Merry Christmas!

It's quite late here and I realized at some point this afternoon that I had not posted at all the past two days, but I really have been incredibly busy. I am sorry, and a little disappointed that the finish was like this, but I missed less posts that I thought I would. I hope you have had fun reading and enjoyed this, maybe I will do it better next year. 

I have my brother visiting me so we have be out and about a whole lot and I had plenty to finish up before the Christmas holidays. Not to mention all the people that we see during this time. 

Any way, I wanted to wish all of you a merry Christmas! I hope you have wonderful holidays with your families and loved ones and can enjoy the seasons joys as well as relax a little bit. 

Cinnamon Stars

These have always been my favorite Christmas cookie! They are really not al that hard to make except that the dough is quite sticky and the meringue is annoying if you don't have a proper mixer to beat the egg whites, but the result is a sweet nutty slightly chewy cookie. They are also gluten and lactose free since they do not contain any flour or dairy products. 

So starting out with 

250 grams of ground nuts 

traditionally you would use almonds but this year I mixed in 50 grams of hazelnuts with 200 grams almonds and it was slightly different, but still delicious. Then add 

125 grams of sifted powder sugar 

and a solid teaspoon of cinnamon. 

Is a separate bowl whisk 

one egg white and

A tablespoon of amaretto (almond liquor).

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and if you are using a machine you may have to intervene to scrape down the sticky mass from the sides. This also seems like very little liquid for the amount of dry ingredients but the sugar melts almost instantly and it does all come together. 

Then on a surface dusted with powdered sugar roll out the dough and it out your stars. I only had this shooting start available, but technically the shape doesn't really matter. Set the cookies on a lined baking tray and make the meringue by beating 

One egg white

Gradually adding 1 tbsp powdered sugar 

Continue beating until stiff. Then adding a little bit of this mixture to the top of every cookie. Now they just need to bake! This takes about 10-15 minutes in a 150 degree Celsius oven. The tops should still be white bit just starting to turn golden, mine here were obviously in just a little too long and turned fully golden. 

Let them cool a little before consuming. Enjoy! 

Schools Out!

I am so happy that the stress from school and tests has gone to have a vacation with the unicorns and leprechauns! We actually had a really chill day at school today because everyone was fully aware of the fact that we were already in break mode. On top of that I slept really well last night because I was able to shut everything off and take a hot bath and go straight to be at 10:30.  

After school I went into town to buy a zipper and some thread for my sewing project and then I met up with a friend of mine because she is going home for the holidays soon so it was lovely to see her again and catch up. And walking through to Christmas markets in our town center was also wonderful despite the slight stormy drizzle that was never gone for very long. The hot apple- sea buckthorn juice most certainly made for a truly lovely finish before our bike ride home. 

As much as I love spending time with her for her, there was a certain free and truly deeply relaxed feeling over the two of us because we were clearly going into a very relaxed period of the year. these next two weeks will probably be busy for me, but still fun to no end. and afterwards I will have my next internship; this time for 6 weeks followed by the next vacation week. 

My mental state seems to have spun right around from rather high stress and tight time management to freedom! For whatever reason, I feel the difference far more this year. It's almost like the feeling before summer break ads a kid, except that I have the joy and anticipation of seeing so many relatives soon on top of that free feeling. Life really is good. And today was a wonderful reminder of that. Also I think my methods yesterday have proven that I need to take half an hour before bed just for me more often. Especially when my roommate is not home and I can turn my phone on silent and just enjoy the tranquility of that moment. 

And thank you for reading, especially if you have stuck with me throughout my advent blogging despite two missed posts and everything. 

The Quest for Unique Fashion

So many of us want to be on trend and so called fashionable but still have unique style. This seems a little contradictory since trends are what most people are wearing, but somehow this is the ideal that the fashion industry and fashion and beauty bloggers instill in us. The simplest solution would of course be to sew our own clothes! This is most certainly not what commercial clothing stores are trying to sell us on, but it would make for clothes that are exactly our own style, unique and if you do it right, they always fit. 

