Cook with me: Chocolate Apple Cake (raw, vegan, dairy-free)

Hello everyone,

my food-loving-cooking-baking-creating side is at its best form these days. I started to write down all the recipes that caught my eye, some of them were already recreated and many more are still waiting in the line! Blame the holidays or too much free time, but I like this mood. And anyone who tried my food creations (especially desserts) likes it even more.

I've totally fallen for raw food where no cooking or baking is required, just combining ingredients and mixing them together. About a week ago, I made my second raw cake - a healthy Chocolate apple cake - vegan and dairy-free! It is pretty similar to the Banana strawberry chocolate cake. And as always, it is so easy to make!

Recipe:

Base (1st layer):

100 g mixed nuts (I used walnuts and hazelnuts)

100 g oats

50 g coconut flour

50 g coconut palm sugar

200 g medjool dates, pitted

2 tablespoons coconut oil (not melted)

Filling (2nd layer):

2-3 apples (medium size), grated
1 tsp cinnamon
3 tbsp coconut flour

Chocolate cream (3rd layer):

170 g medjool dates, pitted

1 cup water

50 g raw cocoa powder

2 tablespoons coconut oil (not melted)

Preparation:

1. For the base, mix all ingredients in a food processor into a dough and press it firmly into a cake tin.

2. Mix together the grated apples, cinnamon and coconut flour. Add the mixture on top of the dough. 

3. For the chocolate cream, mix the dates in a food processor until you don't get a lump. Next, add water to get a thick, creamy consistency. The last step is to add cocoa powder and coconut oil to the mixture. Then, put the cream over the apple layer.

4. Let the cake cool down in the fridge for about 2-3 hours before serving.

Believe me, raw cakes taste as good as ordinary baked cakes if not even better (oh yes, they do)! Still in doubts? Well, then you seriously need to make one or two!

By the way, there is still some time left to enter my GIVEAWAY (previous post) which ends today at 8 PM! The winner will be announced on Facebook no later than tomorrow.

Have a sunny week,

Vanja

DIY: Homemade Peanut Butter and healthy Nutella + GIVEAWAY

Hello everyone,

another DIY post is here for you to try out, this time a food-related one. I'm presenting you two DIY recipes - homemade peanut butter and healthy Nutella! And at the end of the post, you can find all the details about the little giveaway I prepared in honour of the 1st Blogoversary.

I'm sure many of us love peanut butter and Nutella. Nutella was my go-to breakfast during my childhood and peanut butter is a more recent discovery. But as you may know, they are not the healthiest things to eat since they contain loads of unnecessary sugar, salt, unhealthy fats and other artificial ingredients. Overload of calories. However, it is possible to make them healthy, delicious and nutritious if you prepare them in your own kitchen.

PEANUT BUTTER recipe:

Ingredients:

250g peanuts (shelled, skinned, roasted, unsalted)

3 tbsp coconut/peanut oil

1 tsp salt

2 tsp liquid sweetener (honey/maple syrup)

Preparation:

1. Place the peanuts into a food processor. 

2. Blend for 1 minute, then scrape down the sides of the bowl. 

3. Blend again and scrape down the sides. Then, add the oil, salt and sweetener. 

4. Blend and scrape down the sides until you get a smooth cream which shouldn't be too thick - in this case, add more oil.

5. Transfer the peanut butter into a glass jar. Store in the fridge.

Healthy NUTELLA recipe:

Ingredients:

100g hazelnuts

5 tbsp raw cacao powder

3 tbsp coconut oil

1/2 tsp salt

3 tsp liquid sweetener (honey/maple syrup)

Preparation:

1. Place the hazelnuts in a food processor and blend into flour.

2. Add cacao, oil, salt and sweetener. Blend again and scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed.

3. Continue blending until you get a creamy consistency.

4. Transfer the choco-hazelnutty cream into a glass jar. Store in the fridge.

Now, where to use them? Spread them on toasted bread, add them into oatmeal, put them on fruit... You decide. Just use your imagination. I really hope you will try at least one recipe, it won't take you too long to master it.

And now the little GIVEAWAY!

