Surprise, surprise: I am still alive. Alive and kicking and cooking. It’s been a while since the last post, about three months. Let me explain.
You may have noticed that my recipe posts got less frequent recently. I can’t even remember when I last posted on a weekly basis. Fact is, that I came up with something new on a weekly basis for 5 years or so. This blog was intended to be my public journal of a journey with foods and dishes that would make me healthier and more energetic.
It started off by eliminating processed sugar and processed flour. That was my breakthrough. I experimented with gluten-free dishes which didn’t do so much for me. I then ventured into the realms of a grain-free diet, which was a lower-carb diet in disguise. Now that was the true revelation for me. There were raw, vegan and paleo side paths which I appreciate for what they are. However, they never made it to be the main form of my diet as I find them too restrictive and/or time-consuming to follow.
What’s my diet now? I still eat everything apart from processed sugar. Grains only occasionally. After phases of spending lots of time in the kitchen to cook up sophisticated healthy meals, I am going back to even less processed foods: raw salads, boiled eggs, grilled salmon or steaks. Raw nuts and pieces of raw fruit for snacks. Seed crackers and grilled vegetables I make in big batches that will last us through a few days.
My food journey has come to a standstill. I feel like I have reached my destination. I am happy with my diet. I figured out what’s good for me. As a result, I read less other food blogs (honestly, almost none). I don’t research the latest nutrition discoveries anymore, and I am less excited when the next “super food” is being announced.
My motto has always been to “eat to live” rather than “live to eat”. I cannot help but keep myself busy with new challenges. This has increasingly been running and running coaching with my running club. I have started to accept web design assignments, I am doing freelance picture researching for a local publishing house. And I take on the occasional photography assignment. I am also obsessed with the idea of being able to do a pull-up before I turn 40. Which is in about two months time. I never managed one in my whole life. My upper body strength is close to zero, and even though I have been doing strength training for quite some time, I don’t seem to respond to the training. I’ll try anyway!
Despite all those new directions that keep me busy, I feel hesitant to stop food blogging completely. I still pride myself of throwing BBQ parties where every single food is made from scratch. Even the vanilla ice cream that comes with the dessert (a recipe that I owe you).
I still cook and eat, but I don’t feel the need to try out something new every week. Therefore, I will change the format and style of my blog. So it doesn’t look as embarrassing when I don’t post for three months. It should rather be an online recipe book that gets updates on a regular or irregular basis. I don’t know when this will be completed. Until then, everything stays as it is.
I have never come across as the chattiest person through my blog. But rest assured: I am here, and any feedback, questions and suggestions are welcome at any time.
I’ll leave you today with a recipe of chicken liver pate. As a German, liver pate used to be part of my staple diet. While the store-bought ones are full with preservatives and chemicals, this recipe is the easiest and quickest to cook. You cannot mess it up, I promise. Just a warning: It’s so more-ish, that it comes with the risk of overdosing after a few weeks. Bon appetit!
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CHICKEN LIVER PATE
1 cup milk
1 pound/500g fresh chicken livers
6 tablespoons butter, divided
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon mixed dried herbs
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup brandy or whiskey
1/2 cup butter, melted
Serves 6-8
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Place livers and milk in a bowl and soak for 2 hours. Drain well.
In a large saute pan or skillet, melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Cook chopped onions until softened, around 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant.
Add drained chicken livers, bay leaves, herbs, salt, and pepper. Cook and stir until livers are browned on the outside but pink inside, about 5 minutes. Add brandy/whiskey and cook until most of the liquid is evaporated and the livers are cooked through but still tender.
Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Discard bay leaves.
In a food processor, puree the liver mixture. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in pieces and pulse to blend. Adjust seasoning to taste.