Every week I look forward to Sundays. Sunday is the only day in the week that Koen and I are both off from work together. So we like to make the most of it. That involves sleeping in and making special brunches. Every week we like to try something different.
Homemade sushi assortment with pickled ginger
Last month Chris and Hannah got married! After more than 10 years together, they finally tied the knot! Koen and I wanted to do something special for them, so we came up with the idea of a Sushi Workshop Bridal Shower – a honeymoon theme because Chris and Hannah were leaving for Japan after the wedding. Bridal showers are traditionally only done in the United States and United Kingdom, so we wanted to bring our version to the Netherlands – a fun way to celebrate the upcoming nuptials of our good friends!
Coconut Quinoa Spinach Salad
I love a good salad and Sprouted Kitchen’s Coconut Quinoa + Spinach Salad is delicious! So many flavors – raw spinach, quinoa cooked in coconut milk, shallots cooked in coconut oil, pistachios, pomegranate, and a lemon-thyme dressing. Fresh and perfect for the hot weather we’re having right now in Belgium! Although there aren’t too many ingredients it still takes time to make. First, I had to open all of the pistachio shells. Second, I never realized how hard it is to get all of the arils (the red drops holding the seeds) loose from the fruit. Normally I press the pomegranate for its juice and I wasn’t even sure you could eat the whole aril but luckily I have access to the internet and found out via Live Strong that not only are they edible but nutritious.
Beyoncé concert!
This Christmas my husband surprised me with a ticket to see Beyoncé in Antwerp! If you don’t know, Queen Bey is my absolute favorite and this was my first time seeing her live! Koen doesn’t have the same enthusiasm, so I had a girls’ night with Barbara dancing and singing!
Quinoa Spring Sushi + DIY Quick-Pickled Ginger
I wanted to find a recipe so I could use some leftover quinoa I had on hand. I decided to look up recipes on My New Roots, because I had used the site for the Chickpea Wraps, and I knew that would be my best bet for a healthy unique recipe! I was so excited when I found the Quinoa Spring Sushi + DIY Quick-Pickled Ginger! The sushi rolls and pickled ginger were easy to make and the results were so fresh and delicious! I will never buy store-bought pickled ginger again – there’s no comparison!
A few nights ago Koen and I had Cobb salad for dinner. Cobb salads are typically American, so I wanted to make it for Koen – plus a lot of his favorite things are in it! In order of the rows I made, from left to right, the ingredients are: avocado, boiled egg, bacon, tomatoes, chicken, and Roquefort, all over mixed greens with a red wine vinaigrette. The salad was a success and in Koen’s top 5 of dinners I’ve ever prepared!
An American in Antwerp 