Vanilla Quark and Berries - Light, Fresh, Delicious
Ingredients for two people :
- 50g (1/4 cup) fresh blueberries
- 90g (1/2 cup) fresh red currants
- 150g (1 cup) frozen mixed berries
- 10g (1 tablespoon) fine oat flakes
- 300g (1 1/4 cups) quark
- 1 vanilla bean
- 40g (1/2 cup) fine spelt flakes
- Distribute the spelt flakes evenly into serving glasses.
- Simmer the frozen berries for 1–2 minutes over medium heat.
- Add oat flakes to the warm berry mixture and blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Let the berry sauce sit and cool for a few minutes.
- Scrape out the vanilla bean seeds and mix them into the quark. Optionally, finely chop the empty vanilla pod and stir in for extra flavor.
- Pour the berry sauce over the spelt flakes to create a layer.
- Spoon the vanilla quark on top of the berry layer.
- Wash and decorate with the fresh blueberries and red currants.
- Enjoy your fruity vanilla quark!
Sources:
Chang, H. H., Chang, A. Y. W., Tsai, B.-C., Chen, Y.-J., Wu, S.-G., Chen, L.-J., Lin, Y.-X., & Hsueh, Y.-S. (2024). Ethanol extract of Vanilla planifolia stems reduces PAK6 expression and induces cell death in glioblastoma cells. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, 28(17), e70065. Source
Iannuzzi, C., Liccardo, M., & Sirangelo, I. (2023). Overview of the Role of Vanillin in Neurodegenerative Diseases and Neuropathophysiological Conditions. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 24(3), 1817. Source
Vanilla is more than just a sweet aroma. Current research shows that extracts from the vanilla bean can specifically target signaling pathways. For example, an ethanol extract inhibited the growth of glioblastoma cells, a particularly aggressive type of brain tumor, through the PAK6 pathway in cell cultures (Chang et al., 2024). Did you also know that vanillin protects nerve cells from oxidative stress and even slows the harmful aggregation of beta-amyloid, a key process in Alzheimer’s disease? (Iannuzzi et al., 2023)