Cannellini Bean & Basil Dip, Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and life with our 13 month old toddler

Do you know that feeling of losing touch with time and space? Days and weeks keep flying by, mornings playing, afternoons at playgrounds, weekends with friends and suddenly you realise, oh my god – it’s end of October already! Since Zoe is born this happens even more to me and funnily, despite life passing by in super pursuit mode, it feels so full and filled with fun and adventures all the time, that a few weeks can seem very long at the same time, too!

Every day brings something new, faster crawling techniques, climbing up new objects (yay, mummy – look, I can sit on the living room table!), the start of new funny conversations while we walk up and down the hill everyday, new ways of making faces (her latest is leaning her head to the side and giving me the cheekiest grin from down there), moments of laughing our heads off together and moments of desperation cause someone just does not want to eat dinner for some reason. No, – there is never a dull moment with a toddler 😀

Life of a toddler is endless adventure ❤

There is something about that feeling of being wiped out and tired, but also satisfied in the evening , when your baby is finally in bed and you can lie down on the sofa for 15min before making dinner for yourself and hubby who usually comes home from work too late for Zoe’s bedtime. Yes, being a mum is hard work, but I love it. And I more and more admire all women in the world who juggle two or more children, who work or who don’t have families around, like us, to help. In contrary to the past, when I didn’t have a child but of course made up views on maternity leave, working and stay at home mums,  – now this has all changed.

In my opinion, whatever works is right. I understand mums who can’t wait to go back to work because they feel they get crazy at home, I feel for mums who have but don’t want to go back to work because of financial reasons, I totally understand mums who give their child to their grandparents a lot because they are close and I admire those who decide to put their career on hold to focus on their child, cause it’s all they ever wanted. I got rid of all my pre-assumptions and I wish everybody could be open and respect whatever way. Being a mother is often very stigmatised in today’s modern world. Whatever you do, there will always be someone who thinks the opposite way would be better and believe me, there’s nothing more annoying than having to defend yourself why you chose this or that route for yourself. No matter if it’s towards men (rarely), women (more often) and especially towards other mothers (most) – there is no right or wrong. There is no competition. Nobody is perfect and we all love our children and try to do the best we can, all in our different and beautiful ways ❤

But of course we all know these moments of self doubt. When we ask ourself if it would be better another way, if we try hard enough, if we work hard enough, when we think all mums we know do so much better, look so much cooler and are so much more successful than ourselves. I always try to remind myself, looks can be deceiving. Especially with social media these days, when everything looks oh so perfect and great, everyone so stylish and pretty. But I can only tell from myself and also my close mum friends around me: we all have dark moments, doubts, fall backs and disappointments. We need to cry, to rant and to talk things through before we get crazy. What would we do if we weren’t there for each other? And who could understand better than all the other fellow mums who walk in very similar shoes?? I for myself promised myself these days to be more gentle with myself and try to be aware of it when I feel under pressure. To embrace all insecurities and losses. To be open and honest about them and trust in fate and the universe, that all things happen for a reason and are important for us to grow..

As some of you know, I’m currently studying with the Institute of Integrative Nutrition (IIN) to become a Holistic Health Coach. Their core concept is so simple and it so resonates with me. You can have the perfectly healthy food on your plate (they call it Secondary Food), if your main areas of life like relationships, physical exercise, career, spirituality (called Primary Foods) are not in balance you still won’t feel happy and healthy in your body. As Joshua, the founder of IIN often says in his lectures (he’s a really nice, calm and funny guy): “You can eat all the kale in the world, but if you hate your job and/or spouse (for example), guess what? The kale won’t do anything for ya.” It’s really fun to go deeper and learn more about all different kinds of diets, but above all to learn so many interesting things about health coaching, how to improve your life and dig deeper into your own self and take care of your own happiness. I guess it’s a never ending journey and I really enjoy the course so far! At the moment we are practising the first part of a Health Coaching Programme, called Health Histories. So if anyone of you is interested in being my guinea pig, please drop me a note on nadisunshine@me.com or PM me on my Nadisunshine Facebook page – of course it would be totally free of charge 🙂

So, enough talking for today. Let’s get to the yummy and healthy recipe for this month.

Cannellini Bean & Basil dip & Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Today I wanna share with you how to make a super easy Cannellini Bean & Basil dip & Roasted Cherry Tomatoes. Both are the perfect addition to a Sunday brunch, a hearty bfast or an ideal snack or light dinner. I paired them with my favourite kind of breakfast eggs and some home baked bread, the Life Changing Loaf of Bread from the wonderful blog My New Roots. (It’s a beautiful seed bread which is so incredible nice and easy, please do yourself a favour and check it out if you’ve never heard from it.) This bean dip is a wonderful healthy staple in our fridge and a great source of protein for toddlers and adults alike. And much better for you than the store bought cream cheese! Give it a try 🙂

What you need…
(for a nice bowl for 4)

• 2 cans of cannellini beans (rinsed)
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 hands full of fresh basil (washed & dried, stems removed)
• Good quality salt (e.g. Himalayan, sea salt etc.)
• Cumin
• Olive Oil
• A couple of cloves of garlic (peeled & sliced)
• 1 box of  cherry tomatoes (washed)

(As always preferable go for organic & local ingredients whenever you can)

What to do…

Preheat your oven around 180 degrees Celsius for the cherry tomatoes (I roasted  at the same time as I baked the bread  – energy saving, aye :). Put  tomatoes and garlic in an oven proof dish, drizzle with olive oil,  salt and pepper. Roast them until the look nice and wrinkly (I had them in there for around 30min).

