REVIEW: Indigo Nutrition Super Powders and Raw Chocolates

Indigo Herbs is on a mission to help people on their journey to a healthy lifestyle with affordable products packed full of the healthiest ingredients. From organic raw chocolate kits to maca powder, herbal tea blends, barley grass powder and more. Established in 2004 in Glastonbury, Indigo Herbs are a one-stop shop to a healthy lifestyle.

This weekend I treated myself to some raw chocolates. The kit comprises of 100% pure raw chocolate ingredients, including raw cacao powder, raw cacao butter, raw agave nectar and pure raw vanilla powder to produce nutritious and delicious raw chocolate. Raw cacao is a great source of magnesium, which helps to strengthen bones and improve circulation, and iron, which helps to oxygenate the blood and reduce fatigue. These chocolates would make the perfect 3pm snack and pick you up for the rest of the day. 

I chose to make both raw chocolate bars and an even healthier treat: orange segments dipped in raw chocolate. You could use this raw chocolate set to make chocolate drizzles, chocolate bars, raw chocolate desserts and more! What chocolate treat would you make with this raw chocolate set?

Method

• Melt the cacao butter in a bain-marie over a simmering saucepan of water. Once fully melted, add in the vanilla powder and stir until fully combined. 
• Tip in the raw cacao powder and stir until fully incorporated. The mixture will become a rich brown liquid which looks absolutely divine! At this stage you could skip any sweetener and enjoy a 100% pure dark chocolate, otherwise tip in the whole bottle of agave syrup. This takes about 100 stirs to fully incorporate into the mixture. 

• Next, decide what treats you want to make! I tipped 3/4 of the mixture into a low set mould to create a giant chocolate bar.
• I used the rest of the chocolate mixture to create dipped orange segments - almost like a healthy Terry's Chocolate Orange! Cut the orange into segments, making sure to remove the entire peel. 
• Dip these segments into the chocolate mixture then place on a cold plate. Pop into the freezer to set overnight.

The next morning transfer your orange segments into the fridge and enjoy! I had these as a late morning snack with a coffee. I had so much energy for the rest of the day and the flavour is absolutely delicious. 

Let me know if you make these gorgeous chocolates or if you have tried Indigo Herbs yourself.  

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RECIPE: Thai Taste Vegan Curry with Fluffy Brown Rice

Thai Taste, who produce a delicious range of sauces, pastes and meal kits made in Thailand by Thai chefs, invited me to take part in their April recipe challenge! As well as using the best quality, natural and authentic ingredients, Thai Taste sauce sets are really convenient and allow you to cook restaurant-quality food within 30 minutes at home. Can't complain at that! 

It's Thai New Year this weekend so to celebrate I have created a classic green thai curry but with a twist. This vegan delight is packed with nutritious vegetables and drench in a gorgeous green curry sauce. I wanted to create a dish that was authentic to Thai flavours while being health orientated, packed full of veggies and ultimately delicious. Here are some of the health benefits of my Vegan Green Curry:

• Coconut milk: this dairy free milk alternative is rammed with healthy fats and gives a creamy consistency to the dish
• Fresh coriander: Packed with vitamin C, vitamin K and protein - wooh! Coriander also contains a small amounts of calcium, phosphorus, potassium, thiamin, niacin and carotene.
• Fresh lime: Limes help to improve digestion in the same way as fresh lemon.
• Carrots: Help you to see in the dark... sort of! The vitamin A and C are helpful for this function while the fibre helps to improve digestion. 
• Sweet potatoes: Every vegan foodie's favourite vegetable! Sweet potatoes are classified as fibre, not a carbohydrate like white potatoes, and have plenty of vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin B6. 

Ingredients

• Thai Taste Green Curry Kit
• 1 red onion
• 1 sweet potato
• 1 carrot
• 1 lime
• a handful of chopped coriander
• 1 cup of brown rice, cooked according to packet instructions 

Method
Finely chop the red onion. Add a tablespoon of coconut oil to a large saucepan or Dutch oven and fry the onion gently for 5 minutes.
Chop the carrots and sweet potatoes into 2cm cubes then add these to the pan. Fry for 3-4 minutes.
Add in the Green Thai Curry paste and a tablespoon of coconut milk. Fry off for 5 minutes to release the gorgeous fragrance.
Add in the rest of the coconut milk and a splash of water.

Allow this to simmer for 10-15 minutes, ensuring the sweet potato is cooked all the way through. 
Add 1/2 the juice of a lime and the sachet of herbs from your Thai Taste kit then simmer for another few minutes.

