Since I’ve been living back in Berlin, life has been all go. I feel as though I’m in a constant state of schaffe schaffe, racing from one place to the next, making sure that I’m ticking off all of the things. Some days it’s not uncommon for me to bike at least 50 km around Berlin: 10 kms to work, 10 to the pool and back, 10 home. Shall we head to Kreuzberg for the evening? Bike to that gig across town? Heck yes! There goes another 20 kms. I’m burning fuel like nobody’s business.

After being caught out a few times and being so famished that I simply had to devour the most delicious, super unhealthy, but conveniently located option – an “extremely addictive” vanilla chocolate croissant from Le Crobag at the S Bahn Friedrichstrasse station (you have been warned) I’ve created this Cherry Ripe flaxseed pudding. It keeps me going, is packed with super foods and also caters to my incredibly sweet tooth which has really developed here in Europe (everything just tastes so damn gooood!). I usually take a serve of the pudding in a glass jar to work with me and have it mid-morning, especially if I plan to hit the pool over lunch. I’ll also keep a couple to have as dessert, which is a daily requirement (for me) in our house.

Cherries are the Super Foodie star of this dish; ruby red and delightfully juicy, they are readily available right now in the markets in Berlin and elsewhere in Europe. Cherries are one of Mother Earth’s most powerful anti-inflammatory sources due to the presence of anthocyanins, which research has revealed prevents free radical damage and improves memory. Cherries also contain melatonin, a hormone which assists in regulating sleep cycles, which is warmly welcomed on these short, sweltering nights.

Flaxseeds are also pretty damn wonderful as they provide a powerful dose of omega-3 essential fatty acids, which is great for both your heart and skin. Lignans are also present- a group of chemical compounds which are estrogen-type chemicals that also act like antioxidants in the body to counteract free radical damage. Flaxseeds also ensure the pudding gelatinises (in much the same way chia seeds would) so that you get that creamy, chocolate moussey-type effect.

This delectable combination of chocolate, cherries and coconut is my Super Foodie take on the divisive Cherry Ripe chocolate bar, which is often my first choice in the Cadbury Favourites chocolate box, but an absolute last resort for many others.

The flaxseed pudding can either be brought to a light boil before being transferred into your vessel of choice and cooled, or if you would prefer to keep this dessert raw simply mix very well, transfer and leave to set overnight in the fridge.

Cherry Ripe Flaxseed Pudding

Serves 4

1/2 a cup of kibbled flaxseed

1 1/2 cups of milk of your choosing (I used a cup of coconut milk and oat milk)

1/4 of a cup of cocoa or raw cacao powder

2 heaped tablespoons of honey or sweetener of choice

A sprinkle of Himalayan rock salt

2 cups of cherries, pitted

A teaspoon of honey or a sweetener of your choice

A dash of vanilla

1/4 of a cup of coconut chips

In a saucepan, combine the flaxseed, milk, honey or sweetener of your choice and Himalayan rock salt and mix well. Depending on your option, either bring to a light boil and transfer into vessels of your choice and cool; or transfer into vessels and leave in the fridge to set overnight.

An hour or two before you would like to serve, in a saucepan lightly boil the pitted cherries, honey or sweetener of your choice and vanilla. Allow to cool.

When ready to serve, lightly toast the coconut chips. Spoon the stewed cherries onto the flaxseed puddings and sprinkle with toasted coconut chips.

 

Goodness, it feels so verdammt gut to be back in Deutschland. I really have left my heart in two places – New Zealand and Germany are worlds apart but both feel like home to me.

Here I feel so unbelievably free. Free from the bitter weather back home and the people who are falling into their winter slumps. Free from the confines of what constitutes a “normal life”. Free from the mind-numbing politics I used to have to deal with in my previous world. The only remotely political thing I have to contend with here is which organic supermarket am I going to buy groceries from? The one which has the more sustainable packaging or the one which makes those highly addictive dark chocolate amaranth bars from the healthier, less refined ingredients?

