christmas

Gingerbread Fat Bombs

(Keto, Vegan)

makes 12

Truffles:

2 cups almond flour
3-4 tbsp erythritol, powdered *
1 dropperful liquid stevia
8-10 tbsp local grass-fed butter, melted OR IF VEGAN: mild coconut oil, melted
2 tsp Ceylon cinnamon
½ tsp powdered ginger
½ tsp cardamom
1 tsp nutmeg

Glaze:

5 tbsp erythritol, powdered *
2 tsp water
½ tsp Ceylon cinnamon

Place all ingredients into a bowl and combine. Taste and add seasoning or sweetness, if desired. Mold into balls. Freeze for 30 mins. Prepare the glaze.

Measure the erythritol, cinnamon and water into a small bowl and combine. When the truffles have hardened & cooled a bit, spread about ½ tsp of the glaze on top of each truffle. Sprinkle on some cinnamon. Store in the fridge.

*You can make powdered erythritol in a blender by blending erythritol full speed for 10 seconds in a high-speed blender.

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Gingerbread Cranberry Dream Cake

Crust:⠀

Gingerbread dough (Used my GF & V gingerbread dough from my Dreamy Season ebook but any gingerbread dough will do)⠀

Filling:

1 ½ cup cashew nuts, soaked for 30 mins & rinsed⠀
1 cup full fat coconut milk⠀
5 tbsp raw organic honey or maple syrup⠀
1 tsp vanilla extract⠀
½ cup mild flavor coconut oil, melted⠀
⅓ cup cranberries⠀

On top:

for example gingerbread crumble & cranberries

Tin: 20 cm / 8 inches⠀

Crust:⠀
Crease a cake tin with coconut oil. Place a piece of parchment paper onto the bottom of the tin and also slices on the sides. Roll the gingerbread dough into a thin round plate and place it into a tin. Press and mold the sides gently so that the sides are about the same height. Bake for about 10 mins in 175C /350F. Leave a bit soft.⠀

Filling:⠀
Place all the ingredients, except cranberries in a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour about 1⁄3 of the mixture into the cake tin. Place cranberries into the blender. Blend with the remaining mixture. Spoon the pink filling on top of the white layer. Freeze for 2 hours or until the cake is totally solid. Take out of the freezer and decorate.

Apple Cinnamon Mocktail

for two

1/2 organic apple
1-2 tbsp organic honey or coconut maple syrup
1/2 tsp Ceylon cinnamon
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1/2 cup fresh water
ice cubes
bubbly water/mineral water

Puree the sliced apple, honey or syrup, cinnamon, apple cider vinegar, grated ginger and water in a blender or with a stick mixer. Pour the mixture into two glasses and add a couple of ice cubes. Fill the glasses with bubbly water. Serve & enjoy! (Add a dollop of your favorite spirit to make it a cocktail, if you like)

Vanelja’s Gingerbread Pancakes:

Makes about 7 small pancakes

1 ripe banana
½ cup / 1,5 dl oat milk (or for example almond milk)
½ cup rolled oats
1 tsp baking powder
1,5 tsp gingerbread spice mix
1 tsp vanilla extract

Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Let the dough thicken for about 20 minutes. Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Drop about 2 spoonfuls of the batter onto the pan and cook until the surface looks almost dry. That should take about 2 minutes. Flip, and cook until nicely browned on the other side. Repeat with the remaining batter. If the pancakes remain too pale, lift the heat up a bit or if they get too brown, lower the heat.

Vanelja’s Raw Chocolate Covered Gingerbread Fudge

⅓ cup coconut oil, melted
5 tbsp coconut sugar
5 tbsp coconut syrup
2 tsp gingerbread spice mix
½ cup almond meal
½ cup coconut flour (or rice flour or half & half)
1 tbsp flax meal

Frosting: Raw chocolate, melted

Place the coconut, coconut sugar and coconut syrup into a small pot and on medium/low heat bring to a simmer. Mix well. Pour in the spice mix and take from the stove. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl, pour into the pot and mix everything into a smooth batter. Press pieces of the dough into chocolate molds or form tiny balls. Place into the fridge and let thicken overnight or for about 1-2 hour in the freezer. Take the fudges out from the molds and dip them into melted raw chocolate. Store in the fridge or freezer.

Stuffed Gingerbread Dates

12 fresh dates, pitted⠀
¼ cup gingerbread dough (I used 1 plate of Myllyn Paras ginger bread dough)⠀
100 g dark chocolate, melted⠀

On top: ⠀
peanut butter⠀
crushed peanuts or coconut flakes⠀

Roll out the gingerbread dough until about 2 cm / 0.8 thick disc. Cut into cubes around the size of the head of the thumb. Use a sharp knife to make a lengthwise slit into the dates. Remove the pits. Place one gingerbread cube inside each date. Close glently and dip into melted chocolate. Sprinkle on peanut butter & crushed peanuts. Place into a freezer for 30 minutes to harden. Serve and enjoy. Store in the fridge and use within 3-4 days.

