SLIMMING SUMMER VEGGIE SOUP

  Recently I have strongly craved for vegetables. Cooked ones for a change. This is the latest form I have eaten them in:

This was actually my breakfast today. =) I made it yesterday for dinner, and it was simply the fastest grab this morning.

Packed with flavor and fiber, but low in calories. This soup can virtually be made with any vegetables in season, so it is a good choice around the year. Here I used carrots and  red bell pepper (which I happened to have in the fridge) as main ingredients soaked in tomato-based broth.

  The recipe:

a kettle full of seasonal vegetables, chopped into bite-size pieces
(carrots, red bell pepper, celery ribs, zucchini, and spring onion in mine)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 quart/liter vegetable stock (I used 1 vegetable bouillon+water)
1 cup (2 dl) puréd canned tomatoes
fresh herbs (lovage and oregano in mine)
cayenne pepper, to taste
1-2 bay leaf(s)

+ Heat the oil in a big pan and lightly fry the vegetables in it, until just beginning to soften. Add the tomato puré and enough stock to cover the veggies. Stir in the bay leaf and cayenne pepper and let simmer until the veggies are al dente (a.k.a. nearly softened but still a bit crunchy). Remove from heat and add chopped fresh herbs.

  This summer veggie soup resembles the cabbage soup in cabbage soup diet in a way, that it can be eaten freely, as much as desired, all day long, without getting fat. But I went taste first, and the slimming effect was just a nice bonus to my soup. =)
  Makes a nice any-time-of-day meal with wholemeal bread, pasta, or brown rice!

PRETTY TOENAILS FOR LAMMAS

  This trick adds to the all-natural, nude look of Lammas that I like so much.

From a distance there´s only neat, well-cared-for feet and toes visible.

Fresh as a flower.

But seen up close you can see them embellished with sparkling silvery dots. I have found glued-on bulgy rhinestones pop out of place easily, so instead I use glittering silvery nailpolish. It does the trick equally well, and gives me a polished look easily for two weeks. Beauty should be fun and effortless, like these pretty nail-dos.

  Doing my toenails every two weeks keeps them healthy and pretty all year round. And it is a nice place to play with seasonal fashion too, with very little effort. The time put into a diy pedicure gives back at least ten fold in pleasure! The condition of one´s feet, and especially toenails, tells so much about the person. In good and in bad...

LUXURIOUS DAY

  Being alone is the best luxury for me these days. I´m a mother of two- and a nine-year-olds and happily married to the man of my life. They are the most important things to me. But right after them comes me, myself, and I. I love myself too. And I need time to myself too. Luckily my family lets me have it whenever possible. When mommy is happy, the whole family is happier too. It is not selfishness, it is a fact. Mommies need to take care of themselves too.

  Recently I was able to enjoy one of those important moments of solitude. Three full days in fact. Naturally I headed to our summer cabin to enjoy summer. On one of those days I decided to head to the nearby town, where I used to live as a child and a teenager, to refresh memories and check out the little boutiques there.

I started the warm summer day out by having a relaxed breakfast on the pier. 

I could start daydreaming watching these beautiful clouds on the horizon.

After a short ride, first on our boat and then by my car, I landed Rauma, a town I used to live in and have not visited for nearly three years. This view is from the old part of town, and in this particular picture the 19th century atmosphere is exceptionally well presented because there are no cars, traffic signs, people, or anything reminding of the present modern day.

A fun piece of art in the canal flowing through the town. I´m glad I have not encountered anything like that while swimming in the sea. I did get scared twice this day. First there was a bee crawling up my back inside my grey summer dress, but miraculously I was able to slip out of it without getting stung by the bee! And second, I almost stepped on a viper at boat harbor. There are snakes on our little island too, but so far every one I have seen was a non-venomous grass snake.

Next it was time to hit my ever favorite second hand store by the Red Cross. They operate solely on voluntary workers and sell stuff people have donated. The prices are ridiculously low. The store has been there forever, and I remember shopping here already in my teens. I must admit the stuff back then was older, nicer and more retro. I guess the selection just reveals that the lifespan of goods is much shorter now than in the nineties.