• Serve a ladle of curry per person with plenty of brown rice.
• Finish the bowl with more fresh lime and chopped fresh coriander

I also added two handfuls of peas to the curry just before the end of cooking for added greens. You could switch in the root vegetables for your favourite veggies, ensuring they are always cooked through. 
Let me know if you make this recipe at home and check out the Thai Taste range here. 
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REVIEW: Wedge Issue, Clerkenwel

When you get invited to review a restaurant dedicated to pizza and beer, it's really hard to say no. And why would I! The Wedge Issue bring proper pizza and craft beer to Clerkenwell Road. Wedge Issue offers classic New York–style thin crust pizzas made from three-day proofed dough. The tomato sauce is made solely from crushed sweet San Marzano tomatoes—nothing else added, in the ancient Neapolitan method, which perfectly blends old world pizzas with new world techniques. But, what truly sets Wedge Issue apart from other pizzerias is that each pizza is bespoke - you decide and they deliver the deliciousness.

Not only does Wedge Issue offer super pizza it’s renowned for its great Beer offering, sourced from local brewers Weird Beard (West London), Anspach and Hobday (South London), Pressure Drop (North London) and East London Brewery. So something for everyone really! Enjoy this review.

Where

Wedge Issue, Clerkenwell

When

Friday night, from 8pm

What we ate

1x The Clerkenwell Pizza

1x The Maribel Pizza

Rocket and vegetarian Parmesan salad

Garlic bread pizza with mozzarella

What we drank

2 pints of Honey Blonde

1 pint of Weird Beard Saison 14

1 pint of Curious Brewing IPA

Review

Oh! Where to begin! We started our meal with a garlic and rosemary pizza strips, drizzled with olive oil and dusted with mozzarella. We didn't realise this would be a whole round of pizza but it was incredibly moreish! There was a good balance of soft cheese and rich garlic flavour while the rosemary gave an herbal note. The base was well cooked and tore apart really easily. 

My pizza, The Clerkenwell, is a vegan option with a tonne of gorgeous roasted vegetables. The pizza was covered in peppers, courgette, mushrooms, onions and artichoke which was delicious against the San Marzono tomato sauce. I opted to have mozzarella rather than vegan cheese but I felt there could have been more cheese to help hold all the vegetables together... towards the end the pizza was falling to pieces a little bit! 

Alex's pizza, the Maribel, was wonderful spiced and rich with meaty flavour. The slices of spicy chorizo were lovely and crisp around the edges which contrasted with the smattering of mozzarella and sprinkling of ricotta cheese, which brought a hit of saltiness. Alex added some sweet roasted onions which gave a sweetness to the pizza and worked really well against the San Marzano tomato sauce.

And finally, our side salad of rocket and vegetarian parmesan cheese brought a hint of freshness to our table. The vegetarian cheese was really similar to normal parmesan which I appreciated. There was a lovely light vinaigrette dressing which gave a slipperiness to the dish.

Overall I loved my visit to Wedge Issue! It's so nice to have an impressive pizza restaurant that serves delicious pizza in a non-Italian setting. The addition of craft beers gives a pub-like feel which made the whole atmosphere really relaxed - perfect for Friday nights!

Thank you to Wedge Issue for hosting this review. All opinions are my own. 
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BRUNCH REVIEW: Coin Laundry, Exmouth Market

Okay, okay.... it's another brunch review!

In my last breakfast post I said it was my last, but lucky for you readers I have a few more up my sleeve! Although these posts do not come under the 'Around London in 50 Breakfasts' series, they are equally as good and I hope to create a new series soon.

Today we visit Coin Laundry, a 1970s inspired pub-restaurant that serves up retro food through the morning, afternoon and into the night. We visited for a weekend brunch on a lazy Saturday several weeks ago and found the whole experience absolutely delightful! Enjoy this review. 

Where
Coin Laundry, Exmouth Market
When
Saturday morning, from 10:30am
What we ate
Chicken kiev with butter leaf salad; chips and curry sauce; onion bhaji and egg bap
What we drank

Bucks Fizz; cappuccino; flat white

Highlights

• Frankly the whole experience at Coin Laundry was a highlight. The space is massive and tastefully decorated in a 1970s style which was really fun.
• The waiting team at Coin Laundry are really lively and chatty, making plenty of recommendations and advising on each dish.
• I really enjoyed my egg and onion bhaji bap. The soft white roll was filled with a herby green sauce, perfectly fried egg and crispy onion bhaji that was not at all greasy. The bhaji was lightly spiced but the egg and bread flavour was much more prominent.
• Alex's dish of chicken kiev with butter leaf salad was MASSIVE. The kiev was pretty statement and took up most of the plate. The chicken was well cooked and moist whilst the rich, buttery garlic sauce offered a richness to the dish. The butter leaf salad was nice and fresh and made a nice break from the richness of the chicken.  

