South African Bobotie Will Make Your Mouth Celebrate

11:15 AM

One cuisine entered my life really late, but so far it has made the biggest impact on basically everything! Once I got back from Cape Town two years ago, I studied every bit I could to understand and taste every tiny thing of this beautiful country and wonderland. 

Cape Town really caught my heart and culinary wise it's a shame that South African food is such a secret or hidden gem. I fell too hard and I won't stop cooking myself through this beauty. 

That's why I need to share a very nice recipe with y'all today. 

When browsing through the net, one of the first recipes that always pop up is Bobotie, a sweet-ish meatloaf. 

I don't know about you, but are you a fan of meatloaf? I personally don't like meatloaf that much. At home, we never really ate it and now, being all by myself, I don't see a need to make a meatloaf, since my meat consume is actually getting less and less. 

Is meatloaf tasty? I guess so, but what about this recipe? South African meatloaf sounds exotic.. this might be a bit too much? No, no. Read along and take a look for youtself. 

One day, when walking through Bo-Kaap, I entered Atlas, a spice shop where you can buy all the spices you need. I bought my South African souvenirs and asked a friendly guy if he could help me with the right spices for my home cooking. He didn't hesitate and printed some recipes which I should try at home. One of those was Bobotie. 

I wasn't a fan of this until this summer actually. I went through my cookbook and passed this recipe many times - I never felt the inspiration to do it. 

When Corona came and I needed to check my budget a little bit more, I decided to go back to a serious meal prep: making dishes that are tasty and long lasting... at least for four days! I was ready to get creative again. Then, Bobotie jumped into my world again and I giggled reading the name over and over. This feels right, let's try some Bobotie and make this stay at home time an homage to Cape Town.


For meal prepping, I also used my little Staub cocottes which make eating the Bobotie a real party! I have a little more to clean...but I love serving little portions like this. The eyes will always be happy when eating with my Staub buddies! 

Now let's move on to the recipe! 


Bobotie 


2 slices of white bread + 4 tablespoons butter + 2 onions + 800g beef mince + 3 cloves garlic + 1 tablespoon masala + 1 teaspoon turmeric + 2 teaspoons cumin + 2 teaspoons coriander + 1 teaspoon allspice + 1/2 teaspoon peppercorns + 1/2 raisins + 1/4 cup flaked almonds + 2 tablespoons chutney + salt + 2 bay leaves + 1 cup milk + 2 eggs, beaten


1. A lot of ingredients, but a lot of flavor. Let's start with the bread first. Soak the slices in 250-300ml water and let it sit for a little bit. 

2. Cut the onions and cook them in some oil until just transparent - keep aside for a moment as well. 

3. In a large bowl, mix the meat with all of the spices, raisins, almonds + chutney and give it a good stir. Add the onions and squeeze the water out of the bread and throw it into the meaty mixture as well. Make sure to mix well and cover all the bits of meat with flavor! 

4. Now take out an ovenproof dish, grease it with the butter, and fill in the bobotie. Insert the two bay leaves into the meat, but don't put it inside way too deep since you need to fish them out again once the meatloaf is baked. 

5. In a small bowl, mix the eggs with the milk until you have a smooth consistency and pour it all above the bobotie. Cover it well! 

6. Bake the bobotie at 180°C for about 30 minutes and take it out of the oven once the milk-egg mixture has fully set and the meatloaf shines in a sweet golden color. 

7. In South Africa, bobotie is usually served with yellow rice and blatjang, a chutney made of apricots! 


As a meatloaf-scared person, this meatloaf right here made me fall in loaf with this dish. 

Sorry for this very dry joke...But I'm serious! I think the secret behind a good meatloaf is the flavor and the special something that makes it a perfect experience! Right here, you are not only meeting South African flavors, but with the raisins, which kinda melt during baking, and the almonds + chutney, you will reach a different level of sweetness & special crunch! 

This is everything your mouth asks for and during those weird times, I can tell you that I served this more than often and I am still celebrating this dish! 

Bring South Africa to your homes and try something new!


