Winter is back, hopefully just for one day. Today we get a mixture of snow and rain. And I guess there's nothing good about it.. Beside being allowed to snuggle up into a blanket before the warmth comes back and will force me to stay outside all day long.  So then let's enjoy the last day of winter inside with a warming breakfast, a cup of tea and a movie. 
Overnight raspberry oats with caramelised bananas   (2 servings) + 1 cup oats + 1/2-3/4 cup milk of your choice (I used almond milk) + 1/2 lemon squeezed + 1/3 cup (fresh / frozen) raspberries + 1 banana chopped + 1 table spoon honey + 1 tea spoon cinnamon + 2 table spoons almonds chopped + 1 table spoon butter (or coconut oil for vegans)
Combine the oats, milk, raspberries and lemon juice. Store in an airtight container over night.  If desired add a bit more liquid / yoghurt to it before eating.  Lightly mash the bananas together with the cinnamon, chopped nuts and honey in a bowl. Melt butter and add banana almond mixture.  Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until bananas start to caramelise.  Add caramelised banana mixture to the oats. 

how good is the taste of spring in the air?  season of change, and I'm embracing it to the fullest.  at the moment I'm not allowed to do any sport or even go for long walk in the sun. but hey; I decided that it won't tear me down and I'll enjoy the last few weeks of my very first pregnancy! We don't grow when things are easy, we grow when we face challenges. And no sports are a huge challenge for me. So how do I grow during those days / weeks? I try to focus on all the other beautiful things around me which I love (beside doing sports): + read books + put together flower arrangements + write gift cards to friends + to make presents + stay in bed a little longer + work on new projects + try out new recipes + watch movies and drink tea + sort out clothes & things in our apartment + enjoy the sun sitting on a bench in the nearby park since we live on the top floor of our building it get to enjoy the morning sun through our windows, which is another thing I completely love. after some talks and cuddles with our unborn I then mostly feel like breakfast. I got some rhubarb and strawberries the other day. YAY to rhubarb season. I've always been a huge lover of it. and here's the result of my Tuesday breakfast. 
creamy banana millet porridge with poached rhubarb (2 servings) + 1 cup millet + 2 cups water + 1/4 teaspoon salt + 1 tablespoon lemon juice + 1 banana + 1/4 cup yogurt (I used a vegan one from  Provable ) + 1-2 rhubarb stalks + one pinch ground vanilla + 1 pear
+ strawberries + granola of your choice (I go for the yoga muesli from  mymuesli ) + almonds (I roasted some nuts from  Pakka ) I prepared the millet the night before. Cook the millet with water and salt as directed on the package. Let completely cool. Mash the banana with the lemon juice and yogurt till you got a creamy consistency. Now mix everything well with the millet.  Wash and peel the rhubarb stalks. Cut into cubes and cook for around 50' (on low heat) together with a bit of water (not too much) and the vanilla. Save the rhubarb water (you can use it for iced teas).  Now you only gotta put everything in a bowl, top with cut strawberries, granola of your choice and some nuts. In case you like it sweeter: add some dried figs / dates or drizzle some honey / maple syrup over it. 

Before heading to Barcelona today I don't want to miss out leaving you a refreshing breakfast bowl recipe for tomorrow or even already today! I'll be sipping delicious freshly squeezed orange juice for the next three days now.. ah and maybe I'll go for a swim in the pools swimming pool. stay tuned for more about our trip.. 
super green smoothie bowl + 1/4 avocado + 1/2 frozen banana + 1 kiwi + 1/4 mango (preferably frozen) + 1 handful spinach (frozen / fresh) + 1/4 cucumber + juice of 1/2 lemon + 1/2 cup liquid (water, coconut water, almond milk - if preferred a creamier consistency)  nuts, granola, berries / fresh fruit as topping.  throw all the ingredients into your blender (I love my  blendtec , it was so much worth the money) and blend till smooth. top with whatever you like. 
 

Meze  or  mezze  (/ˈmɛzeɪ/, also spelled mazzeh or mazze; Persian: مزه‎‎; Turkish:  meze ; Greek: μεζές; Serbian: мезе; Bulgarian: мезе; Arabic: مقبلات‎‎; {{lang-al. |  Meze }) is a selection of small dishes served to accompany alcoholic drinks in the Near East, the Balkans, and parts of Central Asia. I can't really remember when I had hummus for the first time. But I do know that I was completely loved the Tzatziki while spending two weeks on Kos with my family, I think I was seven or eight years old back then.. There are many more memories I could tell you about appetizer - my grandmother did prepare the most delicious blini with sour cream dip for example. Nowadays many people gather around a table full of small plates to enjoy some bites. It's mostly not even before having lunch / dinner. To me it's a great ways to sit together for a longer period. Mostly everyone can find something matching to his / her taste..  and to me as host it's a very pleasant way to invite friends over, since I can prepare everything in advance and then focus on our guests. Because food is more than just feeding our bodies. We long for fellowship, affiliation and affection.  For example: In the times of hunters gatherers, the hunters would often take an exhausting amount of time to find a wild beast for their supper. They would then bring back their pray and the entire village would have a communal experiencing eating the meat. The consuming of the food would allow them to survive as well as being  protected  at night from being together. how other countries call it: 

Antipasti  (Italy)
Banchan  (Korean Cuisine) 
Dim sum  (China)
List of hors d'oeuvre  (France)
Smörgåsbord  (Scandinavian meal, originating in Sweden)
Tapas  (Spain)
Thali  (India / Nepal)
Zakuski  (Russia) two of my favourite mezze dishes are baba ganoush and different kind of bean spreads (not necessarily hummus). Get the recipe on my blog! 

for the cake:  + 2 cups  almonds + 1 cup coconut flour + 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder + 1 table spoon vanilla + 1 table spoon baking soda + 1/2 tea spoon salt + 2 eggs + 1/2  honey + 1 table spoon lemon juice + 1/3 cup water Preheat the oven to 180°. prepare your cake pan.  Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl. In a second bowl whisk together the eggs, honey, lemon juice and the water. pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for around 20-30' - check ones in a while with a tooth pick, ones it comes out clean, the cake is done. Let the cake cool for a while.  for the ganache:  + 2 table spoons  coconut oil + 2 table spoons honey + 1/2 cup almond butter + 1/2 cup almond milk + 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder In a sauce pan melt the coconut oil and honey, turn the heat off and add the almond butter, almond milk and the cocoa powder. Now combine well, till you got a chocolate mass. (try it - it's yum - tastes like a chocolate truffle)