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Pumpkin seed butter is increasingly popular as an excellent source of plant-based protein that helps you to avoid nut allergens. This seed butter is a great alternative for those who suffer from nut allergies and anyone who loves to mix things up a bit! Use in your smoothies, drizzle on your bowls, or simply spread on toast or a rice cake.

Seed butters are a growing trend in terms of natural foods, especially with the growing demand for plant-based protein. Pumpkin seeds for example, are one of the best plant-food sources of iron, a great source of zinc, magnesium, phosphorus, healthy fats, protein and fiber. Two tablespoons of pumpkin butter can provide up to 10 grams of protein. Best part about turning your seeds into a butter is that it makes the nutrients easier for your body to absorb.

Pumpkin seed butter is buttery, nut-free and super easy to make yourself. All you need is a high-speed blender to handle all the work. It’s great for blending into smoothies, thicken savory plant-based soups or just to spread on a cracker.

Ingredients:

Directions:

Add the pumpkin seeds and half of the olive oil to your Omniblend jug. The 2ltr jug works best for butters, as it has a narrow base.

Secure the lid and remove the cap from the lid, to insert the tamper. Start blending from low to high. Use the tamper to push into the corners to move the seeds into the blades, and continue to blend, scraping the sides of the container with the tamper from time to time. Blend at high speed so that the motor can do the work for you.

Blend until the pumpkin seed butter is mostly smooth, then slowly add the remaining olive oil a little at a time to reach your desired consistency.

Pulse in your favorite flavorings like salt, honey or cacao at this stage if you want to spruce up your butter. Use a spatula to transfer the pumpkin seed butter to a glass container. Seal and store in your pantry or fridge.

Try our Sunflower Seed Butter too! 

We’re all trying to live a little healthier, eating as much food from nature as possible to get all nutrients we need without having to opt for vitamin pills and supplements. Some of these foods have become labelled as superfood thanks to their high density in certain nutrients. But if you can’t see the wood for the trees in the world of superfoods anymore (as there are no set criteria for determining what is and what is not superfood) you’ll find this summary of 5 of the most popular superfoods useful to pick the ingredients that suit your needs. To make it easy and tasty to add them to your diet, we’ve also included some delicious smoothie recipes so that you can start reaping the benefits of these powerhouse foods.

Spirulina is a type of blue-green algae that grows in both salt and fresh water. Spirulina has been consumed for centuries due to its high nutritional value and health benefits. Spirulina contains a number of nutrients, including B vitamins, beta-carotene and vitamin E. A 7 gram portion contains 4 grams of protein with essential amino acids ( the building blocks of protein) making it a great source of vegan protein. It is also a good source of antioxidants, which can protect against oxidative damage. Spirulina powder can be easily added to smoothies and smoothie bowls. Spirulina blends really well with fruit and juice-based smoothies. Spirulina has an intense blue-green colour, great for all those pretty smoothie bowl creations.

Maca is a plant that grows in central Peru, it has been cultivated as a crop in this area for many years. In foods maca is eaten baked, roasted or prepared as a soup. Maca root powder is a good source of carbs and protein, and rich in a number of nutrients including vitamin C, copper and iron. It is also a great mood booster, known for the ability to relieve depression and anxiety. Maca has also been studied as a remedy for hormonal imbalances and its rich phytochemical content is great for relieving the symptoms of PMS and menopause. Maca has an earthy, nutty taste and can be added to smoothies, oatmeal and sweet treats. Try it in a peanut butter smoothie, check the recipe below.

The moringa plant is gaining more popularity as a superfood due to its highly nutritious profile and powerful anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and tissue protective properties. Moringa Oleifera is also known as horseradish tree, is a small tree from India, Pakistan and Nepal which has been used for generations in Eastern countries to treat and prevent diseases. Moringa is also popular as a natural leaf powder supplement. The pods, roots, bark, flowers, seeds and fruits are also edible. Moringa is nutrient packed, a rich source of vitamins, minerals and amino acids. It contains significant amounts of vitamin A, C and E, calcium, potassium and protein. It also fights free radicals and inflammation, moringa has blood clotting properties that benefit wound healing. You can add Moringa to your smoothies like the mango smoothie below or tea. The powder has a mild flavor, so it makes for a light Moringa tea with a slightly earthy taste.

