Palak Paneer & Indian Style Chutney

French Toast & Grilled Nut Butter ‘n’ Banana Sandwich

Don’t get me wrong, I love to eat baked goods.  I loved to eat bread, cakes, doughnuts… but bake them?  They usually turn out as hard as a rock.  Muffins, I can do.  Banana bread, no problem.  Brownies and cookies?  Sure thing. But the rest of it?  Usually a very sad story in the Lublink house.

Have I told you about the time when I made a horribly lopsided birthday cake for Peter?

Or the time when I used my bread machine to make bread and it overflowed (still liquid-y) out of the machine?

No?  I’ll just leave you with those tid-bits and let you bask in my incredible baking “skills”…

But things have changed… I found an AMAZING baguette recipe that I tried and it WORKED.  It worked beautifully!!!

It all started when friends of ours were having us over to dinner for shrimp scampi, and they asked us to bring some fresh bread for dipping in olive oil.  Awesome!  The only trick is that it’s hard for us to find that kind of fresh bread at the last minute in Kuwait.  So, I figured I’d give bread baking another chance.

I did a quick google search on my phone to see what I could find that would a.) taste good b.) be easy enough for me to make and c.) not take a zillion hours heating up my already-warm middle eastern kitchen.

I found this recipe, which is fabulous.  I really can’t say enough good things about it.  I didn’t make all that many changes.  I used a combo of white and whole wheat flours, I braided it instead of leaving it in the usual loaf shape, and I sprinkled it with zaatar (skipping out on the cornmeal).  Oh, and instead of cooking spray (because I don’t have it!), I used regular olive oil and just spread it myself.

So if you’re a terrible baker like me, do yourself a favour and try this recipe.  It’s a keeper in this house!

All the time and effort put into me was in part due to the fact that my grandparents took care of me and spent hours upon hours reading to and with me.  I’m not saying I could read full novels by the age of 3, but basic sentences in picture books?  Sure thing.

I think that the love of reading was instilled into me early on, and it’s stuck with me throughout my life.  I’ve gone through phases of reading different genres (hello John Grisham during high school!), and reading more or less at different times.  But ultimately the love of books is still alive and well within me!

I haven’t given too many reading updates in a while.  Which is funny, because this past year has probably been the year that I’ve read the most books, since grade 5 when we got special prizes for reading.  Previously I’ve tried to set yearly reading goals and have failed miserably.  But this year I just made a giant list of books I’d be interested in reading one day, and it seems that I’m plowing my way through them…

So I thought I’d share 5 books that I’ve read lately that I loved.  No big summaries or in-depth reviews, just a sharing of what’s on my so-called “book shelf.”

I Shall Not Hate: A Gaza Doctor’s Journey on the Road to Peace and Human Dignity by Izzeldin Abuelaish

• If you have strong opinions on the fight between Israel and Palestine, then you’ll appreciate this Palestinian doctor who blurs all boundaries and pulls you right into the heart of his family.   His entire life’s aim has been to share love and peace with the entire world; including Israelis.

A Year of Biblical Womanhood: How a Liberated Woman Found Herself Sitting On Her Roof, Covering Her Head, and Calling Her Husband “Master” by Rachel Held Evans

• If you think that fundamentalist Christians who follow the Bible to a T are a little off-their-rockers, then you’ll enjoy this book!  Evans takes a look at what it’s like to be a woman according the Bible; for good and for bad.  It’s honest, totally humorous, and I read it in 24 hours.

Crow Lake by Mary Lawson

• As a Canadian who traveled into this area of Northern Ontario, I can see the landscape vividly in my mind.  It’s the type of novel that flashes backwards and forwards into a young girl’s life that was radically changed by a string of events that left her family’s future completely different than she ever imagined was possible.  The writing style is incredible, and right up until the last page I was challenged with my own outlook on life events and how we let them impact our lives.