One lucky winner will receive a unique handmade silver bracelet and a Soraya deodorant! The bracelet is made by me. All the beads/pearls are handmade - the little silver stones are glued onto the balls. And Soraya is a very popular brand here in Slovenia; I tried this deodorant which I really like, so I decided to order another one for this gevaway.

To participate, fill out the Rafflecopter below. The giveaway is international. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


See you next Sunday,

Vanja

1st Blog Anniversary

Hello everyone,

as you may know I usually post at Sundays but - today is a special day for me and this blog. Exactly one year ago, it was Sunday July 7, the first blog post was uploaded. So today I'm celebrating the 1st anniversary!

The year flew by really quickly. I managed to write 21 posts (without this one) - it may not sound a lot but in my opinion, quality is above quantity. I also got so many views, lovely comments and amazing followers from all over the world. It is hard to describe how excited and happy I get when someone writes a comment, gives me a feedback, likes my Facebook page or simply just reads the things I wrote. The feeling is priceless.

In honor of this day, a little giveaway will be going on. More details about the prize and how to participate will be posted this Sunday when I'll also share a new DIY recipe with you (hint - the glass jar on the picture above), get excited!
And I cannot end writing this post without...

A BIG thank you for reading and following Crayons and Beads!

I wish you a great start of the week,

Vanja

Cook with me: Banana Strawberry Chocolate Cake (raw, vegan, dairy-free)

Hello everyone,

I'm finally back with a new post. For this special occasion, I'd like to share with you a recipe that I came across within the past days. Get excited for the Banana Strawberry Chocolate Cake! It is raw, vegan, dairy-free and it tastes deliciously! 

This was my first time making a raw cake and it definitely won't be the last one. I never imagined a raw cake being so tasty. The ingredients couldn't be more healthy - it is a perfect dessert for everyone who eats clean (including myself).

Recipe (adapted from Malinca.si):

Base (1st layer):

100 g mixed nuts (walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts)

100 g oats

50 g coconut flour

50 g coconut palm sugar

200 g medjool dates, pitted

2 tablespoons coconut oil (not melted)

Filling (2nd layer):

250 g strawberries, chopped

3 bananas, chopped

Chocolate cream (3rd layer):

150 g medjool dates, pitted

1/2 cup water

50 g raw cocoa powder

2 tablespoons coconut oil (not melted)

Preparation:

1. For the base, mix all ingredients in a food processor into a dough and press it firmly into a cake tin.

2. Add the chopped bananas and strawberries on top of the dough. 

3. For the chocolate cream, mix the dates in a food processor until you don't get a lump. Next, add water to get a thick, creamy consistency. The last step is to add cocoa powder and coconut oil to the mixture. Then, put the cream over the fruit layer.

4. Let the cake cool down in the fridge for about 2-3 hours before serving.

I bet everyone can master this recipe (cooking-dummies included!). It takes less than an hour to make. Will you give it a try?

I have a lot more healthy recipes on my menu to share with you since I've been into clean eating for almost a year now. Healthy food has become an important part of my lifestyle besides regular exercise. So, for the future posts expect even more healthy and easy food recipes! For more food inspiration, you are invited to follow my Instagram account (@crayonsandbeads). Now I'm off to studying Internal medicine and Surgery, finals are coming too quickly!

Until then,

Vanja

Review: Lee Stafford dry shampoo

Hello everyone,

for today's late Sunday post I prepared a short review of a dry shampoo. This post will be written in English and in Slovene too. However, I hope you will still enjoy reading it! (And I apologize for the lack of posts, the new study year took all my free time.)

About a month ago, our Slovenian online drugstore Click2Chic.si sent me this Lee Stafford dry shampoo* to test it. I was hoping to get my hand on it since forever, but I have never bought it because of the price, it was just too expensive for me. Another reason why I insisted not to buy it is that I tried a lot of different dry shampoos and I was always disappointed by them.

Pred mesecem dni sem od naše spletne drogerije Click2Chic.si prejela Lee Stafford suhi šampon za pranje las, da bi ga testirala. Že od nekdaj sem si ga želela preizkusiti, vendar ga zaradi njegove cene nisem nikdar kupila. Poleg tega sem preizkusila kar nekaj suhih šamponov in zmeraj sem bila razočarana.

