Fit Food- Madrid’s first Juice Bar

 

With the healthy food industry in full bloom, new healthy food spots are emerging all over London, not to mention in other major cities. I’ve been seeing how in the last couple of years there have been many juice shops, healthy food cafés and restaurants opening in London, ranging from vegan, vegetarian and raw cuisine, as well as businesses that cater to delivering healthy meals and juices to your door step. It’s amazing to see how much this industry has prospered in the last few years and living in a city that offers such variety when it comes to healthy living, motivates and inspires me. It’s usually when I leave London and go back to my motherland, Spain, that I miss being able to get a fresh cold-pressed juice or relax at a café that serves delicious and nutritious food. Even buying all my essential superfoods becomes trickier when abroad. That’s why, when I found out that Madrid had opened its first cold-pressed juice shop, I was really excited and curious to find out more about it.

Not only does Fit Food offer a wide selection of cold-pressed juices, to pick-up in store or have them delivered to your door step, but they also provide a selection of healthy breakfasts, sweet treats, supplements such as maca powder, baobab powder (from my favourite brand Aduna), acai powder, and many other superfoods. It was about time that the Spanish capital brought a health haven for all those people who are either pursuing or passionate about leading a healthy lifestyle.

Without a doubt, their shop does not go unnoticed. Their large windows give you a sneak peek of the shop’s interior, inviting you to go in to get a closer look. The warm decor, with wooden walls throughout and small details that make you feel that you’re in an organic environment are what makes the shop truly special. The mural covered in plants is what really stands out, and lets not forget about the wide display of juices.

Seeing that Fit Food is a new concept store in Madrid, I was excited to interview Goda Karosaite, the CEO of Fit Food to get an insight on their brand and how she and her business partner Iñigo Pan de Soraluce, got inspired to open their shop.

 

How did Fit Food come about?

I was always interested in a healthy lifestyle, and there weren’t any cold-pressed juice bars in Madrid, therefore we saw a niche in the market, and decided to bring Fit Food to Spain. We knew there were people in Madrid who know about such products and are looking to buy them.

The concept of detoxing is relatively new in Spain, how is Fit Food integrating in Madrid?

So far, so good. Fit food has had a successful integration in Madrid and we are looking forward to growing and offering our products to more and more people.

How do you educate your customers on nutrition and leading a healthy lifestyle?

We don’t only sell cold-pressed juices and detox packages, but we also offer our customers a wide variety of other products, such as superfood smoothies, acai bowls, raw deserts, all which are dairy and refined-sugar free. Everything in our shop is plant-based, gluten-free and vegan.

Additionally, we have a section of the shop dedicated to supplements such as chia seeds, maca powder, acai, hemp protein, and baobab. All of our products help you maintain a healthy lifestyle once you leave the shop or once you finish doing a detox. In addition, we have educational books and other materials that help our customers learn how to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

How would you define a regular Fit Food customer?

A Fit Food client is really anyone who wants to feel better and be healthier. Our client is one who either wants to take care of himself or herself or one who already does so and knows the importance of nutrition for a healthy, active life.

London and the US are very advanced in this industry; have you taken inspiration from foreign markets to create your business?

Yes, the idea comes from the US, since I lived there for many years. I constantly attend fairs, talk to nutritionists to keep up to date with what is new in the market, what is healthy, what new products we can bring to our customers in Spain, and so an and so forth.

It’s a constant work in progress and we are always working to find new products, new juices, and expanding our menu. That is why soon we will also offer our customers salads and sandwiches but even they are going to be different from any sandwiches people are used to eating in other places in Spain.

Many of the products you sell in store come from England; do you see London as a future target?

We have many products from England, because they are the highest quality. However, for now we are not considering London as our second target, at least for now we have other plans ahead.

How have social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook helped your business?

Social media helps us a lot in educating our customers and informing them about how our products are different from any other ones on the market. It helps us explain that we are the only ones in Spain that make our juices fresh daily, do not process them in any way, or add anything to them in order to prolong their shelf life. We guarantee that our clients get the highest quality products. Social media definitely helps to differentiate us and to keep in touch with our customer’s daily and to create a relationship with them.

Do you think that this industry has the potential to expand throughout Spain?

I think Spanish people are becoming more and more aware of the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle, and it is constantly growing, so yes, I think it is a good market. People are interested in the way they look, having healthy hair, glowing skin, loosing some weight, and feeling more energetic. I believe the number of such people is always growing, because in the end, how you look on the outside is a reflection of your inner health.