I learned how to sew from my mother. It really isn't all too hard, and it seems to be a skill that was very much forgotten but looks to be coming back with the young people. It may be more work than going shopping and require some creative foresight to imagine the finished product you are aiming for. Using patterns available and a simple sewing machine it really isn't all too difficult. 

I thought I might write this little bit as food for thought as I took my last test before Christmas break and am currently working on a top I plan on wearing to some of my Christmas parties this season. Pictures will be up once I finish sewing this piece. It occurred to me that not only is this not that hard, sometimes you can find really cool fabric for great prices, but I don't have the time in one pice to do both the creative bit and actually make the piece I imagine. And it is sad becuase I have a lot of fun sewing and also wearing my own clothes knowing that no one else is wearing the same thing. 

I suppose I have my first new years resolution too. I want to sew more and I have a few ideas that I have seethed or noted in my notebook so that I can look back to those when I need some inspiration. As always, thanks for reading, and I would love to hear your thoughts on the topic. 

Birthday Dinner Outfit

Birthday Dinner Outfit by alovelylittlethought-1 featuring black skinny jeans

I'm off to a Birthday in the family and this is roughly what I am wearing.  I love the simple and timeless elegance of black jeans with a clean cut black top, soft brown eyeshadow and a bold red lip.

Study Break!

Oh my, oh my! It is most certainly Monday. And I have already put off studying with some grocery shopping and a trip into the drugstore for bits and bobs that I needed, although if I am totally honest it could have waited until tomorrow or the day after. But I have a Monster test coming up and because I know exactly how much I have to study and how much of it I really only need to refresh and all of this to Wednesday. I have a terrible case of the Mondays.
Tomorrow won't look much better in terms of things I have to do outside of school stuff. And lets face it once I have survived that and then the second test of the week on Thursday it is all smooth sailing! Christmas breakfast in school on Friday and then I'm off! I have lots of Christmas presents to finish and wrap and then my brother will be joining me in Dresden for the two weeks. There is so much to enjoy and look forward to. Unfortunately, there are a few hurtles that are not too small standing in my way. So it is hard to get into this week and start getting through this week.
This was my study break, so I will now go hit the books. I have definitely vented enough for one day. I hope your day has been better than mine and Thank you for bearing with me and getting this far.

Baked Apples Recipe

Bakes apples are a wonderful winter treat! Absolutely delicious and mindbogglingly simple and also a great way to use apples that have been sitting just a little too long to have a pleasant texture raw. 

I fill mine with a combination of vanilla sugar and coconut oil that have been creamed to an even paste and spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg. Then I add some chopped nuts today a mixture of almonds and walnuts in about equal parts. I eyeball all of this based on what I have in the house and am feeling. Many people like raisins or other dried fruits in the fulling, but I am not a huge fan of raisins and I like the simplicity of apple and nuts without any other sweetness added to the mix. If you like it, you go right ahead and add it in. 

The apples need to be washed and cored, but not peeled, they fall apart if peeled and the filling can easily be scooped out with a spoon if you don't like the peel. The stuffed apples go into the over at about 180°C for half an hour or so. When they fill the apartment with a delicious scent and look slightly golden they are ready. I like mine with some Greek yogurt or quark but ice cream is also quite tasty and they are of course delicious just as they are. 

Thank you for reading. and happy 3rd Advent! 

Chocolate Shells

praline shells are a bit or a tricky situation. I found instructions that said to fill the hot chocolate into the form and flip them to let it run down, but mine seemed to just run down one side and filling them all the way seemed pointless because then the chocolate would have nowhere to go. so i took a tooth pick and meticulously coated the sides of these starts with chocolate from the bit i had put in the bottom.

