How To Improve Your Food Photography Game

reading time: 10 min

Hi guys,
this is a different sort of advice post, not lifestyle or health related, but photography related. 

At first I felt a little out of line to give food photography tips as a total photography NEWB! But then I thought, perhaps I'm the PERFECT one to give that advice because I'm in that same situation now, looking for tips to improve my photography skills and cheap ways to make photos look pretty on a budget. I KNOW the struggle.

So here is what I have learned about food photography so far.

Weekly Meal Plan CW 03

Hey guys,

I'm trying to make these a weekly thing for 2017! So here is another "menu of the week" for you!

Friday Favorites - Week 357

Hi everyone,

my weeks are pretty crazy at the moment – doing an internship, tutoring, trying to work on my master thesis, going to super late classes at uni every now and then, and trying to keep up a social life... Hopefully your days are a little more relaxed, and you are enjoying the lovely snowy-white and crisp winter days...!

As my pick for the week I chose homemade Caramel Peanut Popcorn that can easily be made vegan by using vegan butter or margarine – yum! (Did you know it was National Popcorn Day on January 19th?!) Anyway – how good does CARAMEL and PEANUT sound?! (unless you're allergic to peanuts of course...) I wish I had some spare time to snuggle up on the sofa and watch a movie, munching on these yummy things... Speaking of munching, another great snack are these simple honey-or-agave-fried bananas that look absolutely delicious! Just imagine them on oatmeal or on toast with hazelnut/chocolate spread...!!

Now that your mouth is probably watering, let's jump to the party! :)

DIY Tinted Rose Lip Balm

reading time: 2 min

Yes, another DIY post!! One of my goals for this year is to make a bunch of beauty products at home, so this is my first attempt at that. 

I have thought about making my own lip balms (and other beauty products) many time, but somehow I was always scared to do it. I thought it would be hard to make – or that it was hard to get the ingredients. Well, I made a big "natural and healthy stuff" order and boy, was it easy to make this lip balm!

(Plus, if you're looking for an easy homemade Valentine's gift for your girlfriend or an additional little something for Mother's Day later this year, this is a great option!)

5 DIY Natural Face Masks

reading time: 5 min

Hash winds, temperatures below zero, dry air from radiators and air condition – winter is hard on our skin. As most of us will be able tell by their chapped lips, red noses and cracked hands, our skin needs a little extra love these days. Now, while you could perfectly use any of my recipes for DIY Hair Masks on your face as well (except for the yeast mask perhaps), I have a bunch of new "recipes" that are specifically beneficial for your skin.  

Hydrating, detoxifying, rejuvenating, exfoliating.... there's something for everyone! And all of these masks use three or less nutritious ingredients and are easy on the wallet.

Here are my favourite 5 homemade natural face masks to treat you skin!

Weekly Meal Plan CW 02

Hey guys,

I have another week menu for you!

Friday Favorites - Week 356

Hello everybody, I'm glad to have you back at out party! How has your week been going? 

I'm still busy doing my internship at a small publishing house, which is quite nice, but I haven't really figured out the breakfast situation yet. As I have to leave the house at 8 a.m., I have to have breakfast at 7.30 or earlier – which is slightly problematic because I usually get hungry around 9 o'clock, I'm not an early eater. So basically I have to force myself to have an early breakfast because otherwise I'm going to starve by the time that lunch break (12.30) rolls around... sigh. Since I don't want feel like eating anything heavy in the morning such as oatmeal or bread, I'm thinking of making myself a smoothie for breakfast for the next week? My feature for this week is therefore a lovely creamy Banana Spinach Coconut Smoothie! Maybe this can solve my problem...

But enough rambling – let's party! :)

Big Boobs.

reading time: 5 min

 

Hello ladies (and gents),

today I want to talk about something a little out of my comfort zone and not food-related. I want to talk about boobs. Big boobs, to be precise.

Golden Turmeric Oatmeal

reading time: 1 min

Being such a big fan of golden turmeric milk, it was just a matter of time before I made golden turmeric oatmeal. It's basically oats cooked in golden milk with a few twists to make a glowing breakfast bowl.

