Christina Leopold
Vegan Recipe Developer + Blogger
Instagram: @addictedtodates | addictedtodates.com
Food For Thought
Christina merges her passion for veganism & photography by sharing delicious plant-based recipes on her blog, addictedtodates.com
Some New We Should Try in the Kitchen?
Irish moss! Don’t get me wrong, I’m one of those people who can’t stand the taste of seaweed! However, when prepared correctly, Irish moss has no flavor at all and acts as a great setting agent and stabilizer. It adds such a nice texture to raw cakes and desserts. I’m just sorry I hadn’t discovered it sooner!
Ingredients For Detoxing + Cleansing?
I’ve recently started using activated charcoal. It’s made from coconut and actually tastes really good! It’s great for digestion and it pulls toxins and chemicals from the body. I like to add it to my nice cream once a week or so. I normally blend 3 frozen bananas, a dash of coconut water and a tablespoon of coconut charcoal. It tastes just like young coconut!
What Does Wellness Mean to You?
I think it means a lot of different things, but overall that we strive to be the best version of ourselves. A huge part of that is reflected through the foods we put into our body. Food is what fuels us every day, and the nutrients we consume ultimately make up our body cells. Veganism has changed my life in so many ways, one being my outlook on health. Before I used to just grab whatever was ‘quick’ and most of the time that came in a package with lots of additives and animal products. Now I get excited every time I’m in the fresh produce aisle in the supermarket!
What Truth Do You Know For Sure?
Every single meal or recipe you choose to make vegan, you are making a difference. As a consumer, every single choice we make, directly or indirectly fuels an industry. By choosing to buy the vegan option, we are creating a greater demand for cruelty-free products and little by little our small decisions are making a huge impact.
Rhubarb, Strawberry & Vanilla Tart
Base:
- 2 cups pecans
- 4 medjool dates
- 1/2 cup dried apricots
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp brown rice syrup
- Pinch of himalayan salt
Filling:
- 1.5 cups cashews (soaked for 6 hours)
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk (refrigerated overnight)
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 vanilla pod
- 1/2 cup coconut oil (melted)
Topping:
- 6 stalks rhubarb
- 1 cup strawberries
- 3 tbsp brown rice syrup
- 1 tsp agar-agar
Method:
Process the pecans until ground. Add the remaining base ingredients and continue to process until a dough is formed. Press the mixture evenly into a tart tin and set aside in the freezer. Blend the filling ingredients until smooth. Pour the filling on top of the base. Freeze for 1 hour. Slice the rhubarb lengthways into strips (about 1/2 cm thick). Fill a frying pan 1/3 with water. Add the brown rice syrup, bring to a simmer. Add the rhubarb, a few strips at a time. Cook for 1 minute on each side, remove from the pan and allow to cool. Repeat until all rhubarb is cooked (top up pan with water if needed). Keep aside 10 lengths of rhubarb for decorating later. Add the strawberries to the syrup leftover in the pan. Simmer for 5 minutes before passing through a sieve. Place the liquid back in the pan. Add 100ml water, the agar-agar and stir continuously over the heat until it begins to thicken, set aside to cool. Pour the jelly on top of the cheezecake. Freeze for another 15-30 minutes. Plait the rhubarb strips to top the cake.
Ombre Berrylicious Smoothies
Baby pink:
- 200ml coconut milk
- 2 tbsp coconut Yoghurt
- 1/2 frozen banana
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 fresh strawberries
Fuschia Pink:
- 200ml coconut water
- 1 tbsp coconut yoghurt
- 1/2 frozen banana
- 1/2 cup raspberries
- 1 tsp pitaya powder
Ruby Red:
200ml coconut water
- 1/2 frozen banana
- 1 cup strawberries
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Deep Berry:
-200ml coconut water
-1/2 cup raspberries
-1/2 cup frozen blackberries
-1 tbsp coconut yoghurt
Method:
Simply blend all the ingredients in a high speed blender to make each smoothie. Enjoy!