cup grated zucchini, (4-inch / 10 cm piece)
4-5 sun dried tomatoes
3 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
4 tbsp olive oil

2/3 cup buckwheat flour (or other gluten-free flour)
1/4 cup brown rice flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

+ 1/4 cup pumpkin and / or sunflower seeds

METHOD:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F / 200°C. Mix the chia seeds with water and set aside for a few minutes to thicken.

2. In a big bowl, mix the grated carrot, zucchini, sun dried tomatoes, thyme and olive oil. Add the chia gel (or the eggs) and mix well.

3. In another bowl, mix all the dry ingredients. Pour the dry ingredients over the wet ingredients and stir until combined.

4. Grease a muffin pan or muffin tins with oil and spoon the batter into about 6 to 8 muffins. Sprinkle the seeds on top. Bake for about 20 to 22 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool and then enjoy! Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.

Take a look on my recipes at Statera HERE and order by midnight Wednesday for Saturday delivery!
I hope you enjoy the service!

Moroccan Chickpea Salad w/ Turmeric Spiced Toasted Seeds

February 1, 2017

this post is sponsored by Earth Control & Asennemedia.

Happy 1st of February friends! It’s been a while we’ve talked. I hope you’ve had a great start to this year, or at least a bit smoother one than we’ve had. In the last few weeks we’ve found out that there was a water damage in our upstairs, which followed into a moisture damage in our apartment, moving out from there and living out of a suitcase. This wasn’t exactly the kind of start I had in mind for this year, but I’m really trying to take life day by day now and figure things out. However, my lack of patience has got me to a point of buying lottery tickets and having these (un)realistic hopes of buying a new place with the money that I’ll win. But if for some reason that doesn’t work out and you have a lovely apartment to sell – let me know!

But onto the more important stuff, the food. As you see, one of the first things I took with me from our place was all the food and a few of my favorite kitchen stuff, because even a water damage will not get between me and my food. Right now I’m crazy about moroccan flavors and that has got me once again addicted to tahini. I’m still hoping that this time things will not go as far as in 2014, when I actually ate tahini by the liter. So naturally there’s tahini in this moroccan chickpea salad, that I made for you this week! It’s filling, nourishing and a lovely combination of savory and sweet flavors, which is something I really like around this time of the year with all the coldness and grayness in the air.

I always like to add something crunchy to my salads to make them interesting, so I topped this one with turmeric spiced seeds that I toasted in a pan. I used the unsalted salad mix from Earth Control, which is simply a mix of raw sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and cashews. Seeds and nuts are a staple in my kitchen, as they bring a nice texture and make meals a bit more filling and I pretty much always either soak or toast my seeds and nuts to make them more digestion-friendly, and just simply toasting seeds bring out a deeper flavor too.

For this salad, I toasted the seeds with some turmeric and added a bit of tamari and maple syrup in the end, which made them extra crispy and tasty. They’re great with the salad, on top of soup or just as they are as a little appetizer. I like to toast a big batch at once and store the toasted seeds and nuts in a glass jar on the kitchen shelf, so that it’s super easy to add them into whatever I’m making. And that way I’ll also avoid the very usual catastrophe of having too many open bags falling out from the cupboards and making a total mess. But in the end, that still always happens ’cause life just is a bit messy :)

Big hugs! xo

For more inspiration, follow me on Instagram and tag photos of my recipes with #tuuliablog so I can see!

Moroccan Chickpea Salad w/ Turmeric Spiced Toasted Seeds

notes: you can try quinoa instead of the rice and the sweet potato could be replaced with some carrots too, if you like.

serves 3-4

1 big sweet potato
1 tbsp olive oil
salt & black pepper
2 cans organic chickpeas
1 tsp cumin
3/4 cup wild rice + water for cooking
2 oranges
a handful of organic raisins
150 g leafy greens

For serving:
Turmeric Spiced Toasted Seeds (recipe below)
Tahini sauce (recipe below)

METHOD:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F. Peel the sweet potato and cut it into small squares. Mix the sweet potato with olive oil and season with salt and black pepper. Spread on a baking tray covered with parchment paper and bake for 15 minutes.

2. In the meantime, cook the rice according to the instructions on the package and prepare the other fillings. Drain and rinse the chickpeas thoroughly, season with cumin, and set aside for a moment. Take a half of one orange aside for the sauce and and peel and cut the remaining one and a half o into small pieces.

3. After 15 minutes, take the sweet potatoes from the oven, add the chickpeas on the tray and cook for another 5 minutes. Toast the seeds and prepare the tahini sauce in the meantime.

4. Finally, carefully mix the rice, sweet potato, chickpeas, orange and raisins in a big bowl. Serve with leafy greens, turmeric spiced seeds and tahini sauce and enjoy!

Turmeric Spiced Toasted Seeds

150 g Earth Control salad mix
1 tsp coconut oil
1-2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp tamari (or soy sauce)
1 tsp maple syrup

METHOD:

Heat a large frying pan and add a spoonful of coconut oil. Toast the seeds on the hot pan stirring every now and then, until the seeds are lightly browned and start to pop. Move the pan from the heat and add turmeric powder, tamari and maple syrup and mix with a spatula to spread the spices evenly. Store in an airtight container up to one month.

Tahini sauce

1/2 orange, juiced
3 tbsp tahini
1/4 cup hot water
1 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
salt & black pepper

METHOD:

Measure all ingredients into a small bowl and mix with spoon until smooth. Add a bit of water, if you’d like a runnier sauce. Taste, and add spices if needed. Store in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.

Vegan Super Veggie Sandwiches w/ Beetroot Hummus + A Book Giveaway!

January 10, 2017

Hey you! And Happy New Year too! I hope you’re off to a great start. These first few weeks of the year are usually filled up with inspiration for new beginnings and healthy lifestyle changes. And so it seems to be this year too and I find myself kind of liking it and finding things that are actually useful. So far I’ve been reading about Easy Peasy Detox, found tips on how to save money and wake up earlier and found ways how to make yourself feel healthier.

I’m not the one to do a detox but saving money, waking up earlier and just generally practicing more self-care buying me little things like this cuban links have got me interested and I warmly welcome all inspiration in those areas.

One of my personal goals for this year is to come up with creative and tasty vegetarian meals, and inspire you to try them too. I’m thinking about new ways (or at least new to me) to use tofu, tempeh and lentils and all kinds of veggie dips are always on my mind. So when I got the new Vegemania cookbook by Manuela Bosco, I naturally had to try the beetroot hummus. The book is entirely vegan and has lots of inspirational dishes, plus some interesting information about the vegan diet, which I found very useful too. The pancakes I tried were delicious and I definitely plan on trying the baobab mayo and the different pastas.

The book uses beetroot hummus as a filling for super veggie sandwiches so I decided to do the same. The original recipe had lots of different kinds of fillings but I simplified things a bit and went with the ones I could find from the fridge. Lucky for me, it turned out that vegan cream cheese and avocado are a match made in heaven with the beetroot hummus. And besides on top of bread, the beetroot hummus is great in wraps, salads and all kinds of veggie bowls, especially if you love hummus like me.

To get this year started with lots of plant-based inspiration I’m giving away a copy of the book! Just leave a comment and tell me what kind of recipes you’d love to see here on the blog (breakfasts, mains, snacks) and you’re in for the giveaway. The giveaway ends on Monday the 16th of January and is open for people living in Finland only.

Sending you all lots of good luck and good vibes to the beginning of this year! ♡

For more inspiration, follow me on Instagram and tag photos of my recipes with #tuuliablog so I can see!

Vegan Super Veggie Sandwiches w/ Beetroot Hummus

serves 2

4 pieces of gluten-free toast
vegan cream cheese
beetroot hummus (recipe below)
1/2 avocado
a handful of baby spinach
a small piece of cucumber, sliced

METHOD:

Toast the bread. Spread a generous amount of the cream cheese and beetroot hummus on two slices of the bread. Top with sliced avocado, baby spinach and cucumber and the remaining slice of bread. Serve and enjoy!

Beetroot Hummus:

1 can cooked chickpeas
1 big or 2 small cooked beetroot(s)
1 big tbsp tahini
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 tsp salt
water, as needed

METHOD:

Open the can of chickpeas and rinse and drain them well. Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. Add water as needed to achieve a desired consistency. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Sweet Potato Crostini w/ Cheese, Pear & Thyme

December 29, 2016

I thought I’d take some time off from the blog during the holidays but as we were planning all the food that we’re going to make this weekend for our New Year’s party, I had this urge to create something delicious and share it here too. So here I am with some yummy sweet potato crostini! A.k.a the perfect appetizer or snack to have with your choice of bubbles this weekend, I’m thinking about a cocktail with kombucha which you can learn to make at the cocktail school London!.