For those of you living in Madrid, or simply visiting, make sure to pop by their store conveniently located in Calle Serrano and try their delicious juices for yourself!

Find them on Instagram, Facebook or one their website.

 

 

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Banana Cashew Yogurt

Who doesn’t love a creamy bowl of yogurt topped with berries and nuts? I sure do! However, since I don’t tolerate dairy too well, I’ve had to find alternatives to replace my morning bowl of goodness. Even if you’re not dairy intolerant, you may want to rethink how much dairy you’re consuming. Dairy is very acidic forming, and as we’ve discovered, our body’s pH is alkaline. Consuming acidic foods, like dairy, creates an imbalance in our pH and allows for disease to grow in our bodies. On top of that, it’s incredibly inflammatory, leaving your body feeling bloated. If you’re anything like me, your skin might have experienced reactions to dairy intake. For example, eczema or acne. Many of us have become so accustomed to consuming dairy on a regular basis that we may not even notice the effects it has on our body. But, when you remove it from your diet, you can start experiencing the benefits of it.

I have to admit, that I haven’t completely said goodbye to dairy. That is because I don’t like to go off on extremes. On a regular basis, I don’t eat dairy at all. However, in social events, I won’t say no to the occasional cheese. I have never been much of a milk drinker, but I have enjoyed my yogurt concoction in the mornings. Nowadays there are so many alternatives to dairy milk. From almond milk, to oat milk, to cashew milk, the list goes on.. What I haven’t found much of, is dairy-free yogurt. Yes, you can find soy yogurt at your local supermarket. But I am not a big fan of soy as its become highly processed and contains all sorts of chemicals. On top of that, we all know that supermarket yogurts are pampered with all sorts of additives, preservatives and nasty ingredients. So, as you can see, soy yogurt is a no-go for me.

Recently, I’ve been experimenting with making a yogurt wannabe at home. This first started by making homemade almond milk and blending it with banana to make a creamy consistency that can fool the palate to think it’s yogurt. It turned out absolutely great and it definitely didn’t make me miss yogurt at all, as not only was it absolutely delicious, but also so so healthy!

I had never made cashew milk before, but I had heard that it was also a great milk alternative. In addition, cashews can also make a great yogurt and cheese! I’m yet to try the cashew cheese, but this morning I went on to try my own version of cashew yogurt which is so simple to make and really delicious!

Firstly you will need to make Cashew Milk. 

INGREDIENTS

1 cup cashews

2 cups filtered water

*Usually the ratio is 1 cup nuts/3 cups water.  With cashew milk, it is entirely up to you how creamy/watery you want the milk to turn out. I added less water than usual because I wanted a thicker consistency.

OPTIONAL SWEETENERS

1 tbsp of cinnamon

2/3 medjool dates

1 tbsp maple syrup

METHOD

Soak cashews in water overnight, or at least 6 hours prior to making the milk. Place the soaked cashews in the blender and add water. The amount of water depends on how thick you want the milk to turn out. Blend for 2-3 minutes. Once it’s completely blended, you can strain it through a cheese cloth, but personally, I don’t. Store the milk in an air tight container/bottle. It should last 3-4 days.

Now that you have the milk ready, you can move on to making the yogurt. Let me add that this is not real yogurt. You don’t have to go through the process of heating it and letting it set over night. This is an easy attempt at making a yogurt wannabe.

BANANA CASHEW YOGURT

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup cashew milk

1 frozen banana

OPTIONAL

1 tbsp grounded flaxseeds

1 tbsp chia seeds

1 tbsp cinnamon

TOPPINGS

5 strawberries

Handful of blueberries

Handful of chopped almonds

Handful of pumpkin seeds

METHOD

Blend the cashew milk, frozen banana, flaxseeds, chia seeds and cinnamon in a blender until its creamy. Pour into a bowl and add the berries and nuts. For extra sweetness, you can add honey/maple syrup.

As you can see, it’s super simple! And above all, it’s very healthy! Cashews are packed with plant-based protein, essential minerals such as magnesium, potassium, zinc, iron and many more. And on top of that they are a “heart-healthy” fat. It’s made with completely natural whole ingredients and it’s sugar and dairy free. By making it at home, you know exactly what went into it and you rid yourself from consuming unwanted additives and preservatives.