I’m just busy doing my things: biking around in the sun, reading in parks, doing laps around the Sportplatz, practicing yoga, a spot of meditation here and there and eating my fill of Dönerkebaps. You know, first I have my pot of tea and then I do the things.

I also feel so wonderfully alive  – in Berlin you can just be. It may have something to do with the warm weather, the pink hawthorns in full bloom, the whiffs of herb through the streets, my propensity for Club-Mate. Or perhaps it’s that even though in the last few years I’ve only spent summer times in Berlin and haven’t had to endure a long, harsh winter, these guys have a good thing going on. Here are a few of my faves:

For starters, people bike everywhere. This makes for a whole lotta spaß, helps you burn off some fuel after a night and is a great way to keep fit whilst working on your tan. Who needs to pay for a taxi or ride the inferno-like trains when you can push your pedals? It’s good for both you and the environment.

As most people are apartment dwellers, people hang out in parks or along one of the many canals or rivers. Pick up a brewski or a Club-Mate and a wee Schnäpschen from one of the many Spätis (late night dairy) and you are away laughing. It makes for some über interesting chat when it’s party time with other people from every corner of the globe. This is a stark contrast from New Zealand where most people generally hang out in their own backyards, so I’m loving this extra-social element.

The organic supermarkets or Biomarkts are amazing. As a superfood writer, Berlin is paradise for me. Because there is such a demand for organic food and the government incentivises the industry, it keeps the cost down and there is a huge variety of interesting and health-enhancing superfoods that really get me amped. I’m going to write more about this at a later date so stay tuned.

The Sommerbads are so so good. These outdoor swimming pools have everything I want in a pool: a newspaper or magazine for sale on arrival, a variety of pools to swim in, trees to shelter under, slides and volleyball courts. Der Sommerbad Kreuzberg ist mein allerliebsten closely followed by the Sommerbad Neukölln.

I do however feel myself becoming more German by the day. How dare they walk in what is clearly the designated bike lane, damn tourists. Mein Gott, will that person in the queue please pack their groceries just a little but faster so that we can all get on with our lives? Why are you not on the right side but hogging the left side of the escalator, and worse still, just standing idle, when I clearly need to get past?!

Berlin is a world away from the small city of Dunedin where I live in New Zealand – I’m really in the big smoke here. As the wise yogi Sadhguru says, “if you want everyone to fall in love with you, the first thing is, you must fall in love with all of them”. I have to remember to chill out, give love, rise above and be much more tolerant as I share this city with the millions of other people in this melting pot who call Berlin home.

I’m super stoked to be sharing this journey with you through Super Foodie and my new gig on Berlin Logs as well. Tschüssi!

 

 

For those in the Southern Hemisphere, winter is coming…

As the days become shorter and the temperature cooler, I’ve chatted with a number of people who are really freaking out about the arrival of winter. Where we live in Dunedin, New Zealand, although the winters here are filled with stunning days, the air crisp and the sunlit sky a muted blue, they can be long and bleak, peppered with periods of sleet, hail and horizontal rain; and for many of us, just a bit depressing. Even the hope of spring and the arrival of the sweet scent of blossom towards the end of winter isn’t enough to be released from the winter slump.

I’m feeling very grateful this year as I’m evading the winter and heading to Europe for 4-5 months on a cultural sabbatical; to reinvigorate and replenish my world. I’ve resigned from my corporate job, which has been highly liberating in itself, and I’m flitting off in a few days. I can already taste the freedom.

Anyhow; after my fair share of winters in Dunedin, I’ve learnt how to make the most of them and here are a few of my hot tips for surviving winter:

1) Holiday

There needs to be light at the end of a tunnel in the form of a tropical break, or at the very least, going somewhere warmer than where you live. Heading away to a Pacific island, Bali, Byron Bay or even the Bay of Islands will do you the world of good. Planning your trip for later in the winter or early spring is best. So much of the experience is the anticipation of going on the trip, so this will help you to remain positive through the darker days. Remember, eyes on the prize. And repeat.

