zucchini fries

ok, so i know it's not healthy, but i love everything fried... sorry for that, do you mind? so when i came across these zucchini fries on acozykitchen, i was immediately smitten. and: fried in the oven = not as bad as deep fried, right? (my reasoning is always so nicely self-deceiving... very grown-up of me...)

these zucchini fries are easy to make, and they most certainly make up for the perfect friday night in-front-of-the-tv dinner (not that i ever do that) for yourself or your loved one.  or you could use them as a nice side dish (though i don't know with what, really... sorry, my imagination might just have left me today. it's been a hellufa day... my iphone's screen broke... don't make me cry!)

zucchini fries

adapted from a cozy kitchen

ingredients:

3-4 zucchini, cut into batons

1 cup plain bread crumbs

1/4 cup parmesan, grated

1 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp salt

2 large eggs, beaten

directions:

preheat the oven to 220 degrees celsius. prepare the fritter fries coating: on one plate, mix together the bread crums, parmesan cheese, oregano, salt and pepper. in a small bowl, beat the two large eggs. 

cut the zucchini into batons (on a cozy kitchen you find nice instructions, by the way), then first dip the zucchinis into the eggs, then into the bread crumb mixture. cover from all sides. then place the batons on a baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes, or until they are golden and a little crisp around the edges. you could eat them with sauce (i.e. mayonnaise, aioli). or just skip (at least those) calories and forget about a dip altogether. ketchup! why not, eh?

peach crumble (breakfast version)

again a breakfast dish. i so love to celebrate the weekend with either a good dinner or an elaborate breakfast (mostly, though, it's both). and although there in fact are some good breakfast places in zurich (and i've just heard about a new one i am really keen on trying out) - as it goes the best breakfast seems to always be at home.

these halved, stuffed (with an oats-nuts mixture) and grilled peaches are not that unhealthy, either. they look cute, and a refreshing and welcome alternative (especially if you happen to combine it with things like 'butter popovers' and 'cinnamon pull-apart bread'... sighs. stay tuned for these).

peach crumble
serves four
ingredients:
2 peaches, halved, pitted and slightly hollowed
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cold butter, in chunks
1/4 cup brown sugar
4 tbsp. coconut
1 tsp. vanilla (ground or scraped from a bean)

directions:
heat the oven to 220 degrees F. half and pit the peaches, and hollow them a little with a sharp spoon, to make room for the crumble mixture. combine all the dry ingredients, and then knead in the cold butter. shape little balls and place them on the peach halves. place the peaches in a heat proof shape, put in the oven and grill the peaches for about 20 minutes, or until they are golden and pretty. serve hot, with a blob of natural greek (i.e. fat, with lots of cream) yogurt.

roasted squash and chickpeas with tahina

as a kid, being an almost-vegetarian at my mom's home meant that i would get to learn to appreciate healthy stuff. like veggies, of course, and wholemeal. and pulses, too. and luckily, ever since, chickpeas and i have been really great friends. 

on a recent night, i felt the urge to eat chickpeas in their pure form. i decided a combination with squash would be lovely. for one, squashes are back in the stores. hooray! also, in envisioned that the textures of both the chickpeas and the squash would have to complement each other perfectly. they did!

roasted squash and chickpeas salad with tahina dressing

adapted from ottolenghi (again! i'm obsessed! shhh!)

serves four

ingredients:

1 medium sized squash, peeled, deseeded and chopped in cubes

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed well under running water

1 garlic clove, minced

4 tbsp. olive oil

2 tbsp. salt

pepper

1 handful cilantro, chopped

for the tahina dressing:

3 tbsp. tahina (sesame paste)

3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

3 tbsp. greek joghurt

3 tbsp. olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

salt

directions:

preheat the oven to 220 degrees (fahrenheit). first, put the squash cubes in a bowl, to combine with the olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. distribute evenly on a baking tray (with parchment paper), and roast in the oven for approximately 20 minutes, or until the squash cubes are dark brown and slightly charred around the edges. take out of the oven and set aside to cool down a bit.

mix all the dressing ingredients together. the consistency should be something between a yogurt and olive oil. if you need it more liquid, add more lemon juice or olive oil. the other way round, add yogurt to thicken.

combine, carefully, the roasted squash and chickpeas. add a few drizzles of olive oil. pour the tahina dressing over the veggies / pulses. sprinkle with chopped cilantro*.