For the dip, put all ingredients in your food processor. I like to put lighter ingredients on the bottom (herbs) and heavier ones (beans) on top as they mix easier and blend until you reach a nice smooth consistency. Use a bit more olive oil or add a splash of water if it seems to thick. Season to your liking.

Serve with nice home-baked bread or some organic rye bread (there are a lot of nice flavours on the market. I like the brand Biona). Both, the dip and the roasted tomatoes keep for a few days in the fridge.

Of course you can always play with the ingredients and I encourage you to do so! The nicest combinations come out of experimenting – so don’t be shy to swap beans (black beans, butterbeans, chickpeas), use different herbs (cilantro, parsley, fennel green) or spices (harrissa, dukkha, ..) – there are endless varieties!

Until next time I wish you all a wonderful month ahead, that you’re gentle, open and forgiving to yourself and others and maybe also find a little moment for self reflection about your own Primary Foods in your life ❤

If you feel like a little nadisunshine spark every now and then, come and visit me or drop me a note on my FB page or Instagram. I always love hearing from you!

Big love, lots of sunshine & yummy food,

N xxx

 

10 months almost done, and so am I.. (plus: Green Smoothie Bowl recipe)

Whoever knows me would say I’m one of these people who are (almost) always positive, happy and believe in the good in people. Well.. not lately I must confess.

I don’t know if it’s a summer heat overdose (yes, constant heat and humidity can really get too much), island fever, the (very normal I was told by other mums) feeling of being overwhelmed or still hormones (yes, nice to still think of that reason lol) – but honestly, lately even I sometimes loose my belief in human mankind and today’s society…

Ice, ice baby!

I’m not only talking about the regularity of horrible news and terror attacks, absurde politicians who seem to take over all over the world and the constant rise of destroying the planet through greed (I can see about 26 cranes from my living room and that’s only because my eye sight gives up at some stage). No – I’m also talking about the totally mundane and daily small things around me. Super aggressive people on the roads, grumpy guys yelling at you, sometimes almost ridiculous rudeness from service providers when you simply ask them to do their job (which you btw pay them for), drivers who won’t stop for you and your baby, careless garbage bags on the pavements which make walking with a pram more difficult than a relay and just day-to-day unfriendliness which makes it really hard sometimes, even for a let’s-always-try-to-be-positive-person like me. Ok, rant over.

But seriously, all these things make me thoughtful …and sad. I wonder how a person, who wants to live a happy, healthy, balanced and hassle free life deals with these things, which surely happen to all of you in some kind or the other all over the world, right? What are your methods? Do you have some tricks which help you deal better with that stuff which life just sometimes throws at you? I don’t want to be become and will never be one of these people who just don’t care, who give a shit and just yell back. I don’t want to and even less I want all that negative energy in me! What is your secret? I’d really and genuinely like to know… Maybe I learn some new things on that topic in my course to become a Holistic Health Coach with the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. If I do i’ll definitely share it with you 🙂

Until then I’ll keep on trying to focus on the good in my life, life a healthy lifestyle and practice gratitude for all my blessings, and thank you universe, there are still many! But I would lie if I said above written stuff doesn’t make me sad and concerned. Maybe a little change of scene will help, too.

First steps out into this wonderful yet scary world…

How has mum-life been with a 10-month old baby? Our little mouse has definitely developed again like crazy. She’s crawling all over the place, pulling herself up on objects, she got her first two little teeth, suffered a few days from teething like crazy, we had a few interrupted nights again since then, she became more clingy and afraid of things (hoover, smoothie maker etc.), but her smiles and hugs make my heart melt more like ever ❤ . Breastfeeding as well as introducing her to solid foods are going strong (she’s super open to all the homemade food she got so far – touching wood!) and she’s definitely growing into a little toddler girl. She’s all over the place at baby yoga, so I’m afraid today it was our last time as I will be traveling  with her the next few weeks and I’m super sad and nostalgic about it. It’s the end of an era, after going to prenatal for 7 months and postnatal for another 7. Hopefully toddler yoga will very soon pop up on our little rock – I’ll be the first to sign up! A big thank you and hint-hint to Pre- and Postnatal Yoga Malta 😉

Besides that our first Mindful Mum workshop went by very successfully! It was wonderful to see how the group of mums and partners dove deep into all the things Sarah and I learned during our pregnancies and it was a great experience to share it with them. I’m sure they’ll all be wonderful mums and dads! We’ll definitely organise another workshop in fall, so if you’re interested keep updated via our Mindful Mum Facebook page.