Gingerbread Sweetpotato Dream Cake

Well here’s a winter treat worth sharing. This creamy raw cake gets its surprising richness from sweet potato and gentle warmth from gingerbread spices. And lemme tell you that it is one heavenly union.

Made in collaboration with Electrolux Explore 7 blender and Asennemedia

As you may may have noticed from my previous blog post where I launched my new ebook Dreamy Season – Wholesome food for Holidays & winter, I’m kinda of a Christmas freak. Like I could actually eat Christmas related food the whole winter season and when it comes to Christmas recipes, my imagination seems to be endless.

One of my favorite nice cream recipes I’ve ever created is a gingerbread nice cream that has sweet potato in it. Homehow those two elements make a perfect match and I’ve been wanting to bring them together in some other dish too.

Gingerbread Sweetpotato Dream CakeElectrolux Explore 7 blender

The idea evolved when I got to test the new Electrolux Explore 7 blender. As the first thing I wanted to try with it was a smoothie. I’m kind of a smoothie nerd and my way to test a blender is to see how smooth it actually makes my smoothie. And I have to say I was kind of surpised. Blenders in this price group usually leave smoothies a bit grainy but this baby blended them smooth as velvet. Really nice job.

The second thing I wanted to test was a raw cake. The batter there is thicker than in a smoothie so it gives new challenges to the blender. Again, very nice, very smooth. One great feature in Explore 7 blender is that it’s designed in a way that though it makes mixtures smooth it doesn’t heat up the ingredients so it keeps everything fresh and the nutrients alive n´ kicking. It isn’t a blender for thick nut butters, raw cake crusts etc, but you can definitely make great soups, smoothies, raw cake batters, grind nuts and even make juice (!) with it. Plus it’s pretteehh.

Oh, and back to my sweet potato gingerbread matching mission. So when I challenged the blender with a raw cake I wanted to make something christmassy. Because of my christmas mania condition, you know. Then I remembered the heavinly union of the gingerbread and sweet potato in my nice cream and the idea was born. Also wanted to make a nut-free raw cake for a change, as people ask me about them constantly.

And it came one fine piece of cake, I have to admit.

Try it yourself to get yourself into Christmas mood and let me know how it resonates! And if the Explore 7 blender resonated, tune into my Instagram as I’m giving away one blender on my today’s IG post. See you there!

V

Vegan & gluten-free gingerbread cookies

Hello love! Check this out – One thing I’m really proud of is that I get such an amazing feedback about my recipes from you guys. I also get a lot of wishes on what kind of recipes you want me to create and share. And I always listen to them very carefully, so that I can serve in the best way possible. 

Upon your wishes, I have now created a luscious collection of wholesome and delish feel-good Christmas recipes, most of them suitable for the whole winter season, not only for the Holidays.

Dreamy Season ebook

My brand new ebook is called Dreamy Season and it contains 62 recipes and 141 pages, all made with love by Yours Truly. In this book I have gathered my all-time favourite winter recipes and treats – the ones I love to pamper myself & my family during the Holidays. I have to say that this has been truly a passion project for me, as I’m a crazy Christmas lady who could eat Christmas-spirited food the whole winter. 

Dreamy Season ebook serves wholesome & delish recipes for breakfasts, dinners, desserts and drinks, all perfect for the Holiday season – or for those moments when you just feel like enjoying some deliciously comforting winter food magic.

How about for example a bowl of Pink Morning Kiss Porridge or Golden Oatmeal, a piece of Christmas Toffee, selection of plant-based Cheeses and some Christmas Wreath Pizza? Or maybe a slice of Tofu Ham, goodies from the Christmas Platter, a piece of Chai Banana Bread or few mouth-watering Gingerbread Fudge or Snickers Moon Balls with a sip of Cloudy Apple Drink? All plant-based, naturally sweetened and gluten-free, all good for your body as well as to your soul and perfect for those comfy winter moments.

You can read more about the book from here and check out also the Dreamy Season menu. Note that this ebook is in English and it has some of the same recipes that can be found from my Finnish cookbook Joulukirja.

Vegan hot chocolate

plant-based tofu ham

What’s in the ebook?

* 62 recipes

* All plant-based

* Gluten free

* Dairy free

* Refined sugar free

* Beautiful colourful images

* Breakfasts, dinners, lunches, drinks, dips/basics, treats

* Simple & easy recipes + some more challenging ones

* Book full of comfort and pleasure

Dreamy Season ebook - Plant-based Christmas platter

How can you use this ebook?

  1. Click the PURCHASE button.
  2. Apply the discount code at the checkout.
  3. Pay for the ebook safely with PayPal of with your credit card.
  4. Wait for your page to redirect you to a page with a downloadable link.
  5. Download the ebook onto your laptop, iPhone or iPad. (NOTE! the download link will be available to you for 24 hrs and then it will expire.)
  6. Open it with your preferred program such as Preview on Mac, Adobe Reader or iBooks
  7. Go and make your Christmas dreamy!

