Dahl Inspired Sprouted Salad with Coriander, Mint and Sunflower Seed Dressing from The Wooden Spoon

Happy Saturday everyone! Life has been hectic lately, there is still work on the cookbook and many other food related projects going on around here, but I am getting back into the swing of things and should be back to regular posting soon. I'm still spending much of my time cooking and you can see my daily kitchen snaps on Instagram. 
Meanwhile, here is another exciting guest post, this time from Amy of The Wooden Spoon. Amy lives in Australia with her husband and daughter and is a long time yoga teacher. She shares her fresh, vibrant culinary creations on her blog, along with stories of organic farming and overall sustainable living. Pay a visit to The Wooden Spoon for loads of inspiration and positivity. Here is Amy:

I felt a little like an adolescent school boy asking a young girl he'd been secretly admiring out on a date as as I sat at the computer, trying to write Anya an email. "Errrm...do you...think that ummm...you might...sort of like to hmmm...consider me for a guest post?" I wrote the words without in any way expecting a reply. But when I got one... I won't lie to you... I had a little dance and said "whooooohoooo!!!" kind of loud. What a dream to be able to post on such a space!
But there began my dilemma. What to post? What do I have worthy of sharing at this wonderful feast that is Golubka...so full of inspired ideas, of beautiful images, of healthful, nurturing, creative and life-giving dishes. What do I have to bring to the table?
While considering a recipe worth sharing I was filled with so many ideas and possibilities that somehow they all got stuck and nothing would come out. I looked to our garden for inspiration... custard apples are in season, the pineapples are ripening, the branches of the lime trees are heavy with fruits, leafy greens are flourishing in our cooling Australian sub-tropical Autumn, but still...nothing. I wanted something special of course, something that would would speak entirely for our kitchen...

and our garden...
Slowly but surely an idea emerged...
and this was it...a salad of sprouted green lentils, sprouted mustard seeds and sprouted fenugreek with a dressing of coriander, mint, chilli and sunflower seeds.

As you might be able to tell from this post I love a big bowl of hearty dahl. This salad combines many of the same ingredients (including the spices) used in a dahl but entirely raw and sprouted. It's a recipe that needs a few days in preparation because first, you need to sprout your sprouts.

Sprouting is something that has become somewhat of a delight for our two year old daughter, Bhumi. She takes the utmost pleasure in adding water to the seeds and pulses, draining them and then covering each bowl in cloth so they can sleep while they grow. Each day she carefully untucks the cloth and turns them in her hands, singing with excitement over the 'tails' that are sprouting from each pulse or seed.
I watch her as she careful removes just one little mustard seed from the bowl and places it in the palm of her hand. "Awwww." She says. "It's just a widdle baby." I feel a shiver of joy and reverence run down my spine. That tiny little sprout she holds in her chubby hand contains within it a seemingly unending array of vitamins, enzymes and amino acids and represents the point of greatest vitality in the life cycle of a plant. The building blocks of health itself.
The inner gardener in me gets a little overwhelmed just at the sight of one big bowl of sprouts...if I was to plant them all I would need fifty, maybe even one hundred times the garden space I have now. But blessedly, I am able to take the nutrients capable of growing into a whole field of leafy greens, and sit down to it at one easy and delicious meal.
Later, in the garden Bhumi stands in awe at the mustard green plants as I explain to her that such a big plant grows from just one tiny seed. Undoubtedly, it is a miracle...every time.

During sprouting, enzyme and vitamin content increase dramatically (sometimes over eight times the nutrient content pre-sprout!). Not only do nutrient values get to kick-ass quantities but all the complex starches within convert into simple sugars, protein is turned into amino acids and crude fat is broken down into free fatty acids (anything simple and free in my books is a winner). This magical and reverential sprouting process takes the nutrients of the seed and pre-digests them for you, making it just that much easier to assimilate and metabolise. This explains why grains and legumes, many of which are common allergens, often do not cause allergies when sprouted.
In our kitchen I try to at least soak (sparking the sprouting process) all of our seeds, nuts, grains and legumes...including whole spices. Todays recipe calls on many whole spices, two of which are entirely sprouted. These two are mustard seeds and fenugreek.