* re. chopping herbs: i'm so, so bad at chopping herbs. i mean, i'm always afraid of chopping my finger... which happened, a few times, i guess. but other than that, my chopping skills are simply shameful. so i'm asking you (no, i'm pleading) you, dear readers: do you by any chance happen to know any secrets to chopping herbs? like, the right knife (probably...) or the perfect technique? if so, i'd be delighted if you'd share your secrets with me. you're awesome!

ratatouille with pasta

that's just that: pasta with ratatouille. easy. summery. and the ideal dinner for a (apparently) thundery friday night. happy weekend.

cinnamon pull-apart bread

recently, on a random sunday brunch, with close friends: cinnamon pull-apart bread.

you know, i usually don't like to go out for brunch somewhere to a fancy restaurant. it's normally the brunch at home preparations that i really love about an extensive breakfast. 

admittedly, i got in a bit of a hurry when producing this cinnamon pull-apart bread that morning. the timing simply was too tight for a yeast dough... well, but in the end, it somehow turned out nicely, and the bread was just out of the oven when we were ready and waiting for it. and you know, this bread is actually pretty social, too. you can pull it apart, from every side, all together (you see, there, that's we've already started to pull it apart... sorry, i wasn't fast enough with the pictures, i guess). 

you find the recipe as well as detailed instructions over at joy's. one more side comment: if you have never before tried dried yeast (which i haven't): don't panic! it's actually super easy to use. though it seemed to me the dough took a bit longer to rise. anyway, just go with joy's instructions and nothing will go wrong.

that sunday, so i came to a spontaneous resolution: this is the bread of my life. as in: i will have to do this bread over and over again. 

blueberry muffin with crumble top

three words: so, so, good! i've been wondering forever what this crispy, buttery, cookie like muffin top, that i've tried several times yet, is made of. now i've finally found the recipe (here). now i can have muffin top perfection on my own (ahem, no double meaning, there, at all...).

watermelon feta salad

sometimes, when i'm tired of plain green salad, i start to incorporate fruit into my salad dishes. i've experienced some fruity salad versions that are simply, uhm, okay? a combination of watermelon, cucumber and feta, casually tossed together, is a welcome change, simple, yet refreshing. and complemented with a tuna steak, the ideal carb free (not that i care...) summer lunch.

watermelon feta salad

serves two

ingredients:

1 big slice of watermelon

1/2 cucumber

1 feta cheese

handful of cilantro leaves

raspberry vinegar

olive oil

salt

black pepper

directions: 

slice the watermelon and cut into equal cubes. peel and deseed the cucumber, and cut into not to tiny squares. cut feta into cubes, too. add in bowl and toss together with the simple salad dressing. garnish with cilantro leaves. 

to accompany, quickly fry the tuna in a spoonful of sizzling hot sesame oil, approximately 1 minute per side. season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with a few drops of fresh lime juice. 

home wish list: couch (potato) decor

since i might soon (or rather: someday...) own this here couch (i'm currently visualizing it and wishing for it into my living room), i will obviously need new pillows, too. this cushion here that i got only recently in the netherlands, and these with the theme 'flora and fauna' would be nice on my (okay, now i'm being delusional...) new couch. but to celebrate my (...) new couch, i'd have to buy a few new cushions. that makes total sense, right?

these two pillows are so cute. and they match my current couch potato mood (i totally blame the heat...). i forgot where the first one is from (so stupid of me, sorry). but the second is from jayson home, like the couch (see, good couch karma).

okay, for now, i'm on my couch if you need me (i might snack on the occasional chip, too, just to complete the picture...). xo

home wish list: couch loving

it's honestly a shame how i have not invested in my home (except from tableware, that is) in recent years. i still sleep in my old bed. i use a couch that was left after my last room-mate moved out. don't get me wrong, i love this couch! i practically live on it, it's so comfy. and thank you, cookie, i hope you don't mind... but it is a bit, uhm, shabby, by now, isn't it? you'll agree with me.

