REAL Kombucha- Vegan Fermented sparkling Tea

The festive season has begun and we are all excited for the upcoming festivities and holidays. It starts to feel christmassy as soon we start choosing gifts, purchasing them and then spending an evening wrapping them. My favorite time is watching christmas television, enjoying a  drink and a mince pie whilst wrapping presents.

Being teetotaller I don't drink alcohol but that does not mean I can't enjoy a festive drink. I am sure many people like myself for various reasons, choose not to drink but would like to enjoy a celebratory drink. I would highly recommend a chilled glass of Real Kombucha vegan fermented sparkling tea. I am a tea lover so when I discovered these drinks I was intrigued to sample the different flavours. I was also excited that I could enjoy a drink, being assured that is is non alcoholic

What is REAL Kombucha?

REAL Kombucha is a non alcoholic fermented sparkling tea. It is brewed from handpicked loose tea from small gardens around the world. It is low in sugar, suitable for vegans and is the perfect substitute for sparkling wine. It pairs really well with different foods such as these Tandoori Cauliflower Bites, this delicious Vegetarian Paella or these Vegan Samosas.

How is Kombucha made?

Kombucha is thought to originate from China. It is made by adding yeast, sugar and specific bacteria  to black or green tea,The tea is ferment for a few days causing the bacteria and the yeast to form a film on the surface which is known as Scoby, This is used to ferment new batches of Kombucha. During the fermentation process Acetic acid is produced which makes the Kombucha carbonated. 

How to store the Kombucha?

Since Kombucha is a live product, it is best to store it in a cool environment at approximately 15-20 degrees C

These non alcoholic christmas drinks can be made in several different flavours to suit all palates. REAL Kombucha comes in three different flavours , they are Royal Flush, Dry Dragon and a  Limited Edition Iron Goddess 

Royal Flush, this is the first flush Darjeeling Tea which has aromatic notes of rhubarb and white peach, It's very refreshing and smooth on the palate. I enjoy this one with savoury dishes.

Dry Dragon, this is made from Dragon Well Green Tea, it is light and citrusy with nutty notes and perfect for enjoying with some nuts and snacks.

Iron Goddess, this is made from Tie Guan Yin Oolong Tea, the tea is really smooth with notes of honey, nuts and apricots. I love this tea as it really pairs well.with any sort of desserts.

This year I am also going to be serving these awesome teas with my Christmas meal and for the new year celebrations too. I can do this knowing that Kombucha is also very beneficial for good gut health too. You can purchase REAL  Kombucha from Kombucha UK. Have you tried Kombucha before, do share your thoughts in the comments below.

*Collaborative Post

Spanish Warm Courgette Salad

Spanish Warm Courgette Salad is a lovely and tasty salad that is delicious as main dish or as a side dish. Its packed with healthy ingredients such as courgettes, peppers, cucumber and tossed in olive oil and a crunchy topping of coarsely ground almonds.

What are Courgettes?

Courgettes are also known as Zucchini , they are available the whole year around but in abundance in the summer months. It is  part of the marrow family and also recognised as a summer squash. there are different varieties of courgettes , they come in long cylindrical shapes and round too, The courgettes come in the green variety as well as the yellow variety.

They can be eaten raw in salads and also can be baked, fried and cooked and added to sauces and soups. Zucchini is very versatile and although does not really have a strong favour of its own it is great to add to dishes as it takes on otHer flavours really well. It is really low in fat and cholesterol and has a good source of protein, vitamin A, C and K 

It is best to eat Zucchini that are young with very tender flesh as the more mature ones tend have a very spongy flesh and seeds. Occasionally tey can be bitter but this is rare.

What are Warm Salads?

Warm salads are vegetables that are only partly cooked and still retain their crunch. They are a nice alternative to raw salads especially in the winter months.

What can I substitute instead of Almonds?

You can add any kind of nut such as walnuts or cashew nuts, if you are allergic to nuts you can add pine nuts instead or sunflower seeds.

Dietary Tips

Vegan

Gluten free

Vegetarian

What other recipes can I make with Courgettes?

What not try these delicious Greek Fried Zucchini known as Kolokythakia Tiganita, This is a Greek appetiser dish that is  served in taverns. It is usually part of a meze  platter, served with tzatziki a cucumber yogurt sauce. 

Mucver- Turkish Courgette fritters

Roasted Mediterranean Vegetable Feta Tart

I had this salad on a recent trip to Palma. I went to an Olive farm where they grow and harvest olives. I had the opportunity to sample their olive oils that they used to prepare the lunch dishes. Since I am a vegetarian the chef made me this warm courgette salad, it was so delicious that I had to recreate it at home. 

Coming back to this Spanish Warm Courgette Salad here is the complete recipe below. If you don't have the special courgette shredding/ julienne  knife you can grate the courgette instead.

 

Spanish Warm Courgette Saladhttps://youtu.be/UitTR5mAGlgA delicious warm salad packed with healthy vegetables and protein from the almonds.https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjmLQZyumrmsCUW_rZ9tv_WvHxibtGaIKGhIGjqhaRAIkBNr1_BvtUl6n2MoOQc1jLTTwrifx9VWfngJKX2qKlmZD7y2sbT_IYSWpA2-6cy-XxSx5idsY55Q-mbuOoqATZedlPy4HyioFvnxV-jJMSrSyEe1R3Z3BoiOcxfhnQiT_er43nk2mFU5XTHCA=s320" width="320"2021-12-09

Yield: 2

Author: Nayna Kanabar

Spanish Warm Courgette Salad

This delicious vegan and gluten free Spanish warm courgette salad is super delicious, healthy and full of delicious flavours.

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 3 MinTotal time: 13 Min

Ingredients

• 1 courgette
• 50g Almonds
• 50g Yellow Capsicum
• 50g Orange Capsicum
• 50g Cucumber
• 2-3 Tbsp Olive oil (for whole recipe)
• 6 Cherry Tomatoes
• 1 Tbsp fresh Parsley finely chopped
• 1/2 Tsp Salt
• 1/4 Black Pepper
• 1/4 Tsp Dried Mint
• 1/4 Tsp Dried Oregano
• 2 Cloves Garlic finely chopped
• 2 Tbsps Lemon Juice

Instructions

1. Coarsely grind the almonds
2. Finely chop the garlic
3. Finely chop the parsley
4. Dice the yellow and orange peppers
5. Dice the cucumber
6. Julienne the courgettes
7. In a pan add the oil and warm it up.
8. Add the garlic and saute for a few seconds
9. Add the courgettes and saute for 1 minute
10. Add the peppers, tomatoes and saute for 1-2 minutes.
11. Add the cucumber and toss together
12. Add the ground almonds toss everything together.
13. Add the salt, pepper, dried mint, dried oregano and lemon juice.
14. Add the parsley
15. Add a drizzle of olive oil
16. Toss everything together, Serve the salad by drizzling some more olive oil and garnish with more parsley, ground almonds and a lemon wedge.

Notes:

You can substitute the Almonds with any other nuts.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

366.93

Fat (grams)

30.70

Sat. Fat (grams)

3.49

Carbs (grams)

20.76

Fiber (grams)

6.13

Net carbs

14.63

Sugar (grams)

9.52

Protein (grams)

8.54

Sodium (milligrams)

721.33

Cholesterol (grams)

0.00

The nutritional information provided is an approximation calculated by an online calculator. Please consult a professional dietitian for nutritional advice.

Did you make this recipe?

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Here is the video version of the recipe.

 

 

If you make this recipe don't forget to tag me @simplyf00d 

Do you have a favorite courgette recipe? Why not share it in the comments below.

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