Nourishing body and spirit with Mafalda

With spirit cards and a delicious carrot cake recipe

I first met Mafalda when I experienced her exquisite tastings at an event for Mercado Segrado. She had created a tablet of such divine beauty, a platter of nut cheeses, pomegranates, persimmons, exotic nuts, farmer market heirloom vegetables and more. Her food took my breath away so I had to meet this magical creator. Since then we have become friends, even though she resides in Portugal. She came over recently to show me her beautiful book, and her latest creation her daily spirit cards. Her cards are lovely to sink into before you start your day or at the end of one.

Mafalda was kind enough to share a latte recipe from her new book, Radiant: The Cookbook.

Carrot Cake Latte

The sweet, earthy carrots, creamy coconut milk, and warming spices in this delicious drink support your immune system and boost energy while promoting a beautiful radiant glow. Drink this in the morning to start your day off with a sure hit of immune-boosting vitamin C for added immunity and skin-plumping betacarotenebeta-carotene.

Makes 2 cups

1 cup fresh carrot juice
1 coconut milk, or other plant based milk
4 dates
1 tablespoon coconut butter
1 teaspoon lucuma powder
1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger
1⁄4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeggrated nutmeg, plus more for optional garnish
Pinch of raw vanilla bean powder
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

Optional Beauty Add-Ins

1⁄2 teaspoon Ashwagandha powder

Gently warm the carrot juice and coconut milk in a small saucepan over low heat, without allowing it to simmer. Carefully pour it into a blender. Add the dates, coconut butter, lucuma powder, ginger, turmeric, nutmeg, vanilla powder, and black pepper. Blend on high speed until warm and frothy. Pour into a mug and sprinkle with a little more nutmeg, if desired.

1) What makes your should sing?
Very cliché but my children.. Since i was a little girl i wanted to be a mother. Now a mother of 4 there is nothing that makes my heart sing than the gratitude i feel towards them as i feel special that they trusted me as their caretaker.

2) What inspired the new book of recipes?
I am all about natural cooking and natural skincare. I really wanted to inspire women to eat for their beauty like most eat for their body. Food can be the entry way for so much goodness, and their is so much misleading information, and fear of growing old. Old is beautiful and we should embrace it. Eating the right foods and doing a daily exercise that you enjoy can make all the difference in how you age, you agility, glow and wellbeing.

3) How does an ingredient call out to you when you are at market to get produce?
I only shop at the local organic farmers market. As where i live in Portugal the farmers are local and only sell seasonal products. Thats how i navigate the seasons and nature gives to us exactly what we need for where we live and the time of year.

4) How do you incorporate the cards in your daily ritual?
I have them on my desk, so i usually pull a daily card and if i am in a more confused state of mind i can pull several cards during the day, the benefit of this process is that it sweeps you into a new way of seeing things so that you can change them. I created the cards so they can empower whomever uses them, so we can find within the answers we are looking outside for.

5) As a mama and having a small business how do you stress or unwind?
I have four children and have always put them first followed by my business. As i grew older and wiser i understood, the hard way, that if i am not happy, relaxed and authentic with my true desires i can´t be the mother i want my children to have. So I implemented a daily non negotiable, after dropping them off at school i disconnect from all electronics and go on a walking meditation by the ocean where i live. Its the most magical sacred place, and many of my best creative ideas have been birthed during those walks. In this way I exercise the body, mind and spirit.

6) What are your three beauty foods?
Nettles, fermented vegetables and rose petals.

7) Are you a forest fairy or mermaid?
Once a mermaid always a mermaid.

8) Do you have a motto or mantra you live by?
Teach what you most need to learn.

Tags:carrot cake latte, latte, spirit cards