Routine

I like routine after 4 weeks of spontaneous living, I like getting up around the same time every day, going for a run, having my breakfast and cruising the interwebs, going to work, school, coming home, relaxing, dinner, some fun etc. So, I was looking forward to some home time.

But... the first week was really tough. I was grumpy every single day-- you could also say that I felt underwhelmed. My expectations were so much sweeter than reality. I thought that my co-workers/patients/co-students had a nice relaxing summer as I did and that everybody was full of energy and ready to grasp life at its horns. But... it was just like it was before the break and nothing had changed. Everything seemed so incredibly lame. What a bummer. So yeah, I fell into the common after-holiday-blues...
I really tried to get out of it, I smiled and laughed a lot, I ate yummy healthy food, I forced (FORCED) myself to go to yoga and go run in the morning, met some friends and yet it really didn't work. poop.

Mh. 
Good news? the second week was not so bad and now- IM OUT OF IT! yipee! I feel good! Da nana nana nanaaa SO GOOD. dang dang. SO GOOD. 

I steered clear of the downers 

and embraced all of my fire. I enjoyed the small things, I smiled on the inside just as much as the outside, I really looked at my life and what I am grateful for. 
awesome? Yes, I think so too!
I threw myself into baking, cooking, reading new recipes and gave my creativity space. I enjoyed some rain and sun, some new tv shows and friends. Oh. and cuddles with my kitty. What a king of a cat. 

After a down the up is always THAT much better!!!

Here's a random plate of food that made me happy in time of a pick-me-up.

Random veggie plate!

Ingredients: 
- 1 large Aubergine
- 1 Fennel
- 1 Hokkaido Pumpkin
- Ingredients for a green salad (I used romaine lettuce, spring onion, radicchio, parsley)
- Dressing for the salad (olive oil, maple syrup, mustard, salt and pepper, apple cider vinegar)
- potatoes
- 2 cloves of garlic







Heat oven at 220 Celsius

Cut the hokkaido in half, scoop out the middle, place in the oven (about 40 mins/ until soft then chop into big pieces)

For the aubergine:
wash, dry and cut lengthwise in half, cut into the aubergine crisscrossed at a 45 degree angle (not through it though, just almost to the bottom), drizzle with lots of olive oil and stick chopped garlic into the creases.
Fennel and Potatoes:
Salt and pepper, chop em up, drizzle some sunflower oil over

Take a baking sheet, line it with parchment paper and place everything on it (you can mix, I preferred separate sections) pop it into the oven at 220 Celsius (about 20-30 minutes)

For the salad: 
Chop everything, mix it well
Dressing: 
1 Tbsp Olive oil
2 tsp mustard
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp maple syrup

Arrange however you want on plate, mix or separate foods! (You can also add a yummy tzatziki sauce- peel a cucumber, grate it, squeeze out all the juice (drink if you like) add 1 cup of greek yoghurt or your preference, add a crushed clove of garlic, salt and pepper. mhmh drizzle over all of it)

Guten Appetit!


   

Jet lag? Naaah man.

I'm back in Berlin and am feeling rejuvenated! My time in Singapore was spent by the pool in the sun, in restaurants and giggling with my brother.

I was however mistaken with my last post, saying that singapore has lots of rice dishes with fresh food. It DOES have lots of rice dishes but less fresh food than I expected. Being a vegetarian was harder than I thought it would be this trip (for some reason I can't remember it being this difficult the last trip). 
I did, however, always find vegetarian dishes (at Non-veggie restaurants) or was able to eliminate the meat but it was more like the ONE vegetarian dish on the menu that in the end I had to get because there were no more options. Going to a vegetarian restaurant of course is always an option if you are with other veggie lovers (also in little India there are LOTS of Indian veggie options yuuuumy) But that was an unexpected struggle.

I made the granola bars, carrot and cucumber sticks and rice crackers to take on the plane, I also made a salad and I must say- best decision ever. I didn't eat the plane food, I asked the stewardess for a big 1,5l bottle of water and drank around 3-4 l (over the span of 13 hours). I slept and when I arrived I felt so incredibly NORMAL like I have never before after a long haul flight! So. It really does work! 

I think it's vital to keep hydrated on a long trip but also to keep moving after you land. I went for a swim (pretty sweet to have that option!) and walked around in the sunshine. Also what is REALLY helpful is to walk barefoot on grass for 20min also called grounding/earthing. 

The next day I did wake-up in a bit of a fog but ignored it and jumped on the treadmill and did some free weights, stretched like a maniac, drank A TON of water and guess what, my energy level was back up and the jet lag never hit me! 
Amazing.

