Being vegan - kind of a review

Yesterday, July 14th, marked my 4 year vegan-anniversary so I figured I'd share a few thoughts about my experience, the pros and cons that came with that decision. I celebrated by making some delicious Falafel, going to the cinema, and buying myself a present: the audio books of  "Die Känguru-Chroniken", "Das Känguru-Manifest" and "Die Känguru-Offenbarung" :)

So a couple of pros

• I learned a lot about healthy food
• I found my love for cooking and experimenting in the kitchen with new foods
• My regular meal-repertoire expanded widely
• I am more open to trying new alternative things like reusable menstrual products, cloth diapers (once I'm a mum), using less chemicals and only natural cosmetics
• I never considered myself to be inspiring for other people, since I think I'm a pretty regular person, but friends are telling me about their occasional flirting with veganism - I'd lie if I pretended that this doesn't make incredibly proud ;)
• I am SO much healthier than before and my PCOS is now pretty much only a slight hormonal disbalance
• I eat like a horse but don't have any weight problems (no, I'm not super-skinny. I'm a very healthy weight and have the curves exactely where they need to be)
• I am a lot calmer than before. I don't get angry as much and I'm more relaxed in general
• I learned to judge people less than I used to and learned to give up a lot of prejudices I learned in my childhood
• I found a more kind and loving outlook on everything which makes life easier and me happier

A couple of cons (yes there are a few)

• When I go to a non-veg* restaurant, I always have to have "the vegan talk" with the waiter - unfortunately the world isn't as ready for veganism as I am - but so far everyone was incredibly accommodating, friendly and helpful. If there was nothing vegan on the menu I got delicious special creations!
• If I'm craving something special like Indian food I have to cook it myself. That was WAY easier when I lived in Berlin. I have to admit, living in a small town when you're vegan is not the most convenient way to do it
• Ignorant people ask stupid questions to provoke you and get upset if you either confuse them with facts or ignore them
• Quite a lot of people ask you to explain it. I like teaching about this healthy alternative, but sometimes I feel like "man.. just google it!" or wish I'd have a chart of why, when and how to. I know the ones who ask those questions are really interested and want to understand and learn. But I have explained it a lot of times and sometimes I just don't feel like explaining ;)
• Some people will feel judged or judge you. Even though I don't! I believe that every person is entitled to eat or not to eat what they want or don't want. I wasn't vegan, before I was vegan either. I don't have the right to judge anyone for eating animal products. I did it myself for 20 years. Do I wish I never did? Yes! It would have changed a lot of my health issues and how I felt (physically) after every non-vegan meal. But I didn't. Maybe this person isn't ready yet to become veg*. Maybe this person will never be ready. So what?! It's not my life and not my problem so what do I care?!
  I've heard of vegans judging vegetarians for being hypocritical. In my opinion this is really stupid. We all know that the world will never be completely vegan, so why not encourage people to make tiny steps into a veg* lifestyle. If it means 1 veg* meal per week, then it's already a huge step into a perfectly healthy direction. If it means being vegetarian, even better!

Hope you have a lovely summer day (or winter day if you're on the other half of the world!)
Julia
xoxo

easy-peasy cheesecakey crumble dessert

I kinda invented this super easy-peasy recipe and I made it for the very first time 20 minutes ago, ate it and decided it was the best dessert ever in the whole wide universe, so I had to share, but I'm still too excited to find a good name for it! I'm open to suggestions ;)

So what you need is:

5 minutes of your precious time
1 glass (if you choose one with a lid, you can take it to work or elsewhere obviously)
1 Tsp

2 Tsp vanilla yoghurt (I use the Alpro Soya brand)
2 Tsp plain yoghurt (again Alpro)
2 Tsp canned cherries (or any other soft berries)
2 wholegrain cookies (I used oat cookies)
whipped cream (optional)

Step 1:
crumble the cookies (I like small with a few bigger bits in between)
mix both yoghurts together

Step 2:
layer cookies, yoghurt, berries, cookies, yoghurt, berries and so on into your glass. You can make as many layers as you want to.

