Never sick of more espresso and French pastry 🙂
And French wine…
Avignon is on the left bank of the Rhone river. It is filled with ancient streets, mediaeval ramparts and Gothic architecture. We stayed only one night there on the way to Paris.
On the way to the Palaise des Papes, I couldn’t just walk pass this creperie. I’ve chosen a savoury option. Family-pizza sized thin crepe smeared with tomato paste and basil – so filling, good enough to share between two unless you are quite hungry. I will definitely try to recreate this at home for sure. 
Amazing French food experience continues. One day we had chicken salad and confit duck with crispy potatoes. I loved how it was cooked as it should be. Confit duck dish was super moist inside and crispy outside, cooked for perfection and seasoned just right. French red wine was perfect to match the dish. Spot on! Â 
Nice la Belle
One of the things I really enjoyed most while staying in France was to explore the surrounding area with no strict plans. I had a book and other stuff filled with suggestions and information, though mostly strolled around the city and didn’t mind missing out a “must-see” places.
Nice was a charming little town that we spent the first couple of days. Nice calm beach was only 5-10 min walk from our accommodation. People were jogging, reading, fishing, taking photos, chill-axing. Little shops, cafes, bakeries and restaurants are abundant on promenade, great for tasting local specialties. Relaxed vibes are definitely there in this town.
I discovered French love reading paper books. Old book stores are easily found every where, which is nice. It is a shame we all are so getting used to mobile phones, tablets and PCs these days. I’d love to buy a couple of books next time when I can read French a bit better 🙂
French teacher and other travelers said coffee is not real good in France. Guess what? The first espresso that I tried in Nice was delicious! Right balance of bitter, sour and sweet flavour plus a thick crema is heavenly. You will love if if you are a black coffee drinker.
I had a few different version of Nicoise salads while staying in Nice, but this one is the best. Fresh tuna diced and marinated in e.v.o.o, sprinkled with beautiful fleur de sel, served with simple green salad and enjoyed with vin blanc. Perfect lunch!
On the second day, visiting the farmer’s market in Nice was a good fun. It would have been nice to pick up some goodies for my kitchen though I don’t think Australian customs will be happy about that. Sun-dried tomatoes, different variety of olives, mushrooms, salts, fresh fruits and vegetables, cheese, flowers, lavender – you name it, they got it! After a quick trip to the markets in the morning, we had to rush back to the train station heading to Avignon.
Jewelled Quinoa Salad
How do you spend your weekend? For me, one of the weekend errands is firstly making a meal plan, going to the markets and doing some food preparation for the following week. Ah, making a big bowl of salad for work lunch, too. It sounds like a huge time-consuming task, but it is actually not and totally worth it. Money as well as time-saving, too because you eat healthy at home and don’t tend to get take-away or eat out. When you know exactly what you have in your fridge, fresh good ingredients don’t get wasted. So invest a little bit of time in your schedule on the weekend for your health and well-being!
I almost always include some kind of grains and beans when making salads so that I get enough protein and don’t feel hungry afterwards. One of my favorite ingredients is quinoa. Quinoa is gluten-free and low GI of 53+. It is also a good source of protein and contains all the essential amino acids including lysine that your body needs for tissue growth and repair. Want to know more about quinoa and how to spout them? Read this previous post. For this recipe, bright colour of quinoa from saffron and turmeric is gorgeous! I wanted sweetness and saltiness in salads, so used dried fruits and tamari roasted nuts for topping. You can make a big batch and pack up for your work lunch just like what I did. You can also add tofu, chicken, fish or any kind of protein on the side. Enjoy x
Ingredients (serves 2)
100g white and red quinoa
200g water
a pinch of saffron
a pinch of turmeric
50g dried blueberries and goji berries
50g tamari roasted nuts
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp raw honey
salt and pepper to taste
Place washed quinoa in a pot and cover with cold water. Add saffron and turmeric. Bring it up to boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 10-15 minutes until the water is all absorbed into quinoa. Take it off the heat and set aside with a lid on for about 5 minutes. Place cooked quinoa on a plate and sprinkle dried fruits and nuts on top. For dressing, combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Drizzle on top of the quinoa salad before serving.
