Description
This is a refreshing, vegan breakfast. I discovered it several years ago on the Metabolic Balance® health programme, a whole foods German health programme. Perhaps it’s a German recipe because I’ve never seen it elsewhere before. Mandalade is like a paste or nut butter made from almonds and seed mix (pumpkin seed & sunflower seed), very simple to make.
Nutritionally, when pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and almonds are enjoyed raw, soaked and blanched they are even more nutritious because:
- soaking can remove ‘anti-nutrients’ like phytates and tannins;
- soaking can increase the potency of nutrients such as Vitamin B;
- soaking can make proteins more readily available in the body;
- soaking can promote the growth of healthy enzymes vital for healthy digestion.
Raw pumpkin seeds are especially nutritious. Like all zinc-rich foods, these seeds can used as a palate cleanser. If you’re moving from a regular diet to one free of artificial flavours, preservatives and enhancers like MSG, you might find tastes to be rather bland comparatively. Zinc-rich foods like pumpkin seeds can restore your tastes, in a sense, making your palate more innocent again. In turn, you might begin to crave those high-intesity artificial favours less and less.
I usually serve my mandalade with slices of apple on rye crisp bread. It’s more filling than it looks. It can be savoury or sweet, so if you want to add sea salt or ground pepper or other savoury seasoning you can, or you can add cinnamon and nutmeg for a sweet breakfast. If you’re on Phase 3 or 4 of the Metabolic Balance® heath programme, you can drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil too.
Preparation Time
5 minutes preparation then soaking overnight + 10 minutes the following morning.
Ingredients
Raw almonds, 100g
Seed mix (sunflower seeds & pumpkin seeds), 100g
Any of your choice (i.e. sea salt, black pepper, cinnamon), to taste
Preparation
1. Soak the almonds & seed mix in water over night.
2. In the morning, strain the water. Remove any floating seeds or nuts as this probably means they are rancid.
3. Add the seasoning of your choice and add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
4. Spread on rye crisp bread with slices of raw apples on top. Add a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil if you wish.
5. Refrigerate and consume within a few days.
Alternative Options
If you don’t have time to prepare the Mandalade in advance you can mash together raw almond butter with un-soaked raw seeds. It’s not as soft and smooth, but the taste is very similar. You can try the same recipe but with brazil nuts, cashews or hazelnuts instead.