Morning Detox Routine

Today I want to talk about detoxing. Many people associate detoxing with a juice cleanse. However, I am not here to talk about that type of detoxing. I am here to talk about the detoxing we should do on a day-to-day basis to get rid of the toxic waste that builds up in our bodies. Getting rid of the toxic waste is crucial for optimal internal and external health as well as energy. Detoxing has become a part of my morning ritual. It is thanks to reading Kimberly Snyder’s book The Beauty Detox Solution that I learned how important nutrition is to your overall state of health and mind. As she mentions, “detoxification is not just about the body. Detoxification also serves to purify the mind, because when our bodies are cleansed, our minds become more clear and we are able to strengthen our focus on what we rally want to achieve in our lives”.

So, let me tell you about my morning rituals. Mornings are sacred for me. From the moment I wake up till noon, I use this time to fill my body with as many nutrients and rid myself from toxic waste. The only way I can start my day right, is to eat and drink right. How I start my morning is a reflection of what the rest of my day will be like.

I’ve mentioned previously how I start my morning through my Morning Breakfast Routine post, however, perhaps I did not emphasise enough how mornings are the time of day where I make sure to cleanse my body as much as possible. These are the 3 steps I live by:

1. Start my day with a glass of warm lemon water. Recently I’ve spiced it up by adding turmeric. Turmeric is a fantastic spice that promotes radiant skin, supports healthy joint function,  and helps maintain a healthy digestive system. It has become a staple in my morning ritual. Since I began using it, I’ve noticed dramatic effects on my skin. My skin is completely clear and smooth.
2. I proceed to having a smoothie of sorts. I tend to make it a green smoothie, packed with greens and some fruit. However, I never follow a strict recipe as I tend to play around with the ingredients I have in the moment. Smoothies are one of the best ways to nourish your body with essential nutrients. From vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fibre, you name it! Not only is a good for your digestion, but also amazing for your entire body, feeding your cells with all the amazing nutrients. It is also a great energy booster. Drinking smoothies is also a great way of detoxing and cleansing your body.
3. Lastly, my favourite thing to do is drink as much liquids as possible. And by liquids I mean clean liquids such as herbal teas and water. My most treasured tea is fresh parsley tea. A dear friend of mine introduced it to me a few years ago, and ever since, it has become my go-to cleansing tea. Parsley is incredibly cleansing. It is rich in vital vitamins such as vitamin C, B 12, K and A. These vitamins will keep your immune system strong and is healing to the nervous system. It also helps flush out excess fluid from the body. Great for people who have water retention problems. It’s great for cleansing the kidneys. For those of you who have problems with UTI, drinking parsley tea is a great natural remedy.

 

Starting my morning with these rituals have had such a positive effect on the way I feel and look. It’s all about nourishing your body from the inside. As a result, you will feel it on the outside.

Hope you all are having a great week!

With love, 

Carmen

Competition Winner

The moment has come! After writing all of the contestants names on a small piece of paper and picking one from a hat, the lucky winner of the organic fruit & vegetable box is Stephanie O’neill-Winbow!

Congratulations! I will get in contact with you shortly with all the details of your prize!

Thanks to everyone who participated!

With love, 

Carmen

Mediterranean Lentil Salad

We had a great weekend in London in terms of weather. It really seemed like Spring was emerging. The sun was shining, the flowers were blooming, the air was clear, people were out and about making the most of the marvellous weather. With the new season coming to light, it’s time we start adapting our meals with it. When I think about good weather, healthy food and great lifestyle, I think of the Mediterranean. Coming from there myself, I truly appreciate the quality of life there is in all aspects.

Inspired by the Mediterranean cuisine, I came up with this Mediterranean Lentil Salad. Don’t be fooled by the name, the salad contains far more than just lentils. The combination of butternut squash, sweet potato, rocket, avocado, feta cheese and lentils make this recipe the perfect salad for either spring or summertime.

Lentils are an excellent source of nutrients which fill the body with amazing benefits. They’re rich in fibre, which reduces blood cholesterol and promotes a healthy digestive tract, they are a great source of folate and magnesium, which contribute to a healthy heart and lastly, they are a good source of protein and iron.

All the other ingredients in this delicious salad, are also packed with amazing nutrients that will benefit your body in so many ways.

