Plant-based by Thess Chocolate Mountain bars

During my mountain trail running adventure in the Swedish Jämtland mountains these ones were one of the few precious things I filled my tiny backpack with. Delicious and creamy bars filled with chocolate, protein and plant power to fuel you up during weekend hikes, long or short adventures, fika at home or whatever you’re up to!

As I like my bars / bliss balls to be reeeaaally creamy rather then only nutty (as it would be if using only nuts / dried fruit, something many of the bars you get from different stores are if you ask me), I like to use oats and protein powder (I use vegan unsweetened / natural pea protein to get it as clean as possible) in addition to the seeds and seed butter (which contains LOTS of protein!). Makes the most creamy chocolate protein bar ever believe me!! And also, feel free to use any nuts or seeds you want instead of the pepitas / tahini to fit your taste buds / pantry!

Let’s get baking!

Plant-based by Thess Chocolate Mountain bars

Ingredients

14 fresh dates, pitted

1 scoop protein powder (I use vegan unsweetened / natural pea protein)

1 dl / 0.4 cups rolled oats

1 dl / 0.4 cups cacao powder

2 dl / 0.8 cups pepitas / pumpkin seeds

1/2 dl / 0.2 cups light tahini

1 good pinch flakey salt

1-2 Tbsp water if needed 

For garnish

Flakey salt

dried flowers

How to

Pre heat the oven to 175°C. Spread out the pepitas on a baking tray, toast in the oven for 5-10 minutes, until they get slightly golden and start to pop. Let cool.

Mix alla the ingredients in a food processor until super creamy! Add a bit more water to combine if necessary. Put the dough in between two baking papers, roll out to a square using a rolling pin. Garnish with salt and flowers, roll with the rolling pin again to make the salt and flowers stick. Put the whole thing in the freezer for 1 hour. Take it out and cut in to good-size bars. Wrap them up in baking paper or aluminium foil (or just a glass box if you’re not taking them with you on adventure), store them in an air tight container in the freezer. Stays well for months! However I doubt they would ever last that long…

Hope you like them!

Carrot cake porridge with lingonberries, apple and tahini

Carrot cake porridge with apple, lingonberries and tahini

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 dl / 0.8 cups steel cut oats

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cardamom

5 dl water

1 dl / 0.4 cups unsweetened oat mylk

1/2 dl / 0.2 cups soaked * buckwheat (optional but gives the porridge even more delicious texture)

1 carrot, finely grated

salt to taste

Topping

Frozen lingonberries

1 apple

cacao nibs

pepitas **

lingonberry powder

edible flower sprinkle

light tahini

flakey salt

How to

Bring oats, spices, water and almond mylk to a boil. Let simmer for a couple of minutes while stirring, until you get a creamy and delicious porridge. Rinse the buckwheat. Add the soaked buckwheat and carrot, let simmer 30 seconds. Salt to taste.

Divide in to two wide bowls. Topp with lingonberries, apple, cacao nibs, pepitas. Powder with lingonberry powder. Sprinkle the flowers and drizzle with tahini!!

* How to soak buckwheat: Put dried whole buckwheat in water and 1 tsp apple cider vinegar for every 2 1/2 dl water over night. Rinse thoroughly in the morning. You can store the soaked buckwheat in the fridge for several days and add in your morning porridge or lunch salad. Rinse before use.

** Pepitas are similar to pumpkin seeds but comes form hull-less pumpkin varieties whereas pumpkin seeds comes with a hull. However - the green seeds seen on the porridge above are sometimes referred to as pumpkin seeds too! Note that in Swedish we’d call them “pumpafrön”.

Loveable (raw)yum

This is my - semi raw - take on a Swedish classic called Kärleksmums. Chocolaty, slightly salty, sweet, crunchy, creamy and PACKED with plant based protein!

The recipe is from my second book The new green protein where I call them “Kärleksfulla (raw)mums”. That’s not all, it’s also my first ever recipe shared in a live television show! This very morning that happened! So, let’s just say that from this day on this cake will be quite special - not only because it’s yummy and works for as well fika as an afternoon snack but also because it reminds me to sometimes take a step back and enjoy the feeling of reaching milestones. And appreciating where hard work has taken me. Well done!

So, I’ll probably make another batch as soon as I get home (the friendly people at SVT enjoyed it all) and spend the rest of the evening with a couple of blankets, lit candles and all my new cookbooks that have finally reached me!

I know you wonder about the recipe. Here it comes!