Lowlights

• I hate writing lowlights, but, there were two things that could have been a little better at Coin Laundry.
• Our shared side dish of chips and curry sauce was really tasty, but the curry sauce was very runny. I would have loved a thicker sauce, perhaps made with coconut milk, that would really coat the skinny chips rather than slip off.
• And finally, my fried egg could have been a little less cooked. The yolk was pretty set and I would have really loved a runny yolk to contrast the dry bread and soft onion bhaji.

Overall I absolutely loved my time at Coin Laundry! I cannot wait to revisit and try out the mushroom voule-a-vent benedict (how epic) and their banging cocktails on an evening.

Thank you to Coin Laundry for hosting this visit. All opinions are my own. 
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REVIEW: Zero Degrees, Blackheath

There is an absolute joy to visiting a cosy pub at the weekend. Add in plenty of rainy weather, a village atmosphere and excellent home-brewed beers and you get Zero Degrees. Situated in Blackheath Village, a sweet area in South East London, Zero Degrees is a micro-brewery and family pub that effortlessly blends delicious dining with great beers.

I'm not a massive beer drinker. I normally go for a grim bottle of Corona or Desperados with lime - you can't get much more un-micro-brewery than that! However, my experience at Zero Degrees gave me a broader respect for beers and brewing. Each beer is brewed on site at Zero Degrees using wheat, malt, hops and water. The different beers take a different time to fully ferment, from several weeks to several months. During our visit we were treated to a tour of the beer brewing facility - which is open to all patrons. I tasted the strong differences between a beer that was 1 week old and the same ber at 8 weeks old. The smoothness and richness of the flavour was so notable that I feel I can now truly understand people's obsession with brewing beers. 

Beer Tasting Notes - In Order
Pilsner

• Light, perfect for summer
• Very little bubbles, tingles but doesn't foam in the mouth
• Note of citrus

Pale ale

• Darker finish
• Fruity smell - lots of grapefruit and peach
• Touch of sourness

Wheat

• Banana notes which I find a little confusing

Black ale

• Strong coffee notes and the most bitter so far

Mango

• Smells like orange squash!
• A cross between Fanta and beer - which I love!
• More carbon so the texture is much fizzier

Specialists blend

• American inspired
• Very light and the most fizzy

The Food

We indulged in a classic three course meal. The menu at Zero Degrees is notably Italian with a gorgeous array of pizzas, pastas and risottos plus burgers, sides and fries to boot. Starters take a more Mediterranean approach with hummus, spinach and feta pastries and breaded seafood.  

Starters
I opted for a light starter of 'cigera' - small cigarette shaped pastries filled with spinach and feta cheese. These were lovely and flaky with a salty, soft filling which was very delicious. Although the chilli sauce was clearly from a bottle it worked well with the feta cheese and flaky pastry. The salad was a bit pointless and the French dressing didn't work with the cigera. 

Alex chose the dish of breaded prawns had lovely notes of cumin, lime and chilli which was absolutely delicious. The prawns were well cooked and correctly deveined, however the finished flavour with the salad was a little too salty. 

We also shared a dish of hummus with pita breads. The hummus was OK and the tomatoes brought freshness. The pitta worked well but it wasn't anything to write home about.

Mains
For my main course I opted for a decadent bowl of black truffle ravioli in a butter sauce. When the dish arrived I thought the portion was really small, however, it was so incredibly rich that I couldn't even finish it! The sauce was smooth and buttery which worked really well with the slippery pasta. The black truffle flavour gave a nod of earthiness but was not overwhelming.

Alex's main course was a Mexican inspired pizza. The base was wonderfully crisp and thin which worked well with the smattering of cheese and vibrant Mexican flavours. The additional salsa and avocado toppings kept things fresh without making the centre of the pizza soggy, which can often happy.

Overall I really enjoyed my time at Zero Degrees. The villagey feel of the space and delicious food are well matched to the area, but the beers really are the star of the show! Each flavour is so unique and the experience of tasting each of the beers was really exciting - amazing really for someone who was never really into beers!

Thank you to Zero Degrees for hosting this visit. All opinions are my own.
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Around London in 50 Breakfasts: Dim Sum Sundays at Hakkasan, Fitzrovia

Well, this is it folks - my final brunch review... well not quite. Since I started Around London in 50 Breakfasts I thought it would take about a year. Turns out it has taken over two years to complete! What with holidays, extensive restaurant reviews, life changes and more this adventure has taken a lot longer than I expected. That said it has been an absolute joy to run this series. 

