Summer Rolls

I learned this recipe from one of my roomie's vietnamese friend. They are so delicious and healthy, it's not even be real. And beside, it's super easy and fast to do. You can also have it "regular" with schrimps.

I couldn't help but eat them right away!

You'll need cellophane noodles, rice paper, thai basil, coriander and whichever lettuce you prefer (I go with romana). Prepare the noodles according to instructions, moist the rice paper with warm water without breaking it (it can be pretty easy), put it in a dish and add the herbs and noodles. Then just roll everything together, folding in the outer parts of the rice paper. It's super easy and delicious.

I love it dipped in Hoi Sin Sauce with crushed peanuts.

Enjoy!

Meatless Monday

I've been vegetarian for 9 months now and I love it. My love affair with vegetables began when I came to Germany, a.k.a end of 2012, when I started really eating vegetables on a daily basis. In my homeland I would never voluntarily eat a salad, nor fruits not anything green. The only fruit I remember eating were bananas, and blended juices, but never a pear or a peach. I was happy with fruit flavors, but never the fruit. I know, I was out of my mind! Then as I came to Deutschland I started eating more and more fruits and veggies. At first, I hated it, but with time they grew out on me so much that I decided to leave meat last year.

I always encourage friends to have a meatless day in the week, for reducing meat consumption can actually reduce the production of greenhouse gases, and because animals are so cute they don't deserve a heartless death. Besides, I think I have a thing for alliteration, so the idea of Meatless Monday is just perfect!

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Ich bin vegetarier gewesen schon für 9 Monate (ja ich bin noch ein Veggie Baby) und ich liebe es. Meine Beziehung mit Obst und Gemüse begann als ich nach Deutschland umgezogen war, d.h. August 2012, weil ich öfter sie gegessen habe. In meinem Heimatlad würde ich niemals freiwilig einen Salat essen, und auch kein Obst. Das einzige was ich mich daran erinnern kann, ist Banane zu essen, und verschiedene Früchte in Juices zu trinken, aber niemals z.B. eine Birne oder ein Pfirsisch. Ich war ganz froh mit dem künstlichen Geschmack aber nie mit der Frucht. Ich war total verrückt! Dann als ich hierher kam, ich begann immer mehr Obst und Gemüse zu essen. Ich habe das erstmal total gehasst, aber dann ging es und ich habe mich endlich in es verliebt, so dass ich jetzt nur Gemüse esse und keinen Fleisch.

Ich empfehle immer meine Freunden, an einen Tag der Woche ohne Fleisch zu essen, denn eine Verminderung der Fleischkonsum führt zu weniger Ausstoß der Treibhausgasen und außerdem haben die ganz süße Tiere keinen herzlosen Schlacht verdient. Ich habe auch was für die Alliteration, also Fleischlos Freitag (auf Englisch Meatless Monday) klingt perfekt :)

Vegan "Meat" balls

Starting September of 2013 I decided to become vegetarian and three weeks later I said to myself, well if I'm making this vegetarian thing, I might as well go vegan and try that out. I lasted only four months. I couldn't do it anymore as I was already going anemic because I lacked iron on my blood. It doesn't mean that veganism is bad, I just couldn't keep a it in a healthy way, besides I was so stressed in the university that I just couldn't keep up. So I switched to vegetarian again. However, sometimes I do have full vegan meals because I don't feel like eating any diary. So here's a recipe for some vegan/vegetarian meatballs out of green lentils! Sorry for the pictures, they were taken with my phone ;)

 

1. Cook the lentils for around 30 minutes. You kinda have to go with your gut here, I'd say 2 cups of water for 1 cup of lentils.

2. Make a paste out of the lentils, a chopped onion, some oregano, salt and pepper.

3. Make little balls with flour (they give them shape). This part will be real messy. You'll get lentil paste all over your hands and get so angry because everything sticks to your hand, but believe me when I say, just add flour. At the end they do look a lot like meat!

  

I accompanied it with Quinoa and Arrabiata sauce. I bought my lentils in Euro Gyda, at the basement of the Wilmersdorfer Arkaden. I love to buy grains in this place, there's just so much variety!

Hope you have a great weekend! xx