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Author: Sabine Häberlein

CultureAndCream author from Munich As a nutritionist and passionate cook, I am interested in everything that has to do with good food. For me, enjoyment is a priority. As I see it, only when something tastes good can it be good for the body and, after all, the health aspect can’t be neglected. When I am on the road, I love to try local specialities, provided they are vegetarian. More recently I have embarked on an intensive study of wild plants, their traditional healing effects as well as their culinary potential. An exciting field! My other passion is opera, music which simply opens my heart and I attend performances just as often as I possibly can.

Wild Herbs – 3 Superfoods From Nature

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Collecting wild herbs is not only fun and an activity in the great outdoors, it also benefits our health. Nutritionist and herb expert Sabine Häberlein explains how to recognize them and what they can do. Wild herbs are in season right now in spring. May in particular brings us a rich selection of wild herbs. It is the time of fresh spring greenery, new beginnings, growth and renewal. The wild herbs that are now growing so fast we can almost watch them reflect this energy. Here I introduce you to the three top representatives with three benefits: they’re widely available, you can easily recognize them and they support you if you want to lose weight. 🌱 Goutweed is a true superfood. It contains lots of vitamin C, iron and potassium and is particularly good for detoxifying the body. Its taste is reminiscent of parsley. Use it fresh in salads or process it into delicious soups or pesto. 🌱 Stinging nettle is another wild plant that is often dismissed as a weed. However, it is a real health booster as it contains lots of iron, vitamin C and E. Use it in soups, salads or as a tea. I pick up a fresh nettle leaf every day. It protects me from iron deficiency. 🌱 The dandelion is not only a beautiful flower, but also a medicinal herb. It contains lots of potassium, vitamin C and bitter substances that stimulate the metabolism and digestion. The leaves add a spicy note to salads. The petals with their bright yellow color are not only a pretty decoration for various dishes. They also provide valuable ingredients that stimulate the metabolism and digestion. The leaves add a spicy note to salads. The wonderful world of plants Have you ever wondered what’s growing in the meadow on your walks? Do you want to know which of these wild herbs are edible and which you should stay away from? Are you interested in which plants have healing powers? In these days, we are used to buying our food in the supermarket.  But there is another way. Nature offers a wide range of plants that can enrich our diet. Of course, it is not possible for us all to become self-sufficient. But every now and then a pesto made from garlic rocket or a wild herb salad can complement our food really well. Not only do these dishes taste delicious, they also provide a concentrated load of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals – far more than cultivated plants can.… weiterlesen

The Sunny Power Plant: the Sea Buckthorn

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Wild herbs are very sparse at the moment. Often they are still hiding under the snow. That’s why our oecotrophologist and plant expert Sabine Häberlein has chosen sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) for this month, a plant that brings sunshine into the day through its color alone. But not only that, it is downright indispensable, especially at this time of year, as it strengthens our immune system.stem stärkt. Strong immune system thanks to the fruits Responsible for this are the high contents of vitamins C and E. Sea buckthorn berries contain between 200 mg and 1000 mg of vitamin C per 100 g of fruit, depending on the altitude. The daily requirement for adult women is 95 mg of vitamin C. Men need 110 mg of it per day. 100 g of fruit also cover the daily requirement of vitamin E. Concentrated healing power In addition, the orange berries are rich in B vitamins and thus promote concentration. The contents of provitamin A and flavanoids are also quite respectable. They reduce the risk of certain cardiovascular diseases, have an anti-inflammatory effect and protect cells. The oil produced from the seeds has wound-healing properties. It protects the skin from the sun and helps with sunburn. Kernel oil also has an anti-aging effect on the skin. Culinary delights The raw berries are extremely sour. When boiled down, they can tolerate a little sweetness. You can process them into juice, fruit spread, jelly, liqueur or desserts. They also taste good in muesli and in cakes or pies. The taste of sea buckthorn goes well with vegetable, tofu and meat dishes. A tasty tea can be brewed from fresh or dried sea buckthorn berries. However, the sea buckthorn has one drawback: the harvest is not so easy. Long pointed thorns defend the fruit and sometimes injure anyone who wants to get their hands on the orange berries. I prefer to make things easy for myself and buy either dried berries or, even better, an unsweetened juice from the health food store. This whole fruit juice is characterized by the fact that the whole fruits are ground and you thus benefit from the entire spectrum of ingredients. Recipe: Hot sea buckthorn drink Put 1 tablespoon of unsweetened sea buckthorn whole fruit juice in a glass and mix it with hot water (60 °C). If you find the taste too sour, sweeten the drink with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of honey.… weiterlesen

