Roll with it

I’m currently studying over at my dad’s house and I bumped on a package of rice paper just the other day, while I was on a hunt for food in the fridge and the kitchen cabinets.

My dad does not keep any ‘real’ food in his house, I swear, it’s like a bachelor’s house! He had a cabinet full of cookies and chocolate and some mayonnaise, hot sauce and coca cola in the fridge…
well, that should make a great and nutritious dinner.

I’m so glad I asked him to do some groceries for me cause now I at least have some veggies, fruit and some rice.

So I decided to just roll with it:

Salad with cherries tomatoes,spinach and carrots.
Rice paper Spring rolls with:

One version is made with spinach, strawberries and half a peach.
The other version is made with a wild rice and quinoa mix, smokes almonds, pine nuts and dried figs.

And in case you never worked with rice paper before, have no fear: it’s super easy and quick. All you need is bowl, fill it with cold water, place the rice paper in and let it soak  for about a minute,take them out, place them on a towel and stuff them.

 

Green

Can a person become addicted to broccoli?

If possible, I think I’m addicted to broccoli.
If not possible, I still think I am addicted to broccoli!

I’ve been eating broccoli with every meal except breakfast and even managed to sneak in some broccoli in my snacks, but I did not truly fall in love with broccoli until I ate today’s lunch.

 ‘Quinoa Broccoli Bowl’
serves 2 as a main dish, 4 as a side dish

• 6 T of quinoa
• 12 T of vegetable broth
• half a can of tinned lentils
• half a medium broccoli
• 1 T of hummus
• some lemon or lime juice

Cook the quinoa in the vegetable broth: add the quinoa when the broth boils and reduce it to a simmer, let it absorb all of the liquid (it takes about 20 minutes). Cook the broccoli in boiling water for about 5 minutes. Rinse the lentils

As soon as the quinoa is done, add 1 T of hummus and stir to combine. Add the lentils and the broccoli. Sprinkle with some lemon/lime juice right before serving.

This stuff is so incredibly creamy! It reminds me of when my mum used to make broccoli in cheese sauce.

Fruit for dessert: Melon + strawberries + cottage cheese + sunshine = one happy Maxime!

Happy Monday!
Love, M.

Warning! Highly Addictive

A new month calls for new food addictions.
Go to a grocery store, buy the following and thank me later.
(or blame me because I got you hooked on it, it’s your choice).

Smoked Almonds
I actually bought this by accident cause I thought they were just normal almonds, but now I am never going back again.
But what were the people creating these thinking, like almonds an sich aren’t addicting enough?!

Coconut Milk
Tried and loved in: coffee, green tea, oatmeal, to finish off yoghurt bowls, cooking quinoa in it, plain.

Coffee flavoured chocolates
I got these for free when I went to pick up my photographs, thank God for leftover Easter chocolate that gets handed out for free, especially when it tastes like cappuchino.

More Avocado!

Bulgur and Falafel
I’ve only been eating meat replacements regularly for a week now and so far I have tried an array of veggie burgers by Damhert and Greenway falafels.
As far as the bulgur is concerned: better than rice and easier to prepare than quinoa, so  what’s not to love?

Spinach salad with strawberries and mango.
Sprinkle some lime juice on top, you’ll love it! It’s Spring in a bowl!

Love,M.

Running on Pink

I’ve been having the most productive week ever!
And it’s only Wednesday, so things can only get better.

So far I’ve been:

• catching up on courses I’ve been neglecting
• writing papers like my life depends on it (one of which on the development of dummy from the 16th century to now, such fun)
• rode on a bike in the city for the first time  (which was fun and scary at the same time)
• took 2 yoga classes in 2 days (vinyasa power and ashtanga)
• working on my gift for Floris (more about that later!)

My mind is on full speed, even though my body has not been really cooperating, I’ve been sporting a throat ache that is not really something serious yet but serious enough to bug the living hell out of me at night, which translates into some severe sleep deprivation.

But apparently you do not need sleep to be productive, as long as you have enough caffeine and strawberries at you disposal.

Overnight oats with coconut and strawberries to start the day of on the right foot.

Smoothie with banana, strawberries and some ice cubes to sooth the troubled throat.

Spring salad: Lamb’s lettuce with cherry tomatoes, radishes, asparagus and strawberries of course.

Today’s lunch on the go: quinoa and strawberries with an apple and cherry tomatoes on the side.

PS: there won’t be any photographs of Floris until the weekend as I’m stuck in Leuven for the week!

Love, M.

Miscellaneous Mondays

Today was a grey day, the first day the weather resembled more like an Autumn-almost-Winter day rather than a Spring-almost-Autumn day.

It was nice for a change though, some gloomy weather rather suits my mood.
And you don’t always need sunshine to bring some rays of light into your life!Today’s rays of light:

1. The Perfect Avocado

This avocado was the perfect base for a messy sandwich for lunch:

2. Kefir 

I was a bit disappointed by the textured. I’d read it was more like a drink, but thought everyone was just exaggerating and it was like a rather liquid yoghurt… nope, it is definitely more like a drink!
That’s where stubbornness comes in: I still ate it with a spoon and granola in it, just like any other yoghurt.
Very yummy, very tangy.

3. A 60-cent-cappuccino from the fair trade coffee machine during English literature

4. Strawberries

Nothing exclaims ‘Sunshine!’ more than strawberries.

5. The expiry date on the bag of lamb’s lettuce

That’s my birthday!
It’s all about the small things 😉

6. First Yoga Class Ever

This was great for a couple of reasons. First of all I stepped out of my comfort zone and did something unexpected.
I tried to talk myself out of it all afternoon, telling myself it rained, I didn’t know the location so probably would end up getting out at the wrong bus stop, probably would be crappy at yoga any way… but I dragged myself out of my room and went for it and I’m so glad I did.

It was such a great class and really nice people.
I love how I feel right now, like I’m made out of elastics (my legs and lower back feel amazing) but also energized, ready to conquer the world (or at least deal with it).
And they hand out free tea, definitely going back to that place!

7. Friendly bus drivers who help people find the place they need to be

8. Amazing Mascara

My mum’s aunt give this to her, she used it once and didn’t like it (she gives away a lot of make-up/perfume she buys and eventually doesn’t like… I’m not complaining though, especially since it’s all Dior and Chanel and stuff).
At first I didn’t want to use it because its smell and texture was awful, it looked like it never would get of without using a steel brush, but as soon as it was on, I fell in love.

My lashes are gigantic!
Extremely long and very,very black and people noticed so go buy this mascara right away!
Too bad it’s a really expensive brand of mascara…

Love, M.