Hello friends, and happy New Year 2018!

Today I am happy to share with you the first recipe of my small „Healthy January“ series.

And none other than PINK KIMCHI marks the start of this healthy January.

I am not kidding you when I say that Jannis and I are pretty much obsessed with Kimchi! Obsessed with its tanginess, its spiciness and its gut-healthy properties (well, me more so than Jannis, obviously).

If you’re like me and you live in a small town with one Chinese, one Vietnamese and one Thai restaurant, then you will probably be like: Kim…what?? So let me introduce you to Kimchi, what it is, where it comes from, and why it is so so good for you.

Kimchi is the national dish of Korea, fermented cabbage. It’s gained a lot of popularity in the Western world lately, but it’s been a central part of the Korean cultures forever. The reason Kimchi is so popular is the way it is made: it is a raw food that contains so many vitamins, minerals and fibers that some claim it to be the healthiest food on Earth!

Ok, but many other foods contain such an abundance of nutrients: kale, quinoa, watercress, blueberries…

Yes, but the real reason why Kimchi is so healthy is the amount of bacteria it contains. Bacteria! Yes, you heard right. Bac-te-ri-a. The GOOD kind of bacteria. The kind that lives in your gut and basically keeps you alive. This kind of bacteria is called „probiotics“. As up to 80% of your immune system sits in your intestine, this is huge, guys! Probiotics are responsible for a whole number of vital functions down there: an intact immune system, digestion, skin condition, blood sugar levels, and most importantly a healthy bowel movement.

So how can we digest more of those probiotics? The answer is right here and probably lives in your grandmother’s basement already: fermented foods. Sauerkraut, pickles, kimchi. But also in your fridge in yoghurt (the natural one), kefir, miso, tempeh or kombucha. Our ancestors already knew how to get enough of those healthy bacteria – via lactic acid fermentation. Lactic acid fermentation is known as the process of preserving vegetables whose natural sugars feed the bacteria, which produce the natural preserving lactic acid. While the process of lactic acid fermentation was used in former days as a means to preserve, these days fermented foods are mainly known for their delicious sour, tangy taste und gut-healing properties.

I had been meaning to try fermentation for the longest time and last year I finally started my first DIY fermentation project: homemade kimchi! Since I am not an expert at fermentation, I used this recipe by Sarah Britton as a base. Sarah’s recipe is plant-based and soy-free, and it seemed…well…easy! That should be something I can do. Since I cannot seem to follow recipes, and since I had had pink kimchi back in Bali, I made my own version using fresh beetroots. Because beets make everything better, right?

So this is how lactic acid fermentation works:

Step 1: Washing, cutting and grading the vegetables.
Step 2: Mixing ginger, garlic and chili flakes and salt in a food processor.
Step 3: Combining everything and start massaging those veggies until the cabbage loses all the liquids.
Step 4: Sterilize glas containers.
Step 5: Let it ferment in glas containers for 2 – 3 days.

Before you get into the Kimchi-game, here are some things that you need to know before getting started:

Read before making kimchi:

• The longer your kimchi stays on the kitchen counter, the stronger its taste. I like my kimchi to be stronger, so I leave it on the counter for 3 days before placing it into the fridge.
• Making kimchi leaves an intense smell in the room, so make sure to make kimchi in a room with windows and doors. This way you can prevent your whole apartment to turn into a kimchi factory.
• Not everyone likes the taste of kimchi. Traditionally, kimchi is made with fish sauce and soy sauce, which I did not use to make it more appealing to a larger crowd. This kimchi tastes a lot like ginger, garlic and slaw. It also does not have an earthy-taste from the beetroots.
• Kimchi is similar to tzatziki – not the taste, but the taste (and smell) it leaves in the mouth. So I wouldn’t recommend eating kimchi before a date or an important appointment. Your dentist probably also won’t be too fond of kimchi.
• Kimchi stimulates bowel movements. Hence, it may lead to mild flatulence. This is totally normal and no need to worry. Start with small amounts of kimchi and then work your way up – your gut and your health will appreciate it!
• Some kimchi recipes call of small carbon dioxide bubbles on top of your kimchi. My kimchi attempts did not have these, and it still turned out delicious.
• If you see mold on your kimchi, throw it out! Your kimchi should have a strong and sour taste, but should never me foul!
• How will you know that your kimchi is ready? I had never made homemade kimchi before, so I had no idea what the taste would be like. I think the kimchi is good enough for my taste after 3 days, then I place it into the fridge. If you like it even spicier and more sour, then you can leave it up to 4 or even 5 days on the counter.

Now, go and explore this fun way of improving your gut-health. I cannot wait to see your attempts – just share your kimchi with me on social media using #heavenlynnhealthy.

Enjoy!

Did you make this recipe? Let me know in the comments below or share a picture on social media using #heavenlynnhealthy.

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Brussels Sprouts. Pumpkin. Pecans.