Step 3:
garnish with whipped cream and a few extra berries and / or finely crumbled cookies

unfortunately you can't really see the layers, but they're there, I swear! ;)

Enjoy! :)

Julia

xoxo

Sugar Face Scrub

Another very simple recipe for natural cosmetics is my apple juice - sugar - scrub:

Simply mix 1 tablespoon of regular sugar with approx. 1/2 -1 tablespoon of 100% apple juice. Let it sit for a few minutes. The sugar will reduce its size a bit and make the peeling more gentle.

Start scrubbing it into your face, massaging it gently into your skin. It's also great for your lips! And you smell like a toffee apple afterward - delicious ;)

Afterwards wipe everything with a wash cloth. (Works better with hot water!)

I do NOT recommend using this scrub if you have raw skin or sunburn. I suppose it would sting quite a bit!

Since the fruit acid might make your skin a bit dry I recommend using a good moisturizer or oil afterwards.
Lately I used the oil cleaning method before to remove make-up, then used the sugar scrub and did another round of oil cleaning afterwards again.

It seems to work for my skin so far and many YouTubers made videos about great results of the oil cleaning method, so why don't you give it a try and see if it works for you too?! ;)

Enjoy taking the extra time for yourself and smelling like a coconut toffee apple ;)

Julia
xoxo

Oil Cleaning

The oil cleaning trend seems to become more and more popular every day, so I figured I'd give it a try.

First off, what is it and why would someone want to do it?!
Basically, you use any kind of edible plant based oil instead of make-up remover or other face washs to clean your face. Searching YouTube for videos, olive oil, coconut oil and pumpkin seed oil are popular suggestions.
It's supposed to help with any kind of skin problems. Personally I have very dry parts but also tend to get pimples and blackheads here and there.

I use coconut oil, because I think it smells better than any other oil. Coconut oil has a creamy consistency. I need about half a teaspoon of it for my whole face. Once you put the creamy coconut fat in your hand, your body temperature will melt it into oil. Put the oil onto your face as you would with any face cream and massage it into your skin. You can even put it onto your eyelids and eyelashes. Then place a big hot wet wash cloth on your face and leave it for a few seconds. You may put your hands over it to create even more heat. Start wiping the oil off your face, rinsing your wash cloth several times in hot water until you removed the oil completely.
Personally I air dry my face afterwards, but you may obviously use a towel.

Results so far: I did it only twice so far, but my skin feels very soft, even on the next day and it really works way better than any make-up removers I've tried. It didn't do anything for clearing my skin up so far, but that probably needs more time..
Conclusion: I want to use coconut oil more often to clean my face to see if it helps with my blemished skin.

Btw: Coconut oil is also great for baking or giving a little special touch to your asian dishes!
If you don't like it in the kitchen, you can use it for your skin and even your hair (but only on the hair-ends) to repair it's split!

Enjoy pampering yourself ;)

Julia
xoxo

a very christmassy dessert ~ roasted apple pudding

So finally the very best of our Christmas Eve Dinner:
I made the roasted apple pudding during the last years as well and we all love it! I hope you'll enjoy it too! :)

Ingredients
apples (1-2 per person)
soy or oat cream (250ml for 4 big apples)
raisins + a couple of table spoons of white rum (both optional)
thinly sliced almonds (or other nuts you prefer)
spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, sweet cumin, allspice to taste

Preparation

1. soak the raisins in rum, best is over night, but a couple of hours will do
2. peel and slice the apples into 1/2 cm thick slices
3. mix the cream with the spices and the remnant rum you soaked the raisins in
4. layer the apples into a baking dish and scatter some raisins and sliced almonds in between every layer of apples
5. pour the cream-mixture over the apples and top it off with more sliced almonds and raisins
6. bake for about 30-45 minutes on 180°C / 350°F on the middle rack

it is pretty easy and you can even prepare it the day before and keep it un-baked in the fridge!
You can serve it as it it or add some vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate sprinkles, .. But whatever you do, serve the pudding very hot, straight from the oven!

