I don't think I've crossed paths with a single person who doesn't love hummus... if I do in the near future, I am simply not interested in getting to know them. Jokes, I'll befriend them anyway and they'll come to grow a love for hummus through our friendship .. that's actually not a joke. Right, being serious for a second. This Middle-East Origin dip is my all time favourite and for those who are unaware it's primarily made from sesame seed paste which is normally blended together with chickpeas and lemon juice along with other ingredients. Once blended, this becomes a thick and creamy mixture which is suitable to compliment with many different food groups, it is also common to be incorporated into salads and  the base of wraps but for the majority it is mutually known to be the best for snacking during or in between meals. Most of us all seem to subtract a category from our diets nowadays, whether we're meat-free, sugar-free, dairy-free, gluten-free .. let me tell you - fortunately I can guarantee that this mixture is NOT taste-free; and it's the dish which suits ALL diets. Yes,  so go ahead and spread that shit  everywhere!

I simply get nostalgic every time I eat hummus, it takes me back to my first year of university when I was living at campus for the simple fact that it used to be my staple dinner. You know how the first year goes you are settling in, doing freshers week which we all know lasts longer than just the first week, whilst also adjusting to your schedule, we don't always find the time to cook and well I'm not kidding when I say at least once a week (if not twice) I would make homemade hummus by just adding everything in a food mixer and  toast 2-3 pittas and presto, basta my din dins was done in under five minutes. I'd hop right into bed, after a long day and cuddle up in my quilt in the warmth on a cold winters night. I'd put on Family Guy or South Park on a loop which was the norm for me back then and just tuck into this big bowl of hummus with veggie crudités along with my warm toasted pittas. Hands down it made one of my best university moments to date, I used to love the small weekly rituals I arranged for myself. Food really does bring you some of the happiest moments.

It is seriously so tasty which I'm not going to emphasise on as I am sure that the majority of you can vouch that for yourselves however, what I can assert is that it is also so nutritious for the body. It's naturally a plant-based food which is high in protein and fibre, has the right amount of healthy fats due to the sesame paste which will allow to keep you fuller for longer. Hummus is also known to balance the hormones as it contains oestrogen due to the chickpeas and is also considered to be anti-inflammatory which can be beneficial to many. You don't have to be a  non - meat eater to enjoy this.. You need a quick pick me up? You're set! Look no further.

 INGREDIENTS:  

-x2 cups of white flour 
-x1 cup of white sugar 
-x1/2 cup of butter of choice (I used dairy-free)
-x1/4 cup milk of choice ( I used rice milk)
-x1 dash of vanilla extract
-x1tsp baking powder
-x1tsp of baking soda
-x1tbsp matcha powder
-x2tbsp of chocolate chips

                                                  HOW TO IN 10 STEPS: 

1. Start by pre-heating your oven on 180 degrees.

2. Combine the butter and your sugar and whisk them until they become smooth consistency. Once that's done add your last two wet ingredients; your milk of choice and dash of vanilla extract. 

3. In a separate bowl mix all your dry ingredients; flour and your baking powder/soda along with your matcha powder. Make sure to mix thoroughly this is to make sure that it is evenly mixed well. 

4. You can now transfer all of the dry ingredients into your wet ingredients; what I like to do is add my dry ingredients gradually. This allows me to always monitor the consistency. You want the dough to become stiff similar to the above picture.

5. Once your dough is done go ahead and add the chocolate chips and carry on to stir so that its divided equally. 

6. Get your baking tray ready along with some parchment paper. I do recommend parchment paper to not have to use extra butter or oil plus it makes the clean up process slightly less of a hassle. 

7. Form them into small balls - the size that you want them depends entirely on you. I tried to make small batches as I know myself to not be able to stop at just one. 

8. Your oven should be pre-heated by now; Add these in for just about 12 minutes. They will look slightly under done but the trick here is that you don't want them to burn, or cook too much they will stiffen I promise. 

TIP: If you want them chewy, mark my words, remove them at the twelve minute mark.  I tend to love my cookies to be chewy as it makes them all the more pleasant, but it goes down to personal preference. However, If you prefer them dry keep them perhaps for an additional five minutes - just make sure to obviously not burn them: monitor them! 

9. Set your cookies aside to cool, of course sneak in one first it's self mandatory to at least have one, whilst the others are cooling down - but I do recommend to give them time before digging into them so that they can stiffen on there own time. 

10. Enjoy these with a cold glass of nut milk or normal milk and your day will be set! 

Bon Appetit! 

