Karolina's property

Did you hear about Jamie Oliver? If not you better watch this video. It will change your life…

(via TED)

After watching this video I decided to buy one of Jamie’s culinary books – “Jamie at home. Cook Your Way to the Good Life.”

I bought this one because it was the only Jamie’s cooking book available in book store here in Sofia, Bulgaria.  And now I thank God that I hit on this one.

The book is fantastic and beautifully printed.  What comes to my mind when I look at the pictures in this book is the strong will to try and cook every single dish that Jamie writes about. I tell you the recipes are great – really tasty and what is very important healthy. 

The whole book is organized by seasons. Jamie gives some tips how to grow your own vegetables and fruits. Which I think is a wonderful idea. Do you remember my little garden at my balcony?

I wanted to try some recipes from the book and I came up with this one – Tomato coriander salsa with grilled tuna. The photograph in the book was insane… so I decided to try it.  The recipe was quick, easy and delicious.

Ingredients:

6 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped

1-2 fresh red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped to taste

a bunch of fresh coriander, leaves picked

a bunch of fresh mint, leaves picked

1 kg beautifully ripe but firmish tomatoes

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

juice of 1/2 a lemon

juice of 1 lime

6 fresh fish fillets

olive oil

Preparation.

1. slice the spring onions and half of the chillies

2. finely chop the coriander leaves with the upper parts of the stalks and the mint leaves

3. slice up the tomatoes and chop to the kind of consistency that you like

4. carefully scrape everything off the board into a nice serving bowl with all the juices

5. season and balance the flavors confidently with the salt, the lemon juice and the lime juice

6. put the salsa to one side while you get your fish ready.

7. rub it on both sides with olive oil and season with salt and peper.

8. grill or griddle to your liking on both sides.

9. serve the fish on a plate with a big dollop of the salsa on top, or to the side.

10. enjoy your meal.

(the recipe by Jamie Oliver)

(pictures by me)

Mmmmmm… Enjoy.

(via thestate)

Plus-Size Model Crystal Renn (23) just released a book about her journey in the modeling world, a journey from size 0 to size 12: “Hungry – A Young Model’s Story: Appetite, Ambition and the Ultimate Embrace of Curves”.

Here’s her summarized story: At age 14, Crystal told that she had to lose 10 inches from her hips in order to be a succesful model. As a result, Crystal went from 175 lbs to 95 lbs in just 2 years. At 16, Crystal dealt with anorexia and was a size 0(US). But then, there was a turning point:

“At 17 my body completely rebelled. I couldn’t loose more weight and I realized I was going to die for a job. The next day I was completely chastised by my agency for my size and one agent pulled me aside and said, “There’s an option for you. You can either go plus-size or do commercial work.” And I asked, “What’s plus-size modeling? I’ve never heard of that.” And she said, “Well it means you can be whatever size you want and model.” But she said it was for old women! But for whatever reason, everything made sense and I knew this was the route I had to take. I went and had a salad with salmon and walnuts and olive oil. I gave into what my body needed. I could be healthy and happy and still model.”, says Crystal.

… and so, she was inspired to share her story in a book:

“I’d like to see everyone take on the attitude that there are women of all different shapes and sizes as `the beauty ideal,’ and that it’s not one type or another. There are women who are naturally a size 2 — you can’t forget them, and that’s discrimination the other way,” Renn said. “All women bring something different to the table and we have to appreciate them all.”

Some in the fashion, modeling and magazine industries have been receptive to the idea, she said, noting that she’s still working with her fuller figure in Vogue, Glamour, on the runway with Jean Paul Gaultier and in ads for Dolce & Gabbana. ”I believe there is a cycle to everything — Wall Street, the housing market, and modeling, too. Back in the Victorian days, it was all about a full figure, in the ’50s, it was about the boobs, in the ’80s it was shoulders and in the ’90s it was waifs,” she said. “It can only go up from here.”, says Crystal.

Isn’t she beautiful?

(via thestate)

She’s gorgeous! But I’m shocked at what the industry calls “plus size”.