Category: Blog

Your blog category

  • Winter in the tropics – your advice please!

    Winter in the tropics – your advice please!

    My love and i are planning to stay the winter overseas, where Christmas is sunny and where New Year’s Eve is celebrated in bikini, with sandy toes.

    I feel so deeply happy and grateful to be able to do this… aaaaahhhh. Yay!

    We’ll be working from there (as well as doing yoga courses, jungle trekkings and whatnot) and so we’re looking for the perfect places for digital nomads like us to connect to local people and nature as well as… well, wifi.

    We’re thinking Thailand, Vietnam or Cambodia. Maybe Bali. We heard good things about Chiang Mai (Thailand) and Ho Chi Minh City (‘Saigon’, Vietnam). Marco will be starting an online photography business, i will continue the website and catering businesses that i love as well as develop exciting new business ideas AND of course sharing our adventures with you…

    We’re also open to all opportunities you may think or hear of :).

    So, dear friends, we’re calling on you! Please let us know in the comments:

    • Have you lived a location independent/digital nomad lifestyle abroad?
    • How’s your experience?
    • Where should we go?
    • Do you know people we should connect with?

    I can’t wait to hear from you! Thanks a lot.

    With love and sunny kisses,

    Marco & Judith

    Update! We’ve booked our flight to Bangkok even before this blogpost went live on the webz. Still very curious for your tips & tricks, so do let us know your experience! Love, Judith

  • Sweet & Spicy Carrot Beetroot Salad

    Sweet & Spicy Carrot Beetroot Salad

    Ahhh yes this one is a classic, fun to make and a big winner – probably because of its nice warm flavors.

    I bought the ingredients already sliced in julienne. If you want to do it yourself, a julienne cutter comes in very handy.

    Recipe for Sweet & Spicy Carrot Beetroot salad

    serves 4, as a side dish

    • one handful of raw carrot, en julienne
    • one handful of beetroot, en julienne (raw or cooked, i used cooked)
    • ginger syrup, two tablespoons
    • Chinese five spices (fennel-pepper-cinnamon-coriander-anisseed-mixture)
    • handful of raisins
    • handful of seroendeng (Indonesian dried coconut & peanut mixture) *
    • dried chili flakes
    • sesame seeds (i may have added some hemp seeds as well..)
    • greens to decorate, such as diced peppers or coriander leafs
    • some oil, sesame or sunflower for example

    Toss everything together. Let sit for 10 minutes (or more) so that the tastes can all combine nicely.

    Enjoy!

  • Stuffed bell pepper

    Stuffed bell pepper

    In my local Turkish shop, i found dried aubergines (eggplant) and bell peppers. Wow! They’re very tasty and they look so festive, don’t you think? Also, they’re very handy to stock up in your cupboard. They’re cheap and won’t spoil. They look great. They’re a perfect way to make tapas at home. Yay for dried veggies like these.

    You  can just put them in warm water and leave to soak for some time. How much time depends on wether you want to steam or cook the stuffed veggies later on. If they’ll be heated later, soak for only 20 minutes (while you prepare the stuffing). If you’ll eat them right after stuffing, soak for at least one hour.

    Another great thing: you can stuff the peppers or aubergines with any leftover you have, possibly add some nuts or spices, drizzle with olive oil and here’s a beautiful brand new dish!

    For this dish, i used a mushroom risotto leftover and added some dried tomatoes and roasted pine nuts. Add green leafy vegetables such as arugula (rocket salad) for color and vitamins and this is a perfect dinner starter or even lunch.

    You could also use a pasta, potato or rice dish, stuff the bell peppers with that and simmer everything in a tomato sauce with garlic and oregano for some time. This is perfect for preparing and keeping warm, then serving because it doesn’t really matter how long the dish is simmering. Very comfortable when you’re expecting guests.

    Or you could crumble a veggie burger and combine with onions and cream cheese… hmm!

    Endless possibilities. I say: go find yourself some. And always drizzle with olive oil in the end.