2) Vitamin D

Go to your doctor and get a prescription for Vitamin D. There is a direct link to the amount of vitamin D in your body and your mood. One theory is that it helps to create positive feelings by altering dopamine levels in the brain. When you’re not getting enough sunlight in winter, your body doesn’t naturally produce vitamin D, so getting a prescription will make a big difference to your temperament. If you can, beg for a 6 month supply (normally doctors will only prescribe a 3 month supply) as in actual fact, winters in the south of the south do last that long.

3) Swimming

Heading to the pool transformed my winter last year. Changing into my swimmers, diving into the pool and doing laps or aqua jogging was invigorating, provided a really good workout and gave me a wee taste of summer a few times a week. The hot spa afterwards was the icing on the cake and I always left the pool feeling energised, toasty warm and pretty damn good about myself and the world.

4) Meditation

The benefits of meditation are aplenty and are especially helpful in winter, as a regular practice increases happiness and immune health. Studies have shown that there is a boost in brain signaling in the left side of the prefrontal cortex, which is predominantly responsible for positive emotions; while there is a reduction in activity in the right side, responsible for negative emotions. Meditation has a positive effect on your immune system by boosting antibodies and slowing down the reduction of the CD-4 cell count, which are immune cells associated with keeping the virus from multiplying. There are numerous free meditations online so try out a few and do whichever one suits you best.

5) Get outside

Even if it is bitter, get out there. Staying indoors, not moving your body and making yourself feel (momentarily) better with self-saucing chocolate puddings and lashings of cream may lead you on a downward spiral of downheartedness. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a big fan of a hearty dessert, but feeling frumpy in winter may not give you much motivation to leave the house. Rug up, connect with nature (the Ross Creek waterfall is a personal fave) and enjoy the serenity.

6) Keep up the good work

Continuing with your regular exercise regime and eating a variety of fresh fruit, vegetables and other wholefoods will assist you to feel good during the winter. During the colder months, your body will naturally crave heavier, more calorific foods so it’s important that you balance that with your movement of choice. Even if you just can’t leave the house, do a yoga or HIIT (high intensity interval training) class at home. Again, there are many options online. You’ll also feel that much better on the beach in your bathers when your holiday comes around.

 

Beetroot is the wunderkind of the vegetable family. Bright, vibrant and packed full of nutrients, beetroot cleanses the liver, nourishes the blood and is also highly fibrous. These spiced beetroot chips are a great way to introduce more beetroot in to your diet, especially those among us who are not so hot on beetroot but love to indulge in chippies. The spiced beetroot chips perfectly match the pear guacamole, which my lovely Beau concocted. He sought to bulk out the guacamole whilst spontaneously entertaining guests one evening – pure genius, I say. The pear provides a refreshing sweetness, whilst the coconut cream gives the dish a delightful creaminess.

This recipe (recently published in The Kiwi Diary 2015) is ideal for a spot of autumnal entertaining with your nearest and dearest.

Spiced Beetroot Chips

4 medium beetroots, peeled

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1/2 a teaspoon of rock salt

1/2 a teaspoon of white pepper

1/2 a teaspoon of brown sugar

1/2 a teaspoon of Chinese five spice

Preheat the oven to 160°C on fan bake. Slice the beetroot very thinly using a mandoline. Mix together the rock salt, brown sugar, white pepper and Chinese five spice. Toss the beetroot slices in olive oil and the spice mixture until they are well coated. Lay out on lined baking trays and bake until lightly crisp (20-30 minutes depending on the thickness of the beetroot slices). Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool and become extra crispy.

Pear Guacamole

1 large avocado or two smaller avocados

The juice of a lemon

½ a pear, finely diced

1 tomato, finely diced

1 tablespoon of sweet chilli sauce

1 – 2 garlic cloves, crushed (depending on how garlicy you like it)

2 tablespoons of coconut cream

1/2 a teaspoon of ground pepper

1/2 a teaspoon of Himalayan rock salt

Combine all of the ingredients and mix well. Serve with spiced beetroot chips, crackers, crudités, tortillas or whatever else takes your fancy.