Weekend Trip to Heidelberg - As Told By the Squishable Trio (Plus: Vegetarian Chili Was Made and the Very First Holly List!)

Yulysta - Julius, please stop pouting.

Peanut Butter: You're making this into a way bigger deal than it really is.

Y: Holly's going to fix it, it's going to be okay.

Julius: ...

PB: Are you really going to be this way through the whole blog post? I mean it's the first one we've written in a while...

J: You didn't have to go through the experience I did!

PB: Julius...

J: No! I'm so unhappy. And she's six years old for crying out loud!

Y: Look, she bit your nose. It's not like she cut you up or something.

PB: And besides, Holly can fix it. She's been tired lately, but she'll get you cleaned up.

J: But now my nose is DIRTY! It's awful...

PB: Okay, I'm going to explain what happened now. As Holly was packing her bags to go on this weekend trip to Heidelberg, she realized she didn't have any place to put us during the trip. The youngest girl had the idea that because there's three of us and three children, each one could place one of us on their laps.

Y: A little more than halfway to Heidelberg, the youngest one decided, for whatever reason, to bite Julius' nose, therefore causing it to be wet and dirty.

PB: In Holly's defense, when she realized what the youngest had done, she took Julius away and kept him near her. And Holly wasn't really happy about what had happened.

J: I don't blame Holly. But I thought I was the boy's favorite and you were the little girls' favorite. It should have been you!

PB: That's not really nice of you to say...

Y: On the way back, the youngest was carsick and therefore she didn't hold any of us, which was a relief.

PB: And now, if it's okay with Julius, I'm going to talk about the actual stay in Heidelberg.

J: Whatever.

PB: We had gorgeous weather the whole time, Holly put in probably about 30 miles of walking the whole time she was there, which was about two days or so.

Y: Being that Holly did so much walking, she wasn't able to really take us anywhere, but we did get to have our own room, where we stayed quite comfortably. A very nice change from the dresser.

PB: Holly saw everything too. You should see the pictures! (They're below, as always.)

J: Holly is also taking us to Paris which is really exciting, particularly because my nose will be safe.

Y: She has yet to decide when she will be going to Salzburg and she may or may not take us for that trip as well.

PB: Going back to the Heidelberg visit, there was so much to see! Heidelberg's Altstadt (Old Town) was bustling with activity. She also got to see an old Studenten Karzer (Student Jail, no joke!), the University Museum, Philosophenweg (Philosopher's Way), an Observation Tower, and the ruins of St. Michael's Basilica.

Y: Plus much more! Not to mention there was no babysitting or other work to be done and therefore meant that Holly had an even greater time than she would have had otherwise. It was a four hour drive each way though. This is typically okay for Holly, but on the way back all she wanted to do was sleep. Then the host mother decided to give her work to do the moment she got home. 

J: Holly was able to get about 8 1/2 hours of sleep last night and it felt so good for her that she plans on doing that for the next few nights!

Y: I actually think that's the amount you're supposed to get...

J: Okay yeah but most people don't so... nah!

PB: Below, you'll not only find pictures of Heidelberg, you will also get a picture of us, the Squishable Trio...

J: With my dirty nose.

PB: ...and you'll also get her amazing vegetarian chili recipe!

Y: Wait, wait! You'll also get her very first Holly List. For those of you who know her, she really likes lists.

PB: We all hope you enjoy this blog post. Even Julius.

J: ... Yeah, I guess I do...

Y: The next time you'll hear from us, we'll have been to PARIS! Historically known as the city of love... maybe I'll find my Squishable match someday...

J: Ew. No love talk from you Yulysta. 

PB: Yulysta wants to get married someday; there's nothing wrong with that Julius. You're such a buzz kill.

J: I'm just upset about my nose.

Y: Holly will fix you after the blog post. In the meantime, we all hope everyone enjoys the pictures, recipe, and list, and we will all write again soon!

PB, J, & Y: À bientôt!

This is the first thing I saw coming into Heidelberg. Granted it wasn't the first picture I took, but still. It is a mechanical three-legged horse. The kids were really excited about it.

This is actually the first picture I took. There were actually a considerable amount of fountains in the area. I really liked this one; it was actually the biggest fountain I saw while I was there.

Squishable Trio in my little room in Heidelberg. If you look really closely, Julius' nose is a bit grey/light brown. Not happy about it.

Twin towers in Heidelberg, near Altstadt.

This was kind of cool. It's a weird cat metal statue where you can actually put your head inside and take your picture. I watched someone do this.

This is not a Heidelberg thing necessarily, but I see shops like this where you can buy your very own lederhosen or dirndl. If I can afford it, I would like to pick one up.

Schloss Heidelberg or Heidelberg Castle. It is extremely old, the original castle being built in 1214. (Thanks for the year, Wikipedia.)