*Boys and girls, write down the new vocabulary you have learned today: Hackbraten — meatloaf. 


GERMAN LESSON #95
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The Perfect Nespresso Capsule Dispenser Upcycling!

10:44 AM 

I can't hide this fact: I am addicted to coffee and anything that deals with it! All my life, I have been using my beloved Nespresso machine that I once got from my dad. It was a very simple one, but I couldn't stop dreaming about the creamiest and best coffee I had - it fulfilled all my fantasies. 

Unfortunately, my machine died some months ago and so I got a new cute baby. Having a new addition to my home, I finally wanted to create a special set up: a nice place with all my coffee capsules being beautifully organized. Here you can see a past set up that I used to have in my studio, but now I wanted something else. 

I am not an expert on what kind of capsule dispensers exist out there, but I also don't want something that is too much in my face. My coffee place is actually mixed with my creative corner, so it should express calmness and recreation. I browsed for so long finding a perfect display for my capsules, when one day, I finished using the free capsule collection Nespresso often sells with a new machine and an idea hit me...


The capsules looked so cute organized and pretty in this little box and I wondered where I could buy a thing like this for my future capsules. 

In my crafting box I found a leftover sheet of cork that you can easily apply on surfaces and things - why not using this and covering the box I already have? Yes, good idea!! You know how much I love upcycling and being nice to our dear Mother Earth! 

I took my cork paper and some black tape and in 20 minutes my beautiful and very unique Nespresso capsule box was done!



I covered the box from all sides with the cork and thought that the black tape would give it a classy and smooth finish, since this matches perfectly to my machine. 

In my art corner, there's not a lot of space for thousands of capsules, but I think this is the right size to display some and create an inspiring and appetizing atmosphere. 


Now I feel happier than ever! I did not need to spend some more money to find a great dispenser and I could easily upcycle something that was super handy to me already.

 

Nespresso is already a very sustainable or green directed company, so I am glad that projects like this make the circle complete. 

I just love my coffee space and I enjoy crafting things like this, reminding you that you don't need to throw away everything. I know there are many people out there who buy Nespresso machines - if you happen to have this 14 capsules box in your machine package as well, make this your perfect dispenser for future slurpings as well! You will be more than satisfied and you can show off to anyone who still struggles to find the best dispenser! 


What do you think? 

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What Causes Mental Health Issues?


10:52 AM
After my very long milestone, a lot of reflecting, and deep diary enteries, I noticed one question popping up very often. Why do I have to go through this? Why am I having these mental issues? Also, I wondered if I was the only one dealing with this, since no one around me spoke about things like this! 

I was really obsessed with finding out why it hit me. I felt punished. Why was I the one who had to deal with this? Am I so sick? Do I have issues that are actually deeper? How will I find out? Who can tell me? 

I continued writing about my mental health journey, trying to find some gaps or holes which could help me understand this better.

 When I started talking very openly about this with the right approach and the things that I learned, I found out that there are many people in my circle who suffer, too. 

Mental health issues seemed to be normal all of a sudden. Many people told me how imbalanced they felt. One of my co-workers even explained to me how important it is to her to see a therapist, even though she's more than happy and balanced - it's for prevention. 

When I realized that many people suffer as well, I was finally able to have a different relationship with my mental health. All of a sudden my shift focused. I wasn't ashamed of it anymore. I was proud of my journey, knowing that I am one of many who went through something and now I am on this beautiful transition and path of healing. 
And what does healing actually mean? I am not broken and need to be fixed, I didn't hurt myself and need my wounds to heal... healing is basically living life in my world. With healing, I am learning and studying my surroundings, appreciating the good and bad things, and just figuring it out! Vibing, but not being mad at myself when I happen to have a bad day. 

I enjoy healing a lot and life can throw any shade at me - I kinda know how to handle it now. 


Am I still curious to find out why this all happened to me? Yes. I want to study this a bit further to write this post today. Personally, I feel fine right now, but I know that there are people out there who find themselves in the situation where I found myself in the past. Asking yourself too many questions. What is happening here? Parents might wonder as well! Why is my child feeling this way? 