Jasmine and Fire: A Bittersweet Year in Beirut by Salma Abdelnour

• Abeldnour is a Beiruti who left during one of the many uprisings, lived most of her life in the USA and then decided to move back to her original home of Lebanon for a year to see what it would be like again.  She documents it month-by-month in a candid and light-hearted way, “chatting” through culture, politics, life and food.  And of course, she includes delicious recipes for all the amazing Lebanese cuisine that she makes and tries while living there.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

• This novel is a fun series of letters to and from a London girl and a rag-tag literary group from the island of Guernsey.  It’s set just after WWII when the Germans have left the area and everyone is trying to get back to the way life was.  It’s a glimpse into history, an unlikely love story, and the intertwining of people’s lives.

What have you been reading lately?

In any case, when I decided to break in my new food processor this past week, I decided I wanted to make some sort of power bite/dough ball idea that would combine two delightful ingredients: chocolate and coconut.

So I just started dropping in ingredients, mixing and matching, processing, and seeing if I could find a good consistency and combination in flavours.  And that I did, friends.

Although, I’ll be the first to admit that they kind of look like miniature cow patties… but that’s something we can get past, I’m sure of it.

These are like a healthier version of a Bounty bar.  They’re sweet, but waaaaaay less so than a Bounty bar.  They’re packed full of protein, but not in a I-can-taste-the-chickpeas kind of way.  Give ‘em a try.

Chocolate ‘n’ Coconut Power Bites:

• 2 cups of cooked chickpeas
• 1 tbsp. shredded coconut
• 1 banana
• 1/2 cup of oats
• 2 tbsp. honey
• 2 tbsp. peanut butter (or any other nut butter)
• 1 heaping tbsp. cocoa powder
• Pinch of salt

Combine all of the ingredients into your food processor and pulse for approximately 30 seconds, or until the mixture is well combined.  Refrigerate the mix as-is for at least 30 minutes.  Remove from the fridge, form into small balls and place on a baking sheet.  Bake at 350F for 10 minutes, just until the bites firm.  Transfer to a cooling rack and once they are cool, keep refrigerated.  Makes 12.  They will last for about 5-7 days in the fridge.

Like the sound of these?  Try my Peanut Butter Pomegranate Power Bites too!

We decided it was high time we actually get out and see more of Kathmandu and the surrounding area. So after a leisurely breakfast on our hotel’s terrace, overlooking the sleepy city, we embarked on a journey for about 45 minutes by car, to the small cultural town of Bhaktapur.

It’s an historical city filled with ancient temples, shops, etc. We paid the entrance fee, and casually wandered through what is a still-used historical town. It’s kind of like a living history. The narrow alleys weave in and out around multiple town squares, which were covered in red bricks, usually with a temple or shrine (or two or three…), and various shops to purchase souvenirs of pottery, scarves, or tiny Buddha ash trays.

It was interesting to see both Hindu and Buddhist temples together in such close proximity with one another.

After our time in Bhaktapur we drove back to Kathmandu along the same dusty roads we’d traveled out on. There is a lot of construction happening and so the dust swirls around and around, getting in your eyes and mouth from the open car windows.

Our driver’s little car chugged up the steep hills to the Monkey Temple, where there was a festival in full swing. We climbed many stairs, past families leaving offerings at statues, and dozens of monkeys.

We even saw one that was only a couple of days old, still being nursed by its mother, eyes not opened yet.

There were so many places to light candles, burn incense, leave flower or food offerings.

The noise was a steady din and it all overwhelmed my senses.

We were pushed in at every angle by people young and old.

It was quite the cultural and religious experience, but I was glad when we descended again, leaving the thick crowds behind.

We called it quits and headed back to our little area of Thamel, which we’d become quite comfortable with. We ate a delicious lunch in a “trendy” cafe, and then did some souvenir shopping, both for ourselves and our loved ones.