  • Ocean of consciousness

    Ocean of consciousness

    Just wanted to share this:

    “What if you are not nearly as limited as you were led to believe? What if you are vast enough to hold and contain all of life’s energies, the ‘positive’ and the ‘negative’? What if you are beyond both, an ocean of consciousness, unified, boundless and free, in which even the deepest despair has a resting place?
    What if your depression was simply your infinite intelligence calling you back Home, in the only way it knew how?
    Your melancholy may contain natural medicine.”

    From:
    Jeff Foster: Falling in Love With Where You Are

  • Making your soul smile

    Mooji is a wise man. I love listening to his awakened teachings. They bring the mind to a natural rest and warm my heart.

  • Favorite foods in India – quick impression

    Favorite foods in India – quick impression

    Funnily, here’s a very non-typical impression of the food we ate in India. Not representative, because there’s a big one missing: CURRIES. In the land of curries, i managed to not photograph any of them. Bad foodie.

    Coconut

    Shown: Drinking coconut water through a straw. After you’ve drunk all the juice, you go back to the seller and he’ll chop the coconut further. Using one of the chopped coconut pieces as a spoon, you can scoop out the fresh, blubbery coconut meat.

    Thali

    Then, very important: thali (small amounts of curries, dhals and condiments to go with white rice and/or breads such as chapati). So niiiiice! There are many restaurants where they ‘just’ offer one or two or three choices of thali. It gets served on a metal plate with small cups or on a banana leaf and you eat it using only your right hand. It’s an art and we mastered it very quickly.

    Salad

    And finally, shown: salad. Aaahhhh salad. Every few days, we’d find a place where they served them ‘continental’ style. Be it plain lettuce, avocado and tomato, or maybe cabbage, carrot and raisins – my belly was sooo happy. You know, all those curries are delicious but they are also thick with unidentified mixed onions, garlic, spices, ghee (fat) and sugar. I just yearned for raw, freshly cut veggies which were just, and no more than, what they were: veggies.

    Missing: curries

    NOT SHOWN: all the wonderful, spicy, versatile curries we had. Man, so many curries. One dish per person was usually enough for us (we shared almost all of them). I don’t know how i managed to NOT take ANY curry pictures! It’s crazy.

    Flex

    Spelling, in India, seems to be not taken very seriously. If it sounds somewhat alike, that’s good enough. So you end up eating becked omblets or plane porege. Heck, why not? This girl took a nice menu shot:

    mennu-kochin-300x295

    http://www.chhavisachdev.com/2011/03/30/omblet/.

  • To ink or not to ink

    To ink or not to ink

    CONFESSION: I loooove tattoos. My mother still believes it’s the influence of my love, Marco. But I think we just share our wish to ‘be naughty’ and paint our bodies in many colors of the rainbow, paying symbolic tribute to the beliefs, values and insights we hold dearly in life.

    There are some questions around it arising in me at times: is this tattooing a thing of holding on, of identifying, of trying to create a story of me for myself or the outside world…? Or is it, as a friend put it: a shamanic practice, serving spiritual development? Or is it just play?

    [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”]

    The girl you see in this photo: I am absolutely in love with her body and the creativity she expresses through it.
    The girl you see in this photo: I am absolutely in love with her body and the creativity she expresses through it.
    Is my naked skin sacred and am I harming my mother’s gift to me as I came into this world by putting ink into it…? Or is life one big painting brush and my skin one of the many possible canvases?

    And although I don’t intend to be all covered in tattoos, I do like expressing some of the teachings that have meant a lot to me in my life, through the canvas of my skin.

    Whether there’s only this one life or many others will follow, I choose in this one to play around a bit.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

  • The Art of Asking – Amanda Palmer

    When i saw this Ted Talk a little over a year ago, i felt so happy and inspired. To me, it’s about following what you in your heart believe to be true and right, even if that means going against mainstream and getting shouted at by some people.

    When i tell people i Couchsurf often and hitchhike sometimes, they mostly weigh the comfort of traveling ‘for free’ against the risks of being dependent on strangers.

    I ask them: do you know from experience what it’s like to PLAN a little bit less and instead TRUST life to provide you with anything you need? It’s spiritually liberating.