Baobab is a tree native to certain regions of Africa. The Baobab tree can produce a large fruit that is commonly consumed and appreciated for its delicious citrus like flavour. The pulp, leaves and seeds, have been associated with many health benefits and are a staple in various recipes and cuisines. The leaves are rich in calcium and high-quality proteins. Powdered baobab pulp contains many important nutrients but is especially high in vitamin C, B6, niacin, iron and potassium. Aside the nutritional value, baobab can be used to add punch of flavour to desserts, stews, soups and smoothies. Give it a try while boosting your immune system with the recipe below.

Turmeric is used internationally as a staple spice in cuisine, holistic medicine, and even coloring in cosmetics. Turmeric has been providing the world with countless uses and immense health. Turmeric has a warm, bitter taste and is frequently used to flavor or colour curry powders, mustards, butters and cheeses. Turmeric is anti-inflammatory, the active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin a potent anti-inflammatory. Some people apply turmeric to their skin for pain, swelling and inflammation. You can add turmeric to your tea, mix it up in a curry, blend it into a smoothie, or juice it. To increase absorption of turmeric, best to enjoy it with good fat like avo, coconut oil and curries. You can also add it to your favourite smoothies or try it with our turmeric coffee smoothie.

South Africa’s cycling infrastructure is ever growing and the additional bike lanes make bicycle commutes possible, inspire to go for a leisurely ride, and open opportunities to rent a bike for a day to explore Cape Town or Johannesburg and enjoy the city ‘at the pace of the bicycle’ (if you don’t know how enjoying the city scenery is different on a bike versus car or walking, you’ll definitely have to give it a try to experience how it feels). Apart from that the number of avid road cyclists is on the increase, and especially leading up to the Cape Town Cycle Tour more Capetonians climb on their bikes, and visitors from all over South Africa and overseas head over to the Mother City to enjoy the world’s most scenic timed cycle race.

With it comes the demand for bike friendly restaurants and cafés, for a well-deserved or simply necessary stop to fill up your coffee cup, fix your bike or a lekker breakfast. Bicycle South recognizes these businesses that make an effort to be bike friendly and in return receive a host of benefits as part of the membership. Bike friendly businesses for example offer bicycle parking, a floor pump, plugins for charging cellphones, Wi-Fi, breakfast hampers or early riser breakfasts, special deals for cyclists (yup, coffee can be cheaper when you’re arriving on your bike!). Here's where you can find the list of bike friendly places, to plan your route and pop by for enjoyable stop.

As we love cycling around Cape Town on our classic Dutch style bikes ourselves (parked as decor at our office, we take them for a regular ride), we’re supporting certified Bike Friendly businesses (as recognized by Bicycle South) offering a 10% discount on equipment (blenders, jugs, and sound covers). Check all other benefits to become certified here, or if you’re certified already, browse our product line to scoop your deal.

Perfect as a breakfast on the go, loaded with oats to keep you full for longer. Oats are great way to add fiber to your smoothies without adding a lot of calories. If you struggle to get a chance to sit and eat breakfast in the morning, then this smoothie is for you. It’s so easy to grab an unhealthy snack because you missed breakfast, and there’s just never enough time. Blending up a smoothie with the fuel you need to start a busy day, makes all the difference.

The trick with every good smoothie is a good smoothie maker. You’ll be encouraged to make smoothies every day once you’ve found the best blender. If getting breakfast ready is usually a struggle then the only thing you need is a reliable blender. OmniBlend blenders are hospitality and home allrounders, and you can ready all about what makes these blenders the preferred choice here.

For the banana you can use fresh or frozen, however preferably frozen to make the smoothie much creamier. Store ripe bananas in the freezer to have them ready for whenever you feel like a smoothie. It’s always best to wait till they’re really ripe, as they become sweeter which eliminates the need to add additional sweeteners to your smoothies.