Green Breakfast Smoothie Bowls

Well, last but not least it’s time for a recipe I suppose! This time I want to share our super yummy Green Breakfast Smoothie Bowls with you. They were packed with healthy ingredients, are very easy and quick to make and liked by husband and baby girl just as much 🙂 Of course you can swap ingredients and experiment with different fruits, greens, nuts and nut milks. The coconut milk from the tin made it extra creamy and decadent, but it’s not a must. I’d definitely recommend to keep the banana, oats and nuts of some kind to keep the consistency nice and thick.

What you need…
(serves 4)

• 1 banana
• 1 apple
• 1 pear
• 3 hands full of chard (or other greens)
• 1 1/2 cups of oats
• 1 cup of cashew nuts (or other nuts)
• 1/2 a tin of coconut milk, fill up  the other 1/2 with water
• 2 teaspoons of acai powder for an extra antioxidant kick
• For toppings: berries (frozen works like a charm and is quite refreshing in summer!), banana, coconut or any other toppings you fancy  – there’s endless ideas 🙂

What to do..

Wash/ peel/ chop up the fruits and greens, throw them in the blender (layer the heavier stuff at the bottom of the blender, works easier), add oats, nuts, acai, coconut milk and water. Blend until nice and creamy. If it’s too thick you can add some more liquids. Usually I add a few drops of high quality oil to bring out the best vitamins of the fruit and veg but in this case the thick coconut milk is already fat enough.

Enjoy and let’s hope for a wonderful, happy and peaceful August ahead!

Love & sunshine (and chin up to all of you who feel like me at the moment <3)

N xxx

 

9 1/2 months, lots of special moments & a scrumptious Bircher Muesli recipe

Gosh! What is going on this month?

For the last 2 weeks I’ve been wanting to sit down and write this blog, postponed it again, postponed it again – I must say, life with a baby is a busy one, much more than I ever thought!

To be fair we had a lot of exciting stuff going on.. we went on a lovely trip to our home country Austria, crossed the country from the West to the East twice by train, went to a funeral, a wedding, enjoyed lots of precious moments with family and friends and soaked up the lush and green beauty of Austria ❤ Yes, it’s always great to be home.. no matter how much we love our life here on the little rock, Malta.

 

Our little traveller enjoying the different views in Austria

Mummy life was pretty exciting too! Zoe spent her first nights without mum and dad and did really well with her granny, she once again proofed to be a super traveller, no matter if it’s in a plane, bus, car or hours on the train, she suddenly began to love all different kinds of fingerfood (yay, little foodie baby!), started to push herself around (not crawling yet, but won’t take much longer I’m afraid!), we celebrated our first Father’s Day and today, exactly 1 year ago my big love P and I got married in Gozo, with little Zoe still in my belly, dancing and rocking for three days in a row! Oh well, I guess she has a little party gene in her – lol!

A very pregnant me – exactly 1 year ago at our wedding pre-party on a boat in Gozo

 

With all this stuff going on, my psychological sanity has been pretty well, with many helping hands when we were at home, which was sooo lovely for a change! And amazing summer weather once we returned to Malta, which makes life so much sweeter, especially if we hang out together in the shade next to the sea and start our first little attempts in the baby pool ❤

It was a good month, I must say. And I must say, I’m also quite excited and nervous when I think about what I’m gonna write in my next blog post, as another big thing is coming up these days: on Sunday, 26 June 2016, my first workshop in cooperation with my dear yoga teacher and friend Sarah, from Pre- and Postnatal Yoga Malta on Mindful birth centred around yoga and healthy eating for all pregnant mummies-to-be. For more info, check out all details on our FB page here.

Our first workshop centred around yoga & healthy eating takes place on 26 June 2016

But enough stories of my life for now, let me share the recipe of one of our favorite breakfasts this month:

A scrumptious Bircher Muesli

This muesli is so simple, quick and so lovely. It’s refreshing, healthy and can be prepared in bulk which I love doing since I’m a mum as it simply saves so much time and trouble in the morning. Recently Zoe even tried some of it when we had it in bed in the morning and she absolutely loved it! (If you try that be careful to pick the nuts out for your little one to avoid choking). Another time I made some more and offered some to a friend, since then she’s pushing me to post the recipe – so here we go, lovely 😉

A scrumptious Bircher Muesli

What you need….
(Serves 2)

• 2 cups of oats
• A few nuts, seeds & dried fruit of your liking (I simply used my good old muesli mix which usually contains oats, sunflower/ pumpkin/ flax & chai seeds, as well as some raisins, goji berries, almonds and hazelnuts)
• 1 apple, washed & grated
• 4 tablespoons of Greek yoghurt (full fat, as I never go for low fat products – good fats are good for you! There’s a ton of information on this topic around, e.g. in this article)
  Vegan version: coconut or soy yoghurt
• Cinnamon

What to do….