After our ritual of an afternoon siesta, we had our final dinner in Kathmandu on a patio at a restaurant where we’d eaten earlier in the week. It was a magical finale to our week in Nepal.

—

Read more about our trip to Nepal…

Nepal: Day 1

Nepal: Day 2

Nepal: Day 3

Nepal: Day 4

Nepal: Days 5-7

Morning in Lukla is a frigid and completely uninviting affair. At this point we were freezing and chilled to the bone, hadn’t showered in 5 days, and the sound that first harkened dawn was a man horking outside my window. We hauled ourselves to breakfast, barely being able to walk. I can’t imagine what we looked like as we slowly descended the stairs. Every muscle in our bodies was crying out in extreme pain from overuse.

Around 7:30 a.m. we walked to the airport (a 3 min. walk) and realized that checking in and getting a flight out to Kathmandu was going to both test our patience and cause us to spend hours in prayer. There was no clear system to the naked eye. I mean, it’s entirely possible that the “airport staff” (and I say that loosely) felt they had a streamlined system… but it seemed quite chaotic to us outsiders.

There were cranky and cold trekkers all around us, some of whom had been trekking for a month or more. So I felt it was necessary to stay positive, having strenuously hiked for 3 days…

The “check in” line up moved from desk to desk, and the ever-growing crowd flowed back and forth dragging giant back packs across the floor. There was no real line as people pushed and shoved to get the attention of the clerk. And as they say, “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em!” So we did. We shoved our way in, trying to get on as early of a flight as possible.

You see, flights in and out of Lukla are dependant on weather. If the clouds roll in too much then the flights are cancelled. And everyday we had experienced rain and clouds around 11:00 a.m. and onwards… and our flight was “booked” (again, a loose term in Lukla) for 11:30.

As it turns out, our hotel owner has some sway and we were given boarding passes 2 hours after arriving. We were ushered through “security,” which consisted of a guy asking me if I had anything dangerous (“no”), and we found ourselves in a waiting room.

Everyone was given a pass with a number from 1-4 on it, which told us which flight we’d be on. They come when they come, so as time ticked on and clouds got lower, we continued to pray that #4 would depart soon.

Sure enough, our time came and despite the inefficiency inside the airport, unloading and loading the plane was very fast. Before we knew it, we were soaring above the Himalayas, leaving the relative chaos behind.

After a quick 35 minutes or so, we landed in sunny, warm Kathmandu. You know that perfect temperature where you’re completely comfortable in a t-shirt, there’s no real wind, and it’s just…well…perfect? Yah, that’s Kathmandu in April. It’s glorious! I never once felt cold.

Anyway, I’m jumping ahead of myself. We got back to our hotel, settled into our room and the very first thing I did was shower. And oh was it wonderful!

For the next two days our agenda looked much the same: we slept in as long as we felt like, read, shopped and ate. It was truly exactly what we needed a.) after hiking and b.) after a few very busy weeks at school.

The hotel we stayed at is directly in the heart of Thamel, which is the epicentre of all things “hippie” in Kathmandu. The streets are narrow and maze-like. Despite the constant flow of small cars, motorcycles, bicycles, rickshaws, hippies, trekkers and vendors, there are still seems to be enough space for everyone if we all juggle it very carefully.

The air has a constant aroma of incense, garlic, barbecue and dust. The bright and bold fabrics of Aladdin-plants and wall-hangings contrast the muted bricked pathways and simple aluminum store fronts. Horns honk at varying levels of annoying decibels and people are constantly laughing and chatting. “Namaste” is the greeting of choice, and the only other popular word you hear on repeat is “hashish?” murmured covertly in your ear as you pass a dealer.

Our favourite part of Thamel has to be the abundance of garden/terrace restaurants. They are quirky, quaint oases tucked into every alley. Wandering down any narrow passage can lead you into a surprising sanctuary of green; trees adorned with twinkle lights, candles aglow, flags strewn from corner to corner and Nepalese art hung on the walls, accompanied by soothing music in the background. These comfortable little spots are ideal at any time of day.

