Addictions...

First of all a huge apology for neglecting my blog lately, life kinda got in the way but I promise to do better from now on and post regularly again!

Addictions...

We all have them....(little) addictions, some of them are small, some of them not, some are embarrassing and some are cool, so I thought it was high time I shared some of my (sometimes embarrassing) addictions...

• Cheese and sambal badjak sandwiches: I love cheese I could eat loads of it and not be done with it. I love every kind of cheese, French, old, English, the smellier the better! The thing I love most is a sandwich smothered in Sambal Badjak (from Koningsveld) and on top of that (30+ ,trying to lose weight) cheese, simply divine! I’ve cut down on cheese though dietwise and healthwise it’s just better but I’m still yearning for it though. Lately I’ve been on a gorgonzola kick, lovely creamy cheese yummJ
• Books/reading: Bookstores are heaven for me, I love being surrounded by books, it makes me feel happy, safe and secure. I always need to have a pile (read: at least 2 bookcases) filled with books I haven’t read, just to be on the safe side…I can’t run out of unread books (the thought makes my stomach clench). I love bookstores in the US and Australia, big bookstores with a coffee shop inside, cozy armchairs etc. I could happily spend hours in one and have the time of my life (provided I have enough money to buy several books LOL).Here in NL I love the De Slegte bookstores, they usually have a good (2ndhand) English book section and usually it’s hidden in the back or top floor of the bookstore where it’s silent and the air seems to breathe books, I could spend hours in there browsing enjoying the silence and the smells. Sometimes I wish I had my own bookshop with a little coffee shop in it, even though it would be hard work I know I would just love it!
• Facebook/internet: I’m so addicted to Facebook and internet in general that I’ve even bought an android phone so I can always internet wherever I am and whenever I want to. I love the feeling of having internet with me wherever I go! I get serious withdrawal syptoms if I don’t have internet LOL!  I love Facebook because it keeps me updated on what is going on in my friends’ lives (whether they live here or abroad) but also because I get a wealth of information about everything I love through the sites I have likedJ
• Tori Spellings real life show/ and the Pfaff’s: ok so this is totally embarrassing but I admit I love Tori Spellings’ real life shows and the Pfaff’s (Belgian real life show). I like Tori Spelling because she shows herself just the way she is (at least I think so) and I think that takes guts. She is pretty high maintenance sometimes and she knows that but also she talks openly about all her fears and insecurities and I think that is pretty awesome!I also love her jewellery collection on HSN but sadly I can't get it here. The Pfaff’s I haven’t watched in a while but probably when they rerun the show daily I will probably watch it again, they make me laugh and it’s great no-brain tv.  I also love to watch Kate plus 8, Say Yes to the Dress etc. but I promise you I'm not into any other reality shows LOL (I think this is way more than enough) especially all the music/dance reality shows, seriously how many of those shows are currently airing?!?
• Masterchef Australia/Cooking shows: I have fallen head over heels in love with Masterchef Australia!!! I love, love, love this show! I thought the UK original show was ok but I just love the Australian format and now the UK is using that too, YAY! I can’t wait until Masterchef Australia season 3 airsJ I also love cooking shows like: Jamie Oliver’s show, Ready Steady Cook, The F Word, Nigella (although she does get on my nerves sometimes with her steamy looks and husky voice), Saturday Kitchen, Baking Made Easy, Chinese Food Made Easy, Poh’s Kitchen, Julie Goodwin’s  cooking show, Justine Schofield's cooking show, Donna Hay, Bill Granger etc, etc. That being said I really don’t like the Dutch cooking shows such as Masterchef NL and Topchef, the chef’s are annoying me and the programs are usually such poor competitors to the original shows in other countries. I wish NL would step up a little and stay closer to the original format and use better chef’s who give motivating feedback etc.
• Chickflicks, I love watching chickflicks, especially romantic comedy’s. I can’t say how many times I’ve watched Bridget Jones’ Diary, it’s my go to movie when I’m feeling down. Other favorites of mine are Love Actually, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill,The Wedding Planner, Never been Kissed and the list goes on and on.
• Cooking, I love to cook, not the normal day to day cooking but the dinner party kind of cooking. I love to menuplan, set the table prepare the ingredients and cook up a feast. Cooking makes me feel relaxed, it soothes and makes me feel comfortable. I’m trying to step out of my comfort zone more and more these days, learning new dishes, cooking techniques and I’m trying to talk myself into making things from scratch (think pasta and pies). I love making things from leftovers in the pantry it often makes the greatest surprise meals.
• Grey’s Anatomy, I LOVE,LOVE,LOVE this show but haven’t been able to watch since the season that Izzie left (Izzie was hands down my favourite) so I’m so behind and I’ve been procrastinating downloading all the series ever since. I’m not sure my laptop can hold as much and I don’t have a mediaplayer but the other day I got a cool link I can’t wait to try since it seems I can watch whole episodes online without having to download it, pretty darn cool! When I have enough money again I plan to buy all the dvd-boxes from season 4 onwards. The reasons I love this show is because of everything really, the actors, the excellent dialogue, the music (I’ve gotten to know so many cool bands through this show like Snow Patrol and Roisin Murphy) and the setting ofcourse. I have this huge thing for Patrick Dempsey, that man makes my knees go weak LOL!
• I love working out, yep that wasn’t too surprising;) I love the way my body reacts while working out and after. Right now I take BodyPump and RPM classes and have 2 running practices a week. I feel so much more toned and in control of my body right now and I love that feeling! I also love the huge endorphine/adrenaline release while working out, the one that gives you goosebumps, makes you feel alert and on top of the world and makes you go even harder still, totally awesome! I’m trying to get myself motivated enough to also add daily core training and weight training at home but haven’t got myself there yet.