Cacao nibs have all the benefits of eating dark chocolate without the added sugar. They are high in fiber, protein, antioxidants and contain the same mood boosters as a bar of dark chocolate, yum! For some added protein I used home made peanut butter. I somehow associate peanut butter with breakfast, maybe it’s all those PB & jam sandwiches I had growing up! You can substitute with almond, cashew or macadamia butter too. Go wild and make it your own!

Ingredients:

Directions:

Add all the ingredients to your Omniblend jug. Blend from low-to-high for 30 to 60 seconds or until creamy. Ready and just right for when you’re about to run out, enjoy! 

Filled with light and creamy peachy notes, and packed with nutrients makes this a perfect smoothie to boost your mineral and vitamin C and A intake. This smoothie is one of the recipes which are part of our office smoothie bar, and though sweet and indulgent, it provides fantastic properties to support your immune system. The dates add a sweet caramel flavor and the cinnamon gives it an amazing fragrance, so this creamy peach smoothie can double as a light dessert minus the guilt!

We keep frozen pineapple and peach in our freezer for convenience, and this is also a bonus because frozen fruit results in thicker smoothies! You can also use a fresh (pipped) peach in summer when in season. Did you know that peach helps fight skin damage too, when you’ve been in the sun a little too long? And pineapple is also known for providing a healthy glow, so your skin will love you for this recipe. I added some cashews to this smoothie to provide an extra creamy consistency, and they’re also one of the healthier nuts you can consume!

This recipe may not turn out so well in a domestic blender, because of the frozen fruit, nuts, dried dates and ice cubes that a cheap blender may struggle with. A high-powered blender blends these ingredients with ease, extracting the nutrients, and creating a silky smooth texture. The better the blender the less liquid you have to use, and if you don’t have one you might have to use a little more liquid or use fresh or defrosted fruit.

Okay now we can talk about the cinnamon in this recipe: do you ever add spices to your smoothie? if you’ve ever had milk tart or have constant craving for it then this smoothie will bring you close enough, without all the added calories.

This recipe is my personal favorite, I’ve made often as I love the subtle caramel flavor the dates add to the whole smoothie. You can add more or less according to your sweet tooth. Just be mindful dates are still fairly high in calories and best consumed in moderation, like any other good thing.

Ingredients:

Directions:

Add all the ingredients to the OmniBlend jug. Blend from low-to-high for 30 to 60 seconds or until creamy. Sprinkle a dash of cinnamon and enjoy.

This smoothie recipe was developed by Bernice as part of a series for the office smoothie bar. The aim is to encourage the whole office team to make healthy smoothies, but also making it super easy to make, using real ingredients. Bernice has a background in food technology, and is passionate about all that looks, smells, and tastes like food. Her aim was to make sure that a healthy smoothie can taste great too! You can find other smoothies in this series here.

Honest Jar is a Joburg based company that makes it super quick and easy to make healthy smoothies at home, offering a variety of flavours in convenient ready-to-blend packs. Honest Jar delivers the pre-portioned frozen smoothie ingredients in a biodegradable to-go cup straight to your door. All you need is a liquid of your choice, 30 seconds and a blender and you get a 500ml superfood smoothie that you can enjoy on the go.You can blend it with almond or oat milk to keep it vegan, as all ingredients are plant-based. 

For the month of January we're excited to share that Honest Jar offers its Johannesburg customers a 10% discount on a smoothie box, which contains 6 smoothies. Simply order online at www.honestjar.com to pick your flavours, and build your box. In the checkout, use OMNIBLEND10 and immediately receive a 10% discount. Deliveries are only made in Johannesburg, so this offer is valid for Joburg customers only.

Still looking for a reliable and durable blender? The OmniBlend I - 2ltr Pro is our most versatile blender, suited for blending smoothies, smoothie bowls (use the Honest Jar ingredients with just a little liquid to create a thick and creamy smoothie bowl), nice creams, hummus, nut butter, pesto, soups, nut milks, and more. You can use it to grind dry ingredients too, and make your own nut or oat flours. The OmniBlend I model has a turn dial for variable speed control, allowing you to fully control the power you require. Find out how more about our blenders for homeuse here.

