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

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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

Pancakes for breakfast anyone?

Easy peasy pancakes and with delicious toppings: blueberry sauce and caramelized banana. So so yummy guys.

I love when you have few ingredients, can remember it in your head and the result is just mind blowing, especially with these toppings on!

But first, some deep reflection. Life can seem dull or meaningless sometimes, especially when facing difficulties in your life and in regard of the corona situation. However, perspective is key to transform your mindset and how you face these challenges. For a moment, unwanted feelings can occur, your mind shifts to victim mentality and one can forget the great gifts in life. But that is why I’m inviting you to do one small change about it, as simple as making yourself pancakes for breakfast. It for sure helps your mood and it’s a nice way act of loving yourself. I’m not saying this is the overall solution here, it’s only a small trick to lighten up your day and start off your morning best way possible.

When starting your day, your mind wonders back to the old thinking patterns, so did you know we think the same thoughts over and over again since we are not conscious or aware of it? That’s why taking time to prepare your breakfast can be a mindful practice if you aren’t the type to sit still and mediate for 10 minutes. Then use your time different by being aware of what you are doing, the ingredients, following the instructions mindfully, being aware of smells and another thing you can do while waiting to flip over your pancake is repeating to yourself positive affirmations when you start focusing on your worries, to do list or troubles. Being in the present moment is as its other meaning to it, a present to life.

I hope you find this helpful and let’s act on it!

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour (I used whole meal since it’s healthier)

• 1 cup oat milk plus 4 tbsp more if it’s too thick

• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1/4 tsp baking soda

Toppings

• Make the blueberry compote by simply put frozen blueberries into the microwave. It’s quick and it’s made without any refined white sugar.

• Caramelize the bananas by frying them on the pan with coconut oil, honey or maple sirup and cinnamon!

Instructions

1. Mix all dry ingredients and let aside the milk with the apple cider vinegar for 5 minutes. This is the reason they rise!

2. Then stir in all ingredients together and heat up a pan on medium heat with coconut oil.

3. Cook them until golden brown and flip them over when you see bubbles on the surface!

Enjoy these healthier, vegan pancakes, they will make you so happy:)

With love & care, Melanie x

Best gluten-free pancakes there is!

You cannot believe they are actually gluten-free!

I often stumble upon the fact that gluten-free foods doesn’t taste the same. However, these pancakes are a game changer! I know that gluten can cause inflammation and challenge your gut bacteria, but still I crave for it. Now that’s past when you can’t tell these are even made gluten-free. I couldn’t be more happy about this discovery, it will change your world like it did for me! Cheers to keeping our gut bacteria and inflammation levels in check aka good health overall.

Convinced? Yet more convinced when you try them? Let’s get to it and make these delicious pancakes then!

Ingredients

• 1 egg (I recommend organic and cage free)

• 1 banana

• 4 tbs buckwheat flour

• 2 tbs cocosa coconut flour

• 50 ml almond milk

• 1 tbs apple cider vinegar

• 1 ts baking powder

• 1 ts cinnamon & if you like 1/4 cardamom

Instructions

1. In a bowl mash the banana with a fork and whisk together with the egg. Add the rest of the ingredients and whisk/stir until no lumps.

2. In a pan on medium heat, add a teaspoon of virgin coconut oil from “cocosa” before cooking the pancakes. The batter yields for 4-5 pancakes. I ate them all without a problem.. (not sure if that should have been mentioned, although it’s not a shocker when they are ridiculously good hehe). Still I have a feeling you’ll have no problem eating everything up too:)

Here is their website in Norwegian for more information about their products http://www.midsona.no/cocosa . You can easily find them at the supermarket or wholefoods stores.

Ps: They taste amazing with maple sirup and raspberries on top!

With love & care, Melanie x

Spinach pancake with savoury filling

A one of a kind pancake

The recipe is from “Adams matkasse”. He delivers in Norway a box at people’s door, which contains the food ingredients you’ll need for the recipe he has made for you to make. And one of his recipes are these pancakes that I want to share with you. It is delicious and easy to make. And it’s a one of a kind pancake which is way healthier and more nutritious than the dessert pancake! It’s vegetarian and I swooped the milk and flour to be plant based and gluten-free. Let’s get to it.

Ingredients

• 100 g spinach

• 5 dl oat milk

• 4 dl buckwheat flour

• 4 eggs (organic or free ranged eggs if possible)

• 1 red onion

• 1 lemon

• 1 pack of chickpeas

• 400g aroma mushrooms

• 1 garlic

• 1 pack of chèvre cheese

• 2 pieces of heart salad

• 1 pear

• 1 apple

• Some oil, salt and sugar

Instructions

1. To make the pancake batter: rinse the spinach before adding it and the plant based milk in a blender og mix the batter evenly. Stir together the eggs and the spinach mixture in a bowl. Sift into 4 dl buckwheat flour little by little, and stir to you got a smooth batter.

2. Cut the mushrooms into slices. Peel and finely chop the garlic, peel and cut the red onion in thin slices.

3. Lightly pickled red onion: have the red onion in a small bowl, and add 1 tsp of sugar, a pinch of salt and juice of the lemon. Mix everything together and let it rest until you serve it.

4. Pancakes: heat the pan to medium heat and add some oil. They are ready when you see bubbles on the surface.

5. Fry the chickpeas, mushrooms and garlic in another pan. Cook the chickpeas until they are golden, about five minutes. Then set them aside in a bowl and fry the mushrooms after with the garlic until they are sautéed and soft. Fold in the chickpeas together with the mushrooms in the end.

