How are you?
Hi!
Today I’m really good. As I’m writing this I’m nestled up in a rather beautiful cottage overlooking the ocean, located at the South of Norway. The sun is shining and it truly is a magical morning.
What is your current morning routine?
My morning routine most days is getting up, brushing my teeth, putting on a pair of yoga pants and making a large mug of herbal tea. I bring the tea with me to my yoga mat, where I usually sit in meditation and prayer, before moving through a sequence of yoga postures and pranayama exercises. Sometimes it’s a calm and restorative yin practice, other days it’s a more dynamic flow- depending completely on how my body feels on that particular day.
What is your favorite way to find new inspiration?
I find inspiration in so many places! I usually don’t find inspiration when looking for it, it’s an organic process that comes at often unexpected times. Mostly, it arrives when I’m surrounded by nature; sitting by the ocean, going for a run or simply observing Mother Nature in all her glory.
What are you working on these days?
At the moment I’m not working on anything in particular, other than putting together my schedule for the coming year. I’m flying back to my other home in Australia in a weeks time, to teach yoga at a retreat, attend a festival and do some smaller events. But most of all to spend time with my fiancé.
Just before last year came to an end I released my first book ‘A Book of Nourishment’. That in itself has been a long, yet incredibly enjoyable, process, and I’m allowing time to simply enjoy that it has now come into completion.
Ooh, congrats! Tell us a little bit about the book?
As I have written in the introduction of the book, food and cooking is for me about so much more than simply the physical aspect we often associate it with. Food is nourishment, and cooking is love. Through preparing food for ourselves and others, we express love.
I believe in allowing freedom, creativity and awareness into the kitchen. To cook and eat mindfully.
When it comes to raw food in particular, creating raw meals and desserts is a completely different way of cooking than what most people are used to. Personally, it brought me onto a very fun and expansive journey where I discovered a new, beautiful relationship with food.
Most of all it is about honoring our Mama Earth, the food we eat and our own bodies.
My book was created from a place of inspiration and creativity, and deep love for raw food preparation and plant-based food. I hope it will show people how easy this way of making delicious cakes and treats can be - desserts that are also really good for you.
It contains more than 30 delicious recipes, ranging from raw cakes, coconut ice creams, homemade chocolate, bliss balls and more. There is also a little chapter on fermentation, guiding you through the process of making your own kombucha and sauerkraut.
You can order my book through my website - HERE (it ships worldwide!)
Do you want to share your favorite recipe from the book?
Sure! My recipe for ‘Salted Caramel Cake with Vanilla and Coconut’ is a crowd-pleaser and a personal favourite.
Ingredients
Crust:
1 cup almonds (250 ml)
1 cup brazil nuts (250 ml)
15 large, pitted medjool dates
pinch of sea salt
Salted tahini caramel:
1 1/2 cups hulled tahini (375 ml)
1 1/2 cup maple syrup (375 ml)
1 cup melted coconut oil (250 ml)
1 tbsp sea salt
1 tsp liquid vanilla essence
Vanilla cream layer:
2 cups soaked cashews (500 ml)
2/3 cup melted coconut oil (160 ml)
2/3 cup almond milk (160 ml)
2/3 cup maple syrup (160 ml)
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp vanilla powder
Directions
1. Begin to make the crust by placing nuts in a food processor and pulse them into smaller pieces. Add dates and salt, and continue to blend until the mix starts sticking together. Press the dough out into a lined tin and place it in the freezer.
2. To make the salted caramel, whisk tahini and maple together in a big bowl. Keep stirring until the batter starts thickening up. Add in coconut oil, sea salt and vanilla and stir until everything is well combined. Spread over the crust and put the cake in the freezer for at least two hours to set.
3. For the vanilla cream layer, simply blend all ingredients in a high speed blender until you get a thick, smooth batter. Spread the batter over the caramel layer and put back in the freezer for a minimum of three hours. I recommend removing the cake from the tin while it is still frozen.
About Iselin
Read more about Iselin here: https://shaktitales.com/about
To order the book: https://shaktitales.com/a-book-of-nourishment
Website: www.shaktitales.com
IG: @iselin.shaktitales
FB: www.facebook.com/shaktitales