That’s my “secret” whenever I want to surprise someone with a simple yet delicious meal. Well, actually it’s more of a side dish, but combined with a delicious salad and quinoa, it may very well serve as a main dish.

I served this combo to friends that we had for dinner yesterday, and even though they thought they didn’t like brussels sprouts, they ate it all. Happens all the time, I secretly wanted to say.

This dish is the perfect addition to any Christmas buffet as it can be enjoyed by anyone – health-conscious or not. The combination of crunchy sweet & satly brussels sprouts paired with the sweet pumpkin and the caramel-like pecans is absolutely insane. I first ate a dish similar to this in the United States at Thanksgiving, and I have been wanting to recreate it ever since.

If you’re allergic to pecans, you can swap them for any other kind of nut or even pumpkin seeds. However, if you can have nuts, then pecans are definitely your best bet this Christmas.

Speaking about Christmas. Do you know the Christmas feast dilemma? We’re not a family of traditions, so we have something different for Christmas every year. Partly because we love food so much, and partly because we all have different taste. You have my dad who wants the traditional German dishes, my sister who is the biggest raclette fan, my other sister who has special dietary requirements and then my mom and I who want anything but ordinary. So last year we made one of Jamie Oliver’s dishes from his book “Superfoods”, which wasn’t a big hit with the others unfortunately. This year will be more relaxed with a miso salmon soup, and lots of delicious winter salads and sides such as these winter roasted brussels sprouts.

How to survive the Christmas festivities in a healthy way

I’ve been getting this question a lot lately, and I have to be honest: I don’t think Christmas is the time to stress about food and health. For me, Christmas is not about the food, but about spending time with your loved ones, destressing, recharging those batteries before another year knocks on the door. My family always goes for a run in the mornings, no matter what the weather, so we got the exercise part covered together. Then we like to have a long breakfast with lots of oats, granola and fruit, so we usually skip lunch anyways. For dinner, we try to incorporate as many fresh veggies as possible, so it’s not really like you have to be afraid of food komas.

My tip is always to prepare something healthy and delicious yourself and then bring it along if you’re invited for lunch/coffee/dinner. The host will greatly appreciate it, if he or she does not have to think about all the guest’s dietary restrictions, which can be quite overwhelming. And instead of saying, “I’ll bring this vegan, gluten-free, refined sugar-free salad”, you could just say “I’m bringing a winter roasted brussels sprouts salad with pumpkin, pecans and maple-dressing.” Do you hear the difference? Exactly. Sometimes it’s the choice of words that make the difference.

Do you have any tips to survive the upcoming Christmas madness? Let me know in the comments below.

Enjoy!

The post Winter Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Pumpkin & Pecans appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

Roasted Red Bell Pepper Hummus and a little life update

Guys, I have a confession to make. I am completely done with the world these days. Besides my Master studies, my studies to become a holistic health coach and another secret project, we are currently moving into a new apartment, and I am completely exhausted. I know, I know, this blog is supposed to be a happy place, and I do not want to complain, but I just had to tell you that I’m not feeling all that great these days. It all came down on me last Saturday at IKEA. When I was trying to configure my new PAX closet. The tears just kept coming and I think I had a litte meltdown there for a moment.I do not want your pity, guys, because I know that all of have to go through tough times. It’s not always sunshine and rainbows, and it’s ok not to be o.k. all the time. I am not suffering from any serious problems, I just needed a moment to let it all out, because it feels so good to talk about your emotions and not have to pretend there for a moment. For me, making decisions is always tough. I hate making decisions. They force me to be a grown-up, and being a grown-up is freaking hard.

Besides my dislike to make decisions, I have also been struggling to eat well these past few weeks. I have always been honest with you that I do not eat healthy all the time, and I will continue to tell you this, because it’s the truth and I do not want you tot hink that I am all perfect when it comes to healthy eating. In my opinion, balance is the key, even if some health coaches strongly disagree with this opinion. While Jannis and I were painting our new apartment, there was more than one pizza involved. There was non-vegan chocolate, beer and even a kebap involved. Yup, you heard right. I do not want to promote this kind of eating, but it’s my reality sometimes. What’s important to note is that there will be healthier days once we’ve fully moved in again. Lots of healthy and happy days in this new apartment.

Why am I telling you all this? Because I want you to know that it’s ok not to be perfect. It’s ok not to eat healthy all the time, it’s ok to miss workouts, it’s ok to admit that something is not right. There is no shame in admitting that we are feeling a little down at the moment. There will be better times when you can whip up all the healthy dishes in your kitchen after a sweat-drenching HIIT workout. But sometimes, we cannot be all healthy, all grown-up, mature and functioning at the same time.

After days of bad food, I finally took the time today to make a delicious roasted pepper hummus that Jannis and I will be feasting on this week while packing, DIYing and getting ready for the final move date this weekend. It will probably be the last recipe that I will have shot in my old apartment, which already makes me feel very sad, but also excited for the things to come. I cannot wait to show you our new home.

Enjoy!

Merken

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