Everyday Life

"Since we cannot change reality, let us change the eyes which see reality." ___ All photos on this blog are mine; I would appreciate it if you did not repost or edit them or claim them as your own. Thank you!

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I left neither the country nor the company of my uni friends this summer and enjoyed myself quite a bit.

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Soda bread~

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Sometimes the world is beautiful and soft.

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Bitter honey, sweet caffeine.

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Space in small things.

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Mornings.

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My friends and I went to a nearby lake today and it was glorious. Liberal amounts of suntan lotion were applied, various curses were uttered upon entering the freezing water (16 degrees celsius!) and many insects were removed from things. I’m pretty sure the train ride back was one of the top ten most hilarious moments in my life.

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Sesame broccoli, tomatoes and parsley hummus with ginger lemon tea.

(Shh, the recipe's under the cut.)

Sesame Broccoli

1 head broccoli, washed, separated into florets

2-3 tbsp sesame seeds

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp coconut oil

Toss broccoli florets with oil, soy sauce and sesame seeds, then roast @180°C (350F) for about 30 minutes.

Parsley Hummus

1 can (400g) chickpeas

3 tbsp smooth tahini (preferably lebanese)

1/2 tsp salt

2-4 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 clove garlic (optional)

a pinch of freshly ground cumin

1/4 tsp paprika

1 bunch parsley

Blend everything except the parsley (including the chickpea liquid) until smooth. Chop the parsley and remove the toughest stems, then stir the leaves into the hummus.

Ginger Lemon Tea

5-10 1mm slices of fresh ginger root

1-3 lemon slices (use unsprayed, organic lemons if possible)

1 tbsp honey or agave nectar, optional

Pour hot water on everything and let steep for 5 minutes. If you want very spicy tea, leave the ginger in longer, but remove the lemon - it gets bitter after a while.

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Vegan Whole-Grain Banana Bread.

(Shh, the recipe's under the cut.)

Whole-Grain Banana Cake

3 tbsp ground flax seeds

9 tbsp water

6 bananas (mashed)

6-8 dates, chopped (optional)

350g (3 cups) whole-grain spelt flour

3/4 tsp each of cinnamon, salt, baking soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

100g (~1 cup) chocolate and/or walnuts, chopped (optional)

Mix flax seeds, water, mashed bananas and dates (or throw in a blender, if you have one). Set aside.

Combine the dry ingredients except for the chocolate and/or walnuts, add the banana mixture and stir to combine, then add chocolate and/or walnuts and stir to incorporate.

Pour into a greased pan and bake @150°C (300F) for 60-90 minutes.

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To make the chocolate glaze, simply melt 100g chocolate, add 1 tbsp coconut oil (or 2-4 tbsp coconut cream from canned coconut milk, if you have it) and drizzle over the cake.

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Vegan scones and plum compote.

(Shh, the recipe's under the cut.)

Scones

230g (2 cups) spelt flour (can be whole-grain, doesn't have to be)

85-110g (6-8 tbsp) vegan "butter" and/or coconut oil, very cold

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder + 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp sugar

1 cup soy milk + 1 tsp lemon juice, cold

[You need to take care to keep the dough as cold as possible to avoid melting the butter or oil; if it gets too warm (= soft), put it in the freezer for a few minutes. Keep the milk cold as well!]

Mix the dry ingredients. Cut the "butter" or coconut oil into small pieces, scatter it on top of the dry ingredients and mix lightly with your hands. Gently and quickly rub the butter into the flour.

Turn the mixture out onto a floured work surface and gather it together, then roll over it with a rolling pin. Repeat twice.

Scoop the crumbs back into the mixing bowl, add the milk and stir a few times. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Pat or roll it out into a rectangular shape on a floured surface (it'll be wet, cover it with flour to prevent it from sticking too much), then fold it in on itself (like folding a letter); repeat twice.

Cut the dough into pieces, set them on a lined baking sheet and bake @190°C (~375F) for 15 minutes.

Plum compote

500g (1 pound) fresh plums

100g sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

Wash and halve the plums, removing the pits. Cover them with the sugar  and cinnamon and cook over medium heat until they are soft and sticky.

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Thank you, washing machine, for not eating my money. *irons bill*

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I took some photos today but most of them are pretty depressing. In my city, we've had bad weather for two months straight (which usually doesn't bother me too much because it's not like I get to see much of it) and I'm starting to resent it - rain and grey, overcast skies don't exactly make it easy to take at least mildly appealing photographs. Meh.

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As I was browsing my London photos I discovered that I did, in fact, get a decent shot of the fabulous Speedy's Cafe. [It's super cozy, you will spot Sherlockians left and right and the waiters and waitresses are very friendly - definitely worth a visit! Oh, and if you do go - the Wellcome Collection is somewhat close by. Check it out, you will not regret it.]

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A couple of photos from my trip to London this year - they're not particularly great, but the tube is something quintessentially "London" to me. As this is a blog about experiences and memories, I shall post them here.

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I found these between the numerous blackberry bushes, corn fields and apple trees that seam one of the bicycle paths around here. So beautiful! (Less beautiful was the rain that drenched me seconds after these photos were taken. Oh well. Nothing some hot chocolate can't fix.)

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My sister and I spent the day sitting on a roof and saw the most gorgeous sunset and the prettiest rose ever on our walk back home...