Mustard by nature is very warming, strengthening and stimulating to the digestive system. Like teeny tiny multi-vitamin pills they contain essential B complex vitamins (excellent for vegetarians!), essential oils, niacin as well as calcium, manganese, copper, iron, selenium and zinc. As well as giving a peppery kick to any recipe its added to, mustard can be used for a wide variety of medicinal purposes from cancer to premature balding. If planted in the garden and allowed to flourish into a leafy green it can be eaten to relieve lung infections, colds and coughs.
We have mustard greens growing wildly all over our garden and I have never once purposely planted a seed. They pop up anywhere where we have buried compost (from our food scrap compost or composting toilet) and continue to self seed season after season. We use their peppery leaves in salads, stir-fries and have found it adds an incredible dimension to sauerkrauts and vegetable ferments.
Fenugreek is a sister herb to garlic and is one of the oldest recorded medicinal herbs known to man. To tell you all of its attributes would take me all day so perhaps I will share with you its most notable attribute for being able to alleviate mucous in the body. On a farm community where I lived years ago we would make a strong tea of whole fenugreek and drink it at the onset of a cold. If sufficient tea was consumed then no mucous would show up and the cold would pass in half the time. The only downside (depending on which way you want to look at it) is that it seeps from your pores sometimes for days later, giving you a slightly spicy smell (which some might actually find kind of yummy).

To make your sprouts, simply cover each grain or seed in water and soak over night. In the morning, strain them seperately through a colander and rinse well. If you have specialised sprouting equipment then simply follow the instructions on the package. If you don't have any sprouting equipment then a wide-lidded jar covered at the opening with some gauze or muslin makes an excellent substitute. In this way the sprouts can be easily rinsed, drained and then stored opening down on a wire wrack.
Personally (because I usually sprout in quite large quantities), I prefer to leave the sprouts in a sieve or colander and simply wrap the entire colander after each rinse in a tea-towel or cloth, placing them in a warm, dark place to rest. It's best to water your sprouts twice a day, morning or night by allowing water to run freely through them. The more thoroughly and more regularly you rinse your sprouts, the better the flavour.
You can experiment with how long you want to leave your sprouts to grow. Different seeds will sprout at different rates, also depending on external climatic conditions. I find that 2-4 days is usually enough. At that point you might like to place the sprouts on a shallow tray in some gentle light to allow the chlorophyl to come in. Once you're happy with how far along your sprouts have come, they can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week or more.

Dahl Inspired Sprouted Salad with Coriander, Mint and Sunflower Seed Dressing

Salad
2 small cucumbers, chopped into small pieces
1 stalk of celery, finely sliced (including the leaves)
2 ripe tomatoes, finely and carefully chopped
1 carrot, sliced into small ribbons with a vegetable peeler
1 zucchini, sliced into small ribbons with a vegetable peeler
1 green capsicum, finely chopped
2 big handfuls of sprouted green lentils
1 big handful of sprouted fenugreek
1 small handful sprouted yellow and black mustard seeds
A variety of leafy greens (I used mustard greens, mizuna, lettuce, kale and sweet potato leaves)

Combine all of the finely chopped vegetables with the sprouts and toss. Place on a bed of torn leafy greens.

Dressing
1 cup sunflower seeds (soaked overnight)
1/4 cup hemp seed oil
1/4 cup water
1 bunch fresh coriander, chopped
1 bunch fresh mint, chopped
The juice of two limes
1 fresh red chilli
1 Tbsp coconut sugar
1/2 tsp cumin seeds, soaked overnight
1/2 tsp fennel seeds, soaked overnight
1/2 tsp coriander seeds, soaked overnight
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients together in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.

I served this salad inside large male pumpkin flowers. Its flavours were a wonderful and exciting combination of sharp and mellow, spicy and cooling, refreshing and light, but simultaneously filling and satisfying. Give it a try, I think you might like it.

