Month: April 2020

Recipes

Sweet Potato Brownies Recipe

Post author By Sean McMahon
Post date April 23, 2020

Sweet Potato Brownies | Recipe | Vegan | Gluten - Free | Bodicafe

Gluten-free* and Vegan!

-Original recipe by The Minimalist Baker

You’ll Need:

1 cup mashed sweet potato ( boil / bake, peel and mash with a fork)
2/3 cup maple syrup/ date paste (less if you don’t want the mix to be too sweet)
1/2 cup almond butter (or a nut butter of your choice)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ Tbsp coconut oil (liquid not solid)
1/2 cup cacao powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
2/3 cups rolled*oat flour (blend/process oats in a high speed blender/ food processor until fine)
1/2 cup roasted and crushed nuts (pecans/ hazelnuts)
1/4 cup dairy-free chocolate nibs

*Check the packaging label for whether the oats have been produced in a factory that manufactures wheat (gluten).

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a square baking pan with baking paper.
In a mixing bowl, add mashed sweet potato, maple syrup/ date paste , almond butter, vanilla extract and coconut oil. Stir well.
Add cacao powder, salt and baking powder and mix well; Add oat flour and mix until batter is well-combined and thick.
Spoon batter onto your lined baking dish. Use a large knife to even out the batter across the pan. Sprinkle nibs and nuts across the top of the batter.
Bake at 180°C for 25-30 minutes. Poke a toothpick into the centre of the batter to check if the brownies are baked through. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Remove from the pan and slice into squares. Enjoy with chocolate sauce or dairy-free ice-cream. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.

Recipes

Pickled Mushrooms Recipe

Post author By Sean McMahon
Post date April 17, 2020

-Made with apple cider vinegar

You’ll need:

1 punnet/ 500 g button mushrooms, washed
Olive oil
1 Tbsp crushed garlic
Fresh , chopped herbs (thyme, rosemary)
1 Tbsp dried basil
¼ tsp chili flakes
Salt to taste
2-3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
½ tsp sweetener (optional; we used date paste)

Method

On low heat in a saucepan , braise the garlic in the olive oil until slightly golden brown . Add the fresh herbs , dried basil and chili flakes.
Add mushrooms and braise until brown. Add salt to taste.
Add apple cider vinegar a tablespoon at a time to gauge flavour. Mix.
Cover the saucepan to allow the mix to condensate. After 10 min remove the lid and taste. If flavour is lacking, add salt and additional herbs. Add sweetener to neutralize the acidity of the vinegar (optional). Mix to combine all ingredients.
Place mushrooms ( with pickle liquid) into a sterilized jar and allow to cool , uncovered , at room temperature. Store in the refrigerator.
Enjoy on home-made bread , in salads or as is.

Articles

Pushing Through a Pandemic Recipe

Post author By Sean McMahon
Post date April 1, 2020

Pushing Through a Pandemic | immune system | Hobbies | BodiCafe

Preventative measures, immune boosters and more info on how to cope during a pandemic

COVID-19, CORONAVIRUS seems to be all the world can think about right now , and with good reason. Nation-wide lock-downs, travel bans and other restrictions have been put in place to contain the spread of the virus.

Under the constant bombardment of news alerts you may be feeling overwhelmed and concerned. To help ease your mind, we’ve come up with a nifty list to keep you and your family both healthy and occupied during the lock-down:

Boost your immune system

Fortify you immune system by eating well and keeping active. An inactive body filled up on processed foods can lead to a weakened immune system that won’t be able to fight off infections and other pathogens. Here are some excellent immune boosters:

Garlic: garlic contains an organic compound called ‘allicin’ which contains immune enhancing, antioxidant and antibacterial properties.
Ginger: Got a scratchy throat? Ginger to the rescue! Ginger contains anti-inflammatory properties. A dose of ginger added to a mug of hot water and raw honey (steep for a few min) should assist in relieving your sore throat.
Flax seeds: Flax seeds contain iron and Omega 3 that assist to counteract the effects of pathogens entering the body as well as to provide the immune system with oxygen.
Chia seeds: Chia seeds contain antioxidants that help to boost the immune system. Antioxidants also help to protect the body’s cells and tissues that are susceptible to free radical damage.

Be responsible

WHO and the South African Department of Health have communicated preventative measures that each civilian should be taking in order to prevent the spread of the virus:

Wash your hands: Wash hands frequently with warm water and soap for at least 20 sec.
Do not touch your face : Avoid touching your nose, mouth and eyes as the surface of your hands may be contaminated with germs and other pathogens.
Social distancing: Stand at least one meter away from the next person when in public; avoid large groups of people to avoid contracting or spreading the virus.
Know your symptoms: A fever, shortness of breath, coughing and body aches are symptoms that need to be communicated to your health care practitioner.

Hobbies

Going into lock-down mode shouldn’t mean succumbing to boredom. There are various activities and hobbies you can do to keep you and your family occupied:

Cooking: visit our blog for yummy ,wholefood recipes
Reading: download e-books or catch up on books you haven’t completed reading
Crossword puzzles: the Apple App Store and Google Play Store have great crossword puzzle apps that’ll keep you and your kids entertained for hours
Start a blog: writing about and sharing an unfamiliar experience may help to alleviate the stress of current events

We encourage each person to take responsibility of their actions during this lock-down. Please stay in-doors, wash your hands regularly and monitor any unusual symptoms. Stay healthy and stay safe!

Sources:

COVID-19 South African Online Portal: sacoronavirus.co.za/
World Health Organization: www.who.int/