Another funtastic thing I did this trip? get ready guys-- I BOUGHT A RICE COOKER!
I already have a rice cooker but its the simplistic kind us europeans know- cooking and keep warm. This rice cooker I bought looks like an awesome space ship. I can cook any type of rice, steam, slow cook and even BAKE A FREAKKING CAKE. I am so excited about this new machine you can't even imagine. I L.O.V.E. rice in any shape size or form and now I can make it which EVER way I desire (even set a timer... yes! I can set a TIMER to when I want it READY.) 
Bring it on asian influenced dishes cause this girl is excited!

This fun and easy dish I made for lunch before I flew--

Fresh and easy Stir-fry

Ingredients: 
Brown Rice
Medium Onion
3 Carrots chopped
2 Medium size Zucchini (yellow and green) chopped
Hand full of Cashew Nuts
2 Cloves of Garlic
thumb size chopped fresh ginger
1.5 tsp Curcuma
2 tbsp of soy sauce (I use 'less sodium soy sauce')
1 tsp coconut oil
pepper to taste




1. Heat coconut Oil on medium heat in a pan, add chopped carrots and let them fry for a bit, add a splash of water if they start to stick to the pan
2. Add the chopped garlic and ginger, keep adding tiny splashes of water to make sure the garlic doesn't burn! let simmer 1-2 min
3. Add chopped onion and saute until the carrots are soft outside but hard in the middle
4. Add chopped zucchini, cashew nuts, Curcuma and soy sauce
5. Stir-fry until the zucchini are soft but not mushy
6. Serve with brown rice (you can also use brown rice from the day before and just add the cold rice and stir-fry to heat up. I would add it 1 min after step 4)! 

Guten Appetit!!!

travelling laaaady

I went sailing for a week (it was absolutely amazeballs- just what I needed to start my 4 weeks holiday off) and then my Husband and I went to Rome for 5 days. WHAT. A. CITY. Just unbelievable! The history, the streets! the people, it was a seriously fun trip!!! We walked so much I don't think I have ever walked so much in 5 days in my entire life!!!

Italy is a real treat, I just absolutely love it. I was, however, a little frustrated with the food situation over there. I do like pasta, I do like Pizza, I do like gnocchi, I do like chocolate croissants, tiramisu, ice cream aaand so forth BUT what do they all have in common? 
Wheat. Gluten. Cream. Oil. =Stomach upsets
SOOOO... I did have the time of my life but I am glad that I am home now where I can make myself some RICE and vegetables! Without cream, without wheat, with less oil, just back to basics... 

I am leaving for Singapore tomorrow (yes. I know. lucky lady right here) and so I have been thinking about what to do about food. The fast food places at the airports hurt my eyes and the thought of one more sandwich or slice of pizza makes me want to scream at the top of my lungs. SO, whoever is reading this and has some sort of power, PLEASE. PLEASE. Open up a chain of healthy fast food restaurants AT AIRPORTS. Its JUST as simple as making a sandwich, I promise!!!

I find it so surprising that there are no alternatives, I mean yes, you get a salad anywhere but seriously, who gets full on a handful of iceberg lettuce, three mini tomatoes, some corn and some cheese for 4,50 Euro? No, of course you go buy that slice of pizza for 3 Euro. But its all twisted around, can you see that? If a salad was 3 Euro more people would buy it and that would make THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE.... hurhur. I am serious though, I was so sad at the airport yesterday!

what to do? 
I think the word I'm looking for is: 
P R E P A R A T I O N 

I made myself a brown rice beetroot salad for my trip tomorrow! I made some awesome amazing delicious granola bars (see below for recipe, they are SO SO good. no, seriously. SO good.) I bought some rice crackers, will make myself some raw-mango-coconut-cashew-balls to snack on and I am ready to go, F you airport fast food, I can live without you!
(I did however order a special meal on the plane... but hopefully my food is enough for my belly!) 

Singapore- with all your wonderful rice dishes and fresh food, I am SO ready for you!

Super-delicious-cake-like Granola Bars!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup walnuts, chopped (or any other nut)
1 cup dates, chopped (or any other dried fruit)
1 cup coconut flakes
1/4 cup sesame seeds
2 Tbsp. poppy seeds
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
3 ripe bananas
1/4 cup sunflower oil (or coconut, olive, walnut…)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 Tbsp. maple syrup
2 Tbsp. chia seeds
6 Tbsp. water

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. In a small bowl, mix the chia seeds and water together. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients.
4. In a food processor or blender, mix bananas, oil, vanilla, and maple syrup (you can also just mash everything together with a fork). Add chia gel and pulse to mix. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and stir until well combined.
5. Spread the batter evenly into a baking pan (mine was 9″ x 11″), and smooth out the top with the back of a spatula. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. Let cool completely, store in airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for longer shelf life. 

-Thanks to mynewroots.com

Guten Appetit!