Loveable (raw)yum

12 pieces

Base

2 dl / 0.8 cups toasted whole buckwheat *

1 dl / 0.4 cups pepitas

1 dl / 0.4 cups raw cacao

10 fresh dates, pitted

2 Tbsp cold pressed coconut oil

1-2 Tbsp water

Ganache

2 Tbsp cold pressed coconut oil

1/2 dl / 0.2 cups raw cacao

3/4 dl / 0.3 cups water

8 fresh dates, pitted

1 pinch unrefined salt

1/2 dl / 0.4 cups shredded coconut

How to

Mix all the dry ingredients until a fine crumble using a food processor, it’s nice to keep some of the buckwheat whole as that will give an extra crunch! Add dates, oil and water and mix in to a dough. Press out the dough in a small baking tray, put in the fridge.

Melt the oil on low heat. Mix all the ingredients for the ganache, except for the shredded coconut, until completely smooth. Preferably use a high speed blender if you have one - or continue mixing using a food processor - this might take a bit more time.

Spread the ganache over the base, sprinkle over the shredded coconut. the cake in the fridge for at least 20 minutes before serving. I even keep mine in the freezer as I love my bite properly chilled!

ENJOY!

• Toasted buckwheat: Put the buckwheat in a fine mesh strainer. Bring some water to a boil and then pour over the buckwheat. Rinse with cold water and let drain for a few minutes. Toast in a dry pan, on medium heat, until golden and crisp. Let cool. 

Recipe from The new green protein. Photo by Fanny Hansson.

Zoodles with fennel and herby avocado sauce + turmeric fried tofu

Veggie spaghetti - spiralized veggies which have the same shape as spaghetti - is a favourite of mine - both because I like the taste much better then the taste of regular pasta + it's a great way to get even more nutrition in to your meal! I usually spiralize carrots, pumpkin, sweet potato, radish and courgette. The later one I'm using for this dish - but you could just as well us any of the other veggies mentioned above, or why not a mix of them!  

To make nice spaghetti like strings you would need a spiralizer or a shred peeler. You could also use a regular potato peeler - but to be honest - it won't give you quite the same result as if you were using the "proper thing". If you like to make veggie spaghetti, plus shred fruits and veggies for garnish/salads, I would recommend you to get the right. Will save you time and make the cooking even more fun and efficient!  

If I'm making a big batch I'm using my Westmark Spiromat which gives me long and corkscrew like strings, and when I'm on the go or just want to spiralize one carrot or so I'm using my Grovstrimlare.  

When you have the right kitchen tools you can make this delicious dish in no time at all. It's my kind of fast food - perfect for days when you want something light and nourishing for lunch or dinner. You could add more veggies to make it a bigger meal - for example steamed sugar snaps and pak choi for a asian touch or maybe roasted pumpkin and crispy kale for a wintery touch. Let your mind flow! 

Hope you like it!! 

Photo by Fanny Hansson

Zoodles with herby avocado sauce + turmeric fried tofu

4 portions 

Ingredients

2 big zucchinis

1 fennel 

1 red apple 

270 grams firm natural tofu, organic

1 tsp grated fresh turmeric, or 1/2 tsp ground turmeric

1 tbsp grated fresh ginger, or 1 tsp ground ginger

1 tbsp tamari 

Fresh Thai basil 

1 tbsp cold pressed coconut oil, (flavour free)

Herby avocado sauce

2 avocados, peeled and pitted  

1 garlic clove, grated 

1/2-1 dl water

1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice

1 tbsp cold pressed coconut oil (flavour free)

2 handfulls of fresh herbs of your choice (I used Thai basil + cilantro) 

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 

For serving

crispy green leafs (mix of mache lettuce, baby spinach, rocket) 

seed cracker (you find two of my best recipes in my cookbook The new green salad!!)

toasted pepitas

How to

Spiralize the zucchinis. Mandoline the fennel lengthwise, or slice very thinly using a sharp knife. Deseed and mandoline the apples. But everything in a big bowl with cold water (will make everything even more crisp) while preparing the rest. 

Press the excess water out of the tofu (if I have time I prepare the tofu in the same was as I do for THIS dish). Fry in oil on medium heat until golden around the edges. Add turmeric and ginger, let fry for another minute. Add the tamari and let sink in, remove from heat.  

Mix the ingredients for the avocado sauce until a smooth using an immersion blender. Add more water if it's to thick. Salt and pepper to taste. 

Drain the zucchini and fennel well. Toss together with the avocado sauce. Topp with fresh herbs. Serve with the fried tofu, crispy green leafs and pepitas. And some seed crackers if you have any nearby!