Soak the mix of oats, nuts, seeds, dried fruit in your favorite bowls with hot water (just cover them with boiled water and add a bit more). Give it a good stir and let it stand for 10min or while you make yourself a nice cup of tea, lemon water or have a shower. Grate the apple, add half of it to each bowl, add the Greek yoghurt, mix it all nicely and sprinkle with a bit of cinnamon. Dig in 😀

If you want to make a big batch just multiply the amounts written above and store it in an airtight container or a big jar. Very handy indeed!

Hope you enjoy it & spend lots of relaxed & happy mornings while you eat it.

Wish us luck for the workshop & have a great month until next time..
Sunshine, love & lots of good food ❤
N xxx

 

 

 

7 months of gratefulness & a lovely Strawberry Chia Jam which tastes like spring

Enjoying a spring day in San Anton Gardens in Attard

When I started writing this blog post last week, I was sitting on a bench next to a pond in San Anton Gardens, breathing in the lovely smells of flowers, feeling a mild spring breeze in my hair and watching the birds fly in the sunshine. Now I finish it sitting it in the same spring sun next to the sea with my darling Zoe playing happily away in her pram next to me. Have I ever imagined mummy life like this a few months ago?? Nope, I definitely haven’t. Sometimes I even think it’s too good to be true… And while I know from my fellow mummy friends that in a few weeks things might change drastically when our babies start to crawl and walk I’m even more devouring these quiet, peaceful moments in the now 🙂 .

Chilling in Gozo with my parents. Zoe loves the sea just as much as we do.

A few days ago our little sunshine turned 7 months. Yes, of course she still wakes up at night and interrupted sleeps are part of my life, and yes, even though Zoe is a very happy and content baby, she also cries at times but all in all I must officially say I’m a freaking happy and grateful new mum and I fall in love with being a mummy even more every day. Who would have ever imagined the love I would feel? The worry when Zoe sleeps so deeply that I have to check her belly breathing (yes, paranoid. I know)? The joy when she cracks a huge smile as soon as I open the door to her nursery in the morning? But also the peace and tranquility when she’s nursing or napping and allows me to have a bit of time to myself, to sit next to the sea like now and to give me a chance to breathe, think, reflect and to feel happy, free, inspired and open. Have I ever sat on a bench in a past just enjoying the moment and being grateful so much?

A baby definitely changed my perspective on many things. I take each day by each day. Each night by each night. I try to go inside myself more often and listen deeply to myself: Am I happy? Am I doing the right things? Am I taking the right decisions? I’m a strong believer in the sayings “Happy mummy – happy baby” and “You have to be happy to make others happy” so I try to live accordingly to them.

What I’m definitely learning at the moment is to put ourselves first. Not to always please others, always doing others a favor, learning to say no – it’s a hard lesson for me but I’m getting better. I also think much more about my own childhood than ever.  How our parents raised us and what a great influence it makes later in life. Recently my parents came to visit us in Malta and for the first time I was consciously aware of how incredible it must be to see you own child have their own baby. The gift of life is something so incredible and I catch myself more and more reflecting on it. What will our future be like? What will our children’s future be like? Every topic on sustainability, be it protection of nature, saving the planet from too much rubbish, overfishing of the sea, politics, wars, terrorism, diseases like cancer on the rise.. The list goes on and on. Every time my head starts spinning by all these thoughts I gently remind myself that all we can do is be aware of the now, be grateful for every moment and every day and trying to be happy, sharing the happiness and enjoying the little joys of life to the max ❤ . Yoga has helped me learn this over the last years and little Zoe teaches me to do it even more! I remember my dear friend saying at our wedding ceremony “Shine brightly, together” and I think it’s important passing this on to our children.

So I try not to be nostalgic that our little baby girl is growing by the day, that all our favorite outfits are getting too small (yes, I know – I have to sort them out!), that she’s slowly getting too heavy for long walks in the baby carrier, that I can’t see, cuddle and kiss her non stop when she’s in her big new stroller.. – stop! No! I try to do exactly what she does – enjoying to see and learn new things everyday and enjoying the moment of life you’re right at NOW 😊

Which finally brings me, of course, also to eating and enjoying to cook lots of wonderful spring foods Malta has to offer right NOW! Be it citrus, artichokes or strawberries.. The fruit and veggies in the spring are just as fresh as inspiring and just as delicious as easy to prepare! As most of you know I’m a big fan of easy cooking and all these ingredients can be transformed into lovely meals without spending hours in the kitchen. Be it a nice fennel citrus salad, steamed artichokes with a parsley egg and lemon dip or the recipe for yummy and healthy strawberry chia jam which I’m sharing with you today! It’s not only good for breakfast on homemade bread or as a topping on porridge, but also lovely for tea time or a little healthy dessert (e.g. on yoghurt) in the evening ❤

