Homestead Herbs & Healing | holistic living

reading time: 3 min

Remember that gorgeous vegan upside down orange cake I made last year? This is her fabulous sister! I'm not to say who's more beautiful, but this one comes with her lover: chocolate!

Like strawberry and rhubarb, or papaya and passion fruit (or warm apple crisp and vanilla ice cream!), orange and chocolate make an absolute dream team. It's one of my favourite flavour combinations, and in cake form it's just the best.

This cake is so luscious and delicious, and it's also a nice hospitality gift for Christmas, don't you think? It got a lot of praise from my boyfriend's (non-vegan) family and was gone within half an hour! Now it's your turn to try it and let me know what you think :)

If you are still hesitating to make this yourself (which I doubt!), here are some reasons why this cake is amazing:

It's egg-free
dairy-free
wheat-free
moist
rich
fresh
fruity
zesty
chocolate-y
& very easy to make!

Oh and by the way, orange season is starting to begin where I live, so you could use local and seasonal oranges which are usually cheaper and more flavourful.

VEGAN ORANGE & CHOCOLATE CAKE

Preparation time: 1 h 15 min
Main ingredients: spelt flour, chocolate, sugar, non-dairy-milk, orange
difficulty level: easy
makes: 1 loaf cake
suitable for: vegan, lactose-free, wheat-free, soy-free

Ingredients

orange cake:
300 g spelt flour (type 1050) *
120 g light sugar
1 packet (15 g) baking powder
pinch of salt
125 ml non-dairy milk
50 g unsweetened soy yogurt (you can use your own homemade soy yogurt)
125 g vegan margarine or neutral vegetable oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 organic medium-sized orange, zest and juice
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 tbsp soy flour + 2 tbsp water
70 g vegan semi-sweet or dark chocolate, finely chopped (I use a mix of 70 % and 85 % chocolate)

chocolate glaze:
130 g vegan semi-sweet chocolate, roughly chopped (I use 70 % chocolate with orange zest)
1 tbsp coconut oil or vegan margarine

optional garnish:
1 organic orange, cut in slices
almond flakes

* If you are confused about that flour type, check out this website which explains the difference between German flour types and US-American flour types.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 F / 180 C.

For the cake:

Lightly grease and flour a loaf cake pan. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk.

Next add the wet ingredients: non-dairy milk, soy yogurt, margarine or oil, lemon juice, orange juice, orange zest, and vanilla essence. Using an electric whisk or a regular whisk, mix everything until a smooth batter forms.

In a small bowl, stir together water and soy flour to form a paste. Add to the cake batter. Mix once more until nicely combined.

Pour batter into the greased loaf tin. Place in the preheated oven at 180 °C / 350 °F on a lower rack and bake for about 45 minutes.

Do a toothpick test after 35 minutes – once it comes out clean, it's ready. If it's not, leave in for a few more minutes. Turn heat down to 170 °C, or cover with a piece of aluminium foil if the top of the cake starts to get too dark. The cake needs to be cooked through, but not dry.

Remove the cake pan from the oven and allow to cool.

For the glaze:

In a heatproof bowl set over a small saucepan of simmering water, melt the roughly chopped chocolate over low heat, stirring occasionally. Once most of the chocolate has melted, add the coconut oil or margarine, and stir. It should be a glossy and smooth mixture.

Remove the bowl from the heat, and allow the mixture to cool down for just a few minutes before pouring it over the cake. If you like, you can add some thin slices of organic orange and a sprinkle of almond flakes on top.

Allow the chocolate glaze to cool down completely and firm up before cutting the cake into slices, and serving it to your loved ones. Enjoy!

This cake is best eaten within 1 to 3 days.

Other easy-to-make cakes you might enjoy:

Vegan Lemon & Lavender Pound Cake

Vegan Dark Chocolate Red Wine Cake

Easy Vegan Eggnog Cake

One Bowl Vegan Carrot Cake

♥

Maisy

reading time: 4 min

“Once upon a time there was a quiet village in the countryside …”

Earlier this year I (re-)watched the movie Chocolat from 2000, which I had watched about 15 years ago or so as a child or young teen and didn't remember much about other than that it was about chocolate (yum!) and that Johnny Depp was in it, haha!

Upon watching it again, I fell in love with the warm, delightful, touching, sweet (literally), and emotionally deep movie, which really isn't a romantic comedy at its heart, in my opinion. Instead, the heart of the movie is the women in the village.