Bon Appetit!

Julia
xoxo

Stuffed and roasted Vegetables

I somehow really forgot about sharing the rest of our Christmas-Menu, so here it is, course #3! I hope, you'll enjoy it, as much as we did.

I don't exactly remember all the details, so it'll be a recipe without measurements, sorry for that, but I'm sure, you'll get the idea!

stuffed vegetables:
ingredients:

• bell peppers
• big tomatoes
• couscous
• onion(s)
• sweet corn
• mushrooms (optional)
• vegan cheese (also optional and we didn't use any!)
• salt, pepper & garlic to taste, olive oil

1. cut the bell peppers in half (length-wise) and cut out the stalk
2. cut approx. 1-1.5 cm off the top of the tomatoes and remove the cores (keep them!!)
3. cook the couscous according to package instructions and season the water with salt, pepper, garlic and olive oil (over-season a little bit)
4. fry the chopped onions and mushrooms until golden and mix them with the chopped tomato cores
5. combine the mixture with the prepared couscous
6. stuff the bellpeppers and tomatoes with the mixture
7. bake at 180-200°C / 350-400°F for approx. 20-45 minutes

roasted / baked vegetables:
ingredients :

• potatoes
• cauliflower
• carrots
• zucchini
• cherry tomatoes (in different colours)
• garlic, salt, pepper, nutmeg, rosemary, chili powder / flakes (optional) & olive oil to taste

1. peel the potatoes and carrots and cut into big-ish chunks, wash the zucchini (and cut into chunks) and cherry tomatoes (don't cut them!) and pre-steam the cauliflower if you use frozen one. (If you use the fresh one, simply wash and cut it as well)
2. marinate half of the potatoes with rosemary, salt and olive oil and bake at 180-200°C / 350-390°F for 30-45 minutes (the bigger the veg, the longer it takes)
3. marinate the rest of the vegetables with garlic, salt, pepper, nutmeg (and chili) and olive oil and bake at 180-200°C / 350-400°F for 30-45 minutes as well.
4. stir the vegetables approx. half way through it's baking time

You can obviously choose whichever vegetables you like or are in season, but this is pretty much what we had (except for the garlic, which my mum doesn't like)!

Bon Appetit!

Julia
xoxo

Course #2 of our Christmas Eve Dinner

I made a tomato soup. I had to improvise quite a lot and don't really remember what I put into it, so I share my normal recipe today :) You could serve it with rice or some fresh bread like ciabatta or baguette!

For 4 portions you need:

• a big can of peeled tomatoes (800ml to 1 litre)
• 2-4 carrots
• 1 zucchini
• 1 small onion or 1 shallot/scallion
• 1-2 garlic cloves
• olive oil
• salt, pepper, hot paprika/chili to taste
• basil pesto to taste
• pesto arrabiata to taste
• fresh basil for decoration
• optional: water and/or tomato purée depending on your  desired consistency

how to make it:

1. dice the onion, zucchini and carrots and steam them in a bit of olive oil until golden in a medium sized pot
2. pour the peeled tomatoes into the pot and cook on medium heat
3. once the carrots are soft enough purrée everything to get a thick smooth consistency
4. season the soup with spices, pestos and add the finely chopped garlic
5. pour in another tablespoon of olive oil and let the soup simmer for 5-10 minutes
6. If you don't like the consistency add a bit of water or tomato purée.
7. add chopped fresh basil before serving and decorate the bowl with a few whole basil leaves (If you don't have any fresh basil you can use dried basil instead but add it with the other spices!)

This recipe is pretty easy and very quick to make! It's warming, nourishing, delicious and a perfect fall/ winter recipe :) you can easily add other vegetables like zucchini (puréed or diced), peppers (diced), aubergine (diced) and much more to make the soup more interesting. :)

Let me know which other vegetables or herbs you added! :)

Hope you enjoyed this yummy soup!