Rhubarb Raspberry Fizz from Sarah at The Vanilla Bean Blog

This Sunday's guest is Sarah, a self-taught baker from Minneapolis, who writes the beautiful Vanilla Bean Blog. If you haven't visited yet, I suggest heading over right away for stunning food photography, great stories, amazing recipes, and the most mouthwatering cakes. Now that spring is in full swing and the sun shines brighter, cooling drinks are on everyone's mind and we are very excited for this delicious drink recipe. Here is Sarah:

Hello! I'm so happy to be posting at Golubka; it's such a gorgeous space and I find it so inspiring and encouraging.   

Here in Minnesota we've been struggling to get to Spring (it's been snowing for six months straight), and I thought a fizzy summer drink would help get things started. I've had 'fruity-honey-drink' on my to-do list for two summers now, because while I must admit I love drinking iced lattes and black tea lemonade, they are always made with too much sugar and I start to regret them. I wanted to come up with something that was refreshing and delicious, but didn't contain a lot of sugar or caffeine. Since the only two things I can grow successfully is rhubarb and raspberries, I thought they would be a perfect place to start. After some tinkering, the rhubarb-raspberry fizz was born. It is a sweet-tart drink, with a small amount of honey balancing the sharp fruit. It's incredibly tasty, and I'm looking forward to spending the (short) summer months sipping it.  

Rhubarb Raspberry Fizz  

Instead of simmering the rhubarb and raspberries with honey, I've added the honey to the warm juice after it's been cooked and strained. I found this gave it a more 'clean' honey taste. I thought 2 tablespoons was the perfect amount - it still left a little bit of tartness to the drink. Feel free to add more if you'd like it sweeter. If you want to make the juice ahead, remember that honey will firm up in the fridge, and you will have to gently reheat the mixture to loosen the honey. Sugar could be substituted, although I would include it in the simmering stage. A tablespoon or two of minced ginger would be lovely here, and strawberries or blueberries would make a nice substitution for the raspberries. A splash of bourbon is also excellent! I made this with both straight up tap water and club soda, and liked it both ways. 

12 ounces rhubarb, chopped into 1 inch pieces 

4 ounces raspberries 

1 vanilla bean pod, seeds scraped  

2 cups water 

8 tablespoons good honey (more or less to taste, see note) 

water, club soda, ginger ale, or any other bubbly drink you think would be a good fit   

Place the rhubarb, raspberries, vanilla bean seeds and pod, and water in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil, and then let simmer for 30 minutes until rhubarb is tender. Place the mixture in a strainer over a large bowl and press on the rhubarb and raspberries until all the juice is released (you should have about 2 cups). Discard the pulp. Divide the warm mixture equally between 4 glasses and stir 2 tablespoons honey into each glass (more or less to taste), making sure honey is dissolved. Let cool, and then add equal amounts water, club soda, or ginger ale to each glass (about 1/2 cup per glass). Top with ice, and serve.

Garlic Onion Veggie Dip from Food Loves Writing

Today we're thrilled to welcome more guests, Shanna and Tim of Food Loves Writing, who came up with a delicious veggie dip recipe to share with us. You may have noticed a new wave of guest posts on Golubka lately - that's because we're still working on the cookbook, which is in the copy editing stage at the moment, and generally trying to take a little rest from intense recipe development. I enjoy the concept of guest posts so much, sharing and exchanging ideas often leads to the best recipes, meals and friendships.

Food Loves Writing is a literary food blog written by an amazing husband and wife team based in Nashville. Focusing on engaging storytelling intertwined with whole food recipes, Shanna and Tim run a warm and charming site, which I always find hard to leave, wanting to read just one more post. Be sure to pay them a visit and check out their ebook, Written Together. Here is Shanna's beautiful story:

Hello, Golubka readers! I’m truly so honored to be posting here today, partly because, like many of you, I so admire the quality of work on this site, and partly because, also, I resonate so much with the philosophy here of a fearless approach to new foods. Thanks again for the generous invitation, Anya! I hope you all enjoy hearing a little of our story.
My husband, Tim, wooed me into married life through sixteen months of dating around the delight of what were then many new-to-me foods. When I’d visit from Chicago, he’d bring me into his Nashville kitchen and make me impromptu salads, perfectly fried eggs with the brightest yellow yolks, mashed avocado on toast, sweet potatoes roasted in coconut oil, thick morning smoothies made in a blender he’d packed to the brim.
We’d first met through food blogs (a story you can read more about in our ebook), so the idea that we’d grow together around the table makes good sense. And in the years since I’ve known him, Tim’s taught me about balsamic vinegars and the many varieties of leafy lettuce and how rich a diet can be when one sticks to foods that are real. One month into our married life, going through boxes in our living room, I found an old journal of his, stashed with handwritten notes on the intricacies of ice-cream making, and I thought again how much this man is just my match. Because of this, over time, I’ve learned that when he has an idea, I should listen to it—and that’s the story of how this raw garlic dip, which is at once dairy-free, gluten-free and vegan, came to be.
So Tim said he had an idea for a vegetable or chip dip that would be based off of a cashew cream. I’ve always marveled at what cashews become when you soak them overnight and blend them into a chocolate pudding or raw berry pie, but turning them into something savory would, for us, be new.
Here is what we did: In a high-powered blender, we combined the soaked cashews, coconut milk, two cloves of garlic, two chopped green onions, chili powder and salt. Tasting and adjusting until we had it right, we ended up with a new take on the standard veggie dip, one so delicious I could eat it by itself with a spoon. We ate it with raw vegetables, but it would also be so nice with chips—or spread onto a sandwich or stuffed inside a lettuce wrap. I like to think of it as a testament to quality ingredients, but, I suppose, also, it’s just as easily a testament to love.

Garlic Onion Veggie Dip (Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegan) 
(Makes about three cups, which is plenty for a crowd, and is best served with fresh veggies or your favorite type of chip.)

1 cup of cashews - soaked in water overnight
Around 3/4 cup coconut milk
2 cloves of garlic - grated
2 green onions - chopped
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Sea salt and pepper

Begin by blending the soaked cashews in a high-powered blender or food processor, with enough coconut milk to almost come to the top of the nuts. Once the mixture is smooth and creamy, add garlic, onions, chili powder and salt. Taste, and add more chili powder, salt and pepper as you like.

Lemon Tarts from Laura at The First Mess

Today we are so happy to welcome a guest poster, Laura, a beautiful lady behind The First Mess. In case you are not familiar with her blog, head over and prepare to be amazed. You will be drawn into the world of vibrant colours, fresh and seasonal food, unique and simple recipes and engaging writing. The First Mess makes me smile with every new post, and I often run straight to the kitchen to make another one of Laura's delicious dishes. Here is Laura:

Hello all! I'm so pleased to be sharing something with you in this beautiful space today. I've long admired Golubka, for the healthy approach and the gorgeous imagery that sings stories of life well-lived. I have a special affinity for anyone capable of elevating natural foods so vibrantly. I strive for that same feeling in my own space.

Spring time brings a special vibrant energy all its own in my home. Lemon desserts are one of my favourite ways to usher in the warmth that soon comes. Rhubarb and strawberries and everything good will be along soon, but lemon's brightness is always within reach it seems. I'm sincerely grateful for that.

While I've always been mad for lemon desserts, I've found them somewhat difficult to recreate without eggs, dairy or soy. I sometimes tire of cashews for creaminess when I'm making a treat, so I tried something a bit riskier. I reached for the giant bag of pine nuts in the freezer, my go-to for salad topping and pesto mixing. The buttery and outright pine-y qualities were perfect for a lemon filling. I might even say that it was the finest lemon dessert I've ever had. Bold, I know.

The little pansy blossoms are an optional garnish, but they are perfectly edible and bring some colour to the plate. Do ensure that yours haven't been exposed to pesticide before adorning any treats.

Lemon Tarts

(Serves 5)

Notes: Use the finest almond flour you can find. Honeyville is a great brand to seek out if you live in the United States. Also, some full disclosure: I wasn't careful enough with one of the shells when I was flipping it out of the pan and it crumbled into a heap! Handle them with care.