Eventually after a late dinner, we’d head back to our hotel, and slowly thereafter, while lying in bed, we’d hear the steel grates of the shops closing up, and the happy holidayers following the distant sounds of the clubs, pumping out techno versions of Adele and Carly Rae Jepsen.

—

Read more about our trip to Nepal…

Nepal: Day 1

Nepal: Day 2

Nepal: Day 3

Nepal: Day 4

Nepal: Day 8

Despite feeling quite chilly all night, we managed to have a fairly decent sleep. Although, we both awoke quite sore in many muscles that clearly aren’t used in out sedentary lives. Needless to say, we were hobbling around and we were quite concerned with how we’d make the trek all the way back to Lukla in one day.

But first things first, we ate breakfast, and picked up a few much-needed supplies (tissues, chocolate, water), and then we were off.

Mornings are always best because the precipitation from over night tends to create crystal clear views of the mountain peaks. We took the opportunity to start slow and snap some pictures of Namche.

The first hour was fast as we descended what took us 4 hours the previous day. It was much easier going down, for sure. It was nice weather for a little bit, but around 11:30 it started to pour rain… and it essentially continued until the last hour of our journey. We still saw many lovely views, including strikingly green fields where the locals grows their own produce.

Every once in a while the fog and clouds would dissipate and we would get to see views of the mountain peaks again. Those views are what kept us going despite our various physical ailments (letting us know just how out of shape we are).

We eventually gave up on keeping our pants and vibrams dry as we trudged through rivers of animal dung. We tried to convince ourselves that it was like the expensive mud wraps people get. But really it was just nasty animal crap squishing up between our toes for hours.

With every bend around a hill we’d look for some sign to show us how close we were to Lukla. But it seemed like instead of seeing something familiar, we’d see another uphill climb. Eventually though we spotted the archway that signaled Lukla. I think it gave us a last little burst of energy so we could make it to our hotel.

When we finally arrived we cleaned off our disgusting feet and settled right in to our usual evening routine: eating, drinking tea, and enjoying the scenery around us. Although, this time our view was overlooking the airport runway, which was quite neat.

—

Read more about our trip to Nepal…

Nepal: Day 1

Nepal: Day 2

Nepal: Day 3

Nepal: Days 5-7

Nepal: Day 8

We both woke up surprisingly warm considering we were staying in a room made out of plywood without any heat. I guess that’s what 4 blankets will do for you! We pulled the “curtain” back, and we had such a stunning view of a mountain. It immediately pulled us out of bed at 6:00 a.m. ready to get trekking for the day. After a quick, but hearty breakfast, we were on our way.

Our “guide” set off with us and we walked along taking in the glorious views. I’m not exactly sure when things took a turn, but all of a sudden we found ourselves gasping for air, chests tightening, heads “floating.” It was compounded by the fact that our trek became colder and steeper. At one point we were told by fellow trekkers that it would be a steady steep incline for the last 2-2.5 hours.

I’m not even sure that “discouraged” adequately describes the emotion I was feeling. I was tired, my body was slowly shutting down, and the altitude was getting to me. I don’t even know how many times I paused in our 7 hour trek; nor can I (nor will I) admit how many times I said, “I can’t do this.” There were other dramatic statements declared as well, but ultimately my #1 encourager, Peter, kept me going. That, and the snickers bar I ate in 7 pieces.

Seeing as our “guide” didn’t speak any English (I think he muttered 3 words the whole trip, and not at once.), we couldn’t even ask “Are we there yet?!” So we had to rely on conflicting reports, and hear things like, “Oh I remember that part; it was the worst!” Stellar.

