Mindful Monday: Stress as my Friend?

             

As everyone of us, I am still dealing with stress and I guess, this will not pass away that easy and fast, but I am definitely feeling better now because I listen more and more to my body's needs. Today, I've just found this super interesting Ted Talk in how to turn stress to your best friend as the Health Psychologist explains. Please take 15 minutes of your time to learn about how to deal with stress. It might save your life and the only thing you have to do is: believe. 

Chasing meaning is better for your health than trying to avoid discomfort.

Food Friday: Rye x Whole Spelt Flour Bread

Oh boy! I've just checked the Bread Recipes and the last one I've posted was in August 2013!!! Really need to post more of them because I'm always baking new ones with different ingredients or specialities :) This time, I've tried out a mixture of two flours, whole spelt flour and actually rye flour. I don't know why I've never done this before, but since I'm adding more rye flour to my breads (oh yes, I've tried this one out a severeal times, didn't want to give you a-never-tested-recipe), the result is more rich, dark and delicious!!! We've tried out only rye-flour before, but the bread was too dense and too heavy on the stomach. This is the perfect mixture now :) Have a try!

Ingredients:

250g whole spelt flour,

250g rye flour,

2 cups (150g) different seeds'n nuts

like almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds etc.

500ml luke-warm water,

1 package yeast,

2 teaspoons salt,
2 tablespoons vinegar (balsamic, cider).

1. Mix the flours in a big bowl, form a small hollow (dt.Mulde) in the middle of the flour mixture and place small parts of the yeast in that. Add salt and vinegar. Pour the water gradually in the bowl while mixing the dough with a spoon, or hands (how you prefer).

2. Step by step you can add the seeds and nuts, keep on mixing until all ingredients are evenly distributed in the dough. This is the step, at which you can add anything you want :) Chia? Thin Carrot or Zucchini slices? Pesto? I've tried it! Go for it ;-) But be aware that you might need less or more water, see how it turns out. The dough should be a bit moist, but not too much.

3. Prepare a baking sheet and form a bread ;-) Have some oats on top if you like. Put it in the not-preheated!!! oven for 60minutes at 400°F (200°C). 

Et Voilà :)

Your freshly baked, homemade and superhealthy bread is done! Enjoy with hearty or sweet spreads, I promise you'll love it ;-) And baking bread was never that easy!!! ♥ 

More Recipes to come under Breadlove :)

The Brother's Sweater

As the title says, I've did it again and borrowed this light-grey sweater from one of my family members. When I woke up this morning, I've checked my schedule and did not feel like wearing something too fancy for school and my date with a dear friend. 

Hmm.. what to do when most of your clothes are still in the washing machine? Look around and see what you can find :) This morning, it was my brother's sweater and I've knocked on his door - he was still sleeping - and asked for permission like 'Hey there, can I have your sweater?' Haha, he answered with 'Just do it then!' :D I guess, he was a bit annoyed because it was 6.30am, but had no problem with me wearing his stuff. He really finds it weird that I like wearing Men's Clothes :D :D Teenagers -.-' duuuh :D

Having this relaxed and sporty item, I've tried to work everything around and put my personal touch on it. Oh and layering also mattered because the weather here is changing every second. So I first put my Urban Outfitters Tank Top with the NYFucking City Print on and then a more chic-item - the dark-grey sweater from Vero Moda - really don't know how to say it, but I usually wear that in a different combination, see here and then actually some blue jeans, which I didn't like, you know how it is, right? ;-) I've changed my mind and my running thermal pants made it to this outfit. Black sneakers, golden Vintage jewelry from and &Other Stories and a bit of Neon by Maugold did the rest ;-) Today's outfit was more comfy and sporty, but still had an edge, you like it? :)

This is one of my favorite summer shirts because on the day I've got it, the Urban Outfitters Store in Soho, NY had a promotion event going on and they were printing shirts and bags with different NYC prints for the customers for free!! :) Read more about my last days in NY back in 2012 :) Oh and you should go out and play ;-)

Thanks for the pictures K - OFFCOLOR.

Mindful Monday: Let's hit RESET.

It's been ten days since my last post and I have been struggling and coping with stress. I am not going to tell you and complain about how busy my schedule is but rather give myself and you the best tips ever to reset the clock and breathe. This will be quite different to my last destress-post because THIS actually works better for me, will it for you?

1. Delete the s-word from your vocabulary.

2. There is never a must-do,

but rather an 'I CAN' do.

You do not need to run errands, clean dishes, 

writing papers, going to the doctor etc. 

Switch your thinking and the world will look better. 

What about: Hey! Today I CAN write the paper if I want to.

 Maybe.. I am and you are grateful for that?

Even the possibility of doing so?

3. Do not listen to others,

only YOU know what is best for you.

If you do not want to be social, don't be. 

Your best friends will understand when you need time for yourself. 

Why pushing and forcing? 

You don't want to go to school? 
Skip a day, no, not the entire semester, 
but honestly, if you really really feel like it, do it then.

Inner drive?

Yes, then work.

Do not distract yourself with Facebook, 

twitter, instagram, yes, I know it's hard. 

Set timers or have a log? Who wants to spend his/her whole life on a social network platform rather than being outside with actually real people, right?!

 

4. Turn away from negativity,

embrace positivity and smile more.

5. Take a day off, or two, or three, ..

to listen to YOU and YOUR needs.

6. Go out and play.

For me that means having the freedom to say: 

Okay I have done enough for today, I go skating now! 

Everyone of us has to find his or her own balance in life, but when my heart races, I feel pressured, and finally my back hurts from sitting too much at the desk, it's time to RESET and find my inner focus again. What are your tips on resetting and how do you keep the balance of working and playing? :) More tips are welcome, but go out, enjoy some sun and have cake! :) xx

The Vintage Military Jacket..

..from my dad's. When we celebrated the new Lunar Year with all the other Vietnamese people around town, I noticed that some of the fathers were wearing those kind of military jackets. Big, slouchy, square-shaped and khaki. It was really funny seeing them with the same 'uniforms'. So, I spoke to my dad the other day: Hey, where did you guys have those jackets from? I want one, too! =D My mum was laughing.. and my dad was like: Well, yeah, I have another one, just bought it a few weeks ago from an old lady, who was in the military. Oh really?? You aren't kidding? 

Here it is: the oversize Vintage Military Jacket! When I first threw this on (my instagram followers already saw it ;-) ) I wasn't sure about whether or not to keep this item. I luckily didn't pay anything for it and really needed to get use to this big jacket, but hey, step out of your comfort zone and try something new, right? :) I've thought since this jacket is a bit bigger in shape I have to pair it with something slim. I chose my Vintage Object Jumper, my patterned Zara pants, the Zara boots, and the Urban Outfitters Backpack for school :) Oh, not to forget the black fleece jacket underneath from Mazine, a German streetwear brand, to keep me warm these days. Bracelets are also from my dad's and & Other Stories.

How do you like it? 

Should I keep the Military Jacket or return it to my dad? :)