so, needless to say: my home wish list is ginormous... and on it is: this beautiful flea market appeal couch from jayson home. this caramel color is perfect, too. i imagine sitting on it in my living room, posting and blogging to you. i'd have a great time with this couch. we're meant to be together.

butter popovers

butter popovers don't only look but also taste like a sunday breakfast is supposed to. yeah, 'butter popovers are about as close to eating clouds without having to leave the kitchen' - at least that's what orangette says about them, and i couldn't agree more. lovely, fluffy, buttery. they're quickly done. and you won't have to walk to the gas station for fresh bread, either. and you really should consume them still warm (against everything that your mother always told you). go ahead, dig in! yes, delicious.

greens with black sesame

is there anything with a healthier appeal than chlorophyllic greens? whenever i feel in need of a vitamin boost, i'd include a side dish of greens in my diet (so i'd be able to compensate with ben & jerry's fairly nuts ice cream for dessert, obviously). green beans or peas, for example. or both in one, if i'm being super good (read: healthy), like here (although it seems as though the peas went hiding somewhere...? anyway...). doesn't this salad look like a good way to compensate excess ice cream?

this recipe, too (like so many before) is inspired by ottolenghi, however with major minor changes (i'm a complete disaster at sticking to a recipe...).

greens with black sesame
adapted from yotam ottolenghi
serves 2 as a main or 4 as a side dish


ingredients:
3 cups green beans
1 1/2 cup peas, fresh or frozen
3 tbsp. black sesame
3 tbsp. black mustard seeds
4 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. acacia honey
1 tsp. minced peperoncino
1 small red onion
1 garlic clove
handful flat parsley, chopped
salt, pepper
handful cress or sprouts to decorate

directions:
i blanched the beans in salted water only quickly for 2 minutes or so, drained them and immediately put them in ice cold water so they won't lose their color. same with the peas, except that you only throw them in the hot water for about 30 seconds, no more. drain and chill. then start to prepare the vinaigrette. for this, toast the sesame and black mustard seeds in a saucepan briefly. let cool. mix the chopped onion, garlic, peperoncino, lemon juice, olive oil, honey, salt and pepper in a small bowl. add the seeds. combine the beans and peas on a plate and pour the vinaigrette over them, together with the chopped parsley. decorate with the sprouts and serve (for example together with roasted eggplants).

multi-culti wraps with beans & hummus

there are a few meals that inevitably remind me of my childhood. like, my brother and me used to be crazy for all sorts of 'get messy' food. meaning meals that are prepared individually at the table. and i can't help it: even today, i still love a good messy meal (ahem...).

i guess it's not really authentic the way we prepared it here, as sort of a texmex-arab-greek version with beans, hummus and quacamole. but it sure was uber-delicious.

since there is no rule to these messy wraps, you could get inspired by these recipes and directions here and take it from there. we had kidney beans in a spicy tomato sauce dish, try these: chili beans (minus the zucchino - plus ground cilantro seeds). a very lovely guacamole (with - surprise - cilantro), a raw veggies 'salad' (made from cucumbers, red and yellow peppers and flat parsley), hummus and a refreshing yogurt sauce. try and rely on your taste buds; there really is no limit to your imagination. heat a few pitas or fajita wraps - and then: get dirty and wrap away! love and a happy weekend! scarlett

stuffed peppers

my mom is famous among my readers, as being a really great cook. no doubt, you only come back here for her food and recipes. i'm not jealous. as long as i get to eat some of the delicacies she's producing, then i'm d'accord.

this here are baked stuffed peppers, the arab way. i'm not entirely sure i got the recipe right. but something along this might be right. it's not totally difficult, altogehter. 

ingredients: 

serves four

a dozen small, green peppers (from the arab store)

2 cups minced soy or real meat (here it's made with soy)

1 onion, chopped

1 peperoncino, minced
1 tbsp. curcuma (spice mix, for coloring)

1 cup of rice

1 1/2 cup of vegetable broth

1 handful dried apricots, chopped

1 handful fresh coriander and parsley (or mint, if you ask my mom), chopped

1 glass tomato passata
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. paprika

1/2 lemon

1 tbsp. honey

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 handful pine nuts, lightly toasted

