An escape to paradise

What’s more relaxing than a day at the beach?

A day at the beach, on a deserted island!

An island a few miles from Curaçao, named “Klein Curaçao” [= meaning “little Curaçao”]. This piece of uninhabited 1.7 kilometers, with its crystal clear waters, is the perfect get-away.

My friend’s birthday was right around the corner and what better way to celebrate her birthday than a trip to Klein Curaçao.

We booked a trip on the catamaran “Black & White”, with the organization Blue Finn.

Since our last rock climbing adventure, my friend got pretty sick. I was quite worried that she’d experience the same again. So in preparation for the trip, we brought along seasickness pills, sparkling water, crackers, sunscreen and caps.

Nothing was going to spoil our R&R day in the sun!

Despite that it’s a 1.5 hour trip sailing against the current to Klein Curaçao, motion sickness can occur, luckily it went quite smoothly.

It was a well-planned and organized trip. I was baffled of the organization’s accurateness with their planning. The boat reached exactly at 8.15am, lunch was exactly at 12.30pm, we left Klein Curaçao at exactly 3pm and reached Curaçao at 5pm!

Flashbacks from the days in The Netherlands, were majority is well planned and organized.

This is level of planning and organizing is Top-Of-The-Line!

We spend the day swimming, taking a ton of pictures (you have to flaunt the escapade :)), bbq’ing and just plain chilling.

We came home relaxed and incredibly tanned.

Next trip… a sunset sailing trip!

RockClimbing

Climbing seemed too dangerous, yet it looks challenging. I was up to try it out. I reached out to the organization RockClimbing Curacao which offered various rock climbing tours, including guided tours to a few hills on the island, such as Christoffelberg and De Tafelberg. Aside from guided tours, they also offer free try-outs on Sundays.

My friend and I jumped on this opportunity and we tried it out past Sunday. While the team was putting on our gear and explaining the how-to’s, my friend turned to me and said ‘actually I’m afraid of heights’. What are the odds?!

While she was gathering her emotions, I went first.

The experience was in one word ‘challenging’. Trying to find something to grab onto, was my biggest challenge. The instructors kept shouting to let my inner child out and climb up. The only thought that kept rushing through my mind was ‘Grab onto what???’. Eventually I had to listen to my inner child and let her take over, that’s when I got the hang of it.

One of the instructors stood on the ground, providing rope slowly. When going down, you have to trust that person to give sufficient rope bit by bit, in order to go down, slowly. The magic word here is ‘trust’. In that moment, when you’re up in the air on clinging onto a rock, you have to put all your trust into that one person, whom you’ve never met before. Another challenge! I’m happy to say, that I succeeded. Going down went incredibly smooth and I cannot wait to do this again!

From this adventure ‘trust’ is the focal point. We all struggle with trusting people, being able to test this through sports, is more than worth it!

I’m relieved to say that despite my friend’s fear, she climbed the hill half way. It was fascinating to see that she overcame her fear. I’m proud of her.

It’s an experience nether she, nor I will forget!

Discovering my Inner-Katniss Everdeen

I love movies such as Hunger Games and Robin Hood; they’re full of action and entertainment. Its inspiring to see how effortlessly they fire arrow after arrow. Something I needed to try out for myself! When I saw a post online for these classes, I signed up right away.

Patience, focus, good posture and self-motivation, are a few attributes you’ll learn by practicing archery. All these attributes I’d like to put more emphasis on, thus the perfect opportunity to practice these.

I headed open minded to the class, hoping I could attend the class with sandals… unfortunately that was not the case. Quickly changed into sneakers and headed back. The first section of the class, contained an explanation of the rules and regulation of archery and how to use an arrow and bow.

The practical part was entertaining, yet a bit frustrating, as the arrows flew far from the target. Then the coach remarked that I need to aim lower (the few times in life, when aiming low is required in order to succeed). By focusing on the area below the target, the arrows hit near the target. I felt like Katniss Everdeen with the arrow and bow in my hands. Btw that was my alias for the class… Katniss!

This sport is pure concentration! I might take a beginners course…

Relax, Renew and Refresh

A day at the spa was precisely what I needed. Due to the Covid-pandemic, I haven’t taken a vacation. I was craving for some “R&R”days, Rest and Relax moments. Doing so, on the island can be challenging, as you get taken back into your routine easily.