So you can imagine how happy I was when I received this product. The packaging is adorable, the product comes in a 150 ml hot pink bottle. The use is very simple, you spray the product into the roots of the hair. Next, you rub away the powder with your fingers. That's it! The powder absorbs the excess oils perfectly, it works great for me. And the hair smells amazing. I don't know what scent this is, but it smells so fresh to me. Another great thing about it is that I'm not left with any white powder in my hair like every other dry shampoo does. This is one of the most important things about a dry shampoo for me, because if I see any white powder in my roots, I won't use is again. Only in emergency cases.
I use it 2 to 3 times per week when I don't have time to wash my hair and blow dry it. I only need a small amount of the product so bet it will be useful for many months.

Lahko si predstavljate, kako vesela sem bila, ko sem prejela pošiljko s tem izdelkom. Embalaža je prelepe pink barve in vsebuje 150 ml suhega šampona. Uporaba je zelo preprosta, izdelek se razprši po laseh in se nato vmasira v lasišče, kjer se zgodi "čarovnija", saj izgine videz mastnega lasišča. Izdelek je pravzaprav prašek/puder/prah, ki absorbira vso odvečno maščobo. Na mojih laseh deluje res dobro. Po uporabi lasje čudovito dišijo. Vonja ne znam točno opredeliti, vendar diši zelo osvežujoče. Še ena odlična stvar glede tega izdelka je, da na mojih laseh ne ostane nič tistega nadležnega belega prahu, ki ga za samo pusti večina ostalih suhih šamponov. To je zame dokaj pomembna zadeva, saj odloča o tem, ali bom izdelek uporabljala še naprej ali ne.
Izdelek uporabljam 2- do 3-krat na teden, ko nimam dovolj časa za umivanje in sušenje las. Do sedaj sem porabila zelo malo izdelka in verjamem, da mi ga bo zmanjkalo šele čez nekaj mesecev.

Will I purchase it? Of course I will! This is one of the best dry shampoo I have ever tried. It is definitely my favorite until (and if) I find a better one.
And all my dark haired ladies, don't worry about the white powder! This dry shampoo also comes in two other versions, for medium and dark brown hair. I'm using the original version which is great for my light hair. If you want to have a very good dry shampoo, I highly recommend this one from Lee Stafford!
Slovenian readers can buy this product here.

Ali bom ta izdelek ponovno kupila? Seveda! To je eden izmed najboljših suhih šamponov, ki sem jih preizkusila. Vsekakor je le-ta moj najljubši, dokler (in če) ne najdem še boljšega.
In še dobra novica za vse gospodične in gospe s temno barvo las: ta suhi šampon obstaja še v dveh različicah, za srednje rjave in temno rjave barve las. Jaz uporabljam originalno verzijo, ki super učinkuje na svetlih laseh. Če si želite imeti res dober suhi šampon, vam toplo priporočam tega!
Kupite ga lahko tukaj.

Ingredients: Butane, Isobutane, Propane, Corn Starch Modified, Alcohol Denat., Betaine, Parfum, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Linalool, Limonene, Benzyl Alcohol

Until next time,

Vanja

DIY: Personalized diary/notebook

"Creativity is contagious, pass it on." - Albert Einstein

Hello everyone,

summer has ended and it is officially autumn again. Another study year will start on Tuesday (October 1st) for me and other Slovenian students. I'm starting my 3rd year of medicine which sadly means blogging will be the last thing I'd take time for. But this does not mean I'm quitting! I just won't be able to upload a post every Sunday. I'll try to have up two posts per month.

Now onto the fun part! As I promised, here is another fun and easy DIY. Earlier this week, I got a small notebook as a gift but I hated its cover. However, since it could be very useful for taking notes and other things, I decided "it's time for a makeover" and I totally like the final result. Of course, you can do with your diary or notebook (or any kind of book) whatever you prefer! This is just an idea what I did and to get you into the being-creative-mood.

What you will need:
1) diary or notebook
2) paper
3) stickers
4) markers
5) scissors
6) glue (I used UHU stick glue)

How to make:

1) Place the paper onto the cover of the diary/notebook, press around the edges (arrows on 1st photo) and glue them both together.