Crusts
1 cup almond flour

1/2 cup oat flour (or use all almond flour) + extra for pans

pinch of salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup melted coconut oil + extra for greasing the tart pans

splash of water



Lemon Filling

1 1/4 cups raw pine nuts, soaked for at least 4 hours

1/3 cup almond milk (or water)

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup raw agave nectar (+more if you prefer it a bit sweeter)

1/2 tbsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup melted coconut oil

1 tbsp lemon zest



Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease 5 tartlet pans with coconut oil and sprinkle them with a bit of oat flour. Place them on a baking sheet and set aside.


In a large bowl, combine all of the crust ingredients except for the water. Stir them together with a spatula until you have a wet sand-like mixture that holds together when you pinch it. Add the splash of water if necessary.


Divide the crust mixture between the tartlet pans and press the mixture into them evenly with your fingers. Bake the shells for 15 minutes or until golden brown and firm to the touch. Allow them to cool completely, then place them in the fridge for at least an hour. To remove the shells, gently invert them upside down and tap the bottom of the pan with a spoon.


Make the filling: combine all of the filling ingredients except the coconut oil in a blender or food processor. Blend or pulse the mixture until completely smooth. Add the coconut oil and blend/pulse until incorporated. Scrape the mixture into a medium bowl and stir in the lemon zest. Cover the bowl with saran wrap, pressing it onto the top of the lemon filling to avoid a skin forming. Let it sit in the fridge for a couple hours to firm up.


To serve: divide the lemon filling amongst the tart shells. Garnish with edible flowers (like pansies, lavender or nasturtiums), berries, mint sprigs, strips of lemon zest or anything else you like.

Pineapple Cucumber Gazpacho

This post is also available in: French

Spring continues to be cool down where we are in Florida. I've lived here for ten years and never experienced such a chilly March. We are usually swimming in the gulf by now, but not this year. We're loving it though, knowing that the crazy summer heat will come soon and will stay for a while. I know that up North the spring has been harsh, but it's getting better, there are even rumors of 70+ degrees in NYC this week. This refreshing pineapple gazpacho is perfect for a spring awakening, full of bold sweet and spicy flavours. I've had my eyes on this recipe for a couple of years and finally gave it a try. The most important thing here is to have a very sweet and ripe pineapple and your gazpacho will be delicious. Take care not to overdo on jalapeno. I usually taste the pepper first to estimate how hot it is, as they fluctuate from mild to extremely hot, then I adjust accordingly.

Pineapple Cucumber Gazpacho 
(adapted from Raw Food, Real World)
serves 4-6

1 large ripe pineapple - peeled, cored and chopped
about 4 small or 1 large English cucumbers - peeled and chopped
1 cup pineapple juice - preferably freshly made
about 1/2 jalapeno - seeded and diced (see text)
1 tablespoon lime juice
1-2 teaspoons sea salt - to taste
1 green onion - chopped
1 handful cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish
3 tablespoons olive oil

1. In a food processor, combine 3 cups of each the pineapple and cucumber together with the pineapple juice, jalapeno, lime juice, salt and green onion, blend until smooth.
2. Add the remaining pineaple and cucumber, cilantro and 1/2 of the olive oil. Pulse a few times to achieve a chunky texture. Adjust seasoning and chill in the refrigerator.
3. Serve garnished with the remaining cilantro and olive oil.

Sprouted Spelt Pancackes

When I posted about my experiments with Tartine's sourdough bread, I recieved a lot of questions about discarding the starter, since that technique calls for so much of the starter to be tossed every day. I found a way to utilize it in these simple, fluffy pancakes - it's absolutely perfect for them. I make them vegan, but you can certainly add eggs to your batter if you prefer it that way. These pancakes are best when cooked on a cast iron pan - I own a tiny 5-inch one and it works wonderfully here. The coconut creme is easy and delicious as well, but I invite you to experiment with your own favorite pancake toppings.