I love the complex characters, the emphasis on female friendships and empowerment, and the fact that the main character Vianne is a "strong" feminine character without sacrificing her femininity. And of course, the mouthwatering and decadent looking chocolate!

("strong" in quotation marks not because I think that Vianne isn't strong – she is –, but because I don't like the phrase "strong female characters" which usually refers to female characters that are athletic, fierce, ruthless, fearless, hard-boiled heroines etc., and lean very heavily on the masculine side of the spectrum with little to no femininity in sight, which in turn suggests that femininity isn't strong, which is of course bullsh*t – all of these traits I just listed make a female character "athletic, fierce, ruthless" etc. but not "strong"; isn't a very feminine woman going through pregnancy and leading with love instead of fear also "strong" without being emotionally inaccessible and kick-boxing her enemies? – anyway, I'm getting a little sidetracked here ...)

What I love most about the chocolate aspect of the film is that it introduces hot chocolate, or rather cacao, as an ancient Maya recipe, a brew that "held the power to unlock hidden yearnings and reveal destinies" (although the portrayal of Vianne's parents' love story is fairly problematic, as is the portrayal of Christianity / Catholics!).

Vianne essentially transforms the entire (steadfastly traditional) French village for the better with the "magic" of her chocolate, or rather cacao.

One of her first customers in her chocolaterie is her landlady Armande Voizin whom she offers a hot chocolate with chili pepper in it.

Armande: Chili pepper in hot chocolate?
Vianne: Mm-hm. It will give you a lift.
Armande: [takes a sip] It tastes like ... I don't know. [giggles]

Armande Voizin enjoying her cup of *spicy* hot chocolate. (source)

In this instance the hot chocolate is meant as a cure for the old landlady Armande who is "tired of life and of playing games".

This is very similar to drinking healing hot ceremonial cacao in a cacao ceremony which was used by the Aztec and Mayan as a sacred drink. It allows for energetic heart expansion, reconnection, and letting go of emotional blockages. And the chili pepper (that Vianne adds to her hot chocolate) is supposed to work as a spiritual accelerator in cacao ceremonies that activates the cacao and helps the body assimilate it faster.

That's why this recipe uses ceremonial cacao along with regular dark chocolate, and of course – chili pepper!

The flavour is very rich and aromatic, dark, but sweet.

VIANNE'S VEGAN CHILI HOT CHOCOLATE

Preparation time: 10 mins
Main ingredients: cacao, chocolate, non-dairy milk, chili
difficulty level: easy
makes: 1 large mug or 2 smaller cups
suitable for: vegan, lactose-free, gluten-free, soy-free, yeast-free

Ingredients:

300 ml plant-based milk (such as barista oat milk or almond milk)
1 cinnamon stick or 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
a pinch of ground chili or cayenne pepper, or as hot as you like it
a pinch of sea salt
25 g organic raw ceremonial grade cacao * (I use Forastero cacao from Bali)
40 g organic vegan dark chocolate (I use 70 %)
1-2 tsp natural sweetener, i.e. coconut blossom sugar, raw cane sugar, agave syrup or raw honey

(optional) vegan whipped cream

* This is not the same as regular cacao or even cocoa! Make sure it says 100% ceremonial grade cacao on the packaging. Ceremonial cacao can come as a paste, powder or discs.

Instructions:

To a small saucepan, add the plant-based milk. Add cinnamon stick or ground cinnamon, as well as chili/cayenne, and sea salt. Heat up the spiced milk to just before a boil, stirring occasionally.

In the meantime chop the cacao and the dark chocolate into small chunks.

Once the milk is just too hot to the touch, but not boiling, remove from heat. Discard the cinnamon stick, if using.

Slowly stir the cacao and chocolate chunks into the warm milk, until fully melted. Add sweetening to taste.

If you like to have a more creamy hot chocolate, transfer to a heat-safe blender, or use an immersion blender to buzz until super-creamy and frothy.

Serve warm, and top off with a dollop of vegan whipped cream if you like. (Highly recommended! Even better when sprinkled with more chili flakes, cacao nibs, and some more sugar and cacao powder.)

Enjoy by yourself or in good company ♡

♥

Maisy

reading time: 7 min

Dear fellow menstruating humans.

For a couple of years now I have been on a journey towards accepting, loving, and celebrating my menstrual cycle – in specific my period.

Why?