Whole view of the castle. I loved visiting it, it was beautiful.

Okay so I know I have to explain this: At Heidelberg University, which is also very old, they had an area where they would send students who had misbehaved or otherwise needed punishment. A student jail. I took lots of pictures of this place, but honestly it was a bit unnerving. All of the pictures you see on the walls were drawn by the "prisoners." One of the writings on the wall I saw that a particular student had spent 14 days in here. Kinda eerie.

Example of a cell.

On a happier note, I walked along Philosophenweg, or Philosopher's Way, in Heidelberg. It was an amazing hike, and many famous philosophers have also made this hike.

There was a garden also along Philosopher's Way. Very pretty.

Now, if you continue up the mountain, past Philosopher's Way, you reach an observation tower, and yes you can really climb to the top...

... And here's a picture of the tower shadow I took from the top. Don't believe me?

See that faint, odd shadow sticking out from the top? That's my arm. I waved.

If you continue even further up the mountain, you reach an old amphitheater.

And finally, at the VERY top, you reach St. Michael's Basilica, which is a ruin now. I was able to walk up the tallest tower (kind of in the center of the picture) and look out over Heidelberg...

... and this is what I saw. I swear I could have stayed here for the rest of my life. It was amazing.

The mountain I climbed. (Pause here: a "mountain" to me is a very, very tall, rocky, snow-capped, pointy-ish, upward incline of the land. This was considered a mountain just as the Appalachian Mountains are considered mountains. I call these tree-filled "mountains" big hills or buttes. Examples of real mountains: the Rockies, the Alps, Mount Everest, etc.)

This is the Neckar River that runs through Heidelberg. The last major thing I did before we left was spend a little bit walking along side it.

And now, the moment you've all been waiting for... (Which honestly, I know it's not. There are far more important things that will happen other than you reading this.)

HOLLY'S VEGETARIAN CHILI!!!

I have a confession to make. When I was younger (and before I went organic) I loved Wendy's chili. That was all I would order from there. It was also the only fast food restaurant I had some respect for. As a matter of fact, before I made the "official" switch to organic, my friend asked me to go to Wendy's with her. I made a vow that day that the last fast food meal I would ever have would be Wendy's chili and part of a Frosty. Sad right?

Now! Before I list the ingredients I want to make a few notes. One, I am writing down the recipe with changes I would have made. There are not very many, but a few. Two, I took ideas for this recipe from three different sources: Thank You Food Network (Emeril), Thank You Whole Foods, Thank You Can You Stay For Dinner?. I have a very particular taste when it comes to making my own recipes, so I take ideas and compile and make it my own. Third, the nutrition information is fairly lax this time around because there were so many ingredients, so I wrote what I know. Lastly, I bought almost all of the ingredients listed below (except spices, salt, olive oil, and garlic, I had all those on hand) plus rice, and the total was less than 20 Euros. For a meal that will probably last me a month.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 1/2 Cups Yellow Onion, finely chopped (About three small/medium onions)

1 Medium Pepper of Your Choosing, seeded and very, very finely chopped (Don't choose bell pepper. It's icky. You also just barely want to see the pepper pieces in the chili.)

4 or 5 Cloves of Garlic, chopped fine or made into a paste

2 Medium Zucchinis, skin left on and chopped into bite-sized pieces

1 Can or Jar of Corn Kernels (I'd say no less than 1 to 1 1/2 cups)

3 Medium Sweet Potatoes, peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces

2 Cans Kidney Beans (about 2 cups or so, part of liquid reserved)

1 Can White, Brown, or Black Beans (you choose, I put brown, about a cup or so, reserve part of liquid)

1 Large Can Herbal (or plain if you can't find herbal) Stewed or Chopped Tomatoes, liquid reserved (28oz or so, I got two smaller cans)

1 1/2 Tablespoon Chili Powder

1 1/2 Teaspoon Cumin

1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne (you can use hot sauce if you really want to)

1/4 Teaspoon Smoked or Regular Paprika

Salt to Taste or About a Teaspoon

Water, as needed

Nutritional Information:

Gluten/Dairy Free

Vegan

Spices, beans, zucchini, and corn have positive effects on digestion

Low in calories

Can be variously edited or substituted to your dietary needs (Note! Can't have peppers, tomatoes, or those strong spices? Omit them! That's right, omit them! Take 'em out! Make it a vegetarian stew instead! Mix it up a little! Do what every mother told their kids not to do: PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD! We're all adults now! HAVE FUN!)

Super easy to make, which means less stress, which means good for your mental health too!

Directions:

1) In a large pot over medium, medium-high heat, heat olive oil until hot, then saute onions, garlic, pepper, and sweet potato for about 7-10 minutes or until sweet potato has soften just around the edges (you still want it to be fairly hard though).

2) Add zucchini and corn then cook for another 6 or 7 minutes.

