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Our Philosophy

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What does Clean mean?

For us, clean means a vegan and gluten-free diet that avoids soy, corn and industrial sugar and is also low in fat and salt. That sounds pretty fun-free, but it's not the case at all. We quickly realized that although you have to rethink things a bit, there is a huge range of delicious recipes that can be prepared in this way. And if you know that you are also doing something good for your body, it just tastes twice as delicious!

Organic Vegetables

Why vegan?

A lot of people think vegan is unhealthy. Is that correct? No, that's not correct. So is a vegan diet healthy? No, that is not necessarily the case either. You can have a healty or an unhealthy vegan diet. So what's the difference? If you want to eat healthily, you should pay more attention to what you eat in order to be properly supplied with all nutrients. It doesn't matter whether you're a carnivore or a herbivore. However, many of the vegan recipes that you find on the Internet should be viewed critically: First, they are often quite one-sided, you get the impression that you are completely lost without soy. Secondly, they usually contain a lot of fat, which is used either as a flavor carrier or as a substitute for butter for consistency. A varied and low-fat diet is what is considered healthy. That is why we have created a variety of recipes here on this blog that do not require an excess of unnecessary fat, and which still leave nothing to be desired in terms of taste. Our recipes are developed to have a very high nutrient profile. You can check it with each of our recipes using the Nutriscore. In addition, with each recipe you can see exactly to what extent your daily requirement for calories, proteins and trace elements is covered.


Personally, we prefer a plant-based cuisine to a meat-based one, as we believe that too much meat is produced in our world in miserable conditions and we want to make a contribution against factory farming. Especially since many pieces of meat are contaminated with hormones and antibiotics¹, which you then absorb with the meat in your own organism.
But we don't want to dictate anything to anyone, if you're on our site because you've wanted to try something vegan, you're just as welcome as those who have been dealing with the topic for a long time. Tolerance is important!


We will show you that a wholesome diet without meat is possible!

Roasted Zuccini

Why no corn and no soy?

Both crops have a very long tradition in human nutrition and were certainly originally very healthy foods. But both are now massively altered by genetic modifications. This poses several problems: First, these lab-created seeds are engineered to survive the broad-spectrum herbicide glyphosate and other similar pesticides. In order to increase the yield, an excessive amount is sprayed². This has a direct negative impact on the end product, our groundwater, the existence of insects such as bees and butterflies, as well as the population living near the cultivation areas who face health consequences due to the high concentration of toxins in the air³. The large gene corporations deny connections. And as weeds and insects get used to the chemical agents, more and more is sprayed over the decades.
In Europe, the cultivation of genetically modified soy is forbidden, but not the import of genetically modified soy for further processing in products that then carry the "Made in Europe" label⁴.
Genetically modified maize is not banned in Europe either, but has so far only accounted for a small part of European production⁵.
If these corn and soybean varieties are dangerous to human health because they were developed in the laboratory is considered debatable. But just the doubt and the above reasons related to pest control are enough for us to distance ourselves from these products.

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Why no gluten?

The idea of ​​not eating gluten is not as modern as it might seem to us. Already around 500 BC An ancient healing art developed in what is now India, which is still known today under the name of Ayurveda and which divides food according to various criteria and types. The teachings of Ayurveda are not scientifically verifiable, but it seems interesting in light of the fact that there were already observations many thousands of years ago that grains containing gluten should be avoided, since in this teaching they are considered to be difficult to digest and therefore a burden for the body.
Nowadays there are people who have a proven severe gluten allergy (celiac disease) or suffer from gluten intolerance. In the case of a number of autoimmune diseases, there are also approaches that recommend a gluten-free diet⁶. It is assumed that there are unreported people who do not tolerate the sticky protein particularly well, but who do not recognize this connection. Since most national cuisines and meals contain a lot of gluten, the amount sometimes makes the poison.
We try to present delicious, gluten-free recipes on our site, which can also be an opportunity for one or the other to try something new.
But here too, gluten-free does not equal healthy. In our recipes, we only use whole grains that are gluten-free but packed with vitamins and nutrients.