Tastes like spring! Strawberry Chia Jam

Strawberry Chia Jam

Probably all of you know the benefits of the super food chia seeds by now, but to sum it up briefly, chia seeds are a great source of plant protein, contain Omega 3 and 6, have a positive effect on cholesterol levels and help digestion. They can help you you lose weight (even more if you use this jam instead of normal one! 😉 ) because they have a low carbohydrate, are rich in natural magnesium, contain many essential nutrients and can therefore strengthen the immune system. As always I try to get organic whenever I can, for my superfoods I love the products of my Austrian friends of Green Panda but of course any chia seeds will do the job. You can take black chia, white chia, the whole seeds, ground seeds – they all work the same. Chia seeds have binding properties which makes them perfect for puddings (recipe here), jams or in baking.<<<<
u don’t have strawberries at hand you can also try other berries like raspberries, blackberries, blueberries etc. You can add different notes of flavors likes orange blossom water, rose water, vanilla, cinnamon – play with it!

What you need (for a small jar)

As a rule of thumb 2 cups of washed and chopped fruit plus 2 table spoons of chia seeds work very well. For a thicker texture add a bit more chia. 2 cups of washed and chopped strawberries (or other fruit)

• 2 table spoons of chia seeds

• 2 table spoons of orange juice (alternatives: lemon or lime, rose or orange water)
• Agave or maple sirup according to your sweet tooth (honey for the raw version is nice too)

What to do

Mash or roughly chop washed strawberries depending if you like your chia jam rather fine or chunky. Heat them up in a small pot on medium heat, I added some blueberries which I had to use up but only strawberries are fine, too. Add a bit of fresh orange or lemon juice, the sweetener of your choice and let it simmer for a few minutes until it reduces and gets nice and thick. Turn of the heat. For a raw version simply blend it all in a processor instead.

Now add the chia seeds and let it stand for a while. The longer it stands the thicker it gets but I’d wait at least 15-20min.

If you’re hungry and want to eat your fresh jam right now – go for it and enjoy it some home baked bread or simply brown toast with a lovely cup of tea! Alternatively store it in a jar in the fridge and use it as a yummy topping on your bfast or on your greek yoghurt as a snack. It even goes well with a  nice goat cheese and with these temperatures it would also be a lovely topping on some banana or chocolate ice cream (recipe here).

Hope you enjoy it and have a lovely new month ahead! For regular food inspiration don’t forget to follow my Facebook fan pay  or Instagram.

Big love & thanks for reading, lovely people!
Don’t forget to shine brightly ❤

N xx

P.S. I’m also taking new clients for private cooking classes, and an exciting workshop on yoga and healthy food for mummies is in the works so watch this space or get in touch with me for more info.

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The calm before the storm..

Dar-Tal-Kaptan B&B, Ghasri Gozo

It’s already a week ago that we went to Gozo for our last little weekend trip before baby arrives and I don’t want to miss the chance to praise the cute gem which we found in Ghasri:  B&B Dar-Tal-Kaptan. Don’t miss to scroll down further for a yummy smoothie recipe and lots of book tips and recommendations how to help pregnancy the natural way.

Review B&B Dar-Tal-Kaptan
From the moment of your arrival, the hosts Peter & Warren spoiled us with their friendliness, a super cosy home with spacious rooms and lots and lots of attention to detail all over. The rooms are all decorated in different themes (ours was Serenity <3) and offer lots of privacy and comfort. We had our own little kitchenette with water, teas, coffee and a bowl of fresh fruit in the fridge waiting for us. The views from our room and own terrace were just lush and green and perfect for a daily gently yoga session in the morning. Blissfulness and calm are the words which come up my mind when I remember these moments…

Breakfast let my foodie heart beat faster. Next to all the usual things like cold cuts and cheeses, fresh fruit and veg, yoghurts, muesli etc Warren made us a different healthy smoothie with interesting combinations in his Vitamix and freshly prepared eggs every day. When you decide to just chill and read at the pool like us (see book tips below), you’ll get cold flavored water with fresh herbs from the garden (think rosemary and lemons) and a little surprise during the day like slices of frozen melon (such a simple and yummy idea!) or an organic apple sorbet.  Peter and Warren are always up for an interesting chat when you feel like it but give you total privacy at the same time. With joy I remember inspiring conversations about food, yoga and traveling… 🙂 It was the perfect place for us to just relax in their wonderful garden, paddle on a lilo in the refreshing pool or reading on a sun bed in the shade and enjoying the sound of the palm trees in the wind and the green around us.

To guarantee absolute relaxation the B&B generally has a no child policy but when you book all 3 rooms you can bring children which we’ll definitely try to organize with our friends in the future.

Thanks for an absolutely wonderful weekend, guys! We’ll surely remember it forever and will try to come again soon 🙂

The Calm Before The Storm Smoothie
Of course I also had to recreate a bit of a twisted version of Warren’s smoothies, so here comes a yummy new recipe for a healthy smoothie.