2-3 tbsp. ras el hanout (a moroccan spice blend containing cinnamon, coriander, cumin and much more)

olive oil

salt, pepper

directions:

the basic concept: first, prepare the mixture, then stuff the peppers. so in a large pan, heat a little olive oil, fry the onion, one garlic, peperoncino and the ras el hanout (i love this word...) spice mix. add the minced soy meat and fry well. then, add the rice, the curcuma and the liquid (vegetable broth). the rice does not have to be fully cooked, just a bit sweated. season with salt and pepper. add toasted pine nuts, apricots, coriander and parsley (note: my mom added that she only used some fresh mint, no coriander...).

in the meantime, wash the peppers and cut off the top part (keep the 'lids'). take the mixture and lightly (without force) pile (not actually 'stuff') into the peppers, one after another. make sure only to fill them to about one third, since the rice will inflate when cooked (and you won't want your peppers to burst...). 

in a food processor, combine the tomato passata, garlic, lemon juice, paprika and cumin, some salt and pepper and mix through. place the stuffed peppers with the lids in a heat proof plate, and pour the tomato mix among the peppers. drizzle with a generous sprinkle of olive oil, put in the oven and 'bake' until the peppers are brown around the edges and shrunk. take out and serve warm (not sizzling hot), accompanied with yogurt sauce, some fresh coriander and a nice flatbread, pita or toasted sesame focaccia.

note: my mom prepared the peppers well before we ate them - and simply heated them through again shortly before. it's a very good dish to prepare in advance. can you believe i'm actually still drooling over those pictures right now...  

uhm, mom, i hope i got everything right? otherwise i'm sure i'll get an email first thing tomorrow morning: 'girl, you missed the pinch of this or that...' - sighs... what a tough luck to be an awesome cook's daughter, hm? lol.  

roasted aubergines with saffron

i just spent a wonderful night with lovely people. amazing, how much energy it can give you to be around a bunch of really good people, inspiring, honest, authentic people with a big heart. i feel all positive right now, and like i love anyone and everyone. sort of in a tree-hugger mode. okay, maybe i should stop right here or you'll think i'm a lunatic... which i'm totally not (most of the time).

anyway... (note to self: must get around not babbling so much before i get to the point. sighs...)
those roasted aubergines (eggplants) with saffron yogurt are fantastic (and you can trust me on that one, since i'm only partially lunatic). it's the most fantastic vegetarian dish i've had in a while. yotam ottolenghi seriously is a god. thank you my dear friend 'noodles' (who, by the way, just celebrated her birthday today and it was so, so wonderful to see you! you are so amazing) for introducing me to him. i forgot to sprinkle the pomegranate seeds on top for the picture. although i totally told everyone i did put them on it, because ottolenghi said so, and because it would have been great with pomegranate, and i love pomegranate, and i even had it at home! duh! no, anyway. so i forgot to put it on it. might have something to do with a hungry guy waiting next to the dish... not that you heard it from me, though. *but i added a bit more garlic (maybe, i'd never admit) and fresh mint, as well. so, you can't complain, right?

here's the recipe for you. so you can eat this miracle for yourself. would love to hear back from you if you liked it. good night and love (from my big heart).

my perfect tomato sugo (strozzapreti con carciofi)

someone please tell me why something as delicious and satisfying as pasta can probably be bad? i mean, in terms of diet? i mean, when i've had a really bad day, all i will is a plate of simple, home-made pasta to feel at peace with the world again. pasta-happy!

and strozzapreti, ooh, they are my all time favorite pasta (maybe orecchiette, too). they are usually firm and with a lot of substance. and when you add something nice to them, like the perfect home-made sugo* (made from passata, with herbs and a great olive oil and fresh garlic) then, hmm... likeylikey.

