My superfoods and healthy recipes for spring

Hello my Aviator! It is spring time and I have some tasty vegan recipes for you. I already revealed some highlights of my healthy eating habits in my former blog post: „I am a Foodie Pilot“ Find out now my superfoods which I am consuming daily to stay healthy.

Fit while traveling

Lately I received a lot of questions asking me how I stay fit while traveling so much. The secret is not only enough body exercises but also balanced diet.

To stay fit also means for me to fuel my body with the best possible food. I take particular care about the ingredients and the organic quality. As I mentioned before it is 70% nutrition and 30% sports to achieve your goals.

I follow a simple guideline:

• Less dairy products 
• No raffinated sugars, instead Xucker
• No simple wheat flour, rather whole wheat
• Meat only once a week, in organic quality 

My superfoods

To be sure that my body receives all important vitamins and antioxidant, I found many natural products which have beneficial health effects. Antioxidants are molecules which inhibit the oxidation of other molecules. Oxidation is a chemical reaction which can free radicals. This reaction my damage cells. Antioxidants can be found in many foods.

All products I have listed here are easy to consume and do not waste a lot of time to prepare. Most of them I buy online since they are cheaper in bigger sizes.

Lemon tea

Rich in natural Vitamin C. The juice is antibacterial, antiphlogistic and digestive. Additionally lemon can detox your body. As you can see a cheap and natural elixir. Make sure you use organic lemons, since you also  consume the skin. I use this Grater to get the skin off easily.  Then squeeze the lemon to get the juice. Put it all a cup and fill it up only with semi hot water so the vitamins do to not get burned right away. One cup of lemon tea a day.

Curcuma water

Curcuma (curcuma longa) contains curcumin and is one of the most significant medical plant. Especially in China and India it is well known for its antiphlogisitic effects. A good source of antioxidants. Take a glass of water and but one teaspoon of curcuma powder to it. Stir well. If you do not like the taste you can also but it in your cereal or blend it in almond milk. Curcuma Organic super healthy and super easy. 

Spirulina

Spirulina is a alga which was already consumed by Aztecs. The concentration of vitamins and minerals is the highest which has been found yet. Rich in carotin, vitamin B12, iron and other trace elements. With all those good components it supports the immune system strongly. A real energy booster. I recommend organic Spirulina Tablets (3 times 4 tablets daily)

Riceprotein

You might thing of a simply protein shake but rice protein is a real superfood. It is extremely nutritious and rich in other vital substances. Compared to other superfoods, rice protein has a high level of vitamin E, which is a good antioxidant. This vitamin protects our cells from free radicals. It is ideal for vegans and people you try to avoid the diary protein. I am consuming about 40g of protein powder with water after a work out. I can recommend plain organic Rice Protein.

Flaxseed oil

This oil is rich in omega-3 fat acids, which improve your concentration ability and supports your inner calmness. It may even preventive measure against cancer. I consume one table spoon of flaxseed oil in the morning before breakfast. Keep the Organic Flax Oil refrigerated and pay attention to good quality.

Filtered water

The quality of tap water in Berlin is not the best. Over the years Germany increased the limit of contamination of tap water step by step, because they could not keep the quality of water. I was shocked about the bad quality when I tested my water home with this Quality Water Test Meter. You can find residual of medicine, hormones and pesticides. So far I had been drinking out of glas bottles from the supermarket, but I had been using tap water for cooking and my tea. That is why I decided to install an Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water Filter to clean the tap water. Now my filtered tap water is cleaner than the bottled mineral water. I love sparkling water that is why I bought a SodaStream. It is great investment into your well being.

But why?

The body is the most precious thing we have. That is why I treat it as well as possible. I am convinced that a healthy diet can hinder diseases from breaking out and can even heal them.  It not only gives me a good body feeling at the moment, but I also prepare my body for the future. In case I get sick at a later stage, I can be sure that I have been treating my body well with good food and exercises.

I retrieved the entire information from Zentrum der Gesundheit, a German health website.

Healthy cooking

On my Facebook page Pilot Patrick I showed you during a live stream with Timo, my personal trainer and friend, who easy it is to prepare a tasty vegan dish. A healthy recipe which fits ideally to springtime. If you want to prepare for yourself I have the recipe here for you. Happy cooking!

Springtime vegetables Soba Noodles

Serves 4 and takes 30 min if you are quick.

Ingredients

Soba

• 250g soba noodles (buckwheat flour) or noodles of choice
• 2 cups frozen organic edamame
• 3 cups of sugar snap peas or snow peas
• 6 medium-sized carrots, peeled
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro (about 2 handfuls)
• ¼ cup sesame seeds

Ginger-sesame sauce

• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil or extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 small lime, juiced
• 2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon honey or agave nectar
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger

Instructions

1. To prepare the vegetables: Use a chef’s knife to slice the peas in half lengthwise. Slice the carrots into long, thin strips with a julienne peeler, or slice them into ribbons with a vegetable peeler.
2. To make the sauce: whisk together the ingredients in a small bowl until emulsified. Set aside.
3. Bring two big pots of water to a boil. In the meantime, toast the sesame seeds: Pour the sesame seeds into a small pan. Toast for about 4 to 5 minutes over medium-low heat, shaking the pan frequently to prevent burning, until the seeds are turning golden.
4. Once the pots of water are boiling: In one pot, cook the soba noodles just until al dente. Cook the frozen edamame in the other pot until warmed through (about 4 to 6 minutes) but before draining, toss the halved peas into the boiling edamame water and cook for an additional 20 seconds. Drain.
5. Combine the soba noodles, edamame, snap peas and carrots in a large serving bowl. Pour in the dressing and toss with salad servers. Toss in the chopped cilantro and toasted sesame seeds.

Enjoy your healthy meal!

Raw vegan Raffaello

The best was the desert on this evening. Raw vegan Raffaello. Trust me they even taste better than the original ones. They are without sugar, without diary and no wheat. In case you are a coconut lover they are a must for you.

To prepare about 10 pieces

Ingredients

Dough

• 3 tablespoons coconut oil
• 4 tablespoons coconut cream
• 2 tablespoons cashew cream
• 1 tablespoon maple sirup, honey or xylit sugar
• 2 tablespoons coconut flakes
• A little bit of vanilla powder

Filling and shell

• 10 pealed almonds
• 2 tablespoons coconut flakes

Instructions

1. Put the coconut oil, coconut cream and cashew cream into a bowl and blend well. I suggest to put the the coconut oil and cream in a warm place (oven 60° degrees) so they are soft.
2. Add the vanilla and maple sirup/honey/xylit sugar and stir well
3. Put the soft cream into the refrigerator for not more than 10 min.
4. Use the dough to form 2 cm big balls (you have to be quick so they do not get to soft again) Squeeze one almond inside and roll in coconut flakes afterwards
5. Put it back in the refrigerator to serve cold.

Enjoy!

For more recipe inspirations check the food blog Schüsselglück!

Stay healthy my Aviator!

By the what is your favorite healthy dish?

Your Pilot Patrick