    To me, the most joyous and fulfilling of experiences were given to me when i trusted the infinite originality of the universe more than my own limited mind.

    While keeping a clear sense for avoiding stupidities, of course ;).

    Let me know in the comments: when have you last CROWDSOURCED an open question for support instead of PLANNED your own solution?

    Crowdsource – Couchsurf – Crowdsurf

  • Physical problems can be great teachers

    Physical problems can be great teachers.

    Yesterday, i woke up with the sound of swooshing swords in my ears and a spinning sensation, especially whenever i looked to the right. Walking to the doctor, carefully crossing streets, i contemplated how well everything usually works together in the body and how ‘off’ i was at that moment.

    Vertigo.

    Made me think of this super Radiolab podcast episode about the relation between brain and bodily perception: http://www.radiolab.org/story/91524-where-am-i/. If the perception of your body and the rest of the world are just the slightest bit out of sync, this makes for very interesting experiences, for example because the mind is trying to account for the bodily sensations. Do check out the podcast, i found it quite enlightening.

    Doctor’s verdict: shingles (that’s chickenpox re-awakened) spread to the labyrinths. I’m on meds now and will be fine in a week or two.

  • Avocado and halloumi salad

    Avocado and halloumi salad

    As we all know, India is the holy land of curries (spiced everything dishes) and dhals (spiced lentil dishes). Little did i expect my first recipe after India to be about… simple avocado and Greek grilled cheese.

    🙂

    Back to basic

    Truth is, all the amazing curries, thalis, dhals and breads i ate while in India, have in the end of my stay ignited an enormous craving for raw and almost bland food.

    And so once i discovered that our favorite beach restaurant served a simple salad of carrot, cabbage and cheese, i couldn’t get enough.

    However, no worries! There will also be curries. Only a bit later.

    Contactgrill

    Lately, i’ve been raving over my new contactgrill (bought secondhand, unblemished, for only 5 euros). This recipe is an example of why: just toss some raw veggies in a bowl, top with nuts and seeds and olive oil and serve with shortly grilled halloumi cheese (or zucchini slices, or seitan strips). Looks great, very healthy and ready within only a few minutes. Minutes!

    Halloumi

    Halloumi is a Greek cheese that can be grilled and still remains its bite and form. It is quite salty so it’s a perfect companion for otherwise unsalted foods – be sure not to add more salt. It combines great with sweet foods such as raisins, pomegranate seeds and honey.

    [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_highlight color=”green”]

    Recipe for Avocado and halloumi salad

    For one person:

    • Halloumi cheese, three 5 mm slices
    • Cabbage (green, white, red or chinese), two handfuls
    • Raisins or mulberries, 1 small handful
    • Avocado, one half
    • Hemp seeds and cashew nuts
    • Pepper
    • Olive oil

    Heat the halloumi slices on the contactgrill or in a pan. Meanwhile, cut the veggies and toss together. Sprinkle with olive oil, add some pepper. Place the lightly browned halloumi slices on top, add a few more drops of olive oil and some nuts and seeds.

    Great with sprouts as well, and just use any veggies in your shrink![/fusion_highlight]

    Enjoy this tasty, healthy quickie. I love it!

    And now, for the Dutchies…

    Recept Salade met avocado en halloumi

    Per persoon:

    • Halloumi, 3 plakken van 5 mm
    • Kool (groen, wit, rood of chinese), twee handen vol dunne reepjes
    • Rozijnen of moerbeien, een handje
    • Avocado, half
    • Hennepzaad en cashewnoten
    • Peper
    • Olive oil

    Verhit de halloumi op een grillijzer of in de pan. Snijd intussen de groenten en hussel samen. Besprenkel met olijfolie en maal peper erboven. Leg de nu gebruinde halloumiplakken op de salade en druppel er nog wat meer olijfolie bij. Top af met noten en zaden.

    Ook super met sprouts, en qua groenten kun je natuurlijk lekker varieren met wat je toevallig in je koelkast vindt.

    Enjoy![/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]