*note: i could well write a whole book on home-made tomato sugo... but to keep things short, let me just point out the necessity of using passata (i.e. cooked, pureed and bottled tomato without anything else than tomato) as a basis. it's vital for a perfect sugo. it will turn your sugo into a creamy and tasty italian experience. so that's why i share my perfect sugo recipe with you; because i just want you to be pasta-happy. just like me.


my perfect tomato sugo (strozzapreti con carciofi)
serves four

ingredients:
1 bottle (equals 1 l) of passata
1 small onion, thinly chopped
2 fresh garlic cloves (if you don't have a fresh one use only one), minced
small piece of peperoncino, minced
3 tbsp. olive oil
stems of basil, flat parsley and oregano, leaves removed
1 tbsp. of rosemary leaves, minced

1 laurel leaf

1 pinch of sugar

salt, pepper

750 g of strozzapreti (or any other pasta)

1 glass canned carciofi in olive oil (the good kind) torn apart into chunks
mozzarella, torn to pieces, or ricotta
handful of fresh basil leaves
and or: drizzle of (home-made) pesto (if you have one at hand)
a few drizzles of olive oil to serve
pecorino sardo

directions:
start with the basic tomato sauce. heat the olive oil in a saucepan. add onion, peperoncino and garlic and sweat for a minute or two. pour in the passata and half a glass of tap water. add a pinch of sugar, season with salt and pepper. add the laurel leaf and (here comes the secret): the stems of the herbs, chopped or in whole (if you leave them in whole you will have to reduce the stems after cooking). cover with lid and cook on low to medium heat for (at least) 30 minutes (note: the long cooking time reduces the acid and is generally somehow vital for a good, fragrant taste). reduce heat and only keep it warm.

cook the strozzapreti according to directions, in well salted water (no olive oil in the water, please). drain the pasta, making sure not to shake off too much of the excess water, since that will keep the pasta humid and prevents it from sticking together. put pasta on a large plate, drizzle with olive oil and mix a few spoons full of sugo among it.

pile other ingredients on top of pasta: more sugo, mozzarella basil, pesto and carciofi, and drizzle with olive oil. serve with pecorino sardo. buona, la pasta!

bistecca al limone con pasta

bistecca al limone. next to wiener schnitzel, and probably vitello tonnato, too, i strongly have the impression that this is in fact every guy's favorite dish. like, a male staple (chuckle). exquisite, impressive, yes. difficult? no.

bistecca al limone
serves four

ingredients:
4 veal cutlets (ard. 200 g each)
pinch of flour
2 tbsp. frying butter

600 g tagliatelle
1 cup greens, like fresh or frozen peas

2 dl white wine
2 dl chicken stock
1 lemon, juice and zest
3dl cream
some lemon-thyme sprigs, chopped
salt, pepper

permiggiano for serving

directions:
for the sauce: give the white wine, chicken stock and lemon juice in a saucepan and cook to reduce. add the cream and heat again. season with salt and pepper and add the lemon-thyme.

heat water for the tagliatelle, salt (well), and cook the pasta al dente. meanwhile heat a bit of frying butter in a frying pan, quickly cover the bistecca (veal cutlets) in some flour and fry for one minute from each side. season with salt and pepper.

shortly before serving, add the lemon zest to the sauce. to give the lemon sauce some color, add a handful of greens, such as fresh or frozen peas (the frozen peas have to be cooked in a bit of salted water - i.e. the pasta water - for 2 minutes, before).

stirr together pasta, peas and a part of the sauce. place bistecca and pasta on the plate and add a the rest of the sauce over the bistecca. serve with a fresh lemon slice and a thyme sprig, and some parmiggiano reggiano on the side.

rosemary olive oil cakes

if you are looking for a cake for someone who doesn't like cake, i.e. sweets, in general, then these rosemary olive oil cakes will be just about perfect (i.e. they are not too sweet and chocolatey, but you can still put a candle into them, if needed, for a birthday, or similar). i first spotted this recipe on wednesday chef, and then discovered it on 101 cookbooks, as well. so, i marveled, this had to be a sign; seeing the (almost exact same) cake on two of my favorite food blogs, it was simply meant to be made.

last week, on a normal evening, i quickly whipped it up (really, it's almost indecent how quickly it is done, considering you can still call it a 'cake', and 'cake' normally involves quite a lot of work, or at least, that's what it implies, if you are a decent baker...).

i sticked to the wednesday chef's recipe - but felt like adding a bit (maybe a bit too much, even, since i feel there can never be too much) of dried whole lavender bulbs.