Would this look okay with jeans? Why not, it´s only 50 cents, and all I have to do back home is to take it in on the back a bit. Worth a try.

By now I was hungry. I heard that an old classmate of mine, whom I have not seen or been in contact with since 1989, had opened a cafeteria a few years back. So naturally I headed there to support her business by getting me a sinfully buttery and sugary pastry. After all that walking and shopping, I definitely needed these calories, right? =) I so rarely go out to eat, that this definitely was luxurious! And by chance I even saw a glimpse of that old classmate of mine! She had not changed too much since we were... um... eleven, twelve.  =) I have, but naturally only for the better!

Back at the summer house. It was so hot that I just had to jump into the sea right away to cool down. While in the water, this flock of wild geese flew by close to me. I could hear their wings swish and all. It was so cool, and I felt somewhat in tune with nature. Awesome.

After skinny-dipping in the sea I dried off in the late afternoon sun. I only dare to do this when the neighbors aren´t there. =)

In the evening I saw the most adoring sight: a pair of horned grebes feeding their young together (darn my snapshot camera, I could not get a closer picture). That made me miss my own kids...

  When my family came to join me in the cabin, I was fully charged and happy to meet and greet them again. What a difference it makes to occasionally just be left alone for a moment! That´s a big problem in our Western culture. Evening out the hectic times and the lonely times of life. When we are young, we are too busy to do anything. And when we are old, we have too much time and nothing to do. Peace of mind comes from balancing these two, or recognizing the deal and trying to balance it the best we can anyway. Easier said than done, I know.

EATING PLAN FOR LAMMAS

  I must be out of my mind to do this, but now I feel like I should try shedding sugar from my diet. Not only that, but also test out adding eggs to my mostly vegan eating regimen. I´m not sure how my digestive system will react to that, but since I feel the urge to do so, there must be something my body needs from eggs. We´ll see.

  I ditched fish, seafood, eggs, and all meats in 1993 as a teenager. In 2005 I let go of most dairy too. Every now and then I have had a craving for white fish, but I don´t even like it. I take it as a sign from my body that it is missing something animal-based. B12 vitamin perhaps? In any case, lately I have pondered on what would be the most ethical animal food to consume. I could not kill a living being, so meat is definitely out of the question. Fish is a more simple-looking creature, but I could not kill one only for my culinary pleasure either. I even feel bad for crabs and kinds being thrown in boiling water! What an awful way to die. No way would I ever do that either. Sometimes I have had to kill very sick small fish from my aquarium, and I have done it by boiling them. It feels awful seeing them take the final sprint (although probably purely by reflex) in the hot water.
  Milk (especially cow´s milk) is something I did not even understand to ditch until this millenium. Never before had I thought of what happened to the calves the milk was biologically meant for. It is so sad, and scary, that I dare not google for any links here...  =(
  Overall I do not want to eat anything I could not prepare myself from scratch. It´s just not fair.

  But eggs are a different story. I could easily go grab a fresh one from a chicken´s nest. No killing involved. I make sure I only buy organic eggs during my experiment. It is very important! There is so much inhumanity going on in many egg farms, and I want to do my best not to support them.

  But back to my eating plan. A nice and eco-friendly one.  =)
  My goal now is to reduce sugar consumption. In a way I think I´m substituting sugar with eggs. The experiment is to see whether adding a bit of animal protein will ease my addiction to sugar. Sugar is my only bad habit left, so I´m not majorly worried, but aiming for better is always the way to go.

So here it is, a breakfast omelet. The point of the eggs is mainly to hold the veggies together. This particular one is the second omelet I have ever made in my life (and I´m 36 already =). Tasty, packed with delicious veggies, and low in calories. Keeps me satisfied for surprisingly long, and gives a different kind of fullness than grain. Interesting.

For lunch and dinner, loads and loads of various types of veggies plus whole grain bread. Here is broccoli-potato soup with rye bread.