Well those are my 'addictions' for now!

My 101 list

After hearing a lot about the 1001 Day Project and having read some of my friends’ lists I’ve decided to participate as well. I am however cutting myself some slack so I won't fret about it if/when I go over the 1001 days deadline. I’m pretty sure there’s  no punishment or fine involved if I go over it;) and some tasks are more of the someday variety due to various reasons. I’m a pretty perfectionistic person so by cutting myself some slack I hope to avoid a lot of demands I would otherwise have put on myself. I would love to hear your feedback on my list and if you can help me with some of the items that I've put on there I would love to know that tooJ

p.s. this list is not rated in order of importance;)

About The Project

Welcome to Day Zero, the home of the 1001 Day Project. A unique challenge that inspires you to set and achieve your personal goals in life.

The Challenge: Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on your part).

Why 1001 Days? Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple challenges such as New Year's resolutions or a 'Bucket List'. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organising and timing some tasks such as overseas trips, study semesters, or outdoor activities.

1. Complete my 101 list completed april 6^th 2011
2. Getting married with Pierre; (it was his suggestion to put this on here but I haven't had a proposal yet;)
3. Learn how to crochet (a blanket);
4. Learn how to knit ( a shawl);
5. Spend 1 evening a month coloring a mandala;
6. Spend 1 evening a month making jewellery;
7. Learn how to make chainmail;
8. Make my own pasta from scratch;
9. Bake a pie/cookies/cake from scratch;
10.  Send a snail-mail card to someone who needs it;
11. Lose weight (8-10 kg’s);
12. Maintain my blog every week;
13.  Go horsebackriding;
14. Go on a last-minute (weekend)trip;
15. Get my old pc up and running and online;
16. Send a message in a bottle;
17. Swim with dolphins;
18. Overcome a fear;
19. Learn more about Buddhism;
20. Build up to drinking at least 1,5 ltrs every day;
21. Run once a week (at least);
22. Workout at the gym at least once a wk (Bodypump & RPM);
23. Organize the house & keep it that way;
24. Volunteer my time to help someone else;
25. Throw a dinner party for friends;
26. Try glass blowing;
27. Find a personally inspirational quote and work it into a piece of art or homemade décor;
28. Getting my Golf Certificate (GVB);
29.  Do something for a person who has made a difference in my life;
30. Learn how to properly paint my nails including nailart;
31. Meeting up F2F with the members of Expat Ladies in Holland;
32.  Visit a Christmas market in Germany;
33. Bake a whole turkey for Thanksgiving;
34. Put my weekly menuplans on my blog;
35. Put updates on my blog about every completed 101 task;
36.  Try 5 new cooking techniques;
37.  Try 5 new foods;
38.  Eat fish at least once a week;
39. Have a professional portrait taken with Pierre;
