in and out my kitchen

Quinoa patties

plum cake

Broccoli cannelloni

spinach/asparagus Pizza

mini ice-lollies

apricot jam and yellow dal

a while ago, I tried the "quinoa patties" - I absolutely loved them...the little girl loved one and the big girl wasn't happy with it at all...that's just the way it always is :-) still I'll do them again...find the recipe here! I pan fried them and put the herbs and feta separate, keeping options for the kids open.

the plum cake...the one you see on the picture is my big girl's birthday cake and I had to make two more to bring to school. this made me very happy, as that girl isn't a big cake eater, but adores this simple recipe - just like everyone.

the recipe comes from when I was in secondary school...my Mum wrote it down and we use it with all kinds of fruit ever since:

8dag butter

12 dag sugar

2 eggs

15 dag flour

1 tsp baking powder

3 tbsp milk

zest of half a lemon

1/4kg fruit

beat soft butter until white, put sugar (I usually put less), eggs and lemon zest in.

in a separate bowl combine flour and baking powder.

add flour mix and milk alternately, just until everything well combined.

spread onto baking tray or cake ring and place fruit on top - I love lots of fruit and depending on the fruit I sprinkle some sugar on top.

put into preheated oven (200C) for about 20min

by accident I came across the Broccoli cannelloni...and I can't remember where I found the recipe. all I remember - the girls loved it and so did I :-)

spinach and asparagus (yeast free) pizza - do I need to say more????

the mini ice-lollies are something the girls fell in love with...any kind of fruit juice, into any form of ice cube maker - pre-freece for about 30min and put a funny toothpick in...just remember, need to make more for tomorrow!

and as it is apricot season in Cairo I had yummy jam making going on, while the mung beans were cooking for a quick yellow dal...

what's going on in your kitchen these days???

week-end

a week-end with friends visiting, lots of chatting, good food, a night out at a ball, more lovely people, lots of dancing and fun.

a week-end with the kids enjoying the company, splashing in the pool, enjoying some treats and movies.

a week-end full of things, leaving one to start the week a bit tired but feeling good :-)

how about yours?

following thehabitofbeing, sharing this special time of the week with you!

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

inspired by "soule mama"

grateful list and the songs that keep me going

grateful for...

... moments, I can just sit and be :-)
... unexpected shopping luck!
... all the Om's with my yoga people that give so much energy.
... a husband who is "just" there...sometimes it just needs presence...
... comfort cooking.
... watermelon and apricots!
... memories nothing and nobody can take away!
... sun!
... every single day...

and not to forget the songs that, besides all the silence, I enjoy, sometimes I just need music to carry me through...the all time favourite list:

A-HA crying in the rain

Air all I need

Aurora there goes the sun

Cirque du Soleil let me fall

Cirque du Soleil Alegria

Cindy Lauper true colour

The Civil Wars to whom it may concern

The Cranberries dreaming my dreams

Depeche Mode higher love

Feist inside out

Heather Nova done drifting

Heather Nova paper cup

Herbert Groenemeyer ich dreh mich um dich

Hubert von Goisern fia di

Juli tage wie dieser

Kristin Hersh & Michael Stipe your ghost

Maximilian Hecker Track 4

Nena Fragezeichen

R.E.M shiny happy people

Radiohead fake plastic trees

Regina Spektor Samson

Wir sind Helden bring mich nach hause

Regina Spektor better

Suede everything will flow

week-end

following thehabitofbeing, sharing this special time of the week with you!

this time - only pictures, no words

the soundtrack of the week-end: here

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

inspired by "soule mama"

lists and plans - the happiness in between

the ones who know me know - I love lists and I always need a plan. they also know - I usually forget/misplace the list and don't follow the plan :-)

still, I love writing lists and making plans. isn't it the best part of whatever it is you're planning and preparing for...the endless shopping lists, planning the wonderful things I'll cook... the packing lists for a holiday, planning trips... the preparation lists for a party, planning food again, decorations....oh yes, I do like it all.

right now planning the summer is on top of the to-do-list! and it's there for a long time already...it's just one of the plans that's oh so hard to do and I finally know why!

simply because there is so many things I could do and so many things I want to do and so many things that I am actually able to do - yes, I am one lucky, lucky girl!

looking through all the wonderful yoga workshops/trainings I could do...or do I want to do a dance workshop for a change?...sign the kids up for a circus workshop...plan a few days just for me and the man...where should our family holiday be - quiet mountains, a city trip...

this list could go on and on....it's all there waiting, go and get it!

and the real happiness that fills my heart with gratefulness comes in between all this lists and plans...

we're just back from a wonderful holiday break, right there.

it was great not to have a list or a plan. and as much as I love to cook it was nice to have a break and sit down to a wonderful breakfast buffet...

we all went snorkelling and got a little glimpse of this oh so wonderful under-water-world. we had plenty of sun, sand and lots of reading - I absolutely loved this book!

...trying to calm the mind, sitting at an absolutely calm early morning sea - absolute bliss.

yes, that's when this absolute happiness hits me... sitting there, watching the sea, I am so grateful for all that and especially the people I can enjoy it with.

but right now it's back to my lists and plans...I'll stir through all the possibilities for this summer for a few more days before I'll finally decide. well, one thing's for sure - we'll be in Austria at one point :-)