Snickers Bliss Balls

And for the celebration of the launch I’m giving a big discount for you guys. During this week you will get the Dreamy Season only for €5,90 with the code DREAMY. (Normal price is €9,90.) So if feel good Christmas food resonates, apply the code DREAMY here and get your copy.

I really hope you will enjoy the ebook as much as I enjoyed – LOVED – creating it. And when sharing your creations from the book, remember to tag me @vanelja in so that I can see them.

Wishing you the dreamiest season, friend. 

Gingerbread Sweet Potato Dream Cake

Gingerbread Sweet Potato Dream Cake

(nut-free, plant-based)

Serves 2

Base

⅔ cup oat flakes (or for example hazelnuts)

4 tbsp maple syrup

1 tbsp coconut oil, melted

1 tsp gingerbread spice mix

pinch of sea salt

Filling

1 big sweet potato, peeled & steamed (or 1 ½ cup sweet potato puree)

½ cup coconut milk (kept in the fridge)

¼ cup coconut oil, melted (preferably mild taste)

2 ripe bananas, cut to pieces

5-8 tbsp maple syrup or some stevia

1 ½ – 2 tsp gingerbread spice mix (or 1 tsp ceylon cinnamon, ½ tsp ground ginger, ½ tsp ground cardamom)

  • 2 tablespoons almond butter, if you like

Dish size: 15 x 15 cm / 6 inches

Base

Place the oast or nuts into a blender and blend until crust. Pour the crust into a bowl and stir in maple syrup, coconut oil and salt. The mixture should be now easily moldable so that you can create a ball from it. Cover a dish with a parchment paper and press the dough onto the bottom of the dish.

Filling

Place the sweet potato cubes, coconut milk (the white thick paste) and coconut oil into the blender and blend until smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and add some of the spices or sweetness, if desired. Pour the mixture into the dish on top of the base crust. Freeze for a few hours until solid. Take pour of the freezer and let thaw for 15 minutes before serving.

Healthy Christmas Cake by Vanelja

Hello friends! I thought I’d share this oh-so delicious and christmassy Gingerbread Coconut Bundt Cake recipe that got popular on my Instagram also here on my site, so that many of you’d find it.

Gingerbread Coconut Bundt Cake - vegan, gluten free and naturally sweetened.

I created this vegan & gluten-free cake with warm notes of gingerbread and juicy chuncks of dates originally for Risenta and have been preparing it several times already, as it is just sooo good and rich and delish. I try not to think about it too much now so that the cravings won’t hit me again or else I’ll find myself baking it again and eating it tomorrow the whole day…

But you go and make this! And let me know how you liked it!

Enjoy & Have a cozy Christmas!

V

Healthy Christmas Cake by Vanelja

Healthy Christmas Cake by Vanelja

(vegan, gluten free, naturally sweetened)

Cake:

5 tbsp ground flaxseed
½ cup water
1 ½ cup Risenta almond meal
1 cup Risenta rice flour
⅓ cup coconut sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ceylon cinnamon
2 tsp gingerbread spice mix
½ tsp cardamom
tiny pinch of sea salt
1 can (400 ml) full fat coconut milk
½ cup coconut oil, melted
5 fresh dates, pitted
5 tbsp coconut syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
+ 5 fresh dates, pitted and cut to small pieces

Frosting:

3 tbsp coconut oil, melted
3 tbsp smooth peanut butter or white tahini
1 tbsp coconut syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract

On top:

Coconut flakes
hazelnuts

Cake mold:

0.4-0.5 gallons (1,5 – 1,8 liters)

Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit (175 Celsius) degrees. Grease the bundt cake mold with coconut oil. Mix the ground flax and water in a small bowl and leave to thicken. In the meantime prepare the cake dough.

Mix the dry ingredients in a big bowl. Place coconut milk, coconut oil, 5 dates, coconut syrup and vanilla into a blender and blend until smooth. Mix with dry ingredients. Add also the flax mixture you made and mix well. Stir in the date cubes. Pour the dough into the cake mold. Bake for 55-60 minutes. The cake is ready when a toothpick comes out clean. Take out of the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes and remove from the mold. Let the cake cool down totally. Frost and serve! The cake is at its best after one night in the fridge.

Frosting:

Mix the coconut oil, nut butter and vanilla in a small bowl. If the mixture goes too runny, keep it in the fridge for about 15 minutes, mixing it couple of times. Frost the cake and decorate with coconut flakes and nuts.

More recipes on Vanelja’s Instagram!