These stars are actually pretty cool, although I tend to prefer simple shapes without too much fuss. The outer shell is really just the first step but it is so important to get a nice layer that can then be filled. Because the shell needs to be thick enough to be sturdy but thin enough that the filling doesn't go under inside a hard shell that also overpowers the flavors. Also it is always better to have a nice shining chocolate cover and not a coat of cocoa butter that makes the finished color milky and dull. this is pretty easy to do. All you need to in to chop your chocolate and melt about 2/3 in a double boiler and add the last 1/3 once it had been taken off the heat. It will still melt, but it takes advantage of the multiple melting points of cocoa butter that make chocolate to scrumptious.
Once they are filled with whatever you want they are also easy to close. If you put quite a bit of chocolate on one side you can scrape it over with a dough cutter or scraper or anything sturdy with a straight flat edge. This leaves a thin coat on the bottom of the chocolates and close the praline with a nice finish.

I'm working on perfecting a Compari orange fulling that should come soon along with some other fillings I am working on.

Book Covers

It is once again that time of year when I realize just how behind I am on making all of the Christmas gifts I have planned. And for whatever reason this year I am still putting it off because I have some pressing school work that needs to be done first.
This was simply a notebook and not a very pretty one which is why I wanted to spruce it up. I should mention that this is possible with any number of other books especially books you have bound yourself. Notebooks with blank or lined pages are just as good as stories, poems pictures, or whatever else you have up your sleeve. But you will need a book of some kind, glue and some paper also a ruler and a pencil make this easier and something to trace the folds just go ahead and make everything a little neater.

Firstly you will need to measure your book. Including the spine! Then mark the paper from the wrong side with about 1cm margin to fold over the edge. Then for the inner lining you will need to measure the inner side of the book and subtract about 1/2 cm from each side. this peace will be posted over the folded in sides of the outer paper. The margins I used here are just suggestions if you would like a little more or a little less boarder then go ahead and adjust accordingly.

For the glue it doesn't really matter so long as it ti suitable for both components that are being joined and it is spread thinly all over. Then gently align the outer paper and smooth it on pushing to the outside to eliminate any bubbles. The inner side go on the same way. Then let it dry. this here is my finished project:


Make it your own! I love paper, so this is just the thing for me to do and not just for me but also to give others. Now I can collect my thoughts in one very neat and lovely book that is all mine.
I think this is a great idea for gifts because it provides a one of a kind object that is also useful in many ways. Happy crafting!

Veggies in Bread

I have always liked baking my own bread and rolls, but I don't have the time usually. But it is possible and tastes great not to mention that I always know exactly what is going into the food i am eating.
Now we all know that whole grains are better than white flours and organic is better than conventional so organic  whole grain bread has got to be amazing. As it turns out, its not that simple. Firstly, not all grains are created equally and secondly grains that are high in gluten tend to create more sourness in the body when they are being digested. I have been thinking about this a lot lately because I want to eat more alkaline building foods. So the next step was to try making bread that was more alkaline.
I went for a basic recipe with spelt instead of wheat for a start and then added quite a bit of grated zucchini. The result form this experiment was delicious but very dense and moist. Thankfully I didn't make all too much, but it got me wondering a few things:
1. How much grated veggies can I put in my dough before it greatly changes affects the texture?
2. How can I make this taste just a little bit better? Because there are so many other things that should shift the scales towards the more alkaline end that sound delicious.
So I figure that I would not post the recipe because it needs improving, but it seemed worth posting about because it has occupied my thoughts. So please please let me know if you have tried something similar and have any tips. Also what is your take on alkaline diets? I have mixed feelings but I want to try this out and see how my body responds. If you want more posts like this one or about nutrition let me know.
Thanks for reading!

Candied Orange Slices

I missed yesterday! And I feel so badly about it but I just couldn't get it done in time, so I hope this recipe makes up for it. 

1 cup of water and 1/2 cup sugar go into a pan ans come to a boil. Gently stir until the sugar is dissolved at this point in go the orange slices I have mine at about 3/4 or a cm thick and organic. I recommend organic because the peels stay on so it is just a smidge more relevant. Let them simmer until the white bit of the peel turns translucent and the syrup has thickened a little bit. 