Raw Mini Frozen Cheesecakes
If you are visiting my site on a regular basis, learn and try some of the recipes, that would really make me feel awesome and achievement that I actually can help your clean living journey. It is such an incredible feeling when I can educate and support people around me on how to nourish your body and mind because we all need a bit of help to get to where we want to be. I also learn a lot from writing on my blog how to fuel my body with good foods and how much we should appreciate the food we eat, the wholesome food from our beautiful planet. So pass on any good information to your family and friends, share your nourishing knowledge, cook a loved one a healthy meal and be happy.Â
Orange-Cardamom Cheesecake: Cardamom is one of the oldest spices in the world, and was even used to make perfumes in Egypt. Cardamom pods are beautiful to look at – and they too act as a carminative, calming upset tummies. This warming spice can also heat things up in the bedroom – it has a bit of a reputation as an aphrodisiac.
Filling ingredients
100g raw cashews, soaked overnight
a pinch of salt
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 tsp rose water (optional)
1 tbsp maple syrup
juice and zest of one orange
1/2 tsp cardamom ground
a dash of turmeric powder
Chocolate-Peppermint Cheesecake: Peppermint has long been used as a remedy for digestion. It is antispasmodic and carminative, and has shown to be successful in alleviating colic, flatulence, gastrointestinal cramps, and diarrhoea. Brewing yourself a nice cup of fresh peppermint tea can be a useful aid to digestive distress especially after a heavy meal.
Filling ingredients
100g raw cashews, soaked overnight
a pinch of salt
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 tbsp strongly brewed peppermint tea
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp carob or cacao powder
1 tsp peppermint extract
Coconut-Mango Cheesecake: Mangoes are rich in phytochemicals, especially in carotenoids, which protect against cancer formation. They are anti-inflammatory, high in digestive enzymes, and can help protect against infections. They are also an excellent source of vitamin A, B-6, C and E, potassium and magnesium.
Filling ingredients
100g raw cashews, soaked overnight
a pinch of salt
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup coconut milk or cream
1 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 of mango, diced
Cheesecake base ingredients for all three flavours
300g almonds
10-12 Medjool dates
1 tsp cinnamon powder
a pinch of Himalayan salt
1 tbsp coconut oil
To make the base, place all the base ingredients in your food processor and blend until combined. Divide the mixture into a prepared muffin tin or container. Press with the back of the spoon and place in the freezer while making fillings. For the fillings, place all the filling ingredients for each flavour in your food processor and blend until smooth. Taste the mixture and adjust the sweetness. Pour the mixture over the base and freeze again for 2-3 hours or until cheesecakes are set. Allow the cakes to thaw about 20 minutes before serving and keep the rest in the freezer. Dust coconut flour for garnish.
Spinach Onion Frittata
I had a bag of white onions from last week’s shopping and wanted to make something that shines onions. Pickles? Onion jam? Soup? Stuffed onions? Balsamic onion! I like making a big jar of it now and then, which can be added to home-made vegetarian patties, grilled meat or temphe, bean salads, etc. Today I made frittata using sweet balsamic onion along with spinach and peas. Eggs are packed full of protein, amino acids and 11 different vitamins and minerals. They are also easily digestible and jam packed with vitamin D and healthy cholesterol. This recipe is healthy, quick and easy to prepare, oodles of flavour and easy on your wallet. Any leftovers? Enjoy next morning for nutritious brekkie or in your lunch box. Great for either warm or cold x
Ingredient (serves 2-4)
Balsamic Onion
2 white onions, thinly sliced
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp raw honey
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp thyme
a touch of cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
Spinach Onion Frittata
1 cup of packed spinach, roughly chopped
1/2 cup of green peas
1 cup of balsamic onion
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
4 eggs
50g grounded almond
1 tbsp sesame seeds to sprinkle on top
To make balsamic onion, heat coconut oil over medium heat in a pan, add sliced onions and cook until fragrant. Add other ingredients and cook until liquid is reduced. Take it off the heat and set aside. Crack the eggs in a large bowl and gently whisk. Add the rest of ingredients except sesame seeds into a bowl and stir to combine. Pour the mixture into a baking tin, lined with baking paper, and sprinkle sesame seeds on top. Place in the preheated (180) oven for 40 minutes until cooked.