Gluten-free, Vegan

6–8 pieces

 

1 ½ cups full fat almond flour/almond meal

½ cup coconut flakes / shredded coconut

7 tbsp flax meal

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp ceylon cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg powder

½ tsp ginger powder

¼ tsp cardamom

½ cup coconut sugar

a pinch of sea salt

½ cup grated carrots

2 tbsp orange zest (from organic oranges)

½ unsweetened apple sauce

1 cup water

½ coconut oil, melted

 

Frosting:

1 cup cashew nuts (soaked for 30 minutes)

5 tbsp full-fat coconut milk (the thick white paste of coconut milk can be kept in the fridge)

4 tbsp coconut oil, melted

1 tbsp orange juice

3 tbsp xylitol or coconut sugar

½ tsp vanilla powder

 

On top:

orange zest

ceylon cinnamon

nut crust

 

the pan: 2 l / ½ gallon foil casserole

 

The cake:

Preheat the oven to 175 Celcius / 350 Fahrenheit degrees. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl. Grate the peeled carrot with a small/fine blade into another bowl. Add the orange zest. Add also the apple sauce, water and melted coconut oil. Mix. Add the dry ingredients from other bowl and mix well. Pour the batter into the casserole and bake about 40-45 minutes, until the surface has a nice tanned colour. Take the cake from the oven and let cool completely. The cake is very soft when taken out from the oven, but it will get firm when it cools. In the meantime prepare the frosting.

 

Frosting:

Take the soaked cashews, toss the water and rinse the nuts. Place the nuts into the blender. Take the coconut milk can from the fridge and scoop out 5 tbsp of the white thick mass from the can and put to the blender. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth. Add a drop of coconut milk so that the mixture is smooth, but still keeping it as thick as possible. The texture should resemble thick greek yogurt. Check the taste and add some spices or sweetness if you like.

 

Spread the frosting on top of the cooled cake. Place the cake into the fridge and let it thicken overnight.  The following day add some orange zest and sprinkle some cinnamon and/or nut crust on top of the cake. Serve and enjoy! Store in the fridge and use within 3 days.

And so has the week before Christmas started. The perfect time to start fueling up hard core with all the lovely christmas flavors, spices and Holiday treats and taking the Christmas in with all your cells and taste buds. Showering with cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, anise and ginger. Living the Christmas to the fullest! Like they say. Or like I say, at least.

Although I have a strong tendency to flip into the Christmas insanity, my passion is mainly focused on the food & the mood, not so much on the material stuff. Well okay, I have installed a small set of fairy lights (aprox. 8 meters long) on the balcony and a humble (only a half meter big) star on the window, but otherwise I mainly believe in peace & love kind of Christmas. Because when you just stop, breathe deep and be present then you are in the very essence of Christmas.

And it is just so much more romantic just to burn candles and enjoy small dishes and treats with christmas flavors all around the christmas time than to go bonkers with decoration and to stress over huge Holiday dinners that take insanely long time to prepare. 

“You get the most beautiful Christmas by returning back to basics: To the simple and tasty food that makes you feel good and to small handmade ornaments and gifts that touch the heart.”  Like we say in our new Christmas book that I made with my ever-so-lovely friend Riikka Kantinkoski. The book is all about a low-key Christmas with easy, natural and rustic interior ideas and healthy (gluten-free, dairy-free, naturally sweetened and mainly vegan) recipes for the Holidays and for the whole winter time. The book, called Joulukirja (“The Christmas book”) came out a few weeks ago and I’m super proud of it. Go check it out, if you happen to be in Finland and hang around bookstores!

The Gingerbread Porridge in this post didn’t make it into the book, but it most certainly would have if I just would have came up with it a bit earlier than last week. But hey, luckily I can share it with you guys now!

I got to use lovely Gluten-free & Deluxe products of Lidl in it, for example Gluten-free Rolled Oats, Walnut oil, Dates and Clove & Cardamom Mills. Those spice mills are especially my favorites because you can just go ahead and grind lovely christmas flavors on just about everything with them! On your porridge, on stews and casseroles, on cakes and other treats – or even on your cranky neighbour that needs to get into Christmas mood.

…I bet Lidl wouldn’t sign the last recommendation for use, but you get my permission.

Or even better, go ahead and prepare this Gingerbread oatmeal to the Grinch of your life and I bet you’ll see a warm light start shining through his/her eyes. I mean, this stuff really brings the Christmas. 

Be good, my friend & eat a lot of porridge.

V

(In collaboration with LIDL)

Serves 4

2 cups oat milk

2 cups water

1 1⁄4 cups gluten-free oatmeal

1 ½ tsp gingerbread spice mix

pinch of sea salt

3 fresh dates

1 tbsp walnut oil (or almond butter)

Top with:

apple bites

crushed walnuts or almond flakes

ceylon cinnamon

crushed clove

crushed cardamom

ginger bread pieces

raw organic honey or maple syrup or coconut syrup

oat milk

Pour the oat milk and the water into a pan and bring to a boil. Add oatmeal, salt and spices. Chop the dates into small pieces and put on the pan. Cook in a medium heat for 5-7 minutes until the porridge is cooked. Stir in the walnut oil or almond butter.

Dose the porridge into serving bowls. Top with apple pieces, crushed ginger breads and almond flakes. Sprinkle on the spices and add a drop of honey or syrup. Pour some oat milk on, if you like. Serve and enjoy!