A true lover of Italian food would probably say that calling this a crostini is a total lie, as it’s missing a key ingredient: the bread. But as I’m a fan of doing something creative with the classics, I used thinly sliced and baked sweet potato as the bread and it turned out to be great with some cheese, pear, walnuts and thyme. I used both goat cheese and a vegan soft cheese and I think they’re both delicious – you wouldn’t even think these were vegan unless I told you. The flavors are just so great together and these make a very pretty appetizer, don’t you think? So if you’re looking for something easy to impress your friends with, these are a great option. In fact, this is a great snack to share with your friends while you’re playing games like 해외배팅 업체.

As the year is coming to its end, it would be natural to sum up all that’s happened. But instead of taking the long route I’ll just say that 2016 was probably the most exciting and rewarding year of my life so far, thanks to our N’Ice Cream book and our wedding in September. It’s not long ago that I thought I’d now be working for someone and just play with food on my free time but life surprised me and now I’m spending most of my days in the kitchen and working for myself as an entrepreneur. I bet 2017 will be another exciting year, as I don’t know much about it yet, but here I am with my crostini and all sorts of other goodies, ready for an adventure. Thank you for being here this year and I hope you’ll stay on this journey with me on the next one too! Sending you all lots of light, love and courage for the year that’s about to start! ♡

For more inspiration, follow me on Instagram and tag photos of my recipes with #tuuliablog so I can see!

Sweet Potato Crostini w/ Cheese, Pear & Thyme

inspired by Camille Styles

notes: you could try another cheese, like blue cheese or your favorite vegan cheese too in these if you like. or use apples or fresh figs instead of the pear if they’re your favorites!

makes about 12 crostini

1 sweet potato
olive oil
goat cheese and / or vegan cream cheese
1 pear, rinsed
a handful of fresh thyme
walnuts

METHOD:

1. Preheat the oven to 440 F / 225 C degrees. Wash and dry the sweet potato thoroughly and cut it into half-inch / one centimeter thick slices. Spread sweet potato slices onto a baking tray covered with baking paper and grease lightly with olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes, take the tray from the oven and turn the slices and return to the oven for another 15 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are lightly browned from the edges.

2. Let the sweet potatoes cool slightly and cut the pear and goat cheese in the meantime into thin slices. Assemble the cheese, pears, walnuts and fresh thyme on top of the sweet potato slices. Serve and enjoy!

A Christmas Classic: Date Bundt Cake (gf + v)

December 20, 2016

You might already be overwhelmed with all the Christmas related things coming out of all the blogs and magazines, but even if that’s the case, I’ll take my chances and add one more Christmas recipe to the pile of inspiration. For the sake of this date bundt cake and the possibility that you’ve been looking for one.

My ongoing master’s thesis has made it easy to not get too excited about Christmas but luckily I’ve managed to do a few small things to bring out that festive vibe. For the first time in my life, I got us a Christmas tree! And during the process, I managed to surprise both myself and my husband by getting a two-meter tree instead of a very small one, which we kind of had agreed one. Oops. But anyhow, there it is in our living room standing tall and gorgeous with its lights and two ornaments, as that’s all we have. But I think it’s plenty and totally enough for now.

When it comes to the food at the Christmas table, I’m usually the one to make a few salads and some sort of a dessert or baked good, and that’s the plan this year too. I was on dessert duty for a Christmas party last weekend too and decided to make something a bit more traditional and ended up baking a bundt cake. The recipe is from the lovely Christmas Book, which I’ve been reading before going to sleep for a while now and then dreamt of all the delicious Christmas food. The book is filled with Virpi’s gorgeous recipes and Riikka’s beautiful photos of a snowy Finland and some easy diy gifts and decorations for Christmas on which you can save some time by getting them from Shoppok. I definitely plan on trying the homemade scented candles, rose body scrub and the homemade oat yogurt and oat and sweet potato bake. The licorice and plum jam is to die for and already a favorite.