Brownies make for the best treats, and these are even better as they’re high in fibre, packed with nutrients, and flourless. This gluten-free recipe makes about 16, and are delicious as is, or top with some peanut butter or tahini drizzle. This recipe is basically a ‘one bowl’ recipe, and only requires a food blender to prepare.

The black beans create a moist and gooey texture, and you won’t taste or notice them in these brownies. They do add a lot of minerals, fibre and essential vitamins, which benefits healthy bones, digestion, blood sugar, and heart health. Healthy snacking never tasted this good, and the best part is that it only takes a few minutes to prepare the batter, and get baking. Ideal for lunch boxes too!

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ C Black beans (rinse rinsed)
• 1/3 C Coconut oil
• ¼ C Honey
• ¼ C Coconut sugar
• ¼ C Cocoa powder
• ½ tsp Baking powder
• 1 tsp Vanilla essence
• Pinch sea salt
• 2 Large free-range eggs
• 1/3 C Chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat the oven at 175C. Add all ingredients except the eggs and chocolate chips to the OmniBlend jug and blend on low for about 20 seconds, till blended and all ingredients are incorporated in the batter Add the 2 eggs and blend again, until just combined. Pour into a prepared brownie tin (about 20x20cm), and sprinkle chips on top. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Eggnog is a typical drink that you want to serve during the holiday season. A traditional delicacy that is so easy to serve as an alternative to fruity cocktails or gin & tonic. It’s delicious as a dessert too, quite similar to a Dom Pedro, without the ice cream.

Eggnog can be made with different liquors, like whiskey, bourbon, or cognac. In this recipe we’re using a proudly South African Parow brandy, available from most Checkers liquor stores.

Ingredients:

• 4 large Free-range eggs, the freshest you can find
• ½ C Castor sugar
• ¾ C Brandy
• Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• 1½ C Full cream milk
• 1 C fresh cream

Directions:

Add eggs to the OmniBlend jug, lid on top without the cap, and start blending on low for a few seconds. Continue blending and add the sugar, for 15 seconds. Now add the other ingredients, and blend for a further 30 seconds. Chill in the fridge, and serve with a sprinkle of grated nutmeg.

When we hear Carrot Cake, we’re all ears! So when we saw ‘the new carrot cake’ on the cover of TASTE’s 15th birthday edition, we paged over immediately to find out what this lime green cake was about. It appeared to be a Pea Cake with Lime Icing! As the batter contains pureed peas instead of grated carrots, a high performance blender is required to blend a smooth paste. To make it easier, we tried making this cake recipe with the OmniBlend blender, using the blender as the only kitchen appliance to prepare the wet mix.

The recipe was an instant winner, and it was fascinating to hear the guesses of what made this cake green without revealing the ingredients immediately: “Mmm… it’s got a sweet freshness… pear?”, and “So what makes it green, matcha?” One taster who had just shared not even liking peas at all, and hadn’t been eating them since childhood, loved it. You can imagine the look on her face when she heard it were the peas that gave it the green colour. :-) It’s the fresh lemon juice in the batter, and the lime in the icing that creates the perfect balance of sweet with a hint of citrus, and makes this cake so good.

In the original recipe there’s no bicarbonate of soda used, which creates a denser and moist texture. As carrot cake recipes often work best using bicarbonate of soda, we tried it with this recipe too, and it resulted in more of a cake crumb texture, which we preferred. We’ve not made further changes to the ingredients, and the directions below are based on using the OmniBlend blender at the most convenient way to whip up this cake.

Ingredients:

• 4 C Frozen Peas
• 400 grams Unsalted Butter (room temperature)
• 300 grams Castor Sugar
• 6 Free-range Eggs (room temperature)
• 4 Tsp Vanilla paste (or 3 Tsp Vanilla Essence)
• 1 Lemon, zested and juiced (6 Tbsp juice and 3 Tsp zest)
• 485 grams Cake Flour
• 2 Tsp Baking Powder
• 2 Tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
• 1 Tsp Salt

• 225 grams Icing Sugar
• 4 Tsp Lime Juice

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 160C degrees, and grease 1x24x11cm bundt cake tin.

Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarb of soda, and salt in a bowl, give it a good stir and set aside.