MEDITERRANEAN LENTIL SALAD

Prep time: 50 minutes

Serves: 1

INGREDIENTS

1 cup lentils

100 g of sweet potato and butternut squash*

1/2 an avocado

A large handful of rocket

A thin slice of Greek feta cheese

Olive oil

Salt to taste

1 teaspoon of rosemary

1 garlic clove

*I bought a packed of ready sliced sweet potato and butternut squash at the Co-operative. I did this out of convenience as peeling, de-seeding (in the case of the butternut squash) and slicing the two is quite time-consuming.

METHOD

Pre-heat oven at 220 degrees at fan mode

In a baking tray, layout the sweet potato and butternut squash and add the rosemary, salt and olive oil and mix well. Then put into the oven for approximately 45 minutes. Till the butternut squash and sweet potato are fully cooked (pinch a fork in them and if it goes in smoothly, you’re good to go!)

Whilst the butternut squash and sweet potato are in the oven, boil the lentils in water. Add approximately double the water of the lentils. I added a peeled garlic clove to give it extra taste (this is my Spanish side coming to light). In this case 2 cups. Let the lentils cook for 30-40 minutes. Check on them regularly, moving them around, and once they seemed cooked, verify by trying them. They need to be soft. In the meantime, cut the avocado in cube sized pieces.Once the lentils, butternut squash and sweet potatoes are done, prepare the salad on a plate.

Firstly create a base layer of rocket, adding the lentils on top, then the sweet potato, butternut squash and avocado, and finally sprinkle feta cheese all by crumbling into with your fingers.

Don’t forget to add extra salt to your own taste and a drizzle of olive oil.

Buen provecho! (Enjoy in Spanish)

On the side, as you can see, I made pesto sauce. I had a bunch of basil leaves that needed to be used soon and decided to add some more Mediterranean flavour. It literally took 3 minutes to make.

INGREDIENTS

25 g of basil leaves (a full packet from the supermarket)

2 tablespoons of pine nuts

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt to taste

METHOD

Simply place all the ingredients into a bowl and blend them with a hand blender. Then add salt to taste.

Adding the pesto to the dish made the meal just perfect!

As you can see, making a sauce as delicious as pesto can be so easy when made at home. You don’t need to get a ready-made sauce when the recipe only requires 4 simple ingredients.

I hope you are enjoying the coming of Spring and hopefully this recipe will appeal to you as much it did to my palette.

With love, 

Carmen

Competition

Happy Friday Everyone!

To thank all of you readers who have been motivating and inspiring me to continue writing this blog, I am initiating a competition which will allow you to win an Organic Fruit & Vegetable Box from Abel & Cole. Unfortunately, this competition will only be available to all the Londoners. 

I’ve been relying on Abel & Cole to deliver organic fruit and vegetable boxes to my door step. I’ve been really pleased so far and want to spread the love by giving a free box to a lucky person.

I encourage you all to participate as you will not regret it if you become the lucky winner.

You simply have to provide your email in the comment box and I will randomly select a winner out of a hat.

You have one week to participate!

Good luck to you all!

With love, 

Carmen

Special Recipe on Request

Hi everyone,

I’m constantly thinking of ideas for recipes I can put up on my blog. I’d love for you to answer the poll so I can know what type of recipe you’d like to see next on the blog.

I’m excited to see what is requested the most and to try out a new recipe in honour of all of you readers.

Hope you are having a lovely day!

With love, 

Carmen

Black Rice Noodles and Green Vegetables

We all know that feeling of wanting to have a nutritious rich meal without having to spend too much time in the kitchen. I love this recipe because it is rich in nutrients, filling, and incredibly easy and fast to make. It literally takes under 15 minutes to make.

There are just a few ingredients that you need to get ahold of that you may not have in your kitchen:

– Tamari sauce

– Sesame seed oil

– Black rice noodles (or buckwheat/brown rice noodles)

– Fresh ginger

– Garlic

– Onion

– Asparagus

– Green beans

– Spinach

Tamari sauce is a great substitute for soy sauce. It is made with no wheat (meaning it is also gluten-free) and it has a greater concentration of soybeans, giving it a richer, less salty taste to that of soy sauce.

Black rice noodles (or buckwheat/brown rice noodles) are a great wheat and gluten-free alternative (great!). I use them all the time as a substitute to normal pasta. They also add that extra asian touch.

The rest of the ingredients are easy to find at any supermarket.