In the book this cake is a actually made with pears, but as my pears turned out to be still very raw, I decided to skip them and added a banana and more dates instead. The cake turned out super moist and filled with christmassy flavors, which made it very delicious and right up my alley. I actually made another cake straight away and put in the freezer to wait for the weekend, so that I won’t have to everything from scratch on the last day. I also made a quick coconut cashew cream to serve with the cake for the party and it was a lovely add for it, but this one’s great just as it is too. But a steamy mug of mulled wine or hot chocolate wouldn’t hurt, especially if you ask me :)

Thank you for the past year and for reading this blog, it means the world to me. I’m sending you lots of love for Christmas and some sparkles for the New Year! Have a good one, friends! xo

For more inspiration, follow me on Instagram and tag photos of my recipes with #tuuliablog so I can see!

Date Bundt Cake (gf + v)

notes: I’ve made the cake both with the flaxseed mixture and the eggs and it works well with both. the original recipe had only oat and buckwheat flour but I used almond flour too, as it brings a lovely flavor and I like it on cakes.

into an 8-inch / 22 cm bundt pan

1/4 cup ground flaxseed + 1/2 cup water (or two eggs)
3/4 cup gluten-free oat flour
1 1/4 cup almond flour
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ceylon cinnamon
1/2 – 1 tsp gingerbread spice
1 tsp vanilla powder
a small pinch of salt

1 ripe banana
3 dl coconut milk
1 dl coconut oil
5 tbsp maple syrup (or coconut syrup or honey)
14 fresh and soft dates, pitted

METHOD:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F / 175 C degrees. Grease the cake tin with coconut oil and sprinkle a bit of flour to the bottom. Combine the flaxseed with the water in a small bowl, and let it thicken up for a few minutes. In the meantime, mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

2. Add the banana, coconut milk, coconut oil, maple syrup and dates in a blender and blend until smooth. (If you use eggs instead of the flaxseed, add them into the blender too.) Pour the banana mixture to the dry ingredients, add the flaxseed and mix well.

3. Pour the batter into the cake tin and bake in the oven for about 50 to 55 minutes.The cake is ready when it has a golden brown color and a toothpick comes out nearly clean. Take the cake from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes before turning the cake pan upside down. Let the cake cool completely before serving. Store the cake in the fridge.

Our Wedding

December 4, 2016

I rarely share other than food-related things here on the blog, but today I’ll make an exception as this post is a special one: a short story about our wedding.

About three months ago, on the 10th of September, we said I do, me and my boyfriend of five years. I had always dreamt of an outside wedding but to have that kind of luck with the weather here in Finland is pretty remarkable, so we ended up searching for an indoor venue somewhere near Helsinki. In the end, we found this old mansion just a twenty-minute ride away, and the place had this big, beautiful yard around it (fun fact: we shot this n’ice cream video there too!), so we knew that was the place we’d go for. Instead of getting married in a church, we decided to take the risk and have the ceremony outside. And it was an absolute dream come true.

The rays of sunshine greeted us when I walked down the aisle, there was music played by our friends, and we were covered with dried lavender and blueberry leaves (which we collected a few weeks in advance and dried) at the end when we walked away from ‘the altar’.

The reason for this post is to shine some light on all the amazing people and local entrepreneurs who were involved in this journey. I want to thank our talented friends who performed at the wedding – you made it special and memorable. To our florist, Kukkakauppa Piia Jaala, for the absolutely gorgeous flowers. Some might say it makes no sense to get your flowers a two-hour drive away, but I knew that Piia would do an amazing job, and she did. I especially loved my wedding bouquet for its magical scent, thanks to rosemary! The groom and the groomsmen also had herbs instead of flowers, which made a nice little detail. And the bridesmaids wore unique gold prom dresses from Peaches Boutique.

Onto the food. We wanted the food to be in line with the season and didn’t want to serve any meat, so we had many vegetarian dishes for appetizers and fish for the main course. Everything was gluten and dairy-free and I want to thank Agata Bakery for the wonderful gluten-free bread rolls we had. But the thing that made the whole menu truly magical, was our wedding cake. I knew I wanted to have a cake, but since we like our treats naturally sweetened and free from gluten and dairy, I wasn’t sure who to turn to. Luckily I found Tiia who runs her own company Onnenrusina and after some delicious cake tasting she made us these beautiful cakes with raspberries and lingonberries and the pears on top were from her own yard. They were the best cakes I’ve had in my life (and they were vegan too) and some of our friends are still talking about them! Tiia is the sweetest person I know and really devotes herself to the job, so I can warmly recommend her for all the goodies you need.

And to wrap this up, I want to thank our photographer Ari Hallami for capturing these moments. There are so many beautiful shots and memories that we can cherish for the rest of our lives. Thank you!