NATEUR COOKING:

Eating healthy doesn’t have to be boring. It’s still possible to indulge in your favorite foods, while nourishing your body at the same time. Here we share clean versions of delicious recipes that will leave you feeling and looking incredible and not to mention, insanely satisfied!

Name: Viola Hou

Instagram: @thesunshineeatery  

Job description: Plant-based food blogger and eco-advocate

Favorite skin food ingredient and why: whole plant foods of all kinds. Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli for vitamin C to help grow new cells; sweet potato & pumpkin for beta-carotin which is the precursor for Vitamin A, aka. the main active ingredient in Retin-A. Legumes & pumpkin seeds for fiber and zinc, which has healing properties and fights acne. Healthy omega 3s from hemp seeds and walnuts.

Top three Instagram accounts for inspiration: @kraut_kopf; @eatthisorg; @cookrepublic

Go-to quick, healthy meal: During this time of year, all types of soup! Super quick as all you require is vegetables, some vegetable stock powder and maybe some coconut cream. It also limits food waste as you can use whatever veg might be close to going off!

Skincare mantra: good skin comes from within so if you eat healthily and a balanced, plant-focused diet then your skin will thank you. Additionally, always use sunscreen!

Breakfast recipe: Oat Creme with Mango Purée & Fresh Fruit

Ingredients: 

(Serves 2)

Oat Creme:
- 1 cup of oats
- 1 cup of plant milk of choice
- 1 ripe banana
- 1 tsp of chia seeds
- a Splash of vanilla extract or some ground vanilla
- pinch of salt

Mango Purée:
- 1 ripe mango 
- juice from 1 wedge of lime 

 Instructions:

1. Start off by blending the ingredients for your mango purée in a high-speed blender until smooth. Set aside. 
2. 
   Place all of your oat creme ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
3. 
   Pour a layer into your jars and top with a Layer of mango purée before finishing with another layer of oat creme. 
4. 
   Garnish with fresh berries and sprinkle on some seeds.

Lunch recipe: Buddha Bowl

Ingredients: 

(Serves 2)

- 1 cup of quinoa 
- 1 cup of water 
- 1 tsp of vegetable stock powder
—
- 2 handfuls of oyster mushrooms
- 1/2 onion
- 1 large clove of garlic, crushed
- 1 tbsp tamari or Coconut Aminos
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
—
- 3 large handfuls of spinach
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
- 1 clove of garlic, sliced
- pinch of salt
—
- 1/2 avocado
- 1/3 cup of kidney beans from a tin, well rinsed

Tahini lemon sauce:
- 2 tbsp of tahini
- 1 wedge of lemon
- 1 tsp of gluten-free tamari
- 2 tbsp of water

 Instructions:

1. Prepare your quinoa by rinsing it well in a colander and then add your water and veggie stock and bring to a boil. Let it simmer for about 15 min. 
   
   
2. Heat some oil in a pan and add sliced onion and garlic to it. Rip your oyster mushrooms into thin strips and add to the pan. Cook until softened and lightly charred before adding your tamari. Set aside. 
   
   
3. Sauté your spinach by adding some oil to the same pan you cooked your mushrooms in and add garlic as well as the spinach. Let it wilt and turn off the heat. 
   
   
4. Mix the ingredients for the tahini sauce until a homogenous and creamy sauce is whipped up.
   
   
5. Assemble your Buddha Bowl by adding some quinoa, spinach, and mushrooms into a bowl. Also add your rinsed kidney beans and some sliced avocado before drizzling over the lemon tahini sauce. 

Dinner recipe: Mexican Spiced Bean Burgers and Homemade Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients: 

(Serves 2)

Burger Patties:

- 1/2 tin of kidney beans
- 1/2 tin of black beans
- 1/2 tin of butter beans 
- 2 tsp of Cajun spice
- 1 tsp of mixed herbs
- 1/2 onion
- 2 cloves of garlic 
- 1 tsp of salt
- 1 heaped tbsp of tomato puree
- 1 heaped tbsp of gluten free flour
- 1/2 tsp of maple syrup (optional)

Sweet Potato Fries:
- 1 large sweet potato
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp of Cajun spice 

Instructions:

1. Place your rinsed beans into a food processor along with the onion and garlic. Whizz it around until there are no large onion chunks.
2. 
   Add the remaining patty ingredients into the mix and incorporate it well. The mix should be quite dry so you can easily form the patties by hand. 
3. 
   Cut your sweet potato into chunks and rinse under water. Pat your wedges dry and add the oil and Cajun spice to coat them.
4. 
   In a preheated oven (about 200 C or 395 F) place your wedges with about 2 cm apart on a wire rack so they get slightly crispy rather than soft and mushy. Bake for about 15 minutes before flipping over and cooking for another 10-15 minutes, making sure they don’t burn. 
5. 
   Form your patty mixture into 4 medium sided patties and cook them in an oiled pan over medium heat until brown and slightly crispy on both sides. 
6. 
   Serve with salad, your favorite condiments or whatever you fancy!