Vegan blueberry latte

A beautiful, fruity latte, perfect for winter and summer alike. 

Summertime in Nordic countries means two things - slightly warmer weather than the rest of the year and an abundance of things to forage in the forests. Mushrooms and berries, most importantly. 

This recipe highlights my favourites - wild blueberries or bilberries. They've got so much flavour and punch packed into a small round package, it's impossible not to love them! In summer we usually freeze as much as we can for the winter ahead, perfect for making these lattes later in the year!

If you can't find bilberries then regular blueberries will work just as well! Living in South Africa means that there are no bilberries here, which is why I've used regular blueberries for these pictures too. It tastes really amazing!

10 minutes

for 1-2 people

Ingredients

3 heaped tbsp blueberries, fresh or frozen

1 1/2 cup plant milk (oat/almond milk is best) + more for foaming

1/2 cup water (optional)

1-2 berry tea bags (rooibos works well too)

1 tsp powdered vanilla (sub with vanilla extract)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cardamom

 Place all ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat off and let infuse for 5 minutes, then remove the tea bag and pour into cups. Foam the milk by placing a few tbsp in a French press and moving the handle up and down. Pour on top of the latte and sprinkle cinnamon on top. 

Overnight fig & blueberry bircher muesli

Summertime in Cape Town can be described in one word - hot. So anything warm is a serious no-go for breakfast. And while smoothies are always going to be a winner for me, this simple bircher muesli is creeping up there too. 

It is so simple to whip up and I love having it in the fridge. Add what ever fruits & berries you currently have and breakfast is served! Couldn't be more easy. 

Now, a lot of people have asked me what camera I shoot with over the years. I recently upgraded to a Canon EOS 5D Mark iv, and lemme tell you. This camera is phenomenal. It is on the pricier side, but it is well worth it. The quality of images and sharpness is exquisite. If this is out of your price range then I also looked into Canon EOS 6D and there's supposed to be a new version of it out in spring 2017. It will be a lot cheaper than the 5D but still a full-frame, which is what you want because otherwise you must take into consideration a crop-factor when purchasing a lens. If this is all a bit confusing for you then read up on full-frame cameras vs cropped frame. It's actually pretty simple but worth knowing!

I used to shoot with a Sony Nex 7, and whist I do recommend it as a good camera for beginners, if you are serious about taking your (food) photography to the next level, invest in a full-frame DSLR. 

A now a bit about lenses - I must tell you that I still don't know much about them, except for the basic ones that are recommended for food photography which are 50mm, 35mm and Macro lenses. I am currently shooting with the Sigma 50mm f1/4 Art lens and the photos it produces take my breath away every time. If that also is out of your budget then the Canon 50mm is a really good buy too! I might invest in a 35mm soon, to achieve wider angles but for now I'm really happy. 

(Btw - I receive no money for this talk. Just me tryna help you guys out. Love x )

Back to the food - try this bircher muesli. I love it. You wont regret it. 

Ingredients

1 cup rolled oats

2 tbsp chia seeds

2 tbsp coconut flakes

2 tbsp maple syrup

1 ripe banana, mashed

2 tbsp blueberries + more to serve

400 ml almond milk 

1 fig, thinly sliced, to serve

2 tbsp raspberries, to serve

 

 

 

Method

Combine the oats, chia seeds, coconut flakes, maple syrup, banana, blueberries and almond milk in a bowl and mix to combine. Place in the fridge over night. 

The next day, serve the muesli with figs, blueberries and raspberries. Enjoy!

 

Blueboost collab: Roasted blueberry & almond butter dark chocolate cups

These bite-sized treats are pretty much the epitome of deliciousness – sweet, creamy and chocolatey. The roasted blueberries add a wonderful fruity aspect, as well as a good nutritional punch. Combine it with the protein from almonds and the antioxidants from dark chocolate and we have a sweet treat that is pretty much a nutritional powerhouse whilst still remaining utterly decadent. 

Best of all – these are ready is less than an hour and can last in the fridge/freezer for a couple of weeks. That is if you don’t finish them before.

To make these delicious treats I teamed up with Blueboost, who not only supply South Africa with the BEST blueberries but also publish a truly inspiring blog of all things good. You can find a couple more my recipes on there too!

Now, to get back to the chocolate cups, you can make these in any size cupcake liners – small ones work really well too! Also, then you might not eat an entire chocolate cup at once and they might last you for longer. 

I was smitten by these from the first bite – I’m sure you will be too!

Total time 1 hour
Makes 8 big or 12-14 small ones

Ingredients
1,5 cups blueberries
0,5 tbsp honey
1 tbsp lemon juice
2/3 cup natural (unsweetened/salted) almond butter
170g dark chocolate, roughly chopped

Extras:
Non-stick cupcake liners, small or large

 

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the blueberries, honey and lemon juice. Mix well. Place in a single layer on an oven-tray and roast for 10-15 minutes, until the blueberries have released some of their juices. Let cool at room temperature.

While the blueberries are roasting, melt the chocolate in a tight-fitting bowl over a pot of boiling water. When the chocolate is melted, place a tablespoon of it into a cupcake liner and swirl it around to coat the sides about 2-3 cm high. Repeat with the rest of the liners and place in the freezer to solidify for 15-30 minutes. 

When the chocolate has solidified, place a teaspoon of almond butter in each and top with a tablespoon of roasted blueberries and their juices. Top with a tablespoon of melted chocolate (if it has solidified then place in back over boiling water, slowly heat it up again). Place the cups in the freezer for 30 minutes or until solidified. Keep in the fridge or freezer. Enjoy!