Makes 15-20 pieces

Caramel

  • 15 fresh dates
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1-2 tbsp water
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • a pinch of sea salt
  • 15-20 pecans
  • 4-5 tbsp unsweetened peanut butter or almond butter

Icing

  • 4 ounces dark chocolate or raw chocolate

On top

  • flaky sea salt

Pit the dates. Put the dates, coconut oil, water vanilla extract and salt into the blender and purée. Caramel should be thick and smooth. Spoon the caramel in a freezer-safe container and put it in the freezer for about 15 minutes so that it thickens a bit and is easier to handle.

Line a small baking sheet with a parchment paper. When the caramel sauce has thickened, take about teaspoon-sized dollops of the caramel and place onto the prepared baking sheet and mold the caramel into balls. Press a pecan into each ball. And then add about half a teaspoon of peanut butter on each pecan nut and place the tray into a freezer. Freeze for about 30 minutes.

In the meantime melt the chocolate on the top of a double boiler / in warm water bath. Take the pralines out of the freezer and dip each of them into the chocolate icing. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and return them to the freezer just to set. Bring out, serve and indluge. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

Recipe from the book IT’S A PLEASURE by Virpi Mikkonen

After a long development I can proudly announce that I have captured the essence of a chocolate cake. And here comes the news: A delicious chocolate cake can be done with only just 3 ingredients!

And before you say anything, like "3 ingredient chocolate ain't no news, miss!, let me clarify: this ain’t one of those 3 ingredient cakes, that has been spreading in the internet, which includes store-brought chocolate, which actually contains a big bunch of different ingredients. No, no, no.

This cakes includes solely 3 basic NATURAL ingredients: Organic eggs, dates and raw cacao powder. Yep, that's all you need.

You can of course refine the recipe for example with vanilla powder, cinnamon or a tiny pinch of chili. And top with super easy chocolate mousse, or whipped coconut cream and berries!

The recipe is from my brand new cookbook, and I feel it is a good example of how simple you can make cooking, and still enojy nice flavors and clean ingredients.

And then to the muse of my cake! I have dedicated this cake to my friend’s amazing ethical fashion brand Lovia. Lovia’s clothes and accessories are produced in Helsinki, Finland and they use mainly recycled and organic materials in their clothes and accessories. I recommend to take a look at their beautiful and unique products, photos and films at their site.

Lovia’s pure, wild, clean and dark style made me think of deep chocolate flavors and pure basic ingredients used in a new and innovative way. And the outcome was truly somewhat magical!

As a christmas present Lovia wanted to offer 30 % discount to Vanelja’s followers during this weekend. With the code LoviaVanelja30 you can get the discount when shopping at their online store before the midnight of 13th of December.

So have some chocolate cake folks and make your weekend merry!

V

3 INGREDIENT CHOCOLATE CAKE

Preparing time: 25 minutes

Cake:

  • 4 organic eggs
  • 10-15 fresh sweet dates
  • 1,5 dl raw cacao powder

Cake tin diameter: about 17 cm / 6,5 inches

Preheat the oven to 200 C / 400 Fahrenheit degrees. Grease/oil the sides and the bottom of the cake tin. Cut pieces of parchment paper to cover the bottom and the sides. Remove the stones from the dates and add all the ingredients to the blender. Blend until smooth. Pour the dough into the cake tin and bake for 20-25 minutes until the surface looks dry. Watch out not to dry the cake too much (a tough job!). Let the cake cool completely before you remove the cake from the tin. Notice that the surface will come down quite a bit. Enjoy with chocolate mousse and nut crust or whipped coconut cream and berries!

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE FROSTING

  • 1 can (400 ml) full fat coconut milk (kept in the fridge)
  • 3-5 tbsp raw cacao powder
  • 1 tbsp organic honey (or coconut syrup)

Take the coconut milk can from the fridge and scoop the white thick paste into a bowl. Add cacao powder and sweetener and whip with a mixer until mousse. Taste and add more cacao or sweetness if needed. Use as a frosting.

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Baby, It is dark, rainy and cold outside but my heart is shining brightly!

The reason for this glow is that my book about healthy fast food can be now finally found in the bookstores in Finland!

And may I just say: Pheeeew.

I’m feeling SO relieved. And happy. But not at all super hyped like I was when my first book was released a year ago. Now the feeling is more trusting, confident, calm and collected. I can be proud about the outcome and I know that this book will be the most used cookbook in our household! My husband, who is quite a lazy cook, has been cooking from the book many times already. So my main mission here is accomplished: Get the guy to cook!

Small step for the humankind, big achievement for my family. Huge.

Hopefully other takeaway lovers and lazy cooks will also find the book inspiring!

The book offers over 80 recipes for healthy, easy and quick vegetarian dishes, all without gluten and refined sugars. Most of the recipes can be done totally vegan. And the best part here is that the dishes can all be done less than in 30 minutes and they come with super simple ingredient lists.