Because for the longest time (more than 10 years of me menstruating) I have absolutely hated getting my period. It was painful, it was a mess. I have always had a very heavy flow, leaving me not only very iron-deficient, but also very uncomfortable and insecure in public situations like school, university, work, or even meeting up with people. And when I say I have a heavy flow I mean: when I'm on my period I wear a menstrual cup PLUS a thick cotton pad PLUS period underwear. And even with all these precautions, I have to change my menstrual cup every 2 hours or so on the two super heavy days of my period (which usually lasts 7 days).

I can completely understand why I loathed having my period.

But it's such a terrible feeling, hating and being in conflict with your own body. I didn't want to feel that way any longer. That's when I made the first changes: I stopped using tampons and switched to a menstrual cup, which already made such a huge difference and made my bleeding feel so much "cleaner". It took me another couple of years – until about 1 1/2 years ago – that I switched to reusable cotton pads, which again made my period feel much more "peaceful". I don't know if that makes sense, but that's just how I felt.

Since my intimate area wasn't constantly dried out and sore due to the tampons, and it also wasn't pressed against all of the chemicals that are known to be in sanitary pads any longer, it helped tremendously with feeling more at peace with my period.

However, one of the most important changes on my gradual shift towards embracing and actually enjoying (!!) my period was understanding the different phases of the menstrual cycle, and adjusting my life accordingly.

DISCLAIMER:

I am not a physician, and the information provided on this blog is for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

The Four Seasons of the Menstrual Cycle

There are four phases of the menstrual cycle that can be attributed to the different seasons of the year: winter, spring, summer, and autumn, with winter being the menstrual phase.

WINTER : The Menstrual Phase (Day 1-5)

Like the season, this phase of the cycle is about hibernation, rest and reflection. Our energy is usually lowest around this time. The hormones oestrogen and progesterone are both low, the lining of the uterus sheds and causes bleeding, so it is best to take it slow. Go for a walk or do some gentle stretching or yoga (yin yoga is great), if you feel like it. Or just stay in bed and binge-watch your favourite show, if that's an option. I personally try to postpone any chores that I might have on the heaviest and most painful day (usually day 2 of the bleeding), if that's possible. Unfortunately, that is not always possible, thanks to our current work environment.

If you are too antsy to just lay on the sofa and sleep during your menstruation, great mental activities for this phase are analysing, reporting, and improving any systems or processes. Limit social activities, and plan in more sleep. Perhaps you feel like meditating, journaling and reflecting about things you'd like to change.

Eat warming and nutritious foods such as lentil stews, soups, roasted root vegetables, or your favourite comfort food. Add some healthy fats such as pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds or nuts to your meals. Your body needs iron + vitamin C, omega 3, b 12, b 6, calcium, magnesium, and protein during this phase.

Similar to the new moon, this is also a great time to surrender and let go of what is no longer serving you. Make time and space for yourself. Maybe light some candles, and do a calming cacao ceremony if you like. Whatever makes you feel good! This is a time of self-care, self-love, and self-reflection.

SPRING : The Follicular Phase (Day 6-16)

Just like our mood usually brightens once the dark and quiet winter time is over, the follicular phase or pre-ovulation phase is often when we feel our most dynamic, creative and adventurous. Our brain power and our energy levels are strong, since oestrogen and progesterone levels are rising again, and we might want to do more intense workouts such as running or weight-lifting, or try out new types of exercises.

This is a great time for problem-solving, coming up with new ideas, brainstorming, learning new things, researching, planning projects or social events, and concentrating on a single task.

Eat lighter foods such as lightly cooked or even raw vegetables, such as salads. Sprouted and fermented foods are also great. Your body needs probiotics, fibre, vitamin E, and B vitamins. I also continue supplementing iron, adding pumpkin and flaxseed to my meals, and making sure to combine any iron-rich meals with a vitamin C source like lemon juice.

After that cleansing menstrual flow, you probably feel cleansed, refreshed and energized. Almost like being reborn. Your sex drive might be increased, so enjoy being flirty and playful, if you like! It can also be nice to tend to your intimate area with a soothing yoni oil.

SUMMER : The Ovulatory Phase (Day 15-17)

Unlike the other phases, this phase only lasts a couple of days. Your hormones reach their peak, since oestrogen is spiking, and testosterone and progesterone are also increasing. This is your most fertile phase, which physically shows in your cervical mucus becoming clear, slippery and wet. Be sure to use protection if you're not planning to get pregnant!