Today I want to share some thoughts on the causes of mental health issues. 

Just know that there are millions of different triggers and people always react differently. Don't feel bad about it - it's just a waste of time. Go through this process, learn and grow. You might feel a lot, you might be overwhelmed, you might cry or your body reacts weird, but always remember that this is a big life lesson that will always lead to something way more positive - a transition that will lead you to a better self and happy being! 


Finding the exact cause or indicator might be the toughest thing when it comes to mental health issues. 


I know the feeling when you spend months, maybe also years researching about how everything actually started. It might frustrate you, but it can also worsen the symptoms as well, since you will analyze everything further and deeper.
So should we just accept this situation and move on?

Well, know that mental health issues could be coming from:
  •  psychological source
  • environmental influence
  • or a simply related source, the DNA. 

A self-analysis is okay, I did the same and did my math, but the real origin is something that could be connected to so many things.


What is even more important than the cause are the signs or symptoms you show. Dealing with this for the first time, you might not know or notice what your body is telling or showing you. Once you know what is going on and in what situation you react differently than usually, you can work on this way better and easily.

You might feel a tension in your body, stiffness, muscle spasms, cramps. Anxiety — you get nervous about things, being super alert, you might react a bit sensitive or more emotional, you basically feel much harder and deeper. This could also lead to daily limitations, sleep issues, demotivation, no lust, no drive, no appetite. Migraines become your best friend. The list is long and your symptoms could be basically anything! I know that's hard... 


Especially during the Corona pandemic, we all tend to feel a bit differently which causes a lot of mental stress which we might have never experienced before. Loneliness, a job loss connected depression, social anxiety, or simple anxiety about the world and what is going on.


Experiencing this for the first time is always hard and it might turn your world upside down. Remember that you are not alone and there's always a way to work on this.
Yes, this will cost you a lot of energy and emotions, but many people I know with mental health issues come out stronger and better afterwards.

But what if I don't want to go through all of those symptoms every time? What if I don't want it to get that far? 

There are definitely ways to feel more zen on a daily basis by handling your triggers better. I can't say that you can take fully control of your symptoms, but with the right care, you can surely decide in which direction you are going. 

  • To always be on a safe track, make sure to go to regular doctor appointments to get a full body check
  • Talk to an expert: see a therapist and open your heart - even if it's just for prevention
  • Find a person with whom you can talk about anything - your mood, feelings, angst. It's not healthy to keep everything to yourself! 
  • Start a journal to analyze yourself better! Understanding moods and feelings is the key ~
  • A LOT OF SELF-CARE: take your time, be active, slow down, and practice special moments with yourself only. Go after your hobbies, practice self-care, eat healthy, sleep a lot and create a regular sleep routine - take naps if you feel better, and listen to your body closely. 


With these little things, you will notice fastly when your mood or feelings change. As soon as you feel a change, you definitely know what to do and how to invest a positive input to not go through a bad phase again. 

I know this is easier said than done, but the good thing is that one day, you will have the right practice and understand this much better. 
You can't learn all of these things in 5 days. It took me years to understand and especially learn this, but as I said it 7 times already today: it made me so much better and wiser. 


Yes, mental health issues aren't that sexy, but also I don't want to miss my body's reaction to my environment. I learned to take better care of myself and my journey of healing is getting sweeter and sweeter. 


I hope today's little story time could help you a little bit. Please don't forget that we are all in this together! Most importantly, when you feel like you can't do this anymore by yourself, make sure to get professional help. Always get help from someone who knows more about this than you!
Sometimes other perspectives help, but more often, a doctor can surely help you to deal with whatever you are going through.
If something like suicide is on your mind: know that this life is way too precious for this bs. I've been through this, too. Please get help here as well and make sure to open up to someone close you trust. There are also plenty of hotlines and websites which offer a lot of help. 


Let's finally make mental health a normal topic. Let's exchange. Let's learn. 