Next to lots of goodieness from organic wheatgrass powder (alkalizing), cinnamon (good for digestion), I added my chocolate pregnancy vitamin protein powder, so if you’re not pregnant please take raw cacao and a protein powder of your choice instead (e.g. pea or hemp)

What you need..
(1 portion)

• 1/2 a banana (if you don’t have one at home, I always keep chopped up frozen ones in the fridge – you never know when you feel like the next raw banana ice cream hehe..)
• 1 cup of milk of your choice (I used organic brown rice but you can take almond, soy, oat or even organic cow’s milk if you drink it)
• 3 tablespoons of chocolate protein powder (I used this pregnancy powder throughout the whole pregnancy which was great, but you can also just use your favorite protein powder and add 2 teaspoons of raw cacao)
• 2 tablespoons of wheatgrass (or any other greens like spirulina, chlorella etc.)
• 2 pinches of cinnamon

What to do..
Easy peasy – put it all in your blender, mix for a minute and enjoy 🙂

 

Books and other pregnancy tips

Book tip: Bountiful, beautiful, blissful

Bountiful, Beautiful, Blissful: Experience the Natural Power of Pregnancy and Birth with Kundalini Yoga and Meditation
This book is pure bliss and positivity for the bump, heart and soul, even if you’re not into yoga and mediation – I promise. Recommended by my lovely Prenatal Yoga Malta teacher Sarah at the wonderful freemyme in Sliema.

The Gentle Birth Method: The Month-by-month Jeyarani Way Programme
Lots of helpful tips about visualization, relaxation, nutrition and especially holistic recommendations for each week e.g. which areas of the body to work on with reflexology. Talking of reflexology: if you’re lucky to be in Malta go and get some appointments with Cat from Butterfly Therapies, nothing makes you calmer and more centered 🙂

Die Hebammensprechstunde (freely translated “Consultation-hour with a midwife”)
Recommended by German speaking friends this book is like the bible of natural oriented midwives. Full of tips about herbs, teas, essential oils, homeopathy etc. So so happy I listened and bought it! So far in German only which is a real pity – maybe I should approach the author and propose to market it in English speaking countries 😉 Many of the herbal tea and oil mixes you can even buy in pharmacies in Austria and Germany so I asked my mum to send me some. But at least I found some good sources for homeopathy and essential oils here in Malta as well if you’re looking for some get in touch with the lovely homeopath Ashley from Tigne Holistic Centre or the always helpful Charlene from Soap Cafe.

The New Contented Little Baby Book: The Secret to Calm and Confident Parenting
Only in the beginning stages and partly a bit extreme but I get the idea of introducing a routine and will maybe take out some elements (some others definitely not 😉

This list of recommendations would not be complete without mentioning Robert Grech from Osteopathy Malta who helped me several times with an existing hip issue which came up again during my pregnancy and was sorted out completely within a few appointments. Yep, you don’t have to suffer physically, just because you’re pregnant – just get help and do something against it!

Also, thank you to Dini Martinez, a lovely friend, yoga teacher and experienced doula who travels the world with her family on a sailing boat (check out Sailing Yoga Family) for holding a great workshop on pregnancy and birth a few months ago which was really inspiring and helpful, too!

Last but not least I also want to say that I’m really impressed and positively surprised by the 7-week-parentcrafts-course organized by the Malta Midwives which is available for free at Mater Dei Hospital. I didn’t expect a lot and took out heaps and heaps of great information. Keep up the great job ladies!

What a network of wonderful people I have in my life, aye? Feeling really blessed and grateful to have you all here on this little island ❤

Now all I can say is that I’m super excited and I hope all these preparations will help our big event ahead and maybe help some of you, too. Of course you can never really be fully prepared and everything can always go differently all the time but in the end I think it helps to know what’s gonna happen, what you can do to help to do it the natural way and to tell yourself you prepared yourself as good as you can.

Let’s just hope it will all go well with the final spurt, birth and afterwards and I’ll definitely keep you posted.. One thing I know for sure, it was an amazing process and experience so far and I’m super grateful for all the love around me (you know who you are!), all the things I learned so far and look forward to the new chapter ahead!

If you have any questions don’t hesitate to get in touch with me via the blog or the nadisunshine FB page.

 

Lots of love & good vibes, especially to all the other mummies to be out there ❤
N xxx

Winter warming Chai & Chia smoothie

Do you also love smoothies? Throughout the spring, summer and autumn a delicious smoothie with fresh local fruit or vegetables pimped up with some super foods are part of my daily life, ideally for bfast. This unfortunately changes drastically when the temperatures get colder.. Yes, also here in Malta it can get extremely uncomfortable, chilly and cold. (Don’t ask for details or I won’t stop talking about how much I miss my Austrian central and underfloor heating – ahhh!)

