Green beans as a side dish
Beans are nutritious and versatile pulses that fit perfectly into a winter menu and add color to your plate. Green beans have an average of just 35 calories per 100 grams. They are also a natural source of iron and provide around 2 grams for the same amount. In addition to their digestive effect, beans also contain many valuable minerals such as potassium and magnesium.
Our tip: Wash green beans, cut off the pointed ends, cut in half or thirds depending on their length and drain off the remaining water or lightly dab the beans before cooking. To ensure that the beans are nice and crisp and yet still cooked, boil approx. 2 liters of water with a little salt in a pan and then add the beans to the bubbling hot water. This cooking process is called blanching - it not only preserves the crunchy consistency of the beans, but also the vitamins. Depending on the size, cook in the hot water for about 5 minutes, then pour into a sieve and drain well. To make the beans even firmer, we recommend running them briefly under ice-cold water. You can then place the blanched beans in a hot pan with 2-3 tablespoons of coconut oil, season with spices of your choice and fry.
Quinoa salad as a main course
Quinoa is the superfood par excellence: gluten-free, high in protein, low in fat and really tasty too. The Incas already knew this when they discovered quinoa around 5000 years ago and used it as a source of carbohydrates. This is why quinoa is sometimes referred to as "Andean millet". Quinoa is not a real grain, but a pseudocereal like amaranth, for example, which is why it is gluten-free. It also makes you feel really full! The long-chain carbohydrates are broken down slowly by the body and ensure a constant, long-lasting feeling of satiety. Quinoa is also a real jack-of-all-trades when it comes to preparation. From exotic and spicy to wintery and sweet to Mediterranean, you can create great salads and dishes with quinoa.
To prepare the quinoa salad, you should first wash the quinoa thoroughly in a sieve. Then boil about 400 ml of water for 200 g of quinoa and leave the quinoa to soften for about 5-8 minutes. Then remove from the heat and leave to swell for a further 10 minutes. Instead of water, quinoa can also be cooked in vegetable stock. Once the quinoa is ready, it's time for the seasoning. You can really let off steam here. The quinoa tastes particularly delicious and wintery when mixed with fennel, avocado and pomegranate seeds. Lime juice, mint, feta and tomatoes also taste great with the cereal porridge and are reminiscent of Middle Eastern cuisine.
Dessert with cashew, almond or peanut butter
A festive Christmas menu naturally includes a dessert! To conjure up quick dessert creations, we recommend our nut butter.
With cashew butter, for example, you can make a nutty, vegan ice cream using simple ingredients such as bananas, (soy) yogurt and chopped cashews. To do this, slice the bananas, place them in a bag in the freezer for at least 3 hours and then mix with the other ingredients and puree in a blender.
Our almond butter is also great for sweet winter desserts. For example, we find coconut rice pudding with almond butter and date topping particularly delicious. Simply prepare the rice pudding using coconut milk and sweeten to taste with coconut blossom sugar. Once the rice pudding is creamy and swollen, add chopped dates and a few tablespoons of almond butter to the rice as a topping!
If you prefer chocolate, you can conjure up a vegan chocolate and peanut cream with our peanut butter. To do this, mix bananas, ripe avocados, cocoa powder and peanut butter. The best way to do this is with a hand blender or mixer. Then chill for a few hours and garnish with cocoa nibs or dried fruit, for example.
We wish you a Merry Christmas!
