Homemade Bibimbap

I don't know about you but I love Korean food. Sadly I wouldn't say that Amsterdam is a hotspot for Korean dining, although thankfully we do have a new place called Yokiyo!

Anyway, I was craving some Korean eats so I decided to make it myself. Bibimbap was on the menu for dinner, but I needed a little help with the recipes.

A few strolls around the Internet led to some instructions for banchan, which are the delicious side dishes which are a part of many Korean meals.

After a visit to a few of my favorite Asian markets in Chinatown, I had the key ingredients needed for bibimbap. Kimchi and gochujang are both pretty crucial to the dish, and luckily I found both although the Asian markets here are typically better for Chinese and Indonesian ingredients.

The bibimbap was a success, with 5 different veggie banchan and some chicken. I skipped the egg on top just because I was lazy.

The leftovers were even good the next day!

Kleinste Soep Fabriek

Sometimes a simple meal is the best meal. Soup is one of those kinds of simple yet satisfying meals that fill you up and make you happy.

Soup is easy to make but alas can sometimes take quite a while to simmer away on the stovetop before it is done. Never fear, Kleinste Soep Fabriek is here!

Kleinste Soep Fabriek sells their natural and organic prepared soups in (reusable) glass jars at EkoPlaza, Marqt, and other biological food stores around Amsterdam. They follow sustainable practices in their products, preferring organic ingredients with the fewest food miles, and using green sources of gas and electricity.

With creative flavors like Indian Madras Medley and Thai Tom Ka, as well as tomato soup, French onion soup and other basics, Soep Fabriek has a variety for everyone. We like the Arabische Harira, it's comforting, well spiced and a little exotic.

All you do is dump the jar of soup into a pan, add some extra water, and heat. You can add optional other flavorings as well if you have them around the house. I like to add lemon juice and a dollop of plain yogurt to the Arabische Harira. Last time I also threw in a handful of rucola. Lekker! Add a salad and maybe some fresh bread for a complete feast!

You might think around €5 for a jar of soup is crazy expensive but you can get 2-4 meals out of one jar depending on your appetite and how much water you like to add. Thus a very good deal for a healthy prepared meal actually!

Do you have any favorite pre-made soups that you like?

The Cookie Tester: Lidl Macarons

The whole world is going crazy for French macaron cookies. These almondy sandwiches are just divine.

But they can also be quite pricey, right?

Our foodie friend Nina recently alerted us to these frozen macarons from Lidl. WHAT DID YOU SAY? Frozen...Lidl...tastes good? No way!

So of course when we spotted them we had to try them.

 
Are they damn tasty? Yes.

Did the box disappear in a matter of hours? Yes.

Will we buy them again? Maybe not.

If they are tasty, cheap and yummy...why not, you ask? Well, we accidentally read the ingredients list. (never do that) Although they taste rather authentic-ish, they are made of chemicals. Bummer. Cuz they are pretty yummy, especially the pink flavor and the green flavor.

Btw, has anyone tried the McDonalds macarons? We spotted the ad for them in a McDonalds window in Antwerp. Curious.

Breakfast Time!

Hi there! We've been gone a long time but we're baaaccckk!

What do you eat for breakfast? A quick coffee on the run or maybe a croissant? Some cereal and milk? Eggs and bacon? Or nothing at all?

Lately we've been loving yogurt with fruit and a bit of granola.

Here are our tips for a yummy fruit, granola and yogurt breakfast:

• Fresh fruit is lovely and you can add whatever type you like. Go for what is in season whether it is berries, apples, mango or even sliced oranges!
• Our fave fruit with yogurt is berries. But fresh berries can be expensive and are not in season year-round. So sometimes we like to buy frozen berries, and that way you can keep them on hand all the time without worrying they will go bad!
• You can thaw out the frozen berries and then eat them like that, but we like to heat them in a pan with a tiny splash of water and perhaps a tiny spoonful of honey. Maybe add some apple or pear slices too?
• Let the fruit cool a little while you add yogurt to your bowl. Top the yogurt with the fruit and voila! a yummy breakfast.
• If you like granola in your yogurt, add a handful for some crunch. You can also add simple toasted nuts for  delicious flavor and texture.

 We've been making our own homemade nutty granola that doesn't have a lot of added sugar and no added fat. It's so easy! Would you like the recipe?