To make the scrambled tofu yellow in colour to represent real eggs - this is done by adding turmeric. This form of 'food colouring' is a healthy variation as incorporating this super food into your meals is very important and has various benefits towards our health. I specify more in detail about the beneficial properties in my turmeric blog post which you can view here. 

YOU WILL NEED:

Serves one

- x 1/4 block of firm tofu

- x 1 white flour wrap  

(opt for a gluten free wrap if you wish)

- x 1tsp of turmeric powder

- x 1tsp of ground cumin 

- x 1tsp of dairy free butter

 (or coconut oil)

- x 4 cherry tomatoes 

(or x1 whole diced tomato)

- x 1/2 ripe avocado

- x 1 bunch of spinach leaves

 (I used lettuce as I ran out of spinach)

- x 1 dash of hot sauce of your choice 

(optional but recommended)

- Salt and pepper to taste

-

HOW TO:

Make sure to take the tofu block and crumble it into small pieces with your hands similar to the above photo. This is to give the scrambled egg effect. Once that's done,  mix your turmeric and cumin spices until they are coated evenly. 

Add a dash of butter to cook the tofu slightly and add the tomatoes into the mix. This will only cook for about 3 minutes just to slightly warm up and cook the 'eggs'. Once that's done set it aside until you prepare your burrito.

Start by throwing one tortilla on an open fire on the stove. This is not for long and just until it warms up and burns slightly. Alternatively, for a safe option get a large frying pan and add your wrap in the pan to burn that way. Burning the wrap slightly really makes a big difference in taste and I will never skip out this step.

TIP: Place a tinfoil sheet before stacking your burrito, so that it's easier to roll once you're done.

Add your greens as a base, I usually always use spinach leaves however, I didn't have on me and frozen spinach wouldn't exactly have done the trick so I went with second best which is lettuce. Lettuce is equally as delicious and gives that needed crunch but the reason I wanted spinach was for the added benefits from the leaves as, lettuce has zero calories or nutrients for that matter. 

Add your avocado next, I have a tendency to smash it deep into the wrap so when I come to eat it pieces won't fall out which has happened in the past and can make the experience quite infuriating to eat. 

This step is optional, but I do recommend this for a little kick. I always did it with normal eggs but the tofu scrambled eggs could do with it even more to make it all the more pleasant. My all time favourite hot sauce is Cholula. Which sadly I've been on a hunt here in Malta and can't seem to find it anywhere. I have to make sure to stock up the next time I go up to England (unless, anywhere wants to send it over to me! I'll be forever grateful!) i had to go with the only option that was in my kitchen cabinet : tabasco.

HOMEMADE GRANOLA

I've never been a big fan of granola, for the simple reason that they have always been far too sweet for my liking with no surprise they contain a lot of unnecessary sugars and another reason being that the majority contain coconut flakes. Now here is the weird part, I am somehow allergic to coconut flesh but not coconut water or oil for that matter. Does anyone care to explain to me why that is? The only theory I can come up with is perhaps the flesh is too rich for my body handle. I basically don't digest it properly and I without a fail always break out on my face which makes eating it not appealing to me anymore. This happened often when I used to buy granola with coconut flakes in it and I never made the connection between the two. I always thought granola just never suited me in general. It's only until recently that I realised it's been the coconut all along and for these reasons, I was always more keen on oatmeal for a healthier alternative well that might have all changed once again.

Since this new smoothie bowl trend -  adding the granola I find really compliments the bowl nicely and I really do recommend to include a handful just to give it that extra bite and volume. I didn't want to stay buying store bought granola 1. so I don't have to spend a ridiculous amount such as £5 for a packet 2. it probably won't even go down right for this it's too much hassle  andjust to make it picture worthy, I am not interested. Instead I made a compromise and made oatmeal-like granola, minus the oil and sugar and just a hint of agave and water to help bind the  ingredients together to make them cluster like the real things. I was quite impressed with the outcome considering the minimal ingredients I used, not only does this make it fairly reasonably priced to make your own in a massive batch but you can make these sporadically to last you a while. This allows you to change the ingredients as you go along  -you don't always have to wait for the whole packet to be consumed before adding something new to the mix. Fancy dark choc bits or goji berries one morning for a sweet taste? Granola as you go along!

INGREDIENTS:

-x1cup rolled oats

-x1tbsp pumpkin seeds

-x1 tbsp sunflower seeds

-x1tbsp of chia seeds 

-x1tbsp agave syrup

-x1tsp of mixed crushed nuts* (optional but recommended)

*I mixed walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds and crush them in tiny chunks. The nuts you choose depends on your preference of choice the above are just my personal favourites but to each his own. 