6. Cut the chèvre in pieces, rinse and cut the salad in pieces, as well as the apple and pear.

7. Fill the spinach pancakes with the chickpeas, mushroom, chèvre, salad, apple, pear and the pickled red onion. Voila et bon appetit!

More about Adams Matkasse, you can find on his website here:

https://www.adamsmatkasse.no

Guilt free Sunday pancakes

Recipe

1 sweet potato

3/4 cup plant based milk – I used soya milk

2 tea spoons of agave syrup or honey

1 teaspoon of olive oil or coconut oil

1 cup spelt flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Instructions

Take off the skin and cut the sweet potato into small cubes, boil it in water until soft.

In a bowl, mash the cooked sweet potato and add the plant based milk, agave syrup and olive oil.

Combine and mix it with the flour and baking powder. Whisk until incorporated and let the batter rest for a few minutes before putting into pan.

Be aware of the consistency of the batter, if too thick, add more plant based milk.

Put some olive oil on the pan and start cooking your pancake batter! You’ll know when to flip them over to the other side when they become bubbly on the surface.

And voila, you got yourself guilt free pancakes!

Tips

Pancakes are delicious together with berries, an extra antioxidant booster.

Drizzle some more agave syrup or honey if you want your pancakes sweeter.

Also, if you want to satisfy your sweet tooth, add chocolate chips in the batter, mmmm.

Treat yourself and enjoy!

Happy Sunday everyone!

Miss Sophie ~ Oslo

I was here with my sister for the first time, I’m barely at home and didn’t know about it. I’ve lived in Barcelona where they have amazing brunch places to go during the weekend, to name a few of my favorites; Brunch & Cake and Flax & Kale. So I was so happy to hear that my sister had heard about the place and on late Sunday morning we went. Both of us were excited, we had even checked out the place on internet and their menu already beforehand haha.

Gosh so many options to choose! However, we both had it clear that we wanted an açaí bowl and of course pancakes!! The brunch place didn’t disappoint us. With beautiful and creative servings, cool vibes, fancy interior and delicious flavors, we were happy campers.

I do love it when a café/restaurant shows care passion, and love in the plate they serve. When they think about the details, like putting old jazz songs in the bathrooms, decorating with plants and being surrounded by lots of daylight through big windows. It makes you feel welcomed, and gives the place a warm and open atmosphere & space.

After a delicious brunch, it was nice to go for a walk outside in the park. The day was sunny and beautiful, and when the weather is so nice in Norway, you better make the most of it! Miss Sophie lies just in the center and next to the castle. Therefore it’s very worth it to have a stroll. It was in May, spring season, you could see the flowers in full blossom and the grass so green. The garden at the castle had lots of beautiful tulips in all colors, the perfect background for a picture;)

I highly recommend to have brunch at Miss Sophie and take a walk after you’ve been eating, it will make your day:)

Dough & Oil ~ Shrewsbury

Pure deliciousness. This restaurant amazes me in so many ways. It’s cool, fun, original and serves amazing food. The first step you enter inside, you will get what I mean. Sitting by pink neon lights, colorful interior, art works on the wall, you will immediately feel the happy vibes and you will be even more happy when you taste the first bite of your pizza/bagel.

I love that they have a red thread throughout their whole restaurant, even their menu is fun and playful with their inventive name picked dishes. On the picture is the Alaskan bagel with salmon and cream cheese, and by its side the fun guy pizza!

They truly stand by their name, they are one of the best in my opinion when it comes to the dough and oil game hehe. One pizza that really stands out is their version of the duck confit pizza. When you’re about to eat it, the oil is dripping endlessly from the pizza slice.. Although it sounds gross, it’s somehow amazingly delicious. It has so much flavor, more flavor in a pizza I have ever tried! So don’t get scared by hearing duck on pizza or that it’s a oily mess while you eat. I definitely recommend you to try it if you are in Shrewsbury. Or even just make the trip to the town to just have the pizza, it’s so worth it!

Oh and they even serve pancakes….

For more details:

https://www.doughandoil.com

Their location:

18 castle St, Shrewsbury SY1 2AZ, Britain

https://maps.google.no/maps?oe=UTF-8&hl=nb-no&client=safari&um=1&ie=UTF-8&fb=1&gl=uk&entry=s&sa=X&ftid=0x487a9e590c8c1107:0xf044ad494e0176b5&gmm=CgIgAQ%3D%3D

Sunday means pancakes

At least from my understanding and point of view;)

And there are so many delicious pancakes to order, here are some of my favorite picks…

Brunch & Cake ~ Barcelona

A super yummy matcha pancake, so good! And first time trying it. I’ve also tried matcha in other pastries, and the flavor is really good.

The gluten-free ricotta pancake with granola!!! Mmm

Flax and Kale ~ Barcelona

I love this restaurant, they have so many other delicious and healthy plates to offer. The atmosphere here is incredible, sitting on the roof top and being surrounded by flowers and plants, made me feel complete. Definitely a place to visit when in Barcelona!

Oh, and in my opinion these two restaurants serves the best and healthier pancakes in town!

What are you waiting for? Go and get your Sunday pancake, you deserve it when the week has finished:)

Sunday means pancakes!

These pancakes are gluten-free, dairy free and sugar free! They will leave you guilt free for sure! I found inspiration and made a berry compote with it, was so good…

Here is the website if you also want to make them: http://thehealthfulideas.com/buckwheat-banana-blueberry-pancakes/