Last minute gifts made by yourself

Especially in times like these in 2020, there have been significantly fewer opportunities to shop for gifts in peace and with love. In some countries, shops are no longer open. So some ideas for beautiful DIY last-minute gifts might come just in time for. And the best thing is: you probably already have most of the things you need at home or you can just pick them up at your local supermarket.

DIY Gift Idea: Homemade Candles

Candles are a staple in the Christmas and winter season. The candlelight of a homemade candle, which can be individually designed, is particularly beautiful.

What you will need:

• Coconut or vegetable fat (available in supermarkets)
• A wick (can be ordered online)
• A nice glass
• A stick to hold the wick in place
• Scissors
• Dried flowers, cinnamon sticks, orange peel etc. for decoration
• Optional: Essential fragrance oil, hot glue gun

And this is how it works:

1. Place the wick in the middle of the jar and attach it to a small stick hanging across the jar to stabilize it. If you have a hot glue gun, you can also stick the wick to the bottom of the jar.
2. Heat the fat carefully on the lowest setting so that it liquefies
3. Add a few drops of essential oil
4. Pour 1/3 of the liquid fat into the jar and sprinkle decorations (e.g. cinnamon sticks) on top and let this part solidify
5. Pour the rest of the fat and sprinkle decorations on top again and leave to cool.
6. Trim the wick to 5mm - done!

Source - wohnzin.com

DIY Gift Idea: coffee peeling

Especially in winter, our skin is exposed to many stresses and strains: cold, dry air through heaters, etc. and these all take their toll on the skin. A homemade coffee peel is a great way for you to give your gift recipient something where he can do him- or herself some good. The practical thing about this gift is that you can use coffee that has already been brewed, i.e. coffee grounds.

What you will need:

• Dry coffee grounds (it is important that they are dry, otherwise mould will form).
• Household sugar
• Optional: skin-friendly oil, e.g. olive oil or massage oil from the drugstore
• A storage jar with a lid
• Beautiful yarn, a bow etc. as decoration

And this is how it works:

To prepare the scrub, simply mix the coffee grounds and sugar in a 1:1 ratio and pour the finished scrub into a preserving jar or a normal jar with a screw cap.

If you want to give the peel a special care effect, mix it with oil or honey in the same ratio. This variant will keep for approx. 2-4 weeks in the refrigerator.

Source - happycoffee.org

Delicious Christmas menu – no professional equipment needed!

As we shouldn’t host a big Christmas dinner with family and friends this year and also because the restaurants are closed, we have prepared a suggestion for a delicious Christmas menu. The starter is also suitable for vegans, and we have thought of an alternative to meat for the main course.

Starter: Vanilla Parsnip Soup

 Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil or water
• 4 finely diced shallots
• 1 clove of garlic
• 8 parsnips peeled and cut into 2cm pieces
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 440 ml vegetable stock
• 440 ml (vegetable) milk
• 1 vanilla pod
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• Sea salt and pepper

For decoration

• 60 g hazelnut kernels
• 50 g dried cranberries
• A few sprigs of fresh thyme or rosemary
• High-quality olive oil

Preparation:
Heat oil or water in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the shallots and garlic until they are soft. Season with salt and pepper, then add the parsnips and thyme. Reduce the heat to very low and cover the pan with a lid. Sauté the parsnips for 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until they are soft. Stir in the stock and milk. Cut the vanilla pod in half lengthwise and scrape out the pith with the back of a knife. Add the pith and vanilla pod to the other ingredients in the saucepan and bring the liquid to the boil. Remove from the heat and remove the vanilla pod. Carefully put the soup into the stand mixer and puree until smooth. Return to the pot, add salt and pepper and season with lemon juice to bring out the flavours. Serve in warmed bowls or cups, garnished with hazelnut kernels, cranberries, and fresh herbs. Finally, pour a little extra virgin olive oil over each serving.

Source - vegan-tase-week.de

Main course: Oven-roasted Red Cabbage with Chestnuts, Roast Beef or Vegan Roast

Ingredients for the oven-roasted Red Cabbage:

• small head of red cabbage (approx. 800 g)
• oil
• salt and pepper
• 1 pinch of cloves
• 200 g chestnuts (vacuum packed)
• ½ bunch thyme
• 100 g redcurrant jelly

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees (fan oven: 160 degrees). Remove the outer leaves from the red cabbage, wash the remaining cabbage and cut into quarters. Cut the cabbage quarters into narrow, approx. 2 cm thick wedges, making sure that the stalk holds the wedges together. Brush the wedges generously with oil. Mix 1 teaspoon of salt, pepper and clove powder and season the wedges with it, then place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Coarsely chop the chestnuts and sprinkle on the red cabbage and sprinkle with thyme. Bake the cabbage in the oven for about 30 minutes. Then drizzle the redcurrant jelly over the top. Bake the red cabbage for a further 3-5 minutes, remove and serve.

Ingredients for the Roast Beef:

• High quality meat
• Salt & pepper

Preparation in the oven:

Coat an oven rack with oil and slide a baking tray underneath. Place the meat on it with the fat layer facing upwards. Now rub with salt and pepper and cook in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes. Then reduce the temperature to 220 degrees Celsius and let the roast beef roast for another 25 to 30 minutes. It should now be crispy on the outside and tender pink in the middle. You can check the cooking point by pressing the meat in with your thumb. If the meat gives way but is elastic, it is perfect. If it gives way and is soft, it is still rare. Elastic meat is cooked through.