Your hormonal peak also results in you not only feeling, but also appearing more attractive and self-confident! Which is what makes this phase the perfect time for any important meetings such as job interviews, photo shootings, recording videos, date nights etc. ;-) Overall this is a great time for socializing, teamwork, building new relationships, communication and productivity. High-impact exercises like running, weight-lifting, circuit workouts and group classes are also recommended.

Due to your fertility you might also feel more outgoing and sexually active, so embrace your sexuality and your sensuality, and either connect with your partner or with yourself in a loving way, such as using a yoni egg. You might also be more drawn to attending events and parties.

Enjoy fresh foods such as salads, fruits, smoothies, and cruciferous vegetables. Your body needs magnesium, B vitamins, folate, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin C, zinc, and fibre. A wonderful addition to your meals are sesame seeds and sunflower seeds.

Like the full moon, this energy invites you to enjoy and celebrate yourself. (Often times, your ovulation will actually fall around a full moon, whereas your bleeding phase might take place around the new moon. This is called a "white moon cycle" and is the most common, indicating a woman to be in the "mother" phase of her life. However, if your periods are aligned with the full moon, this is called a "red moon cycle", which is focused on channelling their creative energy inward instead of outward, and is said to be common amongst healers, priestesses, witches, and medicine women.)

AUTUMN : The Luteal Phase (Day 18-28)

After an exciting summer phase, your body is starting to slow down and prepare for hibernation / menstruation. Oestrogen levels are reducing, and progesterone levels increase, leaving you with a natural need for calm and relaxation. The luteal phase or pre-menstrual phase is mostly known for the premenstrual symptoms many people experience during this time. You may feel exhausted, bloated, foggy, or a decrease in libido.

Your energy levels might fluctuate, and you might face mood swings and other emotional challenges such as your inner critic, struggling with setting your boundaries, feeling aggressive or powerless. Journal to reflect on your feelings, and hold space for anything that comes up. This phase assists any kind of "nesting" activities, such as organizing, completing tasks on your to-do list, or decluttering or decorating your home.

Listen to your body. Be kind to yourself. Rest. If you do exercise, choose more restorative movements such as stretching, stress-relieving yoga, pilates, or nature walks. Pamper your body with a face mask or a loving self-breast massage or foot massage.

Include more bitter greens (dandelion, arugula, chicory, collard greens, kale, mustard greens, watercress, mugwort, yarrow, or powdered bitter greens) in your diet, as well as cruciferous vegetables and liver-supporting herbs (dandelion root, turmeric, milk thistle, burdock root, green tea, ginger). Grounding foods such as root vegetables, dark leafy greens, avocado, and grains are great, for example in a nourishing Buddha bowl or a hearty soup. Your body needs vitamin B, vitamin A, zinc, magnesium, calcium, omega-3 fatty acids, and fibre. Add sesame seeds and sunflower seeds to your meals.

Do you notice the different phases during your cycle? How do you feel during each phase, each season of your cycle? What can you do to support yourself during your cycle?

♥

Maisy

reading time: 5 min

I call this one my Persephone cake.

Why?

When I told my friend this (he was one of my taste tester guinea pigs), he said: "Isn't she the wife of Hades?"

To which I replied: "Excuse me? I think you mean: Hades is the husband of Persephone." 😜

But yes, in Greek mythology, Persephone was abducted by her uncle (!) Hades, the king of the underworld, and forced to marry him (yuck!), making her the queen of the underworld. Persephone is the daughter of Zeus, the king of the gods, and Demeter, the goddess of harvest and fertility – who is also Zeus’ sister (yay to the good old incest times!).

Persephone – also known by the name Kore or Cora which translates to "maiden" or "daughter" – is the goddess of death and life, destruction and fertility. Her equivalent in Roman mythology is the goddess Proserpina or Proserpine.

The pomegranate is to Persephone what the seashell is to Aphrodite. Well, kind of.

For once because in Greek mythology she eats six pomegranate seeds from Hades in the underworld, which forces her to stay in his realm. And furthermore, the pomegranate is a symbol of life and fertility, but also of power (like a royal orb), prosperity, blood and death. In Ancient Greek mythology, the pomegranate was known as the "fruit of the dead".

Which – finally – brings me to this cake.

A dark, moody chocolate cake with a hint of rosemary sprinkled with pomegranate seeds. By the way, Aphrodite is also associated with pomegranates 'cause seeds = fertility / sexuality. And you know what else is associated with pomegranates? Samhain.