I don't mean to brag but isn't that just great?!

And because many of you have asked me about the English version, I can now say that I’m in the progress of getting the book translated into English, but it will be a project for the next year. Let’s see then in what form it will eventually come out!

But here's as a tasting, some examples from the menu of my book:

For breakfast:

  • 3 x Easy Pancakes
  • 3 x 3 Ingredient Smoothies
  • 3 x Energy Bars
  • Blueberry Ginger Porridge
  • Cinnamon Jar Porridge
  • Chocolate Oat Porridge
  • Coconut Oat Breakfast Rolls
  • Easy Dairy-free Cheeses
  • Fig Pear Crumble

For Lunch & Dinner:

  • Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Curry Peanut Butter Sauce
  • Asian Green Wraps
  • Nepalese dish with 3 ingredient Naan Bread
  • Quick Curry with Sweet Potato Noodles
  • Sunshine Pasta
  • Avocado Pasta
  • Shiitake Seed Risotto (rice-free)
  • Eggplant Pizzas
  • White Pizza
  • Beetroot Pizza
  • Sweet Potato Pizza
  • Burrito Bowl with Chili Sin Carne
  • 3 x Easy Mayo (egg-free)

For Dessert:

  • 3 Ingredient Chocolate Cake
  • 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cake
  • 3 Ingredient Apple Pie
  • Almond Soft Serve
  • 2 Ingredient Cookies
  • Wholesome Banana Muffins
  • 2 Ingredient Apple Donuts
  • Melon Cake for Kids

And lots and lots of more dishes and treats! A small introduction of the book can be found here.

Have a lovely week, Friend!

xxx

V

One year ago I dreamed about a cookbook that would save our family meals.

My dream book would have recipes that would take less than 30 minutes to make, preferably only 15 minutes, ingredients lists should be nice and short, they would not include gluten, dairy or refined-sugars and most of the recipes should be vegan. The book should offer wholesome recipes for breakfasts, dinners, lunches, snacks and for sweet treats. Kid-friendly recipes would be a big plus and also if the book could also offer better alternatives for pizzas and burgers, my man’s favorite meals. All in all, the recipes in the book should be healthy, super easy and super delicious.

Too sad there wasn’t any book like that on the market. I went through a big bunch of cookbooks and waited for a hero that would fly into my arms and save those moments where the stomach is empty and the mind goes blank at the same time. There were nice recipes here and there but a book that would fulfil ALL my needs just didn’t seem to exist.

So, I had to make it myself. And I did.

Two weeks from here my next cookbook about healthy fast food is going to be released in Finland. The Finnish name is Kiitos hyvää Pikaruokaa, and I’m proud to say that the book offers EXACTLY everything I just described above!

I am so thrilled and I can’t wait to get it in my hands – For one since I actually cook the recipes from the book everyday, and I can’t remember all my recipes in detail, and I don’t wanna go on searching for them from my computer all the time, so I really need to get the book in my kitchen and in my hands – ASAP!

Gonna let you know more about the book later, but I’m sure you guys are going to appreciate it as well. Who would not love healthy and tasty fast food!

But now, to today’s meal! This vegan meatballs and pasta recipe is not actually from my upcoming cookbook, because I created it after the book had already gone to print, but it makes an excellent and simple everyday meal also. I’m just loving this easy pasta made from sweet potato and the rich taste and great texture of these vegetarian meatballs! If you ask me it's quite an excellent mimic of the Italian classic meal, with a healthy and fun twist.

V

VEGAN MEATBALLS AND SWEET POTATO PASTA

Hello darlings, it’s been a while! Actually over a month since my last post. …Oops. I could say that I have been working like crazy and have been doing this and that and the third, which would be very much true, but as my mother always says: only a lazy person counts her work. So let’s trust her and forget explanations and concentrate on the present, and on the most essential – the goodies I brought you!

I have been doing some collaboration with Oatlet Store, which is a brilliant webshop that deals oat-based products. And as a big fan of all oat related I have been super excited to test their gluten-free oat products from Provena and to design new recipes with them.

One of my absolutely favorite thing that came out of my laboratory is this pre-christmas sweet potato oat porridge. It is just insanely tasty, comforting and rich! And it includes my favorite ingredients at the moment: Sweet potato, cinnamon, cardamom, pecan nuts and – jumbo-sized oat flakes. Oh-my-god – TOTALLY different thing than those small oat flakes, that taste like a cardboard, especially after you’ve tasted jumbo ones. So delicious, and you get beautifully textured hearty porridge out of them.

I’m planning to make this sweet potato oat porridge my family’s official christmas porridge that will be consumed every morning until christmas. Well, at least on the weekends. And maybe only in December. I would rather like this to give nice taste memories to my kid than to cause any food traumas. It is too good to be overdosed. …Although I have a tiny hunch I’m gonna do it personally anyways.