HOW TO:

1. Combine all the ingredients except the agave syrup in a bowl. 

2. Add a 1/4 cup of water and mix well. This will allow all the ingredients to slightly stick together this is to take the place of where usually olive oil comes in. It works equally as well.

3. Once the mixture has become more clunky add your agave syrup for sweetness and for it to stick slightly more. 

4. Add on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Each oven will vary so make sure to keep an eye that it doesn't burn - you want them to golden and have that crunchy texture!  

5. That is all my friends. Add it on your smoothie bowls like I did in the above picture or pour some oat milk over them and enjoy them as cereal with blueberries for a sweeter touch they have both been tried, tested and devoured by yours truly! 

When it's scalding hot outside, eating fresh foods in the summer heat really gets you by. Not only does it freshen you down but it also keeps you active and your energy levels up whilst also keeping you hydrated from all the water we would have lost through sweat. I'm not one who usually can endure the heat but when I eat light, healthy and fresh ingredients I feel all the way better and it boosts my mood completely. 

I love nourish bowls which could also be considered as Buddha bowls. These super bowls are basically a bunch of nutrient dense foods put together to make up a tasty lunch or dinner. There isn't a specific way to make them - honestly the ingredients you choose are limitless. I kind of went with what I had left in my fridge and threw everything together from there, I did have artichoke hearts in the freezer which I knew would work fantastically for this recipe and my judgement call was spot on. 

Kalamata olives are one of my favourite things of all time. In general I'm an olive person I know it's a love or hate food but put olives on anything and I'll be content. In this case the black olives compliment the artichokes and tomatoes so nicely, to give it that Mediterranean touch which it's all about. I do recommend if you have any on hand or are considering to make a nourish bowl of your choice to include some olives - you won't be disappointed. This has just inspired me to make one of my all time favourite french dips : tapenade. so stay tuned for that!

HERE IS HOW TO MAKE YOUR NOURISH BOWL:

GRAIN: It's ideal to always have a base in this case referring to a form of grain. Start by adding some rice, quinoa, Bulgar wheat or any grain of your choice to make this meal more substantial and balanced. 

FAT: We should always incorporate fat in every meal. Here I have added 1/2 an avocado to this dish. The black olives are also considered a fat. 

VEGGIES: Fill up with as many vegetables as you want. Vegetables are so low in calories you can eat in abundance until you feel satisfied, eat the rainbow so they say add as many colour variations as you like to get in various forms of micro-nutrients. Try to stick to vegetables which are in season to guarantee it's fresh and organic as possible. 

PROTEIN: In this case the quinoa works for both  my carbs and my protein. Usually I would have added an extra boost of protein which could vary from anything such as beans, lentils, tofu, chicken, beef, tuna.. whatever is on your mind and you think will mesh well with the other ingredients.

SAUCE: This goes down to the finishing touches which will make your nourish bowls almost come to life. Having that added flavour always compliments a dish. I decided to just squeeze half a lime on mine just to keep it as minimal as possible but there have been other days where I added hot sauce for an extra kick. A tahini dressing could work so nicely also. Again experiment with what you like and just go with it!

INGREDIENTS: 

-x4 Nori Sheets 

- x1/2 cup of White sushi rice 

-x1/2 cup of White quinoa

-x1tbsp of White rice vinegar 

-x1 Whole ripe avocado

-x1 Snowpeas (optional) *

-x1/4 Firm tofu (optional) *

YOU WILL NEED: 

-x1 bamboo mat 

(If you don't have one, you can easily substitute this for cling film which equally works great and forming perfect sushi rolls + less to clean up as you can simply throw the film away right after)

I swear I'm not the first person to say this and I won't be the last..  cutting into an Avocado and it appearing to be perfectly ripe is like hitting the jackpot seriously. It's not often you get this lucky where it's visually appealing. Good thing it happened on a day I was photographing this recipe.. I bet it somehow knew and wanted to look good...

HOW TO:

For one cup of rice I added two cups of water which is the standard way measurement for cooking grains. I however found that it absorbed rather quickly and had to add an extra 1/2 cup of water. So monitor your rice and wing it to see how much water it needs, start out with small amounts and add gradually you don't want to fill the pan all the way to the top as you want the water to absorb!

Once you've cooked your rice, which should naturally absorb all the water on it's own, you can add your tbsp of rice white vinegar, this is what makes the sushi and will give it the proper taste to the rice. 

