Veggie Very Much is online at www.veggieverymuch.com

visit our new blog! And we are nominated for best dutch foodblog. So vote!

www.veggieverymuch.com

Spaghetti with beets, capers and mozzarella

Beets to purify almost everything!

The recipe below, is one I made some weeks ago. It was on a rainy afternoon when I just felt I needed a good lunch, with some great colours to brighten up the day. The combination of the beets and thyme worked very well, especially when topped with some parmesan cheese :-) But of course, this probably would do for dinner even better. The sweet beets and silty capers, and I guess these veggies would even work out with some nicely cooked quinoa, when you're not too fond of pasta's.

Beets are incredibly healthy, and that's not just because of the high level of various vitamins and minerals. Beets are Particularly beneficial to women who are pregnant, as the vitamin B and iron are very beneficial to new growth cells during pregnancy and replenishing iron in the woman's body. But even if you're not pregnant beets happen to have many benefits: they are a wonderful tonic for the liver, (when you 'oops' drank too much!) and they work as a purifier for the blood. To top that, they even can help prevent various forms of cancer.


When you're not feeling too cheerful, beets are really a godsend. They contain 'betaine', a substance also used in certain treatments for depression. It also contains useful 'trytophan', which relaxes the mind and creates a sense of well-being, a bit like chocolate. And finally, they can lower your blood pressure.

Convinced? Good, because there are numerous different and delightful recipes to be made with beetroot! You could use them raw,  finely chopped in a salad with some mint, or for example, a juice with apple and carrot, or in a salad with potatoes and chives, and so on. That said, I'd better think of what beet dish is going to be next on the blog!

SEE THE WHOLE RECIPE

Avocado & Mozzarella salad with Blueberries and Chimichurrie

Avocados for a vital and young skin!

Last few weeks I have been ridiculously busy with the blog. Reason is, we are redesigning it. There weill be a new logo, new layout and some additional features. I'm very happy that my sweet ega is such a creative all-round skilled boy scout; he'll be doing all the designing and building himself. Though, I had to make clear what I had in mind, and what I'd find most important. In my (re)search I have been reading (foodblogs), Twittering, Pinning, Instagramming (is that yet a verb?) and Facebooking so much, that I was even dreaming in hashtags. That's really weird, I can tell you.

But we're getting there and it's absolutely going to look stunning! We will be offline soon for a few days, so in the meantime here's a little treat. Believe me; it is. And not just because of the looks; the combination of the creamy avocado and mozzarella with the sweet & sour taste of the blueberries, topped with some spicy chimichurri is just unbelievably good! And thereby; did you know what avocado does for your health? You should actually eat one of them a day! There are so many benefits from doing so!

For example: Avocados contain a variety of essential nutrients that are of great value to a healthy body: such as potassium, vitamin B and folic acid. Research has shown that avocados contain monounsaturated fatty acids, which help protect women against breast cancer. The potassium helps regulate your blood pressure, and stimulates the digestion so you can get rid of toxins easier (such as alcohol etc..).
In addition, avocados also contain a high level of vitamins B6, C, D, riboflavin and manganese, which  provides a beneficial effect on the immune system. Vitamins A and E, help protect you against cancer and the omega-3 fatty acids have a positive effect on the brains (they exist for 8% of omega-3)​​!

So, please eat this beautiful fruit as often as you want. The myth of avocados making you fat is absolutely, well.. a myth. Avocados are relatively high in fat, but as said before; these are healthy fats, such as monounsaturated fatty acids. They even contribute to a vital and young skin. They also stimulate the production of anti-wrinkle collagen in the body which, together with vitamin E, provides a healthy look. Amen to that. See you soon!

See the whole recipe

Crispy spinach salad with orange-gorgonzola vinaigrette

Have it fresh!

It's been an incredibly good summer this year, and I can tell, since we've stayed home and really hoped for some sun and do-able temperatures. It was exactly what we got: it was a blast to be able to go outside with only some flip-flops, tops and shorts.

We live in the south of Amsterdam, just a few hundred meters near the famous Vondelpark, where friends and family meet each other after work or in weekends, with bottles of chilled drinks and  baskets stuffed with goods. So you can imagine what we've been doing night after night!

Barbecues and little gatherings with kids and friends, sun and fresh food... staying out 'till the sun is long gone..  it's like the ultimate summer joy. And since I kind of know how to get around in my kitchen I've been sorting out some good salads to bring along.

 This spinach salad really isn't hard to make but has this nice twist because of the gorgonzola mixed with orange, which makes it a dish of it's own.