Black Rice Noodles & Greens Recipe:

Prep time: 15 mins

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

• 1/4 of an onion
• 1 garlic clove
• Small amount of fresh ginger (depends on how much you like the rich flavour of ginger)
• 150 grams of asparagus
• 200 grams of green beans
• 250 grams of spinach
• 2 tablespoons of Tamari sauce
• 1 tablespoon olive/sesame seed oil
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1/2 a pack of black rice noodles
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Chop the onion, garlic and ginger finely.
2. Chop the asparagus and green beans into smaller slices.
3. Add olive/sesame seed oil to a pan, then add the onion, garlic and ginger to simmer (to add a kick of spiciness, I added a dried chilli pepper). Once the onion becomes translucent and golden, add the green beans, asparagus and tamari sauce. Add the water and cover the pan to let the vegetables cook for 10 minutes
4. In the mean time, boil the noodles in water for 5/6 minutes.
5. By the time the noodles are done, add the spinach and let all the vegetables simmer in the tamari sauce for another 2 minutes.
6. Drain the noodles, add the green vegetables and tamari sauce on top.
7. I added a sprinkle of sesame seeds to give it that extra asian touch and crunchiness.

As you can see, it is a simple, straight-forward recipe, and very tasty too! It’s gluten, wheat and dairy free and packed with rich nutrients coming from the green vegetables.

If you’re having trouble thinking of a healthy dinner meal, why not try this one out?

With love, 

Carmen

Quinoa Tabbouleh & Baked Falafels

One of my favourite cuisines is Middle Eastern cuisine, probably because I’ve lived in the Middle East for 5 years. Recently, I’ve been really inspired to cook Arab food quite frequently. I’ve always been used to eating it at a restaurant or at a friend’s house, therefore cooking it myself has been a fun challenge.

I’ve combined these two recipes together because like a good Spaniard, I love having a variety of tastes on my plate. And, in fact, I would consider this meal to be similar to a homemade mezze platter. My palette is always blown away by the combination of spices, freshness and goodness that Middle Eastern food has to offer.

These two recipes combined make a good lunch and dinner. Hopefully you will enjoy it as much as I do!

Quinoa Tabbouleh

Serves 2

Prep time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 tomatoes (I used vine tomatoes)
• 1/2 an onion
• Half a cucumber
• Handful of parsley
• Handful of mint
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1/2 lemon juice
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

• Start off by cooking the quinoa. If you are cooking 1 cup of quinoa you will need 2 cups of water (if you don’t know how to cook quinoa, I’ve explained it in this post).
• Whilst the quinoa is cooking, chop the tomatoes, onion and cucumber into small cubes.
• Finely chop the parsley and mint.
• Once the quinoa has been cooked and cooled down, mix all of the ingredients together and add the lemon juice and olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.

As you can see, this recipe is incredibly straight forward and quick to make and I assure you, it’s refreshingly tasty.

Baked Falafel

Serves 3

Prep time: 25 mins

Ingredients:

• 2 cans of chickpeas
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley
• 2 tablespoons of flour (I used buckwheat flour to make it gluten free)
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat the oven at 180 degrees celsius.
2. Drain the chickpeas and put them in a bowl.
3. Chop the onions, garlic and parsley and add to the bowl.
4. Add all the other ingredients and blend.
5. Once all the ingredients have been blended, start forming egg-shaped falafels and placing them on a baking tray. I have a trick where I use 2 spoons to create the egg-like shape. The photo below demonstrates how I do it (more or less). 
6. Finally, allow the falafels to bake in the oven between 15 and 20 minutes.

As I mentioned, I love combining these two recipes. Sometimes I even make homemade hummus to add to the middle-eastern theme. Last night, I had the combination of quinoa tabbouleh and falafels and added some baked aubergines with tahini on the side. It was delicious!

With love, 

Carmen

Healthy Lunch at Work Series: Part 2

Today I have a very special guest blog post from my friend and health food blogger, Marie. Like myself, she believes in the importance of nourishing your body with natural and whole foods and avoiding the processed and refined foods that characterise the diet of our society today. Her rich cultural background, coming from a French father and Chinese/Malaysian mother, is easily captivated in her “real food” blog, Bain-Marie Blog. The recipe being shared today, is the second edition to her healthy lunch at work series. I hope you enjoy this superfood lunch which is not only easy and affordable to make, but is also as tasty as can be.

It’s such a special treat to write a guest post for my lovely friend and fellow health food blogger Carmen, as we actually inadvertently started writing our very like-minded blogs at about the same time. Such synchronicity! It’s lovely to support each other in our shared passion for healing foods and to help inspire others towards an appreciation that healthy food can also be simple, inexpensive and delicious!

