seed bearing fruit

We are now living at a fresh and exciting new space at Seed Bearing Fruit. We look forward to your visit!

Love, Brooke xx

a very vegan christmas: raw fruit & nut truffles

It's nearly Christmas! Most of us are pretty much on holidays and are finishing off (or starting!?) our Christmas shopping. I'm thinking you should probably add the ingredients to these delish raw fruit & nut truffles to your shopping list, to keep all the peeps with food allergies or intolerances happy at your Christmas table, and to celebrate with tasty, healthy and nourishing food that yes, does feel a little bit naughty too!

As for me, I'm taking a little break over Christmas and New Years, and will be putting the final touches on the new Seed Bearing Fruit website in January. You will next hear from me in late January from a shiny and new space which, just like this blog, I am dedicating to all things health and wellness for your body, soul and spirit. To keep in touch over this time and to stay up-to-date with news, you can find me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter.

Wishing you and yours the Merriest Christmas and the Happiest New Year!

May 2015 be your Year of Jubilee (a season of celebration)! Until then xx

raw fruit & nut truffles

These zesty raw truffles are an easy-to-make, healthy version of a traditional Christmas cake with most of the traditional Christmas spices. My dear Dad reckons these are better than my chocolate bliss balls. Sure to satisfy any sweet tooth at this festive time of year!

1/2 cup rolled oats or buckwheaties
1/2 cup raw cashews or macadamias
1/2 cup activated walnuts or almonds
1/2 cup dried coconut or hemp seeds
1/4 cup sultanas or currants (sulphate-free)
1/4 cup dates or prunes (sulphate-free)
1/4 cup dried cherries or cranberries (sulphate-free)
1/4 cup dried figs or apricots (sulphate-free)
1 Tbsp pure maple syrup
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp vanilla powder
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
zest of a lemon
dried desiccated coconut, cacao powder, hemp seeds, sesame seeds, to roll

In a food processor (or in small batches in a high powered blender) blitz the first four ingredients into a coarse flour or nut meal. Then combine all the ingredients in a food processor or a high powered blender until the mixture is combined, sticky and chunky. 

Roll the mixture into bite-sized balls, and if desired, roll in the desiccated coconut, cacao powder, sesame seeds or hemp seeds (or you can leave them naked!). Store the truffles in a covered container in the fridge or freezer. Devour! 

Makes 12 truffles.

Quote for the Road… 

a very vegan christmas: quinoa stuffed peppers

The countdown is on until Christmas Day and in keeping with the very vegan Christmas theme I'm posting another plant-based recipe for you. These are my quinoa stuffed peppers (or capsicums). Perfect for a plant-based entree... or for any vegans or vegetarians at your table, it's a perfect main course.

Next week, stay tuned for my last vegan Christmas recipe, which will be my final blog post for 2014, until the launch of the new Seed Bearing Fruit website, which is coming along very nicely. Exciting days are ahead, my friends!

Happy horsey friend celebrating Christmas!

quinoa stuffed peppers

This is a festive vegan entree or main course full of spices and the colours of Christmas. It's a super easy dish that presents beautifully. If celery is not in season in your local area, try out another green vegetable, like frozen peas. And I suggest avoiding green peppers for this dish as they are not ripe. 

4 medium red or yellow peppers (capsicums), halved lengthways
1 tsp coconut butter
1 cup white, red and black quinoa, rinsed
3 cups filtered water
1 large zucchini, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, finely chopped
2 celery stalks (substitute: frozen peas), finely chopped
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 Tbsp garam masala
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp pine nuts or pumpkin seeds
large handful coriander or parsley, roughly chopped
juice of a lemon 
hemp seeds, to garnish
rocket walnut pesto, to serve

Wash all the produce before preparation. Rinse and drain the tri-coloured quinoa. Add the quinoa, zucchini, carrots, celery, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, garam masala, paprika and sea salt with the filtered water into a medium-sized pot. Place on the stovetop to cook on high until the water boils. Then, cover with a lid and let simmer on medium-low until the mixture is cooked and the liquid is absorbed (approximately 20 minutes). 

Meanwhile, coat the outside of the halved and deseeded peppers with a layer of coconut butter and place on a baking tray with baking paper. Roast the peppers in the oven at 180 degrees Celcius for 10 minutes or until they are soft but maintaining their shape. 