3) Add spices and salt, stir for about 30 seconds.

4) Add tomatoes with their juice, beans with their juice, and about a cup of water. (Or to your liking. I like my chili thick. Some like it thin. Either way, add a bit more water than the consistency you want because some water will evaporate. You can always add more water, but you can't necessarily take it out.)

5) Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 20-30 minutes.

6) Serve over cooked brown rice.

My chili dish, complete with rice. Oh man, it was good.

This image is courtesy Fuzzy Five where they write a comic about five Squishables and their adventures together. This comic was written yesterday... the same day I made my vegetarian chili! So which is it... soup or not soup?

A couple more notes on food for the month. There will, sadly, be no chicken recipe this month. I am very low on funds due to my trip to Paris (in fact, I'm going to have to ask to be paid 100 Euros a week early so I can make this trip), so I can't afford a chicken recipe. (Look for one next month!) Also I may not have my potato bread made. I am DEFINITELY making potato bread sometime soon, I just don't know when that will be. Potato bread is very cheap to make, I just don't know if I'll have the time (it's a process).

Which brings me to my next point: my Holly List! I was doing some thinking, and I realized that I feel very strongly that there are certain "prepared" foods you can eat  that you will never gain weight on, and are very healthy for you. I'm not talking about apples or celery here. (Or tea/coffee.) I'm talking about foods that actually require some kind of preparation. So my first Holly List of:

10 "PREPARED" (ORGANIC) FOODS I'M CONVINCED YOU CAN NEVER GAIN WEIGHT ON

1) Plain or Vanilla Yogurt - Talk about healthy! Cultures that help the tummy, plus provide protein and low in calories? The whole package!

2) Crackers - Tummy ache? Crackers will save you! Traditionally without yeast and made with baking soda, crackers are a tummy soother because of its ingredients and small portions. Feeling soothed also helps keep you from eating more.

3) Pickles - Did you know vinegar helps soothe the tummy (oh wait, I wrote about this already...)? Plus they are less than 5 calories per large pickle serving, and fun to say!

4) Plain Oatmeal - I learned recently that oats are a blood sugar regulator. This doesn't mean you can coat it with sugar though. Try maple syrup, agave, honey, cinnamon, cocoa powder, coconut, nut butters, or nutmeg. It also helps you feel full quicker, meaning you don't want to eat as much. Yum!

5) Popcorn - Even oil-popped is okay for you (use olive, canola, or sunflower). It has a wide amount of benefits, plus fiber, which helps you feeling full. Not to mention very low in calories if homemade (which it should always be).

6) Plain Applesauce - Why oh why did people start putting sugar on apples? There's so much sugar in them to begin with! Just add some cinnamon and you're good to go. (Tip: Try nutmeg. Unique and tasty!) Make it homemade! Recipe here, just omit the sugar and cinnamon, plain applesauce is good applesauce.

7) Salad - Duh. My suggestion: spinach leaves, mushrooms, salted tomatoes, falafel, and some red onion with some balsamic vinegar and olive oil over the top. Yum!

8) Homemade Hot Chocolate - What? Hot chocolate on this list? I read somewhere that people who ate chocolate regularly were actually thinner than the average person. Dark chocolate also has antioxidant affects and a myriad of other benefits. My suggestion: cocoa powder (or dark chocolate squares), vanilla, honey/agave/maple syrup(!), milk of choice, dash of cinnamon or nutmeg. Heat until desired consistency and flavor.

9) Peanut/Cashew/Hazelnut/Sunflower Seed/Soy Nut/Macadamia Nut Butter - Yes, maybe high in calories, but equally high in nutritional benefits. I've said this before: the only two ingredients on the last should be the nut or seed and salt if you want it salted. That's it. Why don't you see almond butter on the list? Here's a test for you: go to the store, but a giant bag of almonds, eat them all in one sitting, and see how you feel in an hour (don't really do this please). Almonds are great for you, but can cause stomach pain in large amounts. The opposite of feeling good. (Halva also belongs in this spot. Only sesame seeds and honey. Mmmm.)

10) Sushi - Seaweed, rice, and typically fish. Roll it up and what do you have? Not only tastiness, but something that is very healthy for you. Seaweed had such a long list of benefits you should take a look at them here, rice is a no-brainer since there's nothing in it, and fish is pretty well known for having a lot of omega fatty acid benefits, as well as vitamins and minerals.

I hope you all enjoyed my longer blog post as it will probably be the last blog post for a little while (nothing's going on until Paris/Salzburg). Below I have just two more pictures: my plants and Fred. I have been writing this blog post for a little over three hours now so it's time for me to go to the store. I hope everyone enjoyed the pictures and I hope everyone has a great rest of the week!

Plants. The mini apple trees are starting to get more woody stems, which I'm really excited about.

Look look look! FRED DER FROSCH IS GROWING LEGS!!