Anyway, enough of the melodrama (for now). We rounded a corner and we realized that we were at a check point for Namche Bazaar, so we knew we were almost there. At this point I could barely feel my toes, and every muscle in the lower half of my body was screaming, “Why?! Why would you attempt to climb the Himalayas when your only source of ‘physical exercise’ consists of climbing the stairs at school?!’”

I still don’t have a good reason other than it seemed cool. And cool it was; as we took step by slow step down and up the muddied trail into the village of Namche.

We had some confusion with our “guide” about finding the hotel we wanted, so we ended up eating soup in this random restaurant with an old woman humming the same 3-note tune over and over while continually flipping from Bollywood channel to Bollywood channel. We were still debating going on to the hotel we’d heard about that has a view of Everest. However, the journey of 1 hr. seemed insane and we were told it wasn’t clear enough to see it.

So we took that as a sign to settle in Namche. It’s a good thing we did because not even 15 minutes later it started pouring rain. And then as I settled in to write this journal entry, it started snowing. All things considered, I think warming by the fire with a thermos of hot lemon tea was a much better plan.

We sat chatting with various other travellers, warming up and relaxing. Dinner was a bit of a scene though. I ordered a “hamburger” and when it arrived, it was 3 slices of spam on a bun. Umm… no thanks. So we sent it back and asked for a veggie burger instead. Well, that eventually returned, but they stuck it on my existing bun and served it cold with cold fries. Not cool. Or is it? Anyway, I finally got it but was almost not hungry at that point. After that we headed off to bed early seeing as we both had headaches from altitude adjustments.

—

Read more about our trip to Nepal…

Nepal: Day 1

Nepal: Day 2

Nepal: Day 4

Nepal: Days 5-7

Nepal: Day 8

At some point during the evening the music stopped and things in Kathmandu settled into a comfortable silence. I know this because I was awake for much of the night. I think it was a mix of jet lag, sweating and not being able to turn off my mind. With turning 29 and having a scheduled power outage (thus no power for our alarm clock to catch an early flight), and being concerned about flying to the “most dangerous airport in the world”…I was not able to sleep.

Regardless of my worry, we woke up just fine, at a lovely breakfast of scrambled eggs and toast, with a side of sweet ‘n’ sour hash browns. We at on our hotel’s terrace overlooking the stacked buildings, swooping birds and trees and flowers of all kinds. They all neatly fit together in a multi-coloured hodge podge. It’s hard to tell which buildings existed first.

After breakfast we were taken by our driver back to the airport to the domestic section to catch our flight to Lukla. He let us off at this random gate with the advice to just “go down there and you will see line.” …So we got out, walked outside on this rough trail, past a random monkey, and tons of people (none whom looked like they were flying anywhere), towards a run-down building. Now, the flight on a dinky plane to the “most dangerous airport in the world” was worrisome enough… but now this, a very dilapidated building, added to my concern.

We pushed past the crowds and into what appeared to be the Nepalese airport version of the New York Stock Exchange. There were tourists, locals, backpacks, crates of resources, and it was all happening very loudly in every chaotic direction. We both kind of laughed and then dove into the craziness and headed toward the “flight counter” that said “Lukla.” We moved around the desk trying to squeeze in amongst the others. Eventually we were given tickets and told to go to our gate. So we went through some pretty relaxed security and passed through these curtains. All of a sudden it was like we’d entered another world. There were regular airport seats and large windows facing the tarmac. It all seemed so relaxed and civilized in comparison.

We met up with the father-son duo we’d met the previous day and we all revelled in the check-in “process” we’d just been through. No sooner had we arrived than we were rushed out for our flight. When we checked the time it was barely 8:30 a.m., and yet our flight was scheduled for 9:20. As it turns out, there are no “real” flight times. They’re merely “suggestions.” What really happens is that when enough people check in, they go. So apparently they were ready.

Our small gaggle of passengers were taken by bus to our tiny plane. We loaded the 18-seater where we held our bags on our laps. We also could see the entire cockpit. It was both interesting and unnerving.

