5 Recipes for Vibrant Health.

It’s no secret that I’m a bit of a foodie. And while I love to indulge in a decadent slice of cake or a cheesy bowl of pasta when I’m out, but mostly I love to make food that’s totally healthy and also wildly delicious. So when Indigo Herbs got in touch with me about sampling some of their products, I was excited to play around with some new ingredients.

My focus was to create health-promoting recipes that show just how yummy these super foods can be (yep, even the green ones!) The best way to achieve vibrant health is from the inside out. Clean eating promotes glowing skin, boundless energy, and generally improves your quality of life. So I hope you’ll be inspired to give these recipes a try and make some magic in the kitchen!

Incredible Hulk Protein Pancakes
A protein-rich breakfast will help you stay full for longer and after drinking green smoothies for so long, I treat it as an imperative to get a serving of greens in the morning. Spirulina is a blue green algae that’s high in protein, as well as being a good source of vitamins and minerals. The alkalising chlorophyll also helps the body detoxify and get rid of harmful toxins and bacteria that can lead to illness. But it has quite a particular taste that many people find off-putting. I’ve masked the flavour with cocoa in this recipe and since these pancakes are made of whole, clean ingredients, they taste indulgent but are actually loaded with goodness.

1 egg
1 banana
2 tablespoons hemp protein powder
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons almond milk
1 teaspoon spirulina
½ teaspoon cinnamon
coconut oil for frying

1. Blend ingredients in a blender until smooth.
2. Heat a small amount of coconut oil in a pan and then ladle in batter. This recipe will make about 3 pancakes.
3. Wait until the top of the pancakes begin to bubble and then flip over. Cook until both sides are golden brown.
4. Serve with honey (or sweetener of choice) and fresh berries!

Beetroot Dal
Dal is one of my favourite staple recipes because I always have the ingredients on hand, so it’s the perfect thing to whip together when my fridge is looking a little bare. And if you start keeping beetroot powder on hand, you can add some veggie goodness even if your crisper is empty. Beetroot powder contains the vitamin-rich profile of fresh beets, in a concentrated powder form. It’s great in your morning smoothie, but also adds a nice flavour to soups, stews and curries.

2 cups vegetable broth
½ cup red lentils
2 tablespoons peanut butter
2 teaspoons beetroot powder
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon turmeric
salt & pepper to taste

1. Bring broth to a boil and add lentils.
2. Add spices and reduce to a simmer.
3. Cook until water is fully absorbed (10-15 minutes).
4. Serve with steamed greens or grain of choice.

Immune Boosting Smoothie
It seems that cold and flu season is upon us again, so why not use your food as medicine and help boost your immune system, so that you can avoid getting sick in the first place? This smoothie is loaded with health-promoting goodness, as well as ingredients to aid in digestion, so you can soak up all those nutrients. The super special ingredient is cordyceps powder – a fermented mushroom that is said to help boost athletic performance, but is also like a super hero for your immune system!

2 cups spinach
1 cup almond milk
1 cup orange juice
1 banana
½ cup frozen pineapple
2 kiwis, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon baobab powder
2 teaspoons cordyceps cs-4 powder

Blend until smooth and then drink up!

Wheatgrass Face Mask
I like keeping a small container of greens powder for days when I’m struggling to get my five-a-day. Simply add some to juice, shake, and go. This is how I’m used to using wheatgrass powder and its detoxifying properties mean that it will help your skin glow from the inside out. But little did I know that it has topical benefits as well! It’s exfoliating, antiseptic, and is set to help reduce visible signs of aging, and it’s easy to get all of these benefits with this simple face mask.

1 tablespoon of honey
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon of wheatgrass powder

Combine ingredients thoroughly and then apply a thin layer to your face. Leave for 10 minutes and then rinse thoroughly.

Cookie Batter Bites
I’m currently on a mission to snack healthier! If I don’t come prepared, I end up grabbing a bagel or muffin, which never makes me feeling great. I’ve missed making lots of snacks, like date and nut bars, as I don’t have a food processor right now. But by using ground almonds and chopping the dates really fine, I’ve found the perfect hack to get around this. Inspired by my one of friend Fab’s recipe, I’ve been making these cookie batter bites and they’ve quickly become my favourite snack to take to work. The protein and healthy fats make them quite filling and you get the lovely fruity nutrients from the raw banana powder. Plus, they taste like eating cookie batter so what’s not to love?

1 cup ground almonds
1 cup hemp protein powder
10 dates, finely chopped
1/2 cup coconut milk, light (canned)
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
2 tbsp raw banana powder
2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. Stir everything in a large both and then get in there with your hands until thoroughly combined.
2. Spoon out 2-3 tablespoons and roll into a ball.
3. Once you’ve rolled all of them batter, place them in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up.
4. Store in the fridge in an airtight contain for up to 1 week.

Have I inspired you to give any of these superpowered ingredients a try? What are your favourite healthy recipes? I’d love to hear!

Love, raw chocolate lattes, and vintage bicycles,