Again, I am not a doctor, but I like to share things from my own journey! 
If you want to know some more about my personal experiences, you can always contact me! 


Happy healing! 
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NYC Late Summer Postcards #VirtualTravelling


8:45 AM After another year of 9/11 passing, I feel super nostalgic this year and I miss being out there more than ever. 
I really enjoy travelling, even though my travel focus has become New York in the last years, I just love to know that I can go there back and forth. It's been 10 months for me... and my heart is aching a bit to be honest. 

On the other hand, I am trying to practice gratitude, telling myself that I am healthy and safe over here. The whole world needs to chill and practice gratitude, patience, and so much more. Health is so important right now and so I am exploring my home here a bit further and browse myself through my camera cards. There are plenty of happy vibes on my cards and I thought it's the perfect time to share some more with you! 

I always love to spark NYC vibes and make you fall in love with it, too. If you happen to miss NYC just as much as I do, feel invited to look at these images smiling and dreaming. 


We will be back on the road soon! Together we can get through this ~ Some NYC postcards from me to you!

I ❤️ New York! 
See you soon!

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#HomeStories: Shelfie Love


9:10 AM Did this interior trend already hit you? Shelfie, oh shelfie, everywhere I am looking, I see beautiful houses, apartments, and creative spaces where people put all their hearts into decorating their shelves. 
Back in the days, especially when we were kids, it was normal to put thousands of shelves inside the room which would gather all our toys, books, trophies, and whatever we were collecting and hoarding. Ikea's Billy shelf was my best friend. From book shelf to shoe shelf, to a shelf that shall highlight my favorite belongings or my cameras - I was creative. Who wasn't? I think all of us can say that once in our lives we have owned a Billy shelf. 

Now when we are getting older, we don't care about finding a lot of furniture that can keep our belongings, we finally create a desire for organizing and adding a perfect touch to a room. 

Some people like to highlight their vinyls, because they want to share their love for music. Others want to express their passion for travelling through displaying souvenirs from far away. 

Every shelf becomes a statement piece and curating it the right way is something that is fun to everyone, I guess. 

This is a challenge I always love to accept and to be honest, I think shelves are a great pleasure of interior design. 

Not only to keep my anxiety low, but also to satisfy my heart - decorating my shelf with the right things, colors, and shapes is all that matters to me! 

And oh boy, how cool is it that people from everywhere share their shelf love, nowadays, too! 
It's getting colorful, funky, monotone, and heavily dedicated. 
Currently, my favorite shelf in my living room is rocking a very clean rainbow vibe, but looking at these ideas below, I get some fresh inspiration to to redecorate a little bit. 

From living room to kitchen... I can't stop browsing for more inspiration like this! Wow, wow, wow! 


Inspirations via 1,2,3

How does your shelfie love look like? I'm curious to see more inspiration!
Happy decorating and happy visual pleasure for everyone ~
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Get Ready For Challah Bagels


8:22 AM Today's post is something that makes me completely happy, because it involves food, but to be more specific, my two favorites.

Something I learned to have so dear to my heart are bagels and challah. In Germany, bagels aren't a big deal, so whenever I head to NYC, the city of bagels, I feel like in heaven, swimming in an ocean of flavors and chewyness. To me, bagels are life-changing and just so damn good.

And then, challah came into my life. I got it from New York's Jewish bakeries, but I never felt brave enough to test this in my own kitchen.
My mom is a master of yeasty loafs and I knew how much stress, pressure, and work is included in a challah or simple yeast bread routine.

Quarantine made me do it.
The last months felt like my kitchen turned into a challah factory and I can't believe how much fun it is to make challah! 

 In an earlier post, I shared my love about challah already, calling it my meditation and favorite thing to do in the kitchen!
It's such an exciting journey from a bowl full of ingredients to a sexy risen loaf. With the eggwash on top it will have the most beautiful glaze you can ever imagine.

After making too many challahs that I didn't want to eat all by myself, I thought about spicing things up. I guess this art of perfection can also be done in a smaller portion or form... something like a bagel. And here we are.