The Day of the Dead, also known as All Hallow's Eve, or Halloween. The Witches' New Year, rebirth after death. (It's all coming full circle, see? 😅)

Persephone depicted in Dante Gabriel Rossetti's "Proserpine" (1874)

Some of the traditional correspondences for Samhain include pomegranates, nuts – and rosemary. Which is why I decided to combine all three in this tart. In my book, dark chocolate also fits the moody vibe of Samhain perfectly 🖤

So yeah, this vegan chocolate rosemary & pomegranate tart is the perfect dessert for a Samhain, Halloween or even Christmas party! Any holiday during the dark half of the year will do :)

The crumbly chocolate crust is filled with a rich rosemary-infused chocolate pudding, and adorned with fresh pomegranate seeds, nuts, and chocolate shavings.

Enjoy!

VEGAN CHOCOLATE ROSEMARY & POMEGRANATE TART

Preparation time: 2 hours
Main ingredients: whole grain flour, soy milk, chocolate
difficulty level: easy
serves: 14 (1 tart)
suitable for: vegan, lactose-free, wheat-free, yeast-free

Ingredients

Crust:
200 g whole grain spelt flour
50 g ground hazelnuts or almonds
50 g raw cane sugar or brown sugar
115 g melted vegan butter or coconut oil
2-3 tbsp unsweetened cacao powder
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
a pinch of salt

Filling:
400 ml soy milk
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
125 ml coconut milk
1 package (35 g) chocolate pudding powder (we use the Dr. Oetker chocolate pudding powder)
75 g sugar
200 g high-quality dark vegan chocolate, broken into pieces (I use 70 %)
1 tsp vanilla extract

also:
1 cup pomegranate seeds
chopped hazelnuts or almonds
grated dark chocolate

Instructions

Grease and flour a tart pan or springform pan. Preheat oven to 180 °C / 350 °F.

For the tart crust:

In a medium bowl, combine whole grain spelt flour, ground hazelnuts or almonds, cocoa powder, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.

Lastly, add melted vegan butter or coconut oil, and combine until everything comes together into a crumbly dough.

Form into a ball, wrap in clingfilm or wax paper, and set aside for 30 minutes in the fridge.

Once chilled, remove dough from its wrapping and roll out on a floured surface. Line the tart pan or spingform pan, making sure the edges are raised to form a rim that will be able to hold the filling (about 4 cm / 1.5 inches high). Trim any excess, and prick all over with a fork.

Blind-bake the tart crust in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, placing a similar-sized blind weight on top to prevent rising. Remove the weight, and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until cooked through.

Remove the tart crust from the oven, and allow to cool.

For the rosemary-infused milk:

Place 3 sprigs of fresh rosemary in 400 ml soy milk. Set aside for later.
In the meantime, prepare the filling.

For the filling:

In a heatproof bowl set over a small saucepan of gently simmering water, melt the chocolate pieces over low heat, stirring constantly. Once melted, remove from heat.

To make the chocolate pudding, stir together the pudding powder and sugar with a few tablespoons of the rosemary-infused soy milk until dissolved. Bring the rest of the rosemary-infused soy milk to a gentle boil (leaving the sprigs in the milk for now!), along with the coconut milk.

Once it starts boiling, carefully remove the rosemary sprigs with a fork. Quickly stir in the pudding powder mixture using a whisk, until there are no more lumps. Bring to a brief boil again over medium heat, while constantly stirring.

Do this for 1-2 minutes until the mixture starts to thicken. Remove from heat.

Add melted chocolate and vanilla essence to the pudding, and stir once again.

To assemble:

Generously sprinkle pomegranate seeds all over the cooled tart crust.

Pour the warm and still-liquid chocolate pudding mixture on top, and spread evenly using a spatula. Set aside until cooled completely. I recommend transferring it to the fridge after about 30 minutes.

Once cooled, feel free to decorate the chocolate tart with pomegranate seeds, chopped nuts, and shaved chocolate.

Store refrigerated until serving.

I recommend adding a dollop of fresh (vegan) whipped cream on each slice when serving!

TIPS & NOTES:
- To enhance the delicate pomegranate flavour, you could replace part of the soy milk with pomegranate juice (or even red wine!).
- If you don't like the taste of rosemary, you could substitute it with fresh mint leaves.
- Instead of pomegranates, raspberries would also go nicely with this tart. (Not a Persephone cake then, though ;-))