plant-based & sugar-free chocolate spread

Lately, I have been experimenting with an easy replacement for the chocolate spread. I am a big fan of Nutella, but unfourthantly those days are gone, where I could eat Nutella 3 times a day without seeing or feeling any difference in my body. Not only is it bad for the body with all the empty calories and fast carbs, but it is also bad for our blood sugar to eat Nutella. I am trying to make most of my unhealthy food, with natural sugars from plants, like bananas, dates, honey, or sometimes stevia. This 3 ingredient recipe requires no oven or heating. It is basically a raw food chocolate spread, made with no sugar, and only plant-based, natural ingredients.




What you need

Kidney beans - drained and cleaned (175g drained)
7 medium-sized dates
5 topped tbs raw cacao
1,5-2 dl water



What you do

Start with slicing the dates, and make sure to remove the stones. Have the chopped dates over in a large bowl. Drain the kidney beans, and clean them.
Use a hand mixer, or a food processor and mix everything together until a smooth texture. add the cacao powder and the water little by a little while mixing together. Some prefer less water, and others prefer more. Depending on how thick or think you like your chocolate spread. In the end, add some salt, and for those who prefer, add some oil for some more oily texture.


How to use


I love to use the spread on rice crackers, on waffles, or on pancakes. You can also use the spread just as a chocolate cream dessert, or as a cake or cupcake topping.
I keep my chocolate spread in reusable glass and keep it in the fridge. Mine has lasted for at least a week now and still tastes good!


I hope you got inspired to try something new. I wish you all a happy Friday and happy Constitution day on Sunday to those who are celebrating in Norway!


Best, Eline S.

Superfood salad and my first IGTV out for BCBG USA

Hey everyone!



I hope everyone are holding up during the difficult times we are in.
My days are going up and down, like it probably does for most people nowadays.
Today I ran the stairs in Holmenkollen with some friends, and one of them was my girlfriend who just gave birth. Such an inspiration to me! My goal for the workout was to do 1000 stairs, which is about 10 times up the stairs, after first round I was exhausted, but I made it. Still shaking but in a good way. I haven’t been doing a lot of strength training lately, so feels good to hopefully get back some muscle mass. We gotta inspire one and other and be creative with the workouts and use nature nowadays. One thing is for sure, you never regret a workout, even when it’s only for 10-15 minus.




I got such a good response on my first IGTV I did in collaboration with BCBG USA. I never thought I would get so much good feedback. It is a lot easier to post a picture, but when you post a video its much more my personality and feels more vulnerable. Thank you for everyone who are watching, and for giving me positive, but also negative feedback. I am new in the IGTV game, so still, a lot to learn!




As a lot of you have been asking about the excact ingredients for the superfood salad recipe, I dedided to post the recipe here again. The IGTV is still out on my instagram @elinesyrdalen and @BCBGgenerations instagram feed. Please send me a DM if there is anything special you would like me to talk more about or anything special you want me to make. Right now I’m working on a new pizza crust recipe, and been experimenting for a few days.




Superfood salad - what you need


Spinach - 2 handfuls
Carrot - one large
avocado - 1/2
Zucchini 1/2
Sweet potato 1/2
Tomato - 1 large or 5 mini
Pepper - I used red pepper - 1/3
Lemon - lemon peel




Topping:


Pesto 2 tbs
Basil
Seeds - I used pumpkin 2 tbs, mix of chia and sunflower




What you do


Start with heating up the oven to 200 degrees, bake the sweet potato for about 25 minuts with some olive oil and salt. While waiting for the sweet potato, wash the spinach and chop it. Use a spirelli for the carrot and the zucchini, or chop it with a knife.
You can buy a spirally on amazon or most stores that sell kitchen stuff. Chop up the rest of the ingredients and have over in the salad bowl all together.
Use a cheese grater and have some of the lemon peel on top, just a tiny bit to get some sitrus flavors. The citrus will help to make the other vegetable taste even more flavorful.




Dressing: You can use olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper, but recently I have been craving pesto! I usually just mix a ready made pesto with some water, 2 tbs pesto, and 2 tbs water mixed together. Have the mixture, over your salad, and at the end add the seeds for some crunch.




I hope you like it!
This salad takes 10 minuts to make, and a little longer if your sweet potato is not readily prepared. I usually eat sweet poato every other day, so when I bake them I always bake 2-3 at the same time and leave the rest ready in the fridge to add to my next meal.
Sweet paoatoes are a great source of fiber and really high in vitamins and especially vitamins C!
I will show you some more great and easy recipes with sweet potatoes soon, they are becoming my new favorite vegetable! Kind of funny that I used to be a big protein eater, and for so many years avoiding carbs, and now all I eat is carbs, or at least for the most part!




Have a good rest of your weekend.



Best, Eline S.