Anyways, as soon as it gets colder my smoothie love changes into tea addiction and somehow it was obvious that a warm smoothie with my favorite tea had to be created. The result was a Chai Chia Smoothie which gets his special kick by adding warming spices such as fresh ginger, cinnamon and cardamom but also energizing substance through Chia seeds and almond butter. So it’s warming, comforting and is a real energy boost at the same time! But try it for yourself …

What you need…
(Ingredients for 2 smoothies)

1 hot cup of your favorite chai tea ( I like Chai Vanilla or Chai Red Bush)
1 cup warm nut milk (almond, coconut or soy)
2 teaspoons of chia seeds (soaked over night in water or chia tea)
1 pinch of ground cinnamon
1 thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger
1 ground cardamom capsule (Attention, the shell belongs to the bin 😉 alternatively use ground cardamom
2 teaspoons almond butter
1 tablespoon molasses sugar syrup (particularly high in iron, magnesium and folic acid), if you can’t get that use honey, agave or maple syrup
4 dates

What to do…
Blend all ingredients in the blender . Voila – here’s your first warm smoothie 🙂

Love,
N xx

P.S. I want to dedicate this recipe to my friends P and R from Vienna who were brave enough to quit their jobs and set up their own company for super foods in Germany, Austria and Italy. Guys – you rock and are an inspiration! If you want to check out their Facebook page (in German only) go and check out Green Panda – Superfoods with love. I wish you all the best of luck with it!!

Soulful Smoothies

All summer long I’ve been hooked on my morning smoothies. They got like a friend to me. I have them for breakfast or as an afternoon pick me up, when I need a little energy during work or I get hungry before dinner time. Everyday a little different, depending on what I have at home. I normally try go along with the 2/3 – 1/3 rule of thumb to keep it alkaline. So, 2/3 greens or veggies and 1/3 fruit. To get an idea about the alkaline way in a nutshell read this article on one of my favorite cooking websites Honestly Healthy.

As for veggies you can choose all different kinds of things… fresh spinach, chard, herbs like basil, mint or cilantro, zucchini, cucumber.. they all work well and don’t taste too strong. As for fruit I always like a banana, or some other sweet fruit like melon, pineapple, nectarine or apple.

It’s always nice to throw in some nuts like almonds, cashews, chia seeds or sunflower seeds to add a bit of protein or you add a teaspoon of protein powder (I like hemp or pea protein). Feel free to give it a special kick with the wide variety of super foods available: maca to balance your hormones, raw cacao full of antioxidants, spirulina, wheatgrass, lucuma for sweetness, acai – you name it!

Finally top it up with liquid. You can take water, coconut water, your favourite dairy free milk (almond, coconut..) or what I like as well cold tea like green tea, mint tea, redbush tea etc. I always make a hug jug of tea everyday while I work and you can easily use those leftovers in your smoothies! Last but not least add a tiny little drop of oil (flax seed, coconut) to ensure the maximum absorption of vitamins of all ingredients. Remember when we were kids, they used to add a drop of oil to your fresh carrot juice in the pharmacies? That’s why.

Now, put your lid on your blender and get started 🙂
Get creative and make it a habit – your body will love it ❤

Enjoy your smoothies & big love,
N x

Alkalising smoothie creations on the photo above:

Top left: Melon zucchini morning bliss
1 handful of cantaloupe, 2 small zucchini, lots of mint, coconut water, maca, lucuma & spirulina

Top right: Spinach Banana Smoothie
Fresh spinach, coconut water, banana, maca, lucuma & spirulina.

Bottom left: Basil Booster
Lots of basil, mint, half a cucumber, 1 banana, some Brazil nuts & maca powder.

Bottom right: Mexican banana chocolate smoothie
This is a sweet kick off for the day which can also be used as a delicious afternoon pick me up.
1 banana, raw cacao powder, maca, almond or coconut milk, tiny pinch of cayenne pepper (careful!)

Enjoy!

Tricolore rice with coconut milk, vanilla, peaches & plums

There are some things which you can eat at anytime of the day. They are always welcome – be it for bfast, as a snack, or a healthy dessert, be it summer, be it winter. The following is one of them.

My BF has a lot of childhood memories about milky rice. But how to make a healthier version of it and, next to the white refined rice which lost all nutrients on the way, how to replace the cows milk and tons of sugar? Well, this is one alternative to go – and honestly, we like it even better as it’s not only super yummy but also good for us!

What you need
Serves 2
2 cup of cooked Tricolore rice (brown, red & black, ideally organic)
Coconut milk or your favorite non dairy milk
Coconut flakes (optional)
1 vanilla pod or best quality vanilla essence
Raw agave sirup to your liking
Peaches and plums or other nice seasonal fruit

What to do
Cook rice according to instructions. I already had mine from the day before. If you make it just a for this dish you could even cook the rice in coconut milk which will make it even creamier. If it’s precook we out it in a pot and add coconut milk until rice is covered. Add vanilla, coconut flakes and cook it on medium heat so it gets creamy and warm. Add agave sirup and turn off the heat. Chop up the fruit and place it on top. If you like to warm it’s ready to eat. If you prefer it cold, like we did as it’s summer and warm enough cool it for a bit in the fridge.