But hey, with this pre-christmas porrdige I have also a pre-christmas gift for you: With the code VANELJA you get -20 % discount when shopping in Oatlet Store and the discount is available for two weeks from now. Oatlet Store ships throughout the EU. And if you want a tip, I can recommend at least, surprise surprise, these Provena Gluten Free Jumbo Oats and also Provena Gluten Free Whole Grain Oat Flour for baking.

Have a lovely November, stay warm and eat a lot of porridge!

V

SWEET POTATO OAT PORRIDGE

Gluten-free & vegan

Serves two

Porridge:

  • ½ cup pureed sweet potato (about 1 small sweet potato)
  • 2 cups oat milk (or for example almond milk)
  • 1 ½ cup gluten-free rolled oats (preferably jumbo-sized)
  • 1 tsp ceylon cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • ½ tsp cardamom
  • A pinch of sea salt

On top:

  • Crushed pecan nuts
  • Maple syrup (or organic local honey)
  • Ceylon cinnamon

Make the sweet potato puree: Peel the sweet potato and cut into small chunks. Steam until soft. Place the chunks to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour the oat milk and the sweet potato puree into a pot, bring up the heat and whip until mixed. Add spices and rolled oats. Cook for about 5 to 10 minutes, depending of the type of oats used. Serve with crushed pecan nuts, cinnamon and maple syrup. Enjoy!

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Higher forces are talking through me. I mean something bigger than me made me do stuff – to bake christmas cookies, to be exact. (I´m happy the forces communicating through me are seemingly good-natured, maybe a kind spirit of pastries or something.)

Many days I was haunted by this idea of gluten-free version of a traditional finnish christmas mince pie with a plum heart. And many days I tried to avoid this given mission. Just wasn´t in the mood. Then yesterday I finally gave in and stuck my hands to the dough. And created this easy modern version of the mince pie.

Actually they are more like cookies, even though the texture reminds a little bit of a puff pastry. The taste is delicious. The chia plum jam with a hint on licorice gives them a perfect juicy heart. Our 2-year-old went totally bonkers with these and had a great temper tantrum when after her fifth cookie I didn´t give her more. I think that means I kind of nailed my mission.

And if you were wondering (beacuse of my “talking higher forces” or “given missons”), I´m really okay. I can insure you. Not overstressed about my book and hearing voices, really. I´m actually very realxed and happy. Especially now when I got this new christmas recipe out of my system and the outcome was fantastic.

So keep ´em coming, you all mighty spirit of pastries!

V

MINCE PIE COOKIES WITH A PLUM JAM HEART

 

  • 0,5 cup almond flour
  • 0,5 cup coconut glour
  • 0,5 cup potato flour
  • 0,5 cup buckwheat flour
  • 1 tablespoon psyllium powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 200 g organic butter
  • 0,5 cup organic curd / quark
  • 1 organic egg
  • + plum jam (recipe below)

Mix flours and powders in the bowl. Cut the butter and allow to soften slightly at room temperature. Add with the flour mixture and pick the dough into crumbs. Add curd and egg and mix. Place the dough in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. (In the meantime prepare the plum jam)

Preheat the oven to 200 Celsius / 400 Fahrenheit degrees.

Take small portions (about the size of your fist) from the dough and knead it slightly on a floured surface. (put the rest of the dough back in the fridge) Roll the dough piece into about 1 cm thick disk. Cut pieces with a cookie cutter. Add plum jam in the middle. Bake in middle of the oven for 10-15 minutes, until the tarts get a beautiful golden hue.

PLUM CHIA JAM

  • 1 cup dried pitted plums
  • 1 cup water
  • 4 star anise
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 tablespoon grated licorice root stick / licorice root powder (optional)
  • 3 tablespoons chia seeds

Apply plums, water and the spices into a tin. Bring to a boil, and then let simmer on a low heat for about 20 minutes. Remove the spices. Add licorice root powder among the plums and water and puree to smooth mixture. Spoon the puree in a glass jar, stir in chia seeds and leave the mixture to cool without cover for about an hour. Store in the refrigerator covered and use within a week.

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To me there is nothing more that screams christmas – or rather that sings christmas, with the jingle bells backround – than ginger bread cookies. One bite or one sniff and you travel straight to the winter wonderland and to christmas mood.

In fact, as much I love a good ginger bread cookie I don´t want to eat them any other time than just before christmas. So that the magic won´t fade.

Now when it´s only 9 days to christmas I can finally swing into high gear and start baking my magical crispy cookies with warm flavors. Wishing they would make the winter wonderland reality, meaning that the snow would finally come.

So here´s my gluten-free and grain-free ginger bread cookie recipe that I have created for you. Added also some nut butter in just to make the spell more intense. Join the magic and enojy!