We took off with the engine humming in our ears. We were offered cotton balls and candies to help adjust to the sound and cabin pressure. The mountainous terrain was quite stunning as we soared quite closely to it. Our fellow plane companions were practically on the edges of their seats as they snapped photos and filmed the journey. You could sense the excitement and anticipation, thick amongst the gore-tex-clad trekkers.

As we began our descent, I decided not to look up due to the fact that we were about to land on a 420m runway that ends directly at a brick wall.

My fears were allayed when we landed smoothly on this mountainside “airport.” We hopped out and our guide was there with a sign all ready to go. We walked through the village of Lukla with only a brief stop to go to the toilet and for the locals to record our trekking passes.

After that we were on our way. Our guide (who, by the way doesn’t speak a word of english and who is probably only 18 years old) carried my pack which made things pretty easy for me. It was hard to take in all the incredible scenery around me while simultaneously trying not to step in animal dung.

Nevertheless, our rocky path led us through some truly magnificent views of the Himalayas. It seems to be layers of lush green grass, trees, bushes, all nestled into the mountains, with some homes and monasteries scattered throughout. Birds were chirping, the bells of the herds of cattle and donkeys were clanging.

We passed dozens of Buddhist prayer wheels where trekkers and sherpas all took turns spinning them, listening to the chiming bells, as they hoped for protection, peace and prosperity.

We paused briefly here and there along the trail to catch our breath, drink water and eat copious amounts of trail mix.

The morning was perfectly overcast with a fairly warm breeze and just a sprinkling of rain. We stopped more officially around 12:00 or so, after we’d been hiking for 3-3.5 hours. We settled in at the Shangri-La Guest House where we we warmed up with a bowl of fresh, hot soup. We rested and chatted with fellow trekkers, just enjoying the afternoon.

As we sat, we realized the rain had picked up, and instead of a light mist, it was legitimately pouring. So it was in that moment that we chose to settle there for the rest of the day. This is vacation, after all. So we sat in a room by a pot of charcoal staying warm, eating snacks and generally chatting the afternoon away to the sound of the pitter patter of raindrops. It was absolutely lovely and relaxing.

—

Read more about our trip to Nepal…

Nepal: Day 1

Nepal: Day 3

Nepal: Day 4

Nepal: Days 5-7

Nepal: Day 8

My 29th birthday is today (it was April 19th!). It feels like such a monumental age. The last year of my 20s – insane. It’s gone by so fast; too fast. In any case, this birthday coincided with a school holiday, so something monumental had to be planned. Even a week before the holiday we didn’t know if we could leave the country due to Peter’s residency. However, it appeared just in the nick of time. And with 5 days to go, we booked tickets to Kathmandu. No hotels, no driver, no major plans. It’s the first time we’ve done this, and so far so good.

We flew out of Kuwait at midnight and tossed and turned our way to Mumbai. We enjoyed a layover there with colleagues from our other school’s campus. Another quick 2 hours and we were in Kathmandu dealing with a ridiculous visa process. It took almost 2 hours, and it was a little disorganized. We parted ways with our colleagues and set out to find out how to get to Lukla, which is up near Mt. Everest. We saved the day for an American father-son duo (who had been sold a flight to the wrong location!), and then set out to find a hotel.

We lucked out with Pariwar B&B in the heart of tourist hippie heaven. We barely left the block of our hotel but yet we stocked up on hippie clothes, backpacking/hiking necessities for our trek, and spent a great deal of time eating on a rooftop patio sprinkled with flowers in shades of fuchsia.

We indulged in Indian curries and chocolate cake. And here we are now, ready to fall asleep to the sounds of some of last year’s greatest hits playing in the distances while hippies and locals party the night away.

—

Read more about our trip to Nepal…

Nepal: Day 2

Nepal: Day 3

Nepal: Day 4

Nepal: Days 5-7

Nepal: Day 8