2) Fold the rest of the paper and glue it to the inside of the diary/notebook.

3) Now it is time to use some stickers, markers and all your imagination! Draw and write whatever will keep you motivated during the study/school year.

All the best till next time,

Vanja

Other DIY posts you might like:

DIY: Bring old shirts back to life (part 1)

DIY: Hair bow

Tag: Sunshine award

Hello everyone,

unfortunately, I didn't have time to prepare a nicer post than this one due to other important things I had to do during the week. I was thinking not to post today at all, but then I remembered that I was nominated by Telovadit začnem vedno na isti dan - jutri (check out this nice blog!) for The sunshine award. A while ago, I did another tag post which you can read here.

Rules:
1) Thank the person you have been nominated by
2) Add the logo
3) Share 7 facts about yourself
4) Tag 5 or more blogs that inspire you

Here are the facts:

1) I've been playing violin for more than 10 years.

2) I dyed my hair when I was 14 or 15. Looking back, this was such a stupid decision! I'm glad to have my natural color back (which you can see here).

3) I have a German Shepherd dog named Blue. He is 3 years old and the 3rd dog I own.

4) I'm extremely shy and introverted (in real life). Also, I have some problems with anxiety - I can become anxious for no reason at any time.

5) I have never been operated before. But I was present at an operation last month!

6) Spiders can afraid me (almost) to death. I don't believe in fairy tales which say they bring luck.

7) I'm short-sighted and I have to wear glasses on some occasions, but I dislike contact lenses. I just hate the thought to have something IN my eyes.

My list of blogs which inspire me is very long and many blogs have been nominated already. I think everyone should be nominated! Feel free to write a post like this one and leave a comment below so I can read it!

I wish you a great week,

Vanja

P.S.: Next Sunday, I promise to have a much better post than today! Maybe a new DIY project?

Cook with me: Bruschetta

“Always start out with a larger pot than what you think you need.” - Julia Child

Hello everyone,

have you ever been in a situation when you were home alone and hungry? When you didn't want to eat junk food or any kind of food out of the tin, but actually prepare yourself something delicious and healthy? That happened to me a few days ago. The fact is I like to eat clean (as much as possible) because this makes me feel better and look better (besides regular exercise). That's why I like to cook by myself - I know exactly which ingredient was used.
Now onto the dish I decided to share with you. It is called bruschetta, an Italian dish. But this is not the original recipe, it is modified a little bit. It is easy to make and no skills are required except you should know how to use an oven!

Ingredients (which I used):

cherry tomatoes

paprika/peppers

parsley

grilled chicken

olive oil

salt and pepper

slices of bread

cheese

(There are no numbers because the amount is not fixed.)

Method:

1) Preheat the oven to 150 degrees C. 

2) Chop veggies and grilled chicken into small pieces, put them into a bowl, add a little bit of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix everything together.

3) Bake the slices of bread in the preheated oven for 5 minutes, then take them out of the oven and cover them with the mixture and cheese. Put them back into the oven and bake for 5 minutes or more.

The other time, I added prosciutto instead of grilled chicken (picture here). Yum!

Keep in mind that you can add whatever ingredients you prefer! This versatile dish is perfect for experimenting with unknown flavors.

Good luck,

Vanja

Slovenian Bloggers 2.- 8.9.2013

Want to know what Slovenian bloggers were up to?

Hey, don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

UniqaPoly made a comparison between two sun protecting lip balms.

Neja made some comfort food.

Kim showed us her haul from the past two weeks.

Pink_Diamond created a back to school manicure.

Katja spent her Sunday in Ljubljana.

Vesna did this beautiful bottle.

P.K. had some failed shopping.

Maja Ena will be going to fitness for another year.

Kristina got some new Kiko nail polishes.

Adjusting Beauty did some Baroque inspired nails.

Alja got some new Catrice lipsticks.

N. Purcell made chiffon rings.

Mateja tried her new Barry M nail polish.

Taya wrote about her favorite hair products.

Vanja showed us how to make healthy banana pancakes.

Tanita spent her day in park.

Dee wrote a NYX girl review.

Maša baked a blueberry pie.