A friend of mine was in the same jam as me, so we booked a day-pass at the spa, on the opposite side of the island. With a 30-minute drive to the spa, at an off-road area, the spa was located next to a beach. It felt as though, being at a different place all together.

When we reached the spa, we were offered a menu, from which we could we choose 4 services. We chose a (1) 15-minute shoulder/neck massage, (2) 15-minute hand massage, (3) lip scrub treatment and (4) body scrub session. Each service placed us more and more into a Zen-mode.

The premises included a steam room, sauna, ice-room, Jacuzzi and pool; we relaxed in each and every one of them!

Just before heading home, we still had a body-scrub session pending. We were offered 3 types of body scrubs, which we could use in their water-fall shower. We left clean and completely relaxed!

The ultimate Zen-escapade 🙂

Vegan & Glutenfree bread

Last week, I made glutenfree oatbread. Due to a recently discovered allergy for eggs, I have to cut out eggs from my diet. So I removed from eggs the recipe and adjusted it a bit.

This is an incredibly easy and quick recipe!

Ingredients

• 300 grams glutenfree flour
• 300 grams oatflour
• 475 ml sparkling water
• 2 tablespoons arrowroot OR flaxseed
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 1 tablespoon applecider
• 1 teaspoon bakingsoda

Set the oven at 350°C

Mix in a small bowl applecider and bakingsoda, this is added to the mixture just before inserting in the oven. Instead of adding yeast, a mixture can be made of applecider/bakingsoda as a raising agent; this foams a bit.

Combine 2 tablespoons arrowroot OR flaxseed and 2 tablespoons water in the mixture, these are the egg replacement.

Mix all ingredients together and add the applecider/bakingsoda mixture. Set aside for 10 minutes. Insert in a bakingpaper-wrapped ovenpan, brush oil (I used olive oil) on the upper section, similar as a egg wash. Place in the oven for about 1 hour.

Top it off with oats and poppyseeds, optional!

Bon appetite!

Carrot cake

Happy sunny Sunday

A few days ago, my mom mentioned she liked carrot cake, ahh yes, she planted a seed!!!

How was I, to resist the temptation of not recreating this?
Impossible!!
After some Pinterest’ing, I got it!
Fyi: there is barely a slice left, needless to say… it was a success!!!

Time for … Sharing is Caring

Ingredients

Mixture

• 250 grams thin sliced carrots
• 150 grams brown sugar
• 150 grams flour
• 125 ml oil
• 75 grams walnuts
• 2 eggs
• 2 Teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 Teaspoons cinnamon
• 5 Teaspoon nutmeg
• 5 teaspoon ginger
• 5 teaspoon cloves

Frosting

• 300 grams powder sugar
• 100 grams cream cheese
• 75 grams butter
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Pre-heat oven at 350°C

Remove the skin of the carrots and use a slicing machine to cut carrots in thin slices. Mix in a bowl eggs, oil and vanilla extract. Add remaining ingredients, except carrots and walnuts, in the bowl. Mix all well together, add sliced carrots to the mixture.

Cut the walnuts in small pieces and heat these for max 5 minutes, in the oven. Dust the walnuts in flour, and set aside.

Insert baking paper in 2 oven pans; I used 2 oven pans to easily layer the cake. Insert the mixture in each pan and sprinkle walnuts in both. Insert both in the oven for about 25 minutes.

Proceed with prepping the cream cheese frosting. Cut butter in pieces, use a hand mixer to mix it well. Add cream cheese, vanilla extract and a little bit powder sugar. Add remaining powder sugar bit by bit. Test the frosting while mixing, to adapt this to your taste buds.

I love using sugar, so naturally I used a lot.

Remove the cake from 1 of the cake pans and spread frosting on top. Place the other cake on top and spread remaining frosting on top. Decorate with whole walnuts and sugar rocks, whichever way your heart desires.

Store the cake (properly sealed) in the fridge for a day, before eating, the following day the cake is much more frumptious.

Bon appetite!

Walnut cake

Happy Easter

What better way to celebrate this long weekend, than whipping up some delicious desserts? Homemade goodies are definitely the best!
Scrolling through Pinterest (yes, I’m a Pinterest addict!), I caught sight of a nut-filled cake. It’ll be a walnut cake!

