Bulgur salad with lentil, goats cheese, mango and avocado dressing

serves 6

Ingredients

- 200g bulgur wheat

- 400g tinned lentils, drained (approx. 265g)

- 1/2 ripe avocado

- 140ml yoghurt

- 120ml sour cream

- 1 lemon, juice and zest

- 1tbsp olive oil

- 100g toasted almond flakes

- 300g goats cheese, crumbly type

- 75g mixed salad

- a bunch of spring onions

- 1 mango, diced

Method

Cook the bulgur wheat, see instructions on packaging. Once it's cooked drain and rinse through with cold water. Mix the drained lentils and the bulgur wheat together in a large bowl and season well. 

Put the avocado, yoghurt, sour cream, lemon juice and zest in a blender. Season. Add the toasted almond flakes, mixed salad, goats cheese, spring onions and mango.

Drizzle the dressing over the salad to serve.

This is a delicious, fresh and flavorsome salad.

Lavinia Amsterdam

Lavinia Good Food is a cute, edgy and ever so characterful cafe in Amsterdam. They have a lovely selection of vegan breakfasts (including veggie bacon!!) and lunch. 

Everything's made from organic products and there are lots of gluten free options. With delicious pizzetta's, a healthy diverse buffet, sourdough sandwiches, daily soups and home made sweet treats, this is the perfect place to satisfy you and your friends when in Amsterdam.

There's also a choice of gorgeous juices like the cucumber, fennel, granny smith, pear, lemon and ginger... Mmm, mm. Perfect as an energizer after some serious shopping or a night out. 

 Home made chai tea with cinnamon, star anise and almond milk.

 The pumpkin and Gorgonzola pizzetta and the spicy sweet potato curry soup with spelt toast.

  

The gluten free carrot cake.

Lavinia Good Food is located on Kerkstraat 176, 1017 GT Amsterdam and is open 7 days a week! Have a look on www.laviniagoodfood.nl

Roasted aubergine salad with saffron yoghurt

serves 4

Ingredients 

- 2 aubergines

- 150g mixed salad

- olive oil, to brush the aubergines with

- a pinch of saffron

- 3tbsp warm water

- 180g greek yoghurt

- 1 garlic clove

- 2,5tbsp lemon juice

- 3tbsp olive oil

Method

Preheat the oven to 220C.

For the sauce; put the saffron in a small bowl and add 3tbsp of warm water and leave to soak for 5 minutes. Put the yoghurt, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Mix well and add the saffron water. Put in the fridge to cool.

Cut the aubergines into thin slices. Lay them evenly on a baking tray, brush with olive oil and season well. 

Put in the oven for 25-35 minutes. Leave to cool down to room temperature. Put the mixed salad in a bowl and lay the aubergines on top. Add the saffron yoghurt sauce, pomegranate seeds and pine nuts. Then top off with basil leaves.

Pictured is only half the salad. I made two bowls instead of one big one.

Chocolate coconut balls

serves 10 balls

Ingredients

- 100g desiccated coconut

- 2tbsp coconut oil

- 2tbsp spelt syrup

- 100g dark chocolate, 85% cocao

Method

Mix the desiccated coconut, spelt syrup and coconut oil together in a big bowl.

Shape mixture into little balls and put them on a tray with baking paper. Put in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Melt the chocolate au Bain-Marie and pour over the balls. Then put them back in the freezer for another 25 minutes.

Easy, healthy sweet treats you can keep in the fridge if you're feeling naughty.

Coconut, cranberry and cinnamon oat cakes

makes 14 small cakes

Ingredients

- 100g oats

- 200ml boiling water

- 1tsp cinnamon

- 2 eggs

- 1tbsp coconut oil

- 30g cranberries

- 50g desiccated coconut

Method

Preheat the oven to 190C.

Put the oats, desiccated coconut and cranberries in a bowl and add the boiling water. Leave to soak for 20 minutes. 

Add the cinnamon, coconut oil and eggs to the bowl and mix well. Spoon the mixture into paper cases. Put in the oven for 25 minutes.

Drizzle some spelt syrup on top to serve.