I have enjoyed breakfast or brunch at 50 incredible locations. Though some have been better than others, they have all served me something different and delicious. I started with eggs benedict everywhere, moved onto full English breakfasts and am ending today with dim sum. We all know how much I adore Asian cuisine and ending Around London in 50 Breakfasts with this cantonese icon seemed utterly appropriate.

In the coming weeks you will find an array of brunch and breakfast reviews still featuring on The Young Domestic Goddess. Three of the locations I reviewed for Around London in 50 Breakfasts have since closed and I have decided to add three new reviews to the collection to replace these. The reason for this? Alex and I are creating a mini book! Yes we are taking the adventure that has been Around London in 50 Breakfasts and creating an e-book that will be published later this year. I cannot wait to share the book with you but please be patient as we do not have a publish date in mind yet! 

I am so excited and grateful to have been able to visit these wonderful brunch and breakfast locations. Without your readership and engagement with each of my posts I would not have been able to visit these 50 places. My first ever breakfast review at Le Peche Mignon kick started my love for food writing and literally gave birth to The Young Domestic Goddess. Since then I have been on whirlwind adventure that has completely changed the course of my personal and professional life. I will be forever grateful to you the reader, the incredible PR teams I have worked with and the stunning restaurants I have visited. 

Onto new adventures... x

And onto the review! 

The dim sum Sundays service at Hakkasan is truly a wonderful experience. The beautifully relaxing and calming space is accompanied by an in-house DJ who plays gentle lounge music - ideal if you're visiting after a night on the tiles. We were given a quiet table with plenty of cushions and a very kind waiter who took care of us throughout the visit. On this occasion we enjoyed the vegetarian Dim Sum Sunday set menu for two people

Fleur de Coco, Morello Collins

We began our meal with a shared salad of crispy mushrooms, smoky sauce and deep fried aubergine. The salad had a great dressing and an excellent mix of textures. The sauce was smoky and spicy but with a sour finish to refresh things. The leaves were not too bitter while the aubergine was soft but not watery or overly moist. I loved the aubergine's crisp yet light exterior. Finally the dehydrated mushrooms brought added crispness. 

After the salad the Dim Sum arrives! This course is split in two halves; one plate of baked and fried dim sum and one steamer of beautifully steamed delights! The spring roll was very crisp with no grease at all. The veggies inside still had texture which was great. Within the pumpkin puff it was lovely to see lots of cubes of pumpkin. Alex thought this puff was better than the venison version we have had at Yuautcha. The interior white purée containing the pumpkin was also very tasty. The onion and mooli pancake had an excellently crisp exterior - almost like a croissant- with a deep, sweet onion flavour. We felt it was like an onion ring on steroids! And finally baked veggie puff. The exterior was excellently crispy, but not flaky as previously enjoyed. The flavour is rich and savoury and we do not miss the meat which is always good as a vegetarian diner.

Moving onto the steamed dim sum. The bean curd roll had a lovely savoury flavour with crunchy vegetables. The outside pastry was slippery and sumptuous. Next the vegetarian shu mai. It is nice to experience the veggie version as normally the seafood provides a soft yet firm texture. With the vegetable version there was actually a bigger range of textures - crisp, soft, firm and moist, and the pastry is soft and slippery yet well formed. The crystal dumpling with faux abalone had a strong seafood note and once again plenty of texture with a slippery exterior. Finally the green steamed dim sum came complete with a super food goji berry on top of a set jelly. This dumpling featured more purée and chopped raw vegetables for a good contrasty of textured.

The joy of excellent dim sum comes from the mix of textures and which less attentive versions can be lacking in. Sharing dim sum is about a joint experience of those flavours and textures, the ensuing discussion and combined happiness. Unless this isn't coming across, I absolutely LOVED the dim sum that we were served - both the steamed and baked versions. 

To complete our meal we shared main courses of ginger and spring onion rice, lotus roots with faux abelone and mixed mushrooms with spring onion. Each dish was well portioned for two people and easy to share. The rice was flavoured with ginger and spring onion and was quite light. The faux abelone with lotus roots was very convincing and the lotus root was crunchy which worked well with the sticky sauce. The heat of the chill brought more fun to the dish of wild mushrooms and spring onions. Finally the smaller plate of asparagus in garlic made a fresh side dish to our mains.

Overall, I have to say, this was the absolute best brunch I have ever eaten - however - it isn't your classic brunch so it is hard to compare! Each course was well balanced in flavour and texture and continued to excite us despite visiting Hakkasan for the third time. Once again I would like to extend my thanks to Hakkasan and the press team at Hakkasan for hosting this meal and for indulging me in the most delicious brunch I have eaten!!

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