Cook with me: Healthy banana pancakes

"I want pancakes! God, do you people understand every language except English? Yo quiero pancakes! Donnez-moi pancakes! Click click bloody click pancakes!" - Stewie Griffin

Hello everyone,

I don't know about you, but I love eating pancakes. Especially if they are healthy. I found the following recipe two months ago but didn't have time to try it out. The best thing about it is that there are only two ingredients required to make these healthy pancakes! And they taste very good. So why not share it?

Ingredients:

- 1 banana

- 1 egg

Method:

1) Mash the banana in a bowl, then add the egg and mix until you get a homogeneous consistency.

2) With a ladle, put a small amount of the mixture on a preheated pan (I didn't add any oil, butter or cooking spray) and bake on each side until it turns golden or even dark brown.

And why are these pancakes so healthy? Bananas contain fiber, minerals (potassium, manganese, magnesium), vitamins (B6 and C), and are very low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. Eggs are a great source of protein, minerals, vitamin B12 and healthy fats. Just the best for you.

Bon appétit!

Vanja

Slovenian Bloggers 26.8.-1.9.2013

Want to know what Slovenian bloggers were up to?

Hey, don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Pink Diamond introduced us her sweet little sins. 

Vesna made this amazing pinky shirt! 

Katja showed us her look. 

Alja had her "I don`t have time" eye shadow routine.

Ina had those amazing Catrice products.

Yanya talked about problems with blogging.

UniqaPoly got some new products in August.

Neja smelled autumn!

Erika is going to be a make up artist!

C`est la vie got a new tattoo!

Taya posted a video tutorial how to make a braided bun.

Adjusting Beauty had a review for us - the tangle teezer.

Purcell talked about bags.

Vanja chose her August favorites.

Mateja was in Ljubljana.

Katja needs your help to become Slovenian ambassador for Wella. 

August Favorites

"Every year, August lashes out in volcanic fury, rising with the din of morning traffic, its great metallic wings smashing against the ground, heating the air with ever-increasing intensity." - Henry Rollins

Hello everyone,

another month has come to its end. Sadly, the month is called August which means summer will be also almost gone by. But... I'm going to wear shorts until September will be over, and I don't care about freezing my legs off in the morning time. It is still summer! If I didn't shock you with my previous sentences, please keep on reading and maybe you will learn something new about me.

1) What is the funniest thing that happened to you?
I had a lot of funny moments but I laughed so hard when I got an attack of laughter. It happens often, sometimes for no reason. And I cannot stop laughing for about 5 or even 10 minutes! Great exercise for the muscles, right?

2) Did you read any books?
I consider myself being a book worm so my answer is yes! I read Fifty shades of Grey (in Slovenian) and Fifty shades darker (in English). These books are pure addiction, trust me! I almost ate them because they were sooooo good! I needed only 7 days to finish both of them. I cannot wait to get my hands on the last part. You HAVE to read them, okay?

3) Did you watch any movies?
Actually, I remember only the one from last night, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. Overall, I didn't have time to watch any movies due to studying.

(Source)

4) Something that made you proud of yourself?
This is a tough one... Maybe being able (especially mentally) to study during the hot summer time?

5) Did you play any games?
No.

6) Did you travel anywhere?
I was in our capital city Ljubljana for a few days, climbed on Šmarna gora (669 m), watched the swans at Zbiljsko jezero, visited my friend from Koroška and was on the top of Uršlja gora (1699 m)!

7) Which foods did you try and loved?

I tried the Rolled grilled cheese sandwiches. I had some troubles with rolling them because they would not obey me. I prepared them with my bf and we almost set the kitchen on fire thanks to the overheated pan. Anyway, they taste really good!

8) Which songs did you like?

Capital Cities - Safe and sound. Constantly on replay. When I hear it, I think about summer, holidays, driving to the seaside... Music to my ears.

9) Which products did you like?
Forever 21 earrings
Essie nourish me base coat
Fa Cream&Oil shower cream

10) What did you learn?
I learned about some "new" issues that I have with myself. And I was studying for my exam. That's learning too, isn't it?

I hope you enjoyed reading this post!

Have a nice week,

Vanja