40. Visit the Dr. A. Vogel Garden;
41. Visit Australia again;
42. Go back to Las Vegas and take a roadtrip from there;
43. Have a picnic outdoors;
44. Learn ski-ing while going on a ski-trip;
45. Make tapas and enjoy them with friends;
46.  Eat at a Michelin Star restaurant;
47. Try a new recipe each week for 6 months;
48.  Make Pierre breakfast in bed;
49.  Visit a new country;
50.  Download Grey’s Anatomy from season 4 onwards;
51.  Have a Grey’s Anatomy marathon with friends;
52.  Organize a girls night with sleepover;
53.  Buy flowers for someone;
54. Make a gingerbread house;
55. Continue the refresher course for resuscitation;
56. Learn 50 new Greek words;
57. Learn 100 new Spanish words;
58. Do something outside of my comfort zone;
59. Spend an entire day reading a book;
60. Pick a bouquet of flowers;
61. Create a mood/vision board;
62. Take a bath with candles, music, wine & a book;
63. Print my 101 list and hang it on the fridge;
64. Taking regular Bodybalance classes;
65. Adopt a kitten;
66. Join a bookclub;
67. Visit Ireland again;
68. Read all the (old) magazines in the magazine box;
69. Visit Edinburgh again;
70. Participate in a cooking workshop;
71. Have my eyebrows plucked regularly;
72. Learn new make-up styles and use them;
73. Give away the books that I have finished reading;
74. Make a Masterchef Australia dish;
75. Become a Les Mills certified instructor;
76. Buy a Kindle;
77. Spend a rainy day watching tv in bed;
78. Eat at 10 new restaurants;
79.  Schedule a session with a personal trainer;
80. Write a list of 50 things I like about myself;
81. Make a simple quilt;
82. Save money onto my savings account each month;
83. Go to a shooting range;
84. Find a job that I love doing;
85. Donate blood;
86. Leave random notes for my loved ones;
87. Go to a festival;
88. Have regular datenights with Pierre;
89. Visit a new continent;
90. Go to a wine tasting;
91. Carve a pumpkin at Halloween;
92. Visit 3 places in NL I haven’t been to before;
93.  Learn 3 new hairstyles;
94.  Perform a random act of kindness;
95.  Start saying no to people;
96. Go on a holiday with friends;
97. Go on a cruise;
98. Buy new dark window treatments for the bedroom;
99. Go on a holiday with my mom to Greece;
100. Run a 10k race within 1 hr;
101. Go to a concert.

Turkish cooking lesson (2)

Gevulde paprika of wijnbladeren/Dolma

Ingredienten/Benodigdheden:

• Kom;
• Grote pan;
• Turkse rijst (tosya pirinc)* 1,5 mok;
• Aci Biber*;
• Gehakt ong. 100 gr (lamsgehakt is nog lekkerder natuurlijk);
• Paprika’s (maakt niet uit welke kleur);
• Selderij (klein bosje);
• 2 bosuien;
• 2 tomaten;
• 1 ui.
• Witte peper/karabiber* 1 theelepel;
• gemalen oregano/kekit* 1 theelepel;
• Kimyon* 1 theelepel;
• Zout, 1 eetlepel
• Munt/nane*, 1 theelepel;
• Olijfolie/zonnebloemolie, halve mok (gebruik olijfolie als je geen gehakt in de vulling doet, als je wel gehakt erin doet gebruik dan zonnebloemolie);
• 2 klein blikjes tomatenpuree.

