I recently received such a well wrapped present from on of my friends! It inspired me to share with your my favorite ways of upcycling pages from a magazine.
The lovely gift from my friend
As you might know. I like making vegetable quiches and pies. This is a lovely way to eat your spinach!
For a vegetarian alternative I would replace the bacon with a handful of toasted nuts like pine nuts.
Spinach quiche
It’s official! I have made it to 34 and I feel balanced and strong thanks to the people around me and stories that inspire me. In honor of my own birthday I would like to share with you my personal top 5 most inspiring characters.
5. Pooh and friends – Children and their stories will always inspire me. The simplicity in which they approach life should inspire every grownup. Pooh loves and lives whole heartily. Whenever I join my son in watching Pooh movies I find myself smiling, sighing and shedding the occasional tear, so simple and so beautiful!
“Some people care too much. I think it’s called love.”
A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh
What I learned from Pooh? Be in the moment and don’t worry to much.
4. Amélie – If you haven’t seen this movie, I recommend you watch it soon! In this French movie you see the modern fairy tail of the shy Amélie. I myself used to be shy as a kid. Sitting quietly in the corner I would observe and enjoy the world. This is why I always root for the shy ones.
“I like to look for things no one else catches. I hate the way drivers never watch the road in old American movies.”
Why Amélie inspires me? She reminds me to stay curious and to look at the whole world in wonder.
3. Nigella Lawson – This kitchen goddess showed me the beauty and simplicity of cooking and being a housewife. As an educated women I was always puzzled how to play all these rolls in my life: wife, friend, colleague, mother, daughter, sister…. As a perfectionist I want to be the perfect wife, friend….and in the mean time I wanted cozy family meals with home cooked food.
“I think cooking should be about fun and family. I’m not a trained chef. I don’t pretend to be and I think part of my appeal is that my approach to cooking is really relaxed and not rigid. There are no rules in my kitchen.”
Nigella Lawson
Nigella showed me that by simplifying, and with some shortcuts, you can cook a great meal, be a good hostess, and most of all, that in the mean time you need to enjoy all of these activities!
2. Parker Schnabel – In the reality show Gold Rush on Discovery channel you follow modern day gold miners on their quest to find gold. My favorite mining team is run by Parker Schnabel. He grew up helping his grandfather in the summers in his mine. From the age 16 he runs his own mining operations. For me it is awe inspiring how he just does all these complicated things, regardless of his age.
“The biggest thing I learned this summer was how to just go for it, not worry about the consequences of what could go wrong, just striking out and going for something, whether it has to do with going up to the Klondike or dealing with people.”
What I learned from Parker is that you should let no one tell you what you can or can’t accomplish, the sky is the limit!
1. Mothers – I have recently concluded that every women becomes a superhero when she becomes responsible for her own child. The things we endure, complicated medical procedures, giving birth, letting go when they go to school….the list never ends…it’s a job for life. I see it around me every day, women that excel at loving in their own unique way. Every mother inspires me. We should keep inspiring and encouraging each other, and not be afraid to admit where we could learn.
“All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.”
Abraham Lincoln
My mother showed me how you can overcome anything, if you keep loving.
My grandmother showed me the value of saying grace.
My colleague, also a mother, showed me how you can sell, buy, re-model your house and take care of your toddler in a few months!
My college friend, also a mother, showed me that you can bond and love your tiny newborn despite all stress and separation.
The list if inspiring mothers keeps growing. Thank you mothers for inspiring me!
This marinade is our favorite for “speklapjes”, a cheap but delicious cut of pork translated as fatback. It works well with any cut of pork and even livens up a simple sausage. This marinade is loved equally by both children and grown-ups.
The secret to this marinade is using good quality sweet pepper. Most spices you can just buy in a supermarket, but for paprika you should really go to a deli. I stocked up during our holiday in Spain. Both the sweet and the spicy version are worth the effort. you can use these blends to liven up your fried potatoes or your chicken, and it is a must-have for Mexican dishes.
Sweet red BBQ marinade
After mixing the ingredients, apply generously to your choice of meat. Grill your meat on a barbecue or in the oven.
I know it’s easy to buy mayonnaise ready made in the jar. I recommend you make this delicious sauce at least once, because;
Once you have mastered the basic recipe below, you can start varying the ingredients to make your personalized version by;
As a Dutchy I love my mayo with chips. It is also great for making a potato salad.
Keep your leftover mayonnaise in a jar in the refrigerator. The lemon and the mustard ensure that you can keep your mayo for at least a week, if it lasts that long that is….
Basic mayonnaise
Combine your yolk, mustard, vinegar and salt and whisk until well combined.
Keep whisking and gradually add your oil. After adding all the oil you should have a thick and glossy mayonnaise.
If you add your oil too quickly, the mayonnaise will split. Try whisking vigorously. If this doesn’t rescue your mayo, put this batch to the side. You will have to start over. When you are halfway adding your oil, add your split mayo instead, essentially creating a double batch of mayo.
Potato salad
Turn your mayonnaise into potato salad by adding it to some boiled sliced potatoes. Add some capers and sliced spring union for some freshness and a splash of green.
I love making my own vegetarian balls and falafel look-a-likes. I was looking for a new way to cook with sweet potatoes. I sometimes find them overly sweet. This is why I thought of a sweet potato and chick pea mini burger. I packed the mini burgers full of flavors and textures complementing each other. Instead of mixing salt into the burgers, you coat them with it. The sesame seeds add even more flavors.
These little veggie burgers make it easy to eat a vegetarian meal, because they are so satisfying and filling.
Sweet veggie burger
Veggie mini burgers taste great squashed inside pita bread with some Dutch Ceasar Salad on the side.
I firmly believe in celebrating all the milestones in your life. Baby showers are not yet a common tradition in the Netherlands. Among my friends they are very popular at the moment…or it might be because my friends are all entering a certain phase in their lives…
Wherever you are, here’s some ideas to give your baby shower a personal touch:
Check out my pinterest board for more inspiration.
Every year it’s a challenge, what will may toddler hand out at his day care. This year i made a garage full box full of car shaped treats.
The cars
I made these cars by wrapping raisin boxes in colored paper. I glued some dutch “pepernoten” on the boxes using a thick icing made with icing sugar and some drops of egg white.
The garage
I upcycled a delivery box to make the garage.I first wrapped it, to hide the ugly box. I used strong black strips of card board. When my toddler starts playing, he can be a bit rough. This is why I connected all the strips with cello tape.
Easter for me symbolizes new beginnings. It is also another occasion to relax and have a good time with people you love. Here’s my new and older suggestions for your Easter preparations:
