The Crunchy Lion: a slice of Europe

Thursday, July 31

a european deployment and cooking for two.

There are many opportunities Europe has to offer. One of my most celebrated conveniences is the quality of the food. There is a wondrous abundance of culture here, which provides many completely different styles of cuisine. One thing they all have in common is freshness. GMO's are banned in the EU and believe me when I tell you, you can absolutely taste the difference. Organic food here is not only affordable but even readily available in most grocery stores here in Germany. The foods we might buy only on a special occasion in America are abundant and economical (for example, a fine cheese, wine or meat.)

Since Marius deployed almost two months ago, I have had to re-learn how to prepare meals for Iris and myself. I don't use recipes or meal plans at all, as I find that much more freeing to eat what my body needs on any given day. Earlier this year, our family decided to lean into a Paleo-style diet. We now eat very little gluten, if any at all. Marius is a bit more strict with it than I am, as I can barely live without my two teaspoons of sugar in my tea in the morning, or far more importantly, cheese.

Since it's summertime and I would rather not heat up the non-air-conditioned house any more than necessary, I've ended up making the simplest healthy dishes that occur to my mind. I am currently eating about five small meals a day, most of which consist of chopped raw vegetables, fruit, meat and olives. I thought I might share some of the meals we have been eating since Marius left, and hope he isn't too envious considering his chow hall is less than appetizing!

A lunch of olive oil baked eggplant eaten with a big piece of goat cheese and a side of grapes and carrots.

An easy ginger stir fry with chicken, eggplant, carrots, edamame, and red peppers.

Iris' most requested breakfast - warm oatmeal with honey and strawberries.

A healthier way to eat cheese is on thin slices of apple!

A lunch plate of quesadilla for Iris with veggies, aged gouda, kalamata olives and caper berries to share.

Paleo pomegranate chicken salad where instead of mayo, I use a simple guacamole - mashed avocado with some salt, cilantro, scallions and lime juice.

A lunch of sushi rice with furikake and a side of avocado.

A throw together dinner of salmon marinated in Maggi-Würze, garlic and ginger with rice and ginger spinach.

A lunch plate of salami and cheeses from Belgium and Holland.

My friend and I made this big plate of sushi. Iris and I love sushi so much, we eat it at least four times a week!

Homemade gluten-free pizza with orange bell pepper, artichokes, eggplant and kalamata olives.

Sunday, September 9

a slice of Europe - Belgian Beer Weekend.

Last weekend, as part of my 25th birthday celebration, Marius surprised me with a trip to Belgium for Belgian Beer Weekend! Our enjoyment of beer is like that of a wine connoisseur's enjoyment of wine. There is an expansive world of beer that reaches far beyond the American stereotypes associated with the drink. Only in the last decade or so has the craft beer movement begun to overpower the watery, flavorless giants of the American industry. There are endless arrays of colors, aromas and flavors, for example amber hues or pitch black malt; floral hops or sweet caramel; spicy cloves or freshly toasted bread. Much as "foodies" or wine connoisseurs enjoy their wares, we also consider the enjoyment of beer a hobby.

A two hour drive brought us to the Grote Markt (Grand Place) of Brussels and the Bourse (Stock Exchange), where the event was held. The Gothic architecture all around us was absolutely stunning! There were dozens of breweries being represented in the Grote Markt, with over 300 different types of Belgian beer! Down the street was a huge beer bar with a different menu, and the Bourse that hosted food pairings. Instead of offering small two ounce samplings of beer, as is seen in the States, only full glasses were offered. Even considering such, we were surprised to discover how responsibility everyone at the event was drinking. We didn't see one person who was overly intoxicated, stumbling, or being rowdy.

In addition to drinking quite a few beers both familiar and new to us, we got to see horse-drawn brewery carts, costumed representatives of the Belgian breweries, wonderful wandering musical groups, and a few historically significant reenactments involving beer. Nearby, there were dozens of small side streets, paved with cobblestone and cluttered with the tables and chairs of dozens of seemingly identical seafood restaurants. Instead of trying our luck with seafood while we were there (we both grew up right on the east coast, so we're rather picky about where we eat seafood), we left the event before the evening hours set in and opted for a lovely pizzeria, a great little crêpe restaurant, and even Belgian fast food!

We stayed for two nights at a nice little hotel that offered a decent European style breakfast buffet, and a play area for kids. Iris discovered Rody the bouncy horse and fell in love. She did a great job while we were in Brussels, especially since the brewery tent area was very crowded and she had to stay in her stroller for safety's sake. She did really enjoy toddling around watching all the action on the cobblestone streets with Pooh, eating crêpes and going up and down on the glass elevator in our hotel. It was wonderful to have a little vacation that focused on one of our favorite hobbies, and it was also fun to have the opportunity to speak French again! What a great weekend, thank you my dear Marius!