Sprouted Spelt Pancakes

for the pancakes
1 cup sourdough starter
1 1/2 cup warm purified water
2 1/2 cups spelt flour (I used sprouted spelt)
2/3 cup almond milk
2 tablespoons coconut sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons grape seed oil (or other vegetable oil), plus more for frying the pancakes

for the coconut creme 
1/2 cup full fat canned coconut milk
1/2 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

to make the pancakes and coconut creme
1. In a large bowl, mix together the starter, water and flour. Cover and leave overnight.
2. Next morning whisk in the rest of the ingredients. Heat up about 1/2 tablespoon of oil in your pan at the medium heat.
3. Place the coconut milk in the freezer to thicken.
3. Add about 1/4 cup of batter per pancake to an oiled pan. Cook for about a minute, until the batter begins bubbling throughout and the underside becomes golden.
4. Flip and fry the other side for 30 seconds to a minute, until golden. Repeat with the rest of the batter.
5. When all the batter is used up, take the coconut milk out of the freezer. Mix in the honey and vanilla until smooth. If the milk began to freeze, give it a quick whirl in a blender, along with the honey and vanilla.
6. Serve the pancakes with coconut creme and fresh berries or any other toppings / sides you like.

Welcome Spring Raw Cake from Karolina Eleonóra

Today I've got a guest post for you that I am very excited about. When Karolina Eleonóra of The Raw Dessert Kitchen emailed me about a possible guest post on this amazing cake, I couldn't wait to share such beauty. Let me introduce Karolina Eleonóra, a Swedish raw dessert chef with an eye for making really beautiful and decadent desserts. She specializes in nut-free desserts spiced with a variety of different super foods. For more of her delicious recipes, check out her eBook The Dessert Revolution. Here is what she says:

This cake is a tribute to the much-missed spring here in Sweden (it's late this year). I'm trying to keep my spirit high by digging into a raw cake that pretty much has it all in terms of consistency, flavor, surprise effect and favorite ingredients, plus it was fun to make!

The base of the cake is a raw version of a bundt cake, moist from coconut oil and made with hazelnut flour. Inside hides a lemon cheesecake filling with crunchy cacao nibs and on top, melted dark chocolate. All together the cake managed to lift my mood and frozen body to a much higher state while eagerly waiting for spring.

Welcome Spring Cake  

Hazelnut Sponge Cake Base
1 cup Hazelnut flour
7 Dates, smaller Helwah dates or 6 Medjool dates
1 tablespoon virgin Coconut oil
1 pinch of Himalayan salt
1/4 teaspoon real Vanilla from pod
1/4 teaspoon ground Cardamom

Pit and soak the dates for 5 minutes. In a food processor, add all of the ingredients and process until incorporated. Save some to create the bottom later (needs to be in the size of a peach).
Grease a 5 inch (13 cm) wide cup, bowl or miniature sponge cake pan with coconut oil and coat with some hazelnut flour. Press down the cake dough, making a round hole in the middle. Create a pretty finish using a spoon to "polish" the inside of the hole (where the filling goes later).

Lemon Cheesecake Filling 
0.5 cups Cashews
0.5 cup Coconut milk (process 0.5 cup shredded Coconut with 2/3 cup Water in a blender and press the milk through a nut milk bag)
3 tablespoons virgin Coconut oil
1 pinch of Himalayan salt
1 tablespoon light Agave or Honey
Zest from one organic Lemon
1 teaspoon Lemon juice
One handful of Cacao nibs (is to be stirred in by hand in the end)

Grind the Cashews into a fine flour in a blender, put aside in a bowl. Make the Coconut milk in the blender, add the Cashew flour and the rest of the ingredients except the Cacao nibs. Process until completely smooth. Add the Cacao nibs, stir and pour the filling into the cake dough hole. Place in the freezer to be fully frozen. When fully frozen, create the bottom of the cake with the dough that you saved and press it down to cover the filling.
Place the whole cake up side down with a plate under and give it a couple of hours to thaw.
To remove the cup / bowl / pan, place a cloth soaked in hot water on top. If you have a metal bowl, gently tap it with the back of a knife.

Melted Chocolate 
2 tablespoons virgin Coconut oil
2 tablespoons Agave
3-4 tablespoons raw Cacao powder
1 small pinch of Himalayan salt
1/8 of a teaspoon real Vanilla from pod

Melt the Coconut oil carefully in a water bath. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir with a whip. Wait for the chocolate to thicken a bit before you pour it over the cake. Decorate with more hazelnuts.