*= deze produkten zijn te koop bij een Turkse winkel of toko.

Bereidingswijze:

Rijst wassen met lauw water.

Selderij zeer fijn snijden (incl. takjes).

Bosui door de midden snijden en vervolgens fijn snijden.

Kontje van paprika afhalen en met de hand de witte stukjes en zaadjes verwijderen.

2 tomaten door de midden snijden en dan in kleine blokjes snijden.

De ui in kleine stukjes snijden.

Alle kruiden in het rijst/groentemengsel doen.

Halve mok zonnebloemolie erbij doen en acai biber (naar smaak) en tomatenpuree erbij doen en kneed het mensel door met de handen.

Paprika’s vullen (zorg ervoor dat je met je vingers de zijkanten en gaatjes goed opvult) en rechtop in grote diepe pan zetten.

Als je de paprika’s gevuld hebt maak je in dezelfde kom als waar het mengsel in zat, de saus.

Voeg een lepel tomatenpuree, scheutje olie, beetje zout en ongeveer 1 of 1,5 mok water toe, dit giet je over de gevulde paprika’s heen.

Eventueel kan je een half schijfje tomaat per paprika in het mengsel stoppen ter versiering.

Zet pan op hoog vuur, als het kookt, zet je het gas op de kleinste stand en laat dit 1 uur verder sudderen.

(wil je de paprika’s na het eten nog een keer opwarmen dan kan dit gewoon in een pan, oven of magnetron).

Ditzelfde recept kan je ook gebruiken met courgette, wijnbladeren of aubergine.

Bon appetit!

Turkish cooking lesson (1)

A friend of my mom and I, is from Turkey and she cooks awesome food. She loves to teach us how to make Turkish food so we sometimes go to her place to learn how to cook proper Turkish food, it's so much fun!
Here's the first recipe we learned to make, Turkish Bulgur Salad known as Kisir. One warning these recipes are pretty well stocked in (sunflower) oil so they're probably not the most healthy ones around but they are soooo good:) Since Kimmie replied that she doesn't mind reading the recipe in Dutch I have just typed it over, if anyone wants them in English let me know.

Turkse Bulgur salade (Kisir)

Ingredienten/Benodigdheden:

• Grote bak/teil;
• Koftelik Bulgur* (voor 4 personen: 3 volle mokken, voor 2 personen: 2 volle mokken);
• (beetje)heet water;
• 1 groot bosje selderij;
• 1 grote ui;
• 2 kleine blikjes tomatenpuree;
• 2 eetlepels aci biber* (meer als je de salade pittiger wilt hebben);
• 1 mok (zonnebloem)olie;
• 2 bosuien;
• 2 citroenen;
• 1 theelepel witte peper;
• 1 theelepel zout;
• 1 krop ijsbergsla;
• 2 tomaten.

*= deze produkten zijn te koop bij een Turkse winkel of toko.

Bereidingswijze:

Doe de Koftelik Bulgur in een teil en schud er heet water overheen, de bulgur moet een beetje nattig zijn zodat deze in 10 minuten tijd kan wellen.

Snijd de ui fijn, voeg de blikjes tomatenpuree toe, de aci biber en de olie en laat dit mengsel op een zacht vuurtje koken totdat de ui doorzichtig is (ong. 15 minuten) roer ondertussen af en toe door.

Snijd de  bosuien door de midden en daarna in fijne stukjes.

Knijp 1 citroen uit over de bulgur.

Voeg 1 eetlepel witte peper en 1 eetlepel zout toe aan de bulgur, meng dit goed door de bulgur heen met een lepel.

Voeg het ui/tomatenpuree mengsel toe aan de bulgur (laat dit eerst goed afkoelen) en kneed daarna alles goed en krachtig door. Voeg hierna het groentemengsel toe aan de bulgur en kneed nogmaals goed en krachtig door.