I’m very excited to share with you the second post in my Healthy Lunch at Work Series. The response from the first one was so positive that it seems like I am not the only one thinking about new ways to eat healthily (and deliciously) whilst juggling a busy lifestyle. This is designed for working people who want to maintain their healthy eating habits at work. I hear a lot of friends and colleagues tell me they just don’t know what to do or where to start, so they just end up buying lunch from Tesco (gasp). This warm noodle salad recipe is full of healthy fats, wholegrain fibre and lots of fresh vegetables bursting with vitamins and minerals, the perfect way to stay energised throughout the afternoon!

This is the ideal “I-literally-have-no-time-to-make-packed-lunches-the-night-before” kind of lunch, that requires grabbing whatever fresh vegetables you have in your fridge that morning as you run out the door, and that’s it! You will need to stock up on a few healthy essentials beforehand and then your “office larder” is all good to go. It’s very simple; just make sure you have the following items at your desk in order to prepare this lunch:

– buckwheat noodles or brown rice noodles

– dried Asian mushrooms (any Asian supermarket)

– olive oil

– sesame oil

– tamari

– apple cider vinegar

– mixed seeds and nuts

– chilli flakes

All of these items can just remain at your desk at all times, as they are non-perishable, which is what makes this dish so easy and hassle-free! As a health-conscious individual, I’m totally anti-microwave at home, but the realities of working a 9-5 job and the unforgiving English weather, mean that sometimes a warm lunch is just necessary. So unless your office has a hob, you will need a microwave to cook the noodles. King Soba offers a wide variety of inexpensive organic wheat-free and gluten-free buckwheat and brown rice noodles; they have unusual and fun varieties such as Sweet Potato & Buckwheat Noodles as well as Pumpkin & Ginger Brown Rice Noodles. Real Foods stock the full range at the best prices around.

This is a very exciting addition to my repertoire of simple and delicious meals that can be made at work in under 10 minutes from start to finish and will usually have your colleagues drooling over it. After the noodles have cooked, all you need to do is throw in all the fresh vegetables and season with the dressing, resulting in a warm superfood noodle salad with superb Asian flavours. For me this is the perfect spring dish, as you’ve still got the warmth from the noodles with all the freshness and zing of a summer salad. Ever since I got back to London last week, I can feel the days getting longer and the sun just seems a little bit brighter (when it’s shining, of course). I know it’s early March but it seems like spring is softly poking its head out from under the blanket of winter… So here you go, hope you enjoy the recipe for this delicious and moreish Warm Asian Superfood Noodle Salad as much as I do. And hope to see you at BainMarieBlog sometime soon!

Warm Superfood Noodle Salad

Serves 1

Prep time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pack of buckwheat or brown rice noodles
• 1 small avocado (or 1/2 medium avocado)
• handful of fresh spinach, rocket, kale or any soft greens
• 1/2 a red bell pepper (optional)
• 1/2 cucumber (optional)
• 2-3 dried Asian mushrooms
• fresh coriander
• mixed seeds
• juice of quarter fresh lime or 1 tb of apple cider vinegar
• 1 tb of sesame oil
• 1 tb of olive oil
• 1 tb tamari
• cashew chunks (optional)

Instructions

1. Soak the Asian mushrooms in a mug of boiling water half an hour before you start doing anything else, this allows them to rehydrate fully and plump up nicely.

2. After half an hour, drain the water and slice the mushrooms thinly.

3. Place a portion of noodles in a rectangular tupper ware and cover completely with boiling water and microwave for 2-3 minutes or as per packet instructions (If you have some cruciferous vegetables that you prefer cooked such as kale or broccoli, then throw them in with the noodles to blanch them).

4. Whilst noodles are cooking, cube the avocado, red pepper and/or cucumber (or whatever you have that day).

5. Drain noodles but not completely, save a little water (this helps keep the noodles lubricated, perfect for a slippery salad). Place noodles in a bowl and mix avocado, red pepper, cucumber, spinach, chopped kale and sliced mushrooms.

6. Drizzle with olive oil, sesame oil, tamari, a squeeze of lime (if no lime, then apple cider vinegar adds a lovely touch of citrus), chilli flakes and sprinkle with mixed seeds (I had some cashew chunks so threw some in for extra crunch).

7. Garnish with fresh coriander.

8. Enjoy!

Once again, a big thank you to the lovely Marie for creating this delicious recipe for all those people who are willing to make healthy changes to their diet.

With love, 

Carmen