Make sure to use a flat spatula like mine in the above or something to help you flatten the rice mixture properly. You could perhaps use the back of a spoon but might not be as convenient. 

Make sure to flatten it like so and to just leave space on the top and bottom edges similar to when putting marinara sauce on a pizza base. This is where the two ends will meet once you roll and seal the whole thing. 

Starting by adding your toppings. You don't want to over pack your rolls as it won't be as easy to roll and you'll find the fillings to pop out once cutting them.

TIP: with avocado squash your slices slightly to make them fairly mashed so that you won't have them popping out of the sushi rolls once you come to cut them later. trust me you'll come to thank me later.

Make sure to roll the sheet firmly, you pick up the bamboo sheet and start rolling and every time make sure you are pressing tight and pushing the roll back, keep repeating this process until you get to the top. Make sure to keep pressing and backwards as this helps it stay to a normal sized shape roll. I swear it's not a complex method. once you make the two ends meet ad a bit of water on the outer edge to get the two sides to stick more effectively.

I'll tell you one of the struggles of having moved out - I miss my kitchen. The lighting somehow was perfect, my counter boards were a lighter colour so everything meshed well together to aid in making my food photographs look good.  Just a heads up that until I find my own place which I dream will have a great kitchen (which might/can take a few months) in the mean time: both you and I will have to make do with the photo presentation and I will try my best to make them visually appealing despite of the lack of lighting in my current kitchen. As long, as you can still get the gist of the recipe I hope you enjoy what I present to you nonetheless.

It's been super duper hot here in Malta - I'm starting to recollect why I left this country in the first place. Every time I used to mention I'm from Malta I got so many different faces from foreigners saying I was crazy to have moved to grey, cold and rainy London,  which even I sometimes found it hard to answer at times as with time I got to gain an appreciation for my Mediterranean rock but somehow, it suddenly all came back why I decided to leave. THIS HEAT IS TOO MUCH FOR ME TO HANDLE. Sorry I had to get it out. The only plus side to summer and heat waves; is fresh and delicious food that you can make and that becomes so refreshing and revitalising after a long day.

I have been onto zoodles lately, if you follow me on Instagram and check out my stories you'd see that I have made them on multiple occasions exploring with various sauces this past week. This particular dish I made is naturally vegetarian and could easily become vegan if you just opt out of the Parmesan which I added just for an extra touch. This dish gave me the right kind of energy and is surprising how for no carbs they are equally as filling as a normal plate of pasta, minus the bloat and that feeling of being lethargic right after which turns into a big plus!  

I kind of made my own tomato sauce -  the thought of fresh tomatoes, I couldn't miss out on that opportunity. If you prefer you could add a bit of marinara sauce, which originally was going to be my plan but if you can opt for fresh - fresh always wins. 

Zoodles are honestly amazing, it's only now that I suddenly joined the hype - what can I say I never follow a crowd. I was literally craving some good pasta sauce but at the same time didn't feel like a heavy plate as it's so hot outside yet, I didn't want to just pour my sauce all over my salad which is what I sometimes do. This time I wanted to feel like I was tucking into something 'heartier'. I got out my spiraliser which was still in one of my many boxes that came down from the UK and which was still in its original packaging as I had barely used it, (perhaps once or twice prior to this week) and this is where the magic started. I sharpened my  zucchini  and saw it turn to spaghetti like shapes which I can tell you works well not only as a stress reliever but also giving your arms a small workout. 

TIP: Something I've learnt as you get towards the end with a sharpener spiralizer its a bit hard to keep twisting the bottom - poke a fork through your marrow and keep twisting the fork whilst having a better grip to sharpen - it makes the whole process so much easier and makes you waste less! 

Alternatively, most supermarkets provide zoodles, cauli rice etc ready made for you - so it makes the process even quicker than the original recipe. However, keep in mind its probably much more costly and will have to be consumed fast so somehow the fact it takes no effort to prepare it cost you more to make them fresh and make sure all the micro nutrients stay intact. However, I have bought store bought in the past and when you have zero energy I can vow for myself that even preparing a sauce seems like work (don't worry we all get those days) lets just say this beats binging on a takeout and is still looking after your waistline by eating low carb so either way works. 