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Free Stock photos by Vecteezy

Why no industrial sugar?

Sugar is a very emotional and controversial subject. There is a movement calling for a completely sugar-free diet. By this they mean that no sweetener may be used and only the pure fruit alone conjures up sweetness in the food. We have a more moderate position. Firstly, we never use granulated sugar, which means the white or brown table sugar that you get in cubes or loose in large packs in the supermarket. We think that this sugar is an unnatural product: the sugar beets, which were originally rich in vital substances, are cleaned with lime, and then the sugar juice is extracted using filter presses. This is bleached with sulfur and then evaporated to thick juice. Crystallization occurs through repeated boiling. The sugar substance is then centrifuged and finally filtered on bone charcoal⁷. In short, the granulated sugar obtained has hardly anything in common with the starting product of the sugar beet.

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Second, we don't believe in artificial sweeteners. These often occur, for example, in so-called light products. For example, let's look at the ingredients of a Coke Zero. The nutrient table shows that it actually has no sugar and therefore not even one calorie per 100 grams. According to the label, the sweetness comes from the following sweeteners: sodium cyclamate, acesulfame K, aspartame. First things first, sodium cyclamate is a synthetic sweetener that is 35 times sweeter than table sugar. Animal experiments suggest that sodium cyclamate may have a carcinogenic effect⁸. This sweetener is even banned in the USA⁹, and permitted in Europe with prescribed maximum values¹⁰. Acesulfame is also a laboratory-created sweetener that is almost completely excreted by humans. As a result, it gets into our groundwater, which already has a significant concentration of this chemical substance¹¹. Aspartame is another chemical compound that provides extreme sweetness, but it's also suspected of being carcinogenic¹². It is also widely known that sweeteners have an appetite-stimulating effect, which is why the consumption of such diet products often leads to cravings and makes people more likely to gain weight in the long run.
Then what do we use? We use maple syrup and coconut sugar in moderation. Both products seem less artificial to us: maple syrup is the boiled maple sap that flows through the veins of this giant tree. At the end of the manufacturing process, it still contains a few vitamins and minerals¹³. It is very similar with coconut sugar: Here the blossom nectar of the coconut palm is collected, boiled down and then dried. The dry product is then ground into crystals. When it comes to types of sugar, you always look at the glycemic index, which indicates how high and how quickly the blood sugar level rises after consumption. Honey,  maple syrup¹⁴ and coconut sugar¹⁵ are about the same here, at around 50. The classic household sugar is significantly higher here at 80¹⁶.
Basically, we use about a third less sweetness than in conventional recipes. Because we also believe that you can also re-educate yourself and less sweetness is still enough.
The radical zero-sugar proponents, who don't use any sweeteners at all, argue that sugar is a B vitamin robber. From this point of view, cakes in particular are criticized, which naturally have a higher sugar content. In contrast to traditional (vegan) recipes, our cakes are all baked with wholemeal flour, which contains plenty of B vitamins, so that a natural balance is provided and our cakes are not a sin.
Whenever possible, we also try to extract all or part of the sweetness exclusively from fruits such as dates or ripe bananas.

Date Palms

Shutterstock: Dates palm branches pipe northern Israel. Oleg Zaslavsky

We have a search filter that allows you to find recipes that don't contain added sugar, in our case maple syrup or coconut sugar. So there is for sure something delicious for every occasion and taste on our blog.

Why little salt?

Salt is a natural product and is needed for some processes in our body. It therefore makes no sense to generally ban salt from the kitchen. But it is important to pay attention to good quality, some salts are provided with bleaching agents and anti-caking agents. Such chemical additives can be easily avoided. You should also reflect on your salt consumption, the body only needs about 5g per day¹⁷, which corresponds to about one teaspoon. Many ready meals and industrially processed products in particular have a high salt content. Sometimes we got used to eating quite salty and we can wean ourselves here. Long-term excessive salt consumption is not healthy. The connection between the decrease in good intestinal bacteria and excessive salt consumption has been scientifically proven¹⁸. This increases the risk of diseases such as high blood pressure and some vascular diseases. With our recipes you will learn how much salt is enough and how to season delicious and get a strong taste with just a little salt.

