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Urbanhafen – birds and abstracts with water – 29 February 2014

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Photowalk with VHS 24 February

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From Lietzensee to Breitscheidplatz.

If the selection seems odd or random – it isn’t :-). Most (but not all) the photos are for an assignment in a street photography course with Volkshochschule. In terms of quality, that is always a bit of a lottery, but Johannes Rigal is a super teacher. He knows both his stuff and teaching and has exactly the right personality for this type of course. I thoroughly enjoyed the walk and am looking forward to the next one. The weather also helped, of course 🙂 providing a welcome opportunity to experiment with shadows.

In the meantime, I shall have to decide on ten to fifteen photos to submit to be reviewed in class in a week’s time. I feel some diptychs and triptychs coming on :-).

But first, the setting moon as seen from my home that morning (yes, I need a longer lense) :

Volkspark Rehberge 23 February

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Another park I definitely want to go back to, not only to try to get some better bird photos but also to further observe the two racoons which, when I was there, were just about to wake up from their sleep in a dead tree in the middle of the lake. Also, I saw evidence that there are beavers there too.

Another hobby photographer I met said there are often kingfishers around the lake. Another “trophy” I have not yet managed to photograph.

These three rocks are called Weddinger Stonehenge. Even in Googlemaps. True story:

I would difinitely like another chance at a photo of that goshawk:

Vegan shiitake pasta – can easily be made both non-vegan and gluten-free

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Shiitake Mushroom Pasta (Vegan, No Cashews or Coconut!)

Author: Lori Rasmussen, My Quiet Kitchen

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  • 226 g dry pasta of choice
  • 300 ml water
  • 35 g raw sunflower seeds – see Notes
  • 5 cloves garlic, peeled – mince 4 cloves and leave one whole
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons arrowroot or corn starch
  • 2 Tablespoons vegan butter
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 2 large shallots, chopped
  • 284 g shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, sliced
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce – or tamari
  • 120 ml dry white wine – a crisp and tart variety like Sauvignon Blanc
  • black pepper, to taste
  • squeeze of lemon juice

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Instructions 

  • Cook the pasta in salted water according to package directions, then drain.
  • In a high-speed blender combine the water, sunflower seeds, 1 whole clove of garlic, and salt. Blend on high until completely smooth. Add the starch, and blend for another 30 to 45 seconds. Set aside.
  • Preheat a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the butter and olive oil, and swirl the pan to coat. Cook the shallots and shiitake mushrooms for about 5 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and soy sauce, and cook for a few more minutes or until the mushrooms are tender and no longer sizzling. Add the wine and bring to a simmer. Cook for several minutes or until the wine has reduced by about half.
  • Pour the blended sunflower cream sauce into the pan, and season with black pepper. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until thickened and creamy. Add a squeeze of lemon juice, stir well, and taste for seasoning. Add more lemon, salt, and pepper as desired. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a splash of water.
  • Toss the cooked pasta in the shiitake cream sauce and serve hot.

Notes

Blender: If not using a high-speed blender, you may want to soak the seeds in hot water for 1-2 hours before blending. You can also use a nut milk bag to strain the sauce before adding to the pan.

Subs and Variations

  • Gluten-free: Use your favorite gluten-free pasta and certified GF tamari instead of soy sauce.
  • Sunflower seeds: If you’re fine with nuts, feel free to use ⅓ cup cashews instead of the seeds, and omit the starch.
  • With greens: Add your favorite greens while sauteing the mushrooms – try spinach, kale, or small broccoli florets. 
  • Make it an entree: For extra protein and to make the dish more filling, add cooked white beans or lentils, seitan, or baked tofu. 

Store leftover pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freezing is not recommended. 

Photography – series: Smoke

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Last updated 14 February 2024

Photography: Personal favourites 2024 January

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Vegan Lentil Sweet Potato Tagine

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This vegan lentil sweet potato tagine evokes the voluptuous flavors of Morocco, with a tantalizing interplay of sweet, spicy, salty, tangy and savory. Serve it over a bed of couscous or quinoa for a cozy, nutrient-rich meal!

Prep Time15minutes mins

Cook Time25minutes mins

Total Time40minutes mins

Course: Main Course/Stew

Cuisine: African, North African

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 143kcal

Author: Vaishali · Holy Cow Vegan

Equipment

Ingredients

  • ½ cup dried brown lentils (or one 14-oz can of brown lentils)
  • 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 medium red onions (thinly sliced)
  • 6 cloves garlic (minced)
  • Salt to taste
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 medium tomatoes (diced)
  • 1 heaping tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 large sweet potato
  • 2 tablespoons parsley (chopped, for garnish)

Instructions

  • If using dried lentils, place lentils in a saucepan, cover with two inches of water and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer and let the lentils cook until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Strain the lentils before using, but reserve the cooking water.
  • Place the onions and garlic in olive oil in a large saute pan or Dutch oven. Add a pinch of salt and ground black pepper. Saute over medium heat until onions soften, about 3-5 minutes.
  • Add the spices to the pot: ground cumin, turmeric, cayenne, paprika, ground cardamom and ground allspice. Mix and saute for another minute or until the spices are very aromatic.
  • Stir in the tomatoes and tomato paste.
  • Add the sweet potatoes and drained, cooked or canned lentils to the pot along with 1 ½ cups of the lentil cooking liquid or vegetable broth or water.
  • Mix and bring the tagine to a boil over medium heat. Cover the pot, turn heat down, and let the tagine simmer until the sweet potatoes are very tender, about 15 minutes.
  • Check for salt and add more if needed. Sprinkle parsley over the tagine. Serve hot or warm.

And the other thing about the “Volkshochschule” (VHS) ….

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Your chance of getting a good, or even just OK, teacher is about 20/80.

After having attended a number of courses, I strongly suspect that they do not require any kind of teaching background or experience from their “teachers”. In the eight years I have lived in Berlin, I have come across one (1) teacher who very clearly had teaching background and also had obviously received formal training in the subject at hand. The rest – not so much – in fact many of them have shown a glaring lack of any kind of teaching capabilities, let alone formal training in the subject in which they were supposed to teach, and in many situations acted extremely unprofessionally.

For an institution which has the word “school” in their name, and whose courses are, for many, not particularly cheap – AND heavily government subsidised – that is quite remarkable. And perhaps the reason why they don’t have any kind of post-course evaluation procedure in place.

Neustrelitz March

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23 March this photo tour with Go2Know.

“Winterrundgang” in the galleries of Spinnerei Leipzig

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An InterNations activity.