If you haven’t heard of Jasmine Hemsley and her latest East By West, Mind Body Balance recipe book then where and what have you been doing these last few weeks? She’s the glowing girl of the moment and her new recipe book is a hit in my house. I’ve always been a fan of the Hemsley and Hemsley girlies and their recipes for years after meeting them at a Supper Club a few years ago. Last year, Jasmine Hemsley opened a pop up cafe just off Regents Street called East By West which was inspired by Ayurveda; Jasmine was there one day I visited, glowing from head to toe as she always does and bought over a golden spoon to our table.
This golden spoon was a spoonful of blended coconut oil, turmeric, raw honey and freshly ground black pepper and the small portion is to be enjoyed pre dinner. I think this is where my interest for Ayurveda began and I’ve since read a couple of books and dipped in and out of applying the principles to my own life. I was re-inspired after attending Jasmine’s book launch a couple of weeks ago at the most stunning Chapel where we were led through a sound meditation and enjoyed recipes like ginger anise chews.
The main thing I takeaway is a lot of the recipes aren’t too sweet but full of my favourite spices such as ginger, cardamom, coriander and cinnamon. It’s definitely the direction I’m taking my own cooking and eating towards. Some Ayurveda principles I do find a little complicated to include in my lifestyle at the moment but their are some “golden guidelines” from the book I think are simple takeaways that everyone can start doing. Let vegetables and fruit make up to 50 to 60 per cent of your daily food intake, stay present with your food and cooked foods are easier to digest. One of the recipes I’ve been snacking on all week is the Quinoa and Coriander Seed Flapjacks so I thought I’d share the recipe with you. It’s crumbly, spicy and lovely with a cuppa.
It was actually the first time I’d made a flax egg (vegan option for egg) and was surprised at how easy the process was and how much the consistency was similar to egg. I couldn’t find quinoa flakes in my local supermarket so I went for quinoa flour which I was a little worried about as the first step with the flakes is to bake them for 10 minutes but it actually just browned the flour and I then followed the same steps and turned out fine so if you can’t find the flakes then flour does work fine too. I used coconut oil to make this a completely vegan snack but I think butter would have made these even yummier. I wasn’t sure when to add the coconut oil, cardamom pods and coriander seeds so just mixed it all in at the end. I used my fingers to push the mixture down into the tray which I think always works best especially with a more crumble recipe like this to help it stick together. Also try to let it cool completely before slicing. Jasmine also recommends making them a little sweeter but cutting them smaller for little desserts, (we all know we’d end up having 2 or 3 if that was the case.)
Quinoa and Coriander Seed Flapjacks from Jasmine Hemsley’s East By West Recipe Book
Ingredients
5 tbsp ground flax
175ml (3/4 cup) water
100g (1 cup) quinoa flakes
70g (½ cup) sunflower seeds
4 tbsp ghee, butter or coconut oil
1½ tsp coriander seeds, crushed
seeds of 15 cardamom pods, ground, or ½ tsp ground cardamom
2 tbsp maple syrup
½ cup (65g) raisins
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp flaky sea salt
110g (1 cup) fine oats
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan/gas mark 6) and line a 20cm (8in) square tin with baking parchment. To make the flax eggs, mix the ground flax with 120ml (½ cup) of the water and set aside.
- Spread the quinoa flakes in a 5mm-thick layer on a baking tray, and repeat the process with the sunflower seeds on another baking tray. Bake both for 10 minutes until toasty and fragrant, stirring halfway through.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 180C (160C fan/gas mark 4).
- Melt the ghee in a small pan and fry the coriander and cardamom for 2 minutes over a medium-high heat, until fragrant. Remove from the heat.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the rest of the water, the maple syrup, flax egg and raisins and then stir in the baking powder, oats, quinoa and two thirds of the sunflower seeds, reserving the rest for the top.
- Spread out the mixture in the prepared tin, pressing down firmly. Scatter over the remaining seeds and press again, using the back of a spoon. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until firm.
- Allow the flapjack to cool in the tin before slicing into 8 rectangles. The flapjacks store well in the fridge, or will keep for a few days at room temperature.
AND if you want to get your hands on a copy to try the other 139 amazing recipes then I have one book to giveaway to a lovely reader. Make sure you are signed up to my newsletter and comment below what you’ll be making in the kitchen this weekend to feel balanced and well! I’ll choose a winner Sunday 26th November. Good luck.
Next on my list to try from the book are the Milk Rice and Fish Curry!
Love, Lottie x
Buy Jasmine’s book here.
*This blog post is not sponsored but I received the book at Jasmine’s launch and was kindly offered a book to giveaway to a reader. All opinions are always my own.
Hi Lottie- thanks for the recipe. I’ll be making my favourite for this time of year- borsch! It’s full of goodness and so yummy and comforting. Plus it will keep me balanced and well whilst I wait for my baby to arrive any day now x x
Hi Lottie!
This weekends, I’m definitely going to definitely be making these flapjacks, the buckwheat banana bread that Jasmine posted on her instagram video last week, then lots of roast veg to last through the week as well as a big roast (and bone broth in my slow cooker)! Xx
Hi Lottie,
I’ll be cooking up big batches of soups and roast veg and maybe a bean chilli to have as a base for meal prep this week! I’d love this book because I’ve been trying to listen more to my body and read up on Ayurveda before having to start to resort to medication to control my digestive system!
I’m hoping to brew a few cups of herbal tea, and maybe experiment with making my own!
Ooooh looks sooo yum!!
NEED to try some of these recipes ?
Hi Lottie! I’m planning on making a massive batch of garlic and dill cauliflower mash with a chickpea, aubergine and spinach curry on the side to prep my body for winter and get me through my uni deadlines. ?
Great post. I’ll definitely be making a big batch of garlic and spiced roasted root vegetables with a dollop of kale pesto on top, yum!
THANK you very much for this competitions Lottie. This book looks great.
I love making a vegetable curry with lots of spices, coconut milk, and seeer potatoes.
I’m away this weekend with my family (it’s my sisters birthday), I’ll be keeping myself well and balanced (and hopefully encouraging the others) with a big batch of Oats for Breakfast to make your Avocado and Orange Porridge (I’m obsessed!) and lots of roasted vegetables, I can’t get enough of Cauliflower with Turmeric and Brussel Sprouts with Maple Syrup… Wish me luck! x
Hey Zara! Thank you so much for commenting and letting me know what you was cooking up! Loving the combo of brussel sprouts and maple syrup idea, I need to try that. I’m pleased to let you know you have won a copy of Jasmine’s book, yay! It’s so amazing, I’m obsessed. Please email me your address so I can send it out to you, lottie@lottiemurphy.com xxx
Yay! Thank you so much! I’m really looking forward to trying the recipes. The Brussels Sprout and Maple Syrup are a must, enjoy! I’ll email my address right now xx
Oops.. *Brussel Sprouts
Thanks,
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