note: my fondness for lavender has been documented. but, ever since i needed lavender bulbs for a cake some time back, and didn't find any anywhere (scream! it was a bit of a shock, really), i stocked up on them whenever i happened to find them since (i.e. in a swiss alps procude store, on a random spices market in augsburg, at hédiard in paris, in provence...). the result being that my pantry now holds about 4 or 5 different packets of lavender. which, of course, i'm entirely using, everyday now, no, honestly...

so yes, it's basically a rosemary lavender olive oil cake. this somehow feels right, yes. thank you, and good bye.

earthy gift ideas

there are always occasions when you need a tiny gift or thank you present for someone special. i find these natural, earthy looking gifts would be great options, because they've got this certain home-made appeal.

1 blithe and bonny lavender candle via anthropologie
2 wildflower seed bombs via uncommon goods
3 chan luu wrap bracelet
4 chunky honey via terrain
5 boulder mug via terrain
6 organic lavender flowers via terrain
7 chan luu wrap bracelet
8 red striped linen tote via terrain
9 saplings spoon via terrain

baked eggs with tomatoes

right up to muesli, eggs are clearly one of my favorite sunday 'meals'. i like them fried (sunny side down), scrambled, poached or served peeled in a glass ('viennese style', as we call it, though i'm sure that's not the right expression).

however, i've been wanting to try baked eggs for ages now, and last sunday, i finally got around trying them (very spontaneously). i took two heat-proof baking shapes and basically just threw everything at hand into them (some left-over cherry tomatoes, some chopped, dried tomatoes, a bit of garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil) and carefully (or, not so much...) cracked the eggs (two per shape) onto the tomatoes underneath. unfortunately, one egg yolk got broken in the process of shoving the shapes into the oven... but the result was nonetheless satisfying: a sort-of juicy (thanks to fresh tomatoes) and fragrant (thanks to fresh garlic and dried tomatoes) egg dish version, worth trying (or throwing together). not even the badly chopped parsley - that actually was meant to be a decoration, but turned out almost to sort of spoil the picture - quite managed to ruin the taste. a taste of sundays - combined in a dish. bliss. and now, a newspaper, please!

baked eggs with tomatoes
for 2

ingredients:
4 eggs
1 handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
4 slices of dried tomaotes (i used really good ones, not soaked in olive oil, but just sun-dried), chopped
1 fresh garlic clove, minced
some olive oil
salt, pepper to taste
some flat parsley, chopped (to decarate - or ruin)

directions:
preheat oven to 220 degrees (F). oil two heat-proof shapes. combine the halved tomatoes, chopped dried ones, garlic, a sprinkle of olive oil, salt and pepper in a bowl and divide between the two shapes. on top, crack the eggs. put in the oven for around 15 minutes, or until all of the egg white is actually white and slightly crispy around the edges. sprinkle with parsley (... or not) and serve steaming hot.

nerd again

i'm well aware that some of you hate nerd glasses. and i know it's not at all a trend anymore, but it rather looks as though it's here to stay. so you'll have to bear.

i, on the other hand, still love my odd nerd glasses. and though i've actually got a correction ane need glasses for on quite a few occasions (and they're getting more steadily), i don't get to wear them as often as i would like, because i feel limited and often get a headache from wearing them. still, i think they're afwully pretty and the ideal accessory for a smand and cheeky look. i've been wearing my nerd glasses for almost 3 years now, and i think it's time to switch (also to check wether my eyes got worse, which they probably have). i stumbled upon this pair from robert geller; never heard of him but i think this pair is utterly perfect. unfortunately, they're sold out right now, so i might have to wait or opt for another pair. which one is your favorite?