Julia
xoxo

Merry Christmas!!!

My dear readers, I wish you a very merry Christmas with your loved ones!

We had our first completely vegan Christmas Eve Dinner!! I obviously had vegan food during the last 3 years as well, but this year I cooked for my whole family and everyone loved it! (At least they said so!)
I made a four-course-dinner and tonight I want to share my first recipe:
The first course was a warm salad:

You need (for 4 portions):
500g frozen green beans
500g small tomatoes (choose different colours to reach for that certain je ne sais quoi)
salt, pepper, olive oil and fresh garlic (optional, I didn't use any) to taste

1. steam the beans according to instructions on package
2. cut tomatoes in quarters
3. marinade tomatoes with salt, pepper, oil (and garlic)
4. mix marinaded tomatoes with beans
5. serve warm!

You can add a little bit of fresh lemon juice and/or fresh basil, but I wanted to keep it rather simple!

Let me know how you like the salad and if you added anything else :)

Merry Christmas,
Julia
xoxo

my secret top 6 spices / ingredients

Today I want to tell you about my top 6 secret spices / ingredients which add the certain je ne sais quoi to your dishes and desserts!

1. tahini / sesame paste. I absolutely don't like the taste of it on its own, but adding a good teaspoon of it to your salad as a dressing or mixing it into your homemade humus gives it a full taste.
2. cinnamon. You can add it to pretty much everything that contains apples and also add a pinch of it to your pancakes and everybody will love them!
3. grated orange peels. You can use fresh organic oranges for that or buy it in the grocery store (find it in the baking aisle). You can add it to every chocolate-y and/or nutty cake, cupcake, muffin and what not. Use it thrifty and it'll add a little freshness to your oh-so-yummy-desserts :)
4. nutmeg. Get the whole nutmegs and a grater. Yes, they are a little more expensive than the dried and grated stuff, but they taste WAY better! You can add it to pretty much anything with potatos, mushrooms, spinach, broccoli, cream-sauces (for pasta). Again, use it thrifty!
5. fresh basil leaves. I love them in salads, tomato soups and sauces (anything tomato, to be honest), on bread with almost any vegan spread or cheese. You can even put a few into a green smoothie, if you like them. If you cannot grow basil in your garden/ on your balcony, buy the pot plant and not the 'fresh' leaves you can get in most grocery stores. The plants are not only cheaper but taste better as well. (btw basil goes great with.. oh the story of how to make awesome bruschetta is a different one.. ;) )
6. garlic. (this one is for you mum - and Rita, who was the cooking lady at my nursery school and put garlic into everything except for rice pudding :D ) Pretty much every savoury dish tastes better with garlic! Use fresh one in small amounts. Goes with anything with tomatos, potatos, pasta, chick-peas, rice and a whole lot more!

 These are my 6 little secret ingredients you will always - under all circumstances - find in my kitchen and very often in my recipes. I hope, you'll find a few ways to use these and enjoy them as much as I do!

Julia
xoxo

a vegan trade fair - die VeganFach in Hamburg

a few first impressions

On November 2nd, 2013 the third vegan trade fair VeganFach took place at the intl. Airport in Hamburg/Germany.

Many restaurants, a few vegan food shops and companies, a raw vegan hotel, book stores and many more offered their goods.

The trade fair was quite busy and when I arrived there around lunch-time, many people waited in line to get in. But the trade fair seemed to be pretty well organised, so no-one had to wait too long. 

Additional to the offered goods and the delicious food (I had a Döner for lunch and a lahmacun (Turkish pizza) for dinner - I had both for the first time ever and they were really great! *yum*!), seminars and show cookings were held. 

For further info check the website! 

a few first impressions

show cooking

By the way: the veganfach is a yearly trade fair, on the first Saturday in November to celebrate the world vegan day (1st of November) and is held in a different city every year. The last two VeganFach trade fairs were held in Berlin and Essen.

I hope to see you there next year on world vegan day 2014!

Julia 
xoxo 

Döner

 

raspberrie cream cake