Bring water to the boil and add the frozen peas. Bring back to the boil, which takes 2 minutes, and then strain and refresh under cold water and set aside.

Add butter and sugar to the OmniBlend jug, and blend increasing to medium speed, using the tamper through the lid to whip the sugar into the butter for a light mixture.

Add the eggs, one at a time, and blend to incorporate and create a fluffy batter. Now add the peas, and blend on high, for about 60 seconds until smooth. And finally add the lemon juice, zest, and vanilla and blend a few seconds until incorporated.

Decant the batter into the bowl with flour, and combine well, ensuring all flour is incorporated. Spoon the batter into the prepared tin, and bake for 1 hour and 10-15 minutes. 

Cool the cake in the tin, and once cooled prepare the frosting. Sift the icing sugar, and add half the amount of lime juice, adding more gradually until you reach the desired consistency. Just runny enough to create a drip effect.

Bake this cake for any occasion and use some decorative sparkles to make it a festive cake for the holidays.

For this recipe we used the OmniBlend I – 2ltr Pro, as it allows for increasing the speed gradually, and the 2 litre jug has a narrow base to works well for blending thick textures like the initial butter and sugar in this recipe as well as hummus, nut butters and other spreads. The 2 liter jug can also be used for grinding dry ingredients if you want to grind your own fresh nut or oat flours.

When I think of chakalaka the things that come to mind are braais, salads, and good company. I don’t remember a time we didn’t have chakalaka at a family braai. If not then either green salad, creamed spinach, or beetroot salad was a definite. Chakalaka is a South African spicy vegetable relish, and when there’s chakalaka there definitely has to be mealie pap.

Although its exact origins are unknown, some believe it originated from mine workers in Johannesburg who added tomatoes, beans and chili to create a vegetable dish. This dish has become a South African staple, and it has become so popular you can buy it in cans in the supermarket, but nothing beats fresh homemade chakalaka!

There’s no exact recipe for chakalaka, and it varies from one family to another. My family loves hot food, so we would usual use more than one chili for an extra kick, and on some days to give it a sweet and chili taste my mother would add some fruit chutney. The recipe can also vary from one to another according to preference: some add cabbage, and sometimes it is made without tomatoes, but most recipes contain tomatoes, Koo baked beans, and peppers.

You can also make this recipe vegan or vegetarian by using baked beans that do not contain any animal products or by substituting the baked beans with chickpeas. Chakalaka is said to be a relish, sauce or salad. Whichever way you prefer to call it, it can make a great addition to Christmas lunches, Sunday roasts, and is best enjoyed with garlic rolls or pap, alongside braai meat. A definite crowd pleaser!

Ingredients

Method

Prepare your vegetables:

Peel and chop onion into quarters add to your Omniblend jug with ½ C water and pulse for a fine chop.

Peel, or scrub carrots and grate (You can pulse your carrots with a cup of water for a fine chop).

Decant the can of whole tomatoes in the jug, and blend till smooth. Or use 3 fresh tomatoes (boil tomatoes for a minute, until the skin starts to peel, plunge in cold water and then peel the skin. Then add to you Omniblend jug and blend till smooth).

Finely chop the garlic, peppers and chilies.

Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the onions, garlic, peppers and chili cook until soft.

Then add the spices (more or less depending on how spicy you would like it to be) stir to combine.

Stir in the carrots and tomato paste, the mixture should be well combined. Cook for a few minutes while stirring occasionally. Then add the tomatoes, and cook on a low heat until the vegetables are cooked but just slightly crunchy. Finish off with the baked beans and simmer for a few minutes.

Taste and season with salt and pepper. Can be served hot or cold.

Using the OmniBlend I with a 2ltr jug made it super easy to prepare the vegetables as, just a few pulses and you’re ready to go. The 2ltr jug is suited for both wet and dry ingredients, and for smaller dishes (because of the narrow base) like spreads, hummus, nut butter and pesto.

This recipe was developed by Bernice, who’s handling OmniBlend’s customer service and sales, and in contact with foodies around the country on a daily basis. Bernice has a background in food technology, and is passionate about all that looks, smells, and tastes like food. She loves sharing how you can get the most out of your OmniBlend.