It's 
Creamy
Not too sweet
Anti-inflammatory
Warm
Filling
Comforting
Delicious
& nutritious

Friday Favorites - Week 355

Hello everybody, the holiday season has officially ended now, and if I'm being completely honest with you, I'm actually kind of glad because now the linky parties are more versatile again, and not filled with nothing but How-To-Christmas-Decor and other things for Christmas and New Year's. 

This week we have recipes, house projects, a sewing tutorial, food tips, decor and DIY body care. Something for everyone, I'd say!

Enjoy the party! x 

Full Moon Ritual, Meditation & Manifestation

reading time: 6 min

Hello beautiful!

This Thursday, the 11th of January, is a Full Moon. The first full moon of the New Year! Time to say goodbye to old habits, patterns & beliefs. Basically, every day is the right time to let go of old patterns, negative energies and fears. However, the quality of a full moon promotes this sort of cleanse, as is a phase of powerful energy, a time to grow and transform. This time is best suited to set goals, manifest them and let go of the old.

This is not some esoteric wishy-washy moon worshipping ceremony - so do not be disappointed if the moon goddess won't suddenly appear in your room or you don't find yourself surrounded by small magical lights ;) -, but rather a way to spend each month consciously working towards a brighter, clearer, more mindful and purposeful life. How you design your personal full moon ritual, completely depends on your personal preference. It can be whatever you want: as long or as short as you like, as serious or as silly as you're in the mood for, and it can serve any purpose you want. 

Here are some suggestions for a clarifying monthly ritual.
 

Get Healthy With Me 08 | Fit Through Winter

reading time: 3 min

Hello fit friends -
Who is familiar with this scenario? You get up, it's early in the morning, it's cold and dark outside. You go to work or uni, spend all day inside, and when you get home, the sun is already setting again. 

Many of us (me included) let their fitness routine slide during the cold and dark months. After all, we are not going anywhere near the beach in winter anyway, so who cares about our (non-existent) abs, right? - Wrong! If you want to be fit in summer, do not take a fitness break during the winter. In fact, it is particularly important to keep your body fit in winter to avoid getting sick (like me right now, lying in bed with a nasty cold). Your immune system will thank you.

Here are my tips on how to stay fit in the winter!

Episode 08: Fit Through Winter

Friday Favorites - Week 354

First of all: welcome to a brand new year! It's the first Friday Favorites linky party of 2017, and I'm excited for all the things that this year may bring. 2016 was a year of contrasts, and for me it also sounded the bell for a time of transformation and change. However, a time of endings always heralds new beginnings, so I try not to worry too much. I always love the sense of possibility at the turn of a New Year and look forward to finding as many new possibilities and ways to grow as I can in 2017.

Now, I wish you all a good start into this fresh year - enjoy the party!

What To Eat As A Regular Vegan | My Staples

reading time: 5 min

Most of us have made their resolutions for 2017 at the beginning of the year. How many of you plan to go to the gym at least once a week? How many are determined to quit eating junk food? How many want to make a change this year? As noble and great as your resolutions may be - most of us take on too much at once. Instead, commit to something more realistic. Such as an adaptable easy, but healthy and cruelty-free diet.

The best, most ideal (for the human species) diet is a plant-based, low-fat, low-sugar, whole food diet (basically: grains, greens, beans, and a smaller amount of fruits). I call it a "diet" but it's not something temporary. It's a way of eating and living - for life. And it's not as scary as it sounds, I promise ;)

Here are some tips on how to eat healthy long-term, and what I eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner on a regular basis.

Best Books of 2016 | End of Year Book Survey

reading time: 5 min

Hello lovely internet people, I've decided to join Jamie from The Perpetual Pageturner in her End of Year Book survey again. This year I was quite crazy with university / my master thesis (and I still am), but nevertheless I managed to read a total of 37 books. 10 books less than the last book survey I did, but still not bad, considering. So let's get this party started! 

Note: The survey is for books you read throughout the year, no matter when they were published, and is not limited to just books that came out in 2016!