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Free Stock photos by Vecteezy

What does reduced fat mean?

Basically, our body needs fatty acids for certain bodily processes. But the amount is crucial and most people eat way too much fat and that puts a strain on our liver. Many people are not aware of this connection. Most people know that alcohol overstrains the liver, but fatty foods also put a lot of work on the liver¹⁹. The liver also has numerous other functions, such as detoxification. If you eat a low-fat diet, the liver also has room for the important detoxification work. You can also tell by the fact that you feel less sluggish after lighter meals.
And yet it is quite difficult to eat a low-fat diet these days. Fat is a flavor carrier and fat tastes good to us. Fried things are delicious, but everyone knows that they are high in fat. But even so, almost everything comes with a good portion of fat: The vegetable plate in the Greek restaurant is extra drizzled with lots of olive oil. Food at home is very often fried in oil. A cake with 150g (vegan) butter is standard. Dips and salad dressings also often only consist of fat. And so it adds up over the days and weeks and years. And not only the food, but also we humans very quickly exceed the daily recommended fat consumption.
But not only the amount, but also the type of fatty acids makes a difference. A distinction is made between saturated and unsaturated fatty acids.


The body can produce saturated fatty acids itself, so we do not need them from food. They are considered unhealthy in excess and are linked to heart disease and elevated cholesterol levels²⁰. When it comes to unsaturated fatty acids, we first differentiate between omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids. Both are essential, which means that our body needs them for various bodily processes, but cannot produce them itself. So we have to ingest them with food. However, simply eating lots of healthy fats is not enough. Because omega-3 and omega 6 act as opponents in the body: while the omega-3 fatty acid has an anti-inflammatory, vasodilating and anticoagulant effect, the omega-6 fatty acid is considered to be pro-inflammatory, vasoconstrictive and coagulation-promoting. Both are important. But the body needs a balance of both fatty acids. According to the DGE (German Society for Nutrition), an ideal ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 is 1:2 to a maximum of 1:5²¹. Unfortunately, almost everyone has an imbalance and takes in many times more omega-6 acids than is desirable. This is because many foods contain more omega-6 than omega-3 fatty acids. You can counteract this with foods that naturally contain more omega-3 than omega-6: These include chia seeds, flaxseed, green leafy vegetables and some fish. If you eat vegan, you can supplement with algae preparations, for example. But an omega-3 product can also make sense for non-vegans, because meat and dairy products have unfavorable omega-3 and omega-6 ratios, so that an imbalance is very likely here too. In our blog, recipes that have a particularly good ratio between the two fatty acids or an omega-3 dominance are highlighted for you. You can also find them using the search function.

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Last but not least, there is the omega-9 fatty acid. This is also unsaturated, but can be produced by the body itself. So it is not essential. In contrast to saturated fatty acids, the omega-9 fatty acid has numerous health-promoting effects on human health. It promotes the absorption of omega-3 and is cholesterol-lowering²².


Most fat occurs naturally in oils, so the question is which oils do we use. Another point to note here is that not only do different oils have different nutritional profiles, they also have different smoke points. This is the point at which the oil develops smoke and thus changes the taste, but often also develops and releases harmful substances. The fact is that linseed oil and chia oil, for example, have very good omega-3-omega-6 ratios, but have a very low smoke point, which is just over 100°C²³. These oils should therefore be used for cold dishes. By the way, for the same reason, we don't use chia or flaxseed "eggs" in our desserts, which are very common in the vegan cooking scene, because temperatures in the oven are well over 100°C. Our Italian pasta recipes, on the other hand, contain flax flour, as they are prepared in boiling water, which has reached its maximum temperature of 100°C and turns into steam, thus is not reaching the smoking point.


