Food Files III (The Seafood Bar, STEK)

King Crab legs from the griddle

You already know what time it is! Today's Food Files feature dinner at The Seafood Bar at Spui 15 and an early lunch at STEK, a lunchroom located in the East of Amsterdam.

Food Files II (Teppanyaki Bar, Suvi)

Kimchi soup w/ seafood

In today's Food Files some Asian food, Vietnamese and Japanese! I've already written a full review of Teppanyakibar before, but this time I tried out food that fitted my current pescatarian way of life. The same holds for the other restaurant named Suvi. I've had many pleasant experiences with their takeout food, but I'd never actually set foot in their restaurant. Likewise, when I finally got to dine-in I chose something pescatarian approved!

Quick healthy snack (recipe tortilla pizza)

Looking for a tasty and semi-healthy snack you can quickly whip up? All you need are some corn tortilla's, tomato puree from a can, any cheese you like, and whatever toppings you can find in your fridge!

Healthy or nah? (review Thai Food Café & Saigon Café)

Hi everyone! The past week has been one full of social commitments with loved ones. I mentioned in a previous post that one of my favorite ways to spend qt is by having dinner. Of course it is not easy trying to eat according to a semi strict diet (e.g. Paleo) when eating out, because you never know how much sugar, sodium, or MSG is dumped in your food during preparation. The only thing you have control over (except for picking a different restaurant) is opting for healthier choices on the menu. But I honestly did not do that, lol. The "healthy" part about the dinners I had is that they were at restaurants serving Asian cuisine.

First up is the Vietnamese dinner my so and I had at Saigon Café the other day. We had the rice paper rolls with shrimp and pork for starters, and split the crêpe with shrimp and pork, beef phô, and garlic lemongrass ribs for main. For dessert I had the coconut pudding with stewed bananas. I always enjoy the food at this restaurant, although their rice paper rolls are not the best I have had so far. I would have preferred the pork to have some roasted skin on it and the rolls to be a bit bigger. I can really recommend you the crêpe though!

Today I also met up with my childhood friends to catch up, and we decided to eat at a Thai casual styled restaurant. For starters we had the mix of entrées (meatballs, chicken skewer and sausage) and coconut soup with mushrooms. For main we had the pad Thai, massaman curry, and pad king, and for dessert we split the sticky coconut rice with mango.

You would think that Thai food is fairly safe for me to eat. As far as I know, Thai cuisine is known for cooking with coconut milk, which does not contain lactose. Although the food was delicious (the entrées being better than the mains), somehow my body still managed to reject it and refuse to digest properly. Because my friends did not have any symptoms I still do not think I had food poisoning, but seen as I did not ingest any milk based products (from my knowledge) I am still quite confused as to what caused my (acute) condition.

This is just one of the many times I have had problems with my bowels that cannot be explained, and which therefore fall somewhere under the category of "Irritable Bowel Syndrome". I guess that was enough non-Paleo eating for the coming weeks, although I did notice a major change in my eating pattern already. Namely, I eat way less than I am used to! I usually stuff myself full and look about 3 months pregnant after I am finished eating. But now I tend to eat until I am content. Progress is showing!

www.saigon-cafe.nl

www.thaifoodcafe.nl

Lobi,

Stuffed bacon roses (recipe)

Hi everyone! I am back with another easy (and healthy) breakfast recipe. The other day I made bacon muffin roses, or at least that is what I like to call them, stuffed with broccoli, mushrooms, and cherry tomatoes. I found the basic recipe on my "Paleo plate" I-phone app, where they are called breakfast muffins. As always I pimped the recipe to my own liking, adding some extra veggies!

Ingredients (makes 4): 2 eggs, 8 strips of bacon, 3 cherry tomatoes, 2 mushrooms, some broccoli florets, coconut oil for greasing, salt and pepper to taste

Instructions: Preheat your oven at 180°C. • Grease your muffin tin, and start making "cups" with the bacon (2 strips per rose). • Whisk your eggs and season. • Pour an equal amount of eggs in each cup. • Add the veggies. • Bake for about 20 mins.

Enjoy!

Lobi,

Tuna egg muffins (recipe)

Hi everyone! I hope you are all having a lovely weekend :) The other day I whipped up a very quick and easy breakfast I want to share with you. I got the basic recipe for egg muffins with sausage from my "Paleo recepten" I-phone app, but like I usually do I improvised a bit because I did not have all the ingredients at home. I hope you enjoy reading!

Ingredients: 6 eggs, 2 diced tomatoes, 1 small onion, 1/2 can of tuna on water, 1 tsp coconut oil, salt, pepper, chili powder

Instructions: Preheat your oven at 200 °C. • Heat the coconut oil in a small frying pan. • Cut your onion in small pieces and add to your pan with hot oil. • After lightly browning the onions, add the tomatoes, season to taste, and stir. • Lastly, add your tuna and stir the mixture for a few minutes. • Whisk your eggs and season with a bit of salt and pepper (not too much, because you already seasoned the mixture). • Add about 1,5 tbsp of the mixture in each space of your muffin tin. • Add the eggs on top. • Bake for 20 mins until the muffins have browned a bit on top.

Enjoy!

Lobi,

My first valentine (review Yokiyo)

To be frank, I never celebrated V-day in the past, nor did I ever have the urge to do so. I found it quite commercial, cheesy, and simply "too much". It reminds me of Christmas decorations before winter has even started. Up until last year I did not celebrate it, but I have been convinced that the right person will make you fiend the most random things. For my first Valentine's day last year we went out for dinner and booked a suite, but this year I did not want anything special except for flowers and a card.

Study Abroad Day 44: Extreme altitudes and attitudes

Today was finally D-day! I was going to visit the beautiful CN Tower, which I have been admiring from my room window for weeks now. To make this visit extra special I wanted to have lunch at the 360° Restaurant. The restaurant is located at some upper level in the tower, and is called 360° because it rotates. You pay a set price (C$55) for a three course meal and choose from a list of different dishes. Included is free entrance to the tower of course!

Study Abroad Day 38 (Day 1): Carib-ummer

Hi everyone! Today I woke up dead tired from yesterday, but excited nonetheless, because it was finally the day of Caribana 2013! I woke up ahead of time to curl my hair and do my makeup. My fellow UvA'er and I decided to have lunch together and drink a glass of wine to get in the mood. After lunch we were supposed to meet up with one of my new friends and go to The Exhibition Place together to watch my other friend in the parade. Unfortunately, our planning went sour!

Down south (Maastricht citytrip)

Today I went to visit one of my friends who lives and studies all the way in Limburg (south of the Netherlands). I had not seen her in ages, which is so strange seen as we used to live right next to each other on campus. Before my big departure abroad we decided that we just had to meet up once more just in case one of us moves far away again. It was my first time visiting Maastricht and I had a wonderful time. The city is so beautiful and picturesque and I had a hard time returning back to the north.

American wedding bells

I have to admit on being slightly addicted to wedding type of shows, you know the usual on TLC. Four weddings, Bridezillas, Say yes to the dress etc. etc. I even have a tendency of saving wedding-esque pictures to either my phone or laptop that inspire me. Now to be honest, I have not been to many weddings. Weddings are not that of a big thing in The Netherlands, and (especially?) not in the cultural sphere I was brought up in. Not anymore at least. And the weddings I have attended are not at all like those fancy schmancy affairs in the U.S. or Canada.