1 lina farrow luxe
2 oliver peoples florenz 48
3 lina farrow luxe
4 oliver peoples random
5 selima optique
6 robert geller marcello
7 ray ban wayfarer
8 michael kors mk

layered muesli

on sundays, even in summer, what's better than to sleep in and then prepare an elaborate breakfast, in slo-mo? nothing there to stress you, no need to hurry (except, maybe, for the grawl in your stomach...). it's the time when i particularly love to experiment with new recipes.

today, i thought why not make a (normally not really attracive) muesli in layers, and portion it in glasses, so as to give it a dessert-appeal? it's embarrassing how quickly it's done, and it tastes just as wonderful as it looks.

layered muesli 
for 2

ingredients:
1 cup of oatmeal
1 cup of soy milk
1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
1 handful of unsalted nuts (i used cashews, since i was out of almonds, which i would have preferred)
a few tbsp. maple syrup
1 1/2 cup mixed berries (i used fresh blueberries and frozen raspberries)
1 small greek yoghurt
1 tbsp. sugar

directions:
in a bowl, mix the oatmeal with the soy milk and the cinnamon, and let soak for around 20 minutes or longer. in a separate bowl, pour the berries, sugar and 2 spoons of the maple syrup. after the soaking, add half of the berries to the oatmeal, plus the chopped nuts. layer the oatmeal-berry mix into a glass. then add a few fresh berries, a layer of the yoghurt and a drizzle of maple syrup. repeat these layers once, and finish with yoghurt and berries.

i'd recommend you serve this with baked eggs, that i'm going to show you soon in one of my posts, for an intimate breakfast à deux...

currently craving toms

i'm not really a sneaker person (if you can say that, at all). but, with some sneakers, i simply can not resist: old-school, classy sneakers, with a history. you'll say: 'converse!' - of course... but not really. i've never been too big of a fan of these... somehow they make my feet feel ginormous, and i'm only a size 39...). but i'm really smitten with bensimon and superga and, most of all, toms.

toms let me revive the feeling i had on summer vacation in france or italy as a kid. they're both, stylish and comfy. and the plus side of it is that with every pair of toms you buy, toms donate a pair of shoes to a child in need. it's actually a good deed! ooh, and i actually feel like doing a good deed, right about now. and with that: a happy weekend, and be good. xo

wiener schnitzel - viennese style veal cutlets

it makes no sense at all, but when in france, we usually make a wiener schnitzel. why, you (rightly) ask, in france? it's simple: our local butcher in the village where we live (he's a good butcher, i shall mention. the butcher-madame wears her full set of jewelry, from pearls to diamonds and gold rings, to work. which doesn't necessarily help the point, hu? but still, believe me, it's just a fantastic butcher, that will disassemble and chop up the cow right in front of your eyes, to sell you exactly the piece of the cow for the exact steak you were looking for). and yes, the butcher sells really good veal cutlets to us. because he likes us (well, probably, he won't only sell good veal just to us... but, you see, we like to believe that he does). anyway, so we've got this really good veal cutlets - in france - so here goes our wiener schnitzel (or 'viennese style veal cutlets', if you prefer).

wiener schnitzel - viennese style veal cutlets

serves four

ingredients:

4 veal cutlets of about 200g each (if you are lucky to get big ones, otherwise just opt for some more smaller ones)

4 eggs

1 cup dried breadcrumbs, very fine

1 cup all-purpose flour

300g (or more...) butter

1dl (or more...) sunflower or peanut oil

salt and pepper

lemon slices, freshly cut

potatoe salad as a side dish

directions: 

if you are lucky (like we are when in france) to get really good, really tender and nonetheless very big veal cutlets, then you won't have to tenderize (implying: brutally beat up) the cutlets... no, no such thing. you will just have to prepare three deep plates for the 'panade' (i believe it's called 'breading'?); i.e. one with flour, one with the eggs, stirred well with a fork and seasoned with a little salt and pepper, and the third one with the breadcrumbs.

(excursus on the breadcrumbs: we used old baguette that we lay out to dry properly a few days ahead, and then simply crush it by hand. but of course, you can also use a conventional breadcrumbs-version, i.e. from a boulanger or a supermarket. it's up to you, and we don't care. but the schnitzels would probably prefer a home-made version. i'm just saying...)

then you're ready for 'brading': lightly cover the schnitzels with flour from all sides, then dip into the egg mix and finally coat in bread crumbs. easy! meanwhile, heat a large pan with (a lot of!) butter and oil (i'm sorry, but it is absolutely essential that you are not counting calories right here. otherwise forget about the wiener schnitzel, alltogether). make sure the fat is really hot, too. then fry the schnitzels on both sides until golden brown and crispy / fluffy. frying time should not be more than about 4 minutes on each side, i guess. make sure to 'shake' the pan regularly, so that the fat covers the schnitzel from all sides. a good schnitzel also develops sort of blisters on top (i wouln'd know how else to express it?). blisters. and then it's a relly good schnitzel, yes. remove the schnitzels and put on kitchen towels (to absorb the excess fat, which nobody needs, really).