Another option with a good balance of unsaturated fatty acids would be canola oil. But then you should be very careful that it is not genetically modified rape that ends up in the bottle. In Canada, the USA, Argentina and Japan, the largest canola producers, the transgenic varieties are the majority. Cultivation is still banned in the EU, but it doesn't seem like it will be for much longer²⁴. In addition, the import is not prohibited²⁵, so you should refrain from products that contain rapeseed oil, among other things, since you have no control over the individual ingredients. Another disadvantage of canola oil is that it is suitable for medium temperatures, but when properly sautéed in a pan, canola oil reaches its limits²⁶. The same goes for olive oil²⁷.
Coconut oil²⁸ and avocado oil²⁹ can be heated to high temperatures. Although coconut oil consists of around 90% saturated fatty acids, no toxins are produced when heated, which is the most important thing and besides, it is only used for frying and therefore in small quantities. Avocado oil has many unsaturated fatty acids in a ratio of 1:8. More omega-3 fatty acids would be desirable, but compared to other oils, the ratio is acceptable. For example, sunflower oil has a ratio of 1:122³⁰. It should therefore be avoided in principle, even if it also withstands very high temperatures.

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Where can I find "clean" products?

If you walk carefully through the supermarket and read the labels of a wide variety of products, you will often wonder what else is in the food in addition to the expected ingredients. Even if it says "free from additives". While many of these additives are permitted, some of these substances are still harmful to health. An example is carrageenan, which is found in many puddings and (vegan) creams and various scientific studies suggest that it is carcinogenic³¹. So is it forbidden? No! But there are guidelines for a maximum consumption value. That's not enough for us!
We always try to buy products that are free from all unnatural additives, but that often means a long search and comparison. But there are wonderful high-quality products that make some work easier or add a great taste to a dish. In our recommendations you will find a compilation of products that we use in our recipes. All of the products recommended there have been tested by us, are vegan and contain no gluten, no corn and no soy. Of course they are "clean", meaning without chemical additives and fillers and whenever possible in organic quality.

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Free Stock photos by Vecteezy

Should I supplement?

If you are really completely vegan or very plant-based, you should get vitamin B12 with a supplement³². Because vitamin B12 is actually found almost exclusively in animal foods. A second point is iron. Many plant-based foods contain a lot of iron, such as oatmeal, pumpkin seeds, legumes, etc. If you still have an iron deficiency or simply need more iron, e.g. during pregnancy, you can also take an additional supplement with highly concentrated plant-based iron.
Vegan or not, supplementing with an omega-3 supplement almost always makes sense. Many of these preparations are made on the basis of inferior fish oils. We recommend an algae-based preparation.
Last but not least, since we live in Germany and there is not enough sun in winter, we take vitamin D in the dark months.
You can find in the category recommendations our supplements. They are all vegan, of excellent quality, i.e. without cheap fillers and if possible organic.
But we are not doctors and every body is different. We therefore ask you to coordinate your intake with your personal constitution and to consult a doctor in advance.

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What does Yummy mean?

With all the limitations that come with a clean diet, it shouldn't taste like something's missing! On the contrary: taste is our top priority! Food is always connected with passion and emotion! And so it should stay!

Eating Watermelon

When developing our recipes, we put a lot of thought into it, study flavor combinations and try until we are satisfied. With one or the other recipe, it took countless attempts before it finally worked. Who else would have the idea of ​​trying bread without gluten, eggs and yeast? When it finally works, the joy is all the greater that we can share the recipe with you.
Many recipes are new creations by us, which often inspire us with interesting flavor pairings and create a new taste experience.
Other recipes are well-known classics that we have converted into a "clean" version. It's the case here that our recipes don't taste exactly like the originals, and that wouldn't work neither, since we use completely different ingredients. If you can get involved with it, you will find out that it tastes so delicious!
And if we managed to touch your heart with our recipes, then we've already won!

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With much love,
Laura & Diego.

References:

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