Foodie Friday: Elenore Bendel Zahn

Posted June 22, 2012

Firstly, I have to say that this segment has become my absolute favourite on my website. I love stumbling upon healthy foodies all over the world, picking their brains for kitchen inspiration, and then introducing them to you guys. I have made so many awesome new online friends in the process, and todays foodie is no exception. All the way from Sweden, today I am bringing you to the beautiful Elenore Bendel Zahn from Earthsprout.

Elenore is an organic gardener, a raw food / natural nutrition coach and a green gourmet chef. She puts sass into healthy eating and makes living close to Mother Nature look like the most fun ever (because it is!).

Meet Elenore …

What was the catalyst that turned you into a healthy foodie?

Oh, gosh… So many glorious things for sure but the key moment that kind of turned all things around was when I decided that I wanted to work as an organic gardener. My education, the dirt on my hands and realising that the things we grew were superheroes when it came to nutritional value and medical benefits made something shift inside me. It simply struck me that I wanted to be able to give people the whole picture from seed to earth to plant to crazy health. Mother Earth inspiration á la sassy!

What are your non-negotiables when it comes to your diet?

When choosing my food I always opt for all things super Greenylicious to give both my body and the planet a boost. That would be my non-negotiable thing regardless of if we are talking about my cannot-live-without morning green smoothie or a fab raw dessert.

If you were trying to convert someone to your dietary philosophy, what would you make for them?

My firm belief is never to persuade or convert anyone by giving them tons of downright scary facts. So yeah, I´d give them something real yummy like this raw layered superfood boosted chocolate cake or a raw tabouleh with curry sauce. Simple and oh so delish!

 

How do you stay healthy while travelling?

I have three answers to this one. Trailmix. Trailmix. Trailmix. I always, without exception, carry a survival kit of cocoa nibs, dried mulberries, goji berries, sprouted sunflower seeds and carrot sticks in my bag. I have to say, it has saved both me and many travelling companions over the years. When I can I also bring a personal blender or some sort. Yeah. I know.

What are your go-to meals and snacks when you are super busy?

When I know I´ll be uber busy I always prepare as much as I can in the morning or the night before. Chia seeds soaked in oat milk turns into my afternoon saviour, shredded cabbage is an awesome snack and cutting and preparing veggies for juicing is another perfect example that can save a busy day.

Juices or smoothies: Which do you prefer? What’s your favourite combination?

Uh! Like choosing a favourite child this one. I adore them both in different ways and if you’d ask me after a work out or in the late morning I would definitely say smoothie. If you ask me during the afternoon or in the summer I would practically yell “juice!” My fave green juice consists of cucumber, sprouts, shoots, kale, ginger, celery, lemon, half an apple and some stevia concentrate.

What’s the biggest nutrition misconception you are always having to clear up for people?

That would probably be the “issue” with getting enough protein when eating a diet without any animals or anything from animals.

OR that there is one single diet or way of eating that would suit everyone.

If you could prepare a meal for anyone (dead or alive) who would it be and what would you make?

I believe I would hop back in time to the lost library of Alexandria and share some rawsome love cookies with the keeper while soaking in tons and tons of wild secrets and knowledge.

 

 

What does being a Wellness Warrior mean to you?

Ah, what does it NOT mean! For me it is all about bringing truly passionate, healthy and downright crazy inspiration to people around the world, to walk my talk, to share tips and tricks that can let everyone shine, and to boost the planet while I’m at it. To give myself many adventures whether they are on another continent or inside my heart is also of great importance.

 

 

A Recipe From Elenore

 

Crazy Colourful Raw Beetroot Tarts w Creamy Spinach

 

Pink Crust

For this recipe you can use whatever seeds or nuts you like or swap the beetroots for parsnip, carrot or any other veggie. This particular time the crust happens to be raw and portion sized but you can choose to bake it in the oven in a regular pie pan if you wish. I used soaked and dehydrated sunflower seeds for this recipe but you can go ahead and use regular dry ones if you want.

7 portion sized pie crusts
2 cups Sunflower seeds (4.7dl)
2 cups grated beetroot (4.7 dl)
1 tsp powdered bullion
2 tsp dark miso paste
1/2 tsp Himalayan salt

1. In a food processor, mix the sunflower seeds into a flour
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix again until it forms a smooth dough.
3. Divide dough evenly into 7 portions and form each portion into a ball that you press onto pan of choice (or press all the dough onto a larger pan). Bake in the over or dehydrator*.

*If using the dehydrator, put cling film between the pan and the dough. You want to easily be able to flip the dough out of the pan after 2 hours of dehydrating and let it dehydrate without a pan/mould for 8 hours or until completely dry.

Creamy spinach

Cooked in creamy spinach is quite common in Sweden, but this recipe takes less time, is vegan, raw and way more appealing to your cells!

Makes 4 cups of creamy filling
4 large handfuls fresh spinach
3 midsized avocados
1/3 tsp Himalayan salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 pinch of chili
1/2 tsp nut-meg
2 tsp Tamari sauce
1 clove of garlic

1. Rinse and chop the spinach roughly (I use the stems too but that´s your choice) and put in a large bowl
2. Cut open the avocados and scoop them out into the bowl of spinach.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients and massage it all (with clean hands!) until soft and creamy.
4. Divide the spinach filling into the pink crusts
Topping
Peel one large beetroot and use a spiralizer, potato peeler or julienne peeler to make some crazy curls.

 

Connect with Elenore on …

Her website: earthsprout.com
Facebook: facebook.com/pages/Earthsprout/
Twitter: @ElenoreEarth

 

Positive affirmation for the day: Everything I need is right inside of me.

 

 

 

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