Savoury

Superpulveret gurkemeie!

Chiapudding med gurkemeie & kokosmelk!

Her får du 3 enkle & kjappe måter å implementere superpulveret gurkemeie i kostholdet ditt. Det virker antiinflammatorisk som er bra for hud og fordøyelse, la meg vise deg!

1. Lag deg gurkemeie smoothie

2. Bland det sammen med kokt couscous

3. Gi chiapuddingen din solfarge

Slik gjør du;

1. 250 dl plantemelk, 1 ts gurkemeiepulver, 1-2 ss tahini, 1 banan, kanel & sort pepper å smake til, ha oppi isbiter hvis du ønsker det og voila blender du alt i smoothieblenderen!

2. Ha 150g couscous, 2,5 dl vann og salt i en kjele og kok opp. Rør inn 1 ts gurkemeie og krydre med sort pepper. Legg på lokk, senk varmen og la det trekke ca. 30 minutter.

3. Rør godt inn 1 ts gurkemeie pulver med 3 ss chiafrø og 200 dl kokosmelk i en glasskrukke. La den hvile i kjøleskapet i 10 minutter eller over natten og det har blitt til chiapudding!

Krydret couscous med gurkemeie, salat, avokado, koriander, gulrot, paprika og tofu.

Håper dette kan inspirere deg til å ta i bruk superpulveret og du får oppleve de fantastiske helsefordelene det bringer.

Let’s Bloom!

Cheers!

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Well Being

Cultivate self love cause you’re worth it!

Cultivating self love is easier said than done, yet it’s a process and we all have a choice to be patient with ourselves. I’ve been there and still have a long journey to go, but that’s what makes it beautiful, an everlasting opportunity to thrive and grow.

So you may ask yourself, how can I start this self love journey? Well, here’s how as I teach you the necessary steps forward. The takeaway from this is to feel enough, stop your inner critic, be more kind to yourself and be comfortable at receiving compliments, because guess what?! You deserve it, so let’s bloom!

STEP 1 — ACCEPTANCE

First up is Acceptance. This is so important, as practicing forgiveness and being more kind to yourself will make a difference. We all have a tough time being too hard on ourselves, not feeling like we are meeting up with the expectations we set. Yet the key here is to go gentle with yourself and acknowledge where you are at this moment and the steps you are making. I know it is cliche with the statement that it is a journey and not a destination, but there is truthfulness behind these words and if you start being aware of it’s meaning you will accept who you are more but still keep a glimpse of where you’re headed.

So what happens when you have a hard time to accept? That’s when you need to embrace what you’re feeling instead of pushing them away. Emotions will arise stronger when you resist, so therefore it is crucial to feel what you are feeling without judging. This can be difficult, but here’s a tip, practice meditation. Then you will become more mindful and observant by your thoughts, behavior and body signals.

STEP 2 — AWARENESS

This leads us to the next step, Awareness. When you become aware, it will enable you to pause and take some breaths. This habit will help you to reset yourself. You will notice when to stop negative thinking by mantra disruption. One example of a powerful mantra is “I am enough”. By saying these words to yourself aloud or within, resistance might show up. But this is when it’s time to work on your self growth journey, and start believing more and more till it feels natural.

One last tip on how to elevate your awareness skills is by practicing body scanning. Sit comfortably, or lie down without distractions. Start by closing your eyes and focus on your breath. Then begin noticing your body by doing a “scan” from your toes all the way to the top of your head? When you’re done, did you become more aware of some feelings or blockages you were not aware of before starting? Journal it or address how you can solve it. Look at you then, already making steps towards your well being journey.

STEP 3 — RESPECT

Following up on how to cultivate self love, respect is key. However, that can be challenging when there is a constant external noise by today’s society. Yet, I encourage you to listen to your needs and wants, to be aware of making those a priority. Honor yourself by setting healthy boundaries and evaluate your relationships. What bonds are uplifting, nurturing, energizing versus those who are energy draining and negative which you might need to consider stepping aside from. This can be uncomfortable, but if you really love yourself it will be clear for you where and with whom you want to put your energy towards as you value respect highly. Tip and takeaway is put yourself first!

STEP 4 — EMPOWERMENT

That makes a great introduction to our last and final step on how to cultivate self love, which is empowerment. Begin praising yourself with positive statements. Remind yourself of your strengths and what works for you. This is empowering as you will see more clearly what makes you great. In addition, practicing affirmations that empowers you also helps, an example to feel inspired by is “I am manifesting everything I deserve.”

Hoping this will spark you up and leave you motivated to take the action steps mentioned above, I wish you a beautiful, enlightening self love journey.