Then once they are done they need to drip of, ideally on a rack. Unfortunately I do not have a drying rack but laying them out on some parchment paper overnight will do the trick in a pinch. Then once they have cooled and dried some roll them in sugar and lay them back out to dry fully. 

These are do delicious and the syrup is wonderful too! The orange slices are also wonderful covered in dark chocolate or in any number of other forms. 

An Herb Concoction for the Scalp

with the colder season comes cold and dry air which causes many of us to suffer from dry skin.

I personally also have quite the dandruff problem in the winter. This is the kind of thing that I'm sure some people can ignore or are not too bothered by, but I am very annoyed by the little flakes that perch on my shoulders and sit in my hair for a while. So I whipped a little something up to combat this little thorn in my side causing an itch on my scalp.
This is not a science, it is just a combination of natural remedies that have in fact helped me. I muddled up a couple sprigs of rosemary and thyme in a mortar and pestle then I filled them into this little bottle and filled it almost all the way full with olive oil and added a few drops of tea tree oil.
To use it give the bottle a good shake and then I take about a tablespoon in multiple smaller droplets onto my hands and rub them into my scalp. It helps significantly to take the time to massage your scalp for a few minuets and them allow it to sink in for a little while longer. You can wash it out almost immediately after or put a shower cap over the oily strands and sleep on it. Obviously you will want to wash you hair thoroughly before contact with society, and that may take two shampoos as the oil doesn't just rinse out like conditioner or store bought masks. Also the olive oil is wonderful for your hair, and it just so happens that most of the ingredients are so helpful because the increase circulation, which also helps increase healthy hair growth.
This is the kind of thing you have to believe in and try for yourself, if you have any allergies then leave it, otherwise feel free to give a shot and see if it works for you.

Homemade Caramel

This next one is a recipe I got from a pamphlet last year, but only tried out the other day and it makes for a very sweet weekend theme. So for all the caramel lovers here goes!

This takes a little time and patience but is totally worth it so start by bringing 175g sugar, 1tbsp honey, 200ml heavy cream, 80 grams butter to a boil and the reducing the heat and letting it continue to caramelize until it turns a lovely golden brown color. Stirring occasionally so it doesn't burn check how it has thickened up. Then once its done let it cool a little until it can be handled and then it can be formed into balls, or spread out and then cut into shape. 

Topping up the finished treats is the fun part. Salt is a delicious option. I went for candied ginger on these because I am a huge fan, but you can go nuts with whatever suits your fancy. 

This might be a whole lot of things that are apparently bad for you in one pot, but it is delicious and a lovely treat. And several of my relatives will be getting a selection of homemade candies for Christmas this year. They also make a nice little something to bring to all those dinner parties that seem to take place right around this time. 

Vegan Sweets

This is greatly variable since this is so easy to substitute and change to suit your taste. I went for a an orange, date and coconut combo here.

So if you have a blender in goes, 4 dates and some coconut shavings until a crumbly slightly sticks mixture forms. If you don't have a blender or, like me, your blender is broken roughly chop these until the same consistency is arrived.

In a pan go the juice or an orange about 1 1/2tbsp coconut oil and some finely chopped candies ginger until the orange juice thickens and the mixture starts to caramelize the give is a good whisk before is goes into a bowl with the dry ingredients. Once it is all really well mixed up and not too hot to touch form the mixture into little balls and let them cool completely. The mixture will firm up a little more once it has cooled down.

These are really delicious and very tempting. Cherry almond is also a lovely combination with some dried cherries and dates as a base with almonds, and almond butter. Experiment around. If you have any other combinations let me know!  