Bagel heaven.
Why didn't I think of this earlier? 

Making these babies, I felt more than happy. I was able to eat a whole week through sexy, shiny, and so yummy bagels with the best yeasty challah flavor!
Again, just think about this... 
Can you taste this?

I know - making a challah or even challah bagels can sound like a lot of stress and many are terrified, but there are two secrets: you need a really really good recipe which won't fail plus you need to treat your yeast right - the rest will follow easily.
"Ok, so how do I know if my recipe will work out?" - Well, I tested many many challah recipes and when making challah, I only trust King Arthur Baking! They are always around with the best recipes and baking techniques! So trust me that this recipe here will be living in your kitchen forever!
The yeast part? I will tell you more below!



CHALLAH BAGELS 


YOU NEED 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry or instant yeast + 3/4 cup (170g) warm water + 1/2 teaspoon (+ 2 tablespoons (25g) sugar) + 3 3/4 to 4 cups (454g to 482g) flour, plus more for dusting + 1 teaspoon kosher salt + 2 large eggs + 1/3 cup (67g) vegetable oil + 2 tablespoons (43g) additional sweetener (sugar, honey, or molasses) + for the topping 1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon sugar


1. In a medium bowl, combine the yeast, warm water, and 1/2 teaspoon of sugar and give it a little stir. Let it sit for about 5 minutes, until it becomes foamy on top. A little yeast conversation here: especially when you are doing this for the first time. Don't play too much with the temperature of the water. In my head, I thought the yeast needs to feel super cosy, so why not adding really warm water to it? The warmer the better. WRONG. Use lukewarm water and nothing that is super hot or boiling. Please don't kill the yeast. If the yeast is mixed with hot water then you can already quit here. The dough will not rise fully and it will change the whole texture of your challah. 
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl mix together the flour, salt, and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, and additional sweetener.
3. When the yeast is foamy, add it to the dry mixture immediately followed by the egg mixture and stir to combine. 
4. Knead until you have a smooth and slightly sticky dough, 7 to 10 minutes, adding more flour as necessary. Enjoy the feeling of touching the dough with your fingers and watch + feel it getting smoother minute after minute. 
5. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it sit at room temperature until doubled in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Alternatively, you can refrigerate it overnight and then let it sit at room temperature for about 1 hour before shaping.
6. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pat the dough out into a long rectangle, roughly 3" x 12". Cut the dough into 6 or 8 pieces, depening on how big you want your bagels to be. I'd go with 6. So I half the rectangle and divide each side into three same sized pieces. Now we can build our bagels! Technique 1: roll each piece into a long log and stick the ends together so it turns into a nice bagel ring. Technique 2: make a ball out of your dough and put your finger or a spoon in the middle and stretch it out. By stretching the ball and its hole, you can rotate the bagel and shape it the way you want to! I like this method a lot, because you have a smooth bagel without a side where you can see that it was stuck together. No edges, no nothing - easy. But you decide how you want it! Transfer the bagels to the baking sheet and let them rise, covered, at room temperature for 30 minutes, until slightly puffy.
7. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Brush the bagels lightly with the egg wash. Bake until the bagels are golden brown. Remove the bagels from the oven and let them fully cool down. (Try them while being warm, too, if you wish, haha). 
8. If you plan on eating them later, you can freeze the bagel for longer storage.


Mhmmm... that's the recipe of the year! Why? Because it will make everyone happy. Read yourself through the instructions, it's really not that hard. The best thing is that with all the work you put into this, you will be rewarded with something you will never forget. 

Challah and challah bagels will be your new best friends! You are welcome!


If you feel fancy, you can surely add some seeds on top of your bagels, but since I didn't know about my mood every day, I kept it simple and sprinkled a little sesame on some. I ate them in a sweet way with my favorite jam, made French toast. or even croutons. Magic, baby. 
So easy and so worth it! 
Let's eat! 


*Boys and girls, write down the new vocabulary you have learned today: Hefe — yeast. 

GERMAN LESSON #94
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