V

GINGER BREAD COOKIES

 

(gluten-free, grain-free)

  • 125 g organic butter
  • 1,5 dl coconut palm syrup
  • 1 tablespoon peanut butter / almond butter
  • About 1- 2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon cardamom, 1,5 teaspoon bitter orange peel + 2 teaspoon ginger powder + 0.5 teaspoon clove OR about 3 teaspoons ginger bread spice mixture
  • 1,5 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 organic egg
  • 4 – 5 dl almond flour (the exact amount depends on how fatty the flour is. if the almond flour is full fat, you need it a little bit more because it does´t absorb liquid that much)
  • 2 dl potato strach

Pour butter, syrup and nut butter into a pan and heat the mixture until it melts. Stir. Remove the pan from the heat, add the spices and let cool. Stir in soda and egg. Mix well. Add the flours and mix to a smooth and thick dough that you can mold. Add more flour if the dough is loose and sticky. Let the dough stand in the refrigerator overnight.

The next day bake gingerbreads. Preheat the oven to 200 celcius degrees. Prepare baking sheets by lining with parchment paper. Place 1 portion of the dough on a lightly floured surface. Keep the rest of the dough in the refrigerator in the meantime. Sprinkle flour over dough your rolling. Roll dough to a scant ¼-inch thick. Cut out cookies with desired cutter. Bake in the oven for about 5-10 minutes (depending on the thickness of the cookies) until the gingerbreads will receive a beautiful brown color. The lower time will give you softer cookies!

Take out from the oven, let cool, serve and enjoy!

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15-20 pcs

Coconut drops:

  • 1 cup coconut butter (also called coconut manna)
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 2 tablespoons organic honey (or vanilla stevia drops)
  • 2 tablespoons squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla powder

 

Chocolate Filling:

  • 1/2 cup almond butter or nut butter
  • 3 tablespoons raw cocoa powder
  • 2 tablespoons organic honey
  • a pinch of sea salt

 

Melt the coconut butter, coconut oil and honey in a warm water bath. Add the lemon juice and vanilla. Blend in a blender until smooth. Taste and add seasoning if desired.

In another bowl melt the almond butter. Add cocoa powder, coconut oil, salt and sweetener and stir.

Pour a little bit of the white coconut mixture on the bottom of a mini cup cake tins/casseroles. Add a drop of chocolate filling. Fill the tins with the white mixture. Put the tins in the freezer for about an hour. Take out to room temperature, serve and enjoy! Store in a refrigerator in a resealable box.

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I have started it. I have let Christmas in. Some might say it's way too early for this annual guest to arrive. Yet in my point of view, Christmas has so many lovely qualities, especially flavors and things to eat, that if you want to enjoy it to the maximum, you really need to start early.

As I did when I baked these lovely Cranberry Cinnamon cookies.

In some weird way these cookies remind me of cinnamon rolls, but these are definitely more cookie-like than buns, while still quite soft in the center. And crisp at the same time. With some soft and juicy cranberry and raisin hits. And almond flakes. Aaand that cinnamon and cardamom flavor. These cookies are simply a must pre-Christmas treat!

V

CRANBERRY CINNAMON COOKIES

About 16 pieces

  • 3 dl almond flour
  • 0,5 dl buckwheat flour
  • 4 tablespoons flaxseed meal
  • 1 dl coconut sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp ceylon cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp cardamom
  • 1 dl oat milk (or some other dairy-free milk)
  • 1 dl melted butter (or coconut oil, or half of each)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 dl almond flakes
  • 1 dl dried cranberries
  • 3 tablespoons organic raisins

Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl. In another bowl, mix the oat milk, oil or butter, and vanilla extract. Add to dry ingredients. Add almond flakes, cranberries and raisins. Stir. The dough should be firm but soft, if necessary add a little flour or liquid. Beware of putting too much flour, so that the cookies won´t become dry.

Place the dough onto a large piece of foil and shape the dough into a roll/stick that is about 5 cm thick. Wrap in foil. Put in the freezer for about 15 minutes so that the dough thickens a bit. In the meantime, heat the oven to 175 celcius degrees. Take the stick from the freezer, remove the foil, and cut the stick into about 2 cm thick pieces. Put the pieces on baking tray covered with parchment paper. Bake the cookies for about 15 minutes. Be careful that the cookies won´t become too dry! Take out of the oven and allow to cool and harden. Serve and enjoy!
Change DL to CUPS for example HERE!

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About 5 cup cakes

Crust:

  • 20 gingerbreads
  • 3 tbsp melt cold-pressed coconut oil

Chocolate mousse:

  • 10 oz soft tofu
  • 3.5 oz raw chocolate or dark chocolate
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp coconut palm sugar (or other desired sweetener)
  • a small pinch of sea salt

Crumble the gingerbread with your fingers. Add coconut oil and mix. Press the crust into small cupcakes molds and put the cups in the fridge for a while. In the meantime make the chocolate mousse.

Melt the chocolate. Put the soft tofu in a blender and puree. Add the melt chocolate and spices. Blend until smooth thick mixture. Add the chocolate mousse on top of the cupcakes with a spoon or with a piping tube. Sprinkle some ginger bread crumble on top. Place the cupcakes in the fridge for a while. Take them to a room temperature for a little while before serving. Indulge.