In the evening, a splash of whiskey or rum seasons my nightcap.. =)

  The plan:

Breakfast:
2 cups of refreshing and cleansing drink (juice of 1/2 lemon+cayenne pepper and ginger to taste)
an omelet made with two organic eggs, 1/3 cup of almond milk, salt and pepper, tons of finely chopped veggies. Once cooked, drizzle a little soy sauce on top and garnish with fresh herbs.

Lunch and Dinner:
2 cups of green tea, plain
1. a fresh, raw, vegetable salad+dressing of choice and whole grain bread. OR
2. vegetable soup made from whole, fresh veggies. Can be cooked or raw. Plus whole grain bread. OR
3. a scone/bread roll made with wholemeal flour and tons of finely shredded vegetables (zucchini is the best, but anything goes) and berries if desired.
 The recipe: 2 cups wholemeal flour
 2 tsp baking powder
 1/2 tsp sea salt
 water
 shredded/finely diced veggies (+berries if desired)
+ Mix the dry ingredients. Add enough water to get a soft/loose dough/batter. Add in the veggies and divide into four flat breads on a baking paper-lined tray. Bake in a 430F (225C) oven for 15-20 min. Butter up and enjoy!

Supper:
2 cups of nightcap (1 cup hot water+1 cup of almond or coconut milk+1/4 cup rum or whiskey to add flavor)
a handful of nuts/seeds OR
2 Tbsp strong tastes like pesto sauce or a few chili marinated garlic cloves

  My mealtimes follow that of my diabetic son´s:
9am Breakfast
1-2pm Lunch
4-5pm Dinner
8pm Supper

I´m trying to eat a steady amount of calories throughout the day, and at regular times to avoid getting too hungry (and then grab anything unhealthy at hand). This is once again an all-you-can-eat eating plan, but one that will not make you fat!

MAKEUP IN THE NUDE

  A.k.a. the no-makeup makeup, which I think is perfect for this time of year.

  By now the sun has worked it´s magic on my skin, tanning it to it´s natural peak. I don´t deliberately bathe in sunlight to get brown, and do wear strong sunblock, but nonetheless just looking at my face reveals it is Lammas.  =)
  Nude makeup suits a tanned face and this relaxed late summer mood.

See the full diy guide on my column on PaganPages.

  Beautiful Lammas everyone!

FREEDOM FASHION: BLUE SUMMER DRESS

  This is my second staple outfit these days. I made it especially for warm summer days, and boy have I needed it lately!

From summer cabin to jazz festival, clad in this lightweight blue viscose dress I have felt ready to go and comfortable. It is a great piece to take with me on the go, because the wrinkles don´t show from all the print. =)

Thin natural fabrics are the best choice for hot summer weather. This is actually the first summer I have ever tested them out in my own sewing projects. Glad I did!

The hem is in fact a huge ruffle that flows generously in the wind, maximizing the cooling effect.

In the front there´s a row of buttons, but only for decorative purpose, the front is made of  one solid piece. I wanted the dress to have a bit more of a tailored look. 

The back is gathered slightly with an inch-wide rubber band to show a bit of the arch. It gives a more feminine silhouette.

    Quoting tv-shops "How did I ever manage without this dress before"?!  =)

FREEDOM FASHION: GREY FLORAL DRESS

  This dress saves my butt during these hot days of late summer:

It is the first of it´s kind, and I designed and drew the pattern all by myself. I´m no pattern maker, so I´m positively surprised the dress turned out so well! Yay! Never before have I had a spaghetti strapped diy dress. This is too revealing for work, but it is a life saver on hot off-days!

The material is thin, well-draping viscose. With nothing underneath the dress, it feels heavenly to have the wind swish the hem around, cooling me down pleasantly.

The top part caused me to use my grey brain cells a few times. I wanted it to be loose too to maximize ventilation, but was not sure how to prevent it from looking like a huge tent. But then I realized that adding a simple strap around would do the trick perfectly. Now it is still loose, but slightly gathered.

No makeup is needed on off-days, especially now when the skin is tanned and the weather sweaty. I like to accessorize even when I´m not wearing makeup. Here the sun hat, aromatherapy bow earrings, and nailpolish separate me from shabby (I hope!  =).