serve the wiener schnitzel on a warmed plate, preferably with a slice of lemon, some fried parsley and potatoes or potatoe salad (as we had it). and be delighted by the french-austrian reunion.vive la france!

wool & fur

as strange as it might seem, i'm already longing for colder weather (which we actually currently have already, and i'm not complaining. to heck with summer), which brings with it the possibility to shop for new and warmer clothes. though honestly, i quite detest having to shop for winter clothes already in august just because the stores somewhat 'force' us to. they trap us into fearing that by october there won't be anything left...and of course, i believe so.

so, as a an obedient consumer-slash-fashion-slave, i have already made my favorite pick of autumn/winter jackets and coats. it definitely involves something cosy with wool & fur, in a neutral color like grey or beige (or 'grège', as some fashion dictators presumably call it). and an oversized vest, to transcend from still-warm to already-colder days, easily, is be something i've laid my eyes on, too (gee, i especially love that miu miu fur coyote-style furry piece... to die for).

1 michael michael kors rabbit gilet
2 kevandbelle sand/jeans reversible rabbit fur vest
3 topshop cream faux fur gilet
4 miu miu fox fur vest
5 lanvin knit jacket with lurex details
6 boy. by band of outsiders aplaca-blend and rabbit coat
7 miu miu wool-blend tweet coat
8 carven wool coat with hood in leather-appearance

minestrone

as a child, i didn't really like soups. today however, i could live off them. especially soups with chunks in them, and lots and lots of vegetables, such as a good and honest minestrone. a minestrone, you must know, is not just a starter. no, it's a full on dish, and it deserves to be treated as such. it gets you to use all veggie leftovers from your fridge. and, another plus of this minestrone in particular: it's equally tasty in winter as in summer. in winter, it's nice and warming. and in summer it's light and provides you with enough salt after a hot, sunny day. and it can be adapted according to availability and seasonality of veggies. easy!

minestrone

serves four to six

ingredients:

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 large peperoncino, medium spice, minced

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 large potatoe, cut in cubes

1 piece of sedano (celery bulb), chopped

1 celery rib, chopped

1/2 zucchini, cut in cubes

5-6 tomatoes, in chunks, or 1 can italian pelati tomatoes

1 handful of green beans, cut in 2cm pieces

1 handful of white or black kidney beans, soaked overnight and precooked or alternatively canned ones

1 cup chopped cabbage (if you have one, i think we didn't)

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 liters water

vegetable bouillon

1 pinch of sugar

salt and pepper to taste

1 lime, a few drops of juice and / or a bit of the zest, if you like (my mom objects, though)

fresh herbs (oregano, basil, parsley, minced), stalks and herbs (or quickly turned into a pesto, if you have the time)

parmiggiano reggiano or pecorino sardo

directions:

in a large saucepan, saute the 'hard' veggies: carrots, celery stalks, sedano, potatoes and zucchini together with onion, garlic and peperoncino in oil for about 5 minutes. that way, the vegetables develop more fragrance. add tomatoes, water, bouillon and the rest of the vegetables (i.e. the beans or any other vegetables you will want to use, such as cabbage, spinach, bell peppers... no limits). now is also the time to add herbs stalks for fragrance (add the minced leaves only before serving so as not to spoil the vitamins). add one pinch of sugar to fight the acidity of the fresh tomatoes. excursus: long, long simmering of the soup also helps against acidity... so: patience! heat everything through. stir in salt and pepper as well as a drizzle of lime to taste. sprinkle with herbs or a teaspoon of pesto. serve hot with some parmiggiano reggiano or pecorino sardo to grate. 

note: some recipes suggest you use a piece of pancetta and saute it at the beginning. i pass on that one, since i'm not a big fan of pork, nor the taste of it. the minestra will do fine without it, not to worry. the pecorino adds a little spice and salt at the end, which we all love. buon appetito!