Ingredients for the vegan Alternative: Roast lentils:

• 200 g brown lentils

• 1 medium carrot

• 1 medium onion

• 2 cloves garlic

• 200 g mushrooms

• 200 g nuts/seeds, we used 100 g walnuts + 100 g sunflower seeds

• 75 g oat flakes

• 2 tbsp linseed

• 1 tbsp dried thyme

• 1 tbsp dried rosemary

• 2 tbsp chopped parsley

• 1 tbsp. tomato paste

• 1 tbsp. soy sauce

• (Smoked) salt + pepper

For decoration

• 2 tbsp preserved cranberries, or jam of your choice

• 2 tbsp tomato ketchup

Preparation:
Cook the lentils according to the instructions on the packet until soft, drain and leave to drain briefly. Finely chop the flax seeds. Roughly chop the mushrooms, carrot and onion. Chop all the ingredients for the meatloaf in a blender so that they are still slightly chunky. This works best in batches and when the blender is not too full. Mix everything together to get a homogeneous mixture. Season with salt and pepper (smoke), pour into a baking dish lined with baking paper and smooth out. Bake in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius (fan oven) for 30 minutes. Quickly mix the glaze, brush the meatloaf with the glaze and bake for another 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing so that the mixture holds together.

-

Serve with crispy croquettes or potato wedges.

Sources:

Oven-roasted red cabbage

Roastbeef

Vegan Lentil Roast

Dessert: Baked Apple Speculaas Dessert

 Ingredients:

• 500 g natural yoghurt or soy yoghurt (drained)
• 500 g vanilla yoghurt or soy yoghurt (drained)
• 6 medium apples
• 2 tbsp sultanas
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp gingerbread spice
• Juice of a small lemon
• 1 tbsp water
• 200 g speculaas biscuits
• 3 tbsp chopped almonds
• Optional: bitter almond flavouring

For decoration

• 60 g hazelnut kernels
• 50 g dried cranberries
• A few sprigs of fresh thyme or rosemary
• High-quality olive oil

Preparation:

Line a fine-pored sieve with kitchen paper and place a bowl underneath. Leave the yoghurt in the sieve to drain for a few hours. Then mix the two types of yoghurt together.
In the meantime, core and finely dice the apples. Put them in a pot with the sultanas, cinnamon, gingerbread spice, lemon juice and a tablespoon of water. Bring to the boil once and then simmer over a low heat. If you like, add 2-3 drops of bitter almond flavouring. Roughly crush the apples and leave to cool.

Break the speculaas into small pieces. Put a layer of speculaas in each glass and top with applesauce, then with yoghurt cream. Repeat these steps and then put the glasses in the fridge for about 3-4 hours.
Shortly before serving, toast chopped almonds in a pan without oil until golden brown and garnish each jar with chopped almonds.

Winter spices for savoury and sweet dishes

During the Christmas season and also on New Year's Eve, winter spices are of course a must. Classics such as cinnamon are particularly popular - but there are several other spice varieties that can conjure up a festive taste on your tongue and that old-fashioned Christmas scent in your nose. And the best thing is: they not only taste and smell good, but usually also have a health-promoting effect:

1. The Christmas spice cinnamon
   Cinnamon is one of the oldest spices in the world and belongs to the laurel family. In supermarkets, it is usually available in ground form, but also as a cinnamon stick or cinnamon blossom. Especially around Christmas, cinnamon is an essential ingredient in sweet dishes such as pastries and cakes, but also in tea or mulled wine.

2. Cardamom as a wintry soul soother
   Cardamom is one of the most expensive spices in the world and is very popular not only in Asian cuisine, but also in the pre-Christmas and winter season. It is not only suitable for savoury dishes, but also as a spice for coffee, tea or pastries such as speculaas or gingerbread. Cardamom is said to have a positive effect on digestion and has a soothing effect on colds.
   
   
3. The all-rounder for the whole year: vanilla
   Vanilla is not only a popular spice in winter. It is used in perfumes, body care products, candles and of course in the kitchen all year round. In winter, the precious spice, also known as the "queen of spices", is a popular flavour enhancer. Vanilla is suitable for sweet and savoury dishes and gives every dish that certain something. The health effect attributed to vanilla is also positive. It is said to have anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and calming effects, which is why it is a great spice for an evening tea or hot milk.

4. The insider tip among Christmas spices: Pimento
   Pimento is a spice that should be used sparingly and adds a Christmas touch to many dishes: Allspice is commercially available in ground form or as whole, dried berries.  Allspice gives gingerbread its typical flavour and goes perfectly with savoury dishes. Allspice is particularly suitable for foods that are difficult to digest because of its digestive stimulating effect. It is also said to help against flatulence and loss of appetite.

Winter cocktails for New Year's Eve - easy to make yourself

Certainly, the use of Christmas or winter spices in the preparation of cocktails requires a certain amount of experimentation. But why not try it out for once and immerse your taste buds in a Christmas cocktail experience. We have prepared a cocktail recipe for you that will not only make your New Year's Eve festive, but also taste especially deliciously of winter and Christmas:

Winter magic - the cocktail for the most beautiful time of the year

What you need for one drink (for several cocktails, simply adjust the amount):

• 5 cl Lillet Blanc
• 5 cl pear juice
• 5 cl tonic water
• 2 cl cinnamon syrup
• 3 cl fresh lemon juice
• For the decoration: Cinnamon sticks, pear slices, thyme

And that's how easy it is:
Fill a nice glass with ice cubes and then put all the ingredients except the tonic water into the cocktail glass. Then fill the glass with tonic water and decorate it with cinnamon sticks, pear slices and thyme.

Celebrate Christmas and New Year's Eve in a festive and cozy way - even in 2020.

We hope you have a merry festive season despite all the circumstances!

Stay healthy - your myhive Team.