WAKE UP AND DREAM .. WITH A GOOD BREAKFAST

As we all know, breakfast is an important meal. We've been told to prepare and eat our breakfasts the 'mindful-way', so we have a relaxed and positive start of the day. True. But we also know, most people don't have time to have this breakfast ritual or prefer to spend their time otherwise. Guilty.. Sleeping definitely wins from having breakfast when it comes to my morning time competition. That's why I want to share an easy but nourishing breakfast recipe called 'overnight oats', perfect for early mornings and busy schedules.  Eating oats provides a wide range of important health benefits. The internet is full with it. Google if you want to know more about it, but for now I can assure you, oats are super healthy. The second great thing about this breakfast is, you prepare it the night before. No more morning stress. 

There it is, the perfect healthy breakfast that you prepare the night before. If you are really in a hurry, you can take the overnight oats to go. A healthy breakfast on your way or at school/work. Some suggestions for the 'topping': coconut flakes, raisins, raw cocoa flakes and goji berries. Vary a little and this breakfast will be a keeper. 
Good morning and don't forget to (day) dream!

PS: I used yoghurt with almond milk and oats for the basis. Muesli, almonds, kiwi, banana, linseed, red fruit, lime juice, honey and cinnamon for the topping/layers.

             

             

             

             

AUTUMN DAYS, BAKING DAYS

The weather in Holland is changing lately. Autumn is here. Although I love nature in this particular season, the rain, wind and cold are less loved. This weekend, I noticed how my need to go out disappeared. This weather calls for a blanket, cup of tea and a list of good movies. Another activity that's great for these types of weather, is baking. As you might have noticed, it has been a while since my last post, so I decided to get my lazy ass into the kitchen this weekend. I made  banana bread,  a recipe I personally love because it's easy and great for different moments such as birthdays, work breaks and even breakfast. I tried another thing to go with this recipe, 'peanut butter frosting'. Hope you like it!

                   mixture

                   250 g (spelt)flour

                   1 tbsp cinnamon

                   1 tsp baking soda

                   80 g butter

                   1 egg

                   300 g bananas

                   2 tbsp honey (or other sweetener)

                   mix everything together with a wooden spoon (no mixer needed).                              Bake for 1 hour (175 degrees).

                   frosting

                   4 tbsp peanut butter

                   1 tbsp milk or greek yoghurt

                

GUILT-FREE NUTELLA

Nutella is an Italian product, sold in more than 190 countries and one jar is sold every 2.5 seconds (!) throughout the world. During my stay in Italy, the Italians showed me a lot of ways to use Nutella. They put it on pizza, pancakes, inside donuts (a specialty from Tuscany called Bomboloni), inside a croissant, on cookies and so on. I agree with the Italians, I'm a big fan myself and living in Italy made me an addict I'm afraid.. But I think we can all agree on the fact that this chocolate-in-a-glass probably isn't the healthiest thing. So I decided to try a more pure version.

hazelnuts - pure chocolate - oil (canola or olive) - almond or coconut milk 

Mix the hazelnuts until it becomes a paste. Add the melted chocolate and oil and mix again. If the mixture is too dry, you can add some milk. 

NO-BAKE BAR

We all know those moments. End of the day, tired and craving for a snack or sweets. Here is a 'no-bake' recipe for those "greedy" moments. Easy to make, perfect to bring with you and a great after-workout protein boost. 
Great thing is, you can chose some preferred ingredients and create your own recipe. Just stick to the recipe when it comes to the 'basis'. Nuts and seeds, combined with peanut butter and honey. You can add (dried) fruit or legumes if you want to. Be creative ;).

nuts and/or seeds (for example oats, almonds, etc.) - honey - peanut butter 
Mix the ingredients together in a bowl. Spread the mixture in a pan and refrigerate for 2 hours.

DREAM TEAM

Soft and sweet, pears are a treat in themselves. They are packed with nutrients, fibers and antioxidants, making them a delicious and healthy snacking choice. But what to do with them? Here are 3 possible recipes with pear and pure chocolate, a dream team if you ask me.

POACHED PEAR WITH CHOCOLATE DIP

                                                                           Pears

                                                                           Lemon

                                                                           Sugar or honey

                                                                          Chocolate (80% cacao or more)

                                                                          Poach the peeled pears 10 - 30 minutes (ripe - unripe) 

                                                                          in water with sugar/honey and lemon. 

PEAR, DATES AND ALMOND BONBONS

                                                                          Pears

                                                                          Dates

                                                                          Honey

                                                                          (spelt) Flour

                                                                          Lemon

                                                                          Almonds

                                                                          Chocolate

                                                              

                                                                          Mix the mashed pear and dates with 

                                                                          the flour, honey, lemon and crushed almonds.

                                                                          Dip in the chocolate.

                                                                                  

PEAR CHIPS WITH CHOCOLATE DIP

                                                                          Pears

                                                                          Cinnamon

                                                                          Sea salt

                                                                          Chocolate

                                                              

                                                                          Cut the pear in thin slices 

                                                                          Leave in the oven for 2 hours (75 - 100 degrees)

                                                                          

                                                                                  

HOME SWEET HOME

Home sweet home is a useful term when it comes to my living situation, as I bake on a regular base to fill my portfolio and to try new food styling techniques. Also, I like to travel and see new places, but home to me, is always 'sweeter'. I personally, like tones of white, grey, natural shades and pastels, because they bring rest and are a good combination.
I read once, that every interior should have one peace from the beach/ocean. I like this thought. Which reminds me of a DIY idea I would like to share later. Stay tuned ;).
Most important, I think, is the fact that 'home' should be a place where you feel at home, safe and a place that is restful.

 

THE BRIDAL CAKE

This sunday wasn't a typical lazy sunday for me, as I decided to bake a bridal cake for my parents' 35th anniversary as a gift. I actually wanted to order one, but I thought of this too late and why not try to do it myself..

I wanted to stick with the white at first, but in the end little pink flowers became the eye-catcher of this cake. You can make a layered cake like this in a mini version as well. Takes less time and it's a nice dessert to put on a plate for each person, which makes a table setting really beautiful. 

I hope you like my first decorated cake!

HOMEMADE

It's weekend! I almost forgot that I signed up for an Italian cooking course with my mom. After a long day at work , we started cooking with a group of 13 people. The hosts were Italian, and it felt like coming home to hear Italian again. Actually, I felt like I never left Italy, as we were cooking a six course dinner and started eating around 9.30. A big difference between Italian and Dutch people is that Dutch people are full after course 2 while Italians start to feel hungry by then ;). 

I had to prepare the dessert, my favourite part of dinner ;). We used Italian recipes that are in their family for a long time. Mine was the 'pear cake with chocolate sauce and vanilla ice-cream'. The studio is a farm close to the city, so we used fresh and homemade ingredients. 

Here are some pictures of the dishes, ingredients and the location - and of course the recipe for the pear cake. 

mixture: (spelt) flour - butter - sugar (or honey) - baking powder - egg 
layer 1: mixture 
layer 2: home made pear jam
layer 3: sliced pears (5)
layer 4: chocolate sauce (optional)

SEASON OF COLORS

I'm always a bit sad when summer is over, but autumn makes up for less degrees with more colors. Figs are a good example. These beauty's can be used in a lot of dishes. I made fig and mascarpone tartelettes. Not the most healthy recipe, but at least there's fruit in it ;)

I hope you like the recipes and pictures on the blog so far. I'm still 'searching' for the right compositions, angle's and techniques. The search for the perfect food styling continues.. 

mixture: (spelt) flour - butter - honey / syrup 
topping: (roasted) figs - mascarpone - almonds