Sulfates - My Experiences

The topic of sulfate free shampoo has been around for a while. I don't remember when I started hearing about this, but I do remember very clearly that it was a big deal when cleansing conditioners were hot on the market and L'Oreal came out with their first Ever products. I believe it started with the ever pure line. I also remember liking that shampoo, it smelled like rosemary and mint if I am not mistaken. As a teen fascinated with beauty I was convinced that every beauty guru on the internet was righting some new scripture! But I have just avoided shampoos containing sulfate for the most part since them. I currently own one cleansing shampoo and I always notice that it leaves my hair squeaky clean(over dried and stripped), makes my hair color fade faster and makes quite a lot of hair fall out. I don't wash my hair very often and of those times I use this shampoo about ever 4th or 5th time. At this point I really just want it to be empty! Because I find that this over irritates my scalp and removes color that I purposely put in my hair.
I feel as though a lot of people think it is normal to loose lots of hair when they wash their hair. While it is normal to loose some hair and rinse out hairs that were already loose but still caught up in the bunch, but there are limits to what can be considered normal, a big handful certainly exceeds that limit for most. Also it is important to mention that there are any number of other ingredients in your shampoos that could be irritating your skin and scalp.
All of this said, I do use shower gels that contain sulfates. I find that most of my skin is not irritated, but the skin on my head seems to be sensitive. And by that I mean not only my scalp but also my face. I find that the skin on my face dries out easily and a sulfate free face wash feels better. In the case of sulfates I know where I stand on sodium laurel sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate from the experiences I gathered from trying products and reading the ingredients. That's not to say I didn't read up on them, but I also listened to my body and the messages it was sending me about what was doing it good versus what was causing more harm than good.

Vegan Spaghetti Squash

This was something I threw together with vague recollections of a stuffed spaghetti squash recipe I once made and then just adapted as I went along and the result was beautiful, delicious and entirely plant based and even gluten, lactose and soy free.

Spaghetti squash is pretty easy to cook, it just takes a little time if yours is as big as mine was. also my biggest casserole dish was not big enough to fit both halves side by side. Essentially a decent amount of water goes into a pan and the squash halves go cut side down into the pan an roast in to oven until the outside starts to brown and the inside is tender when tested with a fork. depending on the size this takes between 45-75mins. 

In a pan I started by melting some butter and letting it brown just ever so slightly before adding half a chopped onion and soon after some roughly chopped mushroom. Once this started to fall into itself a mixture of chopped walnuts, cranberries, sage and pumpkin seeds go into the hot pan along with some chopped green pepper the nuts and spices just need to toast a little and the pepper is best when it still has a little crunch. the result is almost a faux meat. The sage along with nuts and mushrooms in this constellation and a flavor that is slightly meaty but also a texture that resembles ground beef a little bit.

Once the spaghetti squash is done and scooped into a bowl or onto a plate the veggie nut mixture can either just be added up top of mixed int thoroughly. for any cheese lovers like myself this does also do well with a little grated cheese of your choosing over the top. I would recommend a Gouda but almost anything will do the trick.

Enjoy! 

Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

Leftovers from thanksgiving don't only make wonderful sandwiches, they also make great pancake ingredients. To be a little more specific I still had some pumpkin puree that I  had make for pumpkin pie. So this is an adapted recipe for buttermilk pancakes.

1 1/2 cups of flour (I mixed rye and white flour)
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
with 1 teaspoon maple syrup
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups jogourt
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves
a piece of ground ginger
about 6 tablespoons of butter
all into a bowl and then into a hot pan with a little bit of melted butter. The result really was wonderful, so I just had to share because it is so easy!

Did You Open an Advent Calender Today?

Today is the first day of December which means it is time to open the first box of your advent calender AND the start of my blog advent calender. I am going to do my utmost to post every day so that from now until Christmas Eve there will be new content right here.

To kick start this: It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Now the supermarkets have had Christmas spirit since October, but in the past week or so the rest of the city has been draped in lights and joined this Christmas vibe.

The pinnacle being the Dresden Striezelmarkt, a time honored tradition during the Christmas season. According to a speedy internet search this is the 580^th Striezelmarkt in Dresden. I loved this tradition whenever I was in the country during the holiday season, and apart from the crowds that make the historic marketplace impossible to navigate it is still lots of fun!