Now it’s Wild Garlic Season

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Spring has finally arrived, and a number of herbs are already stretching out towards the sun’s rays. In light forests we can now perceive a fine scent that comes from the green wild garlic fields. The time has come to harvest this versatile herb! The wild garlic smell is reminiscent of garlic, chives and onions and testifies to their relationship. They all belong to the amaryllis family and the leek subfamily. Wild garlic allegedly got its name from bears who, after hibernating, were said to have eaten this herb in large quantities to stimulate their digestive tract. This herb with the garlic-like taste not only enriches our spring menu. It also provides valuable ingredients such as potassium, iron and vitamin C as well as various secondary plant substances that are responsible for the healing properties of the leek plant. Similar to garlic, wild garlic has an antihypertensive, digestive, detoxifying and diverting effect. It probably even prevents atherosclerosis. Bear’s garlic contains the sulfur-containing amino acid Allin. When the plant is cut or rubbed, enzymes convert this protein component into leek oil (allicin), which has an antibiotic effect. On the wild garlic hunt The best time to hunt wild garlic is between March and May. You can also harvest it when it is already in bloom. But before flowering, all the power of the plant is in the leaves and it tastes best. When harvesting, one should be careful and harvest individual leaves without a stem with a ceramic knife. Only a few plants have to be cut off from a single spot in order to preserve the stand. Very important: take a good look at the harvested crop and rule out any mix-ups. Because autumn crocus, lilies of the valley and arum are poisonous look-alikes that sometimes sneak into the wild garlic carpet. However, if you are careful you can easily tell them apart. Relying only on the smell doesn’t help. If you have picked up some wild garlic leaves, everything smells like garlic. So it’s better to pay attention to the clear characteristics: With wild garlic, each leaf comes out of the ground with its own petiole. It is matte on the back and has a distinct vein of leaves and parallel leaf veins. The leaf of the arum also has its own petiole, but the leaf veins run like a network. The leaves are more rounded. The autumn crocus develops a shoot with several leaves on a stem – without a distinct petiole.… weiterlesen

A Pilgrim’s Joy and Suffering in Portugal

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On the road to Santiago The time had finally arrived. The backpack was packed, the hiking boots on. What I needed for the flight was stowed away in trouser pockets and a belt pouch. Now the adventure could begin and at the crack of dawn, my girlfriend and I flew to Porto. First off, we found our hostel and deposited our backpacks so that we could explore the city. And in Porto there is a lot to see. During the afternoon and evening, we covered 16 kilometres and 32 floors. I was particularly impressed by the typical blue tiles, which decorate several churches and quite a few of the simpler houses. 1st stage: Porto to Lavra After a substantial breakfast at the hostel, our pilgrimage got underway and the first stage led us directly along the coast. Our plan today was to reach Lavra so about 24 kilometres lay ahead of us. And that at 33 °C in the shade! We were very grateful that a fresh sea breeze made the heat more bearable. During the day we met only four other pilgrims. That should change in the evening. As we arrived our lodging – a campsite -, there was already a long queue in front of the registration. This campsite is very popular among pilgrims. It is located right on the Road to Santiago in a wonderful park. Right next to it there is a restaurant. What more do you want after a long walk with tired feet! Stage 2: Lavra to Rates On the second day we had to choose: Should we continue along the coast to the Rio Minho, or do we turn off after ten kilometres and follow the more traditional, inland route? We finally decided on the second option which, although more hilly than the coastal road, led us through much more diversified countryside. We didn’t regret our decision – but first continued to also enjoy the picturesque coastal landscape until we turned inland at Vila do Conde. After a good 25 kilometres, we arrived at the pilgrim accommodation São Pedro in Rates in the afternoon, feeling just a little tired. We were quite surprised to find that all 60 beds were already occupied; however, after being handed a cool refreshing glass of water, we were relieved to be assured “Don’t worry, we won’t send you back out on the road”. The friendliness and helpfulness of the Portuguese was something we were to encounter very often on our journey.… weiterlesen

I, too, wanted to be off then!

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A woman gets organised for a pilgrimage Hape Kerkeling* isn’t the only one who can do it. Walking the Camino de Santiago (the Pilgrimage of St James) has been a dream of mine for a very long time. Alone, on foot, with only the essentials in my backpack. But do I trust myself enough to do it? Will it be physically possible? I’m not really the most athletic person I know so how long can I walk at one stretch? These were the questions and doubts that for years kept me from fulfilling this dream. But five years ago, the big decision was made and to gradually prepare myself, I began by going on a partial pilgrimage every year, starting out with two days in the Allgäu, working up to a week each on paths in Lower Bavaria, Austria and Upper Bavaria. This year the time had finally come for me to embark on a 14-day trip to Santiago de Compostela. Why do people go on pilgrimages at all? As far back as the Middle Ages people embarked on the St. James pilgrimage, their goal being to secure a place in Paradise. Today, however, the pilgrims’ motivations are not necessarily religious. Some see it as a sporting challenge; others want to meet up with as many people from all over the world as possible. Still others are trying to process some kind of trauma, are recovering from burnout or merely want to prove something. The reasons are as varied as the people who undertake the journey. For me, a pilgrimage is a personal time out. It is a chance to wind down, to immerse myself in nature while walking, to be aware of all the wonderful plants and animals, even the very smallest, to be mindful of them, to look around me every day in wonder and marvel at how beautifully the world is created. In Germany, pilgrims are considered to be somewhat exotic. In Spain on the other hand, these travellers are part of everyday life and are greeted everywhere by strangers locals calling out “Buen Camino”. Well prepared Pilgrimages are addictive. As soon as I come back from one journey, I start thinking about where I want to go next year. Not surprisingly then that my planning already started in Autumn last year. However, this time it was different. While on the Munich Way of St James in 2017, I met a like-minded pilgrim.… weiterlesen