Once the mixture is cooked stir in the pine nuts or pumpkin seeds, coriander or parsley and the lemon juice. Spoon the mixture into the roasted pepper halves and sprinkle with hemp seeds. Serve with the rocket walnut pesto on the side. Serves 8 entrees; serves 4 mains.

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a very vegan christmas: baked christmas apples

Only seventeen sleeps until Christmas! Although I love this time of year, I do not enjoy the craziness at the shops in the lead up to Christmas Day. I think that's why I try to do my Christmas shopping and preparation as early as possible. And that's why I've been playing around with some simple Christmas plant-based recipes for you. Hopefully, you can relax on the day, and sit and eat with your family and friends, enjoying quality time with your loved ones and delicious, seasonal and healthy meals... wherever you are in the world.

A father-daughter secret project in the works. 

What do you think this could be?!

I wanted to share this baked christmas apples recipe with you as it reminds me of the Christmas Day I spent in the English countryside three years ago with my brother-in-law's family. His aunt quickly made this Christmas dessert for my sister and I after we had opened presents, listened to carols, drank tea and eaten a traditional cooked English dinner. And meandered through the lush green paddocks in wellies (i.e. gumboots), as you do! I haven't quite replicated those melt-in-your-mouth baked apples but these are my vegan version; a summery and spicy Christmas dessert for you all.

Biodynamic cherries and boysenberries from Mill Spring Farm (the growers are my distant cousins!) in Ruffy, the countryside of Victoria in Australia

baked christmas apples

These baked apples are beautifully spiced with Christmas flavours. Easy to prepare and sure to satisfy any sweet tooth, no matter the age of your Christmas guests. Eat leftovers cold for breakfast on Boxing Day morning! 

4 medium apples, cored
1/4 cup activated walnuts
1/4 cup gluten-free rolled oats
1/4 cup sultanas (substitute: prunes)
1/4 cup dried shredded coconut
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 cardamom pod, crushed
pure maple syrup, to serve
coconut yoghurt, to serve
dried desiccated coconut & hemp seeds & goji berries, to serve

Wash and core the apples. Process the activated walnuts, rolled oats, sultanas, dried shredded coconut, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon and nutmeg in a food processor or high-powered blender until the mixture sticks together. Stuff the inside of the apples with the mixture but leave a gap between the bottom of the apple and the mixture so that it can expand and not burn in the oven. Place the stuffed apples on an oven tray lined with baking paper and cover with aluminium foil. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 25 minutes. If you like firmer apples, bake for 20 minutes, or for mushier apples, bake for 30 minutes. Serve with your choice of toppings. Serves 4. 

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a very vegan christmas: recipe guide

Happy December! We are officially in the month of Christmas, the year is winding down and Summer is here (if you live in the Southern Hemisphere, that is)! As I know this can be a hectic time of year for many people, and sometimes your healthy eating habits can go out the window, I've compiled a list just for you of healthy and yummy plant-based Christmas recipes to help you through the holiday season without the added guilt of eating too many desserts.

Here's my vegan Christmas recipe guide of drinks, mains, salads, desserts, snacks and menus from my favourite plant-based bloggers… 

Drinks

Festive Holiday Cocktail from Oh She Glows
Homemade Chai from Vegie Head
Kombucha Infused Sangria from Choosing Raw
Vegan Eggnog from This Rawsome Vegan Life

Mains

Raw Lasagne by The Raw Chef
Raw Vegetable Curry with Cauliflower Rice from Seed Bearing Fruit
Quinoa and Vegetable Loaf from Vegie Head
Vegan Terrine from Vegie Head

Salads

Baby Spinach, Raspberry and Walnut Salad from Hopewood Health Retreat
Grated Root Vegetable Salad from Seed Bearing Fruit
Perfect Kale and Pomegranate Salad by The Healthy Chef
The Best Vegan Potato Salad from Reboot with Joe

Desserts

Chocolate Pudding Tart with Coconut Cream from This Rawsome Vegan Life
Raw Apple and Berry Crumble from Seed Bearing Fruit

