Apricot Coconut Bliss Balls | Vegan

There exists a unique rhythm of life that unfolds in the space between addresses.

That Tea Time Nibble: Tahini Granola Cookies

I recently stumbled upon a hilarious Instagram REEL that jokingly poked fun at the habit of bloggers writing long intros before sharing a recipe. Guilty as charged!

Zesty Olive Medley: Marinated in Preserved Lemons, Infused with Cumin and Za'atar

The heartbeat of P@l3st!ne lies in the roots of the زيتون (zaytoun) tree. ⁠ As a resilient symbol of peace, heritage, and sustenance, the olive tree is more than an icon – it's the lifeblood of families. Tales that span centuries echo the strength of a people, rooted deep in the soil.

Almond Butter Seed Fruit and Nut Granola

“Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it's worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.” ~ Steve Jobs

My 2017 mantra is Focus and Simple! Keeping all aspects of my life clean, simple and clutter-free is something I have been aiming to achieve for a while. I am on the right path I know it – but I still tend to fall back on some old habits. That is why I have chosen to make 2017 a year where I consciously push out all the toxic junk and matter and open up to purity, to grace and to calmness.

Gooseberry Nectarine Galette

It feels good to be back home! After over 3000 kilometers through the Normandy from Étretat to Mont Saint Michel then over to the Pays D’Auge and ending in Versailles and Paris, we are quite contended to be back home. After a little over two and half weeks of living in a RV the luxury of space is felt in every room but most of all in my kitchen. It was a sensational vacation: we hiked on steep cliffs, we relaxed under gorgeous cornflower blue skies, we swam in the ocean and we ate our weight in mussels, oysters and seafood.

A Genoese Farinata, Photo Shoots and Travels to Far Away Places

 [Farinata | Image for Köstlich Vegetarisch Italian Special 04/2013]

Time has been speeding past me like a super-high speed jet. It’s like I am in a whirlwind, being sucked into the daily chores, replying to the many emails, the photo shoots, keeping up with the son who is getting more strong-willed and developing a distinct character, attending meetings, going to physiotherapy. It feels like I am scattered in a multitude of places all at once. I’m not complaining … it’s the way I function and it’s what my energy needs to keep it at the soaring level. However, I often feel that the days are getting shorter and I am being shortchanged with the hours in the day. Don’t you feel that too? .

Almond Milk Quinoa Breakfast with Fresh Fruit and Toasted Pecans

“Don’t eat breakfast cereals that change the color of the milk” - Michael Pollan, Rule 36

I instantly cringe as I remember eating bowls of Fruit Loops and Lucky Charms as a growing child all those years ago. Although my mum was particular about our meals and paid attention to eating well and healthy, somehow this did not apply to breakfast. Growing up in the early 80s we were subjected to the common, popular TV commercials - bright, gaudy and colorful. The cereal commercials always had my brother and I proverbially eating out of their bowls. My mother, usually strict and alert, snapped, crackled and popped with our selection of breakfast cereals.

Quarkkeulchen with Cranberries and a Cinnamon Blueberry Compote - A German Specialty

The icy grip of winter holds us firmly. Just as I was thinking we were going to get the mildest winter in years, things took a turn and we are now facing the coldest winter in decades. It totally amazes me how we are at the mercy of Mother Nature.

Spicy Bacon Italian Heirloom Tomato and Buffalo Mozzarella Tartine

It seems Autumn has finally come to Weimar. September was filled with non-stop sunny days, bright blue skies and summery high temperatures. It spoilt me. Basking in the warmth of an extended summer I got used to walking out of the house in flip flops and shorts, leaving the warmer jackets behind, hanging on the cloak rack. It felt unusual to enjoy the pleasures of summer right through into September.

Lingonberry Dark Chocolate Buns

 

Where does your inspiration come from?

My inspiration comes from life around me, from watching people going about their lives. The writer in me is a receptacle open to the impressions and influences I am exposed to on a daily basis. Me, the photographer, captures the visuals and scenes, branding them into my memory for reference at a later date. 

Baby Spinach Salad with Roasted Garlic Tomatoes, Hazelnuts, and a Quince and Pear Vinaigrette

I think I need a clone; actually, I would like to order 5, at least. And while I am on the wish-upon-an-unreasonable-star, I’d like to put in a request for a 72-hour day. Minutes slip through my hands like the sand of the hourglass flows into the glass bulb. Trying to hold on to it is pointless, I know that but I’d just like to be able to double the minute to last longer.

Chocolate Chunk Cookies

  

Let’s put aside the carrot and celery sticks, brussel sprouts and the cranberry juice for a moment. Human misery has never been cheered up with a plate of raw vegetables. No - true misery can only be cured by generous servings of sugar, chocolate, butter and a satisfaction that will never be found in anything really healthy.  

Rømmevafler: Norwegian Sour Cream Waffles with Brunost and Cloudberry Cream

  

This week while many were flipping pancakes for Shrove Tuesday, we were busy making waffles. I guess we are different that way, but if I were to choose between both, waffles would win by a slight margin. It’s the contrast of the crispy exterior and the soft interior that makes the waffle rank high on my list. 

Brunost Cheese – A Norwegian Delicacy

  

I do not visit the huge hypermarket at our shopping mall very often. Most of the produce comes either from my organic store or my CSS box, while cheese, meat and other items on my grocery list are picked up at a smaller grocery store. However, recently I have been making regular trips to the hypermarket to get my hands on a very fine delicacy I first discovered on my travels to Norway last summer. 

Daring Bakers: Saffron and Cardamom Doughnuts with Pistachios

  

Frying and me – well we are not such good friends. Don’t get me wrong I find fried foods tantalizing and utterly delicious, but I also know that after indulging in fried foods, I not only feel guilty but also – greasy!  

Vanilla Poached Plums and Blueberry Granola Goat Cheese Cream Verrines

  

Usually when we have invited friends or family for a dinner, I look forward to the entire planning process of the evening meal. Maybe it’s the hotel background that triggers these buttons, but browsing through cookbooks or my recipe notebook and musing over the choices and selections, really makes me happy and content.

Strawberry Lime Polenta Muffins

  

As a parent, one of the things I absolutely love is experiencing the different stages in my son’s life through his eyes. He’s 8 and often wiser than his age, always with a fairly cool line on his lips for the various situations we come across in our daily life. Soeren’s easy going, casual and rather witty nature makes him quite popular with kids of all ages. The older ones take a liking to him due to his smart perception and the younger ones adore him instantly for his creative and fun attitude.  

Spanish Tortilla with Asparagus, Fennel and Cress

 

Friends come in all sizes, shapes and formats. Some come, others go and only a handful leave an impression in our lives, chiseled in our every sense, for the lifetime to come. Friendships, while some will remain cherished and nurtured, others will break away maybe not forgotten but outgrown or remembered in disdain.

Candied Thyme Kumquats

 

I would definitely say that tangy citrus fruits have been the dominant ingredient in my kitchen the past few weeks. I’ve been hit by a surge of ideas and needed to realize them, at best all at once. I get impatient – when inspiration hits me I get all fidgety and need to work on the ideas as soon as possible.

Rich Chocolate Banana Breads with Pistachios, Pink Praline and Au Naturel

 

I can hardly believe my stay in Dubai is coming to an end. I’ll be flying back to Germany tomorrow and just thinking of the cold there makes me shiver. But the 22 – 26 degrees C we’re enjoying here has warmed us up right to the core. Wonders what sunshine does to the soul and mind.