INGREDIENTS

Serves two or one heaped plate

- x2 zucchini

- x4 medium tomatoes

- x1 bunch of parsley

- x3 cloves of garlic

-x1 tbsp of olive oil

-x5 mushrooms

-x20g of Shredded Parmesan
(Do NOT add if keeping it vegan)

- x1 tsp of soy sauce
(or Tamari  sauce for a gluten free option)

-x1 tsp of tomato paste 

HOW TO:

Start off by adding some garlic with olive oil and bringing it to a heat before adding your mushrooms. Let the mushrooms brown slightly and then start by adding the tomatoes. 

Once the mushrooms have softened, add the parsley and season with salt and pepper for taste. 

Add a tsp of tomato paste to help bring out the tomato sauce, and also to add a little bit more texture. let it all simmer together for the ingredients to come together. 

Add an extra clove of fresh garlic on the top. I am loving fresh garlic lately and it's good for the immune system and giving that extra boost.  

The final touch for your tomato sauce and which would be more of an unexpected one is adding a dash of soy sauce, this helps the sauce come together, this somehow brings out more the taste of the tomatoes. If you couldn't tolerate too much of the tomato acidity you could add also a dash of sugar to sweeten it slightly but quite frankly I don't always. 

If you plan to keep this dish vegan then skip out this step altogether. I added some parmesan to add a little more flavour but you can add some yeast flakes OR some vegan cheese to give off that extra bit of a taste. You could also leave it as is, you can't go wrong with a fresh marinara sauce, garlic and parsley with a drizzle of olive oil. YUM.

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You can add extra parsley on top to varnish, as well as salt and pepper. At this point, meat eaters can add an extra portion of protein with or on the side. If not, you can just eat as is like I did in the below picture. Dig in and Enjoy I guarantee you'll feel full, satisfied and light considering the plate you would have just devoured. 

Oatmeal has always been a love and hate relationship for me - there are months on end where I can't do a day without tucking into a nice bowl of porridge in the morning. Other times, it's so passé and I just get super fed up of the same thing every morning. One thing I love about oats is the way it keeps me going up until lunch time, especially on a busy day it stabilises my sugar levels and the complex carbohydrates keep me fuller for longer whilst breaking down in the body all throughout the morning which also helps releasing energy throughout the whole day. Oatmeal is super beneficial in different ways than one. They have a number of nutritional value which makes them perfect if you're trying to boost your micro nutrients,  they are especially high in magnesium and vitamin B which also helps with maintaining your stress levels and mental health. The grain that keeps you fuller for longer in result can also aid in weight loss as well as relieving constipation - with another major factor that oats are resourcefully known to be beneficial towards our skin, especially those who suffer with eczema. In fact, most cream products contains oats either as an added ingredient or as the main ingredient - this gives us a good reason to incorporate it more into our diets.

The weather in my opinion plays a massive factor in enjoying a bowl of oatmeal depending on if you up for something warm or cold, heavy or light. For some the thought of porridge sounds nasty and for those who want to mix it up from time to time like myself -  below I will show you various ways you can incorporate it into your breakfast routine appropriate for any season throughout the year. This gives the traditional bowl a modern twist where one will still be able to reap off the advantages just the same and switch up their breakfast from time to time to keep things interesting!

It's like god knows how many degrees at the moment here in Malta, definitely a summer time favourite for me right now.  This smoothie mix is a life saver, simple, straight to the point and SO damn delicious! It's surprising how the saying 'less is more' isn't just for fashion taste. You can drink this straight up or have it as your base for your smoothie bowl where you can then add your fruit of choice along with some granola to make it more filling and satiated. 

These bad boys are super easy to make and super easy to grab -snack & go! just place them in the fridge for the week ahead and take a few with a fruit for breakfast/ coffee or whilst rushing out of the front door. They are so efficient, tasty and healthy, it's almost as if you're eating a sweet treat for breakfast and I know many like having sugary things in the morning -  This I assure you does the trick nicely with no added harm to your health or waistline and can I just say that peanut butter = SO good. 

HOW TO: once you blend the mixture blending not necessary you can mix and have the rough texture of oats if you prefer - I like both plus same ingredients = same taste. Place mixture in the fridge for twenty minutes before rolling into balls of your size and then store in an air tight container they should last you over a week if you go slow on the amount you take I take about two each breakfast with a banana on the side, yum.  

This is another god sent for these heatwaves that just keep passing by, having something so fresh first thing just puts you in the right mood from the first hour! This is also time friendly as all you have to do is prepare everything from the day before, add it to the fridge eat then and there or take it to enjoy at work. I have an obsession with this nut mixture at the moment - add fruit to the mix and it's a breakfast which will give you the energy you need, keep you full until lunch time and keep you satisfied and happy whilst still being healthy.