Raw Chocolate Chip Pudding with Orange Cashew Cream from Seed Bearing Fruit
Raw Mince Pie by The Raw Chef

Snacks

Fruit & Nut Truffles from Hopewood Health Retreat 
Raw Chocolate Cake Truffles from Seed Bearing Fruit
Raw Superfood Chocolate from Seed Bearing Fruit
Superfood Trail Mix from Seed Bearing Fruit

Menus

3-Course Vegan and Gluten-Free Holiday Menu from Oh She Glows
A Christmas Feast from Deliciously Ella
Vegan and Gluten-Free Christmas from Green Kitchen Stories
Vegetarian Christmas Feast by The Healthy Chef

Stay tuned this December for Seed Bearing Fruit's delicious vegan Christmas recipes… 

Quote for the Road… 

fresh bloody beet juice

If you've been reading my blog for awhile you'll know that I am recovering from a "non-curable" chronic illness, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and that recently I've found out my B12 and iron levels are very low. I say "non-curable" in a tongue-in-cheek way because the journey I've been on has been one of healing (physically, emotionally and spiritually), not one of finding a cure.

So, maybe I'm not curable… maybe I'm healable. Yep, that's it.

I'm healable. 

Just like many others around the world I use food as medicine, to help with the healing process. And since I've just acquired a slow juicer from Hurom (I've used my Vitamix to make juices up until now), I thought I'd start drinking some iron-rich bloody beet juice. Making this juice was messy (as you can see from my beet-stained hands in the photo above) but this cold-pressed juice tasted delicious and the Hurom juicer was easy to clean up after.

Happy juicing!

Sneak peak of a new Christmas recipe on my blog this December...

bloody beet juice

Beets are a plant-based source of iron which means this fresh juice is great if you suffer from anaemia and fatigue. Beets are also high in the antioxidant betacyanin. Antioxidants help to protect the body from cancer, heart disease and stroke by preventing free radical damage (cells damaged by oxidation).

2 medium beets
2 medium apples
1 lemon, with or without skin

Wash the produce and chop to the right size for your juicer. Feed through the juicer, or alternatively, use a high-powered blender to blend with half a cup of water before straining through a nut milk bag. Serve fresh in a glass with straw. Serves 1.

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vegan overnight oats

I love sharing my life with you. And I'm so thankful that you have been on this journey with me as I share my online health and wellness diary with you. I love hearing your stories and how my little online corner of the world has helped you and your loved ones on your journey to better health. What a privilege to share with you!

Raw vegan cake from the beautiful Raw Desserts App

If you have been following me on social media, you'll have heard that I've just had a very talented friend design a logo for me as I plan to revamp my blog and relaunch as a new website in February next year. How exciting! Bigger and better things are on the way, my loves!

Perfecting my food photography skills at a dinner for my mama bear's birthday!

I'll be revealing more in the coming weeks, but in the meantime, I'd love to hear from you about what you would like to see more of from Seed Bearing Fruit. Are there any burning topics you'd like me to write about? Would you like to see more raw or cooked vegan recipes? more self-care posts? spiritual posts? personal posts? How about in-person workshops, eBooks, health coaching or online programs?

I am here to serve you and have many, many thoughts in my head! But I'm hanging out to hear from you so please comment below or contact me through my social media accounts: Facebook, Instragram, Pinterest, Twitter.

Me taking a photo of my dad thinking he was taking a photo of me taking a photo of me… confused?!

vegan overnight oats

1/2 cup rolled oats, gluten-free*
1 Tbsp chia seeds
juice of 1 orange
1 banana, sliced
1 kiwi fruit, peeled and chopped 
handful of mixed frozen berries
4 Tbsp coconut yoghurt
goji berries, to garnish
dried coconut, to garnish
sprinkle of ground cinnamon

Mix the rolled oats and chia seeds in an empty glass jar. Pour the juice of an orange over the oats and seeds before layering the banana, kiwi fruit, berries and coconut yoghurt as you like. Garnish with the goji berries, dried coconut and cinnamon. Screw the lid on the jar and keep in the fridge overnight. Serves 1. 

*Oats are naturally gluten-free. However, the oats can become contaminated during the processing and packaging. If you are gluten intolerant or suffer from Celiac Disease look at buying certified gluten-free rolled oats. 

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