+ roasted bell pepper sauce +

 Hey guys! Guess what! Earlier this month my boyfriend and I decided to embark on a big journey and moved to another country. We have been planning this for a long while now, and thought it was now or never, so we packed our most important belongings and left the comfort of our home to try our luck in the UK. We have only spent a couple of weeks here, but we both are enjoying the London atmosphere. I thought I would start missing being close to nature very early on, but I am pleasantly surprised that the many gorgeous parks this city offers cure my yearning - for now. Another thing I really miss - apart from family and friends of course - is my little kitchen. I only packed the most necessary things, and I am doing OK with them. I'm not sure how much longer I can cope with a shared kitchen though. On the other hand, it makes me lean towards more simple meals that are normally really quick, which is nice.  I do miss being able to experiment though. Making a big mess or being loud (Hello high speed blender and food processor!) are not really an option. Therefore I had to cut back on smoothies and elaborate sauce recipes. I do have one that I came up with back home, and I couldn't wait to share it with everyone. Whenever I get over my fear of using this new strange oven here, I will certainly make this, 'cause it's sooooo yummmmaaaay!!! 

+ the comfort plate +

I'm not sure how things are going in other corners of the world, but we've been having a quite hectic spring this year. Although I was able to get my vitamin D on a couple of times, it's been mostly chilly and windy. I came up with this recipe in the winter, but I'm glad I can still turn to it when a 0 °C night calls for legit comfort food. I cooked this dish for a good 7 evenings straight and didn't get tired of it. It comes complete with a ton of fiber, vitamin A, plant protein, and virtually no fat. It's ready in just 30 minutes.

+ double chocolate caramelized banana oat cakes +

I have big changes coming up and I'm very excited. I can't wait to share more about it here!! To celebrate the event, without saying what it is, I present you this: 

+ ten minute vegan pasta heaven +

Holy sh*t, guys!! I think this one going to be very hard to get over. Smoked cheese used to be my favorite thing back when I was into bovine secretions, also known as dairy. Actually, cheese was the last dairy product I gave up before becoming vegan. I swear to you, the combination of toppings in this recipe resulted in a taste and mouth-feel eerily similar to the aforementioned product. So similar, that I kinda felt like I had eaten cheese, which made me feel a little uncomfortable. Maybe it's just me... I'll let you decide for yourselves. Even if you don't feel the similarity, this is one yummy dish without all the fat and other nasty things in cheese. 

+ christmas leftovers: a vegan feast +

I am such a bad blogger. I had planned to share all my holiday cooking on here, but I was so caught up in everything else (not including making and wrapping presents) that I didn't share anything. Our main dish turned out so well that I'm not even ashamed to show it to you so late. We've been eating leftovers for three days, but it still tastes good. The only downside is that it is a little bit higher in sodium than our usual meals, only because I wanted my family to try vegan dishes and actually enjoy them. The truth is, our cooking and eating habits are so far from the norm that I did not want to risk making them turn away from healthy, cruelty-free foods for good. My entire family came over on Christmas day and I was prepared with all kinds of goodies to fill up their tummies. We had sushi rolls, whole wheat veggie pizza, raw carrot cake bites and orange flavored chocolate balls. I also wanted something more traditional, so I made mashed potatoes, mini no-meat balls made from pulses, steamed red cabbage and a yummy red wine gravy. Here's a teaser: 

+ perfect vegan pancakes +

I woke up this past Sunday feeling like I need to whip up an extra special breakfast to shake up our porridge + fruit ritual, and provide a substantial breakfast for my beau after surviving an intense bike tour. I've had a couple of attempts at making vegan pancakes in the past, but the results varied. Even though I have managed to make pretty decent ones too, the maximalist within me did not think they were share-worthy. So, I just crawled out of bed and headed straight to the kitchen still half asleep. Miraculously, by the time I was fully conscious, the batter was ready and the pan was heating up on the stove. Yes. It was that simple. Don't believe me? Then I guess you'll have to try it yourself :) 

+ curried string bean rice vermicelli +

I have a confession to make. We've kind of been ignoring the garden. I'm so sad, because I really love working there, but the fact that I've to work overtime lately is not helping. I really hope the veggies we planted survive until we have time to check on them. We even missed planting cucumbers and squash this season. Such a bummer. Last year we had our very own organic string beans that even the ants loved, by the way! I left them be, they did not do much damage anyway. This year, though, I had to resort to store-bought beans.The one time I saw fresh ones on the shelves was this week, so I had to get my hands on them. And I made this:  

+ oil free ratatouille (naturally vegan) +

While I absolutely LOVE munching on raw veggies, it is nice to have a cooked veg-packed meal in the evening. I especially feel the comfort it offers after a long a stressful day at work. This recipe used to be one of my favorites, however, my Mom always made her version with bacon and more oil, so I - of course - had to give it a low fat plant-based makeover. 

   

+ purslane pitaya green smoothie +

So, I had two of my wisdom teeth pulled recently, and I had to resort to a liquid diet for quite a while. Ice cold smoothies were my go-to meals - apart from baby food - and I had to be creative. I can't even tell you how long I'd been wanting to try purslane. One of my colleagues was kind enough to bring me some from their garden and I could barely contain my excitement. I think my fascination with wild and foraged food will not die down any time soon.  

+ strawberry bubblegum ice cream (homage to the new king of pop) +

So, we went to see Justin Timberlake in Vienna this week. My friend and I queued for about 5 hours roasting in the sun  before we even got inside the venue, and then we waited another 2 hours there for the show to start, but it was all worth it. That man is a true pro. The whole 20/20 experience was impeccable. I didn't think I would fangirl as much as I did, but I was simply overwhelmed by his charisma.  