Schep daarna het bulgur mengsel in een mooie schaal en versier met plakjes tomaat en citroen.

Serveer de bulgursalade met ijsbergsla blaadjes (om de blaadjes makkelijk los te krijgen, hou je eerst de ijsbersla in zijn geheel onder de koude waterkraan).

Schep wat bulgursalade op je ijsbergsla kommetje en eet lekker met de handen op, bon appetit!

Bookreview: Joanne Fluke- Cherry Cheesecake Murder

I've just finished reading Cherry Cheesecake Murder by Joanne Fluke. It's a cozy murder mystery series about Hannah Swensen who owns a cookieshop/cafe in a Minnesota town.
About the book:
Hannah Swensen and her bakery, The Cookie Jar, bask in the glow of Hollywood glamour when Main Street becomes a movie set. And although tensions simmer as the cameras roll, no one expects the action to turn deadly...until it's too late... There's no such thing as privacy in Lake Eden, but Hannah never thought things would go this far. Everyone has been telling her what to do ever since she got not one but two marriage proposals. Movie mania soon shoves Hannah's marriage dilemma into the background and even gives her cat a shot at stardom. The Cookie Jar serves as snack central with Main Street rented out for the week. She stirs lots of fresh gossip, whipping up treats for cast and crew, including demanding director Dean Lawrence's favorite--cherry cheesecake. Everything's on schedule until Dean demonstrates a suicide scene with a prop gun that turns out to be all too real. As filming continues, Hannah sifts through the clues, hoping against hope that the person responsible for Dean's death is half-baked enough to have made a mistake. When it happens, Hannah intends be there--ready to rewrite a killer's lethal script with the kind of quirky ending that can only happen in Lake Eden...
What I like about this book:
I like the cozy writing style and the adventures of Hannah and her family and friends. The book is filled with great cookie recipes. I still haven't tried one of them but I collect all the books just because of the recipes. This series is a easy and enjoyable read and I would recommend it as nighttime reading, nothing too strenuous;)
What I don't like about this book/the series:
What I dislike about the book and the series is the repetition of certain things, like certain phrases or character portrayals seem to be written down in every....single...book... Also the issues Hannah has with love (she has  2 boyfriends and has been proposed by both, the boyfriends know & like each other as well) is kinda getting really old. I mean it's certainly not very realistic and personally I just find it very annoying that the bf's keep running after her and she doesn't choose one or the other or none. I mean this is the 8th book I'm reading in this series, so for the life of me Hannah will you just choose or walk away, LOL!
The dislikes are however not making me stop reading the series, they can be easily overlooked, so I will continue on and hope for the best;)
Rating:
3 out of 5*

Recipes, I need some feedback on this one, thanks!

Last week mom and I went to a friend of ours, she is Turkish and kindly offered us to teach us how to cook Turkish food, YUMMM! So we learned how to make a Turkish style couscous (which is not really couscous but bulgur actually) and stuffed peppers/paprika's. It was sooooo yummy although not altogether diet friendly (a lot of sunflower oil was used LOL) I promised that I would post the recipes here (and I will!) but just need to know if I can post the recipes in Dutch or if it's easier to post them in English. I don't mind either way, it might even benefit my translating skills;) So let me know, thanks!

Be thankful

Sorry I have been a bit absent lately, life kind of got in the way for a bit. I love to spend proper time on my blog and I usually blog when I'm alone, the peace and quiet of the house together with music makes me write better. Anyway on to the subject I wanted to write about. I love quote's and poems and a while ago I got this awesome poem from a yoga site through Facebook. I often re-read this poem because it's so true and it helps me to be thankful for everything.

Be Thankful
By Author Unknown

Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire.
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?
Be thankful when you don't know something,
for it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.
Be thankful for your limitations,
because they give you opportunities for improvement.
Be thankful for each new challenge,
because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes. They will teach you valuable lessons.
Be thankful when you're tired and weary,
because it means you've made a difference.