Healthy as hell, and great on your plate! ;-)

See the whole recipe

Quinoa Caprese with tagliatelle from zucchini

Let's combine some great combinations!

Just like tomatoes, basil and mozzarella seem to be made for each other, the combination of zucchini and tomatoes is quite outstanding too!
I used to make the tagliatelle from zucchini dish often for my kids, when they where younger; it was a great way to have them eat veggies without the sour faces. And the nice thing is, it's such a pure dish, it's incredibly easy and absolutely rich in flavour.

 Since I've discovered quinoa, (please say keen-wa!) I can honestly say I fell in love with it. Besides it's tastiness, it's one of the most healthy products on earth. The seeds (it's not a grain!!) where already cultivated in the Andes, 5000 years ago, and formed the basic diet of its inhabitants, the glorious Incas. They considered quinoa as sacred food, a gift from god. They called it "La Chisiya Mama," the mother of all grains.
Quinoa is a complete source of protein, which contain all the essential amino acids that the human body can not produce itself. These amino acids help your body to actually use the proteins you eat.

Quinoa contains a lot of fibre, more than rice, pasta or potatoes and is richer in vitamins and minerals such as iron, calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin E and vitamin B, than all other grains.

So.. and there it comes, I thought of combining the great taste of Caprese with quinoa and the zucchini- tomato dish. It worked out wonderfully well, and looked amazing! I used a small form to layer the dish, but if you don't like that, or don't have a form that fits well, please just layer the food on your plate. The colours will do the trick!

SEE THE WHOLE RECIPE

Good mood food..

... alias hemp seeds (in an almost classic Ceasar Salad!)

In my search for the perfect balance of superfoods, hemp seeds are one of my favorites. I'm convinced, that based on ones specific diet, you don't just need to eat áll the superfoods you can find in order to stay healthy. Many superfoods overlap nutritionally, and too much of all these goods might be a bit too much (and too expensive!!) But for vegans or vegetarians hemp seeds are one of the most valuable nutritions one can take. Being veggie or vegan means you need to get your B-vitamins from other sources than meat or dairy products. (I do eat dairy, but keep it to the very minimum. You can read here why. Organically grown eggs are absolute healthy to eat though.)

2/3 of the hemp seed exists of a very high quality of protein which is very similar to our own body proteins and therefore easily absorbed. This means it actually gives energy, instead of taking it, like chemical- and pre-fab substances (the fabulous E's): they cost your body a lot of energy trying to convert it into something useful, energy you probably could spend better!

Besides the proteins, hemp seeds contain all 8 essential amino acids which our body can't produce itself. These amino acids are required to absorb the proteins and are needed as a basis for other substances that have an important role in your metabolism, including the happiness hormone serotonin. Yes, really!! These little fellows are actually great for your mood!

I could co on and on, (which I will, for just a little longer!) but hemp seeds are very well packed, as they contain omega 3-, 6- and omega 9 fatty acids in just the right ratio for absorption of the body. And like other superfoods, hemp seeds are rich in various minerals such as phosphorus, calcium, potassium, magnesium, zinc, iron, copper, iodine, vitamin E, C and the B vitamins B1, B2, B3 and B6. These B vitamins are very important when it comes to your energy.

Use 1 to 2 tablespoons daily, while lightly roasting them, eating them raw, making milk, or by using them in your humus. They are incredibly tasty, and an awesome way to keep a healthy body and a great mood!!

This veggie Ceasar salad, is almost a classic. But than slightly different!

SEE THE WHOLE RECIPE

Rigatoni with capers and mint

An unforgettable pasta!

Making a pasta is one thing. But making a pasta for your friends and loved ones who will bag you for more please, is just a whole different story! For some reason, I thought this pasta was one of my first posts, but stupid me, that was a totally different one! (It was the penne with rosemary-tomato pesto, which is good too, by the way!) How could I withhold you of this awesome, most simple recipe with the great WOW effect, it always gives!

The recipe originally came from Tessa Kiros. It was a pre-post in a magazine from her first book 'Twelve', she was about to publish herself. (It became such a hit, many books followed).
It was years ago when I first made it, and never forgot about the recipe since. But, to be honest, I have made it so many times, I'm not really sure my recipe is still the same it ones was supposed to be. I can remember her recipe said to use fresh tomatoes, but than the sauce needed sugar and balsamic vinegar to balance the taste. I discovered this balance was already there, when I used a can of organically grown, peeled and chopped tomatoes. It's those little differences which make it your own. Anyway, you should try and see for yourself. But whenever you feel like making something special with just a little effort or ingredients, this absolutely is the one!

SEE THE WHOLE RECIPE HERE