Try it, your only worry will be, how to stop yourself from eating. Oopss…. my bad

Ingredients

Cake

• 250 grams flour
• 250 grams butter (unsalted Anchor butter)
• 250 grams sugar
• 4 eggs
• Teaspoon baking powder
• Teaspoon vanilla extract
• Dash of salt
• 5 cup crushed walnuts

Coffee frosting

• 400 grams powdered sugar
• 50 grams butter
• 2 Teaspoons milk
• 2 Teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 Teaspoons water
• 2 Teaspoons coffee

Sift flour in a bowl and add baking powder and salt. In a different bowl whip, up sugar and butter to a creamy mixture. Add the eggs one-by-one to the sugar/butter mixture and add vanilla extract. Once done, add the flour mixture to the creamy mixture, and continue to mix. Store in the fridge for a few hours.

Pre-heat the oven at 350°C

Break walnuts in pea-sized bits and heat these in the oven for max 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, place the chopped walnuts in a small bowl with flour. Note: heating up nuts and placing them in flour, prevents the nuts from drowning to the bottom. Mix the nuts in the batter, insert this in a buttered oven bowl and place in the oven for about 1 hour. Use a toothpick to check if the cake is done; this should come out clean, if the cake is done.

Let the cake cool off for about an hour or so. Once the cake is cooled off, proceed with the frosting.
Use a hand mixer to mix butter and add half of the required powder sugar. Add milk, vanilla extract and remaining powder sugar; continue mixing, to get a thick and creamy mixture.

In a small bowl mix up water and instant coffee. Add this to the creamy mixture, and mix.

Cut the cake horizontally and smear the creamy frosting on the bottom section. Place the top section on the cake and top it off with the remaining thick creamy frosting.

Decorate with whole walnuts and brown sugar stones, as desired.

Bon appetite!

Almond filled speculoos

A typical Dutch treat “almond filled speculoos”

Past weekend I started with this. I made almond paste from scratch as I couldn’t find any ready-made almond paste in the supermarket. It takes at least 4 days to ripe.

Finally the day came to finalize this oh-so-delicious treat.

Ingredients

Dough

• 250 grams flour
• 175 grams unsalted Anchor butter
• 150 grams brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons yoghurt/milk
• Dash cookie spices (mix of cinnamon, cardamom, coriander, nutmeg, ginger and cloves)
• Dash salt

Filling

• 300 grams almondflour
• 300 grams sugar
• 1 egg
• Dash lemon

Starting with the filling. Mix almondflour, sugar and lemon in a bowl. Wrap the mixture in plastic wrap and store this in a dark section in the fridge, for at least 4 days.

Proceed with the dough.

Mix flour, sugar, spices and salt in a bowl. Add yoghurt (or milk) to the mixture, forming a large ball. Wrap the ball in plastic and store for 2 days in the fridge.

Pre-heat oven at 350°C

Divide the dough ball in two sections, use roller to flatten the dough evenly. Insert the first section in a bakingpaper-covered plate. Remove the filling from the fridge and add an egg to the mixture. Spread a layer of almond filling to the first section.

Knead the second section and place this carefully ontop. Paste egg yellow on the upper section and decorate with almonds (optional)

Insert in the oven for about 50-60 minutes.

Bon appetite!

Scones

Recently i discovered almond flour at the grocery store.
After some ‘Pinteresting’, found a bunch of recipes with almond flour.
Today my mom and I made scones with nuts and honey.

Ingredients
150 gram flour
50 gram almond flour
50 gram buckwheat flour
50 gram yoghurt (fat free)
50 gram butter
1 egg
Handful crushed almonds
Handful hazelnuts
Teaspoon salt
Tablespoon honey

Pre-heat the oven at 400 Fahrenheit (200 Celsuis).
Asemble flour, almond flour and buckwheat flour in a large bowl and mix these. Include the butter, salt and egg; mix all together forming a big ball.
Place the ‘ball’ in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Flatten the ‘ball’ and add the nuts and honey to the content. Then form a cylinder, add flour in case the ‘cylinder’ is too moist.
Form smaller balls from the ‘cylinder’ and place these on a bake plate with waxed paper. Insert this in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
Et voila… Beautifully brown colored scones.

Bon Appetit.