Enjoy!
Sunshine & love,
N xx

 

 

My favorite kind of eggs: A healthy hearty breakfast hash

Since I tried this dish a couple of weeks ago it has been a star in our kitchen, especially on weekends. Ideally you get local, organic or at least free range eggs – not only if you compare the colour of the egg yolk you’ll immediately see the difference to normal eggs and they have a much better flavour, but also they are much healthier than barn or cage eggs.

I’ve spent the last couple of days recovering at home and I can definitely observe getting better day by day by gauging my desire to start cooking again myself. Luckily there are some healthy options around here which deliver their yumminess home or at least offer their food for take away (beg your friends or partner to bring you some). Main thing: Don’t let being sick and weak drag you down and make you tempted to eat chunk. Especially those days you and your body need the nutrients, vitamins, antioxidants etc. more than ever! It’s so important to make the best out of those times… listen to interesting podcasts, watch documentaries or movies you’ve always wanted to see, meditate, read and just give yourself lots of rests and quiet time to get back on track. Another lesson I learned this time, it can also be wonderful to be taken care of and looked after. Thanks to my darling P on this note ❤

Anyways, today is the first day I feel my culinary spirits reawaken! After one of my lovely friends even spoilt me and delivered my organic veg and freshly baked spelt bread home (lucky me ❤ ), I’m dying to use this lovely kale I got again. (Did I mention I got soooo hooked on it? I know, it’s quiet late to join the hype, but things take a bit longer here in Malta – hehe!). So, tomorrow is a public holiday and I decided if I am a good girl today and rest and be quiet, tomorrow will be my first cooking day again and it shall start with this super yummy bfast hash. Try it! I hope you’ll like it as much as my love, friends and I do!

Btw, the loveliest home baked bread you can easily make yourself with one of my favorite recipes of the healthy food blog My New Roots. Yep, it’s called Life-Changing Loaf of Bread and it was indeed a life changer for me as it’s so easy that I now bake my own bread on a regular basis which I’ve never done before. Thanks for that, Sarah Britton! You continue to be one of my favorite food bloggers in the world ❤

What you need….
(serves 2 or more – just take more eggs accordingly)

• 1 bunch of kale or any other greens like chard, spinach etc. (always go organic if you can, if you can’t at elast soak them in water with seasalt and apple cider vinegar to get rid of the pesticide residues), roughly torn in pieces
• 1 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 red onion, 1 garlic, chopped (optional)
• other veg you’d like to add e.g. tomatoes, pepper (optional – play with them :))
• 2 organic eggs (or more)
• salt, pepper (I like cayenne), cumin (optional)
• some coconut oil
• sumac to sprinkle it on top
• Organic bread (I love spelt) (optional)

What to do…

Start melting the coconut oil in a large pan on medium heat and fry first the onions, then garlic. When they start getting nice and glassy, add the diced sweet potatoes, roast a bit and then add the kale. If you use chard or spinach you add it a bit later as kale takes longer to get soft. Season with salt and pepper to your taste and cook it for a couple of minutes. Now make little nests in the veg and crack an egg in each. Put on a lid so the heat and moisture can spread inside the pan to cook the egg. Take it off after 2min, check if the egg white got fully white and solid. Don’t wait too long so the egg yolk stays nice and runny. Give it another round of salt and pepper, sprinkle with sumac and serve with some nice bread!

Enjoy & take good care of yourself & your body cause it is our temple!
Love & sunshine,
Nxxxx

 

 

 

 

Waterbiscuit @Intercontinental, Malta

Oh my! How I’ve missed my poached egg for the last years. Being a foodie and lover of cooking I still haven’t managed to make them as nicely as my mum makes them. It’s one of my favorite childhood memories when she served my poached egg with spinach and tomatoes on toast to bed for my bday, the whole family sleepy and singing happy bday for me in the dark Austrian winter morning. Ahhh good sweet memories!

Anyways, I still love poached eggs but as I said never successfully made them in my own kitchen. Now there’s no more reason to moan about it. Finally a great bfast spot opened up its doors in Malta, straight at the Intercontinental hotel in Paceville.

First to say, their menu is pure joy to read. You can choose from a vast choice of eggs, especially versions of eggs Benedict (poached) which are their signature dish. Besides, there’s different sweet and savory dishes and a lovely choice of juices and smoothies. The staff is very professional and friendly – another big plus in Malta as its not always the case 😉 The design is simple and cool and the pricing is totally okay. Definitely not the last time we’ve been there!

The only little downside was their spinach cucumber celery juice which got me really excited when I spotted it in the menu. They use lots of ice with it,more like a smoothie – not really a juice from my point of view. There seems to be a different understanding of the management about it (had a nice discussion with the bartender who tried to explain and really tried hard :). Anyways, you’re better off with the beet root mint juice which is a real juice and absolutely lovely!

Many happy bfasts, lovely people!
xxNadine