Flea market Frenzy

For 5 long months, I’ve been patiently awaiting this day. It’s official, the flea market season in Germany has begun!

Today the Bonn Bad Godesberg Antik and Trödelmarkt kicked it all off! Before you delete me from your google reader, you must understand that flea markets in Germany are like nothing you could imagine in the US. Our American antiques would be considered gently used in Germany.

Every well organized booth is breathing with history. The hidden treasures tell stories hundreds of years old. There is nothing like it!

Unfortunately, today was rainy, cold, dark, and dreary- not at all how I had imagined this glorious day! Luckily not even rain could stop the vendors from coming out! Although the it did prevent my camera from making very many appearances.

Before the flohmarkt began, Sebastian filled me up with a delicious breakfast.

1 poppy seed roll with cheese and a hard boiled egg, 1/2 sunflower seed roll with almond butter

By the time I made it to the market, it was pouring down. Luckily, I was prepared with my gym bag so waited the storm out while sweating on the treadmill, pumping some iron, relaxing in the sauna, and getting squeaky clean. I even enjoyed a cappuccino in the gym today!

Then, out to the antiques!

I was on a mission to find some new dishes. I’ve noticed my oatmeal pictures are all beginning to look the same. Most of the vendors wanted to keep their dishes in sets, but I was able to convince one family to sell me two lovely soup bowls.

I can already imagine my oatmeal nestled between the little handles.

Once the rain started up again, I decided it was time to go home, but not before picking up my favorite Arabic equivalent to baklava and a flat bread for tomorrow’s lunch.

Rainy weekend = busy bustling kitchen.

I whipped up some avocado chocolate pudding. This jar is heading Kim’s way!

Raw Avocado Chocolate Pudding

• 2 avocados
• 1 banana
• 1/4 cup almond butter
• 1/4 cup sunflower seed butter
• 1/4 cup coco powder
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 3/4 cup agave
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 Tbsp. coconut oil

Put all ingredients into a food processor and blend until whipped and creamy. Refrigerate.

I also put my food processor to good use making hummus for my lunch tomorrow.

Raw Red Pepper Hummus

• 3/4 red pepper
• 1 cup soaked chickpeas
• 1 Tbsp. water
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 4 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 6 tsp. sesame seeds
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. chili powder (I like it hot, use your own judgement)
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 Tbsp. dried basil

Put all ingredients into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.

For dinner, I continued the Indian theme with Red Lentil Dhal

I loosely followed the recipe from HappyHerbivore only adding 1tsp. lemon juice and substituting some ingredients

½ cup red lentils

2 cups vegetable broth

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp cumin  ran out so used 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds

1 whole tomato, chopped (with juices)

3 ounces tomato paste  2 Tbsp. tomato paste

2 whole garlic cloves, minced

1 small onion, diced

1 tsp paprika

1 tbsp ground ginger 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and quartered

a dash of cayenne pepper  red pepper flakes

1 tbsp coriander

2 tsp garam masala

Instructions:(From happyherbivore)

In a medium pot, saute onions and garlic in 1/4 cup water until translucent. Add spices, except garam masala and coriander, and cook for 2 minutes, adding more water if necessary to prevent sticking, burning or drying out. Add lentils, broth, tomato paste, tomatoes and coriander. Cover and turn heat to high. Once boiling, reduce to low and simmer for 15 minutes, or until lentils are cooked (they will expand and turn orange). Add garam masala and stir to combine. Cover and set aside for 3-5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Sebastian has a fear of lentils so I had this delicious dinner all to myself! I ate the dhal over quinoa and have enough of both for at least one more meal.

Now that the evening is coming to an end, it’s time to bid farewell. I have a skype date with my parents!

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Manic Monday

This may be the first day of the week, but I already feel like it should be at least Wednesday.

I didn’t feel very well last night so opted for less school preparation and more rest. Unfortunately, I had a really hard time sleeping last night. I probably fell asleep around 2 even though I’d been in bed since 10. No fun. I woke up feeling tired and unprepared. Again, no fun. At least I had breakfast ready to go.

Regular bowl of oats topped with a crumbled white chocolate macadamia granola bar, shredded coconut, flax, hemp, and almond butter. Coffee, naturally.

Luckily my students have German first thing in the morning so I was able to use those precious 40 min. to pull my act together. I may be a procrastinator at heart, but when it comes to teaching, I’m usually over and above in preparation.

Lunch was another pre-planned dream turned hurdle. The idea was that my digital photography club followers would have a lunch picnic with me and we would focus on food photography today. Unfortunately, with my club being on Mondays, only one kid remembered the whole picnic plan. Needless to say, with no other food to photograph, my tofu taco salad was a very popular item. I can only imagine what the parents will think as they look through their kid’s photos from today. Let’s just say that my camera takes much more attractive food photos… some of the pics I saw of this lunch were not too appealing.

Lettuce, tofu taco “meat,” avocado, tomato, and salsa.

Everyone forgets important things now and then- today the family on schedule to bring our class fruit snack forgot. Luckily we had dried apples which I removed from hiding to feed the hungry pack.

After school, I tutored for an hour, rushed home to get my gym bag, toast a sun-dried tomato bagel, top it with olive oil spread, and run out the door to the bus. The bus never came but the next one 15 minutes later did. I was worried that I wouldn’t make it in time to my favorite yoga class… but luck was on my side. The instructor let me slip in 5 minutes late. After feeling strong, flexible, and balanced, I hit up the sauna, showered, then shopped. I was hungry after the workout so drank a fruit smoothie to hold me over. I included apples, blueberries, raspberries, banana, black berries and black currents.

It was apparently gold and green shopping day today. Lemon throat drops, black olives, agave, tofu, milk, apple sauce, pear, arugula, parsnips, beats, cucumber, eggs, and cress sprouts.

Once home, I whipped up a Couscous Greek Salad

Whole wheat couscous, tomatoes, cucumber, black olives, chickpeas, feta cheese, balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

It would be a sin to eat couscous in anything other than my Tunisian bowl. I guess I thought I should be hungrier than I really was because I was only able to eat about 1/3 cup of this beautiful mess.

Maybe I was just subconsciously saving room for dessert. Avocado chocolate pudding and strawberries.

Eating these two together was chocolate covered strawberry heaven!

Now comes the part of the day when the Manic Monday begins to slow down into a hopefully Tame Tuesday. Time for dishes, tea, blog reading, and a warm bed!

I hope you had a gentle transition into the new week!

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