I originally wanted to call this "bubblegum shake", but then I realized, that not only it tastes like bubblegum, but it contains strawberries, so it felt most appropriate to call it Strawberry Bubblegum Ice Cream after one of JT's songs - especially now that the weather's getting hotter and hotter. 

+ greener than green juice with rhubarb +

Could this be any more vibrant? The more green you eat and drink, the better. I don't normally drink juice as a meal replacement, but I like to have a huge glass (or mason jar) first thing in the morning is such a rush of energy and boost of nutrients! This one is a very deep green color and - as always - is very good for you! 

+ my outrageous berry-peach green smoothie bowl recipe +

I'm kind of getting used to the weirded out looks my co-workers give me sometimes. I know they are not trying to be mean, they are just puzzled by the things they see me eat. What a sad thing...eating living and nutritious food is out of fashion, or downright abnormal these days. The recipe I'm sharing with your today has made the biggest impression by far in the office. No big deal, different will always catch people's attention. It is my favourite quick meal to make in warm weather. It is gorgeous, flavourful, nourishing, satisfying and could easily pass off as dessert. You can whip it up in just 10 minutes, and it will keep you going for hours. 

+ DIY duo-tone refurbished dining room table +

When we moved into this apartment, one thing I really did not like was the color of our dining table. The issue ranked low on our priority list, but I always wanted to do something about it. It was - and still is very practical and had this vintage vibe, but the color did not cheer me up when I looked at it to say the least. I tried to cover it up with different table cloths, but I did not like the idea of having to wash them all the time  - and they did not shout cleanliness after 1-2 dinners.

+ yvette, cinnamon and vegan vanilla chai +

No, no, I am not talking about a girl and her terrier up there. Cyclone Yvette knocked on our doors this morning with gusts of wind and rain and 10 degrees Celsius. I was so right when I said there were days in the spring appropriate for chai.  I have been waiting to share my recipe for the vegan version with everyone, and I felt this was the perfect opportunity. Excuse the unstyled pictures -  I did not plan to write this post today.

+ how to make the most of your mature coconut +

I know that young Thai coconuts are all the craze these days, but I had to come to terms with the fact that I won't be able to get my hands on one in the near future. So, I wanted to let everyone know that it is OK to use the little brown hairy guys too. I'm sure there must be a quality difference, but I don't think they are as inferior to the green ones as they're portrayed to be. Because of that, I found a way to make the most of them. I think it's time we revalued them!

+ starting your own kitchen garden (may calendar download) +

Last summer my significant other and I took our first baby steps towards growing our own produce. Over a year - and a little experience - later I thought there is enough to share with fellow enthusiasts. Adam's family has quite a big piece of plot pretty close to where we live, so during the winter of 2012 we thought to ourselves: why not try and grow something to give purpose to the idle land? The idea agreed with our newfound desire for living a simpler, more natural life.

+ DIY knit t-shirt yarn coasters +

I've always had a hard time finishing things. Sometimes I'll start full throttle, then just lose interest for one reason or another. Usually the reason would be that I don't believe that the end result would be good enough. I think it all stems from the insecurities I had as a teenager. Having passed the halfway checkpoint between 20 and 30, I can bravely say that I've grown to let go of such fears. It took a lot of time for me to realize that without failure, there is no success. If you fear the outcome, you will never get to the finish and will fail without even trying. Even if it is the smallest project, do it with your whole heart and I promise that success will come your way! 

+ strawberry beet lavender smoothie +

 In case you couldn't tell, I'm all about berries these days, guys! I just can't stop throwing them into everything. It is such a shame that the price of local strawberries is still sky high (I'm talking 400% of the imported kind, boo!). Also, I'm slowly weening off warm morning drinks and dishes now that sandal time is officially here. Not that I will ever say no to a mug of chai...I mean we do have colder days in the spring, right? Ha-ha. Don't judge me! 

 I've been waiting to share this recipe since last year, when I came up with the idea in the beginning of beet season. Of course, at that time, I had to use frozen strawberries. This time though, I froze the banana instead, and used deep red fresh strawbs. I just love the vibrant colour of this smoothie, and the flavours marry so well!  I recommend this as a full-fledged breakfast, because it is pretty substantial and will fill you up. 

+ strawberry rhubarb poppy seed buckwheat porridge (vegan, gluten free, refined sugar free) +

Beware! This bowl of goodness is SUPERCHARGED. Literally everything in it is beneficial for your health, especially your bones. It is vegan, gluten-free and refined sugar free. I'd been having a huge mug of chai and/or just fruit for breakfast lately. I like to change things up a little in the weekend though, because I can spend a little more time in the kitchen. I got my hands on a few stalks of gorgeously pink rhubarb.  For some odd reason I was craving tart through the whole weekend so this dish definitely hit the spot. Strawberries are becoming sweeter and more flavorful as we're approaching May, so I thought these two would make the perfect classic combo to top a creamy porridge on a Saturday morning. Don't you agree? 

+ recycling tips in celebration of earth day +

While everyone's been busy visiting relatives and eating to their heart's content around Easter, let us not forget that there is another thing to celebrate around this time of year. April 22nd should represent an important cause globally. The modern world we live in today is so out of balance. People got used to living so conveniently that they often do not realize that their lifestlye comes with a price. Sadly, their children may have to be the ones to pay. I do believe that we could make a big difference together, if we lived just a little more consciously.