It's easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who
are also thankful for the setbacks.
Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles,
and they can become your blessings.

12,6km race

Last saturday I ran a 12,6km race. It was a 'once in a lifetime' event because it was the (pre) opening of a piece of highway that's being build in our area. Since (I think) it's pretty darn cool to say you have ran on a highway I entered the race. But when (last) tuesday rolled around and I got back from the training from hell (nothing worked or wanted to anyway) I began to have some serious doubts. After all if you can't run a 10km training properly what was I going to do running 12,6km's. Granted that tuesday it was absolutely freezing outside and that didn't help my training (I have athletic induced asthma so freezing weather is not helping me a lot) but without running a full 12,6km would I crash & burn after running 10km's? the answer is: NO:) Saturday started out great (overcast skies, not too cold and no rain) but when we were due to start it started raining, the wind was howling and I think every contestant asked him/herself whether running was indeed so great and why did we put ourselves through this LOL! I'm happy to say though that even though I had to run in the pouring rain the whole way, it was an awesome race. Why? because this was one of (very few races) that everything clicked, I felt great, my legs were strong (thanks to taking regular Bodypump classes), my asthma wasn't bothering me and I was able to run a constant time per km:) What an awesome feeling! I was afraid I was gonna end last because I'm not a really fast runner and because it was such a small event it generally attracts advanced runners etc. but I didn't end last in fact there were 6 people running behind me, YAY! At the last km I knew my time was good and decided to sprint to the finish and low and behold I surprised my bf and other running buddies by finishing in 1hr24min, 6 minutes earlier than what we calculated beforehand!!!  I spent the rest of the day on cloud nine and I can't wait to run my next (10km) race on april 10th!

Bookreview: Diane Mott Davidson- Sweet Revenge

I absolutely LOVE reading cozy mysteries & Diane Mott Davidson is my favorite author in this genre. Why? because she writes about a caterer who makes delicious food but also solves murders, & she includes recipes in her books! Yep I know it does sound a tad out there and believe me when I tried to explain to my boyfriend what cozy mysteries are etc. he just burst out laughing and thought I was kidding but anyway lets talk about the book:
Goldy Schulz is thrilled to be catering a holiday breakfast feast for the staff of the Aspen Meadow Library. But little does she know that on the menu is a large helping of murder. While setting up at the library, Goldy spots a woman lurking in the stacks who bears a striking resemblance to Sandee Brisbane—the Sandee Brisbane who killed Goldy's ex-husband, the Jerk. But Sandee is supposed to be dead . . . or so everyone believes.
Goldy's suspicions mount when the body of Drew Wellington, a former district attorney, is found in a corner of the library, with a map worth thousands of dollars stashed in his clothing. Goldy is convinced that Sandee, a confessed felon, is involved. But the holiday madness is only just beginning for Goldy. Soon she's drawn into the dangerous, double-crossing world of high-end map dealing. And like the ghost of Christmas past, Sandee keeps making an appearance. Could she be out to prove that revenge is oh-so-sweet?
What I like about this book:
I love reading Goldy's Culinary Mysteries. Diane Mott Davidson creates interesting characters, a good storyline and  pretty much all of her books are a gripping read. Whenever I read her books it feels like coming home, the characters feel like they are good friends/family and once I finish the book I can't wait to buy another one.
People who love to cook, read and like murder mysteries will LOVE this series, I promise:)
Rating:
4 out of 5*

My first post!

Hi Everyone,

This is it, my very first post! I'm excited but kinda nervous as well. Since I'm new to blogging I really hope that some people will find it enjoyable to read my posts. I don't have a really exciting life I don't think but here's hoping that it is exciting enough for some of you;)
This blog will be about my passions in life: reading, cooking, participating in Les Mills classes at the gym, running 10+k races, internet, and anything else that I love:)
So hopefully you will like to read some of my posts!

Hugs