With love & care, Melanie x

Well Being

Bliss!

Make room for more bliss in your life.

Bliss to me means prioritizing wellness and better health to feel awesome & continue kicking ass in whatever I put my mind into.

Like;

• Allow myself to rest when I need it

• Eat nutritious, colorful foods

• Sunshine & natural light exposure

• Spend time with uplifting relationships

• Listen to inspiring music

• Be present & mindful

• Slow down to be intentional & aware

Oh and also bring some more Bliss by treating yourself with wellness, sustainable and less waste products by coia store. Like this gorgeous golden spoon you see on the picture below.

I’m happy to be their ambassador as I love that they’re passionate about making products that make you feel good. Which increases the quality of life, and which at the same time takes care of our nature. The products from coia are designed with quality, natural materials and aesthetic completion in focus.

Join in and use my code team20 for a 20% discount, bring it on with the bliss.

Check out their website here:

http://coiastore.no

With love & care, Melanie

Well Being

Delicious homemade chocolate!

With cacao nibs, roasted hazelnuts, dried raisins and cranberries

Did you know that homemade chocolate is easier to make than you might think, you only need the right ingredients and thanks to super.nature, that is possible! You just need cacao butter and cacao mass, some sweetener and that’s it!

Recipe

Ingredients

• 200g cacao mass

• 100g cacao butter

• 4-8 tbsp of coconut sugar, depending on how sweet you want it

Add if you like: cacao nibs, roasted nuts like hazelnuts for crunch, dried raisins and cranberries for extra sweetness and sea salt to enhance the chocolate flavor.

Method

1. Melt cocoa mass and cocoa butter in a water bath.

2. Whisk in coconut sugar when the cocoa mass and cocoa butter have become liquid.

3. Taste if the chocolate is sweet enough.

4. Add the desired flavors and additives.

5. Pour the chocolate into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

6. Cut into pieces with a knife and enjoy!

Ps: a thoughtful idea is to give it away as a gift.

https://www.super-nature.no/kakao

Gift wrapping the chocolate!

Did you know that chocolate is good for the heart, brain and mood!

And did you also know that homemade gifts gives you these mental health benefits:

• It improves your well being and life quality.

• It regulates your mood and can reduce stress.

• Can give fewer symptoms of depression.

So by taking these benefits in regard, let’s combat the long dark hours with chocolate to cheer up and stay healthy mentally. Oh and it just gets better by giving it away, remember what I mentioned above;)

With love & care, Melanie x

Well Being

Stockholm ~ Sweden

The castle

I love the nostalgia when walking past historic buildings and monuments through a city. I’ll tell ya, Stockholm’s old town still got it, with charming streets paving the way with old bricks, walls painted in warm orange and attention to detail of craft work. That made it all so magical. To be truthful, it was hard not to stop taking videos and pictures! There is always something eye catching, which takes your breath away, that makes you curious and excited about what’s next around the corner. You will spot tiny, narrow streets, antique shops and bakeries for a traditional “fika”. The experience was beyond my expectations, a new breath of life fueled me as I made my first touristic visit in Stockholm.

The the eye catching church

As I’m gazing up with awe, these historical monuments leaves me speechless. They remind me that we all share some greatness in us. We only need to take ownership of it and find that drive to show up each day to be our greatest self. That can be as simple as smiling at a stranger, giving thanks, being supportive and loving, living aligned with your purpose and goals so that you unleash your true potential! We are all great, just look back at history and what mankind has been capable of, cause you’re no different. You are significant, you play an important part, remember that.

Feels like being brought back in time!
If you pay attention to details, you’ll stop every second on your way through the old town…
Don’t you want to just step inside by how cute this entrance is presented?!

The city has so much to offer. Look at these classical sailboats at shore, since there is a river running through Stockholm called Söderström. I didn’t get the chance to be out in the waters, but that’s one of the tourist attractions. My recommendation is to go on a boat sightseeing and you will get the chance to see the city from a different view than by land.

So take the trip to visit Stockholm, not easy during these corona times though. But when you do, I hope the magic will spark through you the same way the old town in Stockholm did to me.

With love and care, Melanie x

And stay safe ❤

Well Being

Lidkoping ~ Sweden

At the moment you’ll find me in a charming , little village called Lidkoping in Sweden. People from here might think it can be a boring place for someone used to living in the big city, but in contrast I find it peaceful, authentic and cute. That’s what I love about having a touristic mindset as you are viewing a place with new eyes of excitement. I encourage everyone to implement this perspective and being an explorer in their hometown. However, there must be balance. I truly believe as well that people evolve when they change environment and get the opportunity to step outside of their known territory by traveling away to achieve new insightful experiences.

Yet, let’s dive into this place and have a look at their treasure spots. Even though it’s small, it’s cozy and has lots to offer. You only need some awareness, an eye for detail, a sense of curiosity and unfold your creativity.

First up, we have their religious center piece, a stunning church named St. Nicolai. It’s outer exterior decorated with rose gold details and a beautiful tower to look up at. You can visit it during the opening hours from 9-13.

The view of the town’s beautiful church ~ ps notice the extraordinary rose gold details! It’s first time I’ve seen this, is it for you as well?!
The entrance
Stepping into holy presence

Let’s move on, next up the square, a five minute walk from the church if you stop on the way like I did and photographed the old historic buildings.

On your stroll, you’ll see an old library with columns, and other old houses in cute pastel colors. Like this beautiful door I spotted.

The town hall at the main square of Lidkoping

And this is where you will find the tourist information office as well as the best bakery in town called “Rådhuskonditoriet”. I must say it’s the perfect place to get the Christmas vibes as you can feel the spirit of the community. They offer lots of activities and events as Christmas is just around the corner. And although it’s not yet December, that won’t stop them from serving already saffron traditional pastries and being in Christmas mood.

So if you’re here during this season I recommend buying their “safran lyxbulla” as it’s one of a kind. If not, there’s no wrong in eating a traditional Swedish cinnamon bun, that’s actually a must!

Make sure to come to the square on Wednesdays and Saturdays, because then you will see the market! Oh and then forget to spot the second hand shops, a very typical Swedish activity to do. Remember the word “loppis” and you might get lucky at finding good bargains on antique pieces or souvenirs to remember this place.

Antique pieces for such a good bargain!

If you continue inwards from the square and into the narrower streets, you will find more bakeries, charming interior shops and a favorite shop I found which sold the most beautiful flowers on display. That totally made me forget about Christmas btw and I daydreamed of a warm, sunny summer’s day.

Aren’t they enchanting?

I hope you’ve found bliss and inspiration when you travel or just wanting to explore and unfold your creativity where you are. It’s a powerful self care practice, to feel recharged, open minded, motivated and inspired. Let’s not forget that it’s an important part of enjoying life cause the world has so much to offer us if we just open our eyes!

With love & care, Melanie x

Well Being

Truegum ~ the revolutionary chewing gum!

Smile cause it’s like ray of sunshine

The world smiles back when you choose “truegum” and here’s why:

  1. It’s plastic free, vegan and biodegradable chewing gum.
  2. Made 100% natural with high quality plant based ingredients that’s good for you and our planet.
  3. Free from sugar and additives, waaay healthier!
  4. Made sustainable and produced in Copenhagen, Denmark.

My 2 favorites are lemon and strong mint because they are so refreshing and leaves you with a good taste and breath!

But go check ‘em out cause they’ve got more amazing flavors in store..
Here’s their website https://truegum.com

Don’t wait to make that difference, the power lies in your choice.

My two favorites!

With love & care, Melanie x

Breakfast, Well Being

Red berry & chia swirl bowl

Nutrition is important to me as to how I perform on court, but also how I feel health wise. I’ve discovered a lot through my journey of performance and well being.

If my experience can help you realize something you weren’t aware of, then I hope you find that realization by continuing reading this post.

My personal struggle has been my sinus, however I discovered that certain foods can trigger it and weaken my immune system, making me more exposed to strong allergies of pollen.

Those foods connected to my case of Timothy grass pollen allergy are; legumes, oats, peanuts and tomatoes. However, it may be you’re not getting an allergy effect by all these foods, maybe only one or not to eat every kind all at once. Therefore I encourage you to understand your personal health and body since you know best.

That’s why food choices and nutrition can be different to each and one of us since we all are unique.

Since I was unaware of this and influenced by what I thought was categorized healthy, I didn’t help myself by eating this way for many years making my pollen allergy stronger over time. These facts was an eye opening change for me, and now that I know better, I can help myself to stay healthy. Of course everything with balance, since I have also understood how important it is to listen to your body and its needs instead of resisting.

That’s why I’m eating smoothie bowls instead of overnight oats or porridge. I discovered a new great invention of mixing it with chia pudding and having fun making swirls, it’s a great substitute to granola which normally contains oats. However, I found a solution to it making grainfree granola which also works perfectly. Yet, I must say I don’t mind mixing it with chia pudding. The benefits are many by eating it, you see chia seeds are high in fiber, protein, contains healthy fats and calcium. It’s perfect together with lots of berries as it stabilizes your blood sugar and which gives you a feeling of satiety.

Hoping this will make you more aware of what you eat and how you feel so that you can perform and be your best self.

Recipe & ingredients

• 1 cup frozen raspberries

• 1/2 cup frozen strawberries

• 1-2 frozen bananas

• 120 ml coconut milk

• 1 tsp rice bran from https://www.super-nature.no

Blend well together in a smoothie blender.

• 3 tbsp chia seeds

• 100 ml coconut milk

Set aside for 10 minutes and let it swell for it to become chia pudding!

Ps: it’s delicious with hazelnut butter, goji berries and dried apricots. Have fun making swirls when adding the chia pudding on top of your smoothie bowl!

Enjoy!

With love & care, Melanie x

Breakfast

Porto ~ Portugal

As I’m writing and looking into perspective, I feel very fortunate to travel again and do my job as a professional tennis player. When I’m now abroad it feels like I’m given an opportunity to seize all the wonders of live which is enhancing my life experience in all magical ways. Therefore I’m in awe when I see what this beautiful city has to offer and digesting all the ancient monuments with a history greater than time. As I walk through these old, narrow streets of cobblestone, it is as time has stand still and I’m brought back into the town’s past. Although its architecture, tram tracks and atmosphere might be giving you nostalgia, there is a new breath of modern life hanging in the air. If you look closely you’ll sense it by the small healthy cafés standing out which crosses the line of history, traditionalism and conservatism. They will take you to the future of a healthy eating lifestyle that is becoming more common and sought after around the world.

I went on a hungry stomach with great determination towards my target to eat a delicious breakfast. Destination: Nola kitchen. I must admit it wasn’t the cleverest choice to look at the menu when being so eager to eat it all. But in the end my choice landed at the egg bowl. A nutritious bowl of black rice, sautéed kale, grilled corn, poached eggs, oven roasted sweet potatoes and delicious tahini sauce with it.

The egg bowl

However, that bowl still made me hungry for more and so I ordered their summer edition pancakes. With the sun shining towards my face it felt like the perfect choice as chocolate pancakes would be heavy to digest on a warm summer’s day in Porto.

Summer edition pancakes

These healthy pancakes were definitely a new experience to me. They tasted not like normal pancakes if being honest, but with the coconut yoghurt, maple sirup, berries and crunch of pistachios, it balanced it out and so I ended up finishing it all up somehow!

Wanderlust
The square you need to visit
The beautiful facade of the church
Monuments of ancient history
In love with the blue tiles!
During a hitting session on center court before the tournament

With love & care, Melanie x

Breakfast

Eatmytrip Barcelona ~ Brunch

Alps Brunch & Açaí bowl

Barcelona is heaven on earth when you wanna eat great brunch in town. There are so many amazing cafés to go eating and enjoy delicious, colorful dishes from their menus. With some research and evaluation, I came across eatmytrip on google. They did not disappoint. A cozy little place but with an abundant space full of passion and love, I felt immediately at home. I loved their originality in interior, platings and flavors. It was an adventurous experience by the atmosphere and the different tastings of food components. And who doesn’t love new things to try and explore right?

Their menu offers vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options, so it’s a place for everyone to enjoy. I tried their alps brunch; so delicious with the combination of truffle, Parmesan and cheese together with roasted potatoes, mushrooms, poached eggs and pickled onion. It’s symphony to my ears and truly satisfied my tastebuds. The gluten-free seed bread was also pitch perfect with it.

Then, the açaí bowl like no other I’ve tasted before! So creamy, so yummy and I loved that it didn’t have lots of seeds from the berries sticking to my teeth! The color of the smoothie was beautiful, the toppings bringing it next bevel with mouthwatering sweet mango and strawberries, accompanied by crunchy buckwheat granola, coconut chips and gluten-free chocolate chip cookie. Another star component of the dish being so gooey and moist.

Can you see what I mean?

But the brunch didn’t stop right there you see.. I had to finish it in style with their chocoloco pancakes and man that made me loco by how amazing they were. From how beautifully they plated it, to harmonizing the flavors of crunch by red velvet crumbs to creamy coconut mousse and hazelnut ice cream. However, topping it off with fluffy well made American pancakes. I loved that they went loco with the chocolate sauce because that’s the way it should be if the dish says so right? Still day dreaming about them, no doubt I’m coming back for more!

Take a closer look of them guys
Matcha latte served in a dead skull cup, this is what I mean by how cool they are by being so original!

So if you are in Barcelona and want to enjoy a top notch brunch place, this is the café to go. Enjoy and don’t hold back.

With love & care, Melanie x