Crispy spinach salad with orange-gorgonzola vinaigrette

Have it fresh!

It's been an incredibly good summer this year, and I can tell, since we've stayed home and really hoped for some sun and do-able temperatures. It was exactly what we got: it was a blast to be able to go outside with only some flip-flops, tops and shorts.

We live in the south of Amsterdam, just a few hundred meters near the famous Vondelpark, where friends and family meet each other after work or in weekends, with bottles of chilled drinks and  baskets stuffed with goods. So you can imagine what we've been doing night after night!

Barbecues and little gatherings with kids and friends, sun and fresh food... staying out 'till the sun is long gone..  it's like the ultimate summer joy. And since I kind of know how to get around in my kitchen I've been sorting out some good salads to bring along.

 This spinach salad really isn't hard to make but has this nice twist because of the gorgonzola mixed with orange, which makes it a dish of it's own.

Healthy as hell, and great on your plate! ;-)

See the whole recipe

Spicy Roasted Chickpea salad

Eat yourself healthy and beautiful

As mentioned before, beans and legumes are absolutely one of my favourite things to eat, and especially chickpeas are high on the list. Not only are they incredibly tasty in many different ways (think humous, salads, soups, dough etc.) they are also very, very healthy.

Especially for vegetarians, chickpeas are a great substitute for meat (or eggs when you're vegan). They contain a high content of essential vitamins, like vitamin B12 for instance, which is generally only found in animal products.
Chickpeas are full of iron and vitamin C. Also, vitamin B6 and folic acid are important nutrients that make them so incredibly healthy. Eating chickpeas weekly, in whatever way prepared, retain a right level of iron.

In this salad I roasted the chickpeas for about 15 minutes with some sea salt and a generous amount of chilli powder. It makes them hot and crispy, which goes very well with the sweet and sour taste of the vinaigrette. If you like you can ad some butterhead lettuce in the end. Just divide it on your plate and add the roasted chickpea salad on top. Watch out, this is incredibly good!

SEE THE WHOLE RECIPE

Ricotta-tomato pie

Hangover pie!

We just had the loveliest weekend ever. The weather was incredible, and reached unbelievable temperatures which is quite un-Dutch, especially when you have a wedding! Our outfits were absolutely stunning (it's true!) and a weekend without kids was - though we love them to the bones -let's say, a blast! 

 The wedding was like a fairytale, and the whole day was celebrated in the most beautiful hotel of Amsterdam; the Amstel Hotel. From beginning till end (and the end was early morning) was a feast! You can imagine, there is nothing better than a good days rest after a party like that. With good foods and drinks and no kids to take care off. Just me, my man and my kitchen.

We came up with this super tasty tomato ricotta pie, which is easy as hell, but really does the trick (especially when you're hungover!)
Absolutely worth trying